IELTS Listening Practice Test | 2026-01-10

**Interviewer:** Excuse me. I'm conducting a campus survey. Would you have time to answer a few questions?
**Interviewee:** What's it all about?
**Interviewer:** We'll do some market research for a new campus radio station starting in the next few months.
**Interviewee:** That's okay. Sounds good.
**Interviewer:** Great. I'll just work through this form with you. And if we could start with some personal background information.
**Interviewee:** Sure.
**Interviewer:** Right. If I could have your age, please.
**Interviewee:** 26.
**Interviewer:** Okay, good. And are you a student, teacher, or in another job?
**Interviewee:** Well, I'm a tutor, but I'm also a post-graduate student, so I don't know what you might call me. What do you think?
**Interviewer:** Okay. Well, I'm more of a teacher. Really?
**Interviewee:** Fine.
**Interviewer:** And would you mind if I asked about your salary? Or I could leave it blank.
**Interviewee:** No, that's okay. It's $20,000 a year.
**Interviewer:** Thanks. Right now, about your current listening habits. What would you say is your main reason for listening to radio?
**Interviewee:** Well, I'm usually busy during the day at work, so I usually only listen to the radio at night. It helps me relax and unwind even if I'm studying.
**Interviewer:** Good. And how many hours a day on average do you listen to the radio?
**Interviewee:** Well, not a lot really. I'd say just over an hour, I'll told.
**[Pause - Questions 5-10]**
**Interviewer:** So what are the two main times of the day that you listen to the radio?
**Interviewee:** Well, for a little while around breakfast time and then it tends to be later after dinner when I finished any serious work I need to do.
**Interviewer:** And what sort of radio programs do you like?
**Interviewee:** I like the news, but I also like classical music. It helps me to relax.
**Interviewer:** Fine. And turning to the new campus station, which type of programs would you prefer?
**Interviewee:** I think the existing radio stations cater for my need for news. So, I'd like to see programs about local information, you know, providing a service to the campus community. And in the same vein, perhaps more for academic viewers, you know, some lectures or relevant programs.
**Interviewer:** I see. And if you had to give the new director some specific advice when they set up the station, what would you tell them?
**Interviewee:** I think I'd advise them to be careful about the quality of the broadcasts. You know, the sound system. There are a lot of radio stations and people can change their loyalty quickly if it doesn't meet their needs. I think they should do more of these kinds of interview too. You know, talking with existing and potential customers.
**Interviewer:** Oh, I'm pleased you think it's useful.
**Interviewee:** Certainly. Yeah.
**Interviewer:** Good. Now, this station will not be fully funded by the university. So, how often do you think it is tolerable to have adverts?
**Interviewee:** I think well out of that list I'd say every quarter of an hour. Of course that's providing they don't last for 10 minutes each time.
**Interviewer:** Oh quite. And are you interested in attending any of the special promotions for the new station?
**Interviewee:** Yes, I'd be happy to as long as they're held on the campus or nearby.
**Interviewer:** Okay, I'll note that down. And finally, may we put you on our mailing list?
**Interviewee:** Well, I prefer not, except for the information about the promotions you just mentioned.
**Interviewer:** Okay. Can I have your name and address?
**Interviewee:** Of course. I have a card I can give you.
**Interviewer:** Oh, great. And thanks a lot for your time and we look forward to seeing you.
**Interviewee:** Yeah, sure. Thanks.

Hi, I am your counselor for this year. Today we will visit the facilities available to you on our campus. As students, you should take advantage of everything you have available to you.
How many of you like sports? Well, I hope most of you do because our school has great sports facilities. We have an indoor gym with state-of-the-art equipment.
First, I want to tell you about our basketball facilities. There are two basketball courts. Both are full-court and open for student use. We offer basketball leagues that all students are invited to join. Just sign up with a team. Usually there are games on the courts, but during league time only the teams are allowed to use the courts. The basketball courts are open 24 hours a day. If you want a job, you can be a referee at the games.
Next, I want to tell you about the tennis facilities. We have five tennis courts available for student use. The tennis courts are open everyday 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 in the evening. You should call ahead to reserve a court because they are very popular and can often be booked weeks in advance. There are rackets and balls available for rent at the front desk of the courts.
There is an Olympic size swimming pool that is open for students and the general public. There are also showers and locker rooms available. The swimming pool is open every day 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 in the evening. There are openings for the position of lifeguards. So, if you're looking for a job in the sun, this might be good for you.
**[Pause - Questions 16-20]**
There are also two weight rooms in a gymnastics room. The weight rooms have all the standard equipment available. Please check with the gym to see the open hours because they vary from time to time. The gymnastics room is usually not open for individual users because there are almost always classes held in the room. However, if you are interested, you may sign up for gymnastics classes.
Plus, if you like martial arts and boxing, we offer classes for everyone from beginners to advanced students. Please check the schedule for availability. There is everything available from Chinese Wu to Brazilian wrestling.
I will talk for a brief moment about our library system. Our campus has three libraries available to undergraduate students. One additional graduate library and one faculty library. The libraries are open daily until midnight except for during testing periods when the libraries will be open 24 hours. Please look on a map to see where the libraries are located.
All students with a valid ID can check out books with a maximum of 10 books at a time. Books can be checked out for a two-week period and then renewed for one month maximum. After that, there is a $1 fine per week that the book is overdue. I will repeat that there is a hefty $1 fine per week. So, it is a good idea to return books on time.
If you lose a book, then you will have to repay the library for it, plus a fine. If you damage a book, most likely you will have to repay the value of the book. So, please enjoy the library facilities, but take care of the school's belongings.
The library is also equipped with 200 computers for student use. They are all internet ready and available for use. You must sign up at the library for 1 hour time slots. You may sign up for up to three consecutive slots at a time. No one can use the computers without first signing in at the library.
That is it for now. Thank you for your attention.

**Instructor:** Hello. I'm going to be your driving instructor today. Are you ready to begin?
**Student:** Hi. Hope you don't mind. It's my first time driving a car.
**Instructor:** Of course not. That's my job. I teach people like you how to become a safe and responsible driver. So let's begin. Remember the most important rule of driving. Safety first.
There are some steps to follow. First, you should put on your seat belt. You should always remember to do that in case of an accident or emergency. Having a seat belt on is of utmost importance.
**Student:** Okay, I have my seat belt on. Now, what should I do?
**Instructor:** Start the car. Good. Now, make sure that the steering wheel is in the proper position and that your seat is not too far or not too close to the pedals.
**Student:** I'm all ready to go. Should I shift into first gear?
**Instructor:** Don't forget to put the parking brake down. You don't want to drive with that up.
**Student:** Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. If I have the parking brake on, I won't be able to accelerate.
**Instructor:** Yes, that's right. Now, put the car in reverse and slowly back out of the parking space. Good. Put the car in first gear.
**Student:** When should I shift? Is it better to shift slowly or quickly?
**Instructor:** You can shift whenever you feel is appropriate. This means shifting should occur smoothly. Do not shift too slowly or you will stall. Shifting too fast will waste gas. Shifting is simple. Just remember to shift smoothly. To shift, you will have to push the clutch and then push the gas pedal.
**[Pause - Questions 25-30]**
**Instructor:** Remember, smoothly is the key to good shifting.
**Student:** Like this.
**Instructor:** Yes, that's good. Now, keep it slow. Don't drive very fast just yet. Be sure to constantly check your mirrors for oncoming traffic. Always be aware of everything that is around you, including three important things. Remember these three: people crossing the streets, other cars, and bicycles riding next to you.
**Student:** What should I do if I see a yellow light?
**Instructor:** Well, it's always better to brake instead of trying to run it. But if you're traveling at a speed where it's impossible to stop in time, then you should try to make it across the intersection. But remember, you should always try to stop. It's the safest way to avoid an accident.
**Student:** Even if I have to brake very suddenly.
**Instructor:** Yes, even if you have to brake suddenly.
**Student:** What about if a driver behind me is going a lot faster than I am?
**Instructor:** You should always be ready to move to a slower lane if a driver behind you is forcing you to go faster than you are comfortable with. Never try to speed up to accommodate a faster driver. You could risk an accident or a speeding ticket. It's better to let him go.
**Student:** That sounds like good advice.
**Instructor:** Be careful. There is a sharp turn up ahead. Remember to brake before turns, otherwise you might flip over if your speed is too high going into a turn.
**Student:** Got it. I know that I should always try to observe all traffic safety.
**Instructor:** That's right. If safety is not your first priority, it will make driving very dangerous for you and other drivers on the road. Okay, park the car here. You did a great job today for your first day. I'll see you in 3 days.
**Student:** Thanks so much. I will see you then.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Today I'm going to introduce to you a special age in Britain, the Iron Age. People at that time, you may be surprised to hear that, seem close to the men and women of today because archaeologists discovered that they tried to vary their diet, improve their homes, and follow fashions.
The period known as the Iron Age lasted in Britain for about 800 years from 750 BC to 43 AD. There had been several dramatic changes by the end of the Iron Age, including coinage, wheel-thrown pottery, etc. People had started to live in larger and more settled communities. Furthermore, because of the differences in climate and geography, someone living in Yorkshire or Ireland would have eaten different food, worn different clothing, and lived in different housing conditions from someone living in southern Britain.
Caesar commented that Britain was a land of small farms and this has been proven by the archaeological evidence. Since Iron Age society was primarily agricultural, it is safe to presume that the daily routine would have revolved around the maintenance of the crops and livestock. Small farmsteads were tended by and would have supported isolated communities of family or extended family size. They produced enough to live on and a little extra to exchange for commodities that the farmers were unable to provide for themselves.
For those farms, harvested crops were stored in either granaries that were raised from the ground on posts or in bell-shaped pits 2 to 3 m deep. Some 4,500 of these storage pits have been found within the hill fort interior at Danbury in Hampshire. And if they were all used to store crops, this would have essentially made the site one large fortified granary.
Although the archaeological evidence shows that cattle and sheep would have been the most common farm animals, it is known that pigs were also kept. The animals would have aided the family not only with heavy farm labor in the case of the cattle, such as the plowing of crop fields, but also as a valuable form of wool or hide and food products. Horses and dogs are also observed in the archaeological evidence from both formal remains and artifacts. Horses were used for pulling two or four-wheeled vehicles, carts, chariots, while dogs would have assisted in the herding of the livestock and hunting.
Besides agriculture and stock raising, the architecture in Iron Age is also worth mentioning. A very well-preserved settlement has been discovered at the site of Chysauster in Cornwall. It was made up of individual houses of stone with garden plots. In Wessex, the typical building on a settlement would have been the large round house. All of the domestic life would have occurred within this.
The main frame of the roundhouse would have been made of upright timbers which were interwoven with coppice wood, usually hazel, oak, ash or pollarded willow to make wattle walls. This was then covered with a daub made of clay, soil, straw, and animal manure that would weatherproof the house. The roof was constructed from large timbers and densely thatched.
The main focus of the interior of the house was the central open hearth fire. This was the heart of the house to provide cooked food, warmth, and light. Because of its importance within the domestic sphere, the fire would have been maintained 24 hours a day. Beside the fire may have stood a pair of firedogs such as those found at Baldock in Hertfordshire or suspended above it a bronze cauldron held up by a tripod and attached with an adjustable chain.
The ordinary basic cooking pots would have been made by hand from the local clay and came in varying rounded shapes, occasionally with simple incised decorations. As for eating, bread would have been an important part of any meal and was made from wheat and barley. The dough would have then been baked in a simple clay domed oven of which evidence has been found in Iron Age houses. The barley and rye could also have been made into a kind of porridge.
In addition to this, the grain was also fermented to make beer and the surface foam that formed was scraped off and used in the bread making process. The interior of the house was an ideal place for the drying and preservation of food. Smoke and heat from the constant fire would have smoked meat and fish and would have dried herbs and other plants perfectly. Salt was another means of preserving meat for the cold winter months. But this was a commodity that could not be made at a typical settlement.
Well, you can see that Iron Age people lived a decent life, didn't they? I'm going to introduce their culture and leisure time next time. Thank you.