This task type is used to test a wide range of skills and may require you to have a detailed understanding of specific points or an overall understanding of the main points of the listening text.

Pre-Listening Tips
1.Read the instructions carefully and check how many words/numbers you are allowed to write.
2.Skim the questions and the answer choices quickly before the recording starts during the time given. As you do this try to understand the context and work out what you are going to hear from the vocabulary of the questions. This can be the hardest question type to skim because there is so much information to cover.

1. Underline the key words such as the ‘wh-’ words and nouns.
2. Predict answers.

Listening Tips

1. Read the instructions carefully and check how many answers you need to choose.

2. Skim the questions and the answer choices quickly before the recording starts and during the time given. As you do this:

♦ underline the keywords – words that give you the most information, such as the ‘wh-’ words and nouns.
♦ try to understand the context and work out what you are going to hear from the vocabulary of the questions and/or pictures.
♦ translate any pictures into words and look for details that are different in the options.
♦ decide what words might be the answer

3. Listen to the introduction given carefully.

4. Answer the questions as you listen. Circle the letters. The information will be given in the same order as the questions, although it might be expressed differently. Be prepared not to hear some of the answer choices mentioned.

5. Remember to make notes beside the question if you are not sure of the answer, so you can go back later and have a try to guess the answer to the question.

Practice
Read the transcript connected to the question below and see if you can answer the question.
I first did it when I was on holiday with my parents. When I was younger I used to go skiing every year with them and then one year I tried snowboarding and I haven’t skied since then. That was 5 years ago

Q1. How long has Liz been snowboarding?

1. one year
2. five years
3. every year when she was younger.

The underlined words in the transcript all appear in the possible answers a, b or c, but only one answer is correct. The other words are distracters. This shows you that you can not simply hear a few words that are the same as in one of the possible answer choices. The meaning also has to fit. To make sure it does you need to understand as much of the dialogue as possible.
If you look at the transcript again you will see that the actual vocabulary used is quite simple. No high level vocabulary was used. The problem, however, comes in the number of distracters and so you need to try and filter the incorrect answers and be left with only one possible answer.

Now Listen to the MP3 and choose the correct answer A, B or C.

1. Mrs. Bell’s nephew is ________ years old.
A. 30
B. 13
C. 2

2. Dr. Witherspoon’s favourite school is ________.
A. Eton
B. Windsor
C. Ofwich

3. King’s College was founded in the year ________.
A. 440
B. 1440
C. 1441

4 Seventy scholars received ________ education.
A. three years of
B. French
C. free

5. Usually there are about ________ students.
A. 13
B. 1300
C. 30

6. Every boy has his own ________.
A. study
B. bedroom
C. study-bedroom

7. The maid will ________.
A. play cards
B. be friendly
C. tip you

8. All boys may go out with ________.
A. their parents
B. their House Master
C. Michaelmas

Answers
1.B  2.A  3.B  4.C  5.B  6.C  7.B  8.A

see the transcript

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