TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 07 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 07 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 07 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Solution

Listening 1 “Professor’s Office”

1. D

2. B

3. A

4. B

5. B

Listening 2 “Art Class”

6. A

7. D

8. C

9. A

10. A, C

11. D

Listening 3 “Biology Class”

12. B

13. A, C

14. A

15. D

16. A

17. C

Listening 4 “Students on Campus”

18. B

19. C

20. B

21.  D

22. D

Listening 5 “Sociology Class”

23. A

24. D

25. B

26. B

27. C

28. A, B: YES/ C, D, E: NO

Listening 6 “Anthropology Class”

29. C

30. A

31. A

32. C

33. B

34. D

Listening 7 “Professor’s Office”

35. C

36. B

37. D

38. C

39. A

Listening 8 “Psychology Class”

40. B

41. B

42. A

43. B

44. D

45. A, B: YES/ C, D, E :NO

Listening 9 “Physic Class”

46. A

47. C

48. D

49. B

50. C

51. B

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 07 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Solution

LISTENING 1 “PROFESSOR’S OFFICE”

Listen to a conversation between a student and a professor.

Professor: Okay Chris. Do you understand why I asked you to see me?

Student: I guess so. I did something in class… I apologize.

Professor: But do you understand what’s bothering me?

Student: No, not really. I like your class.

Professor: I’m glad you do. But Chris you’re disturbing the other students with your constant talking.

Student:  I am?

Professor: Yes. I’ve had several people complain about it. They’re missing key parts of the lecture because you’re talking.

Student: But I’m talking about the lecture. I’m not just making conversation.

Professor: Look, Chris. It doesn’t matter. When I am talking, you should be listening.

Student: Well, I’m sorry. Sometimes I don’t get a word or a phrase so I ask someone about it.

Professor: Okay. I really don’t think you’re creating a disturbance on purpose. If I did, I’d simply ask you to drop the class. Period.

Student: Oh please don’t do that.

Professor: That’s not my plan, but it has to be an option. Look, maybe you need to record the lectures. I don’t mind if you do that. Then, you can fill in the blanks when you listen the second time instead of asking your neighbor during the class.

Student: That’s a great idea. I really wanted to do that, but I was thinking you probably wouldn’t want me to.

Professor: And another thing. If you have questions, I need you to write them down and make an appointment to talk with me about them. That’s why I have office hours twice a week. Just call the department, and we’ll arrange a time.

Student: Excuse me. Dr. Pierce. Can I tell you something? Uh, I’m embarrassed to ask you questions.

Professor: Why in the world would that be? I ask for questions at the end of every lecture. I encourage students to use my office hours…

Student: I know you do. It’s just that where I went to school before I came here, if you asked a professor a question, it was an insult because . . . because it implied that he hadn’t explained everything well. You see, if the professor does a good job on the lecture, everything will be clear and no one will need to ask a question.

Professor: I see. Well, it’s different here. I’m not saying that your other experience is wrong. I’m just saying that we do things differently at the university in this country. In my dass I don’t expect you to understand everything in the lectures. And I don’t take it as a challenge when someone asks a question. I view the question as . .. kind of a compliment… because it means that person is very interested and is really trying to leam. That’s the kind of student I want.

Student: So, I can ask you questions in class?

Professor: Or in my office. Just don’t ask other students questions white I’m trying to give my lecture. That does upset me.

Student: Oh, Professor Pierce. I’m so sorry. I was trying to be respectful. I’m interested in the class and I want to know everything.

Professor: I see that. Now I’m asking you to show your interest and respect in a different way. I want you to ask me the questions at the times that I provide for question and answer— at the end of the lecture and during my office hours.

Student: And I can record the lectures?

Professor: Yes. Just don’t make a lot of noise in class, okay?

Student: Oh no, I won’t Thank you so much.  

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 06 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 06 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 06 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Solution

Listening 1 “Professor’s Office”

1.C

2. A

3. D

4. B

5. D

Listening 2 “Environmental Science Class”

6. D

7. B, D

8. C

9. A, B : YES/ C, D: NO / E: YES

10. D

11. A

Listening 3 “Philosophy Class”

12. C

13. D

14. C

15. B

16. A

17. B

Listening 4 “Professor’s Office”

18. C

19. A

20. A

21. A

22. B

Listening 5 “Biology Class”

23. D

24. B

25. A, C

26. C

27. C

28. D

Listening 6 “History Class”

29. C

30. D

31. A

32. D

33. B

34. A: YES/ B, C, D: NO/ E: YES

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 06 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Transcripts

 

LISTENING 1 “PROFESSOR’S OFFICE”

Audio Conversation

Listen to a conversation between a student and a professor.

Student: Hi Dr. Davis. I’m a little early. Should I wait outside?

Professor: No. Come on in. I’m free. What did you want to talk about?

Student: Well, I’ve read the first couple of books you had on my list… the reading list for my independent study . . . and I was just wondering how you want me to report them to you. We didn’t really talk about that.

Professor: Well, I’m glad you stopped by. Let me think … didn’t you have a project to do in addition to the reading list?

Student: Yes. You said it could be a research paper or I could come up with a proposal for a dif-ferent kind of project.

Professor: That’s right. So. the reading list is … background information then. Why don’t you just come in when you finish the first part of the list. I think it was divided in two distinct parts … so just come in. and we’ll talk about the readings.

Student: You mean I should prepare a synopsis of each book and .. . and kind of report to you on each one?

Professor: No, no. Nothing as formal as that. I was thinking more along the lines of a conversation.

As I recall, the list has a focus, doesn’t it?

Student: Definitely. All of the books are novels and plays from the second half of the twentieth century.

Professor: The Post Modem Period then. And all North American novelists and playwrights.

Student: Right.

Professor: So we should be able to find some common threads then. Remember, though, Post Modernism is very difficult to define precisely. Maybe we could start with a discussion of the themes that emerge in the collection of literature from that period.

Student: That sounds interesting.

Professor: I think so, too. And by the time you get through with the second half of the reading list and we get together again, maybe we can figure out whether we’re looking at a logical extension of Post Modernism or whether there’s actually a new movement there … in the readings on the second part. If you’ll notice, there are quite a few minority writers represented, so you might want to think about what that means.

Student: I noticed that in the list The first part of the list has the usual North American writers and, of course, a good representation of women writers as you would expect, but the second part of the list indudes a number of African-American authors, several His- panic-American writers, and a few Onentai-Americans

Professor: It’s a multiethnic mix.

Student: Yeah.

Professor: Good. So have you decided whether you want to do a paper or. . . something else perhaps?

Student: To tell the truth, I’d really like to do something a little more creative. Maybe bring in some visuals on the computer as part of the … I don’t know … I suppose you would call it a mixed media report. But I’ve never done anything like that before.

Professor: But that’s what an independent study is designed to do. It’s an opportunity to experiment and to have some one-on-one time with a professor.

Student: But a research paper is easier in some ways. At least I know that I can do a decent job. The computer project is unknown territory.

Professor: True. But remember, it’s unknown territory for all of us. I think I’ve heard some references to Cybermodemtsfn, if you want to investigate some of the work that’s being created in, as you call it. mixed media literature.

Student: Cybermodemism? Wow!

Professor: I think you’d find it interesting. Anyway, it’s up to you. It’s your project.

Student: Thanks. I’m really excited about doing this independent study. Actually. I’m spending more time on it than on any of my other classes.

Professor: I’ve found that students usually invest more time and energy in a class that they can design. That’s why I like to direct them. Oh. and Terry, if you run into any problems, don’t wait until you’re halfway through your reacting list. Just stop by during my office hours. Maybe I can give you some references or at least a sounding board.

Student: Thanks. This is better than I even expected.

LISTENING 2 “ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CLASS”

Audio Lecture

Narrator Listen to part of a lecture in an environmental science dass. The professor is talking about wind power.

Professor

Today I want to talk with you about another renewable source of energy… wind power. This isn’t a new concept. In fact, wind has been used for centuries to pump waler and launch sailing vessels. But more recently, wind power has been used to generate electricity.

By the year 2000, California was using, maybe 15,000 wind turbines to produce about 400 megawatts of electricity. And that was happening at a cost that would be considered competitive with coal or nuclear power. And, although California currently leads Ihe United States in harnessing wind power, there are several other areas that also hold considerable potential for increased production.

Texas and the Dakotas alone have enough wind potential to power the nation, but, since the winds there are so variable, well, wind power alone would be unreliable as a primary source of continuous energy. Nevertheless, it could be used as a secondary resource, along with fossil fuels. The strong and steady winds of the Pacific Northwest, especially in the Columbia River Basin … these winds would be ideal as a supplement to hydroelectric power when the river is experiencing periods of low water levels. Studies by the U.S. Department of Energy indicate that wind power generated from the Great Plains in the middle of the country could supply the continental United States with almost… 75 percent of the electricity required for the region.

In another section of the same report, it was noted that wind power is the world’s fastest growing energy source. Since 1998. the capacity for wind energy has increased by more than 35 percent worldwide. And improvements in wind turbine technology in the past couple of decades has improved efficiency. cutting the cost dramatically, from roughly 40 cents to about 4 cents per kilowatt hour, and a new turbine design is being tested with a lower torque, so that may actually move the price closer to 3 cents.

Europe currently accounts for over 17 … Oh, sorry that’s 70 … sevenzero percent of the world’s wind power. India, China, Germany, Denmark, Italy, and Spain have published plans for major increases in windgenerated electricity projects in the next few years, and recent interest and exploration have been initiated in the United Kingdom and Brazil. Remote areas, especially islands, and other regions at a distance from electrical grids are vigorously exploring wind options. Clearly, the global implications not only for cheap energy but also for clean energy could be enormous. And, in some areas, the consumers are even willing to pay a subsidy for the pollution-free energy that wind provides their communities. In Colorado, for instance, through a program called Windsource, about 10,000 customers pay an additional $2.50 per month for every 100-killowatt hours of wind power. Legislation in several states in the United States now requires utility companies to guarantee that a percentage of their electricity will be generated from renewable sources like wind power.

Of course, there are some problems associated with wind power that do need to be considered The blades on the turbines present a hazard to migrating birds. In some cases, the vibrations interfere with television reception in the area. And, there have been objections to wind farms because they produce noise and because they’re not visually appealing to residents nearby. So, in addition to the studies to improve turbine design and energy efficiency, some of the attendant problems also require research and development. Regarding the noise, let me mention that design modifications, basically modifying the thickness of the turbine blades and making adjustments to the orientation of the turbines … these modifications have diminished the noise substantially in a number of sites. As for visual appeal, some creative ways to share the land to create a more attractive wind farm are being piloted.

So that brings us to the issue of storing wind power. And, although wind energy can be stored temporarily as battery power, the real challenge for wind power exploration will be how to level out the energy source. Alternatives for storage will be critical because, even in an area with steady winds, wind is still not totally reliable. But, the Tellus Institute has released promising results from studies to investigate the problem of intermittent wind. This is what they did. By dividing the wind turbines from one farm into two smaller farms with geographical separation, the capacity of the pair of farms increased by 33!4 percent over the efficiency of the larger farm with the same number of turbines. So, by taking advantage of the slightly different wind patterns, a more continuous supply of wind power can be generated.

So where are we with all of this? Well, the research that will make wind power a viable option is underway but we need to continue to study … in order to solve some of the problems . . . before we can use wind power as a primary source of energy, globally.

—> Next page 2 to continue

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 05 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 05 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 05 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Solution

 Listening 1 “Professor’s office”

1.B

2. C

3. C

4. A

5. C

Listening 2 “Literature Class”

6. B

7. A

8. A: NO/ B,C,D : YES/ E: NO

9. B

10. B

11. D

Listening 3 “Geology Class”

12. B

13. B, D

14. A

15. C

16. B

17. C

Listening 4 “Professor’s Office”

18. B

19. C

20. C

21. A

22. A

Listening 5 “Music Appreciation Class”

23. A

24. C

25. A, D

26. B

27. A

28. B

Listening 6 “Botany Class”

29. A

30. A

31. D

32. A

33. C

34. A, C

Listening 7 “Library”

35. C

36. B

37. D

38. B

39. C

Listening 8 “Art History Class”

40. C

41. B

42. A, C

43. A

44. C

45. B

Listening 9 “Engineering Class”

46. C

47. A

48. A, B

49. C

50. A

51. B

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 04 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Transcripts

LISTENING 1 “PROFESSOR’S OFFICE”

Audio Conversation

Narrator: Listen to part of a conversation between a student and a professor.

Student: Professor Collins. I’m really sorry. I mean … These are my daughters. They’re twins. I wouldn’t ordinarily bring them to an appointment, but the babysitter didn’t show up. and I couldn’t leave them. I didn’t want to cancel. I hope it’s okay.

Professor: It’s okay. I have three kids of my own, and I’ve been in the same situation.

Student: Thanks. Well, this shouldn’t take much of your time. I really just have one question.

Professor: All right.

Student: I’m having a problem understanding the difference between declarative memory and procedural memory. I think from my notes that they’re both examples of . . . let me see … I have it down here . . . “Declarative and procedural memory are two broad types of memory circuits in long-term memory.”

Professor: That’s right. But you need to distinguish between them.

Student: Exactly.

Professor: Okay, well, declarative memory is a memory that links us to a fact. Like a name or a date or even an experience.

Student: So when I remember a professor’s name when I see him, that’s declarative memory?

Professor: Yes, at its most basic level, it is. But declarative memory also includes problem solving. Like today, when you decided to bring your daughters to my office, you were using declarative memory to access previous experiences and facts that would allow you to make a decision.

Student: Oh, right. I remember your example in class. That makes sense now. You were talking about problem solving by recalling experiences. But wasn’t that episodic memory?

Professor: Very good. Yes, it’s called episodic memory. But declarative memory includes episodic memory, which is the ability to access prior experiences or personal episodes in our life, usually for the purpose of making a decision or solving a problem. So episodic memory is a subcategory of declarative memory, so to speak. And semantic memory is just the storehouse of facts that we have in our memory circuits…

Student:… which is also a subcategory of declarative memory?

Professor: Precisely.

Student: Okay. Then procedural memory doesn’t include facts or experiences.

Professor: Not directly, no. Procedural memory refers to skills that we’ve learned and are now remembering in order to … to perform the skill without really thinking much about it Like, for example, riding a bike or… or do you play a musical instrument?

Student: Piano, sort of. Not really.

Professor: Okay. Well, when you ride a bike then, you aren’t thinking about the name of every part of the bike and how to use the handle bars or the pedals .. or at least not consciously.

Student: No.

Professor: But at some level, you are remembering how to do these things, so you are using your memory.

Student: And that would be procedural memory. 

Professor: Yes, it would.

Student: Okay, then. That’s why you said that declarative memory can be more rapidly learned, but it can also be more rapidly forgotten – because a fact can come and go in the memory. But procedural memory takes repetition and practice, so it’s harder to unlearn I’m not saying that very well.

Professor: But you have the idea. Often with declarative memory, you’re consciously trying to remember, but with procedural memory, you’re performing a skill without consciously trying to recall how … without each step in the process.

Student: That’s what I mean But…

Professor: Yes?

Student: Well, I was thinking about language. When my girts were learning to talk …

Professor: Oh, I see where you are going. You want to know whether language learning is declarative or procedural.

Student: Yeah.

Professor: What do you think?

Student: I was thinking that maybe it’s both? Because you have to memorize vocabulary, but eventually, it’s more like a skill like riding a bike … because you don’t think about each individual word. It’s more… more automatic. Um. Do you see what I mean?

Professor: A very good analysis. I think you’ve got this.

Student: Okay. Well, thanks a lot.

Professor: And, uh, if you ever need to ask me a question and if s… hard to get in to see me, just drop me an e-mail.

Student: I thought about that, but…

Professor: Look, I’m always glad to see you, but I answer a lot of questions like this by e-mail every day and if it’s easier for you, that’s fine with me.

Student: That’s very kind of you. Thank you so much.

LISTENING 2 “LITERATURE CLASS”

Audio Discussion

Narrator Listen to part of a discussion in a literature class.

Professor:

Today we’re continuing our discussion of Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift We left off last session at the point where Gulliver began his fourth voyage as the captain of a merchant ship. As you’ll recall, his crew had confined him and cast him ashore on an island. While making his way along a road, he was attacked by a herd of deformed beasts with brown skin and no tails, but suddenly the attack was interrupted by the appearance of a beautiful horse. And this is where we left off. So what happens next?

Student 1:

Well, another horse comes along, and they appear to be having a conversation, the two horses. I mean, and they keep using the words Yahoo and Houyhnhnm so Gulliver is able to understand that Yahoo refers to the animals that attacked him and Houyhnhnm refers to the horses. Then Gulliver goes home with the horses.

Professor:

And what is Gulliver thinking about while he’s observing the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms?

Student 2:

Oh, this was good. He starts to understand that the only difference between himself and the Yahoos is his clothing. But he’s… he’s horrified by this, so we see him trying to be more like the horses.

Professor: How do you know that he’s striving to emulate the Houyhnhnms?

Student 2: Well, he learns their language… so he can communicate with them.

Professor

Right. So this brings us to the most important part of the narrative—the comparison between the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms. First tell us how the Yahoos are portrayed. What do they eat? How do they look?

Student 3:

Well, I think the author used the word depraved several times. They eat dog and donkey meat and even garbage, and they drink, um, they drink… too much. And he says they’re filthy, and they stink.

Professor:

So their behavior… the Yahoos’ behavior… is neither rational nor moral. Now take a look at the description of the Yahoos that Gulliver has known in England. Let me refer to the book here. Okay, Gulliver explains that Yahoos in England fight wars for religious reasons, that lawyers use reason to argue for the wrong side, that the wealthy live to acquire more luxuries, and that greed makes them ill. By this, we assume that he’s referring to the rich gourmet diet that causes gout and other health problems among the upper classes. So this is in contrast with the Houyhnhnms, right? How so?

Student 1 Student 2:

Well… Yes …

Student 1: Sorry, go ahead.

I was just going to say that they eat oats, bread, and honey, but not meat not other animals. And they don’t drink.

Student 1:

I think it’s important that they don’t even understand the concept of a lie. That proves that they are … that they have a very innocent nature.

Professor

Good point You’re referring to the fact that they failed to grasp how the crew was able to initiate the mutiny that brought Gulliver to their island.

Student 1: Umhum.

Professor

Okay, so what do the Houyhnhnms think about Gulliver? And what does Gulliver conclude about him¬self?

Student 2:

Well, Gulliver isn’t really a Yahoo and he isn’t really a Houyhnhnm either. I’d say he’s kind of in the mid-dle. But, he’s trying to become a Houyhnhnm. When he goes back to England, he’s actually afraid of other humans… I mean… Yahoos.

Professor

But he cant quite achieve his transformation, can he? Even though his pride motivates him to continue the impossible pursuit of perfection So, what does this all mean?

Student 1:

I think it’s like the other chapters. The fourth voyage is … its another critique of the weaknesses in human nature.

Professor:

Then Swift is making the point that although humankind is capable of rational behavior, we seldom choose to exercise it. The very meaning of the word Yahoo in the Houyhnhnm language is “evil.” So Swift is very satirical then. And when we consider the time period for the book, the early 1700s, we must appreciate the exceptional departure from the literature of the era, which was mostly written to flatter or entertain. Swift used satire to provide the reader with a perspective that’s very different from that of other writers in an age of science and reason.

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 04 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Solution & Transcription

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 04 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Solution & Transcription

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 04 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Solution

Listening 1 “Professor’s Office”

1. D

2. C

3. B

4. D

5. A

6. D

7. A, C

8. B

9. B

Listening 2 “Anthropology Class”

1o. C

11. YES: A, B, D | NO: C, E

Listening 3 “Business Class”

12. B

13. D

14. A

15. B

16. D

17. B

Listening 4 “Student on Campus”

18. B

19. A

20. B

21. C

22. A

Listening 5 “Biology Class”

23. D

24. B

25. A

26. A

27. B

28. D

Listening 6 “Orientation Session”

29. B

30. A

31. B

32. C

33. A: Fixating | C: Regressing | B: Auditory reading

34. D

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 04 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT Transcripts

LISTENING 1 “PROFESSOR’S OFFICE”

Audio Conversation

Narrator         Listen to part of a conversation on campus between a student and a professor.

Professor: So what did you want to see me about Emie?

Student:         My grade. I’m not doing very well in this class.

Professor. Well, that’s not exactly true. You were doing very well until the last test.

Student:         I got a D. Professor Adams, I’ve never gotten a D in my life… before this, I mean. So that’s why I’m here. I hope you can give me some advice.

Professor. Well, from my class book, I see that your attendance is excellent. No absences, so that’s not the problem.

Student:         No. I never miss class. I’m a serious student. I just don’t know what happened on that test.

Professor:  Did you bring it? The test?

Student: Yes. I did. Here it is.

Professor:  Okay. I think I remember this, but there were almost a hundred tests to grade, so let’s have a look at it.

Student:         Thanks.

Professor: Well, Ernie … let’s see … Here it is. Yes, I do recall this test. You didn’t finish it You stopped after question 15. So you had 5 questions that were counted wrong because they… because you didn’t complete the test.

Student:         I know. I didn’t watch the time, and I just couldn’t believe it when you asked us to hand in the tests.

Professor: Yes. I see. But you did a good job on the questions that you did respond to.

Student:         Professor Adams, maybe you won’t believe me, but I know the answers to the questions that I… that… that…

Professor: The ones that you left blank at the end.

Student:         Yeah. So now I need some advice about how to bring up my grade because a D is going to make a big difference.

Professor: This test counts 25 percent so. uh,… you’re right. It will bring it down at least a letter.

Student:         I know.

Professor. Okay then. The first thing is to learn something from this. You have to find a way to pace yourself through tests or you’re going to have this problem again.

Student:  Okay. That’s good. Now, uh, what about the grade for this class?

Student:         I was hoping you might give me a chance to… to maybe do an extra credit assignment.

Professor:  Hummm. I don’t know about that.

Student:         Oh.

Professor:  But here’s what we can do. If you want to finish the test right now, and your answers are satisfactory, then I’ll add some points to your grade.

Student:         You will? I know the answers. Really I…

Professor … I can’t give you full credit for your answers. That wouldn’t be fair to the other students, but I can add some points, and that should help you somewhat.

Student:         Wow. This is great.

Professor:  Okay. Just take your test over there and finish it. You had about an hour to complete 20 questions, so, uh,… that would be 15 minutes to finish the 5 questions you left blank. And Ernie … pace yourself.

Student:         I will! Thanks. Thanks a lot. 

 

LISTENING 2 “ANTHROPOLOGY CLASS”

Audio Lecture

Narrator Listen to part of a lecture in an anthropology dass The professor is discussing agriculture

Professor

Let’s just pick up where we left off last week. Okay, as you’ll recall, earlier theories about the develop ment of agriculture tended to view it as a progressive event, or even as a catalyst for everything from art to industry, but I’m going to share a rather different view with you. From a revisionist perspective, the development of agriculture about 10,000 years ago didn’t improve the lives of early farmers. On the contrary. when hunter-gatherers abandoned the age-old method of foraging for food and began to cultivate crops, they put their health at risk. Now I know it’s just the opposite of… it’s quite a different viewpoint let’s say, so… why would this be so . why would their health decline when agriculture provided people with an efficient way to get more food for less work?

Clearly, cultivated fields yield more food per acre than uncultivated land with undomesticated patches of berries and nuts. Well, first let’s consider the conditions that are necessary for agriculture to flourish. In order to have enough labor to plant, tend, and harvest crops, a larger number of people must well they have to cooperate. That means that the density of the population must increase in the area surrounding the cultivated farms. And, as we know, crowding contributes to the transmission of infectious diseases. So when hunter-gatherers were wandering in small bands, the likelihood of an epidemic was slight, but after the agricultural revolution, tuberculosis . . . and diseases of the intestinal tract.. . these began to reach epidemic proportions in the crowded agricultural communities. And in addition, because the population was no longer mobile and … and relied on trade to inject variety into the lives and diets of the farmers, that meant that disease was also transmitted through the exchange of goods.                        •

Now, the revisionists also argue that the content of the (Set for earty farmers was inferior to that of the hunter-gatherers. You’ll recall that hunter-gatherers enjoyed a variety of foods selected from wild plants and game, and in studies of modem tribes that have continued the tradition of hunting and gathering food, it appears that those … the hunters and gatherers … they have a better balance of nutrients and even more protein than tribes that have adopted agricultural lifestyles. Today, three grain crops… wheat, com, and rice… these account for the bulk of calories consumed by farming societies. So, consider the implications. Extrapolating from this and from evidence that earty farmers raised only one or two crops, we can conclude that a disproportionate amount of carbohydrates formed the basis of their diets.

Now another interesting series of studies involve the skeletal remains of hunter-gatherers as com-pared with their agricultural relatives. And one such study from Greece and Turkey… it indicates that the average height of hunter-gatherers at the end of the Ice Age was … let me check my notes… yes, it was 5’9s for men and 5’5 for women. And their bones were strong, healthy, and athletic. But, after the agricultural revolution, skeletal remains revealed that height had diminished to a shocking 5’3s for men and 5’ for women. And evidence from bone samples suggests that they suffered from diseases caused by malnutrition, like anemia. And this is interesting. Further studies from paleontologists at the University of Massachusetts project life expectancies for hunter-gatherers at about twenty-six years, but post agricultural life expectancies were less than twenty years. Let me just read you something from one of the studies by George Armelagos, and I quote, “episodes of nutritional stress and infectious disease were seriously affecting their ability to survive.” And he’s referring to earty farmers here.

So. let’s see where we are. Oh, yes. Consider that hunter-gatherers had the advantage of mobility. So if food wasn’t plentiful, they broke camp and moved on in search of an area with a larger food supply. And, if one type of food were in short supply, for example … well, berries, then they wouldn’t eat berries but there would probably be a good supply of another type of food, like nuts. Or hunting might compensate for a bad year for plant foods But farmers were very vulnerable to crop failures. Remember, most early farmers cultivated only one or two crops. If there was a drought and the grain harvest failed, they didn’t have other resources and that’s why they were subject to malnutrition or even starvation. So, as you see, revisionists have made a rather convincing case. To sum it up, according to the revisionists, the development of agriculture put the health of earty fanners at risk.

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 02 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 02 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 02 Solution

Listening 1 “Professor’s Office”

1. B

2. D

3. C

4. C

5. A

Listening 2 “Art History Class”

6. C

7. A

8. C

9. A

10. C

11. B

Listening 3 “Linguistic “

12. B

13. A

14. A, C

15. B

16. A

17. D

Listening 4 “College Campus”

18. C

19. A

20. B

21. D

22. C

Listening 5 “Zoology Class”

23. B

24. C

25. A

26. B, C

27. C

28. A – B- C : YES / D : NO

Listening 6 “Business Class”

29. A

30. C

31. B

32. A

33. D

34. D

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 02 Transcripts

LISTENING 1 “PROFESSOR’S OFFICE”

Audio Conversation

Narrator Listen to part of a conversation between a student and a professor

 

Student: Professor James. Do you have a minute?

Professor: Sure. Come on in. What can I do for you?

Student: Well. I did pretty well on the midterm

Professor: You sure did. One of the best grades, as I recall.

Student: But I missed a question, and Td appreciate it if you could help me understand what I did wrong. I have the test right here, and I just can’t figure it out.

Professor: Okay. Fire away.

Student: It’s question 7… the one on biotic provinces and biomes.

Professor: Oh, that one. Um, quite a few people missed it. I was thinking that we should go over it again in class. But anyway, let’s look at your answer.

Student: Thanks. Here’s the thing. I said that a biotic province was a region with similar life, but with boundaries that prevent plants and animals from spreading to other regions. So an

animal, for example, a mammal … it may have a genetic ancestor in common with another mammal. But a biome is a similar environment, an ecosystem really, like a desert or a tropical rainforest. So, in the case of a biome, well, the similar climate causes the plants and animals to evolve … to adapt to the climate, and that’s why they look alike.

Professor: That’s good, very good… as far as you went. But there’s a second part to the question. Look, right here. Indude an explanation of convergent and dvergent evolution’ So .. .

I was looking for a more complete answer. Next time, be sure to include both parts of a

question . . . when there are two parts like this one Do you know how to explain

convergent and divergent evolution?

Student: I think so. Isn’t it… like when a group of plants or animals … when they’re separated by mountains or a large body of water… then subpopulations evolve from a common ancestor and they have similar characteristics but their development diverges because of the separation, so that’s why we cal it divergent evolution.

Professor: Right Even when the habitat is similar, if they’re separated, then they diverge…. Howabout convergent evolution then?

Student: Well, that would be a situation where a similar environment… a habitat . . it may cause plants and animals to evolve in order to adapt to the conditions. So a species that isn’t really related can evolve with similar characteristics because … it can look like a species in another geographic region because of adaptation … and that would be convergent evolution?

Professor: Right again. So temperature and rainfall, proximity to water, latitude and longitude all combine to determine the climate, and if we know the climate of an area, then we can actually predict what kind of life will inhabit it.

Student: Okay. And I really did know that. I just didn’t put it down. To tell tho truth. I didn’t see the second part. Not until you pointed it out to me. 

Professor: That’s what I thought. Well, Jerry, ifs a good idea to double-check all the questions on a test… not just my test… any test… to make sure you’ve answered each part of the question completely. Otherwise, you won’t get full credit.

Student: I see that. Well, live and learn.

Professor: Jerry, you’re one of my best students.

Student: Thanks. I really like biology. In fact. I’m thinking of majoring in it.

Professor: Good. That means you’ll be in some of my upper-level classes

Student: And I’ll be watching out for those two-part questions on your exams.

Professor: And all the rest of your exams. I’ll be honest with you. My questions usually have two parts so the students will have an insight into the grading system and a lot of pro-fessors do that. In an essay question, it’s difficult to know what to include and how much to write. Just read the question carefully, and be sure to include all the parts. There may be three or four in some essay questions. This is the way that the professor helps you organize your answer. I’m giving my students a hint about what I’m looking for by including several parts to the question. But if you miss one of the parts, then it lowers your score.

Student: That makes sense. I think I was just trying to finish within the time limit, and I didn’t read as carefully as I should have. On the final, I’ll spend more f before I start to answer them.

Professor: Good plan.

 

LISTENING 2 “ART HISTORY CLASS”

Audio Discussion

Narrator Listen to part of a discussion in an art history class.

Professor:

Sorry about the tests. I don’t have them finished. They just took longer to grade than I thought they would. So … I’ll have them for you next time. Okay then. Let’s begin our discussion of the ballet. … If you read the chapter in your text, you already know that uh … in 1489, a performance that was something like a dinner theater was organized to celebrate the marriage of the Duke of Milan, and… a dance representing Jason and the Argonauts was performed just before the roasted lamb was served. By the way, ifs interesting that the dance was called an entree and that name has been retained for courses in meals. Anyway, about the same time, outdoor entertainment, you know . . . parades and equestrian events .. . they were becoming more popular, and uh … we have evidence that they were referred to as “horse ballets.”

Student 1:

So this … the horse ballet… was it the first time the term ‘bailer was used? 

Professor

Right The actual term in Italian was baUetti, which mean! ‘a dance done in figures.’ And it was characterized by the arrangement of the performers in various patterns. Actually, the balletti were staged versions of the social dances that were popular at court, and the steps … the basic movements … they were walking, swaying, and turning … so they combined in a variety of… of… sequences, each of which was named so that, uh, they could be referred to in the directions for individual dances. In fact, specific instructions for the placement of the dancer’s feet probably provided the first, uh … the first record of the five positions of classical ballet. Question?

Student 2:

Sony. I’m trying to get clear on the dancers. Um … could you explain what the book means about court dancing and. uh … I’m not saying this very well.

Professor. .

I think I know where you’re going. You see, the directions that were written down were intended as a reference for social dancing, but they were, uh .. . important in the history of ballet because uh … the theatrical dances or entertainments that preceded ballet were… not performed by professional dancers. Members of the court danced for the entertainment of society, and in general, the performances were in the central halls of castles and palaces with the audience seated in galleries above so that, uh, the floor figures could… could be seen when the people looked down. But back to your question… because of the limitations of the performers and the arrangement of the staging, well, the best way to impress the audience was to keep the steps simple enough for the amateur dancers but the geometrical patterns

had to be. uh intricate and … and fresh … so the spectators would go away pleased because

they’d seen something new.

Student 2:

Oh, I get it now. That makes sense, too, because everyone would be looking down at the dancers.

Exactly. Now to continue that thought for a moment — by the middle of. the sixteenth century, variety shows were being presented on a grand scale in Northern Italy. They included both indoor and outdoor entertainment, and most people called them spectacuti. And. uh … France had begun to make a significant contribution to tho dance form that evolved into modem ballet. But, to be precise, it was Catherine de Medici who used dance as part of her court entertainments and is, uh … credited with the use of the term ballet In 1573 … I think it was 1573.. – anyway, she organized a huge celebration to welcome the ambassadors from Poland who had arrived to, uh … to offer their country s throne to her son Henn. So she called it the Pohsh BaHet. and the production was staged on a lancing at the top of a grand staircase. Sixteen ladies… and these would not have been dancers… just members

of court so they represented the sixteen provinces of France, and they performed a choreographed dance with a variety of floor figures. Afterward, the audience joined in court dances, similar to the baHroom dancing that evolved later…. So that’s a long answer to your original question.

Professor Okay.

Student 1:

You said that the Polish Ballet was the first ballet, but I thought the book said the first ballet was Queen Louise’s Ballet.

Professor

Good question. Well, I said the Polish Ballet was the first use of the term ballet for a dance performance, but Queen Louise’s Ballet is generally considered the first modem ballet. As you’ll remember, from the book, the ballet was performed before ten thousand guests, and it was five hours long. When I was doing the research for this lecture, I saw several references to the time, so … so I know that this is accurate, but I kept thinking, no one would watch a ballet for five hours. But it must be correct I can only assume that other activities were going on simultaneously, like a banquet and conversation. Don’t you think?

Anyway, what makes Queen Louise’s Ballet so unique, besides the length, and why it’s the first modem ballet, is that it was connected by a story line or, in technical terms, uh, if s called dramatic cohesion. Each scene was related to the tales of Circe, a Greek enchantress, who Used her powers to battle with man and the gods. The triumph of good, portrayed by Jupiter, over evil, portrayed by Circe, was told in a … let’s call it a unified production.

Transcripts for Listening 3 + 4

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 01 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 01 Solution & Transcription

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 01 Solution & Transcription

Listening 1 “Learning Center” Key

1. C

2. A

3. B

4. D

5. D

 

LISTENING 1 “LEARNING CENTER” Transcript

Listen to a conversation on campus between two students.

Man: Hi. Are you Paula?

Woman: Jim?

Man: Hi. Nice to meet you.

Woman: Glad to meet you.

Man. So. You need some tutoring in English?

Woman: Yeah. I’m taking English composition, and I’m not doing very well on my essays.

Man: Right. Um, well, first let’s see if we can figure out a time to meet… that we’re  both free.

Woman: Okay.

Man: How about Mondays? Maybe in the morning? I don’t have any classes until eleven on Mondays.

Woman: That would work, but I was hoping we could, you know, meet more than once a week.

Man: Oh Well, Tuesdays are out. I’ve got classes and. uh. I work at the library part time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But I could get together on Wednesdays

Woman: In the morning?

Man: Probably ninethirty would be best. That way we’d have an hour to work before I’d have to get ready for my eleven o’clock.

Woman: So that would be two hours a week then?

Man: I could do that.

Woman: Oh. but, would that be extra? You know, would I need to pay you for the extra session?

Man:  No. Um, just so you meet me here at the Learning Center, and we both sign in, then I’ll get paid. Tutoring is free, to you. I mean. The school pays me. But we both have to show up If you don’t show up and sign in for a session, then I don’t get paid. So…

Woman: Oh. don’t worry about that. I really need the help. I won’t miss any sessions unless I’m sick or something.

Man: Okay then. So you want me to help you with your essays?

Woman: Right. I could bring you some that have, you know, comments on them. I’m getting C’s and…

Man:  WeH, that’s not too bad. Once I see some of your writing, we should be able to pull that up to a B.

Woman: You think so?

Man:  Sure. But I need to explain something. Some of my students in the past . . . they expected me to write their essays for them. But that’s not what a tutor is supposed to do. My job is to help you be a better writer.

Woman: Oh, I understand that But you’ll read my essays, right?

Man: Oh yeah. No problem. We’ll read them together, and I’ll make suggestions.

Woman: Great. I think part of the problem is I just don’t understand the teacher’s comments. Maybe you can help me figure them out.

Man: Sure. Who’s the teacher?

Woman: Simpson.

Man:  No problem. I’ve tutored a couple of her students, so I know more or less where she’s

Woman: coming from. Okay, then. I guess we’ll meet here on Monday. I’ll be here. Ninethirty you said.

Man:  Just sign in when you get here. 

Listening 2 “Geology Class” Key

6. B

7. B

8. B

9. C

10. A,D,E

11. C

 

LISTENING 2 “GEOLOGY CLASS” Transcript

Listen to part of a lecture in a geology class.

Professor

Okay, today we’re going to discuss the four major types of drainage patterns. I trust you’ve already read the chapter so you’ll recall that a drainage pattern is the arrangement of channels that carry water in an area. And these patterns can be very distinctive since they’re determined by the climate, the topography, and the composition of the rock that underlies the formations. So, consequently, we can see that a drainage pattern is really a good visual summary of the characteristics of a particular region, both geologically and climatically. In other words, when we look at drainage patterns, we can draw conclusions about the structural formation and relief of the land as well as the climate.

Now all drainage systems are composed of an interconnected network of streams, and, when we view them together, they form distinctive patterns. Although there are at least seven identifiable kinds of drainage patterns, for our purposes, we’re going to limit our study to the four major types. Probably the most familiar pattern is the dendritic drainage pattern.

This is a stream that looks like the branches of a tree. Here’s an example of a dendritic pattern. As you can see, it’s similar to many systems in nature. In addition to the structure of a tree, it also resembles the human circulation system. This is a very efficient drainage system because the overall length of any one branch is fairfy short, and there are many branches, so that allows the water to flow quickly and efficiently from the source or sources.

Okay, let’s look at the next example.

This drainage pattern is referred to as a radial pattern. Notice how the streams flow from a central point. This is usually a high mountain, or a volcano, tt kind of looks like the spokes that radiate out from the hub at a wheel. When we see a radial pattern, we know that the area has experienced uplift and that the direction of the drainage is down the slopes of a relatively isolated central point.

Going back to the dendritic for a moment. The pattern is determined by the direction of the slope of the land, but it, uh, the streams flow in more or less the same direction, and … so it’s unlike the radial that had multiple directions of flow from the highest point.

Now this pattern is very different from either the dendritic or the radial.

This is called a rectangular pattern, and I think you can see why. Just look at all of those rightangle turns. The rectangle pattern is typical of a landscape that’s been formed by fractured joints and faults. And because this broken rock is eroded more easily than unbroken rock, stream beds are carved along the jointed bedrock.

Finally we have the trellis pattern. And here in this example, you can see quite clearly how the tributaries of an almost parallel structure drain into valleys and … and form the appearance of a garden trellis. This pattern forms in areas where there are alternating bands of variable resistance, and by that I mean that the bands of rock that are very strong and resistant to erosion alternate with bands of rock that are weak and easily eroded. This often happens when a horizontal plain folds and outcroppings appear.

So. as I said, as a whole, these patterns are dictated by the structure and relief of the land.

The kinds of rocks on which the streams are developed, the structural pattern of the folds, uh. faults, and … uplift will usually determine a drainage system. However. I should also mention that drainage patterns can occasionally appear to be. well, out of sync with the landscape. And this can happen when a stream flows over older structures that have been uncovered by erosion or… or when a stream keeps its original drainage system when rocks are uplifted. So when that happens, the pattern appears to be contrary to the expected course of the stream. But Pm interested irr your understanding the basic drainage systems. So I don’t plan to trick you with test questions about exceptional patterns, but I expect you to know that exceptions to the patterns can occur when geological events influence them.

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 07 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 07 from Barron's TOEFL iBT

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 07 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT

The Listening section tests your ability to understand spoken English that is typical of interactions and academic speech on college campuses. During the test, you will listen to conversations and lectures and answer questions about them.

This is the short format for the Listening section. On the short format, you will listen to two conversations and four lectures. After each listening passage, you will answer 5-6 questions about it. Continue reading

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 06 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 06 from Barron's TOEFL iBT

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 06 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT

The Listening section tests your ability to understand spoken English that is typical of interactions and academic speech on college campuses. During the test, you will listen to conversations and lectures and answer questions about them.

This is the short format for the Listening section. On the short format, you will listen to two conversations and four lectures. After each listening passage, you will answer 5-6 questions about it. Continue reading

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 05 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 05 from Barron's TOEFL iBT

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 05 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT

The Listening section tests your ability to understand spoken English that is typical of interactions and academic speech on college campuses. During the test, you will listen to conversations and lectures and answer questions about them.

This is the short format for the Listening section. On the short format, you will listen to two conversations and four lectures. After each listening passage, you will answer 5-6 questions about it. Continue reading

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 04 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 04 from Barron's TOEFL iBT

TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 04 from Barron’s TOEFL iBT

The Listening section tests your ability to understand spoken English that is typical of interactions and academic speech on college campuses. During the test, you will listen to conversations and lectures and answer questions about them.

This is the short format for the Listening section. On the short format, you will listen to two conversations and four lectures. After each listening passage, you will answer 5-6 questions about it. Continue reading

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 02 From Barron’s TOEFL iBT

TOEFL Listening Practice Test 02 - Wikitoefl.Net

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 02 From Barron’s TOEFL iBT 13th Edition

The Listening section tests your ability to understand spoken English that is typical of interactions and academic speech on college campuses. During the test, you will listen to conversations and lectures and answer questions about them. There are two conversations and four lectures on the short format and three conversations and six lectures on the long format.

Continue reading

Click to rate this post!

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 01 From Barron’s TOEFL iBT

TOEFL ibt listening practice test 01 from wiki-study.com

TOEFL iBT Listening Practice Test 01 From Barron’s TOEFL iBT 13th Edition

The Listening section tests your ability to understand spoken English that is typical of interactions and academic speech on college campuses. During the test, you will listen to conversations and lectures and answer questions about them. There are two conversations and four lectures on the short format and three conversations and six lectures on the long format. Continue reading

Click to rate this post!