Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS 2.1

Cassette one

Side one

Test one

You will hear a number of different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear.

There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions and you will have a chance to check your work. All the recordings will be played once only the tested in four sections. Write all your answers in the listening question booklets. At the end of the test you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. Now turn to section one.

Section one

Louise wants to join a video library. You will hear a conversation between louise and the owner of the video library. First you have some time to look at questions one to five. You will see that there is an example that has been done for you. On this occasion only the conversation relating to this will be played first.

Oh hello, i would like to join the video library.

Ok, would you like to fill in the application form now?

Yes i can do it now.

Hold on and i’ll get a form. Now i’ll just ask you a few questions and then i’ll get you to sign at the bottom.

Right.

What’s your full name?

Louise cynthia jones.

Jones.

Yes that’s right.

Louise’s surname is jones. So jones has been written on the form. Now we shall begin you should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully to the conversation and answer questions one to five.

Oh hello i’d like to join the video library.

Okay would you like to fill in the application form now?

Yes i can do it now.

Hold on and i’ll get it form. Now i’ll just ask you a few questions and then i’ll get you to sign at the bottom.

Right.

What’s your full name?

Louise cynthia jones.

Jones.

Yes that’s right.

Okay and what’s your address?

Apartment 172 black street highbridge.

Black street the corner isn’t it?

Yes.

Okay so the postcode is 2085, right?

Yes 2085.

And your telephone number? I need both home and work.

Home is nine eight three five six seven one two and work is nine four five six one three oh nine. Do you need any id or anything like that?

Yes we need your driver’s license number that is if you have one?

Yes i know it off by heart. It’s an easy one. 2020 bd. You need to see?

Yes i’m afraid i do.

Here.

Right thanks. And could you tell me your date of birth please?

25 july 1977.

That’s the most important part out of the way but could i just ask you a few questions for a survey we’re conducting?

Ok.

Before the conversation continues you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10. Now listen carefully and answer questions six to ten.

What kind of videos do you prefer to watch have a look at this list.

Well i love anything that makes me laugh. I just love to hear jokes and funny punchlines. I’m not very keen on westerns. Although my father likes them but i’m a real softy so anything with a bit of the love story is good for me. It doesn’t matter how old. Not musicals though they’re too much.

Anything else?

I’m completely taken by documentaries of the great outdoors. You know the sort animals plants of faraway places. I saw of wonderful one on dolphins last week. It was amazing.

Now i think that’s avfule me except i need you to sign here on the line. Here,s open. Oh and i nearly forgot the membership fee $25 refundable if you leave the library for any reason.

There you are yes and do asign here.

Yes, that’s it. You can borrow videos now if you like but your card won’t be ready until next week. You can come and pick it up when you bring your first videos back. That is if you want to take some now.

Yes i’d like too. I’ll have a look around.

Fine.

That is the end of section one you will now have half a minute to check your answers.

Now turn to section 2

Section 2

You will hear a radio interview about an expedition across the iturra mountains. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15. Now listen carefully to the interview and answer questions 11 to 15.

Our dream came true in 1995 when over 96 days of the spring and summer an expedition of four men undertook what they believed to have been the first and only complete in two end crossing of morocco’s at-taurah mountains. I talked to charles owen the leader of the expedition group about the trip.

Charles how much planning went on beforehand?

Um well as you know i run these walking trips across the mountains for tourists and over the years i’ve collected maps and other data to prepare what i call a route book for this trip and this book basically shows the route across the mountains that we took.

Um, you actually broke records while you were out dating you.

Mmm yeah. It was 900 miles in total and we managed to climb 32 peaks that were over 3,000 meters high including tube car which is of course the highest in north africa.

Yeah.

We weren’t actually out to make a name for ourselves. It just happened really.

What was the weather like?

Oh it got us right from day one and we were pretty taken aback really to find that it rained on quite a number of days and so we were forced to start replanning our route almost from the outset. One of the obvious problems is the heavy snow which blocks the mountain passes.

Oh.

So you have to make considerable detours. When we were on the way to in oh chill for example, the snow forced us into a northern bypass which was new to us. But anyway either way we would have been rewarded because well we fell upon amazing high meadows huge gorgeous and wonderful snow-capped mountains.

Oh.

the scenery was as fine as any we saw on the trip and that was how it was every time having to take another part was never a disappointment.

You now have some time to look at questions 16 to 20. Now listen to the rest of the interview and answer questions 16 to 20.

It wasn’t many ways a social trip wasn’t it?

Yes, yes. We’d arranged to meet up with friends at various points on the journey. I mean this was actually one of the purposes of the trip.

Oh.

And we managed to keep all these dates. Which well it’s amazing really considering the detours we made. Um an old friend acted as a sort of transport organizer for everyone and the hotel ali in marrakesh was a good social base. I’d really recommend it although i can’t remember who runs it, anyway groups of friends actually joined us for three weeks temps and others just linked up with us. Some whom we hadn’t met before the trip at all tagged on for short bursts people from the area who just came along to the ride but outside the major visitor areas like tube town we only met one other group of travelers like ourselves in the whole 96 days.

Were there any bad moment?

Um well we took too I must say long suffering donkeys with us to help transport water and ten cent things I suppose if we were to do it all again we’d probably hire donkeys along the way. Tossed and tamra as we called them after the last places in the trip. Well they made quite a unique journey between them and but it was continuously demanding for them on both the really high summits they took diversions that were quite out of character and i can only assume that it must have been due to tiredness.

Well thank you.

And Charles has put together a video about this journey and continues to lead groups to the Tour Mountains. So if you want further information.

That is the end of section 2. You will now have half a minute to check your answers.

Now turn to section 3.

Section 3

You will hear two new students Jane and Tim talking about their university studies first you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25. Now listen carefully to the discussion and answer questions 21 to 25.

Hi, tim.

Jane

How are you?

Hi.

I’ve been won dry when I running to you. Have been along.

I arrived yesterday on Sunday. How about you?

I got here a few days ago on Saturday. Oh, no wait a minute. What’s today? Sorry Friday not Saturday.

We didn’t have to be here till today?

Yes I know but I wanted to get my things moved into my room and just take a look around. So did you decide to do English in the end?

No I changed my mind and opted for history instead and you’re doing biology if i remember correctly.

Yes although to start with i couldn’t decide between that and geography.

How much reading have you got? I was given an amazingly long list of books to read. C

It does lot frowzy long.

We’ll like can 57. I could hardly believe it. What’s your earliest life?

Well, it’s not as long as yours but it’s still pretty big there are 43. I don’t know how I’m goanna get through them all.

Well you don’t have to read them all this week. You just have to stay ahead of the lectures and seminars. Have you got your class schedule yet?

Yep it came with a reading list. When’s your first lecture?

Tuesday. How about you?

The day after. It’s my busy it’s day. I’ve got two lectures in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Before the discussion continues you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30. Now listen carefully and answer questions 26 to 30.

Its goanna be different from school isn’t it?

Yeah, particularly the lectures. How do you have any special strategies for listening to lectures?

Well I’m going to use a cassette recorder and record them all.

What are you allowed to?

Sure lots of people do it nowadays it means you can listen to the lectures all over again later and make really good notes.

I can do that. I like to take notes as I’m listening. I usually find i get all the important points. Reading is different of course. My approach is to skim the book first to see what’s important and what isn’t. Saves that of time.

But what you don’t mean?

You know mean you’re going to read every word do you?

Well, I usually do.

Well that’s up to you but I think you’re crazy.

What’s your first lecture on anyway?

Oh, to lecture on the French revolution.

the French revolution how boring.

Oh it’s not boring at all. It was an amazing period of history it changed everything in Europe. So what’s your first lecture about?

It’s about animal behavior. It sounds really interesting.

Look I was on my way to the library I’m going to get some of these books hang out and start reading for the first essay I’ve got to write.

Am I’ve got to write about.

You’ll never believe it. I think our professor must have a sense of humor. He’s given us the title why study history.

That’s a good one. What your fine answer. Let me know.

I’m going to enjoy writing it. Have you been given any writing assignments yet?

Yes I’ve got to write about animal language.

Hmm, sounds a challenge.

Hmm,

I suppose we’ll be off to the zoo to do field research and.

That is the end of section 3. You will now have half a minute to check your answers.

Now turn to section four

Section four

You will hear a lecture being given to school leavers on the jobs people can get in sport and the training programs available to prepare for those jobs. First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully to the lecture and answer questions 31 to 40.

Welcome to further education information week. This is the physical education faculty session and i am the head of the faculty. During the course of this morning we hope to give you a clearer idea of what we offer in our training programs and we will look at the types of courses and the entry requirements if any for those courses. Some of these courses are open to school leavers but for some you need previous qualifications or relevant successful employment.

So firstly the physical fitness instructors’ course is offered as a six month certificate course which includes an important component of personal fitness. But there are no specific entry requirements. For sports administrators we provide a four month certificate course but you should be aware that this is designed for those who are in employment. This employment must be current and related to sports administration.

For the sports psychologists course we offer a one-year diploma course but this diploma course is available only to those who already hold a degree in psychology. So you need to make sure you have that before you apply to do this course. Now for physical education teachers we offer a four-year degree in education. This degree course is designed for preparing students to teach in primary and secondary schools and needs no prior qualifications as it is entered directly by school leavers and lastly for the recreation offices course we offer a six-month certificate. Entry to this course nor includes applicants of a wide range of ages and experiences but we do not insist on any prerequisites for this course.

Remember that this is a vocational training institute. We trained you so that you can take up a particular kind of job. So it is important that you know the main roles of the jobs. What the work is like and what kind of qualities you need to succeed at them.

A physical fitness instructor works in health and fitness centers preparing individual programs for ordinary members of the public. Physical fitness instructors prepare routines of exercises to suit the individual clients’ age and level of fitness. Sports administrators run clubs earn sporting associations. Their duties include such things as booking playing fields with local councils and organizing the schedule of games or events for a club. So they need good organizational skills.

Sports psychologists spend time with professional athletes helping them approach competition with a positive mental attitude to enable them to achieve their personal best. They do this by improving motivation and concentration or assisting with stress management. A physical education or pea teachers instruct young students in how to exercise play sport and do other recreational activities correctly and safely.

Pea teachers help the development of coordination balance posture and flexibility with things like simple catching and throwing skills. They are not expected to be experts in all sports but must be able to show students the basic techniques involved in a wide range of activities. Recreation officers often find themselves working for local government authorities and local groups.

Their aim is to raise people’s awareness of healthy lifestyles and improve general fitness through arranging recreational activities for groups of all ages from the very young to the elderly. There are many other job opportunities which our graduates can look forward to. If you’re interested in any of these.

That is the end of section four you will now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test. In the ielts test you would now have ten minutes to transform your answer to the listening answer sheet.