Environmental Consultancy Placement
Answers and Feedback
Read the audioscript to see why the answer is correct, and consider why the distractors listed below are incorrect.
The correct information proving the answer is highlighted, whereas the distractors are underlined and in italics.
Audioscript
Hi, I’m Liam McKenzie, and I’d like to talk about my placement with an environmental consultancy over the past three months. The company specialises in providing sustainability solutions to businesses, which initially made me a bit unsure about what my role would be. However, I soon found myself actively involved in conducting environmental impact assessments for various projects. My job was to analyse data and compile it into concise reports. I had planned to focus solely on water management issues, but my supervisor suggested I broaden my scope to include energy consumption as well.
One of the most challenging aspects was evaluating the carbon footprint of a major construction project. The project required me to look into several areas, including waste management and energy usage. One unexpected issue that came up was the high level of air pollution around the construction site, which hadn’t been flagged in the initial report. After investigating, we found that nearby traffic was the main contributor.
This placement has taught me a lot about the complexities of balancing business objectives with environmental goals. At times, I felt frustrated when it seemed like economic considerations were prioritised over environmental concerns, but I understand that compromises are often necessary in this field. Nevertheless, I was able to propose some mitigation strategies to reduce the project’s overall environmental impact, which the client seemed keen to implement.
Ultimately, the experience has given me a greater appreciation for the field of sustainability, and I’m now thinking about pursuing further studies in renewable energy. It’s an area where I feel I can make a meaningful contribution and drive real change in how businesses operate.
Environmental Consultancy Placement-Questions
Liam’s specific role during his placement was to produce clear and brief (1) ______ based on his data from impact analysis.
While Liam initially wanted a more narrow focus, a superior urged him to also examine (2) ______ consumption.
An unexpected problem Liam encountered was the high level of (3) ______ around the construction site.
Liam believes that at times, (4) ______ considerations were given more importance than they should have had.
Liam is now considering further education on (5) ______.
Answers:
1. reports
Possible Distractors: environmental impact assessments: While similar to reports, Liam was involved in this generally and specifically creating reports based on these assessments. Projects: similar to reports but not mentioned as Liam's primary focus.
2. energy
Possible Distractors: water management: What his original, more narrow focus, was.
3. air pollution
Possible Distractors: Energy usage: this is what he had to research. Nearby traffic: this ended up being the cause of the air pollution, but the traffic was not something unexpected.
4. economic
Possible Distractors: environmental: what Liam thought they should have been more focused on.
5. renewable energy
Possible Distractors: the field of sustainability: he appreciates this more now, but is less specific than what he plans to study. How businesses operate: what he hopes to change though not a specific study.