IELTS Listening Practice Test

Part 1: Questions 1-3
Complete the form below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER.

BORGHEIMER LANGUAGE COURSES INFORMATION

Course Level – 3/ lower intermediate

Customer’s name: (1) 
Maximum class size: (2) 
Hours of study per day (weekdays): (3) 
Most expensive accommodation: (4) 
First Berlin course begins: (5) 

Questions 6 and 7
Choose TWO letters A-E.

Which TWO things does he need to buy for the course?

 A computer
 B computer disks
 C dictionary
 D translation exercises
 E textbooks

Questions 8-10
Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.

8. Without the student discount, the course costs  Euros.

9. Payment can be made by credit card or by 

10. To get a free course you need to find  other people.

 

Part 2: Questions 11-15
Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.

11. Ministers and officials put the  of the agriculture business first.

12. Hormones make cattle  thus making meat production more profitable.

13. The use of hormones was banned over  ago in Europe.

14. The USA and Canada asked the WTO to declare the ban 

15. A Danish study shows that hormones are over more dangerous than was previously thought.

Questions 16-20
Complete the summary below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Lack of testing

The government has not been testing beef which is (16)  much to the anger of Mr. Verral. About (17)  of the beef which British people eat comes from abroad, some of it from Brazil, a country which on paper does not allow the use of (18)  However, when some EU inspectors visited a Brazilian farm, they found a (19)  of the banned substance. This is not the first food scandal we have had in this country. Several months ago, a well-known chocolate company found out its sweets were contaminated with (20)  of salmonella.

Part 3: Questions 21-25
Complete the summary below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.

High achievers

Although it is thought that people who bring work home every night would be top achievers, they tend to peak early and then go into (21)  High achievers work hard, but within (22)  It is also important to choose (23)  you enjoy. Top achievers spend over (24)  of their working hours doing work they prefer. They want (25)  not just external rewards.

Questions 26-30
Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

26. Top achievers take risks
 A without worrying about the consequences
 B only if they are assured of success
 C even if they face possible failure

27. Very often perfectionists
 A turn out to be top achievers
 B don’t get many results
 C are not hard working

28. When top achievers make mistakes
 A they ignore the fact
 B they get angry with themselves
 C they learn from the experience

29. Top achievers tend to be people who
 A work well with others
 B prefer to work alone
 C complicate matters

30. Loners
 A want to do everything themselves
 B are free of the compulsion to be perfect
 C take no notice of rivals

Part 4: Questions 31-34
Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

31. Exposure to bright light
 A stopped production of melatonin in patients
 B increased the production of melatonin in many patients
 C caused people to crave sweet things

32. Melatonin’s role in SAD is
 A not considered that important
 B now fully understood
 C not fully understood

33. Subsyndromal SAD
 A is more common than SAD
 B has approximately the same number of sufferers as SAD
 C is far less common than SAD

34. You would expect the typical SAD sufferer to be
 A a 45 year old man
 B a 16 year old girl
 C a 25 year old women

Questions 35-40
Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

35. Depression probably has a  as it seems to run in the family.

36. Many SAD sufferers have a  craving.

37. Serotonin has a  effect on the brain.

38. The serotonin system of the brain cannot regulate itself well during 

39. Some neurotransmitters may be  in certain cases.

40. Many SAD patients put on fat in late autumn, just as 

 

 

Part 1: Questions 1-3
Complete the form below. Write ONE WORD OR A NUMBER.

Rented Properties Customer’s Requirements
Name:        Steven Godfrey
No. of bedrooms:         4
Preferred location:                        in the (1)  area of town
Maximum monthly rent:             (2) £ 
Length of let required:                 (3) 
Starting:                                          September 1st

Questions 4-8
Complete the table below. Write ONE WORD OR A NUMBER.

(4)                   (5) 
(6)                   (7) 
(8) 

Questions 9 and 10
Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO facilities in the district of Devon Close are open to the public at the moment?
 A museum
 B concert hall
 C cinema
 D sports centre
 E swimming pool

Part 2: Questions 11-16
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER.

THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTER
Well known for: (11) 
Complex consists of: concert rooms, theatres, cinemas, art galleries, public library,
restaurants and a (12) 
Historical background: 1940-area destroyed by bombs
1960s-1970s: centre was (13)  and built in (14)  – opened to public
Managed by: the (15) 
Open: (16)  days per year

Questions 17-20
Complete the table below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER.

(17)                 (18) 
(19)                (20) 

Part 3: Questions 21-26
Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

Latin American Studies
21. Paul decided to get work experience in South America because he wanted
 A to teach English there
 B to improve his Spanish
 C to learn about Latin American life

22. What project work did Paul originally intend to get involved in?
 A construction
 B agriculture
 C tourism

23. Why did Paul change from one project to another?
 A His first job was not well organized
 B He found doing the routine work very boring
 C The work was too physically demanding

24. In the village community, he learnt how important it was to
 A respect family life
 B develop trust
 C use money wisely

25. What does Paul say about his project manager?
 A He let Paul do most of the work
 B His plans were too ambitious
 C He was very supportive of Paul

26. Paul was surprised to be given
 A a computer to use
 B so little money to live on
 C an extension to his contract

Questions 27-30

What does Paul decide about each of the following modules?
Write the correct letter A, B or C next to questions 27-30.

Module
27. Gender studies in Latin America 
28. Second language acquisition 
29. Indigenous women’s lives 
30. Portuguese language studies 

A He will do this.
B He might do this.
C He won’t do this.

Part 4: Questions 31-34
Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

Trying to repeat success
31. Compared to introducing new business processes, attempts to copy existing processes are
 A more attractive
 B more frequent
 C more straightforward

32. Most research into the repetition of success in business has
 A been done outside the United States
 B produced consistent findings
 C related to only a few contexts

33. What does the speaker say about consulting experts?
 A Too few managers ever do it
 B It can be useful in certain circumstances
 C Experts are sometimes unwilling to give advice

34. An expert’s knowledge about a business system may be incomplete because
 A some details are difficult for workers to explain
 B workers choose not to mention certain details
 C details are sometimes altered by workers

Questions 35-40
Complete the notes below. Write ONE WORD ONLY.

Setting up systems based on an existing process
Two mistakes:
Manager tries to:
• Improve on the original process
• Create an ideal (35)  from the best parts of several processes

Cause of problems
• Information was inaccurate
• Comparison between the business settings was invalid
• Disadvantages were overlooked e.g. effect of changes on (36) 

Solution
• Change (37) 
• Impose rigorous (38) 
• Copy original very closely:
o Physical features of the (39) 
o The (40)  of original employees

 

 

 

 

 

Part 1: Questions 1-10
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER.

WEST BAY HOTEL – DETAILS OF JOB

• Newspaper advert for temporary staff
• Vacancies for (1) 
• Two shifts
• Can choose your (2)  (must be the same each week)
• Pay: £5.50 per hour including a (3) 
• A (4)  is provided in the hotel
• Total weekly pay: £231
• Dress: a white shirt and (5)  trousers (not supplied), a
(6)  (supplied)
• Starting date: (7) 
• Call Jane (8)  (service manage) before
(9)  tomorrow (Tel: 832009)
• She will require a (10) 

 

Part 2: Questions 11-13
Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

Improvements to Red Hill Suburb

11. Community groups are mainly concerned about
 A pedestrian safety
 B traffic jams
 C increased pollution

12. It has been decided that the overhead power lines will be
 A extended
 B buried
 C repaired

13. The expenses related to the power lines will be paid by
 A the council
 B the power company
 C local businesses

Questions 14-20
Label the map below. Write the correct letter A-H next to questions 14-20.

Road Hill Improvement Plan

 

14. Trees 
15. Wider footpaths 
16. Coloured road surface 
17. New sign 
18. Traffic lights 
19. Artwork 
20. Children’s playground 

 

Part 3: Questions 21 and 22
Choose TWO letters A-E.

In which TWO ways is Dan financing his course?
 A He is receiving money from the government
 B His family are willing to help him
 C The college is giving him a small grant
 D His local council is supporting him for a limited period
 E A former employer is providing partial funding

Questions 23 and 24
Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO reasons does Jeannie give for deciding to leave some college clubs?
 A She is not sufficiently challenged
 B The activity interferes with her studies
 C She does not have enough time
 D The activity is too demanding physically
 E She does not think she is any good at the activity

Questions 25 and 26
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

25. What does Dan say about the seminars on the course?
 A The other students do not give him a chance to speak
 B The seminars make him feel inferior to the other students
 C The preparation for seminars takes too much time

26. What does Jeannie say about the tutorials on the course?
 A They are an inefficient way of providing guidance
 B They are more challenging than she had expected
 C They are helping her to develop her study skills

Questions 27-30
Complete the flow chart below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER.

(27)                  (28) 
(29)                  (30) 

Part 4: Questions 31-36

Australian Aboriginal Rock Paintings

Which painting styles have the following features?
Write the correct letter A, B or C next to questions 31-36.

Features
31. figures revealing bones 
32. rounded figures 
33. figures with parts missing 
34. figures smaller than life size 
35. sea creatures 
36. plants 

Painting Styles
A Dynamic
B Yam
C Modern

Questions 37-40
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.

RAINBOW SERPENT PROJECT

Aim of project: to identify the (37)  used as the basis for the Rainbow Serpent
Yam Period:
• Environmental changes led to higher (38) 
• Traditional activities were affected especially (39) 

Rainbow Serpent Image
• Similar to a sea horse
• Unusual because it appeared in inland areas
• Symbolises (40)  in Aboriginal culture

 

Part 1: Questions 1-10
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer

Job Inquiry
Work at:                          a restaurant
Type of work:                (1) 
Number of hours per week: 12 hours
Would need work permit
Work in the:                  (2)  branch
Nearest bus stop: next to (3) 
Pay:                                 (4) £  an hour
Extra benefits: a free dinner
Extra pay when you work on (5) 
Transport home when you work (6) 
Qualities required:        (7) 
Ability to (8) 
Interview arranged for: Thursday (9)  at 6 pm
Ask for:                            Samira (10) 

 

Part 2: Questions 11-16
Complete the notes below. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

SPORTS WORLD
• a new (11)  of an international sports goods company
• located in the shopping centre to the (12)  of Bradcaster
• has sports (13)  and equipment on floors 1 – 3
• can get you any item within (14)  days
• shop specialises in equipment for (15) 
• has a special section which just sells (16) 

Questions 17 and 18
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

17. A champion athlete will be in the shop
 A on Saturday morning only
 B all day Saturday
 C for the whole weekend

18. The first person to answer 20 quiz questions correctly will win
 A gym membership
 B a video
 C a calendar

Questions 19 and 20
Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO pieces of information does the speaker give about the fitness test?
 A You need to reserve a place
 B It is free to account holders
 C You get advice on how to improve your health
 D It takes place in a special clinic
 E It is cheaper this month

 

Part 3: Questions 21-30
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

Course Feedback
21. One reason why Spiros felt happy about his marketing presentation was that
 A he was not nervous
 B his style was good
 C the presentation was the best in his group

22. What surprised Hiroko about the other students’ presentations?
 A Their presentations were not interesting
 B They found their presentations stressful
 C They didn’t look at the audience enough

23. After she gave her presentation, Hiroko felt
 A delighted
 B dissatisfied
 C embarrassed

24. How does Spiros feel about his performance in tutorials?
 A not very happy
 B really pleased
 C fairly confident

25. Why can the other students participate so easily in discussions?
 A They are polite to each other
 B They agree to take turns in speaking
 C They know each other well

26. Why is Hiroko feeling more positive about tutorials now?
 A She finds the other students’ opinions more interesting
 B She is making more of a contribution
 C The tutor includes her in the discussion

27. To help her understand lectures, Hiroko
 A consulted reference materials
 B had extra tutorials with her lecturers
 C borrowed lecture notes from other students

28. What does Spiros think of his reading skills?
 A He reads faster than he used to
 B It still takes him a long time to read
 C He tends to struggle with new vocabulary

29. What is Hiroko’s subject area?
 A environmental studies
 B health education
 C engineering

30. Hiroko thinks that in the reading classes the students should
 A learn more vocabulary
 B read more in their own subject areas
 C develop better reading strategies

 

Part 4: Questions 31-40
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.

Mass Strandings of Whales and Dolphins
Mass strandings: situations where groups of whales, dolphins, etc. swim onto the beach and die
Common in areas where the (31)  can change quickly

Several other theories:
Parasites
e.g. some parasites can affect marine animals’ (32)  ,which they depend on for navigation

Toxins
Poisons from (33)  or  are commonly consumed by whales
e.g. Cape Cod (1988) – whales were killed by saxitoxin

Accidental Strandings
Animals may follow prey ashore, e.g. Thurston (1995)
Unlikely because the majority of animals were not (34)  when they stranded

Human Activity
(35)  from military tests are linked to some recent strandings
The Bahamas (2000) stranding was unusual because the whales
• were all (36) 
• were not in a (37) 

Group Behaviour
• More standings in the most (38)  species of whales
• 1994 dolphin stranding – only the (39)  was ill

Further Reading
Marine Mammals Ashore (Connor) – gives information about stranding
(40)