Listening Section

Overview The listening section is the second part of the test 2-3 conversations – 5 questions each 4-6 lectures – 6 questions each

Listen Actively You must listen, take notes, anticipate, learn, connect ideas, organize, generalize, infer, assume, and conclude all at the same time. Whew! Ask yourself questions while listening: What are they talking about? How do they feel about it? What are the problems or key points? Why did he say that? What are they going to talk about next?

Anticipate key points Using your knowledge about the main topic to anticipate makes listening easier

Taking Notes You must write notes very quickly when listening, so use symbols, and abbreviations whenever possible Don’t try to record everything Connect details to main idea

Unique elements of spoken English Interruptions Confusion and Clarification Self Correction Fragments

Question 1 – Main Idea

Question 2 – Detail Questions Listen for descriptions, definitions, numbers, comparisons, contrasts, locations, times, examples, explanations Take notes on details related to the main idea or supporting ideas In conversations, take notice of questions to predict details. Ex. – Who should I see about this? (listen for a person)

Distracters Exact vocabulary, clauses, phrases – correct answers paraphrase when possible Details rearranged – Ex. The student is noisy. (really the student’s roommate is noisy)

Question 3 – Function Question Why does the speaker say this? Recognize the type of passage (argument, comparison, explanation) Recognize the context (reviewing for a test, explaining a concept, introducing new information, correcting a mistake)

Distracters Wrong verb Ex. – “to explain the three concepts” instead of “to compare the three concepts” Too specific To complain about his roommates taste in music. Too general To complain about the residents of the dormitory

Question 4 – Stance Question Excerpts may be replayed, but not always Infer the speaker’s attitude Listen for key words that express opinion Ex – brilliant, genius, revolutionary, overrated Intonation Rising – positive feeling, acceptance, surprise, question Falling – negativity, sarcasm, disapproval Watch for changes in attitude

Distracters Answer choice is too extreme Happy / ecstatic, upset / furious

Question 5 – Structure How does the professor organize….? Ways of organizing a lecture General category / specific typesHypothesis / experiment / results Definition / examplesHistorical narrative / chronology of events Cause / effectSequence of steps (process) Problem / solutionCheapest > Most expensive Small >bigMost likely > least likely big >smallArgument / refutation Nearest > farthest

Distracters Answer choice reverses the correct organization (cheapest > most expensive) Answer uses minor details

Question 6 – Organization of details Why does the professor mention…? How does the professor illustrate her point about…? Rhetorical Actions To introduceTo elaborate / expand To give backgroundTo clarify To change topicsTo refute To describeTo digress / go off on a tangent To defineTo conclude To give an example / exemplifyTo illustrate / demonstrate To explain

Distracters Infinitive + object + by + gerund To define the Space Shuttle by describing how it looks and how it travels to and from outer space Make sure that both parts are the correct answer

Inference Questions Details Pay attention to details and how they go together Don’t take Professor Martin’s class. Bill almost failed his class last semester and Bill’s a genius! Once the colonies of New England and others were well established along the eastern seaboard, it didn’t take long for explorers to begin looking for the Pacific. Recognize use of idioms

Content Questions Pay attention to Sequence, Categorization, and Multiple Details 3 types of questions: Yes / No, Category, Sequence