IELTS Listening Practice Test 172
4 parts · 40 questions · about 37 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 an interview about canine influenza in dogs.
Questions 1–7
Complete the form below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Canine Influenza Research Notes
Cross-Species Transmission
- Influenza pathogens possess the capacity to .
- Although canine influenza is not transmitted to owners, dogs can contract from them.
- A major worry is the emergence of a .
- If two strains merge, the resulting pathogen might evade the .
Clinical Management
- Most cases are managed with rather than specific drugs.
- Antibiotics are indicated only when a occurs.
- Some drugs are used to .
Questions 8–10
Answer the questions below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Part 2: Questions 11–20
You will hear a museum talk about a historical portrait and the interpretations it has attracted.
Questions 11–15
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Summary of the portrait discussion
Although Spanish painting had long combined children with animals, this portrait unsettles viewers by adding an atmosphere of and gloom. Critics such as Laura Cumming detect an element of in Goya’s portraiture, whose output includes nearly paintings, cartoons, murals and etchings. He also produced portraits of an aristocratic family; the painting was completed about a decade before an illness, possibly caused by contact with , led to headaches and delusions.
Questions 16–20
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear an interview with a medical specialist about a bacterial infection that can pass from animals to people.
Questions 21–25
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Questions 26–30
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
Response to medication | The pathogen shows little |
Prescribing method | A of drugs is normally required |
Patient cooperation | Results can be undermined by inadequate |
Recurrence of illness | Symptoms may return because of rather than relapse |
Serious complications | Infection of the heart in fewer than per cent of natural cases |
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a researcher discussing a nationwide study of a hospital infection in Switzerland.
Questions 31–40
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Nationwide Surveillance Study
Study Design
- Type of investigation: a study
- Data collection lasted:
- Number of hospitals served by participating laboratories:
- Material requested from laboratories:
- Specimens were examined of clinician requests
Diagnostic Comparison
- The molecular method was found to be than the immunoassay
- Consistency requires use of the across institutions
Strain Analysis
- The circulating strains displayed a of types
- The principal policy implication is the need for to compare infection rates
Prevention
- The most effective preventive measure is antibiotic use
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Managing Canine Influenza | 1–10 | Form completion, Short-answer questions |
| 2 | Interpreting a Portrait's Hidden Risks | 11–20 | Summary completion, Multiple choice |
| 3 | Investigating a Livestock-Borne Infection | 21–30 | Multiple choice, Table completion |
| 4 | Tracking a Hospital Infection | 31–40 | Note 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: Dog Flu in Canada (CDC, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)
- Part 2: The Red Boy, the Black Cat (CDC, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)
- Part 3: Brucella Found in Unpasteurized Camel Milk, Israel (CDC, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)
- Part 4: Two Ways of Tracking C. difficile in Switzerland (CDC, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)