IELTS Listening Practice Test 23
4 parts · 40 questions · about 30 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 two friends taking a sightseeing tour in Washington, D.C.
Questions 1–6
Complete the form below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
City tour
The tour vehicle is a boat with
Created during: World War
Purpose: to carry people and
Washington Monument: on the
Near White House: police
White House facilities: swimming pool, movie theater, 32
Questions 7–10
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 2: Questions 11–20
You will hear a science report about a new study into the mineral that gives Mars its red colour.
Questions 11–12
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Questions 13–14
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Questions 15–20
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Notes on the Mars study
The researcher
- Adomas Valantinas works in the Department of Earth, Environment & Sciences at Brown University.
- The question of why Mars is red had been considered for hundreds, if not of years.
The evidence
- The team used observational data and novel methods.
- Ferrihydrite formation on Mars required oxygen and capable of reacting with iron.
Future research
- John Mustard called the findings a door-opening for future research.
- The team's theory will be checked with samples being collected by NASA's rover.
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear a podcast discussion about a panel of women who have worked at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Questions 21–25
Complete the sentences below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Questions 26–30
Choose the correct letter, A–G, next to Questions 26–30.
- A the Air Force
- B the Vietnam War
- C a family
- D the Rich Building
- E a prison matron
- F the warehouse
- G her future husband
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a science report about efforts to breed corals that can survive warmer oceans.
Questions 31–35
Complete the summary below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Scientists say coral bleaching is caused by ocean warming linked to change. Bleaching happens when the small ocean animals react to pressure by releasing organisms that give them energy and colour. In April, two organisations said at least countries, territories or local economies had reported bleaching since February 2023. To produce corals that resist warm water, the researchers used a method called breeding. Their study said this improved the heat of adult corals, even within a single generation.
Questions 36–40
Complete the flow-chart below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A tour of the city | 1–10 | Form completion, Multiple choice |
| 2 | Why Mars is red | 11–20 | Multiple choice (choose more than one), Note completion |
| 3 | Women who worked on the Apollo missions | 21–30 | Sentence completion, Matching features |
| 4 | Corals that resist warmer oceans | 31–40 | Summary completion, Flow-chart 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: Let's Learn English, Lesson 6: Will It Float?. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 2: New Discovery Could Explain What Gives Mars its Red Color. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 3: Women of JSC: Apollo to Artemis (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 4: Scientists Say They Have Bred Corals to Better Resist Warm Oceans. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain