IELTS Listening Practice Test 80
4 parts · 40 questions · about 35 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 preparations for a complex engineering project.
Questions 1–6
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Programme Overview
Programme aims
- Return people to the Moon in a manner.
- Enable crews to survive using Earth's resources and prepare for other .
Learning outcomes
- Each exploration effort produces scientific as well as technical progress.
- Apollo: researchers continue to examine the gathered at that time.
Programme components
- Launch vehicle programme: tasked with producing the vehicle's .
- Crew vehicle programme: constructing the designed to carry people into distant space.
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 radio report about a system used to improve traffic flow in cities.
Questions 11–15
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Traffic-System Details
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Environmental benefits targeted | lower pollution and conserve |
Locations characterised by repeated stopping and starting | |
Variables examined in the modelling | street layout, vehicle movement and |
Name given to the refinement of signal timing and traffic movement | |
Intended outcome | coordinated junctions producing for road users |
Questions 16–20
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear part of a conversation between an interviewer and an engineer about protecting equipment from radiation.
Questions 21–26
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Radiation risk and safeguards
Mission planners assess a range of hazards using the probability of losing the crew. Their target is no more than one failure in missions. Radiation is not currently a major programme concern because engineers can introduce . For example, although a heat shield is singular, the parachute system includes main canopies, and the vehicle can still land if one fails. Physical shielding is limited: energetic particles penetrate materials, so protection would require a , which is too heavy. Radiation is not seen as damaging wires like a bullet; instead, over time it can cause effects as transistors degrade. On longer journeys, engineers must consider cumulative damage known as effects.
Questions 27–30
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a conversation about high-acceleration testing and its effects on the body.
Questions 31–35
Complete the diagram below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Test-Rig Components
Test apparatus components
- Detachable crew compartment at the base:
- Main propulsion stage positioned underneath:
- Emergency propulsive unit mounted above the compartment:
- Flat ground-level foundation for the pad test:
- Internal propulsive component producing a brief burst:
Questions 36–40
Complete the summary below. Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–I, next to Questions 36–40.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
After-Effects of Acceleration
Jeff’s father participated in high-acceleration trials and still holds a record of Drop or choose answer for the greatest exposure at the centre. To convey the force, Jeff likens it to lowering a raised vehicle onto one’s chest; a 200-pound person would then bear Drop or choose answer. After an abrupt slowdown disturbed Drop or choose answer, his father became disoriented. Police suspected intoxication and held him in Drop or choose answer, later accepting his account. He finally arrived home at Drop or choose answer.
- A hazardous badge
- B Baytown jail
- C a party
- D 16 G's
- E desk sergeant
- F 3:30 a.m.
- G car roof
- H inner-ear fluid
- I 3,200 pounds
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preparing for a Complex Engineering Project | 1–10 | Note completion, Short-answer questions |
| 2 | Improving Urban Traffic Flow | 11–20 | Table completion, Multiple choice |
| 3 | Assessing Radiation Risk | 21–30 | Summary completion, Multiple choice |
| 4 | Physiological Effects of Acceleration | 31–40 | Note 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: Artemis Launch Director (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: Google Says AI-powered System Is Improving City Traffic Flows. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 3: Radiation Shielding (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: A Ride in Orion (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)