Cambridge IELTS 11 listening test 4 answers for all 40 questions are gathered on this page, together with playable audio for each section, the official answer key, an explanation for every single question, and complete transcripts of all four recordings. The paper runs from a festival box office enquiry through a museum welcome talk and a discussion of a psychology study of musicians to a lecture on soil carbon and climate change, covering table completion, matching, plan labelling, choose-TWO items and note completion. Every explanation quotes the exact words that prove the answer, so you can see why each letter or word is right and why each trap fails. Warm up with the Section 1 strategy for the form and table routine and the Section 4 strategy for the lecture, then sit the whole paper in one timed pass.

Section Walkthroughs

• Stretton Festival Box Office (Questions 1–10) — audio, answers and a full transcript for this section
• Museum Welcome Talk (Questions 11–20) — audio, answers and a full transcript for this section
• Psychology Study of Musicians Discussion (Questions 21–30) — audio, answers and a full transcript for this section
• Soil Carbon and Climate Change (Questions 31–40) — audio, answers and a full transcript for this section

Section 1 — Stretton Festival Box Office

Questions 1–7

Complete the table below.

Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer

Questions 8–10

Who is each play suitable for?

Write the correct letter, A , B or C , next to Questions

• A. mainly for children
• B. mainly for adults
• C. suitable for people of all ages

• Plays

8. The Mystery of Muldoon

9. Fire and Flood

10. Silly Sailor

Section 1 Answer Explanations

1. secondary — Rob confirms the jazz venue with “the secondary school”, then adds “Make sure you don’t go to the primary school by mistake!” The table asks for the type of school, and primary is the trap the recording itself cancels, so secondary fills the gap.

2. flute — Melanie guesses first: “Doesn’t she play the oboe, or flute or something”, and Rob settles the question with “Yes the flute.” The oboe is the planted distractor, so the answer is the instrument the agent confirms, flute.

3. cinema — the ducks are launched “at the back of the cinema”, then float on “as far as the railway bridge”. The bridge ends the course and the river only carries the ducks, so the Notes column needs the starting point, cinema.

4. concert — the first duck wins its owner “free tickets for the concert on the last night of the festival”. The prize belongs to the festival’s closing night, and no other event is offered, so the gap after tickets for takes concert.

5. market — Rob gives the buying location: the ducks are “on sale at a stall in the market”, marked by “an enormous sign showing a couple of ducks”. The sign identifies the stall, and the table needs the place, market.

6. Bythwaite — the flower show is “being held in Bythwaite Hall”, and the name is dictated letter by letter, B-Y-T-H-W-A-I-T-E. Hall is printed after the gap, so only Bythwaite is written, with the spelling confirmed rather than guessed.

7. actor — the show’s prizes are “being given by a famous actor, Kevin Shapless”. The gap needs his profession rather than his name, and actor is the word the speaker uses.

8. A (mainly for children) — ‘The Mystery of Muldoon’ is “aimed at five to ten-year-olds”, and Melanie’s children are “Five and seven”. Both children sit inside the age band while the adults are left out, so the play is mainly for children.

9. B (mainly for adults) — ‘Fire and Flood’ suits parents who will “leave your children with a babysitter”, because it dramatises events that “really happened in Stretton two hundred years ago” and the agent warns children away. A play that needs a babysitter is aimed at grown-ups, so B.

10. C (suitable for people of all ages) — ‘Silly Sailor’ is a comedy that has “won an award in the Stretton Drama Festival”, and decisively “it’s for young and old”. Young and old spans every age group, which matches C rather than mainly one audience.

Section 2 — Museum Welcome Talk

Questions 11–16

What does the speaker say about each of the following collections?

Choose SIX answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-G , next to Questions.

• A. was given by one person
• B. was recently publicised in the media
• C. includes some items given by members of the public
• D. includes some items given by the artists
• E. includes the most popular exhibits in the museum
• F. is the largest of its kind in the country
• G. has had some of its contents relocated

• Comments
• Collections

11. 20th- and 21st-century paintings

12. 19th-century paintings

13. Sculptures

14. ‘Around the world’ exhibition

15. Coins

16. Porcelain and glass

Questions 17–20

Label the plan below.

Write the correct letter, A-H , next to Questions.

• Basement of museum

17. restaurant

18. café

19. baby-changing facilities

20. cloakroom

Section 2 Answer Explanations

11. E (includes the most popular exhibits in the museum) — the modern paintings gallery “attracts the largest number of visitors”, which restates most popular exhibits. F fails because the speaker never compares the gallery’s size with collections elsewhere, and the advice to arrive early only signals popularity.

12. D (includes some items given by the artists) — the museum began when “several of the artists each donated one work”. Several painters giving their own pictures matches items given by the artists, while A fails because one person did not donate this collection; many artists did.

13. G (has had some of its contents relocated) — the sculpture gallery is “currently closed for refurbishment”, yet “a number of the sculptures have been moved to other parts of the museum”. Moved elsewhere is relocated, and the closure itself is the trap, since no comment option describes a collection being shut.

14. B (was recently publicised in the media) — ‘Around the world’ has drawn coverage: you have “seen something about it on TV or in the newspapers”, and “It’s created a great deal of interest”. TV and the newspapers are the media, and the exhibition is temporary, so the publicity is recent.

15. C (includes some items given by members of the public) — many coins were “discovered by ordinary people digging their gardens and donated to the museum”. Ordinary people are members of the public and donated matches given, while F fails because the recording states the coins’ national origin, never any record-breaking size.

16. A (was given by one person) — the porcelain and glass were “left to the museum by its founder, when he died in 1878”. A single founder leaving the whole collection matches given by one person, and “we’re not allowed to add anything to that collection” rules out later public donations.

17. F — the restaurant is the further of the two eating places: from the stairs you “go straight ahead to the far side of the sitting area, then turn right into the corridor”. Crossing the full sitting area before turning places the restaurant at the corridor’s far end, beyond the café, so its plan letter is F.

18. H — the café shares the same right-hand turning but sits closer to the start: “the café is immediately on the right”. Immediately marks the first door inside the corridor, well before the restaurant at the far end, and that distance separates H from F on the plan.

19. C — the baby-changing facilities lie in the other corridor: “there are baby-changing facilities downstairs”, reached when you “continue straight ahead along the corridor on the left”. The left-hand corridor and its left-hand rooms place these facilities at C, apart from everything reached by turning right.

20. B — the cloakroom never leaves the sitting area: it is “on the left hand side of the sitting area”, “through the last door before you come to the corridor”. Standing beside the sitting area rather than down a corridor, and last before the turning, fixes its letter at B.

Section 3 — Psychology Study of Musicians Discussion

Questions 21–22

Choose TWO letters, A-E .

21–22. Which TWO characteristics were shared by the subjects of Joanna’s psychology study? They had all won prizes for their music. They had all made music recordings. They were all under 27 years old. They had all toured internationally. They all played a string instrument.

• A — They had all won prizes for their music.
• B — They had all made music recordings.
• C — They were all under 27 years old.
• D — They had all toured internationally.
• E — They all played a string instrument.

Questions 23–24

Choose TWO letters, A-E .

23–24. Which TWO points does Joanna make about her use of telephone interviews? It meant rich data could be collected. It allowed the involvement of top performers. It led to a stressful atmosphere at times. It meant interview times had to be limited. It caused some technical problems.

• A — It meant rich data could be collected.
• B — It allowed the involvement of top performers.
• C — It led to a stressful atmosphere at times.
• D — It meant interview times had to be limited.
• E — It caused some technical problems.

Questions 25–26

Choose TWO letters, A-E .

25–26. Which TWO topics did Joanna originally intend to investigate in her research? regulations concerning concert dress audience reactions to the dress of performers changes in performer attitudes to concert dress how choice of dress relates to performer roles links between musical instrument and dress choice

• A — regulations concerning concert dress
• B — audience reactions to the dress of performers
• C — changes in performer attitudes to concert dress
• D — how choice of dress relates to performer roles
• E — links between musical instrument and dress choice

Questions 27–30

Choose the correct letter, A , B or C .

27. Joanna concentrated on women performers because women are more influenced by fashion. women’s dress has led to more controversy. women’s code of dress is less strict than men’s.

• A — women are more influenced by fashion.
• B — women’s dress has led to more controversy.
• C — women’s code of dress is less strict than men’s.

28. Mike Frost’s article suggests that in popular music, women’s dress is affected by their wish to be taken seriously. their tendency to copy each other. their reaction to the masculine nature of the music.

• A — their wish to be taken seriously.
• B — their tendency to copy each other.
• C — their reaction to the masculine nature of the music.

29. What did Joanna’s subjects say about the audience at a performance? The musicians’ choice of clothing is linked to respect for the audience. The clothing should not distract the audience from the music. The audience should make the effort to dress appropriately.

• A — The musicians’ choice of clothing is linked to respect for the audience.
• B — The clothing should not distract the audience from the music.
• C — The audience should make the effort to dress appropriately.

30. According to the speakers, musicians could learn from sports scientists about the importance of clothing for physical freedom. the part played by clothing in improving performance. the way clothing may protect against physical injury.

• A — the importance of clothing for physical freedom.
• B — the part played by clothing in improving performance.
• C — the way clothing may protect against physical injury.

Section 3 Answer Explanations

21. B (They had all made music recordings.) — recordings were universal among the subjects: “this is something that’s just taken for granted these days, and they all had”. The word all is spoken only about recordings, and Joanna notes she “wasn’t specifically look for artists who’d produced recordings”, which confirms every subject had them.

22. D (They had all toured internationally.) — the subjects were seasoned travellers: “they’d done quite extensive tours in different continents”, which is international touring. A fails because only “quite a few had won prizes and competitions as well”, C fails because the subjects ranged “between 25 and 29”, and E fails because the group included “a pianist and a flute player”.

23. A (It meant rich data could be collected.) — Joanna rejects the fear that phone interviews lose depth: “I don’t think using the phone meant I got less rich data rather the opposite in fact”. The opposite of less rich is richer, so the method collected rich data.

24. B (It allowed the involvement of top performers.) — the phone made the study possible at all: “if I was going to interview leading musicians it’s only be possible over the phone because they’re so busy”. Leading musicians are top performers; E fails because the quality worry disappeared, and C fails since “it was all quite informal though”.

25. B (audience reactions to the dress of performers) — her original plan was “to investigate the impact of what was worn on those listening”. Those listening are the audience, and the impact of clothing upon them is audience reaction, one of the two starting topics.

26. E (links between musical instrument and dress choice) — she also wanted to test “whether someone like a violinist might adopt a different style of clothing from, say, someone playing the flute or the trumpet”. Comparing dress across instruments links instrument to clothing, so E is the second original aim. D fails because roles and dress became the focus only later, since “that focus didn’t emerge immediately”.

27. C (women’s code of dress is less strict than men’s.) — Joanna explains that male musicians face tighter limits: “in social terms the choices they have are more limited”. Men’s stricter code is what made women the richer study group; A fails because “a lot of the men are very much influenced by fashion” too.

28. A (their wish to be taken seriously.) — Frost argues that female pop musicians dress down since “otherwise they’d just be discounted as trivial”. Avoiding dismissal as trivial is the wish to be taken seriously, and Joanna’s practicality explanation is her own counterpoint, not a claim the article makes.

29. A (The musicians’ choice of clothing is linked to respect for the audience.) — the performers felt duty-bound: “it was up to them as performers to fulfil these expectations to show a kind of esteem”. Esteem is respect directed at the audience; C fails because audience members judging each other belongs to the past, as “that’s not really the case now, not in the UK anyway”.

30. C (the way clothing may protect against physical injury.) — the supervisor opens the sports-science lesson with “Musicians are quite vulnerable physically”, because “the movements they carry out are very intensive and repetitive”, and protective clothing is the answer to that risk. A fails because players already handle freedom of movement themselves: “They avoid clothing that obviously restricts their movements, but that’s as far as they go”.

Section 4 — Soil Carbon and Climate Change

Questions 31–40

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

• The use of soil to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere
• Rattan Lal:
• Claims that 13% of CO2 in the atmosphere could be absorbed by agricultural soils
• Erosion is more likely in soil that is 31 …………
• Lai found soil in Africa that was very 32 …………
• It was suggested that carbon from soil was entering the atmosphere
• Soil and carbon:
• plants turn CO2 from the air into carbon-based substances such as 33 …………
• some CO2 moves from the 34 ………… of plants to microbes in the soil
• carbon was lost from the soil when agriculture was invented
• Regenerative agriculture:
• uses established practices to make sure soil remains fertile and 35 …………
• e.g. through year-round planting and increasing the 36 ………… of plants that are grown
• California study:
• taking place on a big 37 ………… farm
• uses compost made from waste from agriculture and 38 …………
• Australia study:
• aims to increase soil carbon by using 39 ………… that are always green
• Future developments may include:
• reducing the amount of fertilizer used in farming
• giving farmers 40 ………… for carbon storage, as well as their produce

Section 4 Answer Explanations

31. dry — the note asks when erosion strikes, and the lecture states “erosion can occur if soil is dry”. Soil short of carbon loses its water, so the missing adjective is dry; the trap is fertile, which describes healthy carbon-rich soil instead.

32. hard — Lal’s African soils were so depleted that “the ground had become extremely hard, like cement”. The note needs the adjective after very, and the cement comparison confirms hard rather than dark or dry.

33. sugar — plants “transform it into sugars and other carbon-based substance”, so the example substance is sugar. The note stem reads such as, which takes the singular base form even though the speaker says sugars.

34. roots — the carbon travels downwards because “some transfer from the roots to fungi and soil microbes”. The note says some CO2 moves from part of the plant, and the roots are the part that passes it on.

35. moist — regenerative agriculture aims to “boost the fertility of soil and keep it moist”. The note pairs fertile with a second adjective, so moist completes the pair exactly as spoken.

36. variety — the second established practice is “increasing the variety of plants being grown”. Year-round planting is already printed in the note, so the noun after increasing the is variety.

37. cattle — the California study runs “on a large cattle farm in the state”. The note needs the type of farm, and the herd supplying manure for the compost confirms cattle.

38. gardens — the compost mixes farm waste with “waste produced in gardens, such as leaves, branches, and lawn trimmings”. Agricultural waste fills the first half of the note, so gardens completes the pairing.

39. grasses — Christine Jones builds soil carbon by “cultivating grasses that stay green all year round”. The note asks for plants that are always green, and stay green all year round restates it, giving grasses.

40. payment — Lal argues that “farmers should receive payment not just for the corn or beef they produce”. The final note pairs carbon storage with produce, so the missing noun is payment.

Cambridge IELTS 11 Listening Test 4 Answers

Questions and Answers

Listening Transcripts

Section 1 Transcript

ROB: Good morning. Stretton Festival box office. How can I help you?

MELANIE: Oh, hello. My family and I are on holiday on the area, and we’ve seen some posters about the festival this week. Could you tell me about some of the events, please?

ROB: Of course.

MELANIE: First of all, are there still tickets available for the jazz band on Saturday?

ROB: There are, but only £15. The £12 seats have all been sold.

MELANIE: OK. And the venue is the school, isn’t it?

ROB: Yes, that’s right, the secondary school. Make sure you don’t go to the primary school by mistake! And there’s an additional performer who isn’t mentioned on the posters – Carolyn Hart is going to play with the band.

MELANIE: Oh, I think I’ve heard her on the radio. Doesn’t she play the oboe, or flute or something?

ROB: Yes the flute. She usually plays with symphony orchestras, and apparently this is her first time with a jazz band.

MELANIE: Well, I’d certainly like to hear her. Then the next thing I want to ask about is the duck races – I saw a poster beside a river. What are they, exactly?

ROB: Well, you buy a yellow plastic duck – or as many as you like – they’re a pound each. And you write your name on each one. There’ll be several races, depending on the number of ducks taking part. And John Stevens, a champion swimmer who lives locally, is going to start the races. All the ducks will be launched into the river at the back of the cinema, then they’ll float along the river for 500 metres, as far as the railway bridge.

MELANIE: And are there any prizes?

ROB: Yes, the first duck in each race to arrive at the finishing line wins its owner free tickets for the concert on the last night of the festival.

MELANIE: You said you can buy a duck? I’m sure my children will both want one.

ROB: They’re on sale at a stall in the market. You can’t miss it – it’s got an enormous sign showing a couple of ducks.

MELANIE: OK. I’ll go there this afternoon. I remember walking past there yesterday. Now could you tell me something about the flower show, please?

ROB: Well, admission is free, and the show is being held in Bythwaite Hall.

MELANIE: Sorry, how do you spell that?

ROB: B-Y-T-H-W-A-I-T-E. Bythwaite.

MELANIE: Is it easy to find? I’m no very familiar with the town yet.

ROB: Oh, you won’t have any problem. It’s right in the centre of Stretton. It’s the only old building in the town, so it’s easy to recognise.

MELANIE: I know it. I presume it’s open all day.

ROB: Yes, but if you’d like to see the prizes being awarded for the best flowers, you’ll need to be there at 5 o’clock. The prizes are being given by a famous actor, Kevin Shapless. He lives nearby and gets involved in a lot of community events.

MELANIE: Gosh, I’ve seen him on TV. I’ll definitely go to the prize-giving.

ROB: Right.

————————

MELANIE: I’ve seen a list of plays that are being performed this week, and I’d like to know which are suitable for my children, and which ones my husband and I might go to.

ROB: How old are your children?

MELANIE: Five and seven. What about ‘The Mystery of Muldoon’?

ROB: That’s aimed at five to ten-year-olds.

MELANIE: So if I take my children, I can expect them to enjoy it more than I do?

ROB: I think so. If you’d like something for yourself and your husband and leave your children with a babysitter, you might like to see ‘Fire and Flood’ – it’s about events that really happened in Stretton two hundred years ago, and children might find it rather frightening.

MELANIE: Oh, thanks for the warning. And finally, what about ‘Silly Sailor’?

ROB: That’s a comedy, and it’s for young and old. In fact, it won an award in the Stretton Drama Festival a couple of months ago.

MELANIE: OK. Well, goodbye, and thanks for all the information. I’m looking forward to the festival!

ROB: Goodbye.

Section 2 Transcript

Good morning, and welcome to the museum – one with a remarkable range of exhibits, which I’m sure you’ll enjoy. My name’s Greg, and I’ll tell you about the various collections as we go round. But before we go, let me just give you a taste of what we have here.

Well, for one thing, we have a fine collection of twentieth and twenty-first century paintings, many by very well-known artists. I’m sure you’ll recognise several of the paintings. This is the gallery that attracts the largest number of visitors, so it’s best to go in early in the day, before the crowds arrive.

The there are the nineteenth-century paintings. The museum was opened in the middle of that century, and several of the artists each donated one work – to get the museum started, as it were. So they’re of special interest to us – we feel closer to them than to other works.

The sculpture gallery has a number of fine exhibits, but I’m afraid it’s currently closed for refurbishment. You’ll need to come back next year to see it properly, but a number of the sculptures have been moved to other parts of the museum.

‘Around the world’ is a temporary exhibition – you’ve probably seen something about it on TV or in the newspapers. It’s created a great deal of interest, because it presents objects from every continent and many countries, and provides information about their social context – why they were made, who for, and so on.

Then there’s the collection of coins. This is what you might call a focused, specialist collection, because all the coins come from this country, and were produced between two thousand and a thousand years ago. And many of them were discovered by ordinary people digging their gardens and donated to the museum!

All our porcelain and glass we left to the museum by its founder, when he died in 1878. And in the terms of his will, we’re not allowed to add anything to that collection: he believed it was perfect in itself, and we don’t see any reason to disagree!

——————

OK, that was something about the collections, and now here’s some more practical information, in case you need it. Most of the museum facilities are downstairs, in the basement, so you go down the stairs here. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, you’ll find yourself in a sitting area, with comfortable chairs and sofas where you can have a rest before continuing your exploration of the museum.

We have a very good restaurant, which serves excellent food all day, in a relaxing atmosphere. To reach it, when you get to the bottom of the stairs, go straight ahead to the far side of the sitting area, then turn right into the corridor. You’ll see the door on the restaurant facing you.

If you just want a snack, or if you’d like to eat somewhere with facilities for children, we also have a café. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, you’ll need to go straight ahead, turn right into the corridor, and the café is immediately on the right.

And talking about children, there are baby-changing facilities downstairs: cross the sitting area, continue straight ahead along the corridor on the left and you and your body will find the facilities on the left-hand side.

The cloakroom where you should leave coats, umbrella and any large bags, is on the left hand side of the sitting area. It’s through the last door before you come to the corridor.

There are toilets on every floor, but in the basement they’re the first rooms on the left when you get down there.

OK, now if you’ve got anything to leave in the cloakroom, please do that now, and then we’ll start our tour.

Section 3 Transcript

SUPERVISOR: Hi, Joanna, good to meet you. Now, before we discuss your new research project. I’d like to hear something about the psychology study you did last year for your Master’s degree. So how did you choose your subjects for that?

JOANNA: Well, I had six subjects, all professional musicians, and all female. There were violinists and there was also a cello player and a pianist and a flute player. They were all very highly regarded in the music world and they’d done quite extensive tours in different continents, and quite a few had won prizes and competitions as well.

SUPERVISOR: And they were quite young, weren’t they?

JOANNA: Yes, between 25 and 29 – the mean was 27.8. I wasn’t specifically look for artists who’d produced recordings, but this is something that’s just taken for granted these days, and they all had.

SUPERVISOR: Right. Now you collected your data through telephone interviews, didn’t you?

JOANNA: Yes. I realised if I was going to interview leading musicians it’s only be possible over the phone because they’re so busy. I recorded them using a telephone recording adaptor. I’d been worried about the quality, but it worked out all right. I managed at least a 30-minute interview with each subject, sometimes longer.

SUPERVISOR: Did doing it on the phone make it more stressful?

JOANNA: I’d thought it might … it was all quite informal though and in fact they seemed very keen to talk. And I don’t think using the phone meant I got less rich data rather the opposite in fact.

SUPERVISOR: Interesting. And you were looking at how performers dress for concert performances?

JOANNA: That’s right. My research investigated the way players see their role as a musician and how this is linked to the type of clothing they decide to wear. But that focus didn’t emerge immediately. When I started I was more interested in trying to investigate the impact of what was worn on those listening, and also whether someone like a violinist might adopt a different style of clothing from, say, someone playing the flute or the trumpet.

SUPERVISOR: It’s interesting that the choice of dress is up to the individual, isn’t it?

JOANNA: Yes, you’d expect there to be rules about it in orchestras, but that’s quite rare.

——————————

SUPERVISOR: You only had women performers in your study. Was that because male musicians are less worried about fashion?

JOANNA: I think a lot of the men are very much influenced by fashion, but in social terms the choices they have are more limited … they’d really upset audiences if they strayed away from quite narrow boundaries.

SUPERVISOR: Hmm. Now, popular music has quite different expectations. Did you read Mike Frost’s article about the dress of women performers in popular music?

JOANNA: No.

SUPERVISOR: He points out that a lot of female singers and musicians in popular music tend to dress down in performances, and wear less feminine clothes, like jeans instead of skirts, and he suggests this is because otherwise they’d just be discounted as trivial.

JOANNA: But you could argue they’re just wearing what’s practical … I mean, a pop-music concert is usually a pretty energetic affair.

SUPERVISOR: Yes, he doesn’t make that point, but I think you’re probably right. I was interested by the effect of the audience at a musical performance when it came to the choice of dress.

JOANNA: The subjects I interviewed felt this was really important. It’s all to do with what we understand by performance as a public event. They believed the audience had certain expectations and it was up to them as performers to fulfil these expectations to show a kind of esteem …

SUPERVISOR: … they weren’t afraid of looking as if they’d made an effort to look good.

JOANNA: Mmm. I think in the past the audience would have had those expectation of one another too, but that’s not really the case now, not in the UK anyway.

SUPERVISOR: No.

JOANNA: And I also got interested in what sports scientists are doing too, with regard to clothing.

SUPERVISOR: Musicians are quite vulnerable physically, aren’t they, because the movements they carry out are very intensive and repetitive, so I’d imagine some features of sports clothing could safeguard the players from the potentially dangerous effects of this sort of thing.

JOANNA: Yes, but musicians don’t really consider it. They avoid clothing that obviously restricts their movements, but that’s as far as they go.

SUPERVISOR: Anyway, coming back to your own research, do you have any idea where you’re going from here?

JOANNA: I was thinking of doing a study using an audience, including ..

Section 4 Transcript

As we saw in the last lecture, a major cause of climate change is the rapid rise in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the last century. If we could reduce the amount of CO2, perhaps the rate of climate change could also be slowed down. One potential method involves enhancing the role of the soil that plants grow in, with regard to absorbing CO2. Rattan Lal, a soil scientist from Ohio Stage University, in the USA, claims that the world’s agricultural soils could potentially absorb 13 per cent of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere – the equivalent of the amount released in the last 3o years. And research is going on into how this might be achieved.

Lal first came to the idea that soil might be valuable in this way not through an interest in climate change, but rather out of concern for the land itself and the people dependent on it. Carbon-rich soil is dark, crumbly and fertile, and retains some water. But erosion can occur if soil is dry, which is a likely effect if it contains inadequate amounts of carbon. Erosion is of course bad for people trying to grow crops or breed animals on that terrain. In the 1970s and ‘80s, Lal was studying soils in Africa so devoid of organic matter that the ground had become extremely hard, like cement. There he met a pioneer in the study of global warming, who suggested that carbon from the soil had moved into the atmosphere. This is now looking increasingly likely.

Let me explain. For millions of years, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have been regulated, in part, by a natural partnership between plants and microbes – tiny organisms in the soil. Plants absorb CO2 from the air and transform it into sugars and other carbon-based substance. While a proportion of these carbon products remain in the plant, some transfer from the roots to fungi and soil microbes, which store the carbon in the soil.

The invention of agriculture some 10,000 years ago disrupted these ancient soil-building processes and led to the loss of carbon from the soil. When humans started draining the natural topsoil, and ploughing it up for planting, they exposed the buried carbon to oxygen. This created carbon dioxide and released it into the air. And in some places, grazing by domesticated animals has removed all vegetation, releasing carbon into the air. Tons of carbon have been stripped from the world’s soils – where it’s needed – and pumped into the atmosphere.

So what can be done? Researchers are now coming up with evidence that even modest changes to farming can significantly help to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

Some growers have already started using an approach known as regenerative agriculture. This aims to boost the fertility of soil and keep it moist through established practices. These include keeping fields planted all year round, and increasing the variety of plants being grown. Strategies like these can significantly increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil, so agricultural researchers are now building a case for their use in combating climate change.

One American investigation into the potential for storing CO2 on agricultural lands is taking place in California. Soil scientist Whendee Silver of the University of California, Berkeley, is conducting a first-of-its-kind study on a large cattle farm in the state. She and her students are testing the effects on carbon storage of the compost that is created from waste – both agricultural, including manure and cornstalks, and waste produced in gardens, such as leaves, branches, and lawn trimmings.

In Australia, soil ecologist Christine Jones is testing another promising soil-enrichment strategy. Jones and 12 farmers are working to build up soil carbon by cultivating grasses that stay green all year round. Like composting, the approach has already been proved experimentally; Jones now hopes to show that it can be applied on working farms and that the resulting carbon capture can be accurately measured.

It’s hoped in the future that projects such as these will demonstrate the role that farmers and other land managers can play in reducing the harmful effects of greenhouse gases. For example, in countries like the United States, where most farming operations use large applications of fertiliser, changing such long-standing habits will require a change of system. Rattan Lal argues that farmers should receive payment not just for the corn or beef they produce but also for the carbon they can store in their soil.

Another study being carried out …

Listening Band Score Conversion

Your raw score out of 40 converts to an IELTS band score using the official listening conversion table below.

Key Vocabulary and Spelling

Study Tips

Word limits change from task to task, so read every rubric as its audio begins: Section 1 allows ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER, which is why Question 6 scores with Bythwaite alone, while Section 4 allows ONE WORD ONLY, which is why Question 33 must stand as sugar even though the speaker says sugars. A correct idea in the wrong number of words scores zero.

The option tasks win marks through cancellation. The primary school is warned against, the oboe gives way to the flute, the sculpture gallery’s closure hides the real point that its contents moved, and the men’s fashion comment destroys the claim that women care more about clothes. The multiple choice strategy drills exactly this eliminate-as-you-listen routine.

Dictation and spelling appear in every section: Bythwaite is spelled letter by letter, café keeps its accent, and fertiliser needs the British -iser ending. Apply the listening spelling rules to every answer, because each of these words scores zero when misspelt.

Sit the paper in one timed pass, marking strictly and logging each miss by task type. The log tells you whether to drill completion limits, option elimination or plan directions next, and the section pages let you replay only the recordings behind those errors before you open another Cambridge paper.

Practice More Listening Tests

Mark all 40 answers strictly, then log every miss by task type before you replay anything. Each section page above carries its own audio player, questions and transcript, so revisit only the parts that cost you marks. The free IELTS listening practice course from Simply IELTS converts that error log into targeted drills for table completion, matching, plan labelling, choose-TWO items and note completion. When the review is finished, try this interactive listening test: stoicism ielts listening test with answers and audio as your next full-length check, and aim to beat this paper’s raw score before opening another Cambridge test.