Reading Practice: 3D Printer in Space

This practice reading lesson focuses on Sentence Completion questions which means filling in a gap to complete a sentence. These are common questions in IELTS and also in English language exercise books.

The level is not high, so it is suitable for GT candidates and also a good easy practice for Academic candidates. Remember, the academic reading passages are usually a bit more difficult. Even so, this lesson will help you focus on skills.

Sentence completion questions in IELTS reading require you to choose one or more words from the passage to complete the sentence. This involves skim reading the passage, identifying the type of word missing from the sentences and then scanning the passage to locate the missing word. Always check how many words you can have for the answer.

Reading Passage: Space Technology

Made-in-Space

Astronauts on the International Space Station have used their 3-D printer to make a wrench from instructions sent up in an email. It is the first time hardware has been “emailed” to space. Nasa was responding to a request by ISS commander Barry Wilmore for a ratcheting socket wrench. Previously, if astronauts requested a specific item they could have waited months for it to be flown up on one of the regular supply flights. Nasa says the capability will help astronauts be more self-reliant on future long duration space missions. This will also have a positive impact on the sustainability of space travel. Furthermore, it makes ships lighter and reduces launching costs. Mike Chen added: “The socket wrench we just manufactured is the first object we designed on the ground and sent digitally to space, on the fly. It also marks the end of our first experiment—a sequence of 21 prints that together make up the first tools and objects ever manufactured off the surface of the Earth.” The other 21 objects were designed before the 3D printer was shipped to the space station in September on a SpaceX Dragon supply flight.

Questions 1-7

Complete the sentences below using no more than two words and/or a number.

  1.  A ……………….. was made using a 3-D printer on the International Space Station.
  2. The tool was essentially …………… to space.
  3. This new technology provides instant access to tools which would have taken …………… before.
  4. Consequently, astronauts will be ……………… to a much greater extent.
  5. Creating tools in space as needed means crafts will weigh less and therefore have lower ………………
  6. The tool was the ……………… that had been designed on Earth yet physically created in space.
  7. Vocabulary question to you all – can you paraphrase the term “on the fly”? 

Answers

Click here to see answers: Answers to 3D Printer Reading.

All the best and stay safe,

Liz

 

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Rainforest Fires Listening Practice

This listening practice is based on the recent wildfires in the Amazon. I thought it would give you a chance to get your vocabulary and listening up to scratch with this topic. Don’t be surprised if you find this topic appearing in writing task 2 or in the speaking test. The environment is a common topic in all sections of the IELTS test.

Rainforest Listening Practice for IELTS

Questions 1- 6: Complete the sentences below using no more than two words.

  1. One in ten ………. on Earth live in the Amazon rainforest.
  2. These fires are actually visible from ………. .
  3. The fires affect thousands of mammal, reptile, ………….. and bird species.
  4. Animals trying to escape the fires by hiding may die from the flames, heat or ……………………..
  5. The consequences of changing ecosystems due to the fires can filter down to impact the …………
  6. The Amazon is known as the ……… of the planet.

Recording

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Answers

The answers are not available for this lesson. Click here: Answers for Rainforest Listening

More Useful Links

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IELTS Listening Practice: Building the Eiffel Tower

This IELTS listening practice is based on sentence completion questions and diagram labelling. You need to prepare all questions before listening.

For the sentence completion, check what type of answer you need for each question and underline key words that will help you identify the answer when you hear it. For the diagrams, read the instructions carefully to find the type of answer you need.

IELTS Listening: The Eiffel Tower

Questions 1-5

Complete the sentences using no more than two words and/or numbers.

  1. In 1884, two …………… came up with the concept of building tall tower.
  2. The plan was for the tower to be ……….. feet in height.
  3. Assembly of the supports took ……………. to finish.
  4. During construction, precision of work was measured to …………. of a millimetre.
  5. The construction team has responsibility for ……………. to ………… workers.

Questions 6 – 7

Label the diagram below with the correct dates using no more than one word and/or numbers.IELTS Listening Eiffel Tower

 

Answers

Click below to reveal the answers:

Answers

  1. engineers / chief engineers (either answer is correct)
  2. 1000
  3. 22 months (the number can be written as a hyphenated word. The word “months” must be plural.)
  4. a tenth (“a” is needed for the answer to be correct. All sentences must be grammatically correct when completed)
  5. 150    300 (both numbers are needed for the correct answer. No punctuation is required between them)
  6. 15 March 1888 / 15th March 1888 (the full date is required)
  7. 12 March  1889 / 12th March 1889 (the full date is required)

Transcript

The plan to build a tower 300 metres high was conceived as part of preparations for the World’s Fair of 1889. Two chief engineers in Eiffel’s company, had the idea for a very tall tower in June 1884. The tower project was a bold extension of this principle – equivalent to the symbolic figure of 1000 feet.

The assembly of the supports began on July 1, 1887 and was completed twenty-two months later. All the elements were prepared in Eiffel’s factory located  on the outskirts of Paris. Each of the 18,000 pieces used to construct the Eiffel Tower were specifically designed and calculated, traced out to an accuracy of a tenth of a millimetre and then put together forming new pieces around five metres each. A team of constructors, who had worked on the great metal viaduct projects, were responsible for the 150 to 300 workers on site assembling this gigantic set.

Photographic evidence at the time showed the four stages of the construction of the Eiffel Tower. The first photo was taken after the construction of the first floor on the 15th March 1888 and the following photos were taken over a period of about a year. The constructions were finally finished on the 12th March 1889 which is when the last photo was taken. On the narrow platform at the top, Eiffel received his decoration from the Legion of Honour.

read more about the Eiffel Tower Construction 

Vocabulary

  • conceived = thought up / planned
  • bold = daring / courageous
  • construct = build
  • calculated = measured
  • traced = copied
  • on site – at the location of the building
  • gigantic = huge
  • finished / completed

 

More IELTS Listening

IELTS Listening: 25 Essential Tips

IELTS Multiple Choice Tips

IELTS Listening: Numbers Practice

IELTS Listening: All Lessons, Tips and Practice

Main IELTS Pages

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IELTS Listening Practice: Sports Festival

IELTS summary completion and sentence completion practice for listening about the topic of sport.

Tips

  • Spend time reading through the questions for the summary and sentence completion because the audio will cover all questions.
  • Pay attention to the title and key words in the questions.
  • Predict the type of answer you will need to listen for (grammar will help you).
  • Notice that the instructions (word count) changes as the type of question changes – pay attention to this.
  • Be ready to move from one set of questions to another. Identify a key word that will help you to know when to move questions.
  • Remember that some key words can be paraphrased.

Mongolian Sports Festival

Questions 1 – 3

Complete the summary using no more than one word and/or a number.

Naadam is a festival of three sports in Mongolia: (1)……………….. horse racing and archery. This festival is traditionally for men and takes place during (2)……………….. Previously, women were unable to (3)………………. in the festival but now they can take part in two out of the three sports.

Questions 4 – 6

Complete the sentences using no more than two words and/or numbers.

  • 4) Historically, this festival was used to generate ………………….
  • 5) People don ……………………………… for the festival.
  • 6) Each year the celebration is held between ……. and ……………….

Answers & Vocabulary

Click below to see answers:

Answers

  1. wrestling
  2. midsummer (one word)
  3. participate / compete (two possible options)
  4. warriors / skilful warriors (must be plural) / skilful men
  5. colourful clothes / traditional clothes/ distinctive clothes
    • three possible options but no more than two words possible for the answer
  6. 11 13 July / 11th 13th July
    • you must have both numbers and the month.

 Transcript

Naadam is a traditional games festival in Mongolia comprising of three sports: Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. It is otherwise known as “the three games of men” because traditionally men were the only ones who could compete.  It is held over midsummer throughout the country. Nowadays, women are able to participate in archery and horse racing but not wrestling. The name “Naadam” means “festival or feast of sports”.

In ancient times, the Mongolian great kings and military generals used to train their warriors and the warriors’ main battle tool, horses, through this competition. While competing and feasting, those three manly traditional sports have been used to create skilful men for centuries.

During the festival, Mongolians dress in colourful and distinctive traditional clothes and ride their most beautiful horses. Official festival celebrations take place throughout the country between 11th and 13th July annually.  The Naadam celebration in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, is the most marvellous.

Useful Vocabulary

  • comprising of = made up of / consisting of
  • wrestling – a sport of holding and throwing an opponent to the ground
    • mongolia_naadam_10
  • archery – using a bow and arrow to hit a target
    • Naadam_women_archery
  • compete = participate / take part in
  • to be held / to take place
  • in ancient times = historically
  • manly = activities suited to a man
  • generate = create
  • to dress = to don (this is formal verb)
  • marvelous = spectacular (this synonym is used only in this context)

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I hope you enjoyed this lesson. Let me know if there any special customs or celebrations in your country that you wish me to make a lesson for. Liz

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IELTS Listening: Filling in the Missing Word

Filling in the missing word is a common task for IELTS listening. These questions are called sentence completion and they appear in almost every IELTS Listening test.

For tips, click here: LISTENING SENTENCE COMPLETION TIPS

The practice lessons below . This is mainly known as sentence completion questions in IELTS listening. The lesson below gives you some practice with how to fill in the gaps to complete the sentences.

Practice completing sentences for IELTS listening by filling in the sentences below with a missing word. Read through the sentences carefully before you listen. Predict what type of word you need to listen for and also plan any possible paraphrases for words in the sentences. Your answer must be grammatically correct when it is complete.

IELTS Listening Sentence Completion: Practice 1

Fireworks

Questions 1- 8

Complete the sentences using no more than two words and/or a number.

  1. Specialists in fireworks include ……….. to create special effects.
  2. Fireworks are made by putting all materials in a ………
  3. Fireworks were invented by the ……………
  4. The first firework created a loud ……….
  5. Fireworks appeared in Europe by the ………………
  6. The ………… firework launches high into the air and explodes at a certain height.
  7. The long tube fireworks are called ……………..
  8. …………… is used to create a bright white light.

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TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS

Click below:

Transcript

The original fireworks were made from gunpowder, which is a mixture of ingredients including saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal. Today experts at handling explosives, called pyrotechnicians, add chemicals for special effects. There are many different kinds of fireworks but they are all made in a similar way. The ingredients are placed in a shell, it is then wrapped up and a fuse is added. In factories, where the fireworks are made, safety precautions are used to make sure a single static electric shock does not create an explosion.

Fireworks have been around for centuries and are believed to have been first made by the Chinese. A Chinese document, dated about 1040AD, showed how to wrap gunpowder in paper to make a “fire pill”. This small firecracker made a very loud bang which was thought to ward off evil spirits. By the 13th century, fireworks had made their way to Europe where their popularity grew. By the 1500’s, fireworks were used in celebrations and special events. The Italians were the masters of fireworks by the 17th century.

There are a number of different types of fireworks these days and each of them works in a particular way. The rocket firework has a substance which explodes and shoots the firework into the air. When the rocket reaches a particular height, another spark causes it to blow up, releasing fine metal powders into the air. Roman candles are long tubes which shoot balls of chemicals from one end creating a series of flaming stars. Fountains are cone shaped and a small hole allows gases to escape, shooting coloured sparks into the air. Adding magnesium gives off a bright white light. Other ingredients give off different types of light when they become hot which is how colours are created.

Answers

  1. chemicals
  2. shell
  3. Chinese (You do not need a capital letter at the beginning for this to be correct)
  4. bang
  5. 13th century
  6. rocket
  7. Roman candles (If your spelling is wrong, the answer is incorrect. The capital letter is not important.)
  8. Magnesium (if your spelling is wrong, your answer is incorrect – you don’t need a capital letter even if it is at the beginning of the word. See my tips for info about this: IELTS Listening Tips)

Information from cbbc news

  Paraphrases

  • add = include
  • put in = placed in
  • invented by = first made by
  • made = created
  • appeared in = made their way to
  • launches into the air = shoots into the air
  • particular = certain
  • used to create = gives off

You will see that the paraphrases are not difficult. The main difficulty is all the extra information that is given which can be confusing to hear. Keep your mind focused on listening for answers and try not to be distracted by extra information.

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IELTS Listening Practice Lesson 2

Future Libraries

Questions 1-5: No more than two words and/or a number.

  1. Libraries provide creative spaces and learning ………..
  2. Libraries can help to improve technological ……….. in society.
  3. ………… to any given book becomes possible using Library Bookmark.
  4. Patrons would be able to receive books at home using …………….
  5. Fingerlink allows the user to combine …………….. with a printed book.

RECORDING:

TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS

Click below to reveal the transcript and answers for this lesson.

Transcript

Today, libraries are not only about lending books. They are creative spaces, not only for individuals, but also teams. They are economic incubators and learning hubs. Most of all, the libraries are the entry points to the digital world. They are the way to embrace technology and avoid digital exclusion. Therefore, to improve technological literacy of local communities, libraries should be equipped with relevant technologies.

Here are some suggestions for future improvements of technology in libraries:

  1. Library Bookmark: First of all, the device would be a perfect companion when navigating through the library, by giving turn-by-turn directions to the book the patron wants. The device could also keep track of all borrowed books, as well as remind the user of the return dates.
  2. Delivery Drones: To get the book from a library, you can either go and find it, or you can let it find you. The future belongs to the unmanned flying machines, and just like Amazon drones can deliver the goods to customers, libraries could deliver the books to patrons.
  3. FingerLink: It is a project currently developed by Fujitsu that will let you use digital tools to work with a printed book. It’s a stand you can put on a library desk. It includes two elements: a camera to read the information from the real world, and the projector to display digital information in the real world.

Answers

Spelling must be correct to have the answer marked correct. Using all capital letters is recommended for listening and reading answers.

  1. HUBS
    1. You must have “s”. If you write this answer as “hub” it will be marked wrong. You are being tested on being able to hear the difference between plural and singular.
  2. LITERACY
  3. NAVIGATING
  4. (DELIVERY) DRONES
    1. Brackets are used in the answer key of test books to show possible answers. In this case, it is possible to have the answer “drones” or “delivery drones”. You cannot use brackets in your test – you must choose only one answer.
    2. It is not possible to have “flying machines”. The paraphrase of drones is actually “unmanned flying machines” but it contains 3 words which goes over the word count limit.
  5. DIGITAL TOOLS

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IELTS Reading: Sentence Completion – Tips & Practice

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Practice with Essential Tips. These questions require excellent paraphrasing skills and the ability to locate information quickly. Below are two practice reading lessons with techniques for tackling the questions. Having the right approach is essential. IELTS reading is a time sensitive test – get used to the questions now so you can save time in your test.

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Tips

These are usually a short collection of sentences which are incomplete. They have gaps in them which you need to fill with a word, words and possibly numbers.

Instructions for Sentence Completion Reading Questions

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Question

You need to answer using No More than Three Words and/or a Number. This means you can have less that three words, three words but not more than three words (not four words). And your words can be with a number or it is possible to have a number only.

Not noticing the word limit is one reason people lose points this with type of question.

Essential Tips for Success

Many people think these types of questions are familiar and therefore not worth practicing. That is a big mistake. These questions can be very challenging. Read the tips below very carefully so that you get your mind into gear for this type of reading question.

Tip 1: Grammar

In the question, you can see there is a gap missing in the sentence. Grammar will definitely help you because the answer you add to the sentence must make the whole sentence grammatically correct. The grammar will tell you what type of answer fits in the gap. For example, if you see the word “a”. before the gap, you know you are looking for a noun.

  • We use articles (a/the) before some compound nouns, such as a book shop. Compound nouns are individual nouns made of two or more words.
  • We also use an article before an adjective with a noun, such as a white feather.
  • The article “a” also means you are looking for a countable noun, not an uncountable noun. For example, we cannot have a traffic congestion because traffic congestion is uncountable. Click here for a list of common uncountable nouns.

This with this knowledge, you can now look for a very specific word or words in the passage. Once you know what you need for your answer, return to the passage to locate the information in one of the paragraphs. Then analyse meaning of that area of the passage carefully to decide the answer.

Tip 2 – Keywords

The question will also have keywords which you need to identify. These keywords will help you locate the area of the passage where that information is located. These words can sometimes be words that have no paraphrase, in which case you can look directly for that word. For example, the word “penguin” has no equal so if it is in the question, you’ll also find it in the passage.

Other keywords might be paraphrased so prepare those paraphrases before you try to locate the answer in the passage. For example, in the image above of the example sentence completion question, one of the keywords is the word imminent and the other keyword would be water pollution. Those words will help you locate the answer.

Tip 3 – Paraphrasing

To locate the answer in the passage. This requires the use of your paraphrasing skills and this can involve synonyms. You might be looking in the passage for a single word with the same or similar meaning as in the question. Looking back at the image of the example sentence completion question, one of the keywords is imminent. What synonyms could be used to paraphrase that word in the passage? Well, possible synonyms are: impending, fast approaching, unavoidable, immediate. As you see, some of those words are perfect synonyms and others only similar in meaning depending on the context. Also, the paraphrase might not be one word matches one word, but instead it could be a phrase, for example, on the horizon or about to happen.

However, paraphrasing isn’t always about synonyms (matching words). Instead, it might be that the meaning is found scattered in various sentences. For example, water pollution might not be paraphrased with a synonym, but instead illustrated throughout three sentences:

There has been a lot contamination in various areas of the town. There have been reports of this in the central lakes around the city center which have affected trade for tourism. Furthermore, some of the rivers on the outskirts have also been hit.

Tip 4 – Read Around the Keywords 

This leads directly on from Tip 3. When you locate the sentence or sentences with the keywords in the passage, you must read around that area. Keywords are mostly about helping you locate the area of the passage that the answer is in. But deciding the correct answer might mean reading a few sentences before and after the keywords. So, you will read backwards and forwards in the passage to understand all details and context before deciding your answer. One of the biggest mistakes people make is focusing only on one sentence in the passage. Certainly, you can do that for some questions, but definitely not for all.

Tip 5 – Writing answers correctly

The answer will always be a word, words or numbers taken directly from the passage. You do not paraphrase or alter the word for your answer. You must write the precise word as it is shown in the passage. And don’t forget that spelling counts. Luckily, on the computer test, you can copy and paste words.

Tip 6 – Don’t waste time

Also note – answers will come in order in the passage. This is essential to know so that you don’t waste time reading all over the passage for an answer. If you struggle to find the answer to question 4, carry to to question 5 and then come back to question 4 after. Once you have the answer to question 5, you will know that you can find question 4 answer in the area of the passage between the answer for 3 and 5. Success in IELTS reading often relies on strategy. And strategy often relies on your knowledge of the test.

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Practice Lessons

Below are two reading passages for you. The aim is to develop your understanding and technique to approach these types of reading questions. Enjoy!

Reading Practice Lesson 1

Neighbourhood Badgers

Badgers in gardens can be a delight. A nightly treat that householders all over the country look forward to. But for some, they are at the very least unwelcome visitors, threatening cherished pristine lawns and carefully cultivated vegetables because badgers find food where they can and have little respect for people’s efforts in gardening. Often unseen and unheard, they wander quietly into gardens at night, feeding on the earthworms, grubs, snails and slugs they find in lawns and borders before moving on. In their wake, they leave only the slightest clues, an odd small snuffle hole here and there, showing where they obviously sought out their nightly treat. If it is suspected there is a badger sett in a garden, expert advice should be sought. It’s easy to know if there is one by the many holes you’ll find which tunnel down to various living chambers in their underground sett. People should not try to interfere with them in this situation, as it is against the law. Badgers will not cause people any harm or pass on diseases so they should be left to live quietly in their residence but their presence should be reported to an expert who can rehome them if necessary.

There are some fascinating facts about badgers. Badgers are extremely clean animals and do not take food into their setts preferring to eat out in the open and retain a clean living area underground. They are remarkably suited to their purpose of digging, having powerful claws and limbs. American badgers even have a third eyelid that keeps out grains of sand and soil. Interestingly, the idiom we know as “to badger someone” comes from an old sport of Badger Baiting rather than their actual character. The idiom actually means to tell someone to do something or to question them again and again and again – incessantly without let up. No wonder badgers sometimes get such a bad rep.

Questions 1 -6: Use no more than two words and/or a number for your answer.

  1. While badgers are seen as a delight by some people, others see them as ………………IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Practice Lessson: About Badgers
  2. A ………….. is a sure way to know a badger has visited a garden.
  3. It is best  not to …………… with badgers if they have  made a home in your garden.
  4. Badgers do not transmit ………….. to humans.
  5. Badgers are built for digging and some also have a protective ……………….. .
  6. The idiom “to badger someone” is unrelated to the ……………….. of badgers.

VOCABULARY & ANSWERS

Click below for vocabulary review and answers.

Vocab Builder
  • cherished = to hold something dear to you / close to your heart
  • pristine = immaculate / unspoilt
  • lawn – garden
  • in their wake = what is left behind when someone leaves
  • grubs = larvae of insects
    • note, the word “grub” is also a very informal slang word sometimes used meaning “food”. For example, “My son loves his grub” means he loves his food.
  • snuffle = sniff / a noise made with the nose
  • badger sett = a badger home which has underground chambers connected by tunnels
  • limbs = arms and legs
ANSWERS
  1. UNWELCOME (VISITORS)
  2. SNUFFLE HOLE
  3. INTERFERE
  4. DISEASES
  5. (THIRD) EYELID
    1. In answer keys, the brackets are used to show when a word is optional in the answer.
    2. You cannot use brackets in your listening test.
  6. CHARACTER

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Reading Practice Lesson 2

Water Pollution

Clean and plentiful water provides the foundation for prosperous communities. We rely on clean water to survive, yet right now we are heading towards a water crisis. Changing climate patterns are threatening lakes and rivers, and key sources that we tap for drinking water are being overdrawn or tainted with pollution. NRDC experts are helping to secure safe and sufficient water for people and the environment by:

  • Promoting water efficiency strategies to help decrease the amount of water wasted;
  • Protecting our water from pollution by defending the Clean Water Act and advocating for solutions like green infrastructure;
  • Helping prepare cities, counties and states for water-related challenges they will face as a result of climate change; and
  • Ensuring that waterways have enough water to support vibrant aquatic ecosystems.

Dirty water is the world’s biggest health risk, and continues to threaten both quality of life and public health in the United States. When water from rain and melting snow runs off roofs and roads into our rivers, it picks up toxic chemicals, dirt, trash and disease-carrying organisms along the way. Many of our water resources also lack basic protection, making them vulnerable to pollution from factory farms, industrial plants, and activities like fracking. This can lead to drinking water contamination, habitat degradation and beach closures. NRDC is working to protect our water from pollution by:

  • Drawing on existing protections in the Clean Water Act, and working to ensure that the law’s pollution control programs apply to all important waterways, including headwater streams and wetlands, which provide drinking water for 117 million Americans;
  • Improving protections to reduce pollutants like bacteria and viruses, which threaten Americans’ health and well being; and
  • Establishing new pollution limits for top problem areas, such as sources of runoff and sewage overflows.

Questions 1-5

Complete the sentences below with the correct word(s) taken from the passage. Use no more than three words and/or a number.

  1. The keystone to any thriving society is to have …………..and ……….. water.
  2. With the increase in water pollution a ………………. is imminent.
  3. One way to help keep water clean is by the construction of …………………..
  4. Dirty water can be a ………………. as chemicals and other pollutants enter the water supply.
  5. Due to a lack of ……………….., some of our water resources are at risk of pollution.

Note: If you struggle with these questions, go back and read Tip 6 again.

Answers

Click to reveal the answers below:

Answers
  1. clean   plentiful
    1. you should not put the word “and” in your answer because it would make the sentence grammatically incorrect.
    2. you must have both words for a correct answer.
  2. (water) crisis
  3. green infrastructure
  4. health risk
  5. basic protection /protection
    1. In answer keys, optional answers are usually written like this – (basic) protection. The use of brackets shows the option or options for extra words in the answer. You cannot do this in your test. You must choose one answer only.

All reading exercises on ieltsliz.com have been written by myself to help you prepare for your IELTS test.   

Liz

Vocab Builder
  • foundation = keystone / bedrock
  • prosperous = thriving / flourishing
  • key = vital / critical / major
  • tainted = contaminated / polluted  / fouled / spoiled
  • advocating = backing / supporting
  • vibrant = alive / energetic
  • toxic = lethal / deadly / poisonous

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I hope you found the lessons useful. All the best, Liz

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IELTS Listening Practice: Sentence Completion

Sentence Completion questions for IELTS Listening: Practice & Essential Tips

IELTS listening sentence completion questions are basically gap fill questions that require you to fill a gap in the sentence with either words or numbers or a combination of words and numbers. Use the tips below to learn the right techniques for this type of listening question. Then challenge yourself with the practice lessons below. 

IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Tips

Below is an example set of sentence completion questions as you would see them in the IELTS Listening Test. Read the tips below to learn how you should approach them with the right right techniques and understanding.

IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Questions Examples

Useful Tips:

  1. Prepare Sentences: You will have time to read through the sentences before the recording starts.
  2. Predict Answers: You can predict what type of word the answer will be, such as a verb or noun. For example:
    • Question 1 above shows that you will probably be listening for a verb because it has the preposition to before the gap. Of course, the preposition to can also be in front of other kinds of words as well, but when we say “useful to …..” it usually requires a verb to follow.
    • Question 2 shows that you will need to listen for a noun because before the gap are the words a cultural
    • So, grammar will help you to predict answers.
  3. Grammar Will Help: The sentence must be grammatically correct when you put the missing word into the sentence. This means you need to think about articles a/the . They might or might not be needed.
  4. Answers in Order: The answers to the questions will come in order in the recording. This means the answer to question 1 will come first and then the answer to question 2 will follow. This will help you keep track of which question you are on and where you are in the recording.
  5. Answer Word Count: The instructions will always tell you how many words or numbers you can have for the answer. If it says No More Than Two Words – it means you can have two words, one word, but you can’t have three words (you can’t have more but you can have fewer).
  6. Keywords: The question will have useful keywords in it to help you locate the answer. For example, in question 1 above the keywords are traditions and countries.
  7. Paraphrasing: Many keywords will be paraphrased so you might not hear the keywords precisely as they are shown in the question. For example, traditions could be paraphrased as heritage. However, some words might not be paraphrased and you will hear them in the recording. For example, “neuro-typical”, it is unlikely this kind of word will be altered, in which case you can listen carefully to hear it.
  8. Speed:  You do not have a lot of time to prepare question by reading them, spotting keywords and also paraphrasing. But with practice you can build these skills so that you can do them faster and faster. This should be part of your IELTS preparation.
  9. Before or After Keywords: One mistake people make is that they think the answer will come after you hear the keywords (or their equivalent paraphrase). This is wrong. You might hear the answer before or after you hear the keyword. This is why you must pay close attention to the recording.
  10. Guess: If you don’t know the answer, just guess. Never leave an answer empty.
  11. Spelling counts. If your answer is spelled incorrectly, it will be marked wrong. Every word and every letter must be precise.
  12. Listen Only Once: remember, you will hear the recording only once and you won’t be able to pause it. You won’t be given the transcript. But in books and on my website, transcripts are provided with the answers so that you can analyse your answers and also learn useful paraphrasing and review techniques.

Now it’s time for some practice listening lessons for sentence completion questions.

IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Practice

Below you will find two useful listening practice lessons.

Listening Practice Lesson 1

Read through the questions below to prepare. Then listen to the recording below. 

Sentence Completion for IELTS Listening Practice 1 Questions 1-5

RECORDING:

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TRANSCRIPT AND ANSWERS

Click below to show the transcript and answers. Review the transcript first to review paraphrasing, language and your techniques. 

TRANSCRIPT

There are 700,000 autistic people in the UK. Autism is a lifelong disability which affects how a person communicates and responds to people and how they experience the world around them. Although most of the public have heard of autism, few actually understand what it is like to live with it and how to support someone with autism. Autism Hour is when businesses agree to dim their lights and reduce background noise, such as music, to create an environment that is more suitable for autistic people. Autistic people have difficulty processing sensory information leading to sensory overload which can cause great stress and even physical pain. In a world geared towards neuro-typical people, this problem can leave autistic people restricted in where they can go and what they can enjoy. Autism Hour not only opens doors to autistic shoppers and their families, it also provides an opportunity for staff members to learn more about autism which is essential if autistic people are to get the support and respect they need from society. Autism Hour is also important in bringing to light the general affect that sensory information can have on people who are not neuro-typical or who have an illness affecting their ability to cope with light or noise or any other type of sensory information.

ANSWERS
  1. COMMUNICATES
    • Communication is not possible. 
    • Your answer must have “s” at the end – communicates
  2. DIM
  3. OVERLOAD
    • This is one word.
  4. GEARED
  5. SENSORY

Tip: Always remember that the listening test is testing your understanding of English grammar and English vocabulary.

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Listening Practice 2

Here is another listening practice lesson for filling in the gaps in a sentence. 

IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Practice 2 Questions 1-4

RECORDING:

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TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS

Click below to reveal the transcript and answers:

Transcript

A festival is an event which is celebrated collectively. Festivals are mostly celebrated to propagate the cultural heritage of nations. Most festivals have their origins in a cultural belief which has been passed down through the generations. Festivals help to promote solidarity and the patriotic spirit in society by bring people closer together in harmony as they celebrate the festival. During this time, differences are forgotten and the national cultural identity predominates. By celebrating international festivals, it helps to promote tolerance, reduce racial conflict and encourages the acceptance of cultural diversity in a country. While there are marked differences in the way festivals are celebrated all over the world, there is a similarity in the purpose that the festival serves.

Answers
  1. propagate
  2. belief
  3. differences (the answer must be plural)
  4. purpose

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IELTS Listening Practice: Sentence Completion

These IELTS listening practice lessons have gap fill questions called Sentence Completion. The two practice lessons below have different levels of difficulty because they are based on different sections of the IELTS listening test. All IELTS candidates take the same IELTS Listening Test (both GT and Academic candidates).

IELTS Listening Practice: Sentence Completion

Below you will find two sentence completion listening practice lessons for IELTS. Use these practice lessons to develop your listening skills and also review your techniques for Sentence Completion Listening Questions.

  • Practice Lesson 1: Short Answer Questions & Sentence Completion / Section 2 Level
  • Practice Lesson 2: Sentence Completion Questions / Section 4 Level

For tips and techniques for sentence completion questions, click here: SENTENCE COMPLETION TIPS

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IELTS Listening Practice 1: Sentence Completion 1

This lesson is based on section 2 of the listening test. I’ve added some short answer questions to this practice lesson because in the IELTS listening test, you will get more than one type of question with every section.

Listening Practice: Tom’s Sponsored Walk

Questions 1-3: Use no more than one word or number for your answer.

  1. Does Tom currently serve in the army?
  2. How much did he hope to raise in pounds?
  3. Where was his sponsored walk to take place?

Questions 4-7: Use no more than one word for your answer.

  • 4.  Tom eventually raised a ………………….. £21 million.
  • 5.  Many hope that Tom will be ……………….. for his efforts.
  • 6.  Tom’s aims to support the NHS ………… a chord with many people in the UK.
  • 7.  Tom has shown how a single person can ……….. the nation.

RECORDING:

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TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS

Use the transcript to check answers after you complete the lesson. Also use it to review keywords and paraphrases. Click below:

Transcript

Army veteran Tom Moore did a sponsored walk at the age of 99 years old to raise money for the NHS (the National Health Service in the UK). His aim was to raise £1,000. This was an ambitious walk of 1.6 miles in his back garden given that he had recently been treated for a broken hip and skin cancer.

As he began his sponsored walk, he was surprised to see the response from the British public as donations started pouring in. By the end of this sponsored walk, he had raised not £1,000 but a staggering £21 million. Many around the country are now calling for Tom Moore to be knighted for his remarkable fund-raising efforts.

Tom Moore has stated that he was “overwhelmed by this sum of money” that was donated. His praise for the NHS struck a chord with many around the country today as the population watch doctors, nurses, other hospital staff and all front-line workers put themselves in harms way to save lives as they battle against the coronavirus crisis. This story truly is an example of how a humble, unambitious person can stir the nation and effect incredible change. Surely we should all be doing more in one way or another. As the saying goes “Every little helps” and who knows whether your modest attempt to help might not also create a flame of support throughout your own country.

Answers
  1. NO
  2. 1,000
  3. GARDEN
  4. STAGGERING
  5. KNIGHTED
  6. STRUCK
    • “to strike a chord” is idiomatic and means:
    • a) to say or do something that other people agree or approve of.
    • b) to say or do something that causes emotions to rise or triggers memories in another person.
  7. STIR
    • to stir a nation means to raise emotions within a country.
  8. News: Unfortunately, Captain Sir Tom Moore died in 2021. He eventually raised a total of just over £30 million before he died. What a man!

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IELTS Sentence Completion Listening Practice 2

This lesson is similar to a level of section 4, which means the language and topic are more challenging.

Comet Landing

Questions 1-8: Write no more than two words and/or a number for the answer.

  1. On ………………. 2014, Philae landed on a comet.
  2. Philae’s goal is to collect information about a comet’s composition and also to capture ………….. of the surface.
  3. Because of an ………… relating to Rosetta’s orbit, Philae could have missed landing on the comet.
  4. The time delay between Rosetta and the controllers on Earth was ……………….
  5. Because of a lack of ……………., the lander had to find its own way down to the comet.
  6. There is an element of ………. in landing in a good location on the comet. 
  7. The lander can drill ……………… into the exterior of the comet for stability.
  8. Analysis will be done on surface composition, amino acids and ……………..

RECORDING:

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TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS
To see the transcript and answers, click below. 

Transcript
Rosetta spacecraft released Philae lander which landed successfully on a comet on 12 November 2014 at 08:35 GMT. The Philae lander achieved the first-ever controlled touchdown on a comet nucleus. The aim of Philae is to obtain the first images of the surface of the comet as well as make the first in situ analysis to determine the composition of the comet.
An inaccuracy of a few millimetres per second in Rosetta’s orbit could have resulted in Philae completely missing the comet. The descent, monitored from Esa’s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, lasted about seven hours. Because the comet is about 510 million km from Earth, communication between Rosetta and controllers takes about 28 minutes each way. As a consequence, confirmation of the landing came through just after 16:04 GMT.
There was no steering of the lander down to the comet’s surface. Once released, it was on a path of its own. A certain amount of luck was needed for Philae to land in a nice spot. When the lander hit the surface, harpoons were fired to be used as anchors, although they do not appear to have anchored the craft as intended. The lander also has footscrews to drill into the surface of the comet to keep it secure. Now it’s on the surface of the comet, Philae can get to work. Drills, ovens, cameras and sensors onboard Philae will analyse everything from the surface composition and temperature to the presence of amino acids – essential building blocks in the chemistry of life. (from BBC news)
Answers
  1.  12th november / 12 november
    1. capital letters at the start are not required
    2. IELTS listening does not pay attention to punctuation or the use of capital letters. So, you can use or not use capital letters as you wish.
  2. images
  3. inaccuracy
  4. (about) 28 minutes 
  5. steering
  6. luck
  7. footscrews / foot screws
  8. temperature
VocabBuilder
  • nucleus = center / core
  • in situ = in position
  • to determine = establish / conclude / decide
  • composition = makeup / consistency
  • an inaccuracy = mistake / error
  • to release = liberate / let go
  • to anchor = fasten / secure
  • to fire = to discharge / shoot
  • intended = planned

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