IELTS Listening Practice Test 126
4 parts · 40 questions · about 31 minutes of audio. Below are all the questions. Take the test in your free dashboard to play the recordings, answer as you listen, and get your band score with the transcript of every answer.
Part 1: Questions 1–10
You will hear a radio interview about social isolation and its effects.
Questions 1–10
Complete the form below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Social Isolation Fact File
Understanding the Condition
- Social isolation may be a forerunner of .
- Loneliness becomes only when people cut themselves off completely.
Survey Details
- A nationwide study was carried out in .
- Sample size: adults across the US.
- Many respondents felt their connections were insufficiently .
Influencing Factors
- use by itself is not a reliable predictor of loneliness.
- The cohort reported greater loneliness than pensioners.
- No significant disparity was found across .
Positive Outcomes
- Regular face-to-face contact improves and mental well-being.
- Individuals function at their best once they achieve a .
Part 2: Questions 11–20
You will hear a short radio programme about English expressions connected with keen eyesight.
Questions 11–16
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Notes on two English expressions
Viewing a task from above
- Adopting this perspective at the outset clarifies the of the work
- Raptors benefit from unusually powerful vision
- A bony ring around the eye shields it from intense
- Their skill at focusing on distant objects makes them formidable
Describing an observant individual
- Such people are characterised as alert and
- Keen perception may surface only at particular
Questions 17–18
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Questions 19–20
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear an interview with a maritime archaeologist about investigating and documenting historic shipwrecks.
Questions 21–26
Choose SIX answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–H, next to Questions 21–26.
- A required reconstruction from survey data
- B was completed quickly and easily
- C connected findings with earlier pictorial evidence
- D exposed a shortage of practical training
- E afforded only a restricted perspective
- F entailed prolonged repetitive searching
- G provided an all-encompassing view
- H relied on a few bilingual individuals
Questions 27–30
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a podcast interview with a marine scientist about a coastal phenomenon and a related research project.
Questions 31–35
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Questions 36–40
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Analysis of East Coast records revealed roughly occurrences annually—a far higher figure than anticipated. Nevertheless, the proved minor. Potentially dangerous waves, by contrast, were estimated at or above and arose about yearly. Geographically, the greatest concentration was observed along the , where some gauges are better placed to detect open-ocean events. The researchers attribute this partly to the exposure of monitoring equipment and to the range of weather systems affecting that coastline, including summer thunderstorms, winter storms and .
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Isolation and Loneliness | 1–10 | Form completion |
| 2 | Expressions for Sharp Observation | 11–20 | Note completion, Multiple choice (choose more than one) |
| 3 | Documenting Historic Shipwrecks | 21–30 | Matching features, Multiple choice |
| 4 | Investigating Coastal Wave Events | 31–40 | Sentence completion, Summary completion |
How to use it
- Open the test in your dashboard. Each part has its own track with the spoken instructions and the time to read the questions, as in the real exam.
- For exam practice, play each part once at 1× speed. To train your ear, slow it down or replay sections.
- Select words in a question to highlight the keywords you are listening for.
- After submitting, use “Show in transcript” to see exactly where each answer was said.
Audio sources
The recordings are real, copyright-free audio. The questions are written by Sprechify, and the spoken instructions use a synthetic voice.
- Part 1: CONNECT During Social Isolation (NASA Houston We Have a Podcast). NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston We Have a Podcast (NASA audio is generally not subject to copyright in the US)
- Part 2: Don't Miss a Thing With 'Eagle Eyes'. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 3: Shipwreck Detectives (NOAA Making Waves podcast). NOAA National Ocean Service, Making Waves podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)
- Part 4: Meteotsunamis (NOAA Ocean Podcast). NOAA National Ocean Service, NOAA Ocean Podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)