Listening for Speaker's Attitude Flashcards
7 cards from real TOEFL 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 for Speaker's Attitude flashcards as text
A professor says, "I'm afraid that's a common misconception." The phrase "I'm afraid" here signals:
Answer: Polite delivery of a correction
"I'm afraid" softens the news that the listener holds a mistaken belief.
A student responds, "Yeah, no, I totally get it," quickly. The mixed "yeah, no" most likely shows the student is:
Answer: Casually reassuring or agreeing
The colloquial "yeah, no" here functions as casual agreement and reassurance.
A speaker says flatly, "Can't wait," about a long meeting. This is most likely:
Answer: Sarcasm
A flat "can't wait" about something tedious signals sarcasm.
A professor stresses, "This is where it gets tricky," before a topic. The attitude conveyed is:
Answer: A warning that the material is difficult
"Gets tricky" warns listeners to pay close attention to challenging content.
A student says, "I guess that makes sense," with falling, hesitant intonation. This suggests:
Answer: Partial or reluctant acceptance
"I guess" with hesitation signals only partial, reluctant acceptance.
A speaker says, "Now THAT'S more like it!" after a revision. The attitude is:
Answer: Approval or satisfaction
"That's more like it" expresses pleased approval of an improvement.
A professor remarks dryly, "Riveting stuff," about dense statistics. The likely attitude is:
Answer: Ironic understatement
A dry "riveting stuff" about dull material is ironic, meaning the opposite.