I85PREP
⌘ K
IELTS General Training study materials
IELTS General Training study resources

IELTS General Training practice questions

One question at a time. Build your IELTS General Training understanding.

First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Listening

In Section 1 of IELTS General Training Listening, a caller says: 'The course runs for six weeks, starting on the fourth of March.' Which detail would a candidate most likely need to write down?

  1. The start date of the course Correct answer.
  2. The cost of the materials
  3. The location of the classroom
  4. The name of the tutor

Explanation

Section 1 tasks usually ask candidates to complete a form or notes with factual details that are stated directly, such as dates, durations and prices. The only detail actually given in the extract is the start date, so that is the information to record. The other details are plausible form fields but were never mentioned.

Question 2Listening

A speaker in a Listening section says: 'The museum is closed on Mondays, but it opens late on the first Thursday of each month.' What does the speaker say about Thursday opening?

  1. The museum is closed all day.
  2. It opens earlier than usual every week.
  3. It stays open all night.
  4. It opens later than usual once a month. Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase 'opens late' means the opening time is later than normal, and 'on the first Thursday of each month' shows this happens monthly. Listening for contrast markers like 'but' helps candidates separate the Monday closure from the Thursday arrangement. The correct option restates the monthly late opening without adding frequency or duration that was not stated.

Question 3Listening

In Section 3, a tutor asks a student: 'So you're arguing that the survey sample was too small?' The student replies: 'That's part of it, but the bigger issue is how the questions were worded.' What is the student's main point?

  1. The survey should not have been conducted.
  2. The sample size was the only problem.
  3. The wording of the questions was the main weakness. Correct answer.
  4. The survey results were completely reliable.

Explanation

The student accepts the sample-size point as only partial ('that's part of it') and then identifies 'the bigger issue', which signals the main criticism. In Section 3, candidates must track which point a speaker ranks as most important. The wording of the questions is therefore the primary concern, not the sample.

Question 4Listening

A candidate hears: 'The workshop has been moved from Room 12 to the library annexe.' Where will the workshop now take place?

  1. A room to be confirmed
  2. Room 12
  3. The library annexe Correct answer.
  4. The main library desk

Explanation

The structure 'moved from X to Y' tells listeners that Y is the new location and X is the old one. IELTS Listening often tests whether candidates follow a change of plan rather than writing the first place they hear. The library annexe is the destination, so it is the current venue.

Question 5Listening

In a Section 4 lecture, the speaker says: 'Deforestation initially raised local incomes, although within a decade the soil had degraded and yields fell sharply.' Which summary best matches the speaker's meaning?

  1. Yields rose sharply throughout the decade.
  2. Local incomes never improved at any point.
  3. Short-term gains were followed by longer-term environmental costs. Correct answer.
  4. Soil quality improved steadily over ten years.

Explanation

The sentence contrasts an initial benefit ('initially raised local incomes') with a later negative outcome ('within a decade the soil had degraded'). Recognising time markers like 'initially' and 'within a decade' is essential in Section 4 monologues. The correct summary captures both stages without overstating either.

Question 6Listening

A speaker gives a phone number and then says: 'Sorry, let me repeat that - it's double seven, not double one.' What should a candidate do with the first version?

  1. Replace it with the corrected version. Correct answer.
  2. Assume the caller made no mistake.
  3. Write it down and keep both numbers.
  4. Ignore the whole number as unreliable.

Explanation

Self-correction phrases such as 'sorry, let me repeat that' signal that the earlier information should be discarded. In IELTS Listening, candidates should note the correction and use the final version in their answer. Keeping both numbers would produce an answer that does not match the intended detail.

Question 7Listening

In Section 2, a guide says: 'The coastal path is suitable for most walkers, but the ridge route should only be attempted by experienced hikers with proper boots.' What is the guide's advice about the ridge route?

  1. It requires experience and suitable footwear. Correct answer.
  2. It is suitable for families with children.
  3. It is closed to all visitors.
  4. It is shorter than the coastal path.

Explanation

The phrase 'should only be attempted by experienced hikers with proper boots' sets two conditions: experience and appropriate footwear. Conditional language like 'only' restricts who the advice applies to. The other options introduce comparisons or restrictions that the speaker never made.

Question 8Listening

A student says in Section 3: 'I wanted to interview twenty people, but I only managed twelve because two dropped out at the last minute.' How many interviews were actually completed?

  1. Ten
  2. Two
  3. Twenty
  4. Twelve Correct answer.

Explanation

The speaker contrasts the intended number ('wanted to interview twenty') with the achieved number ('only managed twelve'). In Listening, numbers attached to intentions are distractors, while the figure linked to the actual outcome is the answer. The two dropouts explain the shortfall but are not the number completed.

Question 9Listening

Which word is most likely to be tested as a spelling answer in a Section 1 note-completion task about booking accommodation?

  1. Reception
  2. Surname Correct answer.
  3. Balcony
  4. Deposit

Explanation

Note-completion tasks in Section 1 frequently require candidates to spell personal names, which are given letter by letter or must be written accurately. A surname is a proper noun that cannot be guessed from context, so accurate spelling is essential. The other words are common nouns that would normally be supplied in the prompt rather than tested for spelling.

Question 10Listening

In a lecture, the speaker says: 'Contrary to popular belief, the earliest cities did not depend on coinage; they relied on recorded debts and barter.' What does the speaker claim about early cities?

  1. They had no system of exchange at all.
  2. They rejected all forms of trade.
  3. They depended mainly on recorded debt and barter. Correct answer.
  4. They used coins before any other system.

Explanation

The phrase 'contrary to popular belief' warns listeners that the common assumption is wrong, and 'did not depend on coinage' rules out coins. The clause after the semicolon states what they did rely on: recorded debts and barter. Candidates must follow the correction rather than the widely held belief.

Question 11Listening

A speaker says: 'The deadline for applications is the thirtieth of September, and late submissions will not be considered.' What happens to an application sent on the first of October?

  1. It is held for the next intake.
  2. It is accepted if the fee is paid.
  3. It is automatically rejected. Correct answer.
  4. It is accepted with a warning.

Explanation

The speaker states that late submissions 'will not be considered', which is a firm rejection. The first of October falls after the thirtieth of September deadline, so the rule applies. Candidates should note that no exception or alternative arrangement is offered in the statement.

Question 12Listening

In Section 3, two students discuss a presentation. One says: 'You could put the graph on the second slide, but I'd save the recommendations for the end.' What is the second student advising?

  1. Start the presentation with the recommendations.
  2. Remove the graph from the presentation entirely.
  3. Show the graph early and finish with the recommendations. Correct answer.
  4. Place the graph and recommendations together at the end.

Explanation

The suggestion places the graph on the second slide, which is early in the presentation, and keeps the recommendations 'for the end'. The contrast with 'but' separates the two pieces of advice. The correct option combines both instructions in the order the speaker intended.

Question 13Listening

A radio advertisement says: 'Join before the end of May and pay no joining fee - that's a saving of fifty pounds.' What benefit is offered to people who join in May?

  1. A discount on future renewals
  2. A free training session
  3. A fifty-pound joining-fee waiver Correct answer.
  4. A free month of membership

Explanation

The advertisement states there is 'no joining fee' and identifies this as a saving of fifty pounds, so the benefit is the waived fee. Listening for the link between a condition ('join before the end of May') and its reward is a common Section 1 and 2 skill. The other offers are not mentioned at all.

Question 14Listening

A lecturer says: 'The experiment was repeated three times, yet the results remained inconsistent, which suggests the problem lies with the equipment rather than the method.' What does the lecturer conclude?

  1. The method is the likely source of the problem.
  2. The results were consistent across all trials.
  3. The equipment is the likely source of the problem. Correct answer.
  4. The experiment was repeated too few times.

Explanation

The structure 'rather than' marks a contrast in which the first item is favoured and the second is rejected. The lecturer places the problem with the equipment rather than the method. The word 'yet' also signals that repetition did not fix the inconsistency, supporting the equipment conclusion.

Question 15Listening

In a Section 1 call, a caller asks about a gym membership and is told: 'The monthly rate is thirty pounds, or you can pay two hundred and ninety for the year.' How much does the annual option cost?

  1. £30
  2. £200
  3. £320
  4. £290 Correct answer.

Explanation

The speaker gives two prices linked to different payment periods: a monthly rate of thirty pounds and a yearly price of two hundred and ninety. The question asks specifically about the annual option, so candidates must match the figure to the correct time period. Confusing the monthly and yearly figures is a common listening error.

Question 16Listening

A speaker in Section 2 says: 'Because of building work, visitors should use the north entrance from Monday; the main entrance will reopen in June.' Which entrance should visitors use next week?

  1. The main entrance
  2. The west entrance
  3. The north entrance Correct answer.
  4. The staff entrance

Explanation

The instruction 'should use the north entrance from Monday' applies immediately, while the main entrance is unavailable until June. Candidates must distinguish the current instruction from the future reopening. The other entrances are not mentioned in the announcement.

Question 17Listening

In Section 3, a student says: 'I assumed the data would be easy to analyse, but it turned out to need far more cleaning than I expected.' What is the student describing?

  1. A task that was simpler than anticipated
  2. A task that produced no data
  3. A task that required more preparation than anticipated Correct answer.
  4. A task that was cancelled

Explanation

The student contrasts an initial assumption ('easy to analyse') with the reality ('far more cleaning than I expected'). The phrase 'turned out' signals an unexpected outcome. Data cleaning is a preparation step, so the task demanded more preparatory work than the student had predicted.

Question 18Listening

A lecture says: 'Although the drug reduced symptoms in the short term, its long-term effects were never properly tested.' What limitation does the speaker identify?

  1. Symptoms were reduced permanently.
  2. The drug had no short-term benefit.
  3. Long-term effects were not adequately investigated. Correct answer.
  4. The drug was tested on too many patients.

Explanation

The phrase 'never properly tested' directly states that long-term effects lack adequate investigation. The concession 'although' acknowledges a short-term benefit before introducing the criticism. Candidates should attach the limitation to the long-term aspect, not to the short-term results.

Question 19Listening

A candidate hears: 'The tour costs forty-five pounds per person, with a ten per cent discount for students.' A student booking one place pays how much?

  1. £35.00
  2. £4.50
  3. £40.50 Correct answer.
  4. £45.00

Explanation

Ten per cent of forty-five pounds is four pounds fifty, so the discounted price is forty-five minus four-fifty, which equals forty pounds fifty. IELTS Listening sometimes requires a simple calculation of this kind rather than a directly stated figure. The distractors reflect the full price, the discount amount and an incorrect subtraction.

Question 20Listening

In Section 2, a speaker says: 'The festival parade will start at the town hall and finish in the park, passing the station on the way.' Where does the parade end?

  1. At the festival office
  2. In the park Correct answer.
  3. At the station
  4. At the town hall

Explanation

The verbs 'start' and 'finish' mark the beginning and end of the route, and the park is named as the finishing point. The station is only a point passed on the way, which makes it a distractor. Candidates should track sequence words carefully to avoid recording intermediate locations as endpoints.

Question 21Listening

A tutor says to a student: 'Your literature review is thorough, but it reads like a list of summaries rather than an argument.' What improvement is the tutor asking for?

  1. Turn the summaries into a critical argument. Correct answer.
  2. Remove the literature review entirely.
  3. Make the review shorter.
  4. Add more sources to the review.

Explanation

The tutor praises the thoroughness but criticises the structure, contrasting 'a list of summaries' with 'an argument'. The implication is that the student should synthesise the sources into a critical argument rather than merely describing them. Neither length nor the number of sources is identified as the problem.

Question 22Listening

A lecture states: 'Migration patterns are influenced less by distance than by the availability of work.' Which factor does the speaker consider more important?

  1. The distance between locations
  2. The climate of the destination
  3. The availability of work Correct answer.
  4. The age of the migrants

Explanation

The comparative structure 'less by X than by Y' makes Y the stronger factor, which here is the availability of work. Candidates often misread such structures and select the first item mentioned. Distance is explicitly downgraded, and the other factors are not part of the comparison.

Question 23Listening

In a Section 1 conversation, a caller asks for the reference number and is told: 'It's B-T-seven-four-Q.' Which reference should be written?

  1. BT47Q
  2. BT74Q Correct answer.
  3. BT74C
  4. B7T4Q

Explanation

The speaker dictates the characters in a fixed order: B, T, seven, four, Q. Candidates must transcribe letters and numbers exactly as heard, keeping the sequence intact. Confusing similar-sounding letters such as Q and C, or reversing digits, are common errors in Section 1.

Question 24Listening

A speaker says: 'The library is open every day except Sunday, when it closes at four instead of eight.' On Sunday, when does the library close?

  1. At eight
  2. At midday
  3. It does not open
  4. At four Correct answer.

Explanation

The exception clause 'except Sunday, when it closes at four instead of eight' gives Sunday's closing time as four. The word 'instead' signals that the usual time of eight does not apply on that day. Candidates must attach the correct time to the specific day mentioned.

Question 25Listening

In Section 3, a student says: 'I initially planned to use questionnaires, but my supervisor convinced me that interviews would give richer data.' What method will the student use?

  1. Interviews Correct answer.
  2. Both methods equally
  3. Neither method
  4. Questionnaires

Explanation

The student's original plan was questionnaires, but the supervisor persuaded them otherwise, so the current choice is interviews. The past tense 'planned' and the verb 'convinced' show that the plan changed. Recognising such markers helps candidates avoid recording an abandoned plan as the answer.

Question 26Listening

In a Section 1 call, a customer asks about a storage unit and is told: 'The smallest unit is nine pounds a week, but the price drops to seven if you book for six months or more.' What does the customer pay weekly for a six-month booking?

  1. Nine pounds
  2. Sixteen pounds
  3. Seven pounds Correct answer.
  4. Six pounds

Explanation

The speaker gives two rates and attaches the lower one to the longer commitment, so the six-month booking attracts the reduced weekly price. Distractors reuse numbers heard in the recording (nine, six) without matching the condition given.

Question 27Listening

A Section 2 speaker describes a community centre: 'The main hall is on the ground floor, the art room is directly above it, and the office is in the basement.' Where is the art room?

  1. On the ground floor
  2. On the first floor Correct answer.
  3. In the basement
  4. Next to the office

Explanation

'Directly above' the ground-floor hall places the art room on the floor above, which in British usage is the first floor. The basement location belongs to the office, so it cannot also describe the art room.

Question 28Listening

In a Section 1 booking call, the receptionist says: 'We can hold the room for forty-eight hours, but the deposit must clear before we confirm.' What must happen before the booking is confirmed?

  1. The deposit must be paid and cleared Correct answer.
  2. The room must be inspected first
  3. A written contract must be signed
  4. The guest must call back within a week

Explanation

The receptionist makes confirmation conditional on the deposit clearing, so payment is the required step. The forty-eight hours is only how long the room is held, not an action the guest must complete.

Question 29Listening

A lecturer says: 'The survey was sent to two hundred households, and although sixty replied, only forty returned fully completed forms.' How many usable responses did the researcher receive?

  1. Forty Correct answer.
  2. Sixty
  3. Two hundred
  4. One hundred

Explanation

Three figures appear in the sentence, and only the last describes forms that were both returned and complete. Listening questions of this type reward tracking which number attaches to which noun.

Question 30Listening

In Section 3, a tutor says: 'Your methodology chapter is clear, but the discussion section repeats the results without interpreting them.' What improvement does the tutor want?

  1. A shorter methodology chapter
  2. Additional raw results tables
  3. Clearer sentence structure throughout
  4. More interpretation in the discussion Correct answer.

Explanation

The tutor praises the methodology and criticises the discussion for restating rather than interpreting, so the fix is analysis in that section. The other options address parts the tutor either commended or never raised.

Question 31Listening

A speaker in Section 2 says: 'The museum is free on the first Sunday of each month, but donations of five pounds are suggested.' What does a visitor pay on that Sunday?

  1. Five pounds
  2. A reduced entry fee of two pounds
  3. The full admission price
  4. Nothing, though a donation is invited Correct answer.

Explanation

Free entry means no compulsory charge, while the five pounds is explicitly described as a suggested donation. Candidates who hear a sum of money often wrongly treat it as a required payment.

Question 32Listening

In a Section 1 conversation, a caller gives an email address: 'It's j-a-m-e-s dot p-r-y-c-e at h-a-r-b-o-u-r dot org.' Which email address is correct?

  1. [email protected]
  2. [email protected] Correct answer.
  3. [email protected]
  4. [email protected]

Explanation

The surname is spelled out as p-r-y-c-e and the domain as h-a-r-b-o-u-r, so the address must match that letter-by-letter spelling and the stated ending. Spelling-out tasks test whether you record letters, not how the name is usually written.

Question 33Listening

A lecturer says: 'The bridge was completed in 1890, rebuilt after flooding in 1954, and widened in 1978.' In which year was the bridge rebuilt?

  1. 1954 Correct answer.
  2. 1978
  3. 1890
  4. 1890 and 1978

Explanation

Each year is tied to a different event, and 'rebuilt' attaches to 1954. Noting the verb that follows each date prevents mixing up completion, rebuilding and widening.

Question 34Listening

In Section 3, a student says: 'I wanted to compare three schools, but two withdrew, so my findings describe a single case.' What limitation does the student identify?

  1. The schools refused to share documents
  2. The data were collected too quickly
  3. The sample is too small to generalise from Correct answer.
  4. The questionnaire was poorly designed

Explanation

With only one case remaining, the study cannot support broad claims, which is the limitation the student names. The reasons for the other options are not mentioned in the statement.

Question 35Listening

A speaker says: 'The workshop runs from ten thirty until one, with a break of forty-five minutes halfway through.' How long is the taught part of the workshop?

  1. Two hours
  2. Two hours and thirty minutes
  3. One hour and forty-five minutes Correct answer.
  4. Three hours

Explanation

Ten thirty to one is two and a half hours, and subtracting the forty-five-minute break leaves one hour and forty-five minutes of teaching. This kind of item requires arithmetic on two stated figures rather than simple recall.

Question 36Listening

In a Section 2 announcement, a ranger says: 'The car park closes at dusk, and vehicles left after that will be locked in until morning.' What is the consequence of returning late?

  1. The car is moved to a nearby street
  2. The vehicle stays locked in overnight Correct answer.
  3. A parking fine is posted to the owner
  4. The owner must pay an unlocking charge

Explanation

The ranger states directly that late vehicles remain locked in until morning, which is the stated consequence. Fines and charges are plausible but are not mentioned, so they cannot be assumed.

Question 37Listening

A lecturer says: 'Urban farming is often presented as a solution to food insecurity, yet most schemes in the study supplied less than five per cent of local demand.' What is the lecturer's point?

  1. Urban farming has no supporters
  2. Food insecurity has been solved locally
  3. Local demand for vegetables has fallen
  4. The claimed benefit is smaller than often assumed Correct answer.

Explanation

The contrast word 'yet' signals that the evidence undercuts the popular claim, so the lecturer is questioning the scale of the benefit. The statement does not deny that schemes exist or that anyone supports them.

Question 38Listening

In Section 1, a caller is told: 'The deposit is refundable if you cancel more than fourteen days before arrival; after that, we keep half.' A guest cancels ten days before arrival. What happens to the deposit?

  1. It is transferred to a future booking
  2. Half of it is kept Correct answer.
  3. All of it is kept
  4. It is refunded in full

Explanation

Ten days falls inside the fourteen-day threshold, so the later rule applies and half the deposit is retained. The full refund belongs only to cancellations made earlier than fourteen days.

Question 39Listening

A speaker in Section 2 says: 'Because the lift is being serviced, anyone with mobility difficulties should ask a steward, who can open the side gate.' What should such visitors do?

  1. Postpone their visit to another day
  2. Use the stairs near the main entrance
  3. Wait until the lift is repaired
  4. Ask a steward to open the side gate Correct answer.

Explanation

The speaker gives a specific instruction for visitors with mobility difficulties, which is to approach a steward for access through the side gate. The other options are not offered as alternatives.

Question 40Listening

In Section 3, one student says: 'The interviews gave us rich detail, but I'm not sure we can claim the pattern holds beyond this company.' What concern is being expressed?

  1. The interviews were too short
  2. The company refused consent
  3. The findings may not be generalisable Correct answer.
  4. The data were recorded incorrectly

Explanation

Doubting that a pattern extends beyond one company is a concern about generalisability from a single case. The speaker actually praises the depth of detail, so data quality is not the issue.

Question 41Listening

A recorded message says: 'Tickets booked online cost twelve pounds; those bought at the door cost fifteen, and children under five travel free.' A family buys two adult tickets at the door. What do they pay?

  1. Fifteen pounds
  2. Twenty-seven pounds
  3. Twenty-four pounds
  4. Thirty pounds Correct answer.

Explanation

Door tickets are fifteen pounds each, so two cost thirty pounds. The twelve-pound figure applies only to online bookings and is the most common trap in this item.

Question 42Listening

A lecturer says: 'The earliest maps were not drawn to scale; they recorded landmarks in the order travellers would meet them.' What did these maps emphasise?

  1. Accurate distances between towns
  2. The sequence of landmarks on a route Correct answer.
  3. Political boundaries between regions
  4. The exact shape of coastlines

Explanation

If maps were not to scale but listed landmarks in travel order, their organising principle was sequence along a route. Scale-based accuracy is precisely what the lecturer says was absent.

Question 43Listening

In Section 1, a caller asks about a course and is told: 'The evening class has filled, but a place has opened on the Saturday morning group.' What does the caller learn?

  1. The evening class starts later
  2. Only the Saturday group has space Correct answer.
  3. Both groups are full
  4. A new evening class will be added

Explanation

The first clause rules out the evening class, and 'but' introduces the available alternative, the Saturday morning group. Recognising contrast markers is central to this kind of Section 1 item.

Question 44Listening

A speaker says: 'The path is steep for the first kilometre, then levels out, so most people find the return easier.' Why is the return easier?

  1. It is shorter in distance
  2. It avoids the steep section entirely
  3. It is walked at a slower pace
  4. It is mostly downhill or level Correct answer.

Explanation

The outward route climbs steeply and then flattens, so coming back reverses that profile and is gentler. The distance is the same in both directions, which rules out a shorter return.

Question 45Listening

In a lecture on sleep, the speaker says: 'Participants who slept less than six hours performed worse on memory tasks, although the study could not establish why.' What did the study show?

  1. Memory tasks improve with less sleep
  2. Short sleep was linked to poorer memory performance Correct answer.
  3. The cause of poor memory was identified
  4. Six hours is the ideal amount of sleep

Explanation

The study found an association between short sleep and worse performance while explicitly failing to explain the mechanism. Distinguishing a demonstrated link from a proven cause is the skill tested here.

Question 46Listening

In Section 3, a student says: 'My supervisor suggested narrowing the question, but I think the broader version shows why the topic matters.' What is the student's position?

  1. Fully agreeing with the supervisor
  2. Abandoning the topic altogether
  3. Preferring to keep the broader question Correct answer.
  4. Asking for a new supervisor

Explanation

The student reports the supervisor's advice but then defends the broader question, so the position is disagreement with that advice. Reporting someone's suggestion does not mean accepting it.

Question 47Listening

A guide says: 'The ruins are open daily, though the upper terrace is closed on Mondays for conservation work.' A visitor arrives on Monday. What can they do?

  1. Nothing, because the site is closed
  2. Enter only with a special permit
  3. Visit the whole site including the terrace
  4. Visit the ruins but not the upper terrace Correct answer.

Explanation

The site opens daily, but the Monday closure applies specifically to the upper terrace, so only that part is unavailable. The contrast between the general opening and the specific exception is the key.

Question 48Listening

A lecturer says: 'The policy reduced traffic in the centre, but congestion rose on the ring road, so the overall effect was close to neutral.' How does the lecturer characterise the policy?

  1. A complete failure
  2. Untested and therefore unknown
  3. Largely a redistribution of the problem Correct answer.
  4. A complete success

Explanation

Traffic fell in one area and rose in another with little net change, which is a shift rather than a solution. Calling it a success or failure would ignore the neutral overall assessment the lecturer gives.

Question 49Listening

In Section 1, a caller says: 'I'd rather not pay the full amount now - can I spread it over three months?' The agent replies: 'We only offer instalments on courses costing over five hundred pounds.' The caller's course costs four hundred. What follows?

  1. The course fee will be reduced
  2. The caller can pay in three instalments
  3. The caller must pay a penalty
  4. The caller cannot use the instalment plan Correct answer.

Explanation

Instalments are restricted to courses above five hundred pounds, and four hundred falls below that threshold, so the plan is unavailable. The caller's preference cannot override the stated condition.

Question 50Listening

A speaker says: 'The council's report recommends widening the pavement, but it stops short of calling for a ban on cars.' What is the report's stance on cars?

  1. It neither proposes nor rules out a ban Correct answer.
  2. It rejects any change to traffic
  3. It demands an immediate ban
  4. It suggests a ban but does not require one

Explanation

To 'stop short of calling for' a ban means the report does not go as far as recommending one, and it equally does not oppose one. The idiom is the whole difficulty of the item.