IELTS Listening Diagrams Practice & Tips
Useful practice and tips for IELTS Listening Diagram Labelling Questions. IELTS listening diagrams can come in any section of the IELTS listening test. You will be presented with a visual diagram requiring you to either label parts of the diagram or complete notes in the diagram. It is important that you prepare for this type of IELTS listening question. Please note that the lessons below are not tests, they are practice lessons for IELTS listening diagrams.
Tips for IELTS Listening Diagram Labelling
- In your IELTS listening test, you can listen only once. There is no pause button.
- Different question types will have different instructions – pay attention to this! Word count!
- Read the questions carefully before listening. You will need to develop speed reading for this.
- Pay attention to keywords given in the diagram- they will help you find the answers.
- The information in the diagram will be presented in a logical order. Follow the order.
- Locate the question numbers on the diagram.
- The numbers will come in order in the listening test.
- Be ready for words to be paraphrased from the diagram.
- Note what kind of answer you are listening for: noun, verb, adj, number etc.
- When you check your answers for these lessons, always listen to the recording and read the transcript again for more practice.
IELTS Listening Practice: Mars Insight Probe
Questions 1 – 3
Complete the sentences using no more than one word and/or a number.
- The Insight probe will investigate Mars’ ………………
- The probe is currently situated near Mars’ …………..
- Scientists aim to learn about Mars’ composition from its core to its ………..
Questions 4 – 7
Complete the diagram below using no more than two words and/or numbers.
Diagram: Insight Lander
Click below to reveal the answers:
- plunge = dive, decent
- vast = enormous
- plain = large area of flat land without obstacles such as large rocks
- core = centre
- crust = hard outer layer of something
- seismometer = an instrument that measures movement such as earthquakes
- orbits = circles (vb)
- pointers = clues
- circular = round
Transcript
The US space agency Nasa has landed a new robot on Mars, otherwise known as the Red Planet. after a dramatic seven-minute plunge to the surface., The Insight probe aims to study the world’s deep interior, and make it the only planet – apart from Earth – that has been examined in this way. Insight is now sitting on a vast, flat plain, close to the Red Planet’s equator. This will be the first probe to dedicate its investigations to understanding Mars’ interior. Scientists want to know how the world is constructed – from its core to its crust.
Looking at the functions of the Insight probe shown on the diagram, we can see that at the top there is a robotic arm which places instruments such as the seismometer on the planet’s surface. Attached to the arm is an instrument monitoring camera. On the main body of the probe there are sensors for both temperature and wind as well as a rise antenna. This measures the movement of Mars’ North Pole as it orbits the sun giving pointers about the iron-rich centre of the planet and hopefully more information about the composition and size of the planet’s core. On either side of the main body of the probe are two large circular solar panels which were deployed immediately on landing to operate its systems and warm equipment in the sub-zero temperatures on the planet . To delve deep into the ground and measure the planet’s temperature, there is a heat flow probe that will penetrate to a depth of 5m or 16ft.
Answers have been written using all capital letters – this is recommended for both reading and listening answers.
- INTERIOR
- EQUATOR
- CRUST
- ROBOTIC ARM
- TEMPERATURE WIND
- It is not necessary to use a comma – punctuation is not required in IELTS listening answers. Although using a comma is still acceptable.
- Writing the word “and” would make the answer incorrect for two reasons: 1) there is a word limit of max two words 2) the word “and” is already given in the diagram and cannot be part of the answer.
- Both words are necessary for one point. There are no half points.
- SOLAR PANELS
- You must have the “s” on panels or the answer will be marked wrong.
- You cannot write “circular solar panels” because that is three words and the limit is two words. Also the word “circular” is purely descriptive to help the reader identify the solar panels on the diagram – it is not a word that makes up the compound noun.
- 5 16
- You must have both numbers for one point. If one number is wrong, the whole answer is marked wrong.
- See above about using commas.
- You should not put “m” or “ft” or use brackets () with the numbers because that is already given on the diagram. Your task is to write down what is missing.
- Note that the instructions for questions 1-3 and the instructions for 4-7 are not the same. Please check them again about the limit for numbers written in answers.