Listening Comprehension Flashcards
7 cards from real C2 practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Listening Comprehension flashcards as text
A speaker says: 'The findings were not without their caveats — the sample size, while adequate, left something to be desired.' What is the speaker implying?
Answer: The sample size was acceptable but could have been larger.
The phrase 'left something to be desired' means it was adequate but not ideal, indicating the sample size was sufficient yet not optimal.
You hear: 'She speaks French, but her Italian is where she truly shines.' What can be inferred about her French?
Answer: Her French is competent but not her strongest language.
The contrast 'but her Italian is where she truly shines' implies her French is good, though Italian is her stronger language.
A lecturer states: 'The policy was well-intentioned, if somewhat misguided in its execution.' What does this convey?
Answer: The policy had good motives but was carried out imperfectly.
'Well-intentioned' acknowledges good motives, while 'misguided in its execution' criticizes how it was implemented.
You hear a discussion where one participant says, 'I take your point, but I'm not sure the evidence bears that out.' What is the participant doing?
Answer: Partially conceding while expressing skepticism about the evidence.
'I take your point' is a partial concession, but 'not sure the evidence bears that out' signals disagreement with the supporting evidence.
A radio journalist says: 'The administration has yet to comment, which speaks volumes.' What does 'speaks volumes' mean here?
Answer: The silence itself is very revealing or significant.
'Speaks volumes' is an idiom meaning something communicates a great deal, even without words — here, silence is treated as meaningful.
You hear: 'The author stops just short of calling it a failure.' What does this mean about the author's view?
Answer: The author criticizes it heavily without explicitly calling it a failure.
'Stops just short of' means almost but not quite — the author's criticism is severe but falls just below the label 'failure.'
A speaker in a debate says: 'Far be it from me to question the committee's expertise, but…' What function does this phrase serve?
Answer: It is a polite hedge before actually questioning the committee.
'Far be it from me to…' is a rhetorical device used to introduce a challenge or criticism politely, signaling the speaker is about to disagree.