SOAL IELTS LISTENING

Section 1 Questions 1–10

Questions 1–5

Complete the notes below.

Write no more than two words and/or a number for each answer.

Transport from Bayswater

Example Answer
Destination Harbour City

 Express train leaves at 1 ……………………. 


 Nearest station is 2 ……………………. 

 Number 706 bus goes to 3 ……………………. 

 Number 4 ……………………. bus goes to station 

 Earlier bus leaves at 5 ……………………. 
Questions 6–10

Complete the table below.

Write no more than one word and/or a number for each answer.

Transport Cash fare Card fare

Bus 6 $ …………… $1.50

Train (peak) $10 $10

Train (off-peak) $10

– before 5pm or after 7 …………… pm) 8 $ ……………

9 …………… ferry $4.50 $3.55

Tourist ferry (10 ……………) $35 –

Tourist ferry (whole day) $65 –

Section 2 Questions 11–20

Questions 11–14

Which counsellor should you see?

Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to questions 11–14.

A Louise Bagshaw
B Tony Denby
C Naomi Flynn

11 if it is your first time seeing a counsellor

12 if you are unable to see a counsellor during normal office hours

13 if you do not have an appointment

14 if your concerns are related to anxiety

Questions 15–20

Complete the table below.

Write no more than two words for each answer.

Workshop Content Target group

Adjusting what you need to succeed 15 ………………… students
academically

Getting Organised use time effectively, find 16 all students

………………… between study
and leisure

Communicating talking with staff, communicating all students, especially

across cultures
17 …………………

Anxiety 18 …………………, breathing students about to sit exams

techniques, meditation, etc.

19 ………………… staying on track for long periods 20 ………………… students

only
Section 3 Questions 21–30

Questions 21–30

Complete the notes below.

Write no more than three words for each answer.

Novel: 21 …………………

Protagonists: Mary Lennox; Colin Craven

Time period: Early in 22 …………………

Plot: Mary → UK – meets Colin who thinks he’ll never be able to

23 ………………… . They become friends.

Point of view: “Omniscient” – narrator knows all about characters’ feelings,

opinions and 24 …………………

Audience: Good for children – story simple to follow

Symbols (physical items that represent 25 …………………):

 the robin redbreast 


 26 ………………… 

 the portrait of Mistress Craven 

Motifs (patterns in the story):

 the Garden of Eden 


 secrecy – metaphorical and literal transition from 27 ………………… 

Themes: Connections between

 28 ………………… and outlook 


 29 ………………… and well-being 

 individuals and the need for 30 ………………… 
Section 4 Questions 31–40

Questions 31–35

Complete the table below.

Write one word only for each answer.

Time Perspectives

Time Zone Outlook Features & Consequences

Past Positive Remember good times, e.g. birthdays.

Keep family records, photo albums, etc.

31 Focus on disappointments, failures, bad decisions.

……………..

Present Hedonistic Live for 32 …………….. ; seek sensation; avoid pain.

Fatalistic Life is governed by 33 …………….. , religious beliefs,

social conditions. Life’s path can’t be changed.

Future 34 Prefer work to play. Don’t give in to temptation.

……………..

Fatalistic Have a strong belief in life after death and importance of

35 …………….. in life.
Questions 36–40

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

36 We are all present hedonists

A at school
B at birth
C while eating and drinking

37 American boys drop out of school at a higher rate than girls because
A they need to be in control of the way they learn
B they play video games instead of doing school work C
they are not as intelligent as girls

38 Present-orientated children
A do not realise present actions can have negative future effects B
are unable to learn lessons from past mistakes
C know what could happen if they do something bad, but do it anyway

39 If Americans had an extra day per week, they would spend it

A working harder
B building relationships C
sharing family meals

40 Understanding how people think about time can help us

A become more virtuous
B work together better
C identify careless or ambitious people
Section 5

Questions 41-50

Susan is telephoning a travel agency. Before listening to the conversation

read the enquiry form carefully. Then listen and complete each gap with no
more than three words.

Worldbridges Travel Agency Ltd. Enquiry form

41. Enquiry regarding holiday in

42. Number of people:
43. Kind of accommodation needed:
Requirements
44. Price (£):
45. Location:
46. Customer´s name:
47. Enquiry made in :
48. When would Susan and her friends travel cheaper?
49. How far from the beach is the accommodation offered?
50. Who has already visited Greece?
Transcript

Narrator:

Test 1

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
test is in 4 sections. At the end of the test you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your
answers to an answer sheet. Now turn to section 1.

Section 1

You will hear a conversation between a clerk at the enquiries desk of a transport
company and a man who is asking for travel information. First you have some time to
look at questions 1 to 5.
[20 seconds]
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.

Woman: Good morning, Travel Link. How can I help you?

Man: Good morning. I live in Bayswater and I’d like to get to Harbour City
tomorrow before 11am.
Woman: Well, to get to Bayswater …
Man: No, no. I live in Bayswater – my destination is Harbour City.
Woman: Sorry. Right; so that’s Bayswater to Harbour City. Are you planning to
travel by bus or train?

Narrator:
The man wants to go to Harbour City, so Harbour City has been written in the space. 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 5.
Woman: Good morning, Travel Link. How can I help you?
Man: Good morning. I live in Bayswater and I’d like to get to Harbour City
tomorrow before 11am.
Woman: Well, to get to Bayswater …
Man: No, no. I live in Bayswater – my destination is Harbour City.
Woman: Sorry. Right; so that’s Bayswater to Harbour City. Are you planning to
travel by bus or train?
Man: I don’t mind really, whichever option is faster, I suppose.
Woman: Well, if you catch a railway express, that’ll get you there in under
an hour … Let’s see – yes, if you can make the 9.30am express, I’d
recommend you do that.
Man: Great. Which station does that leave from?
Woman: Helendale is the nearest train station to you.
Man: Did you say Helensvale?
woman: No, Helendale – that’s H-E-L-E-N-D-A-L-E
Man: What’s the best way to get to the Helendale station then?
Woman: Well, hang on a minute while I look into that … Now, it seems to me that
you have two options. Option one would be to take the 706 bus from the
Bayswater Shopping Centre to Central Street. When you get there, you
transfer to another bus which will take you to the station. Or, the second
option, if you don’t mind walking a couple of kilometres, is to go directly
to Central Street and get straight on the bus going to the train station.
Man: Okay. Which bus is that?
Woman: The 792 will take you to the station.
Man: I guess the walk will be good for me so that might be the better option.
What time do I catch the 792?
Woman: There are two buses that should get you to the station on time: one just
before nine o’clock and one just after. But look, at that time of the
morning it might be better to take the earlier one just in case there’s a
traffic jam or something. The 8.55 is probably safer than the 9.05.
Man: Yeah, I don’t want to the miss the train, so I’ll be sure to get on the five-
to-nine bus.
Narrator:

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6
to 10.
[20 seconds]
Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.

Man: By the way, how much will I have to pay in fares?

Woman: Well, you can get a ticket on the bus for $1.80 cash and you’ll need $10
each way for the train. Wait, do you have a Travel Link Card?
Man: No, but I can get one before tomorrow.
Woman: Okay, well that’ll make it considerably cheaper then. The bus will cost
$1.50 each way, and the train will be – the train to Harbour City will …
still cost $10.00 because you’ll be travelling during peak hours in the
morning, so no savings there, I’m afraid. However, if you could come
back at an off-peak time …
Man: What does that mean?
Woman: Well, if you could start your return journey before 5pm or later than half
past 7 in the evening …
Man: Actually, I wasn’t planning on coming back till at least 8 o’clock anyway.
Woman: In that case, you can make quite a saving if you use your Travel Link
Card. You did say you were planning to purchase one, didn’t you?
Man: Yes, I’ll pick one up later today.
Woman: Good – that would mean that your return train journey would only cost
you $7.15 with your card.
Man: Thank you.
Woman: Is there anything else I can help you with?
Man: Actually, there is. Do you know if I can use the Travel Link Card on
ferries?
Woman: If you’re thinking of the Harbour City ferries that go back and forth
between the north and south bank, those are the commuter ferries, then
yes. A one-way trip costs $4.50 but with your card you’d make a 20%
saving and only pay $3.55.
Man: So, $3.55 for the commuter ferry …What about the tour boats?
Woman: You mean the tourist ferries that go upriver on sightseeing tours? No –
they only take cash or credit card. They’re not part of the Travel Link
Company.
Man: Oh, I see. I don’t suppose you know the cost of a tour?
Woman: In actual fact, I do, because I took a friend on the trip upriver just last
week. We decided on the afternoon tour and that was $35 each but I
understand that you can do the whole day for $65.
Man: Thank you. You’ve been a great help.
Woman: My pleasure. Enjoy your day out.

Narrator:
That is the end of section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers.
[30 seconds]
Now turn to section 2.
Narrator: Section 2

You will hear a guidance counsellor talking to a group of students. First you have some
time to look at questions 11 to 14.
[20 seconds]
Listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

Speaker:

Hello everyone. I’m the counselling administrator here at St. Ive’s College and
I’ve been asked to come and talk to you about our counselling team and the services
that we offer.
We have three professional counsellors here at St. Ives: Louise Bagshaw, Tony
Denby and Naomi Flynn. They each hold daily one-on-one sessions with students, but
which counsellor you see will depend on a number of factors.
If you’ve never used a counsellor before, then you should make an appointment
with Naomi Flynn. Naomi specialises in seeing new students and offers a preliminary
session where she will talk to you about what you can expect from counselling, followed
by some simple questions about what you would like to discuss. This can be really helpful
for students who are feeling a bit worried about the counselling process. Naomi is also the
best option for students who can only see a counsellor outside office hours. She is not in
on Mondays, but starts early on Wednesday mornings and works late on Thursday
evenings, so you can see her before your first class or after your last class on those days.

Louise staffs our drop-in centre throughout the day. If you need to see someone
without a prior appointment then she is the one to visit. Please note that if you use this
service then Louise will either see you herself, or place you with the next available
counsellor. If you want to be sure to see the same counsellor on each visit, then we
strongly recommend you make an appointment ahead of time. You can do this at
reception during office hours or by using our online booking form.
Tony is our newest addition to the counselling team. He is our only male
counsellor and he has an extensive background in stress management and relaxation
techniques. We encourage anyone who is trying to deal with anxiety to see him. Tony
will introduce you to a full range of techniques to help you cope with this problem such
as body awareness, time management and positive reinforcement.

Narrator:
Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.
[20 seconds]
Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.

Speaker:

Each semester the counselling team runs a number of small group workshops.
These last for two hours and are free to all enrolled students.
Our first workshop is called Adjusting. We’ve found that tertiary education can
come as a big shock for some people. After the structured learning environment of school,
it is easy to feel lost. In this workshop, we will introduce you to what is necessary for
academic success. As you might expect, we’re targeting first-year students with this
offering.
Getting organised follows on from the first workshop. Here, we’re going to help
you break the habit of putting things off, get the most out of your time and discover the
right balance between academic and recreational activities. With Getting organised,
we’re catering to a broader crowd, which includes all undergraduates and
postgraduates.
Next up is a workshop called Communicating. The way people interact here may
be quite different to what you’re used to, especially if you’ve come from abroad. We’ll
cover an area that many foreign students struggle with – how to talk with teachers and
other staff. We’ll cover all aspects of multicultural communication. International students
tend to get a lot out of this class, so we particularly encourage you to come along, but I
must say that sometimes students from a local background find it helpful too. So,
everyone is welcome!
The Anxiety workshop is held later on in the year and deals with something you
will all be familiar with – the nerves and anxiety that come when exams are approaching.
Many students go through their entire academic careers suffering like this, but you don’t
have to. Come to this workshop and we’ll teach you all about relaxation and how to
breathe properly, as well as meditation and other strategies to remain calm. We’ve
tailored this workshop to anyone who is going to sit exams.
Finally, we have the Motivation workshop. The big topic here is how to stay on
target and motivated during long-term research projects. This workshop is strictly for
research students, as less-advanced students already have several workshops catering
to their needs.
Well, that’s it, thanks for your time. If you have any questions or want more
information about our services, do come and see us at the Counselling Service.

Narrator:
That is the end of section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.
[30 seconds]
Now turn to section 3.
Narrator: Section 3

You will hear a conversation between a tutor and two students who are preparing for an
English literature test. First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24.
[20 seconds]
Listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24

Tutor: Hello Lorna, Ian. Glad you could make it. You’re the only two who put
your names down for this literature tutorial so let’s get started, shall we? I
want to run over some aspects of the novel, The Secret Garden, with you
before the test next week. Be sure to take some notes and ask questions
if you need to.
Ian: Hey Lorna, have you got a spare pen?
Lorna: Sure, here you are.
Tutor: Okay, so, the story follows two key characters – you should refer to them
as protagonists – who go by the names of Mary Lennox and Colin
Craven. The story is set shortly after the turn of the twentieth century, and
the narrative tracks the development of the protagonists as they learn to
overcome their own personal troubles together.
Lorna: That’s quite a common storyline, isn’t it?
Tutor: Yes, you’re right, Lorna. So, what can you tell me about the character of
Mary?
Lorna: Well, in the beginning she is an angry, rude child who is orphaned after a
cholera outbreak and forced to leave India and move to the United
Kingdom to her uncle’s house in Yorkshire.
Tutor: That’s right – and there she meets Colin who spends his days in an
isolated room, believing himself to be permanently crippled with no hope
of ever gaining the ability to walk. The two strike up a friendship and
gradually learn – by encouraging each other – that they can both become
healthy, happy and fulfilled in life.
Ian: Will we need to remember a lot of these details for the exam?
Tutor: Just the basic outline. Examiners don’t want to read a plot summary –
they know what the book is about. Focus on narrative techniques instead,
such as point of view.
Lorna: What’s that mean?
Tutor: It’s all about how we see the story. This story, for example, is written from
the perspective of what is called an “omniscient narrator”. Omniscient
means all-knowing. So, as readers we get to see how all the characters
feel about things, what they like and don’t like, and what their motivations
are in the story.

Narrator:
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 25
to 30.
[20 seconds]
Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.

Ian: Won’t it be hard to write a technical analysis? After all, it’s a kids’ book.
Tutor: Well, it was initially pitched at adults you know, but over the years it has
become seen as a more youth-orientated work. And you’re right in a
sense – the simple vocabulary and absence of foreshadowing make the
story very easy to follow and ideally suited for children. But that doesn’t
mean there isn’t much to analyse. Look at the symbolism, for instance.
Lorna: Symbols are things, right? Material things – like objects – that stand for
abstract ideas.
Tutor: Absolutely, yes. And the author uses many of them. There’s the robin
redbreast, for example, which symbolises the wise and gentle nature that
Mary will soon adopt – note that the robin is described as “not at all like
the birds in India”. Roses are used as well – as a personal symbol for
Mistress Craven – you’ll see they’re always mentioned alongside her
name. And Mistress Craven’s portrait can also be interpreted as a symbol
of her spirit.
Ian: Are symbols just another name for motifs?
Tutor: No, motifs are a bit different. They don’t have as direct a connection with
something the way that a symbol does. Motifs are simply recurring
elements of the story that support the mood.
Lorna: Are there any in this novel?
 Yes, two very important ones. The Garden of Eden is a motif. It comes up a
few times in connection with the garden of the story. And then you’ve got
the role that secrets play in the story. In the beginning, everything is
steeped in secrecy, and slowly the characters share their secrets and in the
process move from darkness to lightness, metaphorically, but also in the
case of Colin, quite literally. His room in the beginning has the curtains
drawn, and he appears at the end in the brightness of the garden.

Anything else we need to know about?

Yes. Nearly all novels explore universal concepts that everyone has
experienced – things like love, family, loneliness, friendship. These are
called themes. The Secret Garden has a few themes that all centre on the
idea of connections. The novel explores, for example, the way that health
can determine and be determined by our outlook on life. As Colin’s health
improves, so too do his perceptions of his strength and possibility. The
author also examines the link between our environment and our physical
and emotional prosperity. The dark, cramped rooms of the manor house
stifle the development of our protagonists; the garden and natural
environments allow them to blossom, just as the flowers do. Finally, this
book looks at connections between individuals, namely Mary and Colin.
This necessity of human companionship is the novel’s most significant
theme – because none of their development as individuals would have
occurred without their knowing each other. Well, that about sums it up, I
think.

That’s a great help, thanks.

Yes, thanks very much.
Tutor:
Ian:
Tutor:
Lorna:
Ian:
Narrator:
That is the end of section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.
[30 seconds]
Now turn to section 4.
Narrator: Section 4

You will hear a talk on the topic of time perspectives. First you have some time to look at
questions 31 to 40.
[20 seconds]
Listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

Speaker:

Today, I’m going to be talking about time. Specifically I’ll be looking at how people think
about time, and how these time perspectives structure our lives. According to social
psychologists, there are six ways of thinking about time, which are called personal time
zones.

The first two are based in the past. Past positive thinkers spend most of their time in a
state of nostalgia, fondly remembering moments such as birthdays, marriages and
important achievements in their life. These are the kinds of people who keep family
records, books and photo albums. People living in the past negative time zone are also
absorbed by earlier times, but they focus on all the bad things – regrets, failures, poor
decisions. They spend a lot of time thinking about how life could have been.

Then, we have people who live in the present. Present hedonists are driven by pleasure
and immediate sensation. Their life motto is to have a good time and avoid pain. Present
fatalists live in the moment too, but they believe this moment is the product of
circumstances entirely beyond their control; it’s their fate. Whether it’s poverty, religion or
society itself, something stops these people from believing they can play a role in
changing their outcomes in life. Life simply “is” and that’s that.

Looking at the future time zone, we can see that people classified as future active are the
planners and go-getters. They work rather than play and resist temptation. Decisions are
made based on potential consequences, not on the experience itself. A second future-
orientated perspective, future fatalistic, is driven by the certainty of life after death
and some kind of a judgement day when they will be assessed on how virtuously they
have lived and what success they have had in their lives.

Okay, let’s move on. You might ask “how do these time zones affect our lives?” Well, let’s
start at the beginning. Everyone is brought into this world as a present hedonist. No
exceptions. Our initial needs and demands – to be warm, secure, fed and watered – all
stem from the present moment. But things change when we enter formal education –
we’re taught to stop existing in the moment and to begin thinking about future outcomes.

But, did you know that every nine seconds a child in the USA drops out of school? For
boys, the rate is much higher than for girls. We could easily say “Ah, well, boys just aren’t
as bright as girls” but the evidence doesn’t support this. A recent study states that boys in
America, by the age of twenty one, have spent 10,000 hours playing video games. The
research suggests that they’ll never fit in the traditional classroom because these boys
require a situation where they have the ability to manage their own learning environment.

Now, let’s look at the way we do prevention education. All prevention education is aimed
at a future time zone. We say “don’t smoke or you’ll get cancer”, “get good grades or you
won’t get a good job”. But with present-orientated kids that just doesn’t work. Although
they understand the potentially negative consequences of their actions, they persist with
the behaviour because they’re not living for the future; they’re in the moment right now.
We can’t use logic and it’s no use reminding them of potential fall-out from their decisions
or previous errors of judgment – we’ve got to get in their minds just as they’re about to
make a choice.

Time perspectives make a big difference in how we value and use our time. When
Americans are asked how busy they are, the vast majority report being busier than ever
before. They admit to sacrificing their relationships, personal time and a good night’s
sleep for their success. Twenty years ago, 60% of Americans had sit-down dinners with
their families, and now only 20% do. But when they’re asked what they would do with an
eight-day week, they say “Oh that’d be great”. They would spend that time labouring
away to achieve more. They’re constantly trying to get ahead, to get toward a future point
of happiness.
So, it’s really important to be aware of how other people think about time. We tend to think: “Oh,
that person’s really irresponsible” or “That guy’s power hungry” but often what we’re looking at is
not fundamental differences of personality, but really just different ways of thinking about time.
Seeing these conflicts as differences in time perspective, rather than distinctions of character,
can facilitate more effective cooperation between people and get the most out of each person’s
individual strengths.

Narrator: Section 5

Assistant: Worldbridges Travel Agency...Good morning. Can I help you?

Susan: Yes, I need some information, please.
Assistant: yes?
Susan: Well, I know it's rather late for a reservation, but we are three friends..., and we'd like to
travel to Greece next July...
Assistant: Let's see... Where would you like to stay?
Susan: We've been told Mykonos is one of the best islands in the Mediterranean.., would that
be possible?
Assistant: Quite difficult in July...., would you like to stay at a hotel?
Susan: We'd rather make a self-catering arrangement...
Assistant: Are you thinking of a villa or an apartment?
Susan: I guess a small apartment will be cheaper...
Assistant: Provided it's not during July, yes...You know prices are lower out of season...How
long would you like to stay?
Susan: About a fortnight, but it might be difficult to change dates, you know, we are three and
have different times available...
Assistant: I see..., how many did you say were in the party?
Susan: There'll be three of us..., all girls, so we need a safe place near the beach. But we
cannot spend more than £100 a day...
Assistant: For that price you won't have many options, I'm afraid, but let me find out... If you
could arrange to make it in late June...I might have a bedsitter for £75... It could accommodate
3 single beds, and it's 5 minutes' walk from the main beach in Mykonos...
Susan: I'd love that!... What's the name of the beach, have you got it handy?
Assistant: yes, "Super Paradise"..., have you heard about it?
Susan: Yes! My parents went there on their honeymoon ...and they still keep advising people to
visit it! Anyway, I need to talk it over with my friends, though. One of them works during June,
she might not be able to change dates...
Assistant: Well, contact your friends, come to an agreement and give me a ring again... My
name is Arnold Smith, you'll find me here any working day from 10 am to 6 pm, but not on
Saturdays... Remember we only have a month left, so you need to make up your minds I'd say
today or tomorrow!
Susan: I will, thank you, Arnold, you've been very kind!
Assistant: Wait ! You haven't given me your name...
Susan : Sorry..., I am Susan Perkins, from Kensington. Susan Perkins, P-E-R-K-I-N-S. I'll get
back
Answers of IELTS Listening practice test

SECTION 1 SECTION 2

1. 9.30 (am) 11. C

2. Helendale 12. C
3. Central Street/St 13. A
4. (number/no./#) 792 14. B
st
5. 8.55 (am) 15. first/1 year
6. 1.80 16. (right) balance
7. 7.30 17. international/foreign (students)
8. 7.15 18. relaxation
9. commuter 19. motivation
10. afternoon 20. research/advanced

SECTION 3 SECTION 4

21. The Secret Garden 31. negative

th
22. (the) 20 /twentieth century 32. pleasure
23. walk 33. poverty
24. motivations/motivation 34. active
25. abstract ideas 35. success
26. roses 36. B
27. dark(ness) to light(ness) 37. A
28. health 38. C
29. environment 39. A
30. human companionship 40. B

SECTION 5
41. Greece
42. three
43. apartment
44. 100
45. near the beach
46. Susan Perkins
47. April
48. in June
49. 5 minutes walk
50. Susan's parents