This practice listening lesson is based on Short Answer Questions which appear in the IELTS Listening Test. I’ve also included some vocabulary questions to test your word knowledge. Vocabulary questions do not appear in the Listening Test but I thought they might be useful for you.
Short Answer Question Tips
- be aware of the type of answer you are listening for: number, date, name, place, noun etc.
- underline any word in the question that might help you recognise the information when it is given.
- be aware of possible paraphrases when you read the question
- pay attention to the word count for the answer
- get the answer from the recording – you need the precise word or words
- the answers come in order
IELTS Listening Practice: Short Answer Questions
Superbugs Listening
Questions 1-8: Answers should be no more than two words and/or a number.
- Which mammals are often considered to be the strongest?
- How much weight in comparison to their body’s weight can a leaf-cutter ant pull?
- What animal was present on Earth when ants emerged?
- What are ant societies called?
- How much of the Earth’s biomass do ants make up?
- A dung beetle can pull the equivalent to what as a human being?
- What type of sound do dung beetles mostly use as communication?
- How much cattle dung are dung beetles thought to bury in some areas of Texas?
Recording:
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Vocabulary Focus Questions
Questions 9-13
Now listen again to the recording and find synonyms for the words below. One word answers only. Answers come in order. Remember, these types of questions don’t appear in the IELTS test – they are extra questions to help you improve your vocab.
- 9. impressive
- 10. pieces
- 11. lorry
- 12. audial
- 13. waste
TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS
Use the transcript first to check your answers so you can analyse the language and spot keywords. You can also use my transcripts to improve your pronunciation by listening and repeating. After that, check the answer key.
Click below:
TranscriptTranscript: When we think of animal species that are exceptionally strong, we usually think of large animals such as the elephant or rhino. These are formidable mammals that from their size are clearly so much stronger that we are. However, when it comes to strength in relation to size, we need to look at insects and in particular ants and beetles.
The leafcutter ant can carry over 20 times its own body weight in its jaws, which are known as mandibles. When they come across a leaf that is too heavy for them to carry, they cut the leaf into more manageable fragments. If we compare this to human strength it is similar to a human being lifting a truck with their teeth.
Ants are interesting for many reasons. They had already emerged about 90 million years ago at the time of the dinosaurs. Much later on, their numbers seem to grow as they developed into organised societies or as we know them, colonies. They now represent about 15% of this planet’s biomass.
However, the dung beetle is even more remarkable for its strength in relation to body weight. The dung beetle can pull weights which are in excess of 1,000 times their own body weight. If we translate this into human strength. It is like one person pulling six double-decker buses.
Unlike many insect or animal species, the dung beetle inhabits a range of habitats and can be found in most places on the planet. Their communication techniques mainly seem to focus on acoustic vibration. They are also great recyclers and play an important part in processing waste. For example, it is said that in parts of Texas, dung beetles are responsible for burying 80% of cattle excrement.
- ELEPHANT RHINO
- 20 TIMES
- DINOSAURS
- COLONIES
- 15%
- 6 DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES
- (ACOUSTIC) VIBRATION
- 80%
- FORMIDABLE
- FRAGMENTS
- TRUCK
- ACOUSTIC
- EXCREMENT
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RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
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Hi, do you think practicing your 33 tests would be enough for IELTS listening or do I need to some more ? and can you allow your reading tests to be printed cause searching answers on the screen is quite hard for me.
My lessons are to develop awareness of the test questions, build confidence and learn exam skills. They are not full tests. You ought to practice full tests at home under exam conditions using the IELTS Cambridge test books which have been published by IELTS and contain past papers.
Thank you so much Liz for the amazing lessons. The tips are really helpful and easy to understand.My IELTS test is in like four days and your materials have improved my understanding a lot. Thanks and regards.
Good luck in your test 🙂
1. ELEPHANT
2. 20 TIMES
3. DIONSAURS
4. COLONIES
5. 15%
6. 1000 TIMES LIKE 6 DOUBLE DECKER BUSES
7. VIBRATION
8.EXCREMENT
ELEPHANT RHINO
20 TIMES
DINOSAURS
COLONIES
15%
6 DOUBLE DECKER BUSES
VIBRATION
80%
REMARKABLE
FRAGMENTS
TRUCK
EXCREMENT
Liz did you post the answers? ı can not see them in anywhere
I posted them yesterday but forgot to out the link on the page above. I’ve just done it. Refresh the page and you’ll see the link to the answers 🙂
1. Elephant
2. 20times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 50percent
6. Double
7.
8. 80percent
9. Expectional
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12. Vibration
13. Recyculars
Thank you, Liz, for this impression content.
Here are my answers:
1. Elephant, Rhino
2. 20 times
3. dinosaurs
4. colonies
5. 15%
6. 1000 times
7. vibration
8. 80%
9. exceptional
10. fragments
11. truck
12. communication
13. excrements
1. Elephants & Rhinos
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5.15%
6. as like pulling 6 double-deck buses by one person
7. vibration
8. 80%
9. impressive – remarkable
– exceptional
10. pieces – fragments
11. lorry – truck
12. audial – acoustic
13. waste – excrements
Dear
I am proud about your lesson
this my first time to write to you
1. Elephants, Rhinos
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 15%
6. 1000 times
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. Exceptionally
10. Fragments
11. Lorry
12.
13. Excrement
Elephant Rhino
20 times
Dinosaurs
Colony
15 percent
6 double decker bus
Acoustic vibration
80 percent
Exceptional
Fragment
Communication
Excrement
1. Elephants
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 15%
6. One to 6
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. Exceptional
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12.
13. Excrement
1. Rhinos
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 15%
6. 1000
7. Waste
8. 80%
9. superb
10. Fragments
11. *
12. Hearing
13.excrete
1. Rhinos
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 15%
6. Body weight
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. Exceptional
10. Fragments
11. Trucks
12.
13. Excrements
1. Elephant /Rhinos
2.20times
3.Dinosaurs
4.colonies
5.15%
6.double decker bus
7.Acoustic vibration
8.80%
9.Exception
10.fragments
11.Truck
12.communication
13.Excrement
1) elephants, rhinos
2)20 times
3)dinosaur
4)colonies
5)15%
6)1000
7) acoustic vibrations
8)80%
9)formidable
10)fragments
11) truck
12) communication
13) excrements
1. Elephantal Rhino 2. 20 times 3. Dinosaurs 4. Colonies 5. 15percent 6. 6boxes 7. Acoustic vibration 8. 80percent 9. Exceptionally 10. Fragments 11. Truck 12. Acoustic vibration 13. Excrement
1. Elephant or Rhino
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 15percent
6. 6 double decker buses
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. Exceptionally
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12.
13. Excrement
1. ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS
2. 20TIMES
3. DINOSAURS
4. COLONIES
5. 15%
6. DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES
7. ACOUSTIC VIBRATION
8. 80%
1. Elephant and rhino2
2. 20 times3
3. Dinosaurs
4. Organize
5. 50%
6. 1000 times
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. Exceptionally
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12. Communication technique
13. excrement
1) Elephants Rhinos
2) 20 times
3) Dinosaur
4) Colonies
5) 15 percent
6) 6 double-decker buses
7) Acoustic vibrations
8) 80 percent
9) exceptional
10) fragments
11) trucks
12)
13) Excrement
Answers
1.elephant/Rhino
2.20times
3.Dinasours
4.colonies
5.15%
6.1000times
7.acoustic vibrations
8.80%
1. Elephant, Rhino
2. 20 times
3. dinosaurs
4. colonies
5. 15%
6. 6 double-decker bus
7. acoustic vibration
8. 80%
Words:
1. exceptionally
2. fragment
3. acoustic
4. waste
5. excrement
Thank you Liz for all that you do for us. I have my LRW exam tomorrow! Fingers crossed!
Good luck!
Thank you so much! My friend and I hope to meet you soon 🙂
Elephants
20 times
dinasores
colonies
15 percent
1 percent
vibration
80 percent
elephant/rhino
20 times
dinosaur
colonies
15%
6 double-decker-buses
acoustic vibrations
80%
1. ELEPHANTS, RHINOS
2. 20 TIMES
3. DINOSAURS
4. COLONIES
5. ABOUT 15 PERCENT
6. 6 DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES
7. ACOUSTIC VIBRATIONS
8. 80 PERCENT
9. EXCEPTIONAL
10.FRAGMENTS
11. TRUCK
12. COMMUNICATION
13. EXCREMENT
1- elephant – rhino
2- 20 times
3- dinossaurs
4- colonies
5- 15%
6- 1,000 times
7- accoustic vibration
8- 80%
9- remarkable
10- fragments
11- truck
12- accoustic
13- excrement
1.elephants, rhino
2. 20 times
3. dinosaurs
4. colonies
5. 15%
6. 6 double-decker buses
7. acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. formidable
10. fragments
11. truck
12. acoustic
13. excrement
1. Elephants
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 15%
6. 1000 times
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. Exceptional
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12. Acoustic
13. Excrement
1) elephant, rhino
2) dinosaurs
3) colonies
4) 15%
5) 6 double-decker buses
6) acoustic vibration
7) 80%
8) exceptionally
9) fragments
10) truck
11) acoustic
12) excrement
1. ELEPHANT RHINO
2. 20
3. DINOSAURS
4. COLONIES
5. 15
6. ONE PERSON
7. VIBRATION
8. 80
9. EXCEPTIONAL
10. FRAGMENTS
11. TRUCK
12. COMMUNICATION
13. EXCREMENT
1.elephants,rhino
2.20 times
3.dinosaurs
4.colonies
5.15%
6.1000 times
7.acoustic vibration
8.80%
1. Rhinos/Elephants
2. 20 Times
3. Dinosaurs
4. colonies
5.15 percent
6. double-decker buses
7. Acoustic vibrations
8. 80 percent
9. Exceptional
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12. Communication
13. Excrement
1. Insects
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4.colonies
5. 15%
6. double-decker buses
7. acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. formidable
10. fragments
11. truck
12. acoustic
13. excrement
1.Elephant, Rhino 2. 20 times 3. Dinosaurs 4. colonies 5. 15% 6. 6 Double-decker buses 7. vibration 8. 80% 9. Exceptionally 10. Fragments 11. Truck 12. vibration
13. Excrements
1. Elephants/Rhinos
2. 20 times
3. Dinasours
4. Colonies
5. 15%
6. 1000 times
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. Exceptionally
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12. Communication
13. Excrement
1.elephent 2.truck 3.dinasoures 4.colonies 11.truck 12.acoustic
ELEPHANT RIHNOS.
20TIMES.
DINOSAURS.
COLONIES.
15%.
6 DOUBLE BUSES.
ACOUSTIC VIBRATION.
80%.
EXCEPTIONALLY.
FRAGMENTS.
TRUCK.
ACOUSTIC.
EXCREMENT.
1. Elephant, Rhino
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. colonies
5. 15%
6. double-decker buses
7. acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. exceptionally
10. Fragments
11. truck
12. acoustic
13. excrement
1. elephants, rhinos
2. 20 times
3. dinosaur
4. colonies
5. 15%
6 six double-decker buses
7. acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. formidable
10. fragments
11. truck
12. acoustic
13. excrement
1.Elephant, Rhino
2.20 times
3.Dinosour
4. Colonies
5. 15%
6. 6 double-decker buses
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
9. Formidable
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12. Acoustic
13. Excrement
1. elephants, rhinos
2. 20 times
3. dinosaurs
4. colonies
5. 50%
6. 6 double-decker buses
7. acoustic vibration
8. 80%
1 ANTS 2 20 TIMES 3 DINOSAURS. 4 COLONIES. 5 15 PERCENT. 6 6 BUS 7 VIBRATION. 8 18 PERCENT
1) elephant rhino
2) twenty times
3) dinosaurs
4) colonies
5) fifty percent
6) six buses
7) acoustic vibration
8) eighty percent
9) exceptionally
10) fragments
11) lift
12) hearable
13) excrement
It was a little hard for me especially the equivalent words.
Thanks for the test, Liz
Always appreciated
1. Rhinos/Elephants
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 15 percent
6 double-decker buses
7. Acoustic vibrations
8. 80 percent
9. Exceptionally
10. Fragments
11. Trucks
12. Communication
13. Excrement.
1) Elephants/Rhinos
2) 20 times
3) Dinosaurs
4) Colonies
5) 15%
6) 6 double-decker buses
7) Acoustic vibration
8) 80%
9) Interesting
10) Fragments
11) Truck
12) communication
13) Cattle excrement
1 Elephant
2. 20 times
3.
4. Colonies
5. 15 percent
6. One person
1) Ants
2) 20 times
3) Dinosaurs
4) Colonies
5) 15 percent
6) 6 persons
7) Acoustic Vibration
8) 80 percent
9) Notable
10) portion
11) Truck
12) Auditory
13) Waste
1. ELEPHANT,RHINO
2. 20 TIMES
3. DINOSAURS
4.COLONIES
5. 50 PERCENT
6. 1000 TIMES
7. ACOUSTIC VIBRATION
8. 80 PERCENT
Q.1 to 8
Answers
1. Elephant/ rhino
2. 20 times
3. Dinosaurs
4. Colonies
5. 15%
6. 6 buses
7. Acoustic vibration
8. 80%
Q. 9 to 13
Answers
9. Remarkable
10. Fragments
11. Truck
12. Acoustic
13. Excrement
1.Elephants,rhinos
2.20 times
3.Dinosaurs
4.Colonies
5.50%
6.
7.Acoustic vibrations
8.80%
9.interesting
10.fragments
11.truck
12.acoustic
13.excrements
1.Elephants,rhonos
2.20 times
3.Dinosaurs
4.Colonies
5.50%
6.
7.Acoustic vibrations
8.80%
9.
10.fragments
11.truck
12.acoustic
13.excrements
1) Elephant
2) 20 times
3) Dinosaur
4) Colonies
5) 15%
6) 1%
7) acustic vibration
8) 80%
1. ELEPHANTS
2. 20 TIMES
3. DINOSAURS
4. COLONIES
5. 15%
6. STRENGTH
7. VIBRATION
8. 80%
9. EXCEPTIONALLY
10. FRAGMENTS
11. TRUCK
12. COMMUNICATION
13. WASTE
Listening 1 – 8 Answers
1 – Elephant
2 – 20 times
3 – Dinosaurs
4 – Colonies
5 – 15%
6 – 6 double-decker Buses
7 – Acoustic vibration
8 – 80%
9 – Remarkable
10 – fragments
11 – Truck
12 – Communication
13 – Excrement
1.elephant
2.20
3.dianasours
4.colonies
5.15%
6.1000
7.vibration
8.80%
1.insects
2. 20 times
3.dinosaurs
4. colonies
5.1000 times
6. 1 person
7. acoustic vibration
8. 8%
9.exceptionally?
10.fragments
11.truck
12.acoustic
13.excrements
1.Elephant
2.20 times
3.Dinasours
4.colonies
5.15%
6.1000 times
7.acoustic vibration
8.80%
9.
10. fragments
11. truck
12.acoustic
13.excrement
1-Elephants and Rhinos
2.20 times
3.90 million
4.Colonies
5.15%
6. 6 doubledecker buses
7.Acoustic vibration
8.80%
9. Exceptional
10.Fragments
11.Truck
12.Vibration
13Excrement
1 Formidable
2 20 times
3 Dinosaurs
4 Colonies
5 15 Percent
6 6Doubledecker buses
7 Acoustic vibrations
8 80%
1. Ants, beetles 2. 20 times, 3. Dinosaurs 4. Colonies 5. 15 percent 6. 6 doubledecker buses 7. acoustic vibrations 8. 80 percent
9.formidable 10 fragments 11 Truck 12 Acoustic 13 excreta
Answers to the Listening test
1) Elephant
2) 20 times
3) Dinosaur
4) Colonies
5)15%
6) 1000 times
7) Acoustic vibration
8) 80%
1) Insect
2) 20 times
3) 90million years
4) Colony
5) 15%
6) 1 Person
7) Acoustic Vibration
8) 80%
9) Stronger
10) Fragment
11) Truck
12) Acoustic
1. Elephant Rhinoceros
2 20 times
3.Dinosaurs
4.colonies
5.50 percent
6. Double-decker buses
7.acoustic vibration
8.80 percent
9. Exceptional
10.fragments
11.truck
12 . communication
13.cattle excrement
1 – Elephants
2 – 20 times
3 – Dinosaurs
4 – Colonies
5 – 15 percent
6 – 6 double-decker buses
7 – acoustic vibrations
8 – 80 percent
1. elephants , rhino 2. 20 times 3.dinasour 4.colonies 5. 15% 6. 7. acoustic vibration 8. 80% 9. exceptional 10 fragments 11. truck 12. acoustic 13 excrement
Impressive — interesting
Piece — Segment
Lorry—- Truck
Audial — communication
Waste —- Cattleextrament
LISTENING (ANSWERS)
1. ELEPHANTS/RINOS
2. SIX THOUSAND
3. DINOSAURS
4. COLONIES
5. 90 PERCENT
6. SIX DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES
7. VIBRATION
8. 80 PERCENT
9. INTERESTING
10. FEW
11.TRUCK
12. LOUDER
13. REFUSE
1. ELEPHANTS, RHINOS
2.20 TIMES
3 . DINOSAURS
4.COLONIES
5.15%
6.1000 TIMES
7.ACOUSTIC VIBRATION
8.80%
9.REMARKABLE
10.FRAGMENTS
11.TRUCK
12.ACOUSTIC
13.EXCREMENT
1. elephant, rhino
2. 20 times
3. dinosaurs
4. colonies
5. 15 percent
6. 6 buses
7. acoustic viberations
8. 80 percent
1 ELEPHANTS/RHINO
2 20TIMES
3 DINOSAURS
4 COLONIES
5 15%
6 6 DOUBLE-DECKER BOXES
7 ACOUSTIC VIBRATION
8 80%
9 INTERESTING
10 FRAGMENTS
11 TRUCK
12 *
13 EXCREMENT.
1. ElLEPHANT
2. 20 TIMES
3. DINOSAURUS
4. COLONIES
5. 50 PERCENTAGE
6. 1 PERSON
7. ACOUSTIC VIBRATION
8. 80 PERCENTAGE
9. EXCEPTIONAL
10. FRAGMENTS
11.TRUCK
12. ACOUSTIC
13. EXCREMENT
elephants and rhinos
20 times
dinosaurs
colonies
15%
1000 times like 6 double decker buses
accoustic vibrations
80%
commendable
fragments
truck
accoustic
excrement