Copyright 1996

Reflections on the Listening Test 
After you have finished each Listening test, check your answers in the Answer 
Key on page 177, then work through these reflection tasks. Thinking about each 
test and recalling how you felt before, during and after it, might help you when 
you eventually take the IELTS test. 
1 .   Were you pleased with your performance? 
   yes            no 
2. 
How did you feel about the listening test? Was it 
   easy           not too bad 
   difficult? 
3. 
How much of what each speaker was saying could you follow? 
  all of it      most of it 
   very little 
4. 
How well could you understand the vocabulary in each test 
   easily         reasonably well          with difficulty? 
5. 
If you got less than a perfect score, identify the sections of the test where 
you had problems. Locate each section in the transcript and think about why 
you had problems. Was it to do with: 
a 
rate of speech? 
b unknown 
vocabulary? 
c unfamiliar 
accent? 
d 
not understanding the question? 
e nervousness? 
f other? 
rate of speech: If one, or more than one of the speakers spoke too fast for 
you, listen to that part of the recording again. First, concentrate only on that 
section and see if you can follow the speaker. Listen once, without reading 
from the transcript. Then, check the transcript. 
unknown vocabulary: If there were words you didn't know, find any 
unknown vocabulary in the transcript and then look up these words in a 
dictionary, or ask someone. 
nervousness: Many people suffer from 'test nerves' but those who do well in 
tests are people who control their nerves rather than letting their nerves 
control them. We all know about and probably even have our own methods 
for coping with anxiety. If you became nervous during the practice tests, try 
to understand why. When you feel you can identify some reasons, make a list 
of some of the ways you might reduce the stress of taking a test. Think about 
how you can control your anxiety, when you eventually sit for the IELTS test. 

---