Hint 1. Be familiar with the test.

The Listening Comprehension section will be the first section youwill be required to take. It has a total of 50 questions, and allthe questions are oral and played to you from a tape recorder.The multiple-choice answers are all written on the test. You mustchoose the best answer to each spoken question. The testadministrator will give you 35 minutes to complete the section,so you will have to learn to work quickly. Follow these studytips in addition to taking the practice exams so that you willbecome more familiar with the Listening Comprehension section.The more familiar you become with this section, the less time itwill take you to choose the correct answer.
There are three parts to the Listening Comprehension test. Theseare:

A. Dialogues (25 questions): You will hear an informalconversation between a man and a woman. Usually each personspeaks only once. A third voice (man or woman) then asks aquestion about their conversation. You must select the writtenstatement which ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
B. Extended Conversations (15 questions): You will hear twopeople having a conversation. A third voice then asks four orfive questions about the mini-talk. You must select the writtenstatement which ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
C. Short Talks (10 questions): You will hear one person talking.A second voice will then ask four or five questions about thetalk. You must select the written statement which ANSWERS THEQUESTION.

Hint 2 Recognize the correctanswer.
The correct answer usually uses a vocabulary word or astructure which is close in meaning to the original statement,but which LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT. Often the correct answer will usea different noun, verb, or sentence structure.
Example: Structural Difference
You will hear: She has so many students she can hardly grade allthe papers in time.
Correct choice: There are many students in her class.
Example: Opposite
You will hear: I am as quiet as I can be.
Correct choice: I never make any noise.
Example: Vocabulary Difference
You will hear: Jane wanted to go to the beach on Saturday, butshe has homework due on Monday.
Correct choice: Jane is unable to go to the beach.

Hint 3 Recognize the wrong answers.
The test may use words which have the same pronunciation butdifferent meanings or spellings.
Example: "sun" vs. "son"
You will hear: The sun is out today.
Wrong answer: Her son went out to play.
The test may use words that have a similar pronunciation but doNOT MEAN the same thing. Be careful of teens vs. tens (13 vs. 30,15 vs. 50).
Example: "thirteen" vs. "thirty"
You will hear: The teacher has thirteen students in the class.
Wrong answer: Thirty students are in the class.
Example: "work" vs. "walk"
You will hear: If you work fast, you can make it in time.
Wrong answer: You must walk quickly to get there on time.
The test may use statements that are the opposite of what wassaid.
Example:
You will hear: I used to live in Chicago.
Wrong answer: I live in Chicago now.
The test may use statements that might be true in life but werenot mentioned on the tape by the speaker.
Example:
You will hear: Ben promised Carol a letter.
Wrong answer: Ben made promises easily.

Hint 4 Be prepared to infer meaning.
Some statements or answers go beyond their direct meaning. Theyrequire a cultural inference. You will need to know the cultureand some terms to select the correct answer. In the example below,you must infer that if coffee cups are presented, people aregoing to drink coffee, not tea, lemonade or water.
Example:
You will hear: Please put the coffee cups on the breakfast table.
Correct answer: Coffee will be served with breakfast.

Hint 5 Be prepared to choose answers with partialinformation.
Some answers include ONLY PART of the information which thespeaker mentions on the tape. Some of the information given inthe statement is NOT present in the answer.
Example:
You will hear: Linda sold her uncle's house after his death.
Correct answer: Linda's uncle died.

Hint 6 Be prepared to make mathematicalcalculations.
The speaker will give you the information, but the correct answerrequires some simple calculations.
Example:
You will hear: The cookies are two dollars per pound. I boughtthree pounds.
Correct answer: I paid $6.00.

Hint 7 Be familiar with forms of measurement in theUnited States.
It is good to remember some general facts. Remember that when thespeakers refer to temperature, they are using Fahrenheit eventhough they won't directly say Fahrenheit. Here are some helpfulthings to remember:
I meter - a little more than a yard
80 degrees - hot weather
90 degrees - very hot weather
32 degrees - cold weather (water freezes)
98.6 degrees - normal body temperature
Example:
You will hear: His temperature was 103 degrees.
Correct answer: He needed to see a doctor because he was verysick
Remember that some forms of measurement can be expressed in manydifferent
ways. The speaker on the tape may use one word, but the answermay appear written
in a different form. For example:
a dollar - a bill - a buck
a couple of dollars-$2.00-two dollars
a dozen - 12
a pound -lb.-16 ounces
4 quarts - 4 qts. - 1 gallon
Example:
You will hear: The eggs were three dollars a dozen. I boughtthirty-six.
Correct answer: I paid $9.00.

Hint8 Remember that negatives are expressed in manyways in English.
Negatives can be expressed in English by using sentence structureor a conjunc-
tion or a vocabulary word or prefix. For example:
Sentence structure: "She can't sing."
Conjunction: "She can't do anything, but sing."
Vocabulary word: "She sings in monotone."
Prefix: "She is unable to sing."
Example: "but" - "not" - "un-"
You will hear: The computer will be available any time but one o'clock.
Correct answer: The computer will not be available at one o'clock.
Correct answer: The computer is unavailable at one o'clock.

Hint 9 Know the geography of the United States.
You need to know which states are found in what is referred to as"the North,"
"the East," "New England," "the West,"and "the South." It's also important to
remember that the climate in the West and South is usually hot ormoderate all
year, while the climate in the North and East is warm during thesummer but very
cold during the winter.
Example:
You will hear: She's living in New York right now, but she wantsto move to Texas.
Correct answer: She wants to live in the South.

Hint 10 Know the seasons of the year and the monthsthat go with them.

Summer-June 21 through September 20 (warm/hot climate)
Fall - September 21 through December 20 (warm/cool climate)
Winter - December 21 through March 20 (cold climate)
Spring - March 21 through June 20 (rainy/moderate climate)

Hint 11 Know the typical university schedules in theUnited States.
Each university or college decides its own schedules. However,there are some traditional schedules. Here is one:
Fall semester - (14 weeks) September through part of December
Semester break - (4 weeks) the free period at the end of Decemberand beginning of January when no classes are held
Spring semester - ( 14 weeks) part of January through part of May
Spring break - ( 1 week) vacation time in the middle of springsemester which may or may not occur during the Christian holidayof Easter
Summer session - courses offered during June, July, or August for4, 6, or 8 weeks each

Hint 12 Know the major holidays in the United States.
Classes do not meet on some of these holidays. You will need toknow what these holidays celebrate in order to answer somequestions on the TOEFL exam. Here are some major holidays:
Labor Day - the first Monday in September - a national holiday incelebration of working people. Schools and colleges usually begintheir fall semester the day after Labor Day.
Halloween - October 31-a fun holiday for all. Children dress upas ghosts, or witches, or other characters and go to houses toreceive candy. Adults have parties.
Thanksgiving - the fourth Thursday in November - a nationalcelebration of thanks for surviving difficult weather and otherconditions in the settling of the United States. This holidayoften includes the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday which follow it.
Christmas - December 25 - a Christian holiday celebrating thebirth of Christ which is celebrated nationally. Most businessesand schools are closed this day. Campuses are usually closed also.
New Year's - January I - a big celebration of the beginning ofthe year. Many businesses are closed and many parties last untilJanuary 2.
Valentine's Day - February 14-a celebration of love forboyfriends, girlfriends, married couples, and close relatives.Schools do not close for this holiday.
Mother's Day - the second Sunday in May - tribute to mothers.
Memorial Day - the last Monday in May - a national holiday incelebration of all those who have died in military service to theUnited States.
Father's Day - the third Sunday in June - tribute to fathers.
Independence Day - July 4 - celebration of the independence ofthe United States. Many parades, flags, and evening fireworksdisplays appear on this day.

Hint 13 Remember the sequence of events referred toin mini-talks.
Mini-talks often mention inventions or discoveries. Remember thesequence of events in these discoveries because questionssometimes ask for this sequence. For example:
"What was the first discovery that Salk made?"

Hint 14 Guess the meaning of metaphoric idioms.
Sometimes idioms are really metaphors. They are words which haveextended their concrete meaning. If you don't know an idiomaticexpression, make a guess based on what you already know about thewords. For example:
"Just stick to your subject." - "stick" meansdon't leave your subject "Sam bugged me." - "bugged"means bothered or annoyed
Example:
You will hear: John tried to get at the root of the problem.
Correct answer: John wanted to understand the cause of theproblem.

Hint 15 Know something about daily life in the UnitedStates.
Sometimes terms will be used which carry cultural information.You will need to know the meaning of the term in order to selectthe correct answer. Many culturally based terms are used duringthe listening comprehension test.
Example; (A football game is divided into four quarters.)
You will hear: The football game started at two o'clock, and theyarrived just in time for the third quarter.
Correct answer: They were very late.
Example: (A "round-trip ticket" - going to a place andreturning to the place of origin)
You will hear: "I'd like a round-trip ticket from Chicago toAtlanta." Correct answer: "I want a ticket to Atlantaand back to Chicago.
Some terms are important to know:

COMMUNICATIONS:
telephone operator - the person who handles callspersonally answering machine - the machine which plays a recordedmessage when the person does not answer the phone and on whichyou leave your message for that person
a collect call - the person receiving the call agrees topay for it
person-to-person - the operator makes the call and thecaller pays for the call only if the exact person requestedanswers
call waiting - a common system in which a telephoneconversation is interrupted by another call without cutting offthe first call
to be on hold - to wait for someone to return to yourcall without hanging up or being cut off
to fax - to send an exact copy of a picture or typedmessage by telephone

Hint 16 Know something about university life in theUnited States.
It is important to know common campus terms and what they mean.These terms are often used in the listening comprehension test.Here are some common terms and definitions:

COURSES:
to register - to complete the paperwork to enter a class
an I.D. - identification card which permits you to useuniversity services (the library, the recreation facilities, etc.)
to be closed out of a class - you can't take a classbecause the maximum number of students have already registeredfor it
to drop a course - to cancel a course which youregistered for. You may receive your money back if you do itearly.
to withdraw from a course - to officially cancel yourenrollment at the beginning of a course
to take an incomplete -I-to not receive a grade for acourse because you failed to complete all the requirements due toillness or other legitimate reasons. You will be given a periodof time to complete the requirements.
to cut a class - to fail to appear in class without theinstructor's permission. to audit a class -to sit in a class andparticipate without paying or receiving a grade
a transcript - an exact record of the courses you havetaken and the grades received which may also have a grade pointaverage
G.P.A. - grade point average - your average based on allthe courses you have taken in your degree program
a major - the primary concentration of courses in a field ofstudy. All students must have a major.

FEES:
a term bill - the total amount you owe the universityfor one semester, including tuition, fees, and library charges
tuition - amount you pay for courses
student fees - amount you are required to pay forstudent services even if you never use these services
room and board - amount you pay for living and eating in adormitory or other residence

HOUSING:
roommate - dorm mate - the person you share a room with
the dorm - dormitory - a building where students livewhich is supervised and owned by the university
co-ed dorm - a dorm which has females on one floor andmales on another floor
R.A. - resident advisor - the person on each floor whohelps keep peace, organize educational events, and act as acounselor to ease student adjustment
off-campus housing - places of living which are NOTsupervised or owned by the university and therefore do not followthe same restrictions
sorority house/fraternity house - a place of residencewhich serves also as a close social group or club. These housesare located either on the campus or nearby.

HEALTH:
university health center or clinic - a center wherestudents receive health care inexpensively
to have a physical - to assure your health or identifyproblems
to get a shot - to receive an injection of medicine

FOOD:
a cafeteria - an eating place where food is alreadyprepared and you select what you want and then pay a certainprice for each separate item
a snack bar - a quick eating place where you order foodat a counter, wait for it to be prepared, pay for it, and take itto your table to eat
a diner - a restaurant open 24 hours a day in which awaitress or waiter takes your order and brings food to you atyour table
a vending machine - a machine that sells snacks anddrinks: soda, hot drinks, candy potato chips, and occasionallyfruit/sandwiches
a grease truck - on some campuses you can buy food at asnack bar inside a van or truck which is parked close to yourclass
a sub-shop - a place where you can buy sandwichesprepared as you wish very quickly
a deli - delicatessen - a place where you can buy meat,cheese, and other prepared food prepared as you wish intosandwiches
to order out - to order food by phone and have itdelivered to your home
to take out - to order food in a restaurant, but take itout of the store and eat it somewhere else

LIBRARY:
card catalogue - the system of organization in thelibrary which identifies books authors, and topics using a numbersystem. You use the number to locate the books in the library.Some card catalogues are now also on computer.
reference desk - a place where librarians stay to give youinformation and help on how to use the library
due date - the date a book must be returned to a library
a fine - the amount you must pay if you do not return abook by its due date
the stacks - the place where books are stored. In someuniversities, students may not be permitted in this area.
to be on reserve - books which can only be loaned for afew hours are "on reserve"
to check out - charge out - to borrow a book from thelibrary
to recall - to request the return of a book which hasbeen borrowed by another person

SPORTS;
the gym - gymnasium - where indoor sports are played
halftiine - a long break in the middle of a footballgame in which players take a rest and the audience receivesentertainment
time out - a short break requested by one of the teams
touchdown - a goal scored in football

Hint 17 Know phrasal verbs and their meanings.
Phrasal verbs ("come in," "turn on," and soforth) are very common on all three parts of the listeningcomprehension test. Remember that these two or three little wordsmake ONE meaning. They often do NOT appear together. Nouns oreven clauses can separate them. Try to memorize the most commonphrasal verbs so that you will be prepared. (See list.)

Example:
You will hear: When Larry's friend drove too fast, he got pulledover by a policeman.
Correct answer: Larry's friend was ticketed for speeding by apoliceman.

Here are some phrasal verbs to remember:
BRING IN - to carry inside It's raining. Bring your bike in now.
BRING OUT - to reveal or expose Her colorful blouse brought outthe best in her.
BRING UP - to mention; to take care of John brought the subjectof drugs up. She was brought up by her grandmother.
BURN OUT - to become mentally exhausted The man was burned out byhis job.
CALL OFF-to cancel There was a bad storm so they called the partyoff.
CATCH UP - to bring up to date; to come from behind I am so farbehind that I won't catch up with my work for months.
CLEAR UP - to end the confusion Perhaps more information wouldclear the problem up.
COME ABOUT - to happen None of us can understand how the planecrash came about.
COME ACROSS - to accidentally find I came across your name in anewspaper article I was reading.
COME AROUND - to change one's opinion or position He's stubbornnow but if you give him time, he'll come around.
COME BY - to get possession of I'd really like a hat like that.How did you come by that?
COME OUT - to be disclosed or to result I got a good grade on myTOEFL exam. Everything came out well.
COME UP - to introduce or mention The topic of peace is verypopular. It comes up often in our conversations.
CUT OFF - to disconnect on the telephone; to remove by cutting Iwas cut off while talking to my brother. Mary cut too much of herhair off.
DO OVER - to repeat My professor asked me to do the experimentover.
DROP OFF - to return Please drop the book off at my officetomorrow.
FILL OUT - to write information You need to fill the applicationout and return it to me tomorrow.
GIVE UP - to stop or surrender He finally gave up smoking.
GET ACROSS - to make clear He can lecture well. He knows how toget his point across.
GET AHEAD - to surpass another Competition forces people to tryto get ahead of one another.
GET ALONG WITH - to play or work well with Tom and Bill argue allthe time; they don't get along well with each other.
GET BEHIND - to delay If you don't practice every day, you canget behind
GET ON WITH - to continue I have had enough of the delay. Let'sget on with the lecture.
GET ONE'S POINT ACROSS - to communicate He can lecture well. Heknows how to get his point across.
GET OUT OF - to remove someone It's time for a test. Please getyour notebooks out.
GET OVER - to recover or return to normal Bill is angry now butdon't worry. He'll get over it.
GET THROUGH - to finish; to endure If you eat a good breakfast,it will help you get through the day.
GO AHEAD WITH - to continue You have my permission to go aheadwith the experiment.
HAND IN- to submit The students handed their reports in at theend of the semester.
HOLD ON - to wait Hold on a minute, please. I want to check youraccount.
KEEP RIGHT ON ...ING - to continue She told him to stop but hejust kept right on singing.
KEEP UP WITH - to continue at the same level or pace. She runsfaster than he does. He can't keep up with her.
LOOK OUT FOR - to guard or protect The cat looked out for herkittens whenever a dog came near.
LOOK OVER - to review or examine Could you look this report overand give me your opinion?
LOOK UP TO-to admire I always looked up to my older sister when Iwas young.
MAKE SURE OF - to ascertain If John calls, make sure you tell himabout the meeting tomorrow.
MAKE UP - to resolve a personal quarrel; to compensate for amistake or error They quarreled and then made up and forgot theirdisagreement. You can make up the homework you missed if you seeme on Friday.
MAKE UP YOUR MIND - to decide He was very uncertain. He couldn'tmake up his mind where to go on vacation.
MIX UP - to confuse [A MIX UP] Be careful. Don't mix up our namesin the future.
PASS OVER - to overlook or ignore He was passed over for apromotion. He didn't get a raise.
PICK UP - to give a ride We'll pick you up at 7:00 tonight.
PUT OFF - to delay or procrastinate Don't put off for tomorrowwhat you can do today.
RUN INTO - to accidentally meet I was downtown and happened torun into my friend Bob.
RUSH AROUND -to be in a hurry During the holiday season it'scommon to find people rushing around the stores.
SEE TO - to assure I'm sorry my son broke your window. I'll seeto it that he pays for it.
SIT IN ON - to audit or attend but not pay I got permission tosit in on the class.
TAKE OFF - to remove or deduct The teacher took ten points offfor each wrong answer.
TAKE ON - to accept work I always admire someone who is willingto take on the job of leadership.
TAKE OVER - to take control of The students took over thebuilding during a student demonstration.
TRY OUT-to attempt As soon as you return home, try out your newcan opener.
TURN OUT - to produce The students took over the building duringa student demonstration.
TURN UP - to appear unexpectedly She couldn't find her purse, butlater it turned up in the closet.
USE UP-to deplete She needed to buy more detergent because herswas all used up.

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