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B1–C2 · IELTS General Training

IELTS General Training Practice Test 17

AI-generated practice paper in the style of IELTS General Training — original material, not a reproduction of any real exam paper, following the official four-module structure (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking). Listening audio is read aloud by your browser's voice, Writing tasks can be scored by AI, and for Speaking you can record yourself and compare with a model answer.

Listening

Part 1

Listen and answer questions 1–10.

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

1. Order number: SL______

2. Surname: ______

3. Address: Flat 2, 31 ______ Road

4. Postcode: ______

5. Package: Fibre ______

6. Price from month 13: ______ pounds

7. Engineer visit: Thursday ______

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

8. The customer chooses an appointment

9. The engineer will need to enter

10. The day before the visit, the customer will receive

Part 2

Listen and answer questions 11–20.

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

11. Length of the lesson: ______ hours

12. Maximum group size per instructor: ______

13. Lesson fee: ______ dollars

What does the speaker say about each of the following areas? Choose the correct letter, A-F, for questions 4 to 7.

14. The Sand

15. The Whitewash Zone

16. The Point Break

17. The Rinse Station

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

18. Surfers must stay

19. Wetsuits cost, if needed,

20. A five-lesson pack brings the price down to

Part 3

Listen and answer questions 21–30.

21. What do Anna and Ben agree to sort the finds by first?

22. What does Dr. Lee say about photographing fragments?

23. What is the correct order for the label numbering system?

24. What should be done with the damaged coin?

25. What can be washed with water and a soft brush?

26. For which items should weight be recorded?

27. How detailed should the description field be?

What does Dr. Lee instruct about each of these? Choose your answers from the list, A-E: A Save a copy every evening; B Send it to the conservation lab; C Finish by the end of next week; D Wash gently with water; E Keep descriptions brief.

28. The damaged coin

29. Database backups

30. The catalogue deadline

Part 4

Listen and answer questions 31–40.

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

31. The earliest umbrellas were used mainly as ______, not rain protection.

32. The word umbrella comes from the Latin word for ______.

33. Chinese craftsmen waterproofed paper umbrellas using wax and ______.

34. For centuries, carrying an umbrella in Europe was seen as ______.

35. Jonas Hanway carried an umbrella around London for years, enduring constant ______.

36. In 1852, Samuel Fox patented a frame made of ______.

37. The steel frame replaced the heavier material called ______.

38. The folding, collapsible umbrella was developed in the ______.

39. The folding design was developed in the country of ______.

40. Researchers are now testing frames that ______ instead of breaking in wind.

Reading

Section 1: Notices

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 1.

NOTICE A — Ashford Museum: Membership Benefits Update From next month, Ashford Museum annual members will receive two additional benefits: free entry to all ticketed temporary exhibitions, previously discounted at 50% rather than free, and priority booking for evening lecture events, opening one week before general sale. The £5 guest pass, allowing members to bring a non-member friend at a reduced rate, remains unchanged. Family memberships now cover up to two adults and four children, an increase from the previous limit of three children. Members are reminded that the membership card must be shown at the admissions desk on each visit, as digital membership confirmation via email is not currently accepted. Renewal reminders will now be sent six weeks before expiry instead of two, giving members more time to renew without a lapse in benefits. NOTICE B — Fernvale Apartments: Water Supply Interruption The water supply to all units in Fernvale Apartments will be temporarily switched off between 9am and 3pm this Thursday while the water company carries out essential repairs to a burst pipe on the street outside. Residents are advised to fill containers with water in advance for drinking, cooking, and essential hygiene needs during the interruption. The building's fire suppression system will remain operational throughout, drawing from an independent reserve tank. Residents with specific medical needs requiring a continuous water supply should contact the building manager as soon as possible to discuss temporary alternative arrangements. Normal water pressure may take up to two hours to fully return once the repair work is completed.

Questions 1–3. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

1. What discount did members previously receive on ticketed temporary exhibitions?

2. Why will the water supply be switched off on Thursday?

3. What must members show at the admissions desk on each visit?

Questions 4–6. Do the following statements agree with the information in Notice A? Write TRUE if the statement agrees, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

4. Members will get priority booking for evening lecture events.

5. The guest pass price is increasing along with the other changes.

6. A digital membership confirmation shown on a phone is accepted at the admissions desk.

Question 7. Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Notice A for each answer.

7. Family memberships now cover up to two adults and __________.

Questions 8–9. Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Notice A.

8. How long before expiry will renewal reminders now be sent?

9. How much is the guest pass that lets members bring a friend?

Questions 10–11. Do the following statements agree with the information in Notice B? Write TRUE if the statement agrees, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

10. The fire suppression system will also be switched off during the interruption.

11. Residents are advised to fill containers with water in advance.

Questions 12–13. Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Notice B for each answer.

12. Normal water pressure may take up to __________ to fully return.

13. The fire suppression system draws from an independent __________.

Question 14. Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Notice B.

14. Who should residents with medical needs contact about the water interruption?

Section 2: Workplace

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 2.

TEXT A — Human Resources: Annual Leave Booking System Change From the start of the new leave year, all annual leave requests must be submitted and approved through the new LeavePlanner system rather than by email to line managers. Requests must be submitted at least two weeks in advance for periods of one week or longer, and at least 48 hours in advance for single days, except in cases of genuine emergency. No more than two members of any team may be on leave at the same time during December, the department's busiest period, to ensure adequate cover. Unused leave may be carried over into the following year up to a maximum of five days, with any remaining balance beyond this forfeited unless a manager grants a specific exception. The system will send automatic reminders to staff who have significant unused leave remaining as the year-end approaches. TEXT B — IT Department: Video Conferencing Equipment Upgrade All meeting rooms will be fitted with new video conferencing equipment over the coming month, replacing systems that are now several years old and increasingly unreliable. Installation will take place room by room, with each room unavailable for approximately half a day; a schedule has been circulated to all department heads. The new systems include automatic noise cancellation and improved camera framing that follows the speaker, intended to improve the experience for remote participants. A brief training session, lasting no more than fifteen minutes, will be offered to each team to familiarise staff with the new controls. Any technical issues during the transition period should be reported to the IT helpdesk rather than to Facilities.

Questions 15–18. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

15. How must annual leave requests now be submitted?

16. Why are meeting rooms being fitted with new video conferencing equipment?

17. Who has received the installation schedule for the new equipment?

18. How much notice is needed for a leave request of one week or longer?

Questions 19–20. Do the following statements agree with the information in Text A? Write TRUE if the statement agrees, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

19. Single-day leave requests need at least 48 hours' notice, except in genuine emergencies.

20. Any number of team members can be on leave at once during December.

Question 21. Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Text A for each answer.

21. Unused leave may be carried over into the following year up to a maximum of __________.

Question 22. Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Text A.

22. What will the system send to staff with significant unused leave as year-end approaches?

Questions 23–24. Do the following statements agree with the information in Text B? Write TRUE if the statement agrees, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

23. Each room will be unavailable for approximately half a day during installation.

24. The new cameras follow the speaker automatically.

Questions 25–26. Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Text B for each answer.

25. A brief training session lasting no more than __________ will be offered to each team.

26. The new systems include automatic noise cancellation and improved __________ that follows the speaker.

Question 27. Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Text B.

27. Who should staff report technical issues to during the transition?

Section 3: The Economics of Fast Fashion

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 3.

The global clothing industry has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past thirty years, shifting from a model in which most consumers bought relatively few garments per year to one in which a typical shopper in a wealthy country may purchase dozens of items annually at prices that, adjusted for inflation, are often lower than they were decades ago. This shift, commonly termed fast fashion, has been driven by a combination of globalised, low-cost manufacturing, compressed design-to-shelf timelines, and a business model that treats rapid inventory turnover as central to profitability rather than incidental to it. The economic logic is straightforward from a retailer's perspective: by releasing new styles every few weeks rather than following traditional seasonal collections, fast fashion retailers create a continuous sense of novelty that encourages frequent purchasing, while low individual prices reduce the psychological barrier to each transaction. Manufacturing has been concentrated overwhelmingly in countries with lower labour costs, a pattern that has driven genuine economic development and job creation in some regions while simultaneously drawing sustained criticism over working conditions, wages, and worker safety in garment factories, criticism that intensified sharply following the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory building in Bangladesh, which killed over a thousand garment workers. The environmental costs of this model have become increasingly well documented. Textile production is a resource-intensive process, requiring substantial water for cotton cultivation and dyeing, and the industry as a whole is estimated to contribute a meaningful share of global carbon emissions, comparable to some entire national economies. The short useful lifespan of many fast fashion garments, often designed and priced as near-disposable items, has contributed to a sharp rise in textile waste, with a substantial proportion of discarded clothing ending up in landfill rather than being recycled, since blended fabrics common in cheap clothing are often difficult to separate and reprocess economically. In response, a countervailing 'slow fashion' movement has gained visibility, promoting durable, ethically produced garments purchased less frequently, alongside growing interest in second-hand and rental clothing platforms. Genuine consumer behaviour change, however, has lagged behind expressed attitudes; surveys consistently find that most consumers report concern about fast fashion's environmental and labour impacts, yet purchasing volumes of low-cost, rapidly cycled clothing have continued to grow in most markets, a gap between stated values and actual spending that researchers attribute partly to price sensitivity and partly to the sheer convenience and social currency of frequently refreshed wardrobes. Regulators in several countries have begun exploring policy responses, including extended producer responsibility schemes that would require clothing manufacturers to fund the collection and recycling of garments, though implementation remains at an early and inconsistent stage globally.

Questions 28–30. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

28. What business model change is central to fast fashion, according to the passage?

29. What does the 'slow fashion' movement promote?

30. What do researchers attribute the gap between stated values and actual spending to?

Questions 31–34. Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

31. The Rana Plaza factory collapse occurred in Bangladesh in 2013.

32. Low-cost manufacturing has brought no economic benefit to any region.

33. Rental clothing platforms have grown in interest alongside second-hand clothing.

34. Clothing prices, adjusted for inflation, are often lower today than decades ago.

Question 35. Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

35. The textile industry contributes a share of global carbon emissions comparable to some entire __________.

Questions 36–38. Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

36. What makes blended fabrics difficult to deal with once discarded?

37. What kind of policy scheme requires manufacturers to fund garment collection and recycling?

38. What did the Rana Plaza collapse intensify criticism over, besides wages?

Questions 39–40. Do the following statements agree with the writer's claims? Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks.

39. Most consumers who express concern about fast fashion have significantly reduced their purchasing as a result.

40. The writer believes policy responses to fast fashion are already fully and consistently implemented worldwide.

Speaking

Part 1: Introduction and interview

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

Part 1 (Computers / Technology at work) — the examiner asks about two familiar topics. Topic 1: Computers Q1. How often do you use a computer? Q2. Did you learn how to use one at school? Topic 2: Technology at work Q3. What technology do you use in your job or studies? Q4. Do you think technology has made work easier?
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
Show sample answer
Model answer: 1. Almost every day, for around six hours. I do most of my work on a laptop, and then I use my own computer at home to watch films or play music. 2. Only basic things. We had a small computer room with about ten old machines, and we mostly learnt to type and to make simple tables. 3. Mainly spreadsheets and email, and we also use a video-calling programme for meetings with colleagues in other offices. 4. In some ways, yes, since I can finish tasks in minutes that would've taken hours by hand. But on the other hand, we're now expected to answer messages at any time, so it isn't always easier.

Part 2: Individual long turn

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

Describe a course that you took and enjoyed. You should say: - what the course was - where and when you took it - what you learnt on it and explain why you enjoyed it. You are given a minute to get ready, then speak for one to two minutes.
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
Show sample answer
Model answer: A course that I really enjoyed was a six-week evening class in basic first aid, which I took at a community centre two years ago. My manager had suggested that someone from our team should be trained, and since nobody else volunteered, I put my name down. The classes were on Wednesday evenings from six to eight, and there were about fifteen of us, including nurses, parents and a couple of teenagers. The teacher was a paramedic with a great sense of humour, and he made every session practical. We learnt how to treat burns and cuts, how to help someone who is choking and how to perform CPR, using dummies to practise on. In the final week we did a role-play where we had to deal with a collapsed patient in a supermarket, and I was surprisingly calm, considering it was only pretend. I enjoyed the course because it was useful and interactive, and because I could see straight away how the knowledge could be applied. It also gave me confidence. A few months afterwards, a colleague fainted in the office, and I knew exactly what to do until the ambulance arrived. I'd recommend the course to anyone.

Part 3: Two-way discussion

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

Part 3 (education) — the examiner asks four related questions. Q1. What are the main differences between the way children were taught a generation ago and the way they are taught now? Q2. Do you think exams are a fair way of measuring how much a student has learned? Q3. Should schools focus more on practical skills, or is academic knowledge equally important? Q4. How might classrooms change over the next twenty years?
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
Show sample answer
Model answer: 1. A generation ago, lessons were mostly one-way, with teachers lecturing and students memorising facts. Now there's far more group work, discussion, and use of technology, so children learn to think critically rather than just repeat information. 2. Not entirely. Exams mainly test memory and performance under pressure, which suits some students but disadvantages others who understand the material but struggle with nerves or timed conditions, so results don't always reflect true ability. 3. I'd say both matter, but practical skills are often neglected. Academic knowledge builds understanding, while practical skills like budgeting or problem-solving prepare students for everyday life, so schools should try to balance the two rather than favour one. 4. Classrooms will probably rely more heavily on personalised software that adapts to each student's pace, with teachers acting more as guides than lecturers, and physical attendance may become less rigid as remote options improve.

Writing Task 1

A colleague at work is retiring after many years and you want to invite them to a small leaving party you are organising. Write a letter to your colleague. In your letter: explain the occasion, give the details of when and where it will be held, and say why you wanted to invite them personally. Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter 'Dear ...,'

Writing Task 2

Some people prefer to live in a big city, while others prefer life in a small town or village. 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.
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