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IELTS Practice Listening: Note/Summary Completion ID: #57359 Medium Fiction books
Instructions ›

Complete the table.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

You will hear a talk introducing students to the library system. Now listen carefully and answer the questions. Right, everyone. My name is Cathy Smith. I'd like to give you a brief introduction about the library system. Every good student should learn how to use the library. If you have to do a research project, the library is the place to go to for information. Libraries contain books and periodicals, magazines and newspapers on many different subjects. To find the information you need, you must know how to use the library. All libraries are organised in much the same way. Every library houses a collection of books. Many libraries also have periodicals, films and records. All the books in a library can be classified under two main categories, fiction and non-fiction. Books of fiction contain stories that were made-up by the author. Books of non-fiction contain factual material. When doing research, you use non-fiction books because you are looking for factual information. All the fictional books in a library are grouped in one section. They are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the author. Many libraries also label the spines of all books of fiction with the letters FIC or F. All libraries have a system for organizing and classifying non-fiction books. The most widely used system is the Dewey Decimal System. It was designed by an American librarian named Melvin Dewey. It is called a decimal system because it divides all non-fiction books into 10 major categories. These are further divided into subdivisions. For example, all science books are numbered from 500 through 599. Each different field of science has a number within the 500 category. For example, astronomy is 520 and chemistry is 540. The Dewey Decimal System provides a category for every type of non-fiction book. The best way to locate a book in the library is to use the card catalogue. The card catalogue is an index of all the books in the library. Information about a book is listed on cards. All the cards are filed alphabetically and stored in drawers in large cabinets. The card catalogue can help you locate a particular book, a book on a certain subject or a book by a particular author. In the card catalogue, each book has three cards: an author card, a title card and a subject card. The author card is alphabetised under the author's name. The title card is filed alphabetically according to the title of the book. The subject card is filed alphabetically under the name of the subject of the book. In many university libraries, they use their own biblitis cataloguing system or the microfiche system. Both of them list publications under author and title and both are very easy to use. Now let us see the reference books. We all know that reference books make up an important part of a library's non-fiction books collection. They contain facts and information about any subject you can think of. Reference books are not meant to be read from cover to cover. You should use them when you want important facts and information about a particular subject. Let's see some major types of reference books. First, dictionaries. Dictionaries are books that list and give the meanings of the words in a language. They also give the pronunciation of words in a dictionary, which are listed alphabetically. Second is encyclopedias. Encyclopedias are reference books that provide factual information about people, events, places and subjects of lasting interest. Each article is written by a specialist on the topic being discussed. An encyclopedia usually consists of a number of books arranged in a set. The volumes are arranged in alphabetical order according to the topic of each article. Letters are stamped on the spine of each volume to indicate the alphabetical ring of the topics in each volume. For instance, if you wanted to find information about the moon, you would look in volume 8 of the encyclopedia pictured here. Next is atlases. An atlas is a book of maps. It may contain many different kinds of maps. The maps in an atlas are often arranged alphabetically by country or continent. Almanacs are also a type of reference books. An almanac is a book that contains recent statistics and summaries of information on a wide variety of topics. It is published annually. Information is listed alphabetically by subject. Indexes are alphabetical lists of names, titles and subjects that tell where information about each can be found in other publications. For example, the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature can help you find magazine articles that have been published about a particular subject. It will give you the names of publications that have carried articles about the subject, the dates and volume numbers of the particular issue in which the articles appeared. You should be aware that reference books may not be taken out of the library under any circumstances, they are used only in the library.
12 blanks 3 words max
Categories
Definition
Fiction

Books containing  made up by the author

Non fiction

Books containing  material

How are fictional books organized in a library? 

What is the name of the most widely used library organization system? 

* The best way to find a book in the library is  the card catalogue. The catalogue is an  of all the books. All the cards are filed alphabetically and  in drawers in large cabinets. There are three types of cards found in the card catalogue; an author card,  card and  card. The card catalogue can help you to find a book easily.




Reference books
Definition
Encyclopedias

Contain articles about a variety of subjects and give many 


Are books of maps often arranged by country or continent.
Almanacs

Contain recent statistics and summaries of information on a  variety of topics, are published .



AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

Question Focus: Synonym match - definition of fiction

Correct Answer: stories

Why this is correct: The speaker clearly explains what fiction is. You hear that fiction books contain stories that are made-up by the author, which matches the summary sentence exactly.

Passage Reference: Books of fiction contain stories that were made-up by the author.

Common Mistake: Some students write made-up stories. This is more than needed and not the exact word from the transcript. This is a word limit trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'contain stories that were made-up' = Summary: 'Books containing ___ made up by the author'

Tips: Listen for simple definitions. The speaker often says the exact word you need.

Key Vocabulary:

  • fiction = not real
  • made-up = invented

Question Focus: Exact word match

Correct Answer: factual

Passage Reference: Books of non-fiction contain factual material.

Why this is correct: The speaker contrasts fiction and non-fiction. You hear that non-fiction books contain factual material, so the missing word is factual.

Common Mistake: Students may write facts, but the speaker says factual material. You must copy the exact word. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'contain factual material' = Summary: 'Books containing ___ material'

Tips: When you hear an adjective plus noun, check which part the gap needs.

Key Vocabulary:

  • factual = based on facts

Question Focus: Listening for organisation details

Correct Answer: in one section

Passage Reference: All the fictional books in a library are grouped in one section.

Why this is correct: The speaker explains how fiction books are organised. You hear they are grouped in one section, which answers the question directly.

Common Mistake: Some students write alphabetically. That information comes later and answers a different question. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'grouped in one section' = Question: 'organized in a library'

Tips: Do not answer too early. Wait until the speaker finishes the full idea.

Key Vocabulary:

  • grouped = put together
  • section = area

Question Focus: Naming a system

Correct Answer: deway decimal system

Passage Reference: The most widely used system is the Dewey Decimal System.

Why this is correct: The speaker names the system clearly. You hear The Dewey Decimal System is the most widely used.

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write only Dewey. This is incomplete and misses key information. This is a partial truth trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'The most widely used system is the Dewey Decimal System' = Question: 'What is the name of the most widely used library organization system?'

Tips: For names, copy the full phrase you hear if it fits the word limit.

Key Vocabulary:

  • system = method of organising

Question Focus: Grammar fit - verb phrase

Correct Answer: to use

Passage Reference: The best way to locate a book in the library is to use the card catalogue.

Why this is correct: The speaker says the best way to locate a book is to use the card catalogue. The gap only needs to use because the rest is given.

Common Mistake: Some students write using, which breaks the grammar of the sentence. This is a grammar trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'is to use the card catalogue' = Summary: 'The best way to find a book is ___ the card catalogue'

Tips: Always check the words before and after the gap to choose the correct verb form.

Key Vocabulary:

  • locate = find

Question Focus: Definition listening

Correct Answer: index

Passage Reference: the card catalogue. The card catalogue is an index of all the books in the library.

Why this is correct: The speaker defines the card catalogue. You hear it is an index of all the books.

Common Mistake: Students may write list, which is similar in meaning but not the exact word. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'is an index of all the books' = Summary: 'The catalogue is an ___ of all the books'

Tips: When you hear 'is an...', the next word is often the answer.

Key Vocabulary:

  • index = organised list

Question Focus: Passive verb form

Correct Answer: stored

Passage Reference: All the cards are filed alphabetically and stored in drawers in large cabinets.

Why this is correct: The speaker explains what happens to the cards. You hear they are stored in drawers.

Common Mistake: Some students write put, which is informal and not used by the speaker. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'stored in drawers' = Summary: 'filed alphabetically and ___ in drawers'

Tips: Listen for passive forms like 'are stored', 'are arranged'.

Key Vocabulary:

  • stored = kept

Question Focus: List listening

Correct Answer: a title

Passage Reference: each book has three cards: an author card, a title card and a subject card.

Why this is correct: The speaker lists three cards. The second one mentioned is a title card, which matches the gap.

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write only title, but the article a is needed to match the sentence. This is a grammar trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'an author card, a title card and a subject card' = Summary: 'an author card, ___ card and ___ card'

Tips: When the speaker lists items, answers usually come in the same order.

Key Vocabulary:

  • title = name of a book

Question Focus: List completion

Correct Answer: a subject

Passage Reference: each book has three cards: an author card, a title card and a subject card.

Why this is correct: The final card named by the speaker is a subject card, so the gap should be a subject.

Common Mistake: Some students repeat author again. That ignores the order of information. This is a sequence trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'a subject card' = Summary: 'and ___ card'

Tips: Trust the order of the recording. Do not guess ahead.

Key Vocabulary:

  • subject = topic

Question Focus: Key noun listening

Correct Answer: facts

Passage Reference: Encyclopedias are reference books that provide factual information about people, events, places and subjects of lasting interest.

Why this is correct: The speaker explains that encyclopedias give factual information. The summary shortens this to facts.

Common Mistake: Students may write information, but the summary grammar requires a countable plural noun. This is a grammar trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'provide factual information' = Summary: 'give many ___'

Tips: Check if the gap needs a countable or uncountable noun.

Key Vocabulary:

  • facts = true details

Question Focus: Definition match

Correct Answer: atlases

Passage Reference: Next is atlases. An atlas is a book of maps. It may contain many different kinds of maps. The maps in an atlas are often arranged alphabetically by country or continent.

Why this is correct: The speaker says an atlas is a book of maps. The table uses the plural form, so the answer is atlases.

Common Mistake: Some students write atlas, but the table heading is plural. This is a grammar number trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'An atlas is a book of maps' = Table: '___ are books of maps'

Tips: Look carefully at singular and plural forms in tables.

Key Vocabulary:

  • atlas = map book

Question Focus: Adverb listening

Correct Answer: annually

Passage Reference: An almanac is a book that contains recent statistics and summaries of information on a wide variety of topics. It is published annually.

Why this is correct: The speaker explains how often almanacs are published. You hear they are published annually.

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write every year, which changes the wording. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'published annually' = Summary: 'are published ___'

Tips: Listen carefully for adverbs that describe time or frequency.

Key Vocabulary:

  • annually = every year

General Tips:

  • FIB questions follow the order of the recording. Use the previous answer to know where to listen next.
  • Always check the word limit. Extra words make the answer wrong even if the idea is correct.
  • Copy the exact word you hear. Do not change it to a synonym.
  • Use grammar clues like articles, verb forms, and singular or plural nouns.
  • Listen for definitions and lists. These are common places for FIB answers.

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