Listening Part C: The questions (Skill 10)

Previous article: Strategy For Listening Part C

It is very helpful to your ability to answer individual questions in Listening Part C if you can anticipate what the questions will be and listen specifically for the answers to those questions (as you did in Listening Part B).

Example

In your test book, you read:

(A) For a week

(B) Since yesterday

(C) For two days

(D) Since 10:00 this morning

You try to anticipate the question:

How long has (something) been going on?

Analysis:

• In this example, you can be quite certain that one of the questions will be about how long something has been going on. Since you are sure that this is one of the questions, you can listen carefully for clues that will give you the answer. 
• This example shows that a helpful strategy in Listening Part C (just as in Listening Part B) therefore is to look briefly at the answers in the test book, before you actually hear the talks on the recording, and try to determine the questions that you will be asked to answer.

EXERCISE 10: Study the following answers and try to determine what the ques tions will be. (You should note that perhaps you will only be able to predict part of a question, rather than the complete question.) If you cannot predict the question in a short period of time, then move on to the next group of answers. Question 1 has been answered for you.

1. Question: What type of plant is this?

   (A) A beautiful plant.
   (B) A poisonous plant.
  (C) A delicious plant.
  (D) A fast-growing plant.

2. Question: ...............................................?

   (A) In vegetable gardens.
   (B) Only in the United States.
   (C) In supermarkets.
   (D) In many different places.

3. Question:................................................?

    (A) Its leaves resemble parsley.
    (B) It grows next to carrots.
    (C) Its leaves are shaped like carrots.
    (D) It does not have roots.

4. Question: .....................................................?

    (A) The person may die.
    (B) The person may get lots of healthful nutrients.
    (C) The person may enjoy it and want more.
    (D) The person may become dangerous.

5. Question:.....................................................?

    (A) A story-writing contest.
    (B) A frog-catching contest.
   (C) A singing contest.
   (D) A frog-jumping contest.

6. Question: ...................................................?

    (A) Sixty-three.
    (B) Two hundred.
   (C) Two thousand.
   (D) Forty thousand.

7. Question:....................................................?

    (A) One.
    (B) Two.
    (C) Three.
    (D) Four.

8. Question:.....................................................?

    (A) The contest took place for years before Twain wrote about it...
    (B) Twain wrote about the contest while he was watching it for the first time.
    (C) Twain went to see the contest many times during his lifetime.
    (D) Twain wrote about the contest before it actually took place.

9. Question: ...................................................?

    (A) A student.
    (B) A professor.
    (C) A bookstore clerk.
    (D) A librarian.

10. Question:.................................................?

     (A) The place where students get ID cards.
     (B) The place where students can use computers.
     (C) The place where students check books out.
     (D) The place where students find books in the library.

11. Question: ...............................................?

     (A) A fee.
     (B) A student ID card.
     (C) Permission from the instructor.
     (D) A computer.
 
12. Question:..............................................?

     (A) A few hours.
     (B) Two days.
     (C) Fourteen days.
      (D) Two months.

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TOEFL Listening diagnostic pre-test

Th Following Pre Test is for Paper Based Test only.

Dianostic listening pre-test is held to

1. Find out someone's listening skill before studying the skills. 
2.  Check how far TOEFL Test Takers have mastered listening skills

The dianostic pre-test consists of three parts:

1. Listening Part A or short dialogue, has 30 numbers
2. Listening Part B or longer conversation, has eight numbers, and
3. Part C speech or talks, has twelve humbers.

Dianostic pre-test usually takes about 35 minutes. The test also includes the directon on how to do the listening pre-test.

DIAGNOSTIC PRE-TEST

SECTION 1

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Tune—approximately 35 minutes

(including the reading of the directions for each part)

In this section of the test, you will have an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to understand conversations and talks in English. There are three parts to this section, with special directions for each part. Answer all the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied by the speakers you hear. Do not take notes or write in your test book at any time. Do not turn the pages until you are told to do so.

Part A

Directions: In Part A you will hear short conversations between two people. After each conversation, you will hear a question about the conversation. The conversations and questions will not be repeated. After you hear a question, read the four possible answers in your test book and choose the best answer. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen.

Here is an example.

On the recording, you will hear:

(man)      : That exam was just awful.
(woman) : Oh, it could have been worse.
(narrator): What does the woman mean?

In your test book, you will read:

(A). The exam was really awful.
(B). It was the worst exam she had ever seen.
(C). It couldn’t have been more difficult.
(D). It wasn’t that hard.

You learn from the conversation that the man thought the exam was very difficult and that the woman disagreed with the man. The best answer to the question, “What does the woman mean?” is (D), “It wasn’t that hard.” Therefore, the correct choice is (D).

1. (A) Her concerns were expressed.
(B) She wonders if the concert was good.
(C) The music was fantastic.
(D) She wandered about during the night.

2. (A) In a bus station.
(B) In a post office.
(C) In an airport.
(D) In a travel agency.

3. (A) He spends half his time with his daughter.
(B) His daughter’s under a year old.
(C) His daughter will start school in a year and a half.
(D) His daughter’s eighteen months old.

4. (A) He’s on the basketball team.
(B) He doesn’t even like to play basketball.
(C) He’s too short to make the team.
(D) He thinks he’s tall enough.

5. (A) She’s thinking about her grade in the seminar.
(B) The seminar is quite realistic.
(C) The seminar will take a great deal of time.
(D) She agrees with the man about the seminar.

6. (A) The location of the meeting.
(B) The purpose of the meeting.
(C) Who will attend the meeting.
(D) The time the meeting starts.

7. (A) Preparing dinner later.
(B) Going to a restaurant.
(C) Cooking a full dinner.
(D) Eating dinner outside in the garden.

8. (A) She is fond of Joe.
(B) Joe is not lost anymore.
(C) She visits Joe regularly.
(D) The call was already made.

9. (A) He was quite fortunate.
(B) He lacked the opportunity to play the game.
(C) He didn’t actually win the game.
(D) He came sometime after Luke.

10. (A) It’s quite clean.
(B) It doesn’t move.
(C) It’s clearly better.
(D) It’s rather dirty.

To get complete diagnostic pre - test, click here to download.

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Listening Part C (Talks)

Part C of the Listening Comprehension section of the TOEFL test consists of three talks, each followed by a number of questions. You will hear the talks and the questions on a recording; they are not written in your test book. You must choose the best answer to each question from the four choices that are written in you test book. Like the conversations in Listening Part B, the talks are often about some aspect of school life or topics currently in the news. It is also very common for the talks to be shortened versions of lectures from courses taught in American colleges and universities.

Example

On the recording, you hear:

(narrator)   : Questions 1 through 4. Listen to a lecture in a history class.

(woman)   :  Salt, which today seems so plentiful to us, in the past used to be a valuable commodity. In the  

                   ancient past in China, salt was used to make coins and in parts of Africa it was traded in place   

                  of  money. In the Roman Empire, soldiers were not paid in money but were instead paid in salt.    

                   In fact, the English word “salary, “ which means the amount of money that one earns, comes 

                  from  the Latin root for “salt.

Questions:

1.On the recording, you hear:

     (narrator) What is the topic of the talk?

     In your test book, you read:

     (A) Valuable commodities.

     (B) Salt.

     (C) Ancient China.

     (D) Money.

2.On the recording, you hear:

   (narrator) What was salt used for in China?

   In your test book, you read:

   (A) To spice food.

   (B) To build houses.

    (C) To make coins

    (D) To locate Africa.

3. On the recording, you hear:

   (narrator) What does “salary” mean in English?

    In your test book, you read:

    (A) Coins.

    (B) Earnings

    (C) Soldiers.

    (D) Commodities.

4. On the recording, you hear:

    (narrator) What is the meaning of the root “sal” in Latin?

   In your test book, you read:

   (A) Salt.

   (B) Rome.

   (C) Money.

   (D) Trade.

Analysis:

• The first question asks about the topic of the talk. The speaker begins with salt and continues to talk about it throughout the passage, so the best answer is answer (B).
• The second question asks about the use of salt in China. The speaker says that in China, salt was used to make coins, so the best answer is answer (C). 
• The third question asks the meaning of salary. The speaker says that salary means the amount of money that one earns, so the best answer is answer (B). 
• The last question asks about the meaning of the root sal. The speaker says that “salary”.. comes from the Latin root for “salt,” so the best answer is answer (A).

Listening Part C: The Topic (Skill 11)

Previous Skill: The Questions (Skill 10)

As you listen to each talk in Listening Part C, you should be thinking about the topic (subject) or main idea for each talk (as you did in Listening Part B). Since the first sentence is generally a topic sentence, you should be asking yourself what the topic is while you are listening carefully to the first part of the talk.

Example

On the recording, you hear:

(narrator)  Listen to a talk at the start of a meeting.

(woman)  I’d like to call this meeting to order now. This is the third monthly meeting of the science club this semester, and today we need to discuss the upcoming science fair.

You think:

The topic of the talk is a meeting of the science club to discuss the science fair



EXERCISE 11:

 Listen to the first part of each of the talks, and decide on the topic of each Talk.

1. What is the topic of Talk 1?

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2. What is the topic of Talk 2?

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3. What is the topic of Talk 3?


 Need Answer Keys and Audio For This TOEFL Exercise, Click Here.--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Listening Comprehension Post Test

Previous Post Test: Structure and Written Expression Post Test.

TOEFL POST - TEST

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Time - approximately 35 minutes

(including the reading of the directions for each part)

In this section of the test, you will have an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to understand conversations and talks in English. There are three parts to this section, with special directions for each part. Answer all the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied by the speakers you hear. Do not take notes or write in your test book at any time. Do not turn the pages until you are told to do so.

Part A

Directions: In Part A you will hear short conversations between two people. After each conversation, you will hear a question about the conversation. The conversations and questions will not be repeated. After you hear a question, read the four possible answers in your test book and choose the best answer. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen.

You learn from the conversation that the man thought the exam was very difficult and that the woman disagreed with the man. The best answer to the question, “What does the woman mean?” is (D), “It wasn’t that hard.” Therefore, the correct choice is (D).

1. (A) She doesn’t want to go to class.
    (B) Art has her glasses.
    (C) The artist will begin the portrait tonight.
    (D) The course starts this evening.

2. (A) A waiter.
    (B) A baker.
    (C) A neighbor.
    (D) A tour guide.

3. (A) She’s in the center of the shop.
    (B) She went shopping for a new car.
    (C) She took her car to the store.
    (D) She was driving him crazy.

4. (A) He lied.
    (B) He’s upset.
    (C) He did not tell her his name.
    (D) He’s always truthful.

5. (A) He believes that the woman has found some good pieces.
    (B) He agrees that the prices are low.
    (C) He would like to have a chance to say something.
    (D) He thinks that the woman is wrong about the prices.

6. (A) Listen to him.
    (B) Pay the check.
    (C) Attend the meeting.
    (D) Speak more clearly.

7. (A) Not moving inside.
    (B) Playing in the rain.
    (C) Not going out.
    (D) Running hard.

8. (A) The courts have decided on a new judge.
    (B) The judge made himself available for questions.
    (C) The judge decided on the issue.
    (D) The decision about the judge was finally made.

9. (A) She was unable to attend the chemistry class.
    (B) She couldn’t find the answer to the problem.
    (C) Chemistry class just finished.
    (D) She has a problem with her chemistry teacher.

10. (A) Stay home.
      (B) Watch television.
     (C) Buy a new house.
     (D) Go out

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General Strategy of Listening comprehension section

Below is the general strategy for Listening Comprehension Section for part A, part B and part C.

1. Be familiar with the directions. The directions on every TOEFL test are the same, so it is not necessary to listen carefully to them each time. You should be completely familiar with the directions before the day of the test.
2. Listen carefully to the conversations and talks. You should concentrate fully on what the speakers are saying on the recording because you will hear the recording one time only.
3. Know where the easier and more difficult questions are generally found. Within each part of the Listening Comprehension section, the questions generally progress from easy to difficult.
4. Never leave any questions blank on your answer sheet. Even if you are unsure of the correct response, you should answer the question. There is no penalty for guessing.
5. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the questions that follow. When you finish with one question, you may have time to look ahead at the answers to the next question.

Next article is Listening Part A

Listening Comprehension Section

The first section of the TOEFL test is the Listening Comprehension section. This section consists of fifty questions (some tests may be longer). You will listen to recorded materials and respond to questions about the material. You must listen carefully, because you will hear the recording one time only, and the material on the recording is not written in your test book.

There are three parts in the Listening Comprehension section of the TOEFL test:

1. Part A consists of thirty short conversations, each followed by a question. You must choose the best answer to each question from the four choices in your test book.
2. Part B consists of two longer conversations, each followed by a number of questions. You must choose the best answer to each question from the four choices in your test book.
3. Part C consists of three talks, each followed by a number of questions. You must choose the best answer to each question from the four choices in your test book.

 Read General Strategy of Listening Comprehension Section