IELTS Listening Practice Test | 2026-01-15

**Narrator:** Now turn to section one. Section one, you will hear a woman Paula phoning her friend Ralph about an application to the local council for money for their drama club. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 3. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 3.
**Paula:** Hello, Ralph. It's Paula.
**Ralph:** Hi.
**Paula:** You know, I told you we could apply to the local council for money for our drama club. I've got the application form here, but we need to get it back to them by the end of the week. I could send it on to you. You really ought to fill it in as president of the club, but I don't know if it'll get to you in time.
**Ralph:** Well, you're the secretary, so I expect it's okay if you fill it in.
**Paula:** Yeah, but I'd really like to check it together.
**Ralph:** Right. That's fine.
**Paula:** Like, the first part asks for the main contact person. Can I put you there?
**Ralph:** Sure.
**Paula:** Right. So, that's Ralph Pearson. Oh, and then I need your contact address. So, that's 203 South Road, isn't it?
**Ralph:** No. 230.
**Paula:** Oh, sorry. I always get that wrong. Then it's Drayton. Oh, do you think they need a postcode?
**Ralph:** Better put it. It's DR6 8A.
**Paula:** Mhm. Okay. Telephone number. That's 01453 58698, isn't it?
**Ralph:** Yes.
**Narrator:** Right. Now, in the next part of the form, I have to give information about our group. So, name of group, that's easy. We're a community youth theater group. But then I have to describe it. So, what sort of information do you think they want?
**Ralph:** Well, they need to know we're amateurs, not professional actors. And how many members we've got? What's that at present?
**Paula:** 20
**Ralph:** 18. And should we put in the age range that's 13 to 22?
**Ralph:** No, I don't think we need to, but we'd better put a bit about what we actually do. Something like members take part in drama activities.
**Paula:** Activities and workshops.
**Ralph:** Okay. Right. That's all for that section. I think
**Narrator:** You now have some time to look at questions 4 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 4 to 10.
**Paula:** Now the next bit is about the project itself. What we're applying for funding for. So first of all they need to know how much money we want. The maximum is £500. I think we agreed we'd ask for 250, didn't we?
**Ralph:** Okay, there's no point in asking for too much. We'll have less chance of getting it. Then we need to say what the project um the activity is.
**Paula:** Right. So, we could write something like to produce a short play for young children.
**Ralph:** Should we say it's interactive?
**Paula:** Yes, good idea. Right, I've got that. Then we have to say what we actually need the money for.
**Ralph:** Isn't that it?
**Paula:** No, we have to give a breakdown of details, I think.
**Ralph:** Well, there's the scenery.
**Paula:** But we're making that.
**Ralph:** We need to buy the materials, though.
**Paula:** Oh, okay. Then there's the costumes, right? That's going to be at least £50.
**Ralph:** Okay. And what else? I just found out we have to have insurance. I don't think it'll cost much, but we need to get it organized.
**Paula:** Yes, I'd forgotten about that. And we could be breaking the law if we don't have it. Good thing we've already got curtains in the hall. At least we don't have to worry about that.
**Ralph:** We'll need some money for publicity. Otherwise, no one will know what we're doing.
**Paula:** And then a bit of money for unexpected things that come up. Just put sundries at the end of the list. Okay, fine. Now, the next thing they want to know is if they give us the grant, how they'll be credited.
**Ralph:** What do they mean, credited?
**Paula:** I think they mean how we'll let the public know that they funded us. They want people to know they've supported us. It looks good for them.
**Ralph:** H Well, we could say we'd announce it at the end of the play. We could make a speech or something.
**Paula:** They might prefer to see something in writing. We'll be giving the audience a program, won't we? So, we could put an acknowledgement in that.
**Ralph:** Yeah, that's a better idea.
**Paula:** Okay. And the last thing they want to know is if we've approached any other organizations for funding and what the outcome was.
**Ralph:** Well, only National Youth Services. And they said that at present funds were not available for arts projects.
**Paula:** Right. I'll put that and then I think that's it. I'll get that in the post straight away. I really hope we get the money.
**Ralph:** I think we've got a pretty good chance. Hope so. Anyway, thanks for doing all this, Paula.
**Paula:** That's okay. See you soon. Bye
**Ralph:** Bye.
**Narrator:** That is the end of section one. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

**Narrator:** Now turn to section two. Section two, you will hear part of a podcast for visitors to the popular holiday region called the Trillor Valley. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen and answer questions 11 to 14.
The valley and estuary of the river Trillor forms an unspoiled beautiful landscape rich in both wildlife and sites of historic interest. There are many ways to explore the area and public transport links are good. It is possible to leave your car behind and travel by boat, train or bus with just short walks in between stops.
The Trillor Valley passenger ferry runs between villages along the river estuary and provides a link with a train station at Berry, which is about 10 minutes walk from the riverside village of Calton. In the past, the river was the main form of transport in the area and as in the past, today's ferry service operates according to nature. The river estuary is tidal and so the ferry timetable differs from day to day according to the times and height of the tide. The ferry is also seasonal, normally running between April and September depending on the weather. A timetable for the whole year can be downloaded from the internet by visiting www.trillorferry.co.uk.
If you just want to sit and relax and enjoy the lovely scenery, you can take a river cruise to Calton and back from the nearby city of Plymouth. In the past, steam ships brought early tourists along the same route. Queen Victoria and her family enjoyed such a trip in 1856. The journey is quicker these days. The round trip takes between 4 and 5 hours depending on tides and weather. If you prefer, you can travel up river by boat and return to Plymouth by train. All cruise boats and trains have wheelchair access. For more information and for departure times, ring Plymouth Boat Cruises on 01752 823104.
Trains run several times a day throughout the year between Calton and Plymouth with various stops in between. They are used by both local commuters and tourists who want to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The highlight of the journey is crossing the river on the stunning viaduct which was built at the beginning of the 20th century and towers 120 ft over the water. It is unnecessary to book and tickets can be bought on the train. For information about fares and timetables, contact National Rail Inquiries by phone or online.
The bus service in the Trillor Valley now connects all train stations and villages in the area. Especially for holiday makers, there's a rover ticket which can be used at weekends and on national holidays and allows unlimited journeys on those days. The Rover ticket provides great value for money and is now even cheaper than it was last year. An adult ticket costs £5.50 a day. Senior citizens can travel for £4.50 and a family ticket for up to five people costs just £12. Tickets can be bought on the bus.
**Narrator:** Now you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
At the center of the Trillor estuary area is the historic riverside village of Calton. The main road comes into the village from the south. And for those of you who are arriving by bus, it turns left just before the bridge and stops in the layby on the left hand side. From there, it's just a short walk to Calton's various attractions.
If you're arriving by car, you have to leave it in the main car park. Go over the bridge and take the first turning on the right. Then go on until you come to the end of that road. It's the only place to park in Calton, but there's no charge.
If you're interested in local history, there's a museum in Calton with farming, fishing, and household implements from the late 19th century. As you come in from the south, cross the river and go straight on the same road until you reach the end.
Also on the subject of history, you can go and see the old mill which has recently been renovated and put back into use. Turn left before you come to the bridge. Then go straight on and then take the first turning on the right. This leads straight there.
If you're interested in arts and crafts, there's a potter's studio where you can watch the artist at work. After crossing the bridge, turn left and it's the second building on the left.
Finally, when you feel in need of refreshments, there's a cafe opposite the old boat house and a picnic area near the mill.
**Narrator:** That is the end of section two. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

**Narrator:** Now turn to section three. Section three, you will hear a female student inquiring about changing her course. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.
**Rosanna:** Hi, my name is Rosanna McLaren. Um, I'm a bit early, but I have an appointment to see the assistant registrar, Andy Matthews, at 10:00 a.m.
**Andy:** Hi, I'm Andy Matthews. Nice to meet you.
**Rosanna:** Nice to meet you. My tutor advised me to come to see you about changing my course.
**Andy:** Yes, I've had an email from your tutor, David Vine. Let me just call it up. Here we are. It says, "Rosanna McLaren is on the Wednesday part-time course and wants to change to the distance learning program. Have you any problems with the course itself?"
**Rosanna:** Oh, no. I love it. I think the course is really worthwhile. The theoretical sessions once a week on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. are really good.
**Andy:** You have two 2-hour sessions then?
**Rosanna:** Yes, that's it. And I have to say I think the practical session from 4 through to 9:00 in the fashion workshops are also good fun. But I am finding it all very tiring and it makes me too exhausted for my work on Thursdays and Fridays.
**Andy:** You work the other four days of the week.
**Rosanna:** Yes. And some Saturdays.
**Andy:** I see. So, what do you want to do?
**Rosanna:** I'd like to change to the program with the distance learning component instead of the Wednesday sessions.
**Andy:** Yes, that is a possibility. I see from your tutor, Dr. Vine, that he has no problem with this. But you realize it's possible you'll have a different tutor.
**Rosanna:** Yes, I'm aware of that. It's a shame because he's a very good tutor. What do I need to do now?
**Andy:** First, we just need you to fill in this transfer form and the claim form for the reduction in fees.
**Rosanna:** Oh, I didn't realize it was cheaper.
**Andy:** Oh, yes. It's £1,000 less a year.
**Rosanna:** It gets even better. Can I start the distance learning program from now?
**Andy:** I don't see why not. I just need to get a signature from your tutor, which should take only a short time. I'll email it to him now and then he can sign it and put it in the internal mail.
**Rosanna:** Okay.
**Andy:** But I also need to go through with you what is involved in the distance learning program to make sure you are clear about everything.
**Rosanna:** Well, I understand I attend the weekend course once a month and that I can book a bench in the fashion workshop at any other time. You have a computer at home for the distance learning?
**Rosanna:** Oh yes, I have the necessary equipment for making video calls over the internet already. It's the flexibility of the distance learning over the internet that is very useful. And what makes it even more interesting is that I don't have to spend a lot of time traveling to and from the university on the Wednesday. I can adapt it to my own routine as I will be able to do the theory over the internet from home when I want. The same is true of booking a tutorial online using Skype.
**Andy:** Yes, it is amazing, isn't it? It's in its infancy, but it's been up and running for a year now, and it's going rather well.
**Rosanna:** Can I just ask if it's possible to have a face-to-face tutorial at any time as well?
**Andy:** There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to.
**Narrator:** Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30. Now listen carefully and answer questions 26 to 30.
**Rosanna:** What about the assessment for the distance learning? I take it that it's the same as for the other program.
**Andy:** Let me see. Each month you are expected to keep a written course diary and to present a seminar paper and at the very end of the course there will be a written exam which will account for 30% of the total marks.
**Rosanna:** What about the coursework? How much does it account for?
**Andy:** The design portfolio which you need to present at the end accounts for 50%. I would point out just one thing, and that is that on the distance learning program, some tutors like to see the design portfolio twice each term to make sure you're on the right track. But of course, you can take it in at any time to show your tutor. And as part of the assessment for the portfolio, you have to present at least one fashion item at a fashion show at the end of the course.
**Rosanna:** Is there anything else?
**Andy:** No, that's it.
**Rosanna:** Thank you for all of your help.
**Andy:** No problem. Hope it all works out well for you.
**Narrator:** Now, that is the end of section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

**Narrator:** Now turn to section four. Section four. You will hear a lecturer talking to a group of engineering students about the design of a greenhouse. Before you listen, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen and answer questions 31 to 40.
**Lecturer:** Good afternoon. This is the first of a series of lectures I'll be giving about engineering for sustainable development. I'll be presenting examples of engineering projects from a variety of contexts. And today I'm going to talk about a project to design a new kind of greenhouse for use in the Himalayan mountain regions.
First of all, I'll tell you about the problem which was the context for this project. In the Himalayan mountains, fresh vegetables and other crops can only be grown outside for about 90 days during the summer because the altitude of the region is around 3,500 m and because the rainfall is so low. In winter, temperatures fall below -25° centigrade, so fresh vegetables have to be imported. They arrive by truck in summer or by air in winter, which makes them expensive. Local people rely on dried leafy vegetables and stored root crops during the winter and rarely eat fresh vegetables.
But despite the sub-zero temperatures, the skies over the region are cloudless and there are over 300 sunny days per year. So, an engineering solution was needed to exploit the sun's energy and protect locally produced plants from freezing during winter. And in fact, there had been programs in the past to provide green houses, but these were unsuccessful. The green houses weren't adapted for local conditions, so they tended to fall into disuse.
So a few years ago, a project was initiated to design a better greenhouse, one which would meet the criteria for sustainability. So what are the criteria for sustainability? Well, first of all, the new greenhouse is designed to be relatively simple, so construction is cheap. Locally available materials are used wherever possible. The walls are generally constructed of mud bricks made locally although in areas of high snowfall more resilient walls of stone are needed. Rammed earth is also used. The main roof is generally made from locally available popular wood with water-resistant local grass for the covering.
In addition, the construction and maintenance of the greenhouse is done by local craftsmen. So local stonemasons are employed to build the greenhouse walls and specialized training is provided for them wherever necessary. Then the greenhouse is designed to run on solar power alone. There's no supplementary heating. And lastly, families are selected to own one of the new green houses with great care. They have to have a site which is suitable for constructing it on. They also have to be keen to make a success of using it and also to share the produce with the wider community through sale or barter. Potential owners are taken to see existing green houses before they make a final decision about having one.
So those are the features which make the project sustainable. And now I'll briefly describe the design of the greenhouse. The green houses are orientated very carefully along an east west axis so that there's a long south-facing side. The transparent cover on the south-facing side is made from a heavy-duty polythene which should last for at least 5 years. On the inside of the greenhouse, the walls are painted. The rear and west facing walls are black to improve heat absorption. But the east facing wall is white to reflect the morning sunlight onto the crops inside. Finally, there's a door in the wall at one end and vents are incorporated into the roof, the door and the wall at the other end to enable control of humidity and prevent overheating.
I'll turn now to the benefits which have resulted from the introduction of these new green houses. These benefits are of various kinds, but for now I'll just mention the social benefits. First of all, people who own a greenhouse gain social standing in their communities because they provide vegetables for the wider community for regular consumption as well as for festivals and they also earn income. Secondly, because in rural areas it is women who usually grow the food, the green houses have increased their opportunities. They bring the benefits of improved nutrition and increased family income from the sale of surplus produce. And thirdly, as a result of their improved financial position, some families can now afford to educate their children for the first time.
**Narrator:** That is the end of section four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test.