Short Wave explores ancient sea monsters, long COVID and elephant carcasses

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

B1. 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 passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What is the main purpose of the article?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To explain one long COVID treatment
   2. To summarize three science topics
   3. To describe a fossil discovery
   4. To compare several podcasts
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To summarize three science topics

   It summarizes three science topics connected by one podcast episode.

   NPR’s science podcast Short Wave looks at three different questions in its latest science episode.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why do scientists study fossils of ancient sea monsters?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To find living sea monsters
   2. To learn about their lives
   3. To protect modern oceans
   4. To measure human health
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To learn about their lives

   Fossils provide information about how these animals lived.

   These animals lived long before modern people, and scientists use evidence from fossils to learn how they moved, found food and survived.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “this condition” refer to?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The microbiome
   2. An initial infection
   3. Long COVID
   4. A digestive system
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Long COVID

   The phrase refers to long COVID, the health problem described immediately before.

   The episode considers the connection between this condition and the microbiome of affected patients.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can be inferred about an elephant carcass?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It leaves the ecosystem quickly
   2. It can support other organisms
   3. It prevents nutrients from moving
   4. It harms every nearby animal
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It can support other organisms

   Its remains continue supporting life after the elephant dies.

   A carcass can become part of the ecosystem, providing food and nutrients for other living things.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How does the article organize the podcast’s topics?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. By comparing two diseases
   2. By describing one experiment
   3. By moving through three topics
   4. By listing scientists’ names
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   By moving through three topics

   It presents the topics one after another, then explains their shared meaning.

   The topics move from ancient oceans to human health and the African savannah.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

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

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

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.