English Proficiency 3Part 3

Listening SkillsWeek 4

Questions and Answers

Question 1

(A) 8:00(B) 7:30(C) 6:30(D) 7:00 1. (D) The question asks, "At what time should

they have had their newspaper delivered?" The correct answer is (D) - 7:00. The woman says, "It's 7:30. The newspaper should have been delivered a half an hour ago."

Question 2

(A) An airport(B) A bus depot(C) A train station(D) A marina 2. (A) The question asks, "Where does this

conversation most likely take place?" The correct answer is (A) - An airport. The man asks, "What time is the next flight to Mesa?", and the woman replies, "Oh, I'm sorry sir, that plane left ten minutes ago..."

Question 3(A) A drug store(B) A deli(C) A post office(D) A boutique 3. (C) The question asks, "Where does this

conversation most likely take place?" The correct choice is (C) - A post office. The man says, "I need to send this package to Boston. How much will that cost?" The woman replies, "That will depend upon the weight of the package and how quickly you want it to arrive."

Question 4(A) He knows but will not tell the woman.(B) He had to leave early so he does not know who won.(C) He was unable to attend the ceremony and does not know who

won.(D) He does not know but thinks that the woman should know who

won. 4. (B) The question asks, "Does the man know who won the award?"

The correct answer is (B) - He had to leave early so he does not know who won. The woman asks, "Do you know who won the award last night?" The man replies, I wasn't able to stay at the banquet until the winner was announced, but 1 believe that you can find the winner in this morning's paper."

Question 5(A) She thinks the gypsy's fortunes are too expensive.(B) She thinks it would be fun to get her fortune told.(C) She thinks the man is being humorous.(D) She thinks the gypsy is a fraud. 5. (A) The question asks, "What does the woman

mean?" The correct answer is (A) - She thinks the gypsy's fortunes are too expensive. The man says, "That gypsy over there says she will read our fortune for ten dollars." The woman replies, "You cannot be serious, that is highway robbery."

Question 6

(A) Three(B) One(C) Five(D) Two 6. (D) The question asks, "How many more sodas would

the woman need to keep her promise to Katie?" The correct answer is (D) - Two. The man says, "I saw three in there when I looked before." The woman then says, "Oh, I promised Katie I would give her five bottles."

Question 7

(A) He has also read a novel by Toni Morrison(B) He is unfamiliar with Toni Morrison.(C) He is presently reading a novel by Toni

Morrison(D) He, himself, is an author. 7. (B) The question asks, "What does the man

mean?" The correct answer is (B) - He is unfamiliar with Toni Morrison. The woman says, "I have just read the most wonderful novel by Toni Morrison." The man replies, "Who is she?"

Question 8(A) The Caribbean(B) The South Pacific(C) Florida(D) California 8. (C) The question asks, "Where will they probably go

on their summer vacation?" The correct answer is (C) - Florida. The man says, "I think we either should go to the South Pacific or the Caribbean for our summer vacation." The woman replies, "Oh, honey, we have to think of the cost and we have a voucher to save 20 percent off a vacation in Florida."

Question 9(A) Cereal(B) Pancakes(C) French toast(D) Eggs 9. (D) The question asks, "What will they probably have

for breakfast?" The correct answer is (D) - Eggs. The woman comments, "Oh, 1 was really in the mood for either pancakes or French toast. Could we have one of those instead?" The man informs her, "We don't have the ingredients for those things."

Question 10

(A) Boss and employee(B) Husband and wife(C) Teacher and student(D) Parent and child 10. (A) The question asks, "What is the most likely

relationship between these people?" The correct answer is (A) - Boss and employee. The woman says, "This report was due yesterday. If you continue to work at this pace, your position here will be in danger."

Question 11(A) Harry is not interested in his boss.(B) Harry does not care about his boss's opinion.(C) Harry has a good boss.(D) Harry really takes good care to impress his boss 11. (B) The question asks, "What does the man mean?"

The correct answer is (B) - Harry does not care about his boss's opinion. When the woman said, "I don't think Harry is in good with his boss," the man asked, "Do you think Harry really cares?" It means Harry really doesn't care if he is in good favor with his boss.

Question 12

(A) The man(B) The woman(C) The doctor(D) The woman's uncle 12. (D) The question asks, "Who might need an

operation?" The correct answer is (D)-The woman's uncle. The woman said, "...My uncle got into an accident last night. The doctor said he might have to be operated on."

Question 13(A) In a department store(B) In a bank(C) At an electrician's(D) At a train station 13. (A) The question asks, "Where did this conversation

most probably take place?" The correct answer is (A) - In a department store. The woman wanted to return a lamp and the man said, "If you are returning something, you have to go to the customer service counter." We can return something that we bought only in a department store.

Question 14

(A) There was an accident.(B) It was very difficult to find the place.(C) It rained heavily.(D) Everyone returned immediately because there

were hard feelings among people. 14. (C) The question asks, "What happened at the

picnic?" The correct answer is (C) - It rained heavily. The woman said, "...It rained so heavily, we came back all drenched."

Question 15(A) The woman should go to the head of the department to get the

permission.(B) The woman should turn right to go to the library.(C) The woman can go to the library without him.(D) The woman can use his library because he doesn't need it till six

o'clock. 15. (D) The question asks, "What does the man mean?" The correct

answer is (D) -The woman can use his library because he doesn't need it till six o'clock. When the woman asked, "Can I use your library for awhile?", the man answered, "Go right ahead. I am not going to work there till six o'clock this evening." "Go ahead" is an expression used to convey permission to do something.

Question 16

(A) Subways are suffocating in the summer.(B) Subways are disgusting.(C) She hates some of the people travelling on subways.(D) You can't carry a lot of stuff on subways. 16. (A) The question asks, "What is the woman's opinion

about the subways?" The correct answer is (A) - Subways are suffocating in the summer. The woman said, "1 hate subways in the summer. They are so stuffy!" "Stuffy" means suffocating.

Question 17(A) Literary masterpieces(B) Silk fabric(C) Paintings(D) Some printed material on fabric painting 17. (D) The question asks, "What is the man going to

send to the woman?" The correct answer is (D) - Some printed material on fabric painting. The man said, "...if you leave your address, I will send you some literature on fabric painting." "Literature" here means printed material and not literary masterpieces.

Question 18(A) Four o'clock(B) Three thirty(C) Three o'clock(D) Four thirty 18. (B) The question asks, "Around what time did this

conversation take place?" The correct answer is (B) - Three thirty. The woman said, "...it doesn't start till four o'clock. We still have half an hour to prepare our points." This means that the conversation took place half an hour before four o'clock which is three thirty.

Question 19(A) She broke a glass vase.(B) She does not want to remember the glass vase.(C) She cannot purchase it right now because she does

not have any money.(D) She does not want to buy the vase because it is

broken. 19. (C) The question asks, "What does the woman

mean?" The correct answer is (C) - She cannot purchase it right now because she does not have any money. The woman said, "...I have to forget about it this time. I am totally broke." "Broke" means penniless.

Question 20

(A) Physics(B) Biology(C) Math(D) Chemistry 20. (A) The question asks, "What will these people

study first?" The correct answer is (A) - Physics. The woman said, "...I think we should start with physics. It is more difficult than biology, or math, or even chemistry." And the man agreed, "As you please."

Question 21(A) Because it is too late in the evening.(B) Because there is too much traffic on the route they are

taking.(C) Because they got into an accident.(D) Because their tickets were for yesterday's concert. 21. (D) The question asks, "Why can't these people attend

the concert?" The correct answer is (D) - Because their tickets were for yesterday's concert. The man said. "...But if we don't hit the traffic, we can still make it to the concert, can't we?" The woman answered, "No. We can't. Our tickets were for yesterday."

Question 22(A) She doesn't like history.(B) It is a relief to know that the test has been postponed.(C) History tests should always be on Mondays.(D) She will not take the test. 22. (B) The question asks, "What does the woman mean?"

The correct answer is (B) -It is a relief to know that the test has been postponed. When the man said, "Our history test has been postponed until next Monday," the woman exclaimed, "What a relief!" It means that she was relieved to know that the test was postponed.

Question 23

(A) Because he cares a lot about Valerie.(B) Because Valerie seems to be extremely disturbed.(C) Because Valerie fell down from a staircase.(D) Because it is his nature to worry. 23. (B) The question asks, "Why is this man worried

about Valerie?" The correct answer is (B) - Because Valerie seems to be extremely disturbed. The man said, "...It looks like she is falling apart." The expression "falling apart" means extremely disturbed.

Question 24

(A) It is difficult.(B) It is interesting.(C) It is easy.(D) She regrets that she didn't take it. 24. (D) The question asks, "How does the woman

feel about the course?" The correct answer is (D) - She regrets that she did not take it. The woman said, "Now I regret not taking it (the course)."

Question 25(A) The lady at the front counter looked strangely at her.(B) The lady at the front counter is dirty.(C) The lady at the front counter came in very late.(D) The lady at the front counter gave her dirt 25. (A) The question asks, "What does the woman

mean?" The correct answer is (A) - The lady at the front counter looked strangely at her. The woman said, "The lady at the front desk gave me such a dirty look for coming in so late." "To give a dirty look to someone" means to look strangely at someone, usually with contempt.

Question 26(A) A sweater(B) A blazer(C) Shoes(D) A suit 26. (D) The question asks "What did the man buy?" The

correct response is (D) - A suit. This is taken directly from the conversation. The man says, "I just bought this new suit." Choice (B) "A blazer" is what the woman says she is looking to buy. Choices (A) and (C) are not mentioned in the conversation.

Question 27

(A) She thought it was too big.(B) She liked it on him.(C) She did not like the color.(D) She did not like the blazer. 27. (B) The question asks, "What did the woman think

of the man's new clothing?" The correct response is (B) - She liked it on him. The woman says, "It looks very good on you." Choices (A), (C), and (D) are not part of the conversation that was heard.

Question 28(A) 25%(B) 50%(C) 75%(D) 90% 28. (B) The question asks "What was the discount the man

received on his clothing?" The correct response is (B) - 50%. The man says, "I have a friend who owns a clothing store and he gives me all my clothes at half off regular price." Half off is a 50 percent discount. Choice (A) "25%" is one-fourth off. Choice (C) "75%" is three-fourths off. Choice (D) "90%" is nine-tenths off (a phrase that is almost never used).

Question 29(A) They did not fit properly.(B) They cost too much.(C) She did not like the colors.(D) She did not like the stores. 29. (A) The questions asks, "How come the woman could not

wear most clothes?" The correct response is (A) - They did not fit properly. She says. "Most off the rack clothing does not fit me well, does he do any tailoring." The phrase "off the rack" refers to all clothes that are not tailor made for the individual. The clothes that are purchased in most department stores or brand-name clothing stores are "off the rack."

Question 30(A) About 5 p.m.(B) About 2 p.m.(C) About noon(D) About 9 a m. 30. (A) The question asks "When were they going to the store?" The

correct response is (A) - About 5 p.m. This question requires you to make an inference based upon the conversation. First, the man is in a suit, so you can infer that he works in an office environment. The man also suggests that he and the woman go to the store after work. The office hours for most businesses is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. From the answer choices given, "about 5 p.m" is the best response.

Question 31(A) The man's qualifications(B) The man's interview(C) The man's knowledge(D) The man's ability 31. (B) The question asks, "What were these people

talking about?" The correct answer is (B) - The man's interview. During the conversation the man says, "I hope my interviewers feel that way." The focus of the whole conversation was the interview for which the man has just appeared.

Question 32(A) His qualifications are not good.(B) He doesn't have up-to-date knowledge.(C) There were many other qualified candidates.(D) He does not have enough work experience. 32. (D) The question asks, "Why is the man not

confident about getting the job?" The correct answer is (D) - He does not have enough work experience. The man says, "My qualifications are O.K. But I don't have the experience of working on a project like this. That's why I am not so sure about getting this job."

Question 33

(A) The ability to apply knowledge to work(B) Good qualifications(C) Experience(D) Theoretical knowledge 33. (A) The question asks, "What is an important quality

for good work according to the woman?" The correct answer is (A) - The ability to apply knowledge to work. The woman says, "I think what matters is that you have the ability to ply your knowledge to your work."

Question 34

(A) They are better than the interviewers expected.(B) They are poor.(C) They are fairly good.(D) They are not compatible with the position. 34. (C) The question asks, "How does the man feel

about his qualifications?" The correct answer is (C) - They are fairly good. In the conversation the man says, "My qualifications are O.K...."

Question 35

(A) They have very good experience.(B) They are experts in this field.(C) They have good qualifications.(D) They were impressed by him. 35. (B) The question asks, "What is the man's

opinion about his interviewers?" The correct answer is (B) - They are experts in this field. In the conversation the man says, "...All of them are authorities in this field."

Question 36(A) The man(B) The whole earth(C) The eighth-grade students(D) The woman herself 36. (B) The question asks, "Who seems to be in a festive

mood in the spring according to the woman?" The correct answer is (B) - The whole earth. While explaining why she likes the spring, the woman says, "...I love flowers and colors. You can see so many of them in the spring; as if the whole earth is in a festive mood."

Question 37(A) Because there are many festivals in the spring(B) Because it is hot and humid(C) Because it is colorful and pleasant(D) Because she lives in a tropical country 37. (C) The question asks, "Why is the spring the favorite

season of the woman?" The correct answer is (C) - Because it is colorful and pleasant. When the man asks, "...which is your favorite season?", the woman answers, "...the spring." When the man asks "Why?", the woman answers, "Because I love flowers and colors. You can see somany of them in the spring... Also, it's the most pleasant weather."

Question 38(A) He does not like flowers.(B) He likes the winter.(C) He lives in a cold country.(D) He gets sick in the spring 38. (D) The question asks, "What is the reason why the

man cannot appreciate the spring?" The correct answer is (D) - He gets sick in the spring. When the woman asks him why the spring is not his favorite season, he answers, "Because 1 get terrible allergies in the spring."

Question 39

(A) Cold(B) Tropical(C) Hot(D) Humid 39. (A) The question asks, "What type of country is

Norway?" The correct answer is (A) - Cold. In the conversation the man says, "If lamina cold country like Norway, it would be the summer...."

Question 40

(A) Intelligent(B) Funny(C) Stupid(D) Boring 40. (B) The question asks, "How does the woman find

the man's explanation?" The correct answer is (B) - Funny. When the man explains why his favorite season would differ from country to country, the woman exclaims, "Aren't you funny?"

Question 41(A) Northern(B) Southern(C) Eastern(D) Western 41. (D) The question asks, "On what civilization did

medieval Islamic culture leave a lasting impression?" The correct response is (D) - Western. This is given in the first line of the paragraph. "Medieval Islamic culture left a lasting imprint on the development of Western civilization."

Question 42(A) Zenith and nadir(B) Alderan and Betelgeuse(C) Alembic and alchemy(D) Soda and syrup 42. (B) The question asks, "Which stars have their names from Arabic

words?" The correct response is (B) - Alderan and Betelgeuse. This sentence requires you to distinguish from a list of words and to interpret pauses in speaking to separate different groups of words. The sentence reads, "The terms zenith, nadir, zero, and the names of stars like Alderan and Betelgeuse, along with amalgam, alembic, alchemy, alkali, soda, and syrup all have their origin in Arabic." The pauses created by the commas indicate that only Alderan and Betelgeuse are stars.

Question 43(A) Germanic invasions(B) Greek invasions(C) Islamic invasions(D) Roman invasions 43. (A) The question asks, "Why was western Europe

languishing?" The correct response is (A) - Germanic invasions. This information was given in the sentence, "While western Europe was languishing in the wake of the Germanic invasions, the Islamic people were vibrant and creative." Choices (B) and (C) were other culture's mentioned in the text, but are not involved in invasions. Choice (D) does not appear in the text.

Question 44(A) Germans'(B) Greeks'(C) Arabs'(D) Italians' 44. (B) The question asks, "Whose philosophy did the Islamic

people keep alive?" The correct response is (B) - Greeks'. This answer to this question comes from the sentence, "They kept alive the philosophy of the Greeks and made numerous advances in medicine and science." Choices (A) and (C) are other culture's mentioned in the reading, but are not mentioned in conjunction with philosophy. Choice (D) is not in the passage.

Question 45(A) Philosophy and education(B) Art and literature(C) Agriculture and sailing(D) Medicine and science 45. (D) The question asks, "In what areas did the people

of Islamic culture make advances?" The correct response is (D) - Medicine and science. The answer to this question appears in the same sentence as the answer to the previous question. The other choices given may have been correct, but they do not appear in the reading.

Question 46(A) Because 90 percent of the ice on the earth lies there(B) Because it is a land of fierce winds(C) Because the conditions there are hostile to human

inhabitation(D) Because it has an average annual temperature of-70 F 46. (D) The question asks, "Why is the Antarctic the

world's coldest continent?" The correct answer is (D) - Because it has an average annual temperature of minus seventy degrees Fahrenheit. The first statement in the talk is, "The world's coldest continent, the Antarctic, has a mean annual temperature of -70°F."

Question 47(A) There would be no scarcity of fresh water in the

world.(B) The sea level would rise about 60 feet.(C) There would be thunderstorms all over the world.(D) The Antarctic would become more hospitable to

human life. 47. (B) The question asks, "What would happen if ice on

the Antarctic ever melted?" The correct answer is (B) - The sea level would rise about 60 feet. In the talk you heard, "If the ice lying there ever melted, it would raise the sea level by approximately 60 feet."

Question 48

(A) Two hundred miles per hour(B) Sixty miles per hour(C) Seventy miles per hour(D) Ninety miles per hour 48. (A) The question asks, "At what speeds do the

most fierce winds in the Antarctic blow?" The correct answer is (A) - Two hundred miles per hour. In the talk you heard, "The most fierce gusts of the wind there are nearly 200 miles per hour."

Question 49(A) Because it has 90 percent of the planet's ice(B) Because it is hostile to human life(C) Because it has the world's largest populations of

wildlife(D) Because it is the windiest continent 49. (C) The question asks, "Why would a biologist find

the Antarctic an interesting continent?" The correct answer is (C) - Because it has the world's largest population of wildlife. In the talk you heard, "...the Antarctic has plenty to offer for a biologist's study."

Question 50

(A) Seal(B) Whale(C) Penguin(D) Elephant 50. (D) The question asks, "Which animal is not an

inhabitant of the Antarctic?" The correct answer is (D) - Elephant. In the last sentence of the talk, the animals living in the Antarctic are mentioned and the elephant is not one of them.