Language Proficiency Listening Skills 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A speaker says, 'The meeting has been pushed back an hour.' What does this mean?
- The meeting was canceled
- The meeting starts one hour later than planned (Correct answer)
- The meeting starts one hour earlier than planned
- The meeting location changed
Correct answer: The meeting starts one hour later than planned
'Pushed back' means delayed, so the meeting now starts one hour later.
Question 2: You hear a radio announcement say, 'Expect significant delays on the interstate due to an earlier accident.' What should drivers anticipate?
- Fast, uninterrupted travel
- Road closures for the entire day
- Slower travel times than normal (Correct answer)
- An alternate route has been provided
Correct answer: Slower travel times than normal
'Significant delays' indicates traffic will move slower than usual.
Question 3: A professor lectures: 'Unlike the first hypothesis, the second assumes constant variables.' Which listening skill is MOST useful here?
- Listening for emotional tone
- Listening for sequential comparison signals (Correct answer)
- Listening for humor and sarcasm
- Listening for repeated vocabulary
Correct answer: Listening for sequential comparison signals
The word 'unlike' signals a contrast, so listening for comparison cues helps you follow the argument.
Question 4: A colleague says, 'I suppose we could try that approach,' in a flat, unenthusiastic tone. What is the MOST likely meaning?
- She is enthusiastically endorsing the idea
- She is genuinely unsure and needs more time
- She is reluctant or unconvinced about the approach (Correct answer)
- She is asking for clarification on the approach
Correct answer: She is reluctant or unconvinced about the approach
Hedging language like 'I suppose' combined with flat tone signals reluctance or lack of enthusiasm.
Question 5: During a podcast, the host says, 'To recap what we covered before the break...' What is the host about to do?
- Introduce a new topic
- Summarize previously discussed content (Correct answer)
- Ask the guest a question
- End the episode
Correct answer: Summarize previously discussed content
'To recap' signals the speaker is about to review earlier information.
Question 6: You overhear: 'We're running low on time, so let's table the budget discussion.' In an American English context, what does 'table' mean here?
- Present the budget discussion now
- Postpone the budget discussion for later (Correct answer)
- Write the budget discussion on the board
- Vote on the budget immediately
Correct answer: Postpone the budget discussion for later
In American English, 'to table' a discussion means to postpone it, unlike British English where it means to bring something forward.
Question 7: A speaker pauses frequently and repeats phrases like 'you know' and 'sort of' throughout an explanation. What does this MOST likely indicate?
- The speaker is being deceptive
- The speaker is very confident in their subject
- The speaker may be uncertain or still formulating their thoughts (Correct answer)
- The speaker is using a formal presentation style
Correct answer: The speaker may be uncertain or still formulating their thoughts
Filler phrases and repetition often signal that a speaker is thinking through ideas or is uncertain.
Language Proficiency Listening Skills 4
A speaker says, 'The meeting has been pushed back an hour.' What does this mean?