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B1–C2 · IELTS General Training

IELTS General Training Practice Test 42

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

1. Stand chosen: ______ Stand

2. Block number: ______

3. Discount for early purchase: ______ percent

4. Surname: ______

5. Date of birth: 19 ______ 1988

6. Payment split into ______ monthly payments

7. New card arrives in early: ______

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

8. What benefit do season ticket holders get for cup matches?

9. The club shop discount for season ticket holders is

10. A lounge is included with

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. Exhibition continues for another ______ weeks

12. Guided tour price: ______ dollars

13. Guided tour length: about ______ minutes

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

14. The Entrance Hall

15. Gallery One

16. Gallery Two

17. The Study Room

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

18. The Video Room shows a documentary lasting

19. The exhibition catalogue costs

20. Photography without flash is not allowed in

Part 3

Listen and answer questions 21–30.

21. What might have caused Henry's different result?

22. Why is Grace's result less reliable?

23. When can Grace do an extra experiment?

24. What does Dr. Adams say about Henry's unusual result?

25. What is wrong with Grace's table?

26. What does Dr. Adams suggest about the graph title?

27. Where can Grace get help with uncertainty calculations?

What is Dr. Adams's advice about each part of the report? Choose your answers from the list, A-E: A Show axes correctly; B Add units; C Keep it very short; D Include a colour photograph; E Use a computer program only.

28. Table headings

29. Horizontal axis of graph

30. Safety section

Part 4

Listen and answer questions 31–40.

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

31. Pizza as we recognise it today developed primarily in ______, in southern Italy.

32. It began as inexpensive food eaten mainly by the city's working ______.

33. Tomatoes had arrived in Europe comparatively recently from the ______.

34. Pizza margherita is topped with tomato, mozzarella, and fresh ______.

35. These toppings represent the three colours of the Italian ______.

36. The pizza margherita is traditionally said to have been created in ______.

37. It was created in honour of Queen ______ of Savoy.

38. Pizza's popularity in the US accelerated after soldiers returned from service in ______.

39. Chicago developed a notably thick, ______ style.

40. New York developed a large, foldable, ______-crust slice.

Reading

Section 1: Notices

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 1.

NOTICE A — Dragon Spirit Martial Arts: Grading Schedule Change The next belt grading session will move from its usual Saturday morning slot to a Sunday afternoon slot, from 2pm to 5pm, to accommodate the increased number of students now eligible to grade following strong recent attendance. Students wishing to grade must have attended a minimum of 20 classes since their last grading and should register their intention to grade with their instructor at least two weeks beforehand so that appropriate grading panels can be arranged. A grading fee of £25 covers the cost of the new belt and an updated certificate, payable on the day in cash or by card. Parents and family members are welcome to watch the grading from the designated spectator area, though should remain seated throughout to avoid distracting students during their assessment. Results will be announced at the end of the session, with new belts presented immediately to successful students. NOTICE B — Ashgrove Court: Smoke Detector Battery Replacement As part of routine annual fire safety maintenance, contractors will visit each flat over the coming two weeks to replace smoke detector batteries and test that all units are functioning correctly. Residents will receive at least 48 hours' notice of their specific appointment slot and should ensure someone aged 18 or over is present to allow access, as contractors cannot enter an empty flat under any circumstances. The visit typically takes no more than fifteen minutes per flat. Any smoke detector found to be faulty beyond a simple battery issue will be flagged for a separate follow-up visit to replace the unit entirely. Residents who are unable to accommodate their allocated slot should contact the building manager promptly to arrange an alternative time within the two-week window.

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

1. What time will the next grading session take place?

2. Why are contractors visiting each flat at Ashgrove Court?

3. How much notice will residents receive of their specific appointment slot?

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. Students must have attended a minimum of 20 classes since their last grading.

5. The grading fee only covers the new belt, not the certificate.

6. The grading fee can be paid in cash or by card.

Questions 7–8. Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Notice A for each answer.

7. Students should register their intention to grade at least __________ beforehand.

8. Parents and family members should remain __________ throughout to avoid distracting students.

Questions 9–10. Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Notice A.

9. How much is the grading fee?

10. When will new belts be presented to successful students?

Questions 11–12. 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.

11. Contractors can enter a flat even if no one aged 18 or over is present.

12. The visit typically takes no more than fifteen minutes per flat.

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

13. A faulty smoke detector beyond a battery issue will be flagged for a separate __________.

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

14. Who should residents contact if they cannot accommodate their allocated slot?

Section 2: Workplace

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 2.

TEXT A — Facilities: Staff Car Sharing Scheme Launch A new car sharing scheme will launch next month, using a simple internal app to match staff living in the same general area who commute at similar times, encouraging shared journeys to reduce both parking pressure at the office and staff members' individual commuting costs. Participation is entirely voluntary, and staff can register their availability for specific days rather than committing to a fixed daily arrangement. Drivers offering a lift will receive a small monthly contribution toward fuel costs from passengers, calculated automatically by the app based on distance, though the exact amount can be adjusted by mutual agreement between the specific individuals involved. Priority parking spaces near the main entrance will be reserved for confirmed car-sharing groups of three or more people, as an additional incentive to encourage take-up. The scheme includes basic safety guidance, such as recommending an initial short trial journey before committing to a regular arrangement with someone not previously known to the employee. TEXT B — Customer Services: New Client Complaints Procedure A revised complaints procedure will take effect from next month, introducing a mandatory acknowledgement of any client complaint within four working hours of receipt, down from the previous target of one working day. Complaints should be logged immediately in the complaints tracking system, regardless of whether the issue seems minor or is expected to be resolved quickly and informally, to ensure accurate overall records for quality monitoring purposes. A dedicated complaints handler will be assigned to any complaint not resolved within 48 hours of the initial acknowledgement, taking over direct communication with the client from that point onward. Repeated complaints from the same client about the same underlying recurring issue will trigger an automatic review by a senior manager to identify and address any deeper root cause. Staff should never promise a specific resolution timescale to a client without first confirming feasibility with their team leader.

Questions 15–17. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

15. What does the new car sharing scheme use to match staff?

16. Within how many hours must a client complaint now be acknowledged?

17. What was the previous target for acknowledging a complaint?

Questions 18–20. 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.

18. Staff must commit to a fixed daily car-sharing arrangement.

19. Priority parking spaces are reserved for confirmed car-sharing groups of three or more.

20. The fuel cost contribution amount can be adjusted by mutual agreement between the individuals involved.

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

21. The scheme recommends an initial short trial journey before committing to a regular arrangement with someone __________.

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

22. How is the fuel cost contribution calculated?

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. Minor complaints expected to be resolved quickly do not need to be logged.

24. A dedicated complaints handler is assigned if a complaint is not resolved within 48 hours of acknowledgement.

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

25. Repeated complaints about the same underlying issue will trigger an automatic review by a __________.

26. Complaints should be logged immediately to ensure accurate records for __________ purposes.

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

27. Who should staff confirm feasibility with before promising a resolution timescale?

Section 3: The Hidden History of Left-Handedness

You should spend about 20 minutes on Section 3.

Left-handedness, a trait consistently observed in roughly ten per cent of the human population across virtually every studied culture and historical period, has attracted persistent scientific curiosity precisely because of this remarkably stable minority proportion, a consistency that has proven strikingly resistant to the kind of centuries of active social pressure and, in some historical periods, outright punitive suppression that specifically targeted left-handed individuals and might otherwise be expected to have reduced its prevalence over time. Historically, left-handedness carried substantial negative cultural and even religious connotations across numerous societies; the very word 'sinister' derives etymologically from the Latin word for 'left,' while historically many European and other schools actively forced left-handed children to write with their right hand instead, sometimes through genuinely punitive methods including physical restraint of the left hand or corporal punishment for using it, practices that persisted in some documented cases well into the twentieth century in certain countries before finally and gradually falling out of educational favour. The genetic and developmental basis of hand preference remains only partially understood despite decades of dedicated research. Twin studies have found that identical twins, who are genetically identical, are not perfectly concordant for handedness, meaning one twin can be left-handed while their genetically identical sibling is right-handed, indicating that genetics alone, however influential, cannot fully and completely account for hand preference, with environmental and developmental factors during gestation also playing a meaningful contributing role alongside genetic predisposition. Large-scale genetic studies have identified several specific genetic variants statistically associated with an increased likelihood of left-handedness, though each individual variant identified so far exerts only a small individual statistical effect, suggesting the trait's genetic basis is likely genuinely complex and involves numerous different genes acting together rather than any single simple, dominant 'handedness gene.' Some evolutionary biologists have proposed a genuinely compelling explanation for why left-handedness persists at a stable, non-trivial minority frequency rather than being gradually eliminated entirely by social pressure or any inherent selective disadvantage: a specific competitive advantage in direct physical, interpersonal confrontation. This 'fighting hypothesis' notes that left-handed individuals, being a numerical minority in any given population, retain a persistent tactical element of surprise and relative unfamiliarity when directly competing against right-handed opponents in interactive combat sports such as boxing or fencing, who have comparatively less specific practice or experience facing an opponent's dominant left hand. Supporting this specific hypothesis, left-handed individuals are measurably and statistically overrepresented among elite competitors in several interactive combat and racket sports relative to their overall proportion in the wider general population, though this specific advantage, notably, does not extend to sports without direct interactive opposition, such as swimming or individual gymnastics, where no comparable competitive advantage from unfamiliarity would plausibly exist or apply. Contemporary attitudes toward left-handedness have shifted very substantially, with most modern societies no longer actively discouraging or actively correcting the trait in children, though subtle everyday practical inconveniences persist for left-handed individuals navigating a physical world of tools, furniture, and everyday equipment still overwhelmingly designed by default around right-handed use and convenience.

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

28. Roughly what proportion of the human population is left-handed, according to the passage?

29. In what type of sports does the fighting hypothesis's advantage not apply, according to the passage?

30. What does the passage say about most modern societies' attitudes toward left-handedness?

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 word 'sinister' derives etymologically from the Latin word for 'left.'

32. Identical twins are always perfectly concordant for handedness.

33. Many schools historically forced left-handed children to write with their right hand.

34. The proportion of left-handed people has remained remarkably stable despite historical social pressure against it.

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

35. Large-scale genetic studies have identified several specific genetic __________ associated with left-handedness.

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

36. What hypothesis proposes a competitive advantage in physical confrontation explains left-handedness's persistence?

37. What kind of world do left-handed people still navigate, according to the passage's final point?

38. What kind of restraint method was sometimes used to force children to stop using their left hand?

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. Left-handed individuals are statistically overrepresented among elite competitors in interactive combat and racket sports.

40. A single simple, dominant 'handedness gene' has been clearly identified by researchers.

Speaking

Part 1: Introduction and interview

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

Part 1 (Pets / Zoos) — the examiner asks about two familiar topics. Topic 1: Pets Q1. Have you ever had a pet? Q2. Why do you think so many people keep pets? Topic 2: Zoos Q3. Did you go to a zoo when you were younger? Q4. How do you feel about keeping wild animals in zoos?
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
Show sample answer
Model answer: 1. Yes, we had a grey cat called Pepper for about twelve years. She was rather independent, but she'd always sit on my lap when I was studying. 2. I think people enjoy the company, and animals give you something to care for. For those who live alone, a pet can make the house feel much less empty. 3. Once or twice, on school trips. I remember being amazed by the elephants, but I also remember feeling sorry for the tigers, which looked bored in their small enclosure. 4. I have mixed feelings. Good zoos protect endangered species and educate children, but I don't like it when animals are kept in poor conditions just to entertain visitors.

Part 2: Individual long turn

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

Describe a photograph that is special to you. You should say: - what the photograph shows - when and where it was taken - who took it and explain why it is special to you. You will be given one minute to prepare, then discuss it for one to two minutes.
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
Show sample answer
Model answer: There's a photograph on my desk that I look at every day, and it shows my father and me on a fishing boat when I was about seven. It was taken by my mother on the lake near my grandparents' village during a summer holiday. In the picture, my father is sitting in the stern in an old straw hat, holding up a small silver fish and laughing, and I'm next to him in a bright orange life jacket that is far too big for me, trying to look serious and failing. The water behind us is perfectly still and you can see the mountains reflected in it. The photo has faded a little at the edges, and there's a crease across one corner from the years it spent in my wallet. It's special to me for several reasons. First, my father passed away a few years ago, and it captures him exactly as I remember him, cheerful and relaxed. Second, it reminds me of a time when life was simple and we didn't have any worries. Whenever I feel stressed at work, I just look at that picture for a minute and it calms me down. I'd save it first if my home were ever in danger.

Part 3: Two-way discussion

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

Part 3 (work and careers) — the examiner asks four related questions. Q1. What factors do you think make a job satisfying? Q2. Do you think people today change careers more often than in the past? Q3. Is it more important to enjoy your job or to earn a high salary? Q4. How might the concept of a 'career' change in the future?
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
Show sample answer
Model answer: 1. A sense of purpose matters a lot, along with good relationships with colleagues and reasonable recognition for effort. Feeling like your work actually matters tends to be more satisfying than the salary alone. 2. Definitely. Job security used to be more common, but now industries change quickly, so people often retrain or switch fields several times, partly by choice and partly out of necessity. 3. Personally I'd choose enjoyment, since a stressful job, however well paid, can affect your health and happiness. That said, a reasonable income is still necessary, so the ideal is finding a balance between the two. 4. I think the idea of one fixed career for life will keep fading, replaced by more flexible, project-based work, with people combining several skills across different roles rather than following one narrow path.

Writing Task 1

Your home internet service has experienced repeated outages over the past month, affecting your ability to work from home. Write a letter to your internet provider. In your letter: describe the problem, explain how it has affected you, and say what you would like them to do. Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter 'Dear Sir or Madam,'

Writing Task 2

Some people believe that the voting age should be lowered to sixteen, while others think it should remain at eighteen or higher. 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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