IELTS Practice Tests Plus Volume 2
- Published on: 15 Dec 2017
- Tests taken: 263,837
Answer Keys:
Part 1: Question 1 - 13
- 1 B
- 2 A
- 3 D
- 4 E
- 5 D
- 6 F
- 7 B
- 8 I
- 9 G
- 10 E
- 11 D
- 12 A
- 13 F
Part 2: Question 14 - 27
- 14 NOT GIVEN
- 15 YES
- 16 NO
- 17 YES
- 18 NOT GIVEN
- 19 YES
- 20 agriculture / farms / farmland
- 21 parks
- 22 productivity
- 23 protein
- 24 DNA
- 25 game
- 26 A
- 27 D
Part 3: Question 28 - 40
- 28 E
- 29 B
- 30 H
- 31 A
- 32 F
- 33 D
- 34 sneezed
- 35 two/2
- 36 removed
- 37 analysis
- 38 life
- 39 40 C,D
Leaderboard:
| # | User | Score | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lai Yamin Thu |
|
9.0 | 16:58 | |
| Oluchi Anita Amamchukwu |
|
9.0 | 18:07 | |
| Afrina Chowdhury |
|
9.0 | 18:34 | |
| 4 | maria peltz |
|
9.0 | 22:12 |
| 5 | Nhân Nguyễn Vũ An |
|
9.0 | 23:01 |
| 6 | Ha Bui |
|
9.0 | 23:53 |
| 7 | 759385979 |
|
9.0 | 26:09 |
| 8 | Nguyễn Văn Linh |
|
9.0 | 27:18 |
| 9 | Thư Hoàng |
|
9.0 | 29:13 |
| 10 | huongnamlun1910 |
|
9.0 | 29:35 |
Share your score
Tips for improving your ielts score
Changes to the IELTS Listening Exam – January 2020
Starting from January 4th this year, Cambridge have made THREE changes to the paper-based Listening test format.
Review & Explanations:
Questions 1-3
Choose the correct answer, A,B, C or D
Write your answers in boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet.
The writer says that song-in-head syndrome' may occur because the brain
- A
- B
- C
- D
|
Keywords in Questions |
Similar words in Passage |
|
Q1: The writer says that song-in-head syndrome' may occur because the brain A confuses two different types of memory. B cannot decide what information it needs to retain. C has been damaged by harmful input. D cannot hold onto all the information it processes. |
The condition now even has a medical name 'song-in-head syndrome'... it's probably because the brain is better at holding onto information than it is at knowing what information is important. |
|
Note: Obviously, the keyword ‘song-in-head syndrome’ has appeared in the last sentence of paragraph A. As moving to paragraph B, the writer answers for the question why this situation happens. Based on the phrase “because the brain” which is exactly repeated in Q1, we can easily find out the correct answer. Besides, that the brain is not better at ‘knowing what information is important’ is similar to that it ‘cannot decide what information it needs to retain’. Thus, B is the answer. |
|
A tune is more likely to stay in your head if
- A
- B
- C
- D
|
Keywords in Questions |
Similar words in Passage |
|
Q2: A tune is more likely to stay in your head if A it is simple and unoriginal. B you have musical training. C it is part of your culture. D you have a good memory. |
Unfortunately, superficial, repetitive pop tunes are, by their very nature, more likely to stick than something more inventive |
|
Note: In paragraph C, there is no information about that a tune stays in your head if you have musical training, a good memory or it is part of your culture. Moreover, something superficial is likely to be unoriginal and it is a simple tune if it repeats throughout the song. From these point, we can conclude that the answer is A. |
|
Robert Zatorre found that a part of the auditory cortex was activated when volunteers
- A
- B
- C
- D
|
Keywords in Questions |
Similar words in Passage |
|
Q3: Robert Zatorre found that a part of the auditory cortex was activated when volunteers A listened to certain types of music. B learned to play a tune on an instrument. C replayed a piece of music after several years. D remembered a tune they had heard previously. |
Neuroscientist Robert Zatorre of McGill University in Montreal proved this some years ago when he asked volunteers to replay the theme from the TV show Dallas in their heads. Brain imaging studies showed that this activated the same region of the auditory cortex as when the people actually heard the song. |
|
Note After locating keywords in paragraph D, we can fairly understand that replaying the theme from the TV show in volunteers’ heads activated the same region of the auditory cortex. It is apparent that they replayed in their own heads, not any sound devices. In order to do this, volunteers, of course, had to remember the tune they had heard previously. Therefore, D is suitable for the blank. |
|
Questions 4-7
Look at the following theories (Questions 4-7) and the list of people below.
Match each theory with the person it is credited to.
Write the correct letter A-F in boxes 4-7 on your answer sheet.
4 The memorable nature of some tunes can help other learning processes.
5 Music may not always be stored in the memory in the form of separate notes.
6 People may have started to make music because of their need to remember things.
7 Having a song going round your head may happen to you more often when one part of the brain is tired.
| A | Roger Chaffin |
| B | Susan Ball |
| C | Steven Brown |
| D | Caroline Palmer |
| E | Sandra Calvert |
| F | Leon James |
- 4 Answer: E
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q4: The memorable nature of some tunes can help other learning processes.
in one experiment students who heard a history text set as the lyrics to a catchy song remembered the words better than those who simply read them, says Sandra Calvert
Note
After scanning the passage, we can find out the similar information in paragraph H since it is related to learning process. According to the paragraph, students will remember a history text better if it is converted into the lyrics of a catchy song. Thus, we can figure out that this technique help them to learn words more quickly. In other words, the memorable nature of catchy songs can help other learning processes. Hence, the answer is E.
- 5 Answer: D
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q5: Music may not always be stored in the memory in the form of separate notes.
a phenomenon called 'chunking', in which people remember musical phrases as a single unit of memory, says Caroline Palmer
Note:
You might have to pay attention to the keyword ‘memory’ to find out the needed information. In paragraph G, then, Caroline Palmer mentioned ‘chunking’ and ‘musical phrases’ and they can make you clear. Since people remember musical phrases as a single unit of memory, it clearly indicated musical phrases, not separate notes. From this point, above statement belongs to Caroline Palmer (D).
- 6 Answer: F
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q6: People may have started to make music because of their need to remember things.
Before the written word could be used to record history, people memorised it in songs, says Leon James
Note
We study the information in the last paragraph. It gives us a general understanding that as lyrics in catchy songs are memorable, our ancestors might make use of tunes to remember history. It also can be said that people in the past made music because they need to remember things. Therefore, the answer is F.
- 7 Answer: B
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q7: Having a song going round your head may happen to you more often when one part of the brain is tired.
The frontal lobe of the brain gets to decide which thoughts become conscious and which ones are simply stored away. But it can become fatigued or depressed, which is when people most commonly suffer from song-in-head syndrome and other intrusive thoughts, says Susan Ball
Note:
There’s no way but you need to locate the paragraph containing the information about the tiredness of one part of the brain. Specifically, this part is the frontal lobe as it can become fatigued or depressed, according to Susan Ball. This person also mentioned that it happens when people suffer from song-in-head syndrome. No more doubt, thus, B is the answer.
Questions 8-13
Reading Passage 1 has nine paragraphs labelled A-l.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-l in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
8 a claim that music strengthens social bonds
9 two reasons why some bits of music tend to stick in your mind more than others
10 an example of how the brain may respond in opposition to your wishes
11 the name of the part of the brain where song-in-head syndrome begins
12 examples of two everyday events that can set off song-m-head syndrome
13 a description of what one person does to prevent song-in-head syndrome
- 8 Answer: I
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q8: a claim that music strengthens social bonds
This message functions to unite society
Note
As you take notice of the keyword ‘social bond’, it would be more easier to find out the need information in the paragraph I (try to locate some similar forms of ‘social’. Because messages in music help to unite society, people suppose that music strengthens social bonds. Hence, the answer is I.
- 9 Answer: G
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q9: two reasons why some bits of music tend to stick in your mind more than others
Particular chunks may be especially 'sticky' if you hear them often or if they follow certain predictable patterns
Note
The idea of this information is about how easily our brain memorizes some bits of music. This is somehow similar to Caroline Palmer statements due to keywords ‘chunks’, ‘musical phrases’ and ‘stick’. According to her, chunks or bits of music may be sticky due to two reasons (often heard or follow certain predictable patterns). Therefore, paragraph G contains the above information.
- 10 Answer: E
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q10: an example of how the brain may respond in opposition to your wishes
And once the unwanted song surfaces, it's hard to stuff it back down into the subconscious. 'The more you try to suppress a thought, the more you get it,' says Ball
Note
This information is similar to the situation in Q7 when a part of the brain is tired, it can control and decide what thoughts to be conscious. Flipping along this situation, we can see another and it exactly contains the information in Q10. As there is a saying ‘The more you try to suppress a thought, the more you get it’ which means our brain may respond in opposition to our wishes. All in all, the answer is E.
- 11 Answer: D
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q11: the name of the part of the brain where song-in-head syndrome begins
The annoying playback probably originates in the auditory cortex. Located at the front of the brain
Note
Based on the content of the statement, we guess that this information must appear in first paragraphs. After scanning, you can find in paragraph D words similar to keywords ‘song-in-head syndrome’ and ‘begins’ as it is regarding to the beginning of annoying playback or song-in-head syndrome. Therefore, this information is contained in paragraph D.
- 12 Answer: A
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q12: examples of two everyday events that can set off song-m-head syndrome
You hear a pop song on the radio - or even just read the song's title
Note
On reading very first sentences of this passage, we can realize that the writer use common technique, indicating situations in which many people are stuck, to lead us to the medical name of this condition. From that point, we can figure out that examples of two everyday events setting off song-in-head syndrome are likely to be in the first paragraph. After clarifying these two events, we conclude that A is the answer.
- 13 Answer: F
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q13: a description of what one person does to prevent song-in-head syndrome
so I will not play them in the early morning for fear that they will run around in my head all day
Note
As seeing the statement, you might be recalled of Q10. Because it was clear that we may be unable to suppress a thought in general and song-in-head syndrome in particular, the solutions that one person does to prevent this condition must follow the information in paragraph E. To be specific, Steven Brown said that he would not play certain pieces of music in the early morning. All things considered, F is the answer.
Reading Passage 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
A song on the brain
Some songs just won't leave you alone. But this may give us clues about how our brain works
A Everyone knows the situation where you can't get a song out of your head. You hear a pop song on the radio - or even just read the song's title and it haunts you for hours, playing over and over in your mind until you're heartily sick of it. The condition now even has a medical name 'song-in-head syndrome'.
В But why does the mind annoy us like this? No one knows for sure, but it's probably because the brain is better at holding onto information than it is at knowing what information is important. Roger Chaffin, a psychologist at the University of Connecticut says, 'It's a manifestation of an aspect of memory which is normally an asset to us, but in this instance it can be a nuisance.'
С This eager acquisitiveness of the brain may have helped our ancestors remember important information in the past. Today, students use it to learn new material, and musicians rely on it to memorise complicated pieces. But when this useful function goes awry it can get you stuck on a tune. Unfortunately, superficial, repetitive pop tunes are, by their very nature, more likely to stick than something more inventive.
D The annoying playback probably originates in the auditory cortex. Located at the front of the brain, this region handles both listening and playback of music and other sounds. Neuroscientist Robert Zatorre of McGill University in Montreal proved this some years ago when he asked volunteers to replay the theme from the TV show Dallas in their heads. Brain imaging studies showed that this activated the same region of the auditory cortex as when the people actually heard the song.
E Not every stored musical memory emerges into consciousness, however. The frontal lobe of the brain gets to decide which thoughts become conscious and which ones are simply stored away. But it can become fatigued or depressed, which is when people most commonly suffer from song-in-head syndrome and other intrusive thoughts, says Susan Ball, a clinical psychologist at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. And once the unwanted song surfaces, it's hard to stuff it back down into the subconscious. 'The more you try to suppress a thought, the more you get it,' says Ball. 'We call this the pink elephant phenomenon. Tell the brain not to think about pink elephants, and it's guaranteed to do so,' she says.
F For those not severely afflicted, simply avoiding certain kinds of music can help. 'I know certain pieces that are kind of "sticky" to me, so I will not play them in the early morning for fear that they will run around in my head all day,' says Steven Brown, who trained as a classical pianist but is now a neuroscientist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He says he always has a song in his head and, even more annoying, his mind never seems to make it all the way through. 'It tends to involve short fragments between, say, 5 or 15 seconds. They seem to get looped, for hours sometimes,' he says.
G Brown's experience of repeated musical loops may represent a phenomenon called 'chunking', in which people remember musical phrases as a single unit of memory, says Caroline Palmer, a psychologist at Ohio State University in Columbus. Most listeners have little choice about what chunks they remember. Particular chunks may be especially 'sticky' if you hear them often or if they follow certain predictable patterns, such as the chord progression of rock 'n' roll music. Palmer's research shows that the more a piece of music conforms to these patterns, the easier it is to remember. That's why you're more likely to be haunted by the tunes of pop music than by those of a classical composer such as J. S. Bach.
H But this ability can be used for good as well as annoyance. Teachers can tap into memory reinforcement by setting their lessons to music. For example, in one experiment students who heard a history text set as the lyrics to a catchy song remembered the words better than those who simply read them, says Sandra Calvert, a psychologist at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
I This sort of memory enhancement may even explain the origin of music. Before the written word could be used to record history, people memorised it in songs, says Leon James, a psychologist at the University of Hawaii. And music may have had an even more important role. ‘All music has a message.' he says. ‘This message functions to unite society and to standardise the thought processes of people in society.’
Comments: