IELTS Listening Summary Completion Exercise
Summary completion listening questions are similar to sentence completion questions. The difference is that the summary is in a paragraph form rather than disconnected, individual sentences. The difficulty level of this exercise is typical of IELTS Listening Section 4.
First read through the summary and predict the types of answers you need for each gap. You will always have time to review the questions before the recording starts. However, the time is brief so you will need good speed reading skills.
Listening Summary Completion for IELTS
The Terracotta Army
Questions 1-5: Complete the summary using no more than three words and /or a number.
The terracotta army was made in order to 1. …………………… the emperor after this death in his afterlife. This funerary art has been estimated to be from the 2. ………………. and was discovered in 1974 by the 3. …………………… The majority of the sculptures were 4………….. and 5. ………….. sculptures of cavalry horses were also found.
Recording
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Transcript, Answers and Vocabulary
Click below to show the transcript and answers:
TranscriptThe figures, dating from approximately the late third century BC, were discovered in 1974 by local farmers in, Xi’an. The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots and horses. Estimates from 2007 were that the three pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits nearby. Other terracotta non-military figures were found in other pits, including officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians. (from wiki)
- protect
- third century BC / 3rd century BC
- local farmers
- soldiers
- 150
- sculpture = three-dimensional work of art (for example a statue)
- to depict =show, illustrate, represent
- funerary art = art which for funerals, when someone dies
- purpose = aim / function
- afterlife = some cultures (past and present) believe in life after death
- figures = a person’s bodily shape, a copy of a person, such as a statue
- vary = differ
- warrior = soldier
- chariot = a horse-drawn vehicle (particularly common in later periods of Ancient Egypt and also Ancient Rome)
- majority = greater part
- a pit = a hole in the ground
- acrobat = an entertain who is excellent in gymnastic, daring achievements
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I wrote 8,000 soldiers as my answer to number 4, am I correct since the instruction says and/or numbers?
The gap was about the type of sculpture, not the amount of soldiers. So, your answer would be wrong because grammatically the number does not fit into the sentence.
Hello Liz,
Hope you are fine. Would it be correct if I write ‘300 BC’ instead of 3rd century BC in answer number 2? Please let me know.
It is best to write the precise words and numbers you hear in the recording.
Thank you so much Liz!! You are doing really a great job !! May god always shower you with happiness, peace and love!
Thanks 🙂
Hey Liz!
Hope you doing fine!
Can I write “warriors” in the place of “soldiers” for the 4rth answer?
Thank you so much in advance !!
Shirisha
You need the specific word that is given in relating to the numbers stated and in this case, you would need the word “soldiers”.
Hi !
I had a question , in a Listening exam if the audio goes like ‘ every second day ‘ , can the answer ‘every 2 days’ be correct also ?! In other words , can we rephrase the phrase or we just have to write as it is?
The answer you have written is “every two days” – with the number two written as a digit and the last word written as a plural. If the correct answer is “every second day”, your answer would be marked wrong. It is either 100% right or it is marked wrong.
Hey Liz,
Is it okay to write “farmers” instead of “local farmers” ? Is it still taken as a correct answer?
No, in this case, you need the specific answer.
Compliments Liz. You are doing a historic legacy work.
Honestly, from my culture such acts as this by you is a generational blessing which you are laying down. May legacies bless you.
Pardon if this question is awkward, but it bothers me a lot as my level of recollection needs improvement.
Please will the test taker be allowed to play back the Audio in order to select and give answers or it is played only once during the test session/time alotted?
You can listen only once to the audio. You cannot stop it or pause it. Please get the IELTS Cambridge test books which contain real IELTS tests to practise with at home – you will then understand how the listening test is done.
Thanks mam,
Though Your listening is very tough but helpful…
Dear Liz,
I couldn’t find a clear definition of “calvary horse”. What is that means?
Thanks very much.
“war horse”
Thanks Liz, I got four of them right. However , I must say this listening was a little tough. Thanks a million. God bless you.
I got 3 out of 5 Thanks 🙏 mam
Hi Liz,
I am trying to use the listening resource on your website.
however, there is no record of your listening section.
Could you please let me know how to find the icons for the record.
Thank you
Jenny
Some of the listening audios are streamed online and require a strong internet to play them. They are played through soundcloud.
Hi…..
Can u plzzz tel me that in which type of questions the answers comes in an order?????
In listening, all answer follow the order of the questions. For this reason, you can use key words in the questions to help follow the recording.
Nevertheless, your sample questions are way too hard. When I try Cambridge IELTS speaking test, the answers come out with a certain interval at least. What I mean by that is, if the answer of the question No 1 was spoken, then I write down the answer. Even while I write it, recording goes on. Then another clue (answer) comes out for question 2.
But your sample goes like, when I write down the answer of question 1 , the answer of question 2 already is spoken right away(without minimal intervening). That means I must do multitasking of both writing and listening. Of course I missed the question 2. That point makes me frustrated so much…
I agree with you, Liz’s questions are slightly more difficult than the Cambridge Tests, however i kind of like getting used to the difficult tests, so the real one will be easier to do this way.
good day maam,is it okay to paraphrase in the listening test if the words are long
No, words must be written as you hear them.
Though the speaker is very clear, this one is quite tough for me. Thank you liz
Dear All
As a foreign learner of English, It’s really tough. Isn’t it ?
hi liz!
please tell how much time we have in between each section to read the question?
regard
https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/
This one was quite tough for me. The dates were a bit confusing as was the 4th answer because so many similar words and options were given. About the 2nd answer, could you please explain how we can figure out the number of words required when we have 3rd century B.C. something like this sort of date? I was wondering if it should be late 3rd century B.C. because we are allowed three words. Also is the terracota army a proper noun? Should it be capitalized? Thanks a lot 🙂 I enjoy your topic choices immensely.
It is possible to have “late 3rd century BC” as your answer. The words terracotta army are lower case. See this link: http://www.terracottawarriors.co.uk/terracotta-army.php
All the best
Liz
I noticed the answers given are equal to more than three words and one number?? is this an over site?
There are no answers more than three words and one number. You will see that one answer is divided by “/” which means that I have shown you two different answers that are accepted as being right. You should have one of them. You can’t write more than three words and one number.
All the best
Liz
Hi , i saw that warriors are the same meaning of soldiers , but i wanna inquire if I put warriors instead ,, will it be wrong ??
You must write the word giving in the recording. Any other word is marked wrong. “warrior” has the same meaning but is not given in the recording so it’s wrong.
All the best
Liz
Thank you dear .. however , it has been given in the recording but not at the specific order to be answered as a suitable one .
Yes, you are right. The word is used but in a different place.
All the best
Liz