IELTS Listening Practice Test 97
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 conversation between a presenter and a guest about a specialised facility and the equipment used there.
Questions 1–7
Complete the form below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Facility and Experiment Details
Training profile
- Training that changes how heavy a diver feels: training
- Simulated lunar weight: g
- Added mass for neutral buoyancy: about pounds
- Lunar ballast substance:
Personnel and preliminary work
- Guest's dual role: engineer and
- Early experiment limitation: insufficient
- Later supervised the responsible for the operational version
Questions 8–10
Answer the questions below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Part 2: Questions 11–20
You will hear a language lesson about how to describe traditional dishes.
Questions 11–15
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
The lesson draws an analogy between constructing sentences and cooking, noting that just as recipes require basic , so too do food descriptions need fundamental language components. The first component, , provides names for dishes and their components, but alone cannot form a complete sentence. To add detail about taste, appearance, and aroma, one must employ , which act like spices that enhance plain words. To explain the composition of a dish, the phrasal verb is introduced, meaning to be made of specific elements. Finally, the lesson provides a model sentence for describing a national dish, using apple pie as an example: it has a flavor and is made with apples, sugar, flour and spices.
Questions 16–20
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Part 3: Questions 21–30
You will hear a podcast interview about an invasive fish species in Atlantic waters.
Questions 21–25
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Questions 26–30
Look at the following statements and the list of items below. Choose the correct letter, A–H, next to Questions 26–30.
- A They eat predominantly fish once they are fully grown.
- B They feed largely on small crustaceans in their early life.
- C No consistent natural enemy has been identified in their original habitat.
- D A number of larger species have been recorded consuming them, but not regularly.
- E They behave as generalist predators, taking whatever is most plentiful.
- F They present a risk to economically valuable fish such as snapper and grouper.
- G Their feeding preferences shift according to the surrounding habitat and region.
- H Their impact varies with the recruitment rate to new habitats.
Part 4: Questions 31–40
You will hear a talk about restoring natural environments after pollution incidents.
Questions 31–40
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Ecological Restoration Notes
Ecological functions
- Marshy coastlines lessen wave impact via .
- The 2004 Athos incident discharged approximately of unrefined petroleum.
- Restoration can include so that aquatic creatures can move freely.
- Projects may also upgrade to improve public access.
Challenges and assessment
- If contamination remains high, restoration could create an that draws animals to unsafe areas.
- Before restoration design, specialists must determine the of the harm.
- Waste sites typically involve that can persist for decades.
Behaviour of pollutants
- Spilled oil may before it can be recovered.
- Contaminants at waste sites can enter the over time.
Cleanup and habitat recovery
- Dredging can eliminate habitats such as .
About this listening test
| Part | Recording | Questions | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering Precision Test Rigs | 1–10 | Form completion, Short-answer questions |
| 2 | Describing National Dishes | 11–20 | Summary completion, Multiple choice |
| 3 | Controlling an Invasive Reef Predator | 21–30 | Sentence completion, Matching features |
| 4 | Repairing Polluted Habitats | 31–40 | 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: NBL Environments (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: What Is Your Country’s National Dish?. VOA Learning English (learningenglish.voanews.com), public domain
- Part 3: Invasive Lionfish - King of the Reef (NOAA Diving Deeper podcast). NOAA National Ocean Service, Diving Deeper podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)
- Part 4: Natural Resource Restoration (NOAA Diving Deeper podcast). NOAA National Ocean Service, Diving Deeper podcast (work of the US federal government, public domain)