When an Invasive Fish Is Also Tasty, Maryland Schoolchildren Help “Eat the Problem”

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

C1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the questions, then listen before opening the transcript. Notice names, numbers and any corrections the speaker makes.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can students choose alongside the catfish sandwich?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Rice, carrots, and grilled salmon
   2. Grapes, broccoli, and usual choices
   3. Apples, beans, and vegetable soup
   4. Pizza, fries, and tuna salad
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Grapes, broccoli, and usual choices

   The narration lists grapes, broccoli, and familiar lunch choices.

   Alongside grapes, broccoli, and the usual choices, students can select a catfish cake sandwich known as a “catty patty.”

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the fish’s size suggest about its ecological potential?

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   1. It may exert substantial pressure on native species
   2. It cannot survive in shallow tributaries
   3. It is unlikely to compete with smaller predators
   4. It has become harmless within the food chain
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It may exert substantial pressure on native species

   Its size contributes to concerns about the pressure it places on prey.

   The fish can grow to more than 100 pounds, and its broad appetite has intensified concerns about the native species it consumes.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which two native species are specifically identified as prey?

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   1. Oysters and shrimp
   2. Blue crabs and rockfish
   3. Trout and striped bass
   4. Clams and river herring
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Blue crabs and rockfish

   The narration names blue crabs and rockfish as important local seafood.

   These include blue crabs and rockfish, both of which are important local seafood.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What dual quality does Beth Brewster attribute to the fish cake?

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   1. It is inexpensive and easy to freeze
   2. It is enjoyable and ecologically beneficial
   3. It is traditional and nutritionally superior
   4. It is popular and commercially profitable
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It is enjoyable and ecologically beneficial

   She presents it as beneficial for students and for the ecosystem.

   She describes it as both enjoyable and good for students, while also emphasizing its ecological benefit.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What happens when the catfish is offered repeatedly?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Students gradually become more willing to try it
   2. The school removes all alternative meals
   3. Authorities stop monitoring the ecosystem
   4. Pizza is permanently removed from the menu
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Students gradually become more willing to try it

   Repeated availability appears to increase student willingness to try it.

   Nevertheless, more students have tried the catfish when it is offered a couple of times each month.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the initiative connect with conservation concerns?

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   1. Scientific research with restaurant regulation
   2. Conservation concerns with everyday behavior
   3. School funding with commercial fishing
   4. Regional cuisine with national legislation
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Conservation concerns with everyday behavior

   The final paragraph links conservation to ordinary personal behavior.

   Whether that strategy can significantly affect the Chesapeake’s ecosystem remains unclear, but it offers an accessible way to connect conservation concerns with everyday behavior.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What uncertainty does the speaker explicitly preserve?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Whether students understand the word ecosystem
   2. Whether catfish can be prepared safely
   3. Whether the strategy can significantly affect the ecosystem
   4. Whether the school can serve fish monthly
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Whether the strategy can significantly affect the ecosystem

   The conclusion avoids claiming that the initiative will definitely alter the ecosystem.

   Whether that strategy can significantly affect the Chesapeake’s ecosystem remains unclear, but it offers an accessible way to connect conservation concerns with everyday behavior.

What to review next

Listen again to difficult sections, then open the transcript to check what you heard. Repeat a useful phrase aloud and try the recording once more without the text.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Listen for the final information, especially when a speaker corrects or changes an earlier statement.

Example transcript: “Let’s meet at five — actually, half past five would be better.” What is the final suggested time?

The final suggested time is 5:30. Actually signals a correction; the first time is replaced by the later suggestion.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.