IELTS Listening Practice Test 189
4 parts · 40 questions · about 32 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 with a medical expert about a fungal infection and a related hospital study.
Questions 1–6
Complete the form below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Clinical Features and Management
Clinical Presentation
- Approximately of infected individuals experience negligible or absent symptoms.
- Symptom onset generally occurs between one and weeks following exposure.
- Prolonged may persist for several months.
- Disseminated infection can affect organs beyond the .
Management
- Antifungal drugs may be unnecessary for cases.
- Severe brain infection may require lifelong .
Questions 7–10
Answer the questions below.
Write NO MORE THAN 4 WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Part 2: Questions 11–20
You will hear a podcast about the relationship between water and infectious diseases.
Questions 11–15
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Water and Health
Water is essential for health and for preventing the spread of disease.
- Most important measure worldwide for preventing disease transmission:
- Sterilization of instruments involves steam under
- Cholera has caused pandemics since the 19th century.
- Legionnaire's disease is transmitted by inhaling contaminated water
- A common but overlooked water source in hospitals:
Questions 16–20
Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–H, next to Questions 16–20.
- A They have been colonized with bacteria resistant to multiple drugs.
- B They are used to sterilize surgical instruments.
- C They help maintain a patient's blood at a constant temperature during surgery.
- D They are related to tuberculosis but cause different infections.
- E They can form on living tissues and medical devices.
- F They are responsible for multiple global pandemics.
- G They have caused outbreaks linked to waste- and tap water systems.
- H They are a broad group of highly resistant bacteria.
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear a discussion between a radio host and a researcher about water sampling during a public health crisis.
Questions 21–25
Complete the summary using the list of words, A–I, below. Write the correct letter, A–I, next to Questions 21–25.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Sampling Findings
Legionella is commonly associated with Drop or choose answer because it thrives in warm conditions. However, sampling showed that Drop or choose answer also harboured the organism. Testing is expensive and not Drop or choose answer, so decisions about monitoring are often made at the Drop or choose answer level. After the city returned to its previous water source, illness cases fell to Drop or choose answer.
- A cold water
- B hot water lines
- C baseline
- D legally required
- E building management
- F pipe replacement
- G bottled water
- H federal standards
- I health risk
Questions 26–30
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a researcher discussing laboratory safety routines and an immunisation strategy.
Questions 31–35
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Exit Procedure from a High-Containment Laboratory
| Stage | Action | Duration |
|---|---|---|
Before disinfection | Staff remove their | — |
First rinse | Water is sprayed over the suit | seconds |
Chemical disinfection | A heavy mist is applied | Seven to eight |
Exit release | A device unlocks the | — |
Final decontamination | Staff take a personal | — |
Questions 36–40
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fungal Infection and Hospital Data | 1–10 | Form completion, Short-answer questions |
| 2 | Water and Infection Control | 11–20 | Note completion, Matching features |
| 3 | Detecting Bacteria in Drinking Water | 21–30 | Summary completion (word list), Multiple choice |
| 4 | Inside a High-Containment Laboratory | 31–40 | Table completion, Sentence 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: Breathing Valley Fever (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: No Water, No Life (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: Legionella in Tap Water from the Flint River (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: Single-Dose Vaccine to Protect against Nipah Virus Disease (CDC, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emerging Infectious Diseases podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)