PTE Academic Listening Practice Test 1

Transcript (revealed after you submit) WOMAN: Good morning everyone. Today I want to talk about urban beekeeping and why it has become so popular in our cities over the last decade. Let me start with a little background. The practice of keeping bees on city rooftops began in Paris in 1985, and since then it has spread to nearly every major capital. A single healthy hive can hold up to 60000 bees during the summer months, and these bees will travel as far as five kilometres to find flowers. Now, one very common myth is that city honey is polluted. In fact, research from our own department shows that urban honey is often cleaner than rural honey, because city gardens tend to use fewer pesticides than large commercial farms. The main threat to bees today is not pollution but a tiny parasite called the varroa mite, which weakens the whole colony and spreads disease between hives. To keep a hive healthy, beekeepers should inspect it every fortnight and keep a written record of the queen and her eggs. If you are thinking of starting your own hive, remember that you will need a permit from the city council before you begin, and you should always inform your neighbours first so that nobody is taken by surprise. The best location for a nervous beginner is a flat rooftop that receives gentle morning sunlight and is well sheltered from strong wind.