IELTS Listening Practice Test 8

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.

Ready to take this test?The recordings, answers, band score and transcript are in your free dashboard.

Part 2: Questions 11–20

You will hear a radio programme about setting reasonable goals for learning English pronunciation.

Questions 11–15

Complete the sentences below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

If language learners set unreasonable goals, they may become __________.

Eli Hinkel says people who have not reached __________ still have enough muscle and brain plasticity.

After physical growth stops, the brain loses some ability to control the muscles of the __________.

Hinkel believes there is no connection between the quality of a person's language and their __________.

Yoshida compares setting reasonable pronunciation goals to going on a __________.

Questions 16–20

Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–F, next to Questions 16–20.

Features

A It is a sensible first step.
B It may happen very slowly.
C It is extremely difficult to alter.
D It is a misleading promise.
E It is a specific area to practise.
F It is a natural part of ageing.

Changing how you move your mouthDrop or choose answer

Courses that promise to remove an accent in five lessonsDrop or choose answer

Setting a reasonable goalDrop or choose answer

One or two difficult soundsDrop or choose answer

Progress in pronunciationDrop or choose answer

Part 4: Questions 31–40

You will hear a radio report about a children’s book that celebrates language.

Questions 31–35

Complete the table below.

Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Fact file

Item	Detail
Answer to the book's riddle
Each page of the book	gives a to the answer
What the book is about	the of language
UNESCO estimate	percent of 7,000 languages may disappear
Estimated year	by

Questions 36–40

Complete the summary using the list of options below. Write the correct letter, A–I, in each gap.

UNESCO named 2022–2032 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. Santos’s book has been licensed into Drop or choose answer languages, including Mapundungun and Hnähñu. The Chilean government published Drop or choose answer copies for public schools. On the final page, people say “hello” in many languages, and another page shows Drop or choose answer indigenous groups in traditional clothing. Santos also refers to a Ukrainian reporter who held a sign reading “Drop or choose answer”; he says language can be used as a Drop or choose answer.

A 22
B 27,000
C 12
D No War
E weapon
F 40
G 7,000
H 2032
I hello

Answer these questions while you listenFree account · speed control · band score · transcript of every answer

About this listening test

Part	Recording	Questions	Question types
1	Anna's big news	1–10	Note completion, Multiple choice
2	Realistic pronunciation goals	11–20	Sentence completion, Matching features
3	A teacher in space	21–30	Multiple choice, Multiple choice (choose more than one)
4	A children's book about language	31–40	Table completion, Summary completion (word list)

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 52: Taking Chances. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
Part 2: Start New Year by Setting Reasonable Learning Goals. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
Part 3: Teacher on Board (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: Language Is 'What Makes Us Human' in New Children's Book. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain

All IELTS listening tests →IELTS reading tests →

IELTS Listening Practice Test 8

Part 1: Questions 1–10

Questions 1–6

Anna Matteo – news and career

Questions 7–10