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 3 Listening Answers with Clear Explanations
Find all 40 Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 3 Listening answers with clear explanations. This answer key applies to both Academic and General Training candidates.
Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 3 Listening Answer Key
Use this answer key for quick marking. Accepted alternatives are shown with a slash. Read each part below for a clear explanation.
Part 1: Local food shops
Questions 1 to 10Part 2: Festival workshops and reading advice
Questions 11 to 20Part 3: Science experiment for Year 12 students
Questions 21 to 30Part 4: Microplastics
Questions 31 to 40Part 1: Local food shops
A visitor receives directions to local food shops and discusses what to buy.
1Kite Place is near the ____.
Answer: harbour / harbor
The recording states that kite Place is near the harbour. The accepted forms include harbour or harbor.
2To reach the fish market, cross the ____ and turn right.
Answer: bridge
The recording states that to reach the fish market, cross the bridge and turn right. This confirms bridge as the missing answer.
3It is best to go before ____ pm, earlier than closing time.
Answer: 3.30 / 3:30 / three thirty / half past three / half three / half 3
The recording states that it is best to go before 3.30 pm, earlier than closing time. The accepted forms include 3.30 or 3:30 or three thirty or half past three or half three or half 3.
4The organic shop is called '____'.
Answer: Rose / rose
The recording states that the organic shop is called 'Rose'. The accepted forms include Rose or rose.
5Look for the large ____ outside the organic shop.
Answer: sign
The recording states that look for the large sign outside the organic shop. This confirms sign as the missing answer.
6Take a ____ minibus, number 289, to the supermarket.
Answer: purple
The recording states that take a purple minibus, number 289, to the supermarket. This confirms purple as the missing answer.
7At the fish market, buy a dozen prawns and a handful of ____ (a type of seaweed).
Answer: samphire
The recording states that at the fish market, buy a dozen prawns and a handful of samphire (a type of seaweed). This confirms samphire as the missing answer.
8At the organic shop, buy beans and a ____ for dessert.
Answer: melon
The recording states that at the organic shop, buy beans and a melon for dessert. This confirms melon as the missing answer.
9Other ideas from the organic shop include spices and ____.
Answer: coconut
The recording states that other ideas from the organic shop include spices and coconut. This confirms coconut as the missing answer.
10At the bakery, buy a brown loaf and a ____ tart.
Answer: strawberry
The recording states that at the bakery, buy a brown loaf and a strawberry tart. This confirms strawberry as the missing answer.
Part 2: Festival workshops and reading advice
A speaker describes festival workshops, recommends a book and advises parents about children’s reading.
11Superheroes
Answer: C - is aimed at children with a disability
The recording states that superheroes. This confirms C as the missing answer.
12Just do it
Answer: D - involves a drama activity
The recording states that just do it. This confirms D as the missing answer.
13Count on me
Answer: F - is aimed at a specific age group
The recording states that count on me. This confirms F as the missing answer.
14Speak up
Answer: G - explores an unhappy feeling
The recording states that speak up. This confirms G as the missing answer.
15Jump for joy
Answer: B - will be led by a prize-winning author
The recording states that jump for joy. This confirms B as the missing answer.
16Sticks and stones
Answer: H - raises awareness of a particular culture
The recording states that sticks and stones. This confirms H as the missing answer.
17Which TWO reasons does the speaker give for recommending Alive and Kicking?
Answer: D or E
The recording links this point with It is funny. or It deals with an important topic.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
18Which TWO reasons does the speaker give for recommending Alive and Kicking?
Answer: E or D
The recording links this point with It deals with an important topic. or It is funny.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
19Which TWO pieces of advice does the speaker give to parents about reading?
Answer: B or C
The recording links this point with Allow children to listen to audio books. or Get recommendations from librarians.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
20Which TWO pieces of advice does the speaker give to parents about reading?
Answer: C or B
The recording links this point with Get recommendations from librarians. or Allow children to listen to audio books.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
Part 3: Science experiment for Year 12 students
Two teachers discuss a possible experiment on diet, health and mice for Year 12 science students.
21How does Clare feel about the students in her Year 12 science class?
Answer: C - frustrated at their lack of interest in the subject
The recording links this point with frustrated at their lack of interest in the subject. This makes C the correct choice.
22How does Jake react to Clare’s suggestion about an experiment based on children’s diet?
Answer: B - He feels some of the data might be difficult to obtain.
The recording links this point with He feels some of the data might be difficult to obtain.. This makes B the correct choice.
23What problem do they agree may be involved in an experiment involving animals?
Answer: A - Any results may not apply to humans.
The recording links this point with Any results may not apply to humans.. This makes A the correct choice.
24What question do they decide the experiment should address?
Answer: A - Are mice capable of controlling their food intake?
The recording links this point with Are mice capable of controlling their food intake?. This makes A the correct choice.
25Clare might also consider doing another experiment involving
Answer: C - varying amounts of exercise.
The recording links this point with varying amounts of exercise.. This makes C the correct choice.
26Choose mice which are all the same ____.
Answer: C - age
The recording states that choose mice which are all the same C. This confirms C as the missing answer.
27Divide the mice into two groups, each with a different ____.
Answer: H - colour
The recording states that divide the mice into two groups, each with a different H. This confirms H as the missing answer.
28Feed group B the same commercial mouse food, but also sugar contained in ____.
Answer: E - cereal
The recording states that feed group B the same commercial mouse food, but also sugar contained in E. This confirms E as the missing answer.
29Place the mice in a weighing chamber to prevent ____.
Answer: B - escape
The recording states that place the mice in a weighing chamber to prevent B. This confirms B as the missing answer.
30Do all necessary ____.
Answer: F - calculations
The recording states that do all necessary F. This confirms F as the missing answer.
Part 4: Microplastics
A lecture about the sources and effects of microplastics and a university study of microplastics in soil.
31Fibres from some ____ are released during washing.
Answer: clothing
The recording states that fibres from some clothing are released during washing. This confirms clothing as the missing answer.
32Microplastics cause injuries to the ____ of wildlife and affect their digestive systems.
Answer: mouths
The recording states that microplastics cause injuries to the mouths of wildlife and affect their digestive systems. This confirms mouths as the missing answer.
33They enter the food chain in bottled and tap water, ____ and seafood.
Answer: salt
The recording states that they enter the food chain in bottled and tap water, salt and seafood. This confirms salt as the missing answer.
34They are already banned in skin-cleaning products and ____ in some countries.
Answer: toothpaste
The recording states that they are already banned in skin-cleaning products and toothpaste in some countries. This confirms toothpaste as the missing answer.
35Microplastics enter the soil through the air, rain and ____.
Answer: fertilisers / fertilizers
The recording states that microplastics enter the soil through the air, rain and fertilisers. The accepted forms include fertilisers or fertilizers.
36Earthworms are important because they add ____ to the soil.
Answer: nutrients
The recording states that earthworms are important because they add nutrients to the soil. This confirms nutrients as the missing answer.
37The study aimed to find whether microplastics in earthworms affect the ____ of plants.
Answer: growth
The recording states that the study aimed to find whether microplastics in earthworms affect the growth of plants. This confirms growth as the missing answer.
38The study found that microplastics caused ____ loss in earthworms.
Answer: weight
The recording states that the study found that microplastics caused weight loss in earthworms. This confirms weight as the missing answer.
39The study found a rise in the level of ____ in the soil.
Answer: acid
The recording states that the study found a rise in the level of acid in the soil. This confirms acid as the missing answer.
40The study concluded that changes to soil damage both ecosystems and ____.
Answer: society
The recording states that the study concluded that changes to soil damage both ecosystems and society. This confirms society as the missing answer.
Academic and General Training Listening Answers
Are the Cambridge IELTS 19 Academic and GT Test 3 Listening Answers the Same?
Yes. Academic and General Training candidates use the same Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 3 Listening recording, questions and answer key. The Reading and Writing tests are different.
Can I Use This Page for Cambridge IELTS 19 General Training Test 3?
Yes. Every answer and explanation on this page applies to the General Training Listening test.
Are Alternative Answers Included?
Yes. We show alternatives only when they are accepted for this test. Examples include harbour or harbor, and 3.30 or 3:30.
What to Do After Marking
Label each error as a listening error, spelling error, distractor error, or instruction error. Replay only the difficult part after completing one full timed attempt.