TOEFL Practice in Taiwan

TOEIC LISTENING (SEPT. 9) [TWENTY ADVANCED QUESTIONS]

　
1.
W: Oh no. Not again?
M: What seems to be the difficulty, Dr. Smith?
W: It seems like someone failed to remove the periodontal flap regulator from this patient.
M: Well that someone was not me, doctor. The pulse has been regular ever since my shift started at five.
W: Five, you’ve been here since five?
M: Well, four-thirty really. I had some catch-up work to do before work. We had a disaster in post-op last night. Another failed regulator.
W: We need to find out what’s going on here, nurse.

Question: What time did the man arrive at work?

A. After the disaster in post-op last night, she was late.
B. His shift started at five but he arrived early. ANSWER
C. He wanted to arrive at four-thirty but arrived at five, instead.
D. He is late again and there is another failed regulator.

　
2.
W: Okay, private. Here’s the mission. We’re here on this side of the river and the enemy took out the bridge. We want to get over there.
M: Well, that’s easy. We’ll just reconstruct the old bridge.
W: Yes, private, that would do the trick. But I don’t see any used bridges around here, do you?
M: Actually, lieutenant, I do.
W: Where? Right below my feet?
M: Affirmative, lieutenant. You’re standing on it.

Question: According to the woman, where is the bridge?

A. The man is standing on it.
B. She is uncertain. ANSWER
C. The man affirms her suspicions.
D. It lies below her feet and she does not know.

3.
M: Did you hear about the man who disappeared in downtown Hualien?
W: Yes, but I don’t believe that he vanished out of thin air.
M: Spontaneous combustion. It’s when the chemicals in the body -
W: What? Is that what the press is saying? Spontaneous combustion.
M: It’s true. At a certain time and place, the chemicals in the body simply explode and the person vanishes. It happened.
W: Yes, and I have a bridge to sell you in the Sahara Desert.

Question: What can we infer about the woman?

A. She believes in spontaneous combustion and wants to sell the bridge.
B. She is selling a bridge to the man and wants to change the topic.
C. She doubts the man’s claim. ANSWER
D. She hopes to sell a bridge to Sarah.
　
4.
M: I really wish we had shotguns for this job.
W: How many are up there?
M: Four, maybe five. Could be up to six.
W: We can call for back-up if you want. I’ll dial right now.
M: Stop. Back-up? What we need is more firepower.

Question: What does the woman suggest?

A. They need shotguns to complete the task.
B. They summon for help before acting. ANSWER
C. They first confirm the number and then decide.
D. They need more firepower.

5.
M: Hello, please take a number.
W: Number, what number?
M: From that machine over there by the water fountain.
W: Oh, I see what you mean.
M: Also, please have your receipt in hand and your deductions claim sheet prepared.
W: Where can I get that?
M: It came in the mail with the warrant for your arrest for not declaring your illegally earned income.
W: Okay, so what do I do now?

Question: According to the discussion, what seems to be the difficulty?

A. The number machine by the water fountain is out of paper.
B. The woman failed to report the man’s earnings.
C. The woman does not have the correct paperwork. ANSWER
D. The man is unprepared for the woman’s visit.

6.
M: This ought to do the trick.
W: Thanks, Tom. What’ll that run me?
M: No. I couldn’t take that. Hey come on, we’re old friends.
W: But I insist. Without your help, I’d still be out stranded on the freeway.
M: Just remember to get a tune-up first thing Monday morning.

Question: What did the man do?

A. Pick up a stranded female jogger.
B. Repair the woman’s vehicle. ANSWER
C. Show her a secret and friendly trick.
D. Offer her a bottle of drinking water after her jog.

7.
W: I just don’t know what the big deal about the GEPT.
M: Yea. You can say that again.
W: My colleagues are graying at the temples and losing sleep over the easiest part, the listening comprehension section. Hah.
M: No joke. My teacher, Robert, told me that it’s a piece of cake if you go in with the correct mindset.

Question: What does the woman mean?
A. Her workmates are worried about the test for little or no reason. ANSWER
B. She does not agree with the man’s opinion about the GEPT.
C. Her teacher told her the GEPT is not difficult if test-takers think the right way.
D. The cake will make her sleepy during the test.

8.
(M) Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the national university GEPT listening comprehension course. Today we are going to be discussing the optimal study method for the GEPT. First, let’s think about how we usually prepare for high-stakes standardized tests such as the GEPT or the TOEFL. Usually, we go to the local bookstore and spend lots of hard-earned money buying thick collections of former tests. Well, after a couple of days of hard work, you lose the book and then you’re back where you started. How surprisingly few of us actually dare to abandon our roles as test-takers and assume the role of the test creator. That’s the secret of acing the test.

Question: What does the man assume?
A. Most GEPT test-takers do not practicing writing sample tests. ANSWER
B. That test-takers should not take tests over and over.
C. Effective test-taking is a natural skill that cannot be taught in a class.
D. Most test-takers take the position as test-makers to improve their skills.


9.
M: Daisy, did you see that movie, Sleepless in Seattle?
W: Me, Sleepless in Seattle? You’re joking, right? I’ve seen it a million times. That’s my favorite movie.
M: Really? Because I think you bear a striking resemblance to Meg Ryan.
W: Come on. You can’t be serious!
M: Yes. Meg Ryan!
W: Meg Ryan? I thought you said I was beautiful?

Question: What can we infer about the woman?

A. She has yet to see Sleepless in Seattle.
B. She is a great fan of Meg Ryan in the movie.
C. She is diffident and modest.
D. She thinks Meg Ryan unattractive. ANSWER
　

10.
W: I can’t seem to understand just why Brian is so blue today.
M: It’s Christy, his old girlfriend. She keeps calling him.
W: Christy? What’s she calling him for? I thought she married that dentist. I drove past their new house last week and kept wondering what twist of luck would bring a woman like Christy to live in a huge mansion like that!
M: So she’s calling Brian again? That figures. Love versus money. Some people just don’t know that you can’t have your cake and eat it, too.

Question: What does the woman infer in the discussion?
A. Christy’s new house is very large. ANSWER
B. You must appreciate what you have in moderation.
C. The dentist is not good at handling money.
D. Christie is Brian’s former girlfriend.


11. (M) Let’s turn now to the hunting habits of the Sioux Indians. The Sioux, on the other hand, were Plains Indians. They were nomads who wandered from place to place in an area that is now referred to North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Being intrepid hunters, they were able to kill scores of buffalo by luring them off of cliffs and collecting their bodies at the bottom.

Question: What can we infer from the man’s statement?
A. The Sioux Indians lived in fixed locations.
B. The Sioux survived in part from both hunting and farming.
C. Only a few buffalo were hunted by the intrepid Sioux.
D. The cliffs were tall enough to seriously injure or kill the buffalo. ANSWER

12.
(W) Some companies want executives who combine administrative ability with a specialty in some branch of knowledge, such as mathematics or engineering. Other companies look for people skilled in human relations. For the latter, effective management is the art of solving “people problems.” These are interesting insights but what are the specific traits that assist people to climb the ladder of success? Who makes it to the top?

Question: What can we infer from the woman’s statement?
A. Most companies wish to hire professionals for their knowledge.
B. Good management teaches people how to solve “people problems.”
C. Companies hire employees for various reasons. ANSWER
D. Hiring knowledgeable people with is crucial for a company’s success.

13.
(M) Here’s the story that reflects the importance of communicating with one’s colleagues. Once a famous president of a famous company lost his job because he had extreme communication problems with the company’s board of directors. He knew what he was doing, but he couldn’t explain it to anyone else. That cost him his job.

Question: What is the main lesson to be learned from the man’s statement?
A. Extreme communication is crucial for survival in business.
B. The cost of some jobs is expensive, so we should be extremely careful.
C. Discuss everything you do with your colleagues and workmates.
D. Let your colleagues in on important work-related thoughts you might have. ANSWER

14.
(W) Metamorphosis is common in all types of animals and insects. The butterfly, for instance, is first hatched from the egg as a caterpillar and eventually becomes a splendid winged creature. People, on the other hand, often go through a metamorphosis when they experience a change of behavior or attitude.

Question: What does the woman imply?
A. Butterflies are not necessarily beautiful when they mature.
B. Insects and animals experience similar types of metamorphosis.
C. Change is a natural part of life for some animals and insects.
D. Man is an animal. ANSWER


15.
W: Honey, I lost another contact. Do you see it on my shoulder?
M: You lost a contact in here? Good luck!
W: I’m not asking you to crawl around on your hands and knees to locate it for me. All I’m asking you to do is to keep an eye out for it.
M: Good. Because I waited in line for an hour for these tickets and I’m not letting a contact lens ruin the movie.

Question: What can we infer about the speakers?

A. They are at an amusement park.
B. The man is willing to help the woman.
C. The tickets were inexpensive and easy to come by.
D. The man is not confident about finding the contact. ANSWER
　

16.
W: Professor Stevens, what’s your take on the new grading policy?
M: The new grading policy? What’s wrong with the old one? The old one changed?
W: Sir, the purpose of this meeting is to discuss my new grading policy. What have you been doing this whole time? Catching some “shut eye”? Resting your eyes?
M: No ma’am. I was just fantasizing about your retirement and when we won’t have to continue fixing things that aren’t broken in the first place.
Question: What can we infer about the man from the discussion?

A. He feels that the new policy will be beneficial.
B. He thinks that the grading policy should not be neglected.
C. He is not fond of excessive change. ANSWER
D. He was napping during the meeting.
　

17.
W: You and your hobbies!
M: Hey wait a minute! Everyone knows that keeping one’s mind active in one’s spare time will lead to a great IQ.
W: That might be true, but what happens when people like you become consumed in their hobbies and forget to eat, sleep and work?
M: Oh, I see. You want to disconnect the Internet, don’t you?

Question: What can we infer about the man from the discussion?

A. He spends too much time reading about the Internet.
B. He spends a lot of time online. ANSWER
C. He is tired, hungry, lazy, and obsessed with his computer.
D. He works for a computer company.
　

18.
(M) Man can live without food for about five weeks and without water for about five days. Without a constant and fresh supply of oxygen, however, humans can only survive about five minutes at best. This is why we should spend more time thinking about ways to control smog and air pollution. It is important to see that our cars are equipped with pollution-control devices. Such devices effectively reduce the harmful gases emitted from the engine.

Question: What can we infer from the man’s statement?

A. Automobiles are a source of air pollution. ANSWER
B. Pollution of all kinds will eventually terminate all life on earth.
C. Some devices can enhance a car’s pollution output.
D. We should consider implementing other energy sources for cars.

19.
(W) Did you know that moonlighting is illegal in many countries for employees of the government and public corporations? What is moonlighting and why do people give this serious practice such a silly name? Moonlighting is when a person supplements his or her income through having a second job for extra income. Because it is often done at night, “under the light of the moon,” people use the term “moonlighting.” What a quaint name for such a potentially dangerous phenomenon!

Question: What can we infer about the woman from her statement?

A. She believes that moonlighting is not a good practice. ANSWER
B. She probably moonlights herself but is afraid to mention it.
C. She works either in a public corporation or the government.
D. She is intolerant of people’s dislike of moonlighting.


20.
M: How about you, Tiffany? Who do you think was the greatest trumpeter in the American jazz scene?
W: Louis Armstrong, hands down.
M: Louis Armstrong? I meant the most talented, not the most famous.

Question: What can we infer about the man?

A. He is also a great fan of Louis Armstrong.
B. He thinks that there were other more famous trumpeters in jazz.
C. He agrees with the woman.
D. He does not think that fame always means ability. ANSWER