Research Proposal: A Primary-School Reading Scheme: Listening Answers & Explanations
IELTS Listening practice test · 9 questionsPart 3medium
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About this recording
The recording opens: “Let's look at your research proposal. You want to test whether a daily twenty-minute reading session improves children's vocabulary.”
- Transcript length: about 432 words
- Questions: 9
- Question types: Multiple Choice, Multiple Choice — Multiple Answers, Matching Features, Sentence Completion
“Research Proposal: A Primary-School Reading Scheme” is an original IELTS-style practice recording written by IELTS-Bank. It is not taken from an official IELTS or Cambridge test, so these answers only apply to our version.
Answer key at a glance
Research Proposal: A Primary-School Reading Scheme answers with explanations
Question 1: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
What was the main flaw in the students' original design?
- A. It had no group to compare results against.
- B. It tested too many children at once.
- C. It lasted only a single week.
- 1
The original design lacked
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Answer: A — It had no group to compare results against.
Why: The original design lacked a control group, as Dr Naylor pointed out that without a comparison group, any improvement could be attributed to natural vocabulary development rather than the reading sessions.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 3 (Omar) “Right — without a comparison group, any improvement could just be the children getting older and picking up words naturally.”
Question 2: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Why do the students want to test the children before the scheme starts?
- A. to practise using the test equipment
- B. to check the two classes are similar at the start
- C. to decide which children can read
- 2
The baseline test is needed
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Answer: B — to check the two classes are similar at the start
Why: The students want to test the children before the scheme starts to ensure that the two classes are genuinely similar initially, as Grace mentions that a comparison would be meaningless if one class already had stronger readers.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 5 (Grace) “If one class already had stronger readers, the comparison would be meaningless.”
Question 3: Multiple Choice — Multiple Answers
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Which TWO concerns does the tutor raise about the proposal?
- A. the time commitment for teachers
- B. the cost of the books
- C. the stress a test may cause children
- D. the size of the school
- E. the length of the school term
- 3
Two concerns raised by Dr Naylor
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Answer: A — the time commitment for teachers; C — the stress a test may cause children
Why: Dr Naylor raises concerns about the time commitment for teachers and the stress a test may cause children, as he mentions the twenty-minute daily sessions being a big commitment and the stress of a vocabulary test.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 1 (Dr Naylor) “You want to test whether a daily twenty-minute reading session improves children's vocabulary.”
Questions 4–6: Matching Features
Who will prepare each part of the proposal?
Choose your answer from the list of people A–C and select the correct letter for each part.
- A. Grace
- B. Omar
- C. Dr Naylor
- 4
designing the picture game
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Answer: A — Grace
Why: Grace is the correct answer because she volunteered to design the picture game, stating her experience with the age group and understanding of what captures their attention.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 13 (Grace) “I'll design the picture game — I've worked with this age group before, so I know what holds their attention.”
- 5
preparing the consent paperwork
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Answer: B — Omar
Why: Omar is responsible for preparing the consent paperwork, as he states, "And I'll prepare the consent paperwork and the letters to parents," indicating his role in handling the administrative tasks.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 14 (Omar) “And I'll prepare the consent paperwork and the letters to parents.”
- 6
drafting the statistical plan
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Answer: C — Dr Naylor
Why: Dr Naylor is responsible for drafting the statistical plan, as he mentions taking on this task because Grace and Omar are least sure about it.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 15 (Dr Naylor) “Then I'll draft the statistical plan, since that's the part you're least sure about.”
Questions 7–9: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
- 7
The class that carries on as normal is called the ______ group.(max 1 word)
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Answer: control
Why: Dr Naylor explains that a control group is necessary for comparison, describing it as a second class that continues with their usual activities, allowing the researchers to measure the effect of the reading sessions.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 4 (Dr Naylor) “You need a control group — a second class that carries on as normal.”
- 8
To reduce stress, vocabulary will be tested with a ______ game.(max 1 word)
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Answer: picture (also accepted: picture-based)
Why: Grace mentions that instead of a formal written test, they would use a picture-based game to make it feel more like play and less like an exam, reducing stress for young children.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 9 (Grace) “Instead of a formal written test, we'd use a picture-based game, so it feels like play rather than an exam.”
- 9
The sessions will be run by a teaching ______, not the class teacher.(max 1 word)
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Answer: assistant
Why: Omar mentions that the sessions will be conducted by a teaching assistant to avoid adding to the teacher's workload, addressing Dr Naylor's concern about the time commitment required for the reading sessions.
What you hear · Transcript, paragraph 7 (Omar) “Our answer is that a teaching assistant, not the class teacher, would run the sessions, so it doesn't add to the teacher's workload.”
Estimated band score for this test
Your raw score out of 9 scaled to the 40-question IELTS Listening conversion table. This is the same estimate the practice page shows after you submit. A single recording is a small sample, so treat it as a guide.
| Correct answers | Estimated band |
|---|---|
| 9 / 9 | 9.0 |
| 8 / 9 | 8.0 |
| 7 / 9 | 7.0 |
| 6 / 9 | 6.5 |
| 4–5 / 9 | 5.5 |
| 3 / 9 | 4.5 |
| 2 / 9 | 3.5 |
| 1 / 9 | 2.5 |
| 0 / 9 | 0.0 |
Full-test score? Use the IELTS band calculator.
Tips for the question types in this test
Listening Part 3
- Before the audio, read the questions and note whose view each one asks about — "What does Marta think…" is answered by Marta’s words, not her tutor’s.
- Learn the voices in the first few seconds: names are always exchanged early, and attaching name to voice immediately pays off for the whole part.
Common trap: Attributing one speaker’s opinion to another, especially when a speaker summarises someone else’s view before disagreeing with it.
Full Listening Part 3 strategyPractise “Research Proposal: A Primary-School Reading Scheme” under exam conditions
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