Cambridge IELTS 19 Listening Test 2 answers are set out on this page in full, with the official answer key for all 40 questions, playable audio for each part, clear explanations for every item, and complete transcripts to read alongside the recordings. The paper opens with a conversation about joining a guitar group, moves to a lifeboat volunteer’s account of rescue work and training, continues with two students preparing a presentation on recycling footwear, and closes with a lecture on tardigrades, the near-microscopic ‘water bears’ that survive extreme cold, heat and drought. Every explanation quotes the exact line that proves the answer, so you can see why each word or letter scores and why the distractors fail. Before you press play, predict the word class of every gap in Parts 1 and 4 with the Section 1 strategy and the Section 4 strategy.

Section Walkthroughs

• Joining a Guitar Group (Questions 1–10) — audio, answers and a full transcript for this section
• Becoming a Lifeboat Volunteer (Questions 11–20) — audio, answers and a full transcript for this section
• Recycling Footwear Presentation (Questions 21–30) — audio, answers and a full transcript for this section
• Tardigrades Lecture (Questions 31–40) — audio, answers and a full transcript for this section

Section 1 — Joining a Guitar Group

Questions 1–6

Complete the form below.

Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

First floor, Room T347

• Guitar Group
• Coordinator: Gary 1 …………
• Level: 2 …………
• Place: the 3 …………
• 4 ………… Street
• Time: Thursday morning at 5 …………
• Recommended website: ‘The perfect 6 ………… ’

Questions 7–10

Complete the table below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Section 1 Answer Explanations

1. Mathieson — the form asks for the coordinator’s surname, and Coleman dictates it: “It’s M-A-T-H-I-E-S-O-N”. Copy the capital M and the -ie- exactly, because a misspelt proper noun scores zero.

2. beginners — the class level comes from Gary’s own description: “he said it was a class for beginners”. The worry that everyone plays better is the distractor, since the members were all “equally hopeless”.

3. college — the venue is where the group moved: he decided to “book a room at the college in town”. Gary’s home is the trap, because that is where they met before the group grew.

4. New — the street is confirmed against the woman’s wrong guess: the club is “at the bottom of New Street near the city roundabout”. Lock Street is the incorrect offer that never scores.

5. 11 — the start time is corrected on air: “It used to be 10.30 and that suited me well, but now we meet at 11”. The old 10.30 is the corrected-number trap, and the form permits a bare number.

6. instrument — the website is named in full: “There’s a website called ‘The perfect instrument’”. The stem prints ‘The perfect …… ’, so the title’s final noun fills the gap.

7. ear — the tuning row contrasts the two methods: “Some people have an app they use, but others do it by ear”. App is the opposite branch already given, so ear completes the cell.

8. clapping — rhythm support comes from the teacher: “we’re so bad at keeping time, so Gary starts clapping to help us”. The ONE WORD ONLY table takes clapping, not “starts clapping”.

9. recording — the songs routine includes listening first: “He often brings a recording of the song and plays it to us first”. Song is printed in the table, so the noun after brings is the answer.

10. alone — the final challenge is solo playing: “he sometimes gets us to play one at a time – you know, alone”. The rephrasing after “you know” supplies the single word the limit demands.

Section 2 — Becoming a Lifeboat Volunteer

Questions 11–16

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

• Working as a lifeboat volunteer

11. What made David leave London and move to Northsea? He was eager to develop a hobby. He wanted to work shorter hours. He found his job in website design unsatisfying

• A — He was eager to develop a hobby.
• B — He wanted to work shorter hours.
• C — He found his job in website design unsatisfying

12. The Lifeboat Institution in Northsea was built with money provided by a local organisation. a local resident. the local council.

• A — a local organisation.
• B — a local resident.
• C — the local council.

13. In his health assessment, the doctor was concerned about the fact that David might be colour blind. was rather short-sighted. had undergone eye surgery.

• A — might be colour blind.
• B — was rather short-sighted.
• C — had undergone eye surgery.

14. After arriving at the lifeboat station, they aim to launch the boat within five minutes. six to eight minutes. eight and a half minutes.

• A — five minutes.
• B — six to eight minutes.
• C — eight and a half minutes.

15. As a ‘helmsman’, David has the responsibility of deciding who will be the members of his crew. what equipment it will be necessary to take. if the lifeboat should be launched.

• A — who will be the members of his crew.
• B — what equipment it will be necessary to take.
• C — if the lifeboat should be launched.

16. As well as going out on the lifeboat, David gives talks on safety at sea. helps with fundraising. recruits new volunteers.

• A — gives talks on safety at sea.
• B — helps with fundraising.
• C — recruits new volunteers.

Questions 17–18

Choose TWO letters, A–E .

17–18. Which TWO things does David say about the lifeboat volunteer training? The residential course developed his leadership skills. The training in use of ropes and knots was quite brief. The training exercises have built up his mental strength. The casualty care activities were particularly challenging for him. The wave tank activities provided practice in survival techniques.

• A — The residential course developed his leadership skills.
• B — The training in use of ropes and knots was quite brief.
• C — The training exercises have built up his mental strength.
• D — The casualty care activities were particularly challenging for him.
• E — The wave tank activities provided practice in survival techniques.

Questions 19–20

Choose TWO letters, A–E .

19–20. Which TWO things does David find most motivating about the work he does? working as part of a team experiences when working in winter being thanked by those he has helped the fact that it keeps him fit the chance to develop new equipment

• A — working as part of a team
• B — experiences when working in winter
• C — being thanked by those he has helped
• D — the fact that it keeps him fit
• E — the chance to develop new equipment

Section 2 Answer Explanations

11. A (He was eager to develop a hobby) — the move served his teenage interest in boats: “I might be able to pursue that interest a bit more in my free time”. C fails because website design “was interesting”; the city, not the job, drove him away.

12. B (a local resident) — the station was funded by “a generous member of the public, who’d lived here all her life”. C fails because the charity relies on donations “rather than funding provided by the government”.

13. A (might be colour blind) — the assessment raised one fear: “They gave me tests for colour blindness and they thought I might have a problem there”. C fails because “I’d had laser eye surgery two years earlier so that was OK”.

14. B (six to eight minutes) — after reaching the station, the crew aims to be “out to sea in another six to eight minutes”. A fails because five minutes is the run to the station, and C fails because “the average time across the country’s eight and a half minutes”.

15. C (if the lifeboat should be launched) — the helmsman’s ultimate call is stated plainly: “it’s ultimately my decision whether it’s safe to launch the boat”. B fails because he only has to “check that the equipment we use is in working order”.

16. A (gives talks on safety at sea) — his extra role is warning others: “I speak to youth groups and sailing clubs in the area”. B fails because other “volunteers who organise activities to raise money” do the fundraising.

17. C (The training exercises have built up his mental strength) — continuous training has “given me the confidence to deal with extreme situations without panicking”. A fails because the residential course was “led by specialists”. Questions 17 and 18 accept C and E in either order.

18. E (The wave tank activities provided practice in survival techniques) — the tank recreated disaster: trainees “experience an overturned lifeboat scenario” in a simulated storm at night. D fails because casualty care is never called challenging.

19. A (working as part of a team) — the crew carries him through cold nights: “we’re like a family really”. C fails because no thanks from casualties is mentioned. Questions 19 and 20 accept A and B in either order.

20. B (experiences when working in winter) — the coldest season rewards most: “it’s the colder months that can be the most rewarding time”. E fails because he “learned a lot about the technology involved” but never develops equipment.

Section 3 — Recycling Footwear Presentation

Questions 21–24

Choose the correct letter, A , B or C .

21. At first, Don thought the topic of recycling footwear might be too limited in scope. hard to research. boring for listeners.

• A — limited in scope.
• B — hard to research.
• C — boring for listeners.

22. When discussing trainers, Bella and Don disagree about how popular they are among young people. how suitable they are for school. how quickly they wear out.

• A — how popular they are among young people.
• B — how suitable they are for school.
• C — how quickly they wear out.

23. Bella says that she sometimes recycles shoes because they no longer fit. she no longer likes them. they are no longer in fashion.

• A — they no longer fit.
• B — she no longer likes them.
• C — they are no longer in fashion.

24. What did the article say that confused Don? Public consumption of footwear has risen. Less footwear is recycled now than in the past. People dispose of more footwear than they used to.

• A — Public consumption of footwear has risen.
• B — Less footwear is recycled now than in the past.
• C — People dispose of more footwear than they used to.

Questions 25–28

What reasons did the recycling manager give for rejecting footwear, according tothe students?

Choose FOUR answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-F.

• A. one shoe was missing
• B. the colour of one shoe had faded
• C. one shoe had a hole in it
• D. the shoes were brand new
• E. he shoes were too dirty
• F. the stitching on the shoes was broken

• Reason
• Footwear

25. the high-heeled shoes

26. the ankle boots

27. the baby shoes

28. the trainers

Questions 29–30

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

29. Why did the project to make ‘new’ shoes out of old shoes fail? People believed the ‘new’ pairs of shoes were unhygienic. There were not enough good parts to use in the old shoes. The shoes in the ‘new’ pairs were not completely alike.

• A — People believed the ‘new’ pairs of shoes were unhygienic.
• B — There were not enough good parts to use in the old shoes.
• C — The shoes in the ‘new’ pairs were not completely alike.

30. Bella and Don agree that they can present their topic from a new angle. with relevant images. in a straightforward way.

• A — from a new angle.
• B — with relevant images.
• C — in a straightforward way.

Section 3 Answer Explanations

21. A (limited in scope) — Don’s early verdict was that “perhaps there isn’t enough to say about it”. B and C fail because he agrees the topic is “quite interesting” and goes off to research it further.

22. B (how suitable they are for school) — Don asks “don’t they look a bit casual for school uniform?” while Bella replies that “some of them look quite smart on pupils”. They agree on popularity, so suitability is the dispute.

23. B (she no longer likes them) — Bella recycles shoes “just because they don’t look great on me any more”. A and C fail because the shoes “haven’t gone out of fashion and still fit”.

24. B (Less footwear is recycled now than in the past) — the confusing figure is that “the amount of recycled footwear has fallen: it’s 6 percent now compared to a previous level of 11 percent”. A fails because rising sales are accepted without confusion.

25. E (the shoes were too dirty) — the high heels were worn once in “a very wet field so the heels were too stained with mud and grass to re-sell them”. Suede and beige merely describe the pair.

26. B (the colour of one shoe had faded) — the boots were rejected because “One of the shoes was a much lighter shade than the other one – it had obviously been left in the sun”. The worn heels fail because “that wasn’t the problem”.

27. A (one shoe was missing) — the baby shoes arrived untied, and “You’d think it would have been easy to find the other, but it wasn’t”. D fails because being new was a shame, not the rejection reason.

28. C (one shoe had a hole in it) — the trainers’ sole was so worn “under the foot that you could put your finger through it”. “Not exactly” dismisses Bella’s guess that they were split.

29. C (The shoes in the ‘new’ pairs were not completely alike) — Don overturns the germ theory: “It was because the pairs of shoes weren’t identical”. A fails because “Think of all the germs you could catch!” is the idea he rejects.

30. A (from a new angle) — the students agree on “taking a very different approach to it” after looking beyond “my own recycling behaviour without looking at the bigger picture”. Images and simplicity are never mentioned.

Section 4 — Tardigrades Lecture

Questions 31–40

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

– more than 1,000 species, 0.05–1.2 millimetres long

– absence of respiratory organs

– often found at the bottom of a lake or on plants

– In dry conditions, they roll into a ball called a ‘tun’.

– They stay alive with a much lower metabolism than usual.

– may eat other tardigrades

• Tardigrades
• – also known as water ‘bears’ (due to how they 31 ………… ) and ‘moss piglets’
• Physical appearance
• – a 32 ………… round body and four pairs of legs
• – claws or 33 ………… for gripping
• – body filled with a liquid that carries both 34 ………… and blood
• – mouth shaped like a 35 ………… with teeth called stylets
• Habitat
• – very resilient and can exist in very low or high 36 …………
• Cryptobiosis
• – A type of 37 ………… ensures their DNA is not damaged.
• – Research is underway to find out how many days they can stay alive in 38 …………
• Feeding
• – consume liquids, e.g., those found in moss or 39 …………
• Conservation status
• – They are not considered to be 40 ………… .

Section 4 Answer Explanations

31. move — the naming note is answered directly: “‘bear’ because of the way they move”. Thrive belongs to the water half of the nickname, so move fills the gap.

32. short — the body description supplies the adjective: “They have a body which is short, and also rounded”. Barrel is the comparison, not the word the note needs.

33. discs — clawless species grip differently: “some species don’t have any claws: what they have are discs”. Suction explains how the discs work rather than naming the feature.

34. oxygen — the body fluid carries gases: “oxygen and also blood are transported in a fluid”. Lungs is the trap, because the lecture insists there are none.

35. tube — the mouth’s shape is named exactly: “The tardigrade’s mouth is a kind of tube that can open outwards”. Stylets is printed in the notes as the teeth’s name.

36. temperatures — the resilience note is proved by the extremes the animals “withstand temperatures as low as minus ~200 degrees centigrade”. Radiation and pressure are other feats, so the noun after high is temperatures.

37. protein — the DNA shield is identified during cryptobiosis: “tardigrades produce a protein that protects their DNA”. Cryptobiosis is the heading, not the answer.

38. space — the survival tests run off-planet: “several tests taking place in space, to determine how long tardigrades might be able to survive there”. Decades measures the tun state on Earth.

39. seaweed — the liquid diet has two named sources: they “extract fluid from seaweed” as well as sucking juices from moss. Moss is already printed in the note.

40. endangered — the closing note matches the lecture’s verdict: tardigrades “are not on any endangered list”. Thriving is the researchers’ opposite claim.

Cambridge IELTS 19 Listening Test 2 Answers

Questions and Answers

Where two letters are shown for a single question, either order is accepted, exactly as in the official answer key.

Listening Transcripts

Section 1 Transcript

WOMAN: Hi Coleman, how are you?

COLEMAN: Good, thanks.

WOMAN: I wanted to have a chat with you because our friend Josh told me that you’ve joined a guitar group and it sounds interesting. I’d really like to learn myself.

COLEMAN: Why don’t you come along? I’m sure there’s room for another person.

WOMAN: Really? So – who runs the classes?

COLEMAN: He’s called a ‘coordinator’ – his name’s Gary Mathieson.

WOMAN: Let me note that down. Gary. . . . How do you spell his surname?

COLEMAN: It’s M-A-T-H-I-E-S-O-N.

WOMAN: Right, thanks.

COLEMAN: He’s retired, actually, but he’s a really nice guy and he used to play in a lot of bands.

WOMAN: Thanks. So how long have you been going?

COLEMAN: About a month now.

WOMAN: And could you play anything before you started?

COLEMAN: I knew a few chords, but that’s all.

WOMAN: I’m sure everyone will be better than me.

COLEMAN: That’s what I thought, too. When I first spoke to Gary on the phone, he said it was a class for beginners, but I was still worried that everyone would be better than me, but we were all equally hopeless!

WOMAN: Oh, that’s reassuring. So where do you meet?

COLEMAN: Well, when I joined the group, they were meeting in Gary’s home, but as the group got bigger, he decided to book a room at the college in town. I prefer going there.

WOMAN: I know that place. I used to go to tap dancing classes there when I was at secondary school. I haven’t been since, though and I can’t remember what road it’s in… is it Lock Street?

COLEMAN: It’s just beyond there at the bottom of New Street near the city roundabout.

WOMAN: Yes, of course.

COLEMAN: The guitar club is on the first floor in Room T347.

WOMAN: Right. And when do you meet? Is it at the weekend?

COLEMAN: We meet on Thursdays. It used to be 10.30 and that suited me well, but now we meet at 11. The class that’s in there before us asked if they could have the room for another 30 minutes.

WOMAN: Oh, I see. Well, I’d love to come, but I don’t have a guitar.

COLEMAN: Well, you can always buy a second-hand one. There’s a website called ‘The perfect instrument’ that sells all kinds of guitars, violins and so on. I’m sure you’ll find something there.

—–

WOMAN: So what’s a typical lesson like with Gary?

COLEMAN: Well, he always starts by getting us to tune our guitars. That takes about five minutes.

WOMAN: Uhuh.

COLEMAN: Some people have an app they use, but others do it by ear. Gary goes round and helps them. And while he’s doing that, he tells us what he’s going to do during the lesson.

WOMAN: Right.

COLEMAN: First, we usually spend about ten minutes doing some strumming.

WOMAN: So is that using . . . what are they called . . . plectrums?

COLEMAN: No – we just use our thumbs.

WOMAN: Much easier.

COLEMAN: Gary reminds us where to put our fingers for each chord and then we play them together. Sometimes we all just start laughing because we’re so bad at keeping time, so Gary starts clapping to help us.

WOMAN: Do you learn to play any songs?

COLEMAN: Yes – we do at least one song with words and chords. I mean that’s harder than you think.

WOMAN: Oh, I’m sure it is!

COLEMAN: That part of the lesson takes about 15 minutes. He often brings a recording of the song and plays it to us first. Then he hands out the song and if there’s a new chord in it, we practise that before we play it together – but really slowly.

WOMAN: Do you do any finger picking?

COLEMAN: That’s the last ten minutes of the lesson, when we pick out the individual notes from a tune he’s made up. It’s always quite simple.

WOMAN: That must be hard, though.

COLEMAN: It is, but people like it because they can really concentrate and if we’re all playing well, it sounds quite impressive. The only trouble is that he sometimes gets us to play one at a time – you know, alone.

WOMAN: That’s scary.

COLEMAN: It is, but I’ve got used to it now. At the end he spends about five minutes telling us what to practise for the following week.

WOMAN: Well, thanks Coleman. I’ll go and have a look at that website, I think.

Section 2 Transcript

I never really planned to be a lifeboat volunteer when I came to live in Northsea. I’d been working in London as a website designer, but although that was interesting, I didn’t like city life. I’d been really keen on boats as a teenager, and I thought if I went to live by the sea, I might be able to pursue that interest a bit more in my free time. Then I found that the Lifeboat Institution was looking for volunteers, so I decided to apply.

The Lifeboat Institution building here in Northsea’s hard to miss; it’s one of the largest in the country. It was built 15 years ago with funds provided by a generous member of the public, who’d lived here all her life. As the Lifeboat Institution is a charity that relies on that kind of donation, rather than funding provided by the government, that kind of help is much needed.

When I applied, I had to have a health assessment. The doctors were particularly interested in my vision. I used to be short-sighted, so I’d had to wear glasses, but I’d had laser eye surgery two years earlier so that was OK. They gave me tests for colour blindness and they thought I might have a problem there, but it turned out I was OK.

When the coastguard gets an alert, all the volunteers are contacted and rush to the lifeboat station. Our target’s to get there in five minutes, then we try to get the boat off the dock and out to sea in another six to eight minutes. Our team’s proud that we usually achieve that – the average time across the country’s eight and a half minutes.

I’ve recently qualified as what’s called a ’helmsman’, which means I have the ultimate responsibility for the lifeboat. I have to check that the equipment we use is in working order – the crew have special life jackets that can support up to four people in the water. And it’s ultimately my decision whether it’s safe to launch the boat. But it’s very rare not to launch it, even in the worst weather.

As well as going out on the lifeboat, my work involves other things too. A lot of people underestimate how windy conditions can change at sea, so I speak to youth groups and sailing clubs in the area about the sorts of problems that sailors and swimmers can have if the weather suddenly gets bad. We also have a lot of volunteers who organise activities to raise money for us, and we couldn’t manage without them.

The training we get is a continuous process, focusing on technical competence and safe handling techniques, and it’s given me the confidence to deal with extreme situations without panicking. We had to do a fire and sea survival test first, and that’s a big help with the casualty care activities we do. We’ve done a lot on how to deal with ropes and tie knots – that’s an essential skill. After a year, I did a one-week residential course, led by specialists. There’s a wave-tank where we could experience an overturned lifeboat scenario-so we could get experience at what to do if the boat turned over in a storm at night, for example.

Since I started, I’ve had to deal with a range of emergency situations.

But the work’s hugely motivating. It’s not just about saving lives-I’ve learned a lot about the technology involved. My background in IT’s been useful here, and I can use my expertise to help other volunteers. They’re a great group-we’re like a family really, which helps when you’re dragging yourself out of bed on a cold stormy night. But actually, it’s the colder months that can be the most rewarding time. That’s when the incidents tend to be more serious, and you realise that you can make a huge difference to the outcome.

So if any of you listeners are interested…

Section 3 Transcript

BELLA: Hi Don – did you get the copy of the article on recycling footwear that I emailed you?

DON: Yeah – it’s here … I’ve had a look at it.

BELLA: So do you think it’s a good topic for our presentation?

DON: Well, before I started reading it, I thought recycling footwear, well, although it’s quite interesting, perhaps there isn’t enough to say about it, cos we put shoes in recycling bins, they go to charity shops and that’s about it.

BELLA: … but there’s much more to it than that.

DON: I realise that now and I’m keen to research the topic more.

BELLA: That’s great.

DON: One of the things I didn’t realise until I read the article was just how many pairs of trainers get recycled!

BELLA: Well, a lot of young people wear them all the time now. They’ve become more popular than ordinary shoes.

DON: I know. I guess they are very hard-wearing, but don’t they look a bit casual for school uniform? I don’t think they’re right for that.

BELLA: Actually, I think some of them look quite smart on pupils … better than a scruffy old pair of shoes.

DON: So do you keep shoes a long time?

BELLA: Yes. Though I do tend to wear my old pairs for doing dirty jobs like cleaning my bike.

BELLA: I must admit, I’ve recycled some perfectly good shoes, that haven’t gone out of fashion and still fit, just because they don’t look great on me any more. That’s awful isn’t it?

DON: I think it’s common because there’s so much choice. The article did say that recent sales of footwear have increased enormously.

BELLA: That didn’t surprise me.

DON: No. But then it said that the amount of recycled footwear has fallen: it’s 6 percent now compared to a previous level of 11 percent. That doesn’t seem to make sense.

BELLA: That’s because not everything goes through the recycling process. Some footwear just isn’t good enough to re-sell, for one reason or another, and gets rejected.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

BELLA: So let’s find some examples in the article of footwear that was rejected for recycling.

DON: OK. I think there are some in the interview with the recycling manager. Yeah – here it is.

BELLA: Mmm. Let’s start with the ladies’ high-heeled shoes. What did he say about those?

DON: He said they were probably expensive – the material was suede and they were beige in colour – it looked like someone had only worn them once, but in a very wet field so the heels were too stained with mud and grass to re-sell them.

BELLA: OK … and the leather ankle boots. What was wrong with them?

DON: Apparently, the heels were worn – but that wasn’t the problem. One of the shoes was a much lighter shade than the other one – it had obviously been left in the sun. I suppose even second-hand shoes should look the same!

BELLA: Sure. Then there were the red baby shoes.

DON: Oh yes – we’re told to tie shoes together when we put them in a recycling bin, but people often don’t bother.

BELLA: You’d think it would have been easy to find the other, but it wasn’t. That was a shame because they were obviously new.

DON: The trainers were interesting. He said they looked like they’d been worn by a marathon runner.

BELLA: Yeah – weren’t they split?

DON: Not exactly. One of the soles was so worn under the foot that you could put your finger through it.

BELLA: Well, we could certainly use some of those examples in our presentation to explain why 90 percent of shoes that people take to recycling centres or bins get thrown into landfill.

DON: Mmm. What did you think about the project his team set up to avoid this by making new shoes out of the good parts of old shoes?

BELLA: It sounded like a good idea. They get so many shoes, they should be able to match parts. I wasn’t surprised that it failed, though. I mean who wants to buy second-hand shoes really? Think of all the germs you could catch!

DON: Well, people didn’t refuse them for that reason, did they? It was because the pairs of shoes weren’t identical.

BELLA: They still managed to ship them overseas, though.

DON: That’s another area we need to discuss.

BELLA: You know I used to consider this topic just from my own perspective, by thinking about my own recycling behaviour without looking at the bigger picture. So much happens once shoes leave the recycling area.

DON: It’s not as simple as you first think, and we can show that by taking a very different approach to it.

BELLA: Absolutely. So let’s discuss …

Section 4 Transcript

For my project on invertebrates, I chose to study tardigrades. These are microscopic — or to be more precise — near-microscopic animals. There are well over a thousand known species of these tiny animals, which belong to the phylum Tardigrada. Most tardigrades range in length from 0.05 to 1 millimetre, though the largest species can grow to be 1.2 millimetres in length. They are also sometimes called ‘water bears’: ‘water’ because that’s where they thrive best, and ‘bear’ because of the way they move. ‘Moss piglet’ is another name for tardigrades because of the way they look when viewed from the front. They were first discovered in Germany in 1773 by Johann Goeze, who coined the name Tardigrada.

As I say, there are many different species of tardigrade — too many to describe here — but, generally speaking, the different species share similar physical traits. They have a body which is short, and also rounded- a bit like a barrel- and the body comprises four segments. Each segment has a pair of legs, at the end of which are between four and eight sharp claws. I should also say that some species don’t have any claws: what they have are discs, and these work by means of suction. They enable the tardigrade to cling to surfaces or to grip its prey. Within the body, there are no lungs, or any organs for breathing at all. Instead, oxygen and also blood are transported in a fluid that fills the cavity of the body.

As far as the tardigrade’s head is concerned, the best way I can describe this is that it looks rather strange — a bit squashed even — though many of the websites I looked at described its appearance as cute, which isn’t exactly very scientific. The tardigrade’s mouth is a kind of tube that can open outwards to reveal teeth-like structures known as ‘stylets’. These are sharp enough to pierce plant or animal cells.

So, where are tardigrades found? Well, they live in every part of the world, in a variety of habitats: most commonly, on the bed of a lake, or on many kinds of plants or in very wet environments. There’s been some interesting research which has found that tardigrades are capable of surviving radiation and very high pressure, and they’re also able to withstand temperatures as low as minus ~200 degrees centigrade, or highs of more than 148 degrees centigrade, which is incredibly hot.

It has been said that tardigrades could survive long after human beings have been wiped out, even in the event of an asteroid hitting the earth. If conditions become too extreme and tardigrades are at risk of drying out, they enter a state called cryptobiosis. They form a little ball, called a tun — that’s T-U-N — by retracting their head and legs, and their metabolism drops to less than one percent of normal levels. They can stay in this state for decades, and if re-introduced to water, when they will come back to life in a matter of a few hours. While in this state of cryptobiosis, tardigrades produce a protein that protects their DNA. In 2016, scientists revived two tardigrades that had been tuns for more than 30 years. There was a report that,in 1948, a 120-year-old tun was revived, but this experiment has never been repeated. There are currently several tests taking place in space, to determine how long tardigrades might be able to survive there. I believe the record so far is 10 day.

So, erm, moving on. In terms of their diet, tardigrades consume liquids in order to survive. Although they have teeth, they don’t use these for chewing. They suck the juices from moss, or extract fluid from seaweed, but some species prey on other tardigrades, from other species or within their own. I suppose this isn’t surprising, given that tardigrades are mainly comprised of liquid and are coated with a type of gel.

Finally, I’d like to mention the conservation status of tardigrades. It is estimated that they have been in existence for approximately half a billion years and, in that time, they have survived five mass extinctions. So, it will probably come as no surprise to you, that tardigrades have not been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and are not on any endangered list. Some researchers have described them as thriving.

Does anyone have any questions they’d like to ask?

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 decide marks across this paper. Questions 1–6 allow ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER, so the digits 11 score alone at Question 5 and Mathieson at Question 1, while Questions 7–10 and 31–40 demand ONE WORD ONLY, so Question 10 is alone rather than “one at a time” and Question 39 is seaweed on its own. Read every instruction line with the note completion strategy and the table completion strategy routines.

Spelling settles easy marks from start to finish: Mathieson keeps its capital M and -ie-, temperatures ends -atures, and endangered carries two n’s in the middle. A correctly heard word spelled wrongly scores zero, so run every answer through the listening spelling rules checklist in the transfer minutes.

Parts 2 and 3 reward elimination as much as selection. The five-minute figure is the run to the station, not the launch; government funding is explicitly refused; germs are Don’s rejected explanation for the failed shoe project; and the trainers were never split. Cross out each option the speakers close down using the multiple choice strategy, and note that Part 3 answers often rest on the second speaker’s correction.

Bank the either-order pairs without agonising over the boxes: Questions 17–18 take the letters C and E in either order, and Questions 19–20 take A and B in either order. Corrections run through the whole paper too, from 10.30 changed to 11 and Lock Street replaced by New Street to the ankle boots’ worn heels dismissed with “that wasn’t the problem”, so always wait for each speaker’s final version before you commit.

Practice More Listening Tests

Mark the paper honestly, then keep the momentum going with the free IELTS listening practice course from Simply IELTS, which drills every task type that appeared in this test: form and table completion, note completion, multiple choice, matching and Choose TWO questions. When you are ready for full papers under timed conditions, try this interactive listening test: labyrinths first, then follow it with the interactive listening test: boat trip around tasmania listening answers. Compare your raw score with the band table above, review the explanation for every question you missed, and start the next test only when word limits and spelling stop costing you marks.