IELTS Listening Practice Test 55
4 parts · 40 questions · about 34 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 NASA astronaut about the influences that shaped his career.
Questions 1–6
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Early academic and personal influences
Academic background
- While studying biology, he became curious about the body’s internal workings, especially .
- He completed ground school but could not pay for instruction.
A crucial discovery
- He found an unfamiliar journal in the campus .
- He paused his revision for a short and then read the journal from cover to cover.
- To contact specialists, he consulted a printed .
- He identifies this period as his undergraduate stage.
Questions 7–10
Answer the questions below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Part 2: Questions 11–20
You will hear a radio report about a NASA rover exploring a new area of Mars.
Questions 11–15
Label the diagram below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
A cross-section of Gale Crater
Questions 16–20
Complete the summary using the list of words, A–I, below.
Curiosity’s Scientific Aims
Curiosity’s forthcoming examinations will concentrate on the channel’s development and the composition of its deposits. The earliest rocks to be sampled are abundant in Drop or choose answer — salty substances commonly produced when liquid water Drop or choose answer. Previous investigations around Mount Sharp revealed Drop or choose answer, indicating extensive interaction between water and rock. Layers of Drop or choose answer settling in ancient bodies of water could retain further traces of life. In parallel, the Perseverance rover has been surveying Drop or choose answer Crater and accumulating specimens for a future return mission.
- A groundwater
- B sulfates
- C clay minerals
- D sediment
- E Jezero
- F 2028
- G Perseverance
- H ESA
- I evaporates
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear a conversation between a radio host and a NASA space biologist about her professional journey and formative influences.
Questions 21–22
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Questions 23–24
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Questions 25–30
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
Early influences
- Initially enjoyed a wide range of subjects, including and history.
- Was uncertain which activity to as a future occupation.
- Received motivation from an exceptionally lively biology .
- Remembered a schoolbook that included an illustration of the ear.
- Her parents were exceptionally good at her enthusiasm for science.
- Felt different from relatives because her studied English literature and economics.
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a health report about recently approved gene therapies for a serious inherited blood condition.
Questions 31–35
Complete the table below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Approval and disease background
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
Authorizing agency | |
Minimum eligible patient age | and above |
Carrier status may guard against | |
WHO fatal threshold for worst cases | before years |
Underlying cause of faulty blood cells |
Questions 36–40
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Trial outcomes and safety concerns
Although the therapies are expensive, trial data were encouraging. In the first trial, out of 31 recipients with adequate follow-up remained free from pain crises for a year or more. In the second trial, of 32 patients experienced neither severe pain nor organ damage during follow-up. However, the preparatory chemotherapy carries dangers such as , hair loss and serious infections. Regulators also require a warning that the second approach has been associated with . Some researchers caution that CRISPR may produce unintended genomic alterations known as .
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Early Career Influences of an Astronaut | 1–10 | Note completion, Short-answer questions |
| 2 | Mars Rover Reaches New Terrain | 11–20 | Diagram label completion, Summary completion (word list) |
| 3 | Space Biology Career and Early Influences | 21–30 | Multiple choice (choose more than one), Note completion |
| 4 | Gene Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease | 31–40 | Table 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: Dr. Spaceman (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: Mars Explorer Arrives at New Area in Search for Evidence of Water, Life. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 3: Space Biology (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: US Approves Two Treatments for Sickle Cell Disease. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain