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.
You will hear each conversation or lecture one time. You may take notes while you listen, but notes are not graded. You may use your notes to answer the questions.
Choose the best answer for multiple-choice questions. Follow the directions on the page or on the screen for computer-assisted questions. Click on Next and then on OK to go on to the next question. You cannot return to previous questions.
The Listening section is divided into sets. Each set includes one conversation and two lectures. You have 10 minutes to answer all of the questions for each set. You will have 20 minutes to answer all of the questions on the short format. A clock on the screen will show you how much time you have to complete your answers for the section. The clock does NOT count the time you are listening to the conversations and lectures.
Listening 1 “Professor’s Office ”
1. Why does the man go to see his professor?
A. To take a makeup test for a class that he missed
B. To explain why he has been absent from class
C. To turn in an extra credit project to the professor
D. To ask the professor how to bring up his grade
2. Why did Ernie get a low grade on the last test?
A. He does not understand the material.
B. He is not a very good student.
C. He did not have time to finish it.
D. He was in a hurry to leave the class.
3. What do we know about the test?
A. There were 100 questions on it.
B. It was worth 25 percent of the final grade.
C. The test was an extra credit assignment.
D. The questions were very difficult.
4. What does the professor say this:
CD Because she doesn’t understand what the man wants her to do
CD Because she has finished the discussion about the man’s problem
CD Because she wants the man to be more specific about his plan
CD Because she does not want to do what the man suggests
5. What can be inferred about the professor?
CD She tries to be fair to all of her students.
CD She is not very flexible about her policies.
CD She does not have very many students.
CD She is not sure what she wants to do.
_____________________________________________
Listening 2 “Anthropology Class’
6. Which of the following is the main topic of the lecture?
CD A progressive view of agriculture
CD The conditions for the development of agriculture
CD A comparison of hunter-gatherers and farmers
CD The negative effects of agriculture on early farmers
7. What are two key characteristics of hunter-gatherers mentioned in the lecture?
Click on 2 answer choices.
A. They were taller than farmers.
B. They ate less well than farmers.
C. They lived longer than farmers.
D. They were less physically fit than farmers.
8. Why does the professor say this:
CD To emphasize the point that he has just made
CD To indicate that another point will be made
CD To demonstrate that the point is his opinion
CD To regain the students’ attention for the next point
9. How does the professor organize his lecture?
CD He contrasts older theories of agriculture with newer ones.
CD He makes an argument for the revisionist view of agriculture.
CD He defines revisionism by giving examples of earty farmers.
CD He provides a chronological account of early farmers.
10. Which of the following statements best summarizes the position of the revisionists?
CD The agricultural revolution affected all human activity.
CD The development of agriculture had a positive influence on nutrition.
CD Agriculture contributed to the health risks for early farmers.
CD Agricultural people had to move from place to place to plant crops.
11. In the lecture, the professor describes the relationship between health and agriculture. Indicate whether each of the following is true or false. Click in the correct box for each phrase.
Yes No
A. Epidemics were spread by crowded towns and trade.
B. Crop failures threatened the entire population.
C. Wars with invading hunter-gatherers devastated them.
D. Unbalanced diets contributed to malnutrition.
E. Hard labor damaged their bones.
__________________________________________
Listening 3 “Business Class”
12. What the lecture mainly about?
CD Commercials on television
CD Marketing brand-name products
CD A book by Rob Frankel
CD Selling Aunt Ruby’s chicken
13. Why does the professor say this:
CD To emphasize the importance of commercials
CD To correct something that he said earlier
CD To identify the time limits for most commercials
CD To relate new information to a previous example
14. According to the professor, why do consumers develop brand loyalty?
CD They have a relationship with the personality that the product projects.
CD They are able to recognize the brand easily when they see it.
CD They tend to make decisions based on recommendations by friends.
CD They find a product that they like and continue to buy it.
15. How does the professor emphasize his point about branding?
CD He uses Aunt Ruby’s chicken as an example.
CD He defines it by contrasting it with related concepts.
CD He refers to a book that he has written.
CD He shows a familiar commercial in class.
16. Why does the professor mention laundry detergent?
CD To give an example of price wars
CD To show that consumers buy different brands
CD To name an industry that introduces new brands
CD To explain the concept of brand loyalty
17. According to the professor, what would be a good way to sell a product?
CD Design a good logo to present the product to the public
CD Hire a celebrity that customers like and relate to .
CD Make it easy for consumers to recognize the packaging
CD Increase the customer service for the product
Listening 4 Students on Campus
18. What is the purpose of this conversation?
CD The man wants to borrow the woman’s lab notes.
CD The woman is helping the man to write a report.
CD The man asks the woman to study for their test with him.
CD The woman and the man are performing an experiment.
19. What is the study about?
CD Reaction times for drivers drinking alcohol in comparison with those of nondrinkers
CD The effects of drinking beer as compared with those of drinking gin and tonic
CD The time that it takes to stop a car going 35 miles per hour when the brakes are applied
CD The problems of riding bicycles on college campuses that have 35 mile-per-hour speed limits
20. According to the man, why is it important to mention that the subjects were randomly selected?
CD The random selection explains why the results were so general.
CD This information allows another researcher to repeat the experiment.
CD The lab assistant included it in the example that the students received.
CD Randomly selected subjects assure researchers of an accurate outcome.
21.Why does the woman say this:
CD She is not sure about her observation.
CD She is insulting the man with this comment
CD She is certain the man agrees with her.
CD She is asking for the man’s opinion.
22. Which section includes the conclusions?
CD Discussion
CD Results
CD Chart
CD Introduction
___________________________________
Listening 5 “Biology Class”
23. What aspect of blood does the professor mainly discuss?
CD An explanation of stem cells
CD A process for blood transfusion
CD A method for producing artificial blood
CD A discussion of blood typing
24. Why does the student say this:
CD She is apologizing for disagreeing with the professor.
CD She is interrupting politely to ask a question.
CD She is talking to herself during the lecture.
CD She is changing the subject of the professor’s talk.
25. Why does the professor mention fingerprints?
CD To demonstrate that blood types are different for individuals
CD To explain how most of the blood tests are performed
CD To explain why O blood is considered universal
CD To help students remember the different antigens
26. In cross matching, how does a compatible match appear under the microscope?
CD All of the cells are at an equal distance from each other.
CD The arrangement of the cells looks like two parallel lines.
CD The cells tend to group together in a large clump.
CD The red cells and the plasma separate in an irregular pattern.
27. Why does the professor mention artificial blood?
CD She is referring to the textbook.
CD She is answering a question.
CD She is reporting her research.
CD She is joking with the students.
28. What does the professor imply when she says this:
CD She is very uncertain about the risks of the research.
CD She is somewhat interested in doing research in this area..
CD She is withdrawing her support for future research.
CD She agrees that research should continue in spite of problems.
_______________________________________________
Listening 6 “Orientation Session”
29. What is this discussion mainly about?
CD Success in college
CD How to read faster
CD Academic study skills
CD Research on college students
30. How does the professor organize the discussion?
CD She cites research to support her arguments.
CD She gives a demonstration of her theory.
CD She debates the issues with her students.
CD She shares strategies that she developed.
31. Why does the professor mention running?
CD To digress from the topic with a personal story
CD To make a comparison between reading and running
CD To show that reading requires physical effort
CD To clarify the times two rule
32. Why does the professor say this:
CD She doesn’t think the point is very important.
CD She is trying to finish the lecture on time.
CD She thinks the idea will fit in better later on.
CD She doesn’t want the student to interrupt her. .
33. The professor mentions several negative habits. Match these habits to the explanations Click on the habit and drag it to the correct explanation.
| Habit | Explanation |
| Pauses that the eye makes | |
| Reading the same words more than once | |
| Moving your lips while reading |
CD Fixating
CD Auditory reading
CD Regressing
34. What would the professor probably like the students to do?
CD Spend more time studying outside of dass
CD Use their dictionaries when they are reading
CD Take one of her classes at the college
CD Get help at the Learning Center