APTIS Listening Skills 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the APTIS listening test, when a speaker uses a rising intonation at the end of a statement, this most likely signals:
- A definitive conclusion
- Uncertainty or a question (Correct answer)
- Strong disagreement
- An instruction or command
Correct answer: Uncertainty or a question
Rising intonation at the end of a statement typically indicates the speaker is uncertain or is implicitly asking for confirmation.
Question 2: A conversation you hear mentions that a community event was 'rained out.' What does this mean?
- The event was extremely popular
- The event was cancelled due to rain (Correct answer)
- The event moved indoors
- The event was postponed to a rainy day
Correct answer: The event was cancelled due to rain
'Rained out' is an idiom meaning an outdoor event was cancelled because of rain.
Question 3: In an APTIS audio clip, two colleagues debate a plan. One says 'I see your point, but have you considered the cost?' This speaker is:
- Fully agreeing with the plan
- Ignoring the other person's view
- Partially agreeing while raising a concern (Correct answer)
- Changing the subject entirely
Correct answer: Partially agreeing while raising a concern
Acknowledging someone's point before introducing a counter-argument is a classic way to partially agree while expressing a concern.
Question 4: Which listening strategy best helps you understand the gist of a long monologue in the APTIS test?
- Trying to memorize every word
- Focusing only on numbers and dates
- Identifying the topic sentence and key recurring ideas (Correct answer)
- Ignoring the introduction and conclusion
Correct answer: Identifying the topic sentence and key recurring ideas
Identifying the topic and recurring key ideas helps you grasp the overall meaning without needing to process every detail.
Question 5: You hear: 'The deadline was moved up.' What has happened to the deadline?
- It has been extended
- It has been cancelled
- It has been moved to an earlier date (Correct answer)
- It has been moved to a later date
Correct answer: It has been moved to an earlier date
'Moved up' means the deadline is now earlier than it was originally scheduled.
Question 6: During an APTIS listening task, a speaker says 'Not only did she finish the report, but she also presented it.' What does this structure emphasize?
- A single ordinary action
- A surprising or additional achievement beyond the first (Correct answer)
- A negative outcome
- A condition that must be met
Correct answer: A surprising or additional achievement beyond the first
'Not only...but also' is used to add emphasis to a second action, highlighting that both things are impressive or noteworthy.
Question 7: In an APTIS listening section, you hear a radio interview. The host asks several questions and the guest answers each one. Your task is to match questions to answers. Which skill is most critical here?
- Predicting vocabulary before listening
- Tracking the sequence and topic shifts throughout the interview (Correct answer)
- Listening only to the host's questions
- Counting the number of words in each answer
Correct answer: Tracking the sequence and topic shifts throughout the interview
Tracking how the conversation shifts from one topic to the next is essential for correctly matching interview questions to their answers.
APTIS Listening Skills 4
In the APTIS listening test, when a speaker uses a rising intonation at the end of a statement, this most likely signals: