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
You hear a professor say: 'The theory has fallen out of favor, and not without reason.' What does this mean?
Answer: The theory has been discredited, and this is justified.
'Not without reason' confirms there were valid grounds for the theory losing favor, validating the academic shift away from it.
A podcast host says: 'My guest today needs no introduction.' What is the pragmatic meaning of this statement?
Answer: The guest is so well-known that an introduction would be unnecessary.
This is a conventional expression implying the guest is famous enough that the audience already knows them.
You hear: 'The new regulation is a step in the right direction, though it barely scratches the surface.' What is the speaker's overall view?
Answer: The regulation is positive but insufficient.
'A step in the right direction' shows approval, while 'barely scratches the surface' indicates it is far from adequate.
During a lecture, a speaker says: 'This was, by no means, a straightforward decision.' What does this express?
Answer: The decision was complex and not simple.
'By no means' is an emphatic negation, so 'by no means straightforward' strongly asserts that the decision was complicated.
A speaker says: 'He was reluctant to admit it, but the evidence was damning.' What can you infer about the person described?
Answer: He denied the evidence despite finding it compelling.
'Reluctant to admit' means he was unwilling to concede, and 'damning evidence' indicates the evidence strongly implicated him.
You hear a news anchor say: 'The minister's remarks were met with a mixed reception.' What does this tell you?
Answer: Some people responded positively and others negatively.
'Mixed reception' is a standard English phrase indicating divided opinions — some positive, some negative.
A speaker at a conference says: 'The results give us cause for cautious optimism.' What attitude does this express?
Answer: Hopeful but restrained positivity due to remaining uncertainties.
'Cautious optimism' is a set phrase conveying hope tempered by awareness that uncertainties remain.