IELTS Listening Practice Test 69
4 parts · 40 questions · about 33 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 NASA Pathways participants discussing their career changes and current roles.
Questions 1–6
Complete the form below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
NASA Pathways Employee Profile
Background
- Family achievement: first sibling to obtain a university
- Initial placement: supported student outreach and institutional
Current role
- Division: assists with lunar specimens and financial
- Time in post: has held the role for days
- Mentor: described as an excellent
- Recent activity: several have been authorised
Questions 7–10
Answer the questions below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Part 2: Questions 11–20
You will hear a news report about a brain implant developed by a technology company.
Questions 11–15
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
The Neuralink implant: procedure and purposes
- The device is placed inside the skull by means of a surgical
- Early readings suggest that the patient's nerve cells have started to as expected
- Hair-thin connectors link the implant to the region that governs the intention of
- One medical objective is the treatment of neurological
- A further aim is to restore sight to those who are
Questions 16–20
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear part of a podcast in which two scientists discuss a spacecraft powered by a solar sail.
Questions 21–26
Complete the summary below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
Summary of the engineer's plans
Les Johnson explains that a solar sail may still be operational after the primary encounter, provided its mechanical parts and computer are not damaged by a solar radiation event. His team has already begun to consider follow-up activities. If the initial survey covered only part of the object, a return visit could complete coverage of its ; alternatively, the sail could turn around and carry out a second a few months later. Should all systems remain functional, the craft might also be sent to a different near-Earth body that comes within , although operations are restricted because travelling too far from Earth would mean losing . Johnson is additionally keen to establish the limits of the system by tilting the sail to progressively steeper angles relative to the Sun. He accepts that surpassing this point brings the mission to an end, but believes the results would shape the of subsequent spacecraft.
Questions 27–30
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a report about NASA's efforts to revise its Mars sample return mission.
Questions 31–35
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Previous mission sequence
- The robotic explorer has already gathered specimens from the Red Planet's terrain.
- Under the original proposal, the intended total was specimens.
- Each specimen is preserved within a strong casing.
- A retrieval vehicle would descend to Mars and later lift off from its .
- The ascending craft would then meet another vehicle while the planet.
Questions 36–40
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Revised priorities
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
Budget verdict | The administrator judged the projected expenditure to be . |
External input | He sought advice from specialists in alongside internal NASA teams. |
Innovation priority | Fox said proposals should pair novelty with . |
Pending details | The arrival timetable and specimen quantity will be revealed only in forthcoming . |
Launch precedent | Fox noted that no attempt had ever been made to lift off from a different . |
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switching to New Careers | 1–10 | Form completion, Short-answer questions |
| 2 | Implanting Devices in the Brain | 11–20 | Note completion, Multiple choice |
| 3 | Powering Travel with Light | 21–30 | Summary completion, Multiple choice |
| 4 | Returning Collected Rocks to Earth | 31–40 | Note completion, Table 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: Uncommon Origins (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: Elon Musk’s Neuralink Announces First Human Implant. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 3: Scouting an Asteroid (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: NASA Seeks New Way to Bring Mars Rocks to Earth. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain