Paper-Based TOEFL Workshop

Listening Part B

Listening Comprehension Skills

Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test

Tutorial prepared by Sudirman

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The Listening Comprehension Section
The Listening Comprehension Section on the TOEFL measures
your ability to understand spoken English, especially in academic
contexts. It has a total of 50 questions, and it lasts 30-40 minutes. It
is divided into three parts:

Part A: Short conversations

(30 dialogs, one question each)

Part B: Long conversations

(2 conversations, several questions each)

Part C: Longer talks

(3 talks, several questions each)

Let’s look at some strategies for doing well on Part B.

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Listening Comprehension Section, Part B
In Part B, you will hear two long conversations between a
man and a woman. For each one, you will hear several
questions and choose the best answer from the four choices
written in your test book.
The conversations are usually about school life, academic
subjects, or areas of general interest.
Remember that you are not allowed to take notes while you
listen on the paper-based TOEFL, even though that would
be a very valuable thing to do if you were actually in a class.

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Strategies for Part B
Here’s some advice for doing well on Part B:
• If you have time, look ahead at the answer choices so you
can be ready for what’s coming.
• Listen carefully to the first line of the conversation. It often
contains the main idea, and you will often be asked about
that.
• Try to draw conclusions about the situation of the
conversation—who’s talking and what’s happening.

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Strategies for Part B
• As you listen, follow along with the answers in the test
book and try to figure out the correct answers.
• If you’re not sure about an answer, make your best guess.
Don’t leave any answers blank.
• Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to
the next questions.

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Try to guess the topic.
In the few seconds before the conversation starts, look
quickly at the answer choices.
• Look at the words and expressions and try to guess what
the topic will be.
• Look at the groups of answer choices to try to guess what
the questions will be. Then you’ll be ready to listen for the
answers.

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Try to guess the topic.
Look at these answer choices. What do you think the
conversation will be about?
(A) The price of textbooks.
(B) History 101.
(C) The university bookstore.
(D) Ways to sell used books.
(A) He desperately needs the money.
(B) Reading doesn’t interest him.
(C) He’s finished using them.
(D) He’d rather have cheaper books.

(A) The bookstore doesn’t want to buy them.

(B) He wouldn’t get enough money.
(C) He doesn’t like the bookstore’s advertisements.
(D) It’s too late to sell them to the bookstore.

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Try to guess the topic.
From the words textbooks, bookstore, and sell them, we can
guess that it will be about selling used books to the bookstore.
(A) The price of textbooks.
(B) History 101.
(C) The university bookstore.
(D) Ways to sell used books.
(A) He desperately needs the money.
(B) Reading doesn’t interest him.
(C) He’s finished using them.
(D) He’d rather have cheaper books.

A) The bookstore doesn’t want to buy them.

(B) He wouldn’t get enough money.
(C) He doesn’t like the bookstore’s advertisements.
(D) It’s too late to sell them to the bookstore.

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Try to guess the questions.
You can also try to predict the question. Look again at each
group of answer choices. What do you think the question will
be?

(A) The price of textbooks.

(B) History 101.
(C) The university bookstore.
(D) Ways to sell used books.

The question will probably be….

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Try to guess the questions.
Now look again at each group of answer choices. What do
you think the question will be?

(A) The price of textbooks.

(B) History 101.
(C) The university bookstore.
(D) Ways to sell used books.

The question will probably be….

What is the topic of this conversation? (This is a very

common question.)

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Before you listen…
Now look again at each group of answer choices. What do
you think the question will be?

(A) He desperately needs the money.

(B) Reading doesn’t interest him.
(C) He’s finished using them.
(D) He’d rather have cheaper books.

The question will probably be….

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Before you listen…
Now look again at each group of answer choices. What do
you think the question will be?

(A) He desperately needs the money.

(B) Reading doesn’t interest him.
(C) He’s finished using them.
(D) He’d rather have cheaper books.

The question will probably be….

Why is the man interested in selling his books?

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Try to guess the questions.
Now look again at each group of answer choices. What do
you think the question will be?

A) The bookstore doesn’t want to buy them.

(B) He wouldn’t get enough money.
(C) He doesn’t like the bookstore’s advertisements.
(D) It’s too late to sell them to the bookstore.

The question will probably be….

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Try to guess the questions.
Now look again at each group of answer choices. What do
you think the question will be?

A) The bookstore doesn’t want to buy them.

(B) He wouldn’t get enough money.
(C) He doesn’t like the bookstore’s advertisements.
(D) It’s too late to sell them to the bookstore.

The question will probably be….

Why doesn’t the man want to sell the books to the

bookstore?

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Summary
In this section, you have learned the strategies for the
Listening Comprehension Section, Part B:
• Try to guess what the topic will be.
• Try to guess what the questions will be.
• Get the main idea from the first sentence or two.
• Listen for the answers in order.
• Stay calm and try not to lose your focus.

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