IELTS General Training Practice Test 10

Listening

Part 1

Listen and answer questions 1–10.

Complete the booking form below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

1. Meeting date: next ______

2. Room: ______ Room

3. Number of people: ______

4. Total room cost: ______ pounds

5. Extra equipment: ______

6. Booked under the name: ______

7. Company: Northlight ______

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

8. The coffee will be served

A) as the room opens B) once the last guests arrive C) at the end of the meeting

9. The on-site car park

A) is free for visitors B) charges 6 pounds for the day C) is closed

10. The room is

A) on the ground floor B) accessible by lift C) reached by stairs only

Part 2

Listen and answer questions 11–20.

Part 3

Listen and answer questions 21–30.

Part 4

Listen and answer questions 31–40.

Transcript (available after checking)

This lecture traces the history of the postage stamp, a small piece of paper that fundamentally transformed how ordinary people communicated across distance. Before stamps existed, postage in most countries was typically paid by the recipient upon delivery rather than by the sender in advance, a genuinely inefficient system that frequently led to unpaid, refused deliveries and constant confusing disputes over exactly how much was actually owed for a given item. The modern prepaid postage stamp was introduced in Britain in 1840, largely due to the tireless reform efforts of Rowland Hill, an educator and civil servant who had carefully calculated that a simple, low, flat postage rate would substantially increase overall mail volume and, counterintuitively to many sceptics at the time, ultimately generate more total revenue for the postal service despite the sharply lower price charged per individual letter. The very first stamp, commonly known today as the Penny Black because of its colour and modest one-penny price, featured a profile portrait of the young Queen Victoria and quickly proved enormously popular with the general public almost immediately after its introduction. Other countries observed Britain's clear success closely and began adopting broadly similar systems within just a few years, though each country naturally developed its own distinctive stamp designs, often prominently featuring national symbols, notable historical figures, or reigning monarchs depending on local custom. Stamp collecting, formally known as philately, emerged as a widespread hobby remarkably quickly, within mere years of the stamp's original introduction, as people began noticing that stamps from different countries and different years varied considerably in design, rarity, and consequently in value to collectors. Some stamps have since become extraordinarily valuable purely because of printing errors or unusually small original print runs, with a small handful of the rarest surviving examples now worth genuinely enormous sums at specialist auction. The basic underlying concept established by that very first 1840 stamp, prepaid, standardised postage represented visually by a small adhesive or affixed label, remains essentially unchanged in postal systems across the vast majority of countries worldwide even today.

Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

31. Before stamps, postage was typically paid by the ______ upon delivery.

32. The modern postage stamp was introduced in Britain in ______.

33. The reform was led by an educator and civil servant named ______.

34. The first stamp is commonly known as the Penny ______.

35. It featured a profile portrait of the young Queen ______.

36. Other countries adopted similar systems within a few ______.

37. Stamp collecting is formally known as ______.

38. Some stamps became valuable because of printing ______.

39. Rarity can also result from unusually small original print ______.

40. The basic concept of prepaid, standardised postage remains essentially ______ today.

Reading

Section 1: Notices

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 1.

Section 2: Workplace

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 2.

Section 3: Why the Town's Old Cinema Refused to Close

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 3.

Speaking

Part 1: Introduction and interview

The examiner asks you questions about yourself and familiar topics (4–5 minutes).

Part 1 (Patience / Being on time) — the examiner asks about two familiar topics. Topic 1: Patience Q1. Are you a patient person? Q2. What do you do when you have to wait for a long time? Topic 2: Being on time Q3. Are you usually on time for appointments? Q4. How do people in your country feel about people who are late?

Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.

Show sample answer

Model answer: 1. Generally, yes, although not in traffic. I can wait quietly in a queue, but when a car in front of me hesitates at a green light I lose my temper very quickly. 2. I take out a book or check my phone. If I'm somewhere without either, I count things around me or plan the next day in my head, which keeps me occupied. 3. Almost always. I'd rather arrive twenty minutes early and sit in a cafe than risk being late, which probably comes from my mother, who is extremely punctual. 4. It depends on the situation. For business meetings, lateness is seen as rude, but among friends people are more relaxed, and turning up fifteen minutes late is quite normal.

Part 2: Individual long turn

You have one minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.

Describe a skill you would like to learn in the future. You should say: - what the skill is - how you would learn it - how long you think it would take and explain why you want to learn it. You will have one minute to prepare and then speak for one to two minutes on it.

Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.

Show sample answer

Model answer: There's a skill I've wanted to learn for years, and that's playing the piano. I've always loved listening to it, particularly quiet classical pieces, but I've never had lessons. If I decided to start, I'd probably book a weekly session with a private teacher, because I think it's important to have someone correct your posture and technique at the beginning. I'd also buy a digital keyboard for practice at home, which is cheaper than a real piano and won't disturb the neighbours if I use headphones. There are lots of video tutorials online as well, so I could use them between lessons. In terms of time, I imagine I'd need about a year of regular practice, say thirty minutes a day, before I could play a simple piece confidently, and several years to reach a really good standard. The reason I'd like to do it is partly for enjoyment, since I think music is a wonderful way to relax after a tiring day. It would also give me a sense of achievement, and perhaps one day I'd be able to play at family gatherings, which is something my grandfather used to do and that everybody loved.

Part 3: Two-way discussion

The examiner asks more abstract questions linked to the Part 2 topic.

Part 3 (money and consumer habits) — the examiner asks four related questions. Q1. What factors influence the way people spend their money? Q2. Do you think people today are more materialistic than in the past? Q3. Is it a good idea for schools to teach children about managing money? Q4. How might shopping habits change in the future?

Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.

Show sample answer

Model answer: 1. Income obviously matters, but advertising and social comparison play a huge role too. People often spend based on what friends or influencers have, rather than purely on what they actually need. 2. In some ways, yes, since advertising is far more constant now through phones and social media, though I think people have always valued possessions; it's really the pressure to keep up with others that's intensified. 3. Definitely. Many adults struggle with budgeting or debt simply because nobody taught them the basics, so introducing practical money lessons early on could prevent a lot of financial stress later in life. 4. I expect more people will shop online rather than in physical stores, and payment will likely become even more automatic and cashless, which might make overspending easier without noticing.

Writing Task 1

You are planning to move abroad for work or study and want to tell a friend about it. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: explain why you are moving abroad, describe your feelings about the move, and invite them to visit you once you are settled. Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter 'Dear ...,'

Writing Task 2

In many cities, traffic congestion caused by private cars is a growing problem. Some people believe governments should discourage car use, while others believe people should be free to choose how they travel. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.