All answers on this page include the question number, correct answer and a brief explanation of where to find it in the passage or audio. Use these alongside the original Cambridge IELTS books for the best practice experience.
Test 1 Listening Answers with Clear Explanations
Find all 40 Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 1 Listening answers with evidence-based explanations. The recording, questions and answer key are the same for Academic and General Training, so every answer link on this page supports both routes.
Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 1 Listening Answer Key
Use the key for quick marking, then read the explanations below. A slash separates accepted alternative forms. Where two letters are required, enter both letters across the two question numbers, in either order.
Part 1: Buckworth Conservation Group
Questions 1 to 10Part 2: Boat trip round Tasmania
Questions 11 to 20Part 3: Work experience for veterinary science students
Questions 21 to 30Part 4: Labyrinths
Questions 31 to 40Part 1: Buckworth Conservation Group
Questions 1-10. A caller asks about a local conservation group’s activities and forthcoming events.
1making sure the beach does not have ____ on it
Answer: litter
Where to Listen: Part 1, regular beach activities
The group removes litter from the beach each month. The question paraphrases keeping the beach free of something as making sure it does not have that thing on it.
2no ____
Answer: dogs
Where to Listen: Part 1, rules for the beach
Dogs are banned on the beach, although they can go along the cliffs. Children are welcome, so the restriction concerns dogs rather than everyone accompanying a volunteer.
3next task is taking action to attract ____ to the place
Answer: insects
Where to Listen: Part 1, new habitats
The bird nesting boxes are already finished. The next project is encouraging insects, so birds is a distractor referring to completed work rather than the next task.
4identifying types of ____
Answer: butterflies
Where to Listen: Part 1, identification project
Peter describes identifying butterfly species at the reserve. Jan mentions moths only when recalling her previous experience, not when describing the current project.
5building a new ____
Answer: wall
Where to Listen: Part 1, storm damage
A storm damaged the wall between the parking area and woodshed. Replacing that wall is the job, while the parking area and woodshed identify its location.
6walk across the sands and reach the ____
Answer: island
Where to Listen: Part 1, guided walk
At low tide, the exposed sands allow the group to walk to Ruston Island. The beach is the meeting point, whereas the island is their destination.
7wear appropriate ____
Answer: boots
Where to Listen: Part 1, equipment for the walk
Peter asks participants to make sure their boots are waterproof because the crossing will be wet. The gap needs the footwear, not the picnic also mentioned.
8suitable for ____ to participate in
Answer: beginners
Where to Listen: Part 1, woodwork experience
Jan asks whether beginners can join, and Peter confirms that experts will help them. No previous woodwork experience is required.
9making ____ out of wood
Answer: spoons
Where to Listen: Part 1, woodwork activity
Jan would like to make chairs, but Peter says that is too ambitious for one day. Participants will start with wooden spoons, which they can take home.
10cost of session (no camping): £ ____
Answer: 35 / thirty-five
Where to Listen: Part 1, session price
The day session costs £35 including lunch. The £40 price includes camping, which the question explicitly excludes. Writing 35 is the clearest form within the answer limit.
Part 2: Boat trip round Tasmania
Questions 11-20. A guide gives practical information about a sightseeing boat trip around Tasmania.
11What is the maximum number of people who can stand on each side of the boat?
Answer: A - 9
Where to Listen: Part 2, boat capacity
The guide will move passengers if more than nine stand on either side. Fifteen is the passenger capacity and eighteen includes the three staff, not the limit per side.
12What colour are the tour boats?
Answer: C - light green
Where to Listen: Part 2, new boat colours
The new boats have light-green exteriors. Black describes the old boats and dark red describes the seats, so neither is the current outside colour.
13Which lunchbox is suitable for someone who doesn’t eat meat or fish?
Answer: B - Lunchbox 2
Where to Listen: Part 2, lunchbox choices
Lunchbox 2 contains a cheese roll, with no meat or fish listed. Lunchbox 1 contains ham and Lunchbox 3 contains tuna, making the second box the suitable choice.
14What should people do with their litter?
Answer: B - hand it to a member of staff
Where to Listen: Part 2, rubbish collection
There are no bins on board. The guides will collect rubbish after lunch and place it in a sack, so passengers should give it to staff.
15Which TWO features of the lighthouse does Lou mention?
Answer: A + D (Either Order)
Where to Listen: Part 2, lighthouse history
The lighthouse was built to protect sailors after fatal shipwrecks. This explains why it was built, option A. The second required choice is D. Enter A and D in either order.
16Which TWO features of the lighthouse does Lou mention?
Answer: A + D (Either Order)
Where to Listen: Part 2, lighthouse keepers
The guide identifies the staff as convicts initially and ordinary families later. This supports D, who staffed it. Together with A, this completes the two-answer pair.
17Which TWO types of creature might come close to the boat?
Answer: B + C (Either Order)
Where to Listen: Part 2, wildlife near the boat
Fur seals are curious and may surface directly in front of passengers. That supports B. Sea eagles are described in the distance and penguins tend to hide.
18Which TWO types of creature might come close to the boat?
Answer: B + C (Either Order)
Where to Listen: Part 2, wildlife near the boat
Dolphins may approach and ride the waves beside the boat, supporting C. Choose B and C for Questions 17-18 in either order. Whales are mentioned as rare sightings.
19Which TWO points does Lou make about the caves?
Answer: D + E (Either Order)
Where to Listen: Part 2, visiting the caves
At the cave openings, the guides will describe what lies beyond, supporting D. The other answer is E. A kayak visit is possible, so large boats are not the only option.
20Which TWO points does Lou make about the caves?
Answer: D + E (Either Order)
Where to Listen: Part 2, access to the caves
The caves can be approached only by sea, meaning visitors cannot walk to them. This supports E. Questions 19-20 require D and E in either order.
Part 3: Work experience for veterinary science students
Questions 21-30. Two veterinary science students discuss their farm work experience and course modules.
21What problem did both Diana and Tim have when arranging their work experience?
Answer: A - making initial contact with suitable farms
Where to Listen: Part 3, arranging placements
Both students struggled to find and contact suitable farms. Travel and placement length caused difficulties for Tim, but Diana stayed on her farm, so those were not shared problems.
22Tim was pleased to be able to help
Answer: B - a sheep that was having difficulty giving birth.
Where to Listen: Part 3, lambing experience
Tim helped a sheep through a difficult birth under the farmer's guidance. A vet dealt with the broken leg, and the newborn fed almost immediately, ruling out the other options.
23Diana says the sheep on her farm
Answer: B - were mainly reared for their meat.
Where to Listen: Part 3, Diana's sheep
Diana confirms that the Suffolk sheep were raised mainly for meat. Other breeds belonged to the farm's past, while the valuable carpet wool concerns Tim's Cheviots.
24What did the students learn about adding supplements to chicken feed?
Answer: A - These should only be given if specially needed.
Where to Listen: Part 3, chicken supplements
Both farmers give supplements when chickens particularly need them, not routinely. They also say expensive products are essentially similar to cheaper ones, so price is not the deciding factor.
25What happened when Diana was working with dairy cows?
Answer: C - She made a mistake when storing milk.
Where to Listen: Part 3, milk storage mistake
Diana poured milk from an antibiotic-treated cow into the container for human consumption. Throwing the mixed milk away was the consequence, not the mistake itself.
26What did both farmers mention about vets and farming?
Answer: C - Some jobs could be done by the farmer rather than by a vet.
Where to Listen: Part 3, farmers and vets
Both farmers believe they could perform some tasks, including minor operations, themselves. They still value veterinary expertise, so this is not a claim that vets are unnecessary.
27Medical terminology
Answer: A - Tim found this easier than expected.
Where to Listen: Part 3, medical terminology module
Tim expected the terminology to be difficult but found it straightforward. Diana struggled, so distinguish Tim's experience from hers when selecting the matching statement.
28Diet and nutrition
Answer: E - Tim was shocked at something he learned on this module.
Where to Listen: Part 3, diet and nutrition module
Tim is disturbed by the limited contamination checks on pet food compared with human food. His reaction supports being shocked by something he learned, not difficulty with the reading.
29Animal disease
Answer: F - They were both surprised how little is known about some aspects of this.
Where to Listen: Part 3, animal disease module
Both students expected scientists to know more about diseases affecting important domestic animals. Their shared surprise concerns gaps in knowledge, including ways to control those diseases.
30Wildlife medication
Answer: C - Diana may do some further study on this.
Where to Listen: Part 3, wildlife medication module
Diana considers a dissertation connected with wildlife treatment. A dissertation would involve further study, making C the match rather than a comment about course organisation.
Part 4: Labyrinths
Questions 31-40. An academic lecture explains the history and modern uses of labyrinths.
31Mazes are a type of ____.
Answer: puzzle
Where to Listen: Part 4, maze definition
The lecturer describes a maze as a puzzle with a network of paths. A labyrinth has a single route, so do not confuse the definitions of the two structures.
32____ is needed to navigate through a maze.
Answer: logic
Where to Listen: Part 4, finding a route
People use logic to work out the pattern and find the centre of a maze. The gap asks for the mental process, not the paths or hedges.
33The word ‘maze’ is derived from a word meaning a feeling of ____.
Answer: confusion
Where to Listen: Part 4, origin of the word maze
The proposed Scandinavian origin refers to a state of confusion. The question changes state to feeling, but the required noun remains confusion.
34Labyrinths have frequently been used in ____ and prayer.
Answer: meditation
Where to Listen: Part 4, spiritual uses
Labyrinths have served as tools for meditation and prayer. The question already supplies prayer, so only meditation is needed within the one-word limit.
35Ancient carvings on ____ have been found across many cultures.
Answer: stone
Where to Listen: Part 4, ancient spiral carvings
Early labyrinth patterns were carved into stone across several regions. Baskets and mosaics are separate examples of how other cultures used the design.
36Ancient Greeks used the symbol on ____.
Answer: coins
Where to Listen: Part 4, Ancient Greece
The Greek example places the spiral design on coins. Roman mosaics and Native American baskets belong to other cultures, not the Greek example in the question.
37The largest surviving example of a turf labyrinth once had a big ____ at its centre.
Answer: tree
Where to Listen: Part 4, surviving turf labyrinth
The large surviving labyrinth at Saffron Walden once had a tree in its centre. The wording once had refers to that former feature rather than its present condition.
38Walking a maze can reduce a person’s ____ rate.
Answer: breathing
Where to Listen: Part 4, possible physical benefits
The lecture mentions slower breathing among the claimed benefits. A reduced breathing rate expresses the same idea. The lecture does not claim that all benefits are firmly established.
39Patients who can’t walk can use ‘finger labyrinths’ made from ____.
Answer: paper
Where to Listen: Part 4, patients unable to walk
Hospitals can bring patients a paper finger labyrinth to use in bed. The gap asks for its material, not the finger used to trace the route.
40Research has shown that Alzheimer’s sufferers experience less ____.
Answer: anxiety
Where to Listen: Part 4, Alzheimer's study
A small study reported calming, relaxation and relief from anxiety. Less anxiety paraphrases that reported result. It should not be read as proof of a cure or a universal effect.
Academic and General Training Listening Answers
Are the Academic and GT Test 1 Listening Answers the Same?
Yes. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 1 uses the same Listening questions, recording and answers for both routes. This single guide supports Academic and General Training candidates.
Which Practice Link Should I Use?
Choose the Academic or GT button for your test pathway. Both lead to the same Listening content. Reading and Writing are different, so choose the correct route for those skills.
How Do I Mark Two-Answer Questions?
Enter both required letters, one per question number. Either order is accepted. Repeating one correct letter does not supply the second required answer.
What to Do After Marking
Group your errors by misunderstanding, distractors, spelling and instructions. Review the difficult section, then try another complete test to check whether your accuracy improves.