This lesson contains a multiple choice IELTS practice listening. What I suggest you do is listen first and then read the tutorial, if you make any mistakes. This form of listening is really part 2 – it’s a tour guide explaining about a trip – and in part 2 you should be aiming for 100%. The listening tasks get harder as you go on.
Be careful because I’ve set you several exam style traps.
The questions
The listening
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How did you do? The answers
See the answers
1 B
2 C
3 A
4 C
Here are some notes multiple choice questions and some tips on avoiding any traps:
The problems with multiple choice question
A little as in the reading, multiple choice can be surprisingly tricky. Here are a few pointers:
- You are likely to hear language from all 3 variations: don’t stop listening just because you’ve heard language from one variation. There may be a better answer soon
- Very frequently the answers come through listening for synonyms: so don’t just listen for words, listen for the meanings of words
- Before you listen focus on the stem of the question, not the variations. If you look at the variations too much, you can get confused.
- Pay attention to discourse language like “Well” “However” etc. Words like this can show you there’s a change in meaning coming up.
- Pay very close attention to the exact wording of the question. It’s a not just a listening task, but a listening AND reading task.
Notes
Question 1:
variant A: You hear the word attractions, but what does it refer to? Does it make Chatsworth special in comparison with Longleat? Did you hear “beside” or “besides”?
variant B: you need to be able to listen for synonyms and contextual meaning. You may not hear the word countryside. What words do you hear that mean much the same. Also, listen for “What sets it apart”. What is the meaning there?
variant C: focus on the question. You will hear about the garden, but is that what makes it special in comparison with other stately homes? And the word “features”, how is it used in the listening?
Question 2
variant A: Which house is the Elizabethan masterpiece?
variant B: How much of Chatsworth belongs to the late 17th century?
variant C: What possible different styles to you hear discussed? Does the guide use the words “different” and “styles”?
Question 3
variant A: Do you know what the word “facade” means? If not, you can always eliminate the wrong answers first and then come back to this one. Does this word look like any other word you know?
variant B: Who does the guide recommend this for? Did you hear any other words or phrases meaning “recommend”?
variant C: Who voted it the best water feature? Is the best water feature in Britain necessarily the highlight of the tour?
Question 4
variant A: Someone in her family was notorious, but was it the Duchess or one of her sisters?
variant B:Everyone has heard of her, so does that make her famous or notorious? Did she own Chatsworth?
variant C:”You probably haven’t heard her name”: does this mean she can’t be notorious? What did she do in her life?
variant D: 4 marriages may be shocking to some but do we that it was shocking for her contemporaries?
1.B
2.C
3.A
4.C
Excellent. Thank you. Must listen again for beside and besides
I love your website. I’m not native speaker, I’m studying English at university for my future bachelor. Your website is so great and useful. Thank you very much :X:X:X
Апупеть не встать! Пиндец сложные задания…
P.S.
Whal level of English should a candidates have? Advanced or Intermediate will be enough?
Sorry. No Russian spoken here. It’s hard to answer your question as IELTS simply tests your level and it is an exam for all levels. If you are at a “good” advanced level, you should expect to get 7.0 or above typically. Though that depends on the right sort of preparation. Intermediate is a huge level and intermediate learners vary greatly – so I cannot really answer you there.
My best advice to test your level is to try one of the Cambridge listening and reading tests. With my band score calculator you can then see what IELTS level you are at. Normally, the speaking and writing levels should be at the same approximate level as your listening and speaking. Though this depends too on the amount of “practice” you get speaking and writing English. For example, many Chinese students do well in reading and listening but worse in speaking because they get very little opportunity to speak English.
Hi,thanks for the website!!!!!!I I’m going to take the IELTS TEST soon and i would like to practice more reading and listening exercises.Thank you so much.xoxoxox
where are the answers given?
You’ll find them as the first comment by me. I’ll change it so they are easier to find.
Hmm, too bad I select ‘A’ for question 4, your right I should listen carefully and not let my biases and preconceived notions be the answer. I really thought being associated with Hitler would be the most unpopular and disgusting thing.
By the way, I love your website great help!
Dear Dominic:
Could you please provide me with the tapescript? This prctice is a bit difficult for me, and there are some sentences that I am not quite sure of….
Will do. It may take a little time as I’m off on my travels, but I’ll make it a priority.
hi sir , I am preparing for an IELTS exam.but my problem is dealing with grammar.is there any easy way to study grammar?
Sadly no. There is no real short cut here. What I would focus on though is using the grammar rather than learning rules or doing lots of exercises. Mostly for IELTS what you need is the ability to communicate well but it’s quite common for people to “know” the grammar but not be able to use it. So for example if you are learning “if”, try making your sentences about yourself using “if” eg
if I pass IELTS, I will be able to go to study in Australia
The other tip is to make a list of your own grammar problems. Most people make their own mistakes. If you know what mistakes you make most, then you have a chance of correcting them. To be able to do this though you need either a teacher or someone with good quality English to help you.
1.A 2. C 3. C 4.A
B C A C
Well. I’m working on re-organising the site in general and looking at different functionality I can add. In the next few days, I should reload my download pages. Those are really for the essays and vocabulary though.
I’m looking into making downloadable versions of the reading and the listening but that may take some time. The best I can suggest for now is that you simply bookmark and come back.