PART 1 – SHORT TALKS

Preview Test
1. Where is this announcement being made?
A. In a plane
B. In a museum
C. In a class
D. In a train
2. Who doesn’t have to pay to enter the museum?
A. Members
B. Adults
C. Children under 12
D. Children under 5
3. What is the last task of the day?
A. Review the list
B. Finish uncompleted tasks
C. Write a new list
D. Throw the list away
4. When is the last day of the sale?
A. Sunday
B. Monday
C. Tuesday
D. Wednesday
5. What is this announcement for?
A. School teachers
B. School children
C. Volunteer tutors
D. Businesspeople
6. What will the weather be like tomorrow?
A. Cloudy
B. Foggy
C. Rainy
D. Sunny
7. What do you get if you make a reservation before January 15th?
A. A free book
B. A calendar
C. An extra night at the hotel
D. A free ski class
8. How long are the delays?
A. 5 minutes
B. 15 minutes
C. 45 minutes
D. 4 hours

A. LISTENING FOR MAIN IDEAS

Question forms:
- What is the talk mainly about?
- What is the purpose of the announcement?
- Where does the talk take place?
- Where would you hear this announcement?
- Where is this announcement being made?
- Who is the speaker?
- What is the speaker’s occupation?
- Who is mostly the speaker/audience?
- Who is the talk directed to?

TIPS: Don’t worry about words you miss. You do not need to understand every single word in a short
talk in order to understand the main ideas.
PRACTICE 1: Questions about the speaker
Listen to three short talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C) or (D) that best answers each
question.
1. Who is the speaker?
A. A college professor
B. A news presenter
C. An airline pilot
D. A weather reporter
2. What is the speaker’s occupation?
A. Office receptionist
B. Company secretary
C. Hotel manager
D. Security guard
3. What is the speaker’s position in the restaurant?
A. Cleaner
B. Manager
C. Waiter
D. Head chef
PRACTICE 2: Questions about the Topic
Listen to three short talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C) or (D) that best answers each
question.
1. What is the main topic of this message?
A. A presentation
B. A job vacancy
C. A new project
D. A lecture
2. What is the talk mainly about?
A. Cleanliness
B. Safety at work
 C. Meal times
D. Food and drink
3. What is being announced?
A. A cheap vacation
B. A job opportunity
C. A weekend sale
D. A store closure
PRACTICE 3: Questions about the Audience
Listen to three short talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C) or (D) that best answers each
question.
1. Who is the speaker talking to?
A. Baseball players
B. Tourists
C. Freshmen students
D. New employees
2. Who is the audience for this announcement?
A. Workers on a farm
B. Shoppers in a supermarket
C. Fruit and vegetable sellers
D. Customers in a restaurant
3. Who is this message intended for?
A. Office workers
B. Police officers
C. Dental patients
D. Ambulance drivers
PRACTICE 4: Questions about the Locations
Listen to three short talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C) or (D) that best answers each
question.
1. Where is the speaker?
A. At a theater
B. At a hotel
C. At a library
D. At a museum
2. Where is announcement being made?
A. At a bus station
B. At an airport
C. At a train station
D. At a taxi rank
3. Where can this talk be heard?
A. At a library
B. At a university
C. At a company
C. At a sports center
PRACTICE 5: Questions about the Purpose
Listen to three short talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C) or (D) that best answers each
question.
1. What is the purpose of this public announcement?
A. To encourage people to be more active
B. To warn people about serious health dangers
C. To promote participation in team sports
D. To explain how to live longer
2. What is the main purpose of this talk?
A. To plan a conference
B. To accept an award
C. To thank employees
D. To discuss a meeting
3. What is the purpose of the event the speaker announce?
A. To welcome a new employee
B. To celebrate the retirement of a coworker
C. To declare a research facility open
D. To encourage staff to work harder
B. LISTENING FOR DETAILS
Questions that test your ability to understand details in a short talk may ask about numbers, dates and
times, reasons and requests, people and places, problems and suggestions, as well as plans and sequences
TIPS:
- Look for Wh-questions (e.g. questions beginning with What, When, Why and How, etc.).
- Before you listen, make sure you know what information you need to listen for.
- As you listen, identify any key words or phrases related to the information you need.
- Focus on the information you need to answer each question.

PRACTICE 6: Listen to the talk and then choose the statement that best answers the question.
TALK 1

1. What can be seen from the window?

A. A cemetery.
B. Radar screens.
C. Some woods.
D. A mountain.
2. What does the pilot ask the passengers to do?
A. Stand up and move around
B. Fasten their seat belts
C. Read the emergency guide
D. Turn off all the electronic devices.

TALK 2
3. What does the tour guide ask the participants to do?
A. Pick some flowers
B. Wear warm clothes
C. Stay in their seats
D. Clean the windows
4. Where is the first stop?
A. Under the trees.
B. On the left.
C. By a river branch.
D. To the rear.

TALK 3

5. What was the clean-up drive like last year?

A. There were free refreshments.
B. Fifty people showed up.
C. It wasn’t successful.
D. There were no participants.
6. What time will the clean-up drive begin?
A. 10:00 A.M.
B. 1:00 P.M.
C. 3:00 P.M.
D. 3:15 P.M.

TALK 4

7. What is Dr. Quimby Jones’s profession?

A. Radio show host.
B. Medical doctor.
C. Professor.
D. Farmer
8. How long does the entire radio show last?
A. Ten minutes.
B. Thirty minutes.
C. One hour.
D. One hour and ten minutes.

TALK 5

9. What will the class do today?

A. Read books.
B. Look at slides.
C. Watch a video.
D. Visit an art museum.
10. Who is Dr. Smith?
A. the university president
B. a historian
 C. a psychology professor
D. a writer

PART 2: CONVERSATIONS

Preview Test
1. Where is the conversation taking place?
A. In a restaurant
B. In a bank
C. In a department store
D. At a dry cleaning shop
2. According to the conversation, why can’t the woman get her money back on the jacket?
A. She doesn’t have a sales receipt.
B. She’s taken the price tag off it.
C. She isn’t talking to the right person.
D. She doesn’t have a good reason for returning it.
3. For what reason does the woman imply she is returning the jacket?
A. It’s too big
B. It’s not the right color.
C. She’d rather have something else.
D. She doesn’t need it now that she’s moved.
4. What is most likely the woman’s occupation?
A. A fashion designer
B. A veterinarian
C. A hair dresser
D. A nutritionist
5. What is the main topic of this conversation?
A. The requirements of the class assignment
B. The activities of the students
C. The attitudes of the students toward their trip
D. The characteristics of octopuses
6. Where is the conversation probably taking place?
A. In an auditorium
B. At the beach
C. At an aquarium
D. On a boat
7. What is the relationship between the two speakers?
A. Tour guide and visitor
B. Teacher and student
C. Librarian and scholar
D. Oceanographer and scientist
8. According to the conversation, what is June’s attitude toward the field trip?
A. Enthusiastic
B. Disappointed
C. Unimpressed
D. Worried
 9. What is the conversation mainly about?
A. Automatic offices
B. Julie’s new job as a researcher
C. Computer files known as databases
D. The man’s advertising company
10. At what time of day is this conversation taking place?
A. Morning
B. Noon
C. Afternoon
D. Evening
11. What is the probable relationship between two speakers?
A. They are friends.
B. They are coworkers.
C. They are brother and sister.
D. They are student and teacher.
12. According to the woman, what are databases?
A. Things that change computer signals
B. Catalogues of specific facts
C. Forms of advertising
D. Files of information
SKILL 1: DETERMINE THE TOPIC
As you listen to each conversation in Listening Part 2, you should be thinking about the topic (subject) or
main idea for each conversation. Since the first one or two sentences generally give the topic, you should
be asking yourself what the topic is while you are listening carefully to the first part of the conversation.
Example:
On the recording, you hear:
(man) You can’t believe what I just got!
(woman) I bet you got that new car you’ve always wanted.
(man) Now, how in the world did you figure that out?
You think:
The topic of the conversation is the new car that the man just got.
PRACTICE 7: Listen to the first part of each of the conversations, and decide on the topic of each
conversation.
1. What is the topic of Conversation 1?
_________________________________________________________________
2. What is the topic of Conversation 2?
_________________________________________________________________
3. What is the topic of Conversation 3?
_________________________________________________________________
SKILL 2: DRAW CONCLUSION ABOUT WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE
As you listen to each conversation in Listening part 2, you should be trying to set the situation in your
mind. You should be thinking the following thoughts:
- Who is talking?
- When does the conversation probably take place?
- Where does the conversation probably take place?
- What is the source of information for the conversation?

Example:
On the recording, you hear:
(man) Why do you have so many books?
(woman) I need them for my paper on George Washington. Do you know how l can check them out?
(man) Yes, you should go downstairs to the circulation desk and fill out a card for each book.
You think:
- Who is probably talking? (two students)
- Where are they? (in the library)
- What course are they discussing? (American History)

PRACTICE 8: Listen to the first part of each of the conversations and try to imagine the situation. Then
answer the questions in the text.
Conversation 1
1. Who is probably talking?
2. Where does the conversation take place?
Conversation 2
1. Who is probably talking?
2. When does the conversation take place?
3. What is the source of the man’s information?
Conversation 3
1. Who is probably talking?
2. When does the conversation take place?
3. What is the source of the information?
SKILL 3: LISTEN FOR ANSWERS IN ORDER
TIPS: Read along with the answers while the conversation is being spoken. Because the detail questions
are answered in order, it is possible to read along while you listen to the conversation in the recording
program.
PRACTICE 9: Listen to each complete conversation and answer the questions that follow.
1. What does the man want to do?
A. Find work on campus.
 B. Work in the employment office.
C. Help students find jobs.
D. Ask the woman questions.
2. Where does the conversation probably take place?
A. In the library.
B. In a classroom.
C. In a campus office.
D. In an apartment.
3. How many hours of work does the man want per week?
A. No more than ten.
B. At least twenty.
C. Not more than twenty.
D. Up to ten.
4. When can the man work?
A. Every morning.
B. Afternoons and weekends.
C. When he’s in class.
D. Weekdays.
5. What does the woman tell the man to do tomorrow?
A. Fill out a form.
B. Give her some additional information.
C. Tell her some news.
D. Phone her.
6. When does the conversation probably take place?
A. Just before a vacation.
B. Just after the end of a school semester.
C. At the end of the summer.
D. Just after a break from school.
7. What are the man and woman discussing?
A. A trip to visit the Eskimos.
B. A trip the woman is planning to take.
C. A trip the man has already taken.
D. A camping trip the man and woman took.
8. How much instruction did the man have before going out on the river?
A. Three hours.
B. Three complete days.
C. Three classes.
D. Three weeks.
9. Which of the following is NOT part of the kayaking trip?
A. Sleeping outside on the ground.
B. Spending time in a hot tub.
C. Relaxing at the lodge.
D. Enjoying excellent food.
10. How does the woman feel about taking a kayaking trip?
A. She’d be scared, but she’d like to try.
B. She can’t wait.
 C. It would be quite exciting for her.
D. She’d prefer not to try.
11. What is the topic of this conversation?
A. All kinds of pollution.
B. How acid rain has harmed the earth.
C. Pollution from cars and factories.
D. The causes and possible effects of acid rain.
12. What energy sources cause acid rain?
A. Nuclear power.
B. Electricity.
C. Burning coal and oil.
D. Solar power.
13. How is sulfuric acid formed?
A. From sulfur dioxide and water vapor.
B. From sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.
C. From nitric acid and sulfur dioxide.
D. From water vapor and nitric acid.
14. According to the man, where is acid rain a problem?
A. Only in North America.
B. At the North and South Poles.
C. In parts of several northern continents.
D. In equatorial areas.
15. What action does the woman think she should take next?
A. She should protect herself from the rain.
B. She should clean up the water supply.
C. She should read a novel.
D. She should get more information about acid rain.
PART 3: TALKS
Preview test:
1. What is the lecture mostly about?
A. Storms
B. The weather
C. Tides
D. The moon and sun
2. Where is the lecture probably taking place?
A. In a planetarium
B. In a classroom
C. On a beach
D. In a laboratory
3. According to the lecture, what is the greatest difference between the tides and the weather?
A. One is a natural force, and the other is not.
B. Only one has been discussed with the students.
C. The causes of tide are known, but not the causes of weather.
D. One is predictable, and the other is difficult to predict.
4. According to the lecture, what creates the tides?
A. the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon
B. the sea level
C. the movement of the earth
D. the storms
5. According to the lecture, what happens when the sun and moon are farthest from each
other?
A. The lowest tides are produced.
B. The tides are not constant.
C. The highest tides of the year take place.
D. The heights of the tides are irregular.
6. What does the speaker mainly talk about?
A. The spring track and field events
B. What it means to be a team member
C. The difference between sprinting and long-distance running
D. The elements of the relay race
7. Who is probably giving this talk?
A. A student
B. A coach
C. An employer
D. A talent scout
8. According to the speaker, when is this talk taking place?
A. On a Saturday morning
B. After school on Monday
C. During lunch break on a weekday
D. On a Sunday afternoon
9. According to the talk, at what time in the race do two team members run on the course
together.
A. At the beginning of the race
B. Just before the baton is passed
C. For a few moments after the baton has been passed
D. When the slowest runner catches up with the fastest
10. What does the speaker intend to do next?
A. decide on members to take part in the events.
B. demonstrate the methods of exchange
C. start a relay race
D. replace a team member
11. What is the main subject of the lecture?
A. How to identify birds
B. Where to look for birds
C. What equipment is necessary for birdwatching
D. Why birds have different songs and calls
12. Who is the speaker?
A. He is a writer.
B. He is a salesman.
C. He is an artist.
D. He is a scientist.
 13. According to the lecture, what is one way of determining a bird’s size?
A. By looking at the spread of the wings.
B. By comparing it to familiar bird.
C. By studying its colors and patterns.
D. By determining the shape of its body.
14. According to the lecture, what is the most useful way to identify birds?
A. Size
B. Color
C. Tail
D. Voice
15. What does the speaker intend to do later in the lecture?
A. Play a recording
B. Bring in birds
C. Show slides
D. Whistles some calls
SKILL 1: DETERMINE THE TOPIC
As you listen to each talk in Listening Part 3, you should be thinking about the topic (subject) or main
idea for the talk (as you did in Listening Part 2). 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:
(man) The major earthquake that occurred east of Los Angeles in 1971 is still affecting the economy of
the area today.
You think:
The topic of the talk is the effect of the 1971 earthquake on Los Angeles today.
PRACTICE 10: 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?
_________________________________________________________________
2. What is the topic of Talk 2?
_________________________________________________________________
3. What is the topic of Talk 3?
_________________________________________________________________
SKILL 2: DRAW CONCLUSION ABOUT WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE
As you listen to each talk in Listening Part 3, you should be trying to set the situation in your mind (as
you did in Listening Part 2). You should be thinking the following thoughts:
- Who is talking?
- When does the talk probably take place?
- Where does the talk probably take place?
- What course is the talk concerned with ?
- What is the source of information for the talk ?
Example
On the recording, you hear:
(woman) The next stop on our tour of Atlanta will be the original home of Coca-Cola, at 107 Marietta
Street. Coca-Cola was manufactured at this location until early in September of 1888.
You think:
- Who is probably talking? (a tour guide)
- Where are they? (in Atlanta)
- When does the talk take place? (in the middle of a tour)

PRACTICE 11: Listen to the first part of each of the talks and try to imagine the situation. Then answer
the questions in the text.
Talk 1
1. Who is probably talking?
2. Where does the talk probably take place?
3. When does the talk probably take place?
4. What course is being discussed?
Talk 2
1. Who is probably talking?
2. Where does the talk probably take place?
3. When does the talk probably take place?
4. What course is being discussed?
Talk 3
1. Who is probably talking?
2. Where does the talk take place?
3. When does the talk take place?
SKILL 3: LISTEN FOR ANSWERS IN ORDER
TIPS: Read along with the answers while the talk is being spoken. Because the detail questions are
answered in order, it is possible to read along while you listen to the talk in the recording program.
PRACTICE 12: Listen to each complete talk and answer the questions that follow.
1. When does this talk probably take place?
A. During a biology laboratory session.
B. In a biology study group.
C. On the first day of class.
D. Just before the Final exam.
2. How often will professor Martin give lectures?
A. Once a week.
B. Two times a week.
C. Three times a week.
D. For fifteen hours.
3. What is the assignment for the next class?
A. To do the first laboratory assignment.
B. To take the first exam.
C. To study the laboratory manual.
D. To read one chapter of the text.
4. What information is given in the syllabus?
A. Room assignments.
B. Exam topics.
C. Reading assignments.
D. The First lecture.
5. What will the professor use to determine the final course grades?
A. Exams and lab work.
B. Reading and writing assignments.
C. Class participation and grades on examinations.
D. Lecture and laboratory attendance.
6. What was the topic of yesterday’s lecture?
A. What caused the Ring of Fire.
B. The volcanoes of the Ring of Fire.
C. Hawaiian volcanoes.
D. Different types of volcanoes.
7. What is the topic of today’s lecture?
A. The Ring of Fire.
B. The characteristics of volcanoes in the Ring of Fire.
C. The volcanoes of Hawaii.
D. Mauna Loa.
8. Where are most of the world’s active volcanoes located?
A. In Hawaii.
B. In the United States.
C. Along the Ring of Fire.
D. Within the Ring of Fire.
9. What is characteristics of Hawaii’s volcanoes?
A. They are not so violent.
B. They are located along the Ring of Fire.
C. They contain a lot of gas.
D. They contain thick lava.
10. What is Mauna Loa?
A. volcano on the Ring of Fire.
B. An island in Hawaii.
C. A long, low volcanic mountain.
D. An explosive volcano.
11. Who is probably giving this talk?
A. An artist.
B. A tour guide.
C. An Indian.
D. Orville Wright.
12. How many items are on exhibit in the Smithsonian museums?
A. Several.
 B. Sixty thousand.
C. Sixteen million.
D. Millions and millions.
13. According to the talk, which museum has exhibits of early Eskimos?
A. The National Air and Space Museum.
B. The Museum of Natural History.
C. The American History Museum.
D. The Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building.
14. Which museum will they visit as a group?
A. The American History Museum.
B. The Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building.
C. The Washington Museum.
D. The National Air and Space Museum.
15. Where will they go tomorrow?
A. To the White House.
B. To the Smithsonian.
C. To the mall.
D. To various other museums.