IELTS Listening Test 10 (2026) with Answers

Teacher section. Do not give this to learners before they take the test.

Original IELTS-style practice material. Not produced or endorsed by IELTS, the British Council, IDP or Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

Note: A script alone does not reproduce a timed audio test. In the real test, candidates hear each recording once, at natural speed, with fixed pauses. If you read these scripts aloud, keep to the pause lengths shown and do not repeat anything.

Pause markers: [PAUSE 30s] means 30 seconds of silence. In the actual recording, each pause is silence only.

Answer locations: In this teacher copy, the words that give each answer are marked like this: ⟦Q1⟧. Remove these markers before recording.

PART 1

Speakers: NARRATOR; HOLLY (female, bookings assistant at a campervan hire company, friendly, British accent); MARCUS (male, caller, British accent)

NARRATOR: Part 1. You will hear a man phoning a company that hires out campervans. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6.

[PAUSE 30s]

NARRATOR: Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.

HOLLY: Good afternoon, Wayfarer Campervan Hire. Holly speaking. How can I help?

MARCUS: Hi. I'm thinking of hiring a campervan for a family holiday this summer, and I wanted to check a few things before I book.

HOLLY: Of course. Can I start with your name?

MARCUS: Yes, it's Marcus Pellow.

HOLLY: Is that P-E-L-O-W?

MARCUS: Nearly. It's double L. ⟦Q1⟧ P-E-L-L-O-W.

HOLLY: Thanks. And how many of you would be travelling?

MARCUS: Four. Me, my wife, and our two children. They're eight and eleven.

HOLLY: OK. We have three models. The Rambler is our smallest, but it only sleeps two, so that won't work for you. Then there's the Voyager, which sleeps four, and the Nomad, which sleeps six.

MARCUS: I was looking at the Nomad on your website. I thought the extra space might stop the children arguing!

HOLLY: It's very popular with families. But it's quite a lot bigger to drive, and it costs about thirty per cent more.

MARCUS: Hmm. In that case, I think we'll manage with ⟦Q2⟧ the Voyager. The children will just have to get on with each other.

HOLLY: Right. And when would you like to collect it?

MARCUS: We were hoping for Saturday the twelfth of July.

HOLLY: Let me look. I'm afraid all the Voyagers are already booked that weekend. But I've got one available from ⟦Q3⟧ the nineteenth, which is the following Saturday.

MARCUS: The nineteenth. Yes, that should be fine. The school holidays will have started by then anyway. What time can we pick it up?

HOLLY: Most people think it'll be first thing in the morning, but we need time to clean the vans after they come back. So collection is from ⟦Q4⟧ three in the afternoon, and you bring it back by ten in the morning on your last day.

MARCUS: OK. And what's the price?

HOLLY: For the Voyager in July, it's a hundred and twenty pounds a night at weekends. But if you're taking it for a week or more, every night is charged at the weekday rate, which is ⟦Q5⟧ ninety-five.

MARCUS: We'll want it for ten nights, so that's good news. Is there a deposit?

HOLLY: Yes, it's four hundred pounds, and you get it back when the van's returned without any damage. We can only take that on a ⟦Q6⟧ credit card, I'm afraid. We used to accept debit cards, but there were too many problems with refunds.

NARRATOR: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10.

[PAUSE 30s]

NARRATOR: Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.

MARCUS: What's actually included in the price? Do we need to bring our own bedding?

HOLLY: No, bedding is included, so there are pillows, duvets and sheets. You'll also have all the kitchen equipment, and an outdoor table and chairs. The only thing you'll need to bring is ⟦Q7⟧ towels. Most people prefer their own anyway.

MARCUS: That's no problem. Now, my wife will want to share the driving. Is that allowed?

HOLLY: Yes, there's no extra charge for a second driver. They'll need to have held a full licence for at least two years. And we used to accept drivers from the age of twenty-one, but our insurance company has changed its rules, so now both drivers must be at least ⟦Q8⟧ twenty-five.

MARCUS: She's thirty-four, so that's fine. Is there anything we need to do before we pick it up? I've never driven anything that big.

HOLLY: Don't worry. A member of staff will go through everything when you arrive. But before you come, read the short ⟦Q9⟧ guide on our website. It explains how to fill the water tank and use the cooker. We did think about making a video, but most people said they'd rather have something they could print out.

MARCUS: I'll do that. And what do we need to bring with us on the day?

HOLLY: Both drivers need to bring their driving licences. You don't need a passport, but we do need proof of your address, so please bring a recent utility ⟦Q10⟧ bill, for gas or electricity, for example. It has to be from the last three months.

MARCUS: Right. I think that's everything. Can I book now?

HOLLY: Of course. I'll just take a few more details.

NARRATOR: That is the end of Part 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

[PAUSE 30s]

PART 2

Speakers: NARRATOR; ALISON (female, race director, energetic and clear, British accent)

NARRATOR: Part 2. You will hear the director of a half marathon giving a talk to runners the evening before the race. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.

[PAUSE 30s]

NARRATOR: Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

ALISON: Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Brackenford Half Marathon. My name's Alison, and I'm the race director. Some of you have run this race many times before, but there are a few changes this year, so please listen carefully.

First of all, the timing. In previous years, the race started at ten o'clock, but last year it got very hot towards the end, and a lot of runners struggled. So ⟦Q11–12⟧ this year we're starting an hour earlier, at nine o'clock. Please make sure you get there in plenty of time. You may have heard that we were moving the finish line from the park to the High Street. That was discussed, but in the end the council decided against it, so the finish is in exactly the same place as last year, in Hollins Park.

Some people have asked whether we've limited the number of runners because the race was so crowded last year. In fact, there's always been a limit of three thousand places, and we haven't changed it.

What is new is ⟦Q11–12⟧ the way we give out water. In the past, we handed out small plastic bottles, and after the race, the streets were covered in them. ⟦Q11–12⟧ So this year, there'll be no bottles at all. Instead, the water will be in paper cups, and there'll be bins for the cups just after each drinks station.

And for those of you who've asked about the medals, we did look at making them out of wood this year, but the samples weren't very good, so they're the same metal medals as usual.

Now, a few pieces of advice. The roads around the start will be closed from seven o'clock. There's normally a park-and-ride bus, but I'm afraid every seat has already been booked, so please don't plan to use it unless you've already got a ticket. The train is probably your best option.

On the back of your race number, there's a small box. ⟦Q13–14⟧ Please write any medical conditions in that box, and a phone number for someone we can contact. It only takes a minute, and if anything goes wrong, it'll help our medical team enormously.

When you get to the start, you'll see that it's divided into areas with different coloured flags. ⟦Q13–14⟧ Please go to the area that matches the finishing time you gave us when you entered. If slower runners start at the front, the faster runners behind them have to keep overtaking, and that's when people trip and fall.

And one more thing. Every year, somebody runs in a brand-new pair of shoes, and every year they regret it. Wear shoes you've already trained in. There'll be a bag drop at the start, but please don't leave anything valuable in your bag, because we can't take responsibility for it.

NARRATOR: Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.

[PAUSE 30s]

NARRATOR: Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.

ALISON: Now, let me take you through the route. You'll find the map in your race pack.

The first landmark you'll pass is the Guildhall, about two kilometres from the start. There's no drinks station there, because you'll hardly need one so early. But in the car park behind the building, ⟦Q15⟧ there's a row of portable loos, and from past experience, a lot of you will be very glad to see them.

At about five kilometres, you cross the river at Ferry Bridge. That's where the first drinks station is. We'd hoped to have our photographers on the bridge, but there isn't enough room. What you will find on Ferry Bridge, though, is ⟦Q16⟧ a mat across the road. The chip on your race number will record your time as you cross it, so your friends can follow your progress on the app.

At eight kilometres, you'll pass St Aldric's School. The parents' association there organises a ⟦Q17⟧ steel band every year. They play all morning, and lots of runners say it's the part of the race they remember best.

Then the route follows the river path to the boathouse, at about twelve kilometres. If you've told us you need a particular sports drink, for medical or other reasons, you can leave a bottle at registration tonight, with your number on it, and ⟦Q18⟧ it'll be waiting for you at the boathouse.

After that comes the hardest part of the course, Hagg Hill. It's steep and about a kilometre long. ⟦Q19⟧ That's where you'll be photographed for the official race pictures. I know you won't feel at your best, but at least you'll have a picture that shows how hard you worked!

The last landmark before the finish is the park gates, about five hundred metres from the line. Of course, there'll be first-aid staff all along the route, and the main first-aid tent is at the finish. At the gates, there'll be a crowd barrier, and ⟦Q20⟧ behind it is an area just for families, so that children can cheer you in over the last few hundred metres.

Finally, energy gels. If you need them, please bring your own, because we won't be handing them out anywhere on the course this year. OK, are there any questions?

NARRATOR: That is the end of Part 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

[PAUSE 30s]

PART 3

Speakers: NARRATOR; ROSIE (female, journalism student, British accent); TARIQ (male, journalism student, British accent)

NARRATOR: Part 3. You will hear two journalism students, Rosie and Tariq, discussing a project about the history of a local newspaper. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.

[PAUSE 30s]

NARRATOR: Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.

ROSIE: So, Tariq, we need to get the project plan to Dr Hughes by Friday. Shall we start by writing down why we chose the Courier?

TARIQ: OK. Well, people always say it's the oldest paper in the region, but it isn't, actually. The Harwick Post started about twenty years earlier.

ROSIE: That's true. And Dr Hughes did work at a newspaper before she became a lecturer, but it was a national one, not the Courier. No, the real reason was practical. ⟦Q21⟧ Every edition since 1880 has been scanned, and you can search the whole lot online. For the other papers, we'd have had to go to the library and read through them one by one.

TARIQ: Exactly. OK, the interview with the editor. What did you think was the most important thing she said?

ROSIE: Well, I expected her to talk about the paper going from daily to weekly, because that was a huge decision. But she didn't seem to think it made much difference to how they work.

TARIQ: No. And she was quite relaxed about losing the office in the high street, too. She said most of the staff work from home now anyway. ⟦Q22⟧ What really worried her was the number of reporters. They had twenty-two in 2005, and now there are just five. She said that's what has changed the paper most, because there's no one left to go to court cases or council meetings.

ROSIE: Yes, that was the part that stuck with me. Then there was the paywall, where readers have to pay to read the website. A lot of readers were angry about that.

TARIQ: I know. And I thought it was a mistake, at first. They lost about a third of their online readers in the first month.

ROSIE: I don't think they had any alternative, though. ⟦Q23⟧ Advertisers weren't paying enough to cover the cost of the reporters, so it had to be the readers. Some people say they should have done it ten years ago, but I'm not sure it would have worked any better then.

TARIQ: Fair enough. What about the comments section? The editor said she's thinking of getting rid of it.

ROSIE: I can see why. Some of the comments are really unpleasant.

TARIQ: But some of the best stories in the paper have started with a reader's comment. Closing it completely would be a mistake.

ROSIE: That's a good point. So what's the answer? ⟦Q24⟧ Someone checking the comments before they're published?

TARIQ: ⟦Q24⟧ I think so, yes. It'd cost money, but it would be worth it. Mind you, it's not exactly the most visited part of the site. The sports pages get far more readers.

ROSIE: Did you find anything interesting in the old copies from the sixties?

TARIQ: Lots. I expected the stories to be much longer than they are now, and they were, but not by as much as I'd thought. ⟦Q25⟧ What I really didn't expect was the advertising. On some pages, there was more space for adverts than for news, and they were for everything, from cars to cough sweets.

ROSIE: I noticed the photos, too. There were more than I'd expected.

NARRATOR: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.

[PAUSE 30s]

NARRATOR: Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.

ROSIE: OK, so let's plan the rest of the work. We've done the interview with the editor, and we've recorded it. I know we said we'd edit the recording first, but couldn't we leave that until later?

TARIQ: I'd rather do the interviews before anything else. ⟦Q26⟧ We should get in touch with some of the people who used to write for the paper. The editor gave us a list of names. If we leave it too late, they might not be able to see us before the deadline.

ROSIE: That's true. Then, once we've done those interviews, ⟦Q27⟧ we'll need to type them up. It's boring, but we can't use them otherwise.

TARIQ: Agreed. And then, I think ⟦Q28⟧ we should put together a timeline of the main events in the paper's history. That'll give us the structure for the whole project.

ROSIE: Good idea. And after that, ⟦Q29⟧ we can write the first draft. What about the photos? Shouldn't we choose those before we start writing?

TARIQ: I don't think we'll have room for photos, to be honest. The word limit's quite tight. Let's leave them out.

ROSIE: OK. And the recordings? We said we'd edit them.

TARIQ: Dr Hughes said the recordings were optional, so I'd rather not spend time on them. But once we've written the draft, ⟦Q30⟧ we must check the facts with the editor, especially the dates and figures. Then we can hand it in.

ROSIE: Great. Let's email the reporters this afternoon.

NARRATOR: That is the end of Part 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

[PAUSE 30s]

PART 4

Speakers: NARRATOR; LECTURER (female, clear academic delivery, British accent)

NARRATOR: Part 4. You will hear a lecture about collecting water from fog. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.

[PAUSE 45s]

NARRATOR: Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

LECTURER: Good morning. In this course on water resources, we've mostly looked at large-scale solutions, such as dams and desalination plants. Today I want to look at something on a much smaller scale: collecting water from fog.

In some of the driest places on Earth, it hardly ever rains, but thick fog comes in from the sea on many days of the year. Fog is simply a cloud at ground level, made up of billions of tiny water droplets, and the idea of catching that water is not new. On El Hierro, one of the Canary Islands, there's a story that for centuries, the local people depended on a single ⟦Q31⟧ tree. Fog collected on its leaves and dripped into pools at its base, and that water was shared by the whole island. The original tree was blown down in a storm in the early sixteen-hundreds, but a new one has been planted in the same place.

Some animals use the same trick. In the Namib Desert, in south-western Africa, there's a beetle which, on foggy mornings, climbs to the top of a sand dune and faces into the wind. The beetle tilts its head down, and fog droplets collect and run along its ⟦Q32⟧ back towards its mouth.

So how does a modern fog collector work? It's essentially a large net, usually a few metres high and up to about ten metres long, stretched between two posts. The net is made of a very fine ⟦Q33⟧ plastic mesh. Metal has been tried, but it's heavier and more expensive, and it can rust. As the wind blows the fog through the mesh, tiny droplets hit the fibres and join together. When they're heavy enough, they run down the net into a ⟦Q34⟧ gutter along the bottom, and from there, pipes carry the water to a storage tank.

Choosing the right site is essential. Fog alone isn't enough. You also need steady ⟦Q35⟧ wind, to push the fog through the net, and there must be nothing nearby, such as a hill or a group of trees, to block it. The best sites are usually on mountains close to the coast, at a height of a few hundred metres.

Let's look at two projects. The best known of the early ones was in Chile, near the small ⟦Q36⟧ fishing village of Chungungo, in the Atacama Desert. Until the early nineteen-nineties, the village's water was brought in by lorry, and it was expensive and often in short supply. Then a team of Chilean and Canadian scientists put up dozens of nets on a mountain above the village, and for a number of years, the scheme supplied more water than the village had ever had before. But it didn't last, and contrary to what you might expect, the problem wasn't a shortage of fog. As the village grew, local leaders looked for another water supply, and regular ⟦Q37⟧ maintenance stopped. Nets that were damaged by the wind weren't repaired, and gradually the collectors fell out of use.

Projects since then have tried to learn from Chungungo. In Morocco, in the Anti-Atlas Mountains, a local organisation began a project in partnership with the villages from the very start. Before the nets were installed, many women in the area spent up to three hours a day ⟦Q38⟧ fetching water from wells, which were often running dry. Now, water from the nets is piped directly to homes in several villages. Local people were trained to maintain the system, and the project uses a newer type of net that was designed in Germany. These nets have a stronger frame and a special three-dimensional mesh, so they can survive ⟦Q39⟧ storms that would destroy the older type.

How much water can a fog collector produce? It varies enormously, from day to day and from place to place. On a good day, each square metre of net might collect several litres, but on other days, it may collect nothing at all. So fog collection is never going to supply a city. But for small, isolated communities, it can make a real difference.

Finally, the future. Researchers are now trying to improve the mesh itself. Some are taking ideas from nature, from desert plants and from insects such as the Namib beetle, and they're testing different surface textures. The aim is to make the mesh more ⟦Q40⟧ efficient, so that more of the water in the fog is actually captured, rather than simply passing through the net.

Next week, we'll be looking at another small-scale technology: rainwater harvesting from roofs.

NARRATOR: That is the end of Part 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

[PAUSE 30s]

NARRATOR: That is the end of the Listening test. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.