IELTS Listening Practice Test 78
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 a podcast interview about preparation for demanding technical operations.
Questions 1–5
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Background and Initial Crew
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
Overall professional designation | |
Kind of base Marines set up when deployed | bases |
Number of marine test pilots on first flight | |
Sport played professionally by one crew member | |
Medical specialisation of another crew member |
Questions 6–10
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 radio report about a recent change involving consumer earphones.
Questions 11–15
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Questions 16–20
Complete the summary below. Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–I, next to Questions 16–20.
Later Assessment and Consequences
Users can Drop or choose answer to discover whether their hearing is impaired and how serious the problem is. Those affected can then Drop or choose answer according to their needs. Experts believe the popularity of the earbuds could Drop or choose answer among people who dislike the appearance of conventional devices. Hearing loss has been connected with depression, dementia and Drop or choose answer. Nevertheless, Stangl cautions that prolonged use may be uncomfortable and that the battery may not Drop or choose answer.
- A perform a hearing self-assessment
- B make hearing aids appear commonplace
- C a heightened likelihood of falling
- D establish personalised amplification levels
- E operate for a full day
- F cause memory deterioration
- G discourage others from starting conversation
- H remain comfortable during prolonged use
- I enhance the visual appeal of traditional aids
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear a conversation between two engineers about combustion in propulsion systems.
Questions 21–26
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
How Engines Burn Fuel
- Fuel and oxidizer undergo .
- Then comes the mixture and watching what happens.
- A flame front advances at a few per second.
- The chamber is designed to accommodate those .
- In an RDRE, combustion is triggered by a wave.
- This yields an order of magnitude greater density.
Questions 27–30
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a lecture about the evolution of user experience design.
Questions 31–35
Complete the summary below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
Early Influences on User Experience
In 1984, a Super Bowl advertisement brought a new computer to public attention. Instead of displaying the device, it featured a woman hurling a at a screen. The imagery alluded to Orwell’s novel concerning an regime, and the manufacturer sought to present its machine as straightforward to operate. Earlier computers were limited in function and obliged users to input complicated . According to Jacob Wobbrock, the advert helped the company gain a reputation for , while the machine was among the first products designed to be usable and even , so that manuals became less necessary.
Questions 36–40
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Education, Language and Employment
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
Academic background | The field is classified within STEM, yet applicants from or communication may succeed. |
Student quality | Above all, candidates should possess genuine about how people engage with technology. |
Language ability | Speaking more than one language is regarded as a in this profession. |
Artificial intelligence | Bristow argues that AI systems need specialists who grasp how language varies by location, education and . |
Job market | Sundaram cautions that courses in the field are becoming increasingly . |
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preparing for Demanding Technical Roles | 1–10 | Table completion, Short-answer questions |
| 2 | Everyday Earphones and Hearing Health | 11–20 | Multiple choice, Summary completion (word list) |
| 3 | Combustion Engineering Challenges | 21–30 | Note completion, Multiple choice |
| 4 | The Growth of User Experience | 31–40 | Summary 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: Astronaut Training (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: US Approves Apple AirPods to Be Used as Hearing Aids. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 3: Advanced Rocket Engines (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: Apple’s Computer Launch Leads to Study of User Experience. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain