C2 Listening Comprehension 4

Question 1

You hear a documentary narrator say: 'The village was virtually untouched by modernization.' What does 'virtually' signal?

Accepted Answer

The village was almost entirely unaffected, with perhaps minor exceptions.

Answer

'Virtually' is an approximator meaning 'almost entirely' — it leaves room for minor exceptions rather than claiming absolute untouched status.

Question 2

A speaker says: 'Her composure under pressure was nothing short of remarkable.' What is being communicated?

Accepted Answer

Her composure was impressively outstanding.

Answer

'Nothing short of remarkable' is an emphatic phrase meaning 'truly remarkable' — it intensifies the praise.

Question 3

During a panel discussion you hear: 'That's a fair point, to a degree.' What is the speaker doing?

Accepted Answer

Partially agreeing while implying limitations to the point.

Answer

'To a degree' qualifies the agreement — the speaker accepts the point but only up to a certain extent.

Question 4

You hear a narrator say: 'The diplomat walked a fine line between diplomacy and frankness.' What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

The diplomat balanced careful tact with honest communication.

Answer

'Walking a fine line' means carefully balancing two potentially conflicting approaches — here, tact and honesty.

Question 5

A speaker says: 'The report raises more questions than it answers.' What does this imply about the report?

Accepted Answer

The report is inconclusive and generates new areas of uncertainty.

Answer

Raising more questions than answers is a standard expression for a result that is inconclusive or that opens up new uncertainties.

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