IELTS Listening Practice Test 56
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 podcast interview with a former NASA astronaut about his upbringing and career decisions.
Questions 1–6
Complete the form below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Astronaut Background Details
Personal history
- Number of residential relocations:
- Duration of residence in Germany: years
- Approximate number of nations visited:
Military and academic background
- Primary specialisation:
- Professional background before specialisation:
- Secondary specialisation selected:
Questions 7–10
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 2: Questions 11–20
You will hear a radio report about a Buddhist statue and meditation centre in New Jersey.
Questions 11–15
Answer the questions below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Questions 16–20
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Local pupils decorated a mural with symbols from a range of . Besides this artwork, Maharjan helped develop a . On his arrival in New Jersey, he had to drive nearly to reach a Buddhist temple. Nowadays, however, a temple lies within a short distance of his home. Carol Kuehn, a retired teacher, converted after the temple's leader came in . She credits Buddhism with helping her cope with after her husband died.
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear a discussion about the development and testing of organ-on-a-chip systems.
Questions 21–25
Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–H, next to Questions 21–25.
- A processes medicines and releases the resulting compounds to other organs
- B changes the initial decomposition of a substance in the mouth
- C allows reactive compounds to enter and disturb several bodily systems
- D cannot accurately reproduce these systemic interactions
- E retains potentially harmful molecules, causing toxicity
- F modifies metabolites within the digestive tract
- G predicts drug behaviour by integrating data from multiple chips
- H links separate organ models into a single system
Questions 26–30
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a podcast interview about the development and assembly of a commercial airlock for the International Space Station.
Questions 31–35
Label the diagram below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
The commercial airlock
Questions 36–40
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Later integration and launch response
Analysis
- Analytical discipline supplied:
Avionics
- Subsystem assembled later:
- Electrical conduits installed:
- Additional power-related parts:
Launch
- Partners' launch-day response:
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NASA Astronaut Career Background | 1–10 | Form completion, Multiple choice |
| 2 | A New Jersey Buddha Statue | 11–20 | Short-answer questions, Summary completion |
| 3 | Organs on Chips | 21–30 | Matching features, Sentence completion |
| 4 | Commercial Airlock Development and Assembly | 31–40 | Diagram label completion, 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: Tough and Competent (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: Near a New Jersey Highway, a Large Statue of Buddha. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 3: Organs on Chips in Space (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: Commercial Airlock (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)