APTIS Listening for Opinion Matching 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An APTIS listening task asks you to match speakers to opinions about a new airport expansion. Speaker 1 focuses on economic growth; Speaker 2 highlights noise pollution; Speaker 3 says economic benefits outweigh environmental costs. Which two speakers most likely support the expansion?
- Speakers 1 and 2
- Speakers 1 and 3 (Correct answer)
- Speakers 2 and 3
- None of them
Correct answer: Speakers 1 and 3
Speakers 1 (economic growth) and 3 (benefits outweigh costs) both adopt a pro-expansion stance.
Question 2: You hear the phrase: 'I can see why some people would argue that, but personally I feel differently.' What kind of opinion transition does this signal?
- Agreement with the previous speaker
- Contrast — the speaker is about to state an opposing view (Correct answer)
- Neutral elaboration of the previous point
- Confirmation of the previous speaker's point
Correct answer: Contrast — the speaker is about to state an opposing view
'But personally I feel differently' signals that the speaker is about to contrast with the view just acknowledged.
Question 3: In an APTIS opinion-matching task, Speaker A says 'the plan is fundamentally flawed' and Speaker B says 'while imperfect, the plan has real potential.' Which statement best compares their views?
- A is negative; B is overall positive (Correct answer)
- Both are negative
- Both are positive
- A is neutral; B is negative
Correct answer: A is negative; B is overall positive
'Fundamentally flawed' is strongly negative, whereas 'real potential' despite imperfection is an overall positive assessment.
Question 4: You must decide which of five speakers opposes a proposed tax on sugary drinks. Speaker statements: (1) 'Great idea for public health', (2) 'It punishes low-income consumers', (3) 'I support it wholeheartedly', (4) 'The evidence is mixed', (5) 'It's an unfair burden on families.' Which two speakers oppose the tax?
- Speakers 1 and 3
- Speakers 2 and 5 (Correct answer)
- Speakers 4 and 5
- Speakers 2 and 4
Correct answer: Speakers 2 and 5
Speakers 2 and 5 both frame the tax as unfair or harmful to consumers, indicating opposition.
Question 5: A speaker in an APTIS task says: 'I'm torn — I love the creativity it encourages, but the lack of structure worries me.' This opinion is best described as:
- Wholly positive
- Wholly negative
- Conflicted — positive and negative aspects both felt strongly (Correct answer)
- Neutral and uninformed
Correct answer: Conflicted — positive and negative aspects both felt strongly
'I'm torn' followed by equal positive and negative feelings signals genuine internal conflict.
Question 6: In an opinion-matching exercise, three people discuss compulsory voting. Speaker X: 'It is undemocratic to force people to vote.' Speaker Y: 'Turnout would improve dramatically.' Speaker Z: 'It depends on how penalties are enforced.' Who holds a clearly negative opinion of compulsory voting?
- Speaker X (Correct answer)
- Speaker Y
- Speaker Z
- All three speakers
Correct answer: Speaker X
Speaker X explicitly labels compulsory voting 'undemocratic', indicating clear opposition.
Question 7: During APTIS listening practice, a speaker ends a comment with 'so, all things considered, I'd say it's worth trying.' What does 'all things considered' tell you about the opinion structure?
- The speaker reached a positive conclusion after weighing pros and cons (Correct answer)
- The speaker is still undecided
- The speaker is strongly opposed
- The speaker is quoting someone else's opinion
Correct answer: The speaker reached a positive conclusion after weighing pros and cons
'All things considered' signals a balanced evaluation process that leads to the final conclusion 'worth trying' — an overall positive view.
APTIS Listening for Opinion Matching 5
An APTIS listening task asks you to match speakers to opinions about a new airport expansion.
Speaker 1 focuses on economic growth; Speaker 2 highlights noise pollution; Speaker 3 says economic benefits outweigh environmental costs.
Which two speakers most likely support the expansion?