VEPT Listening Comprehension: Conversations 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A store employee says: 'That item is out of stock online, but we may have it in limited quantities in-store. I'd call ahead before making the trip.' What is the employee advising the customer?
- The item is permanently discontinued.
- The customer should phone the store to check availability before visiting. (Correct answer)
- The customer can order the item and pick it up next week.
- The item is only available for purchase online.
Correct answer: The customer should phone the store to check availability before visiting.
The employee suggests calling first to confirm in-store availability before making the journey.
Question 2: Two coworkers speak in the break room. Person A: 'Did you hear that the merger is official?' Person B: 'Yeah, but no one really knows what it means for our jobs yet.' What does Person B imply?
- There is certainty that all jobs will be eliminated.
- The merger was announced but its impact on employees is unclear. (Correct answer)
- Everyone at the company has already been reassigned.
- The merger has no effect on the employees whatsoever.
Correct answer: The merger was announced but its impact on employees is unclear.
Person B says 'no one really knows,' indicating the job implications are still uncertain.
Question 3: A professor announces to a class: 'I'm moving Friday's quiz to the following Monday to give everyone more time to review.' How does this change affect students?
- Students have less time to prepare for the quiz.
- Students gain additional days to study before the quiz. (Correct answer)
- The quiz has been cancelled entirely.
- Students must take the quiz twice — Friday and Monday.
Correct answer: Students gain additional days to study before the quiz.
Moving the quiz to a later date gives students more time to prepare.
Question 4: A neighbor knocks and says: 'I hate to bother you, but your music is carrying pretty loudly through the walls.' What is the neighbor doing?
- Complimenting the music the person is playing.
- Politely asking the person to lower the volume. (Correct answer)
- Requesting to join the party or gathering.
- Reporting a noise complaint to building management.
Correct answer: Politely asking the person to lower the volume.
The neighbor is politely signaling that the music is too loud without making a direct demand.
Question 5: A travel agent says: 'The direct flight saves you two hours, but it's $180 more than the connecting option. It really comes down to your budget and how much you value your time.' What is the agent helping the customer do?
- Book the cheapest available flight automatically.
- Weigh the trade-off between cost and travel time. (Correct answer)
- Cancel an existing reservation and rebook.
- Choose a destination based on available flights.
Correct answer: Weigh the trade-off between cost and travel time.
The agent is presenting a cost-versus-convenience trade-off for the customer to decide.
Question 6: A woman calls her bank and says: 'I noticed a charge on my statement that I don't recognize from last Tuesday.' The banker replies: 'I'll flag that transaction and open a dispute on your behalf.' What will the banker do?
- Delete the charge and close the account.
- Mark the suspicious charge and begin an investigation process. (Correct answer)
- Transfer funds from savings to cover the charge.
- Ask the woman to visit a branch in person to resolve the issue.
Correct answer: Mark the suspicious charge and begin an investigation process.
'Flag' and 'open a dispute' mean the banker will mark the transaction and formally challenge it.
Question 7: Two friends talk after a meeting. Friend A: 'I thought your idea was shut down pretty quickly.' Friend B: 'It stung a bit, but I think the feedback was fair.' What does Friend B suggest?
- She is angry that her idea was rejected.
- She found the criticism painful but recognizes it was valid. (Correct answer)
- She agrees her idea was poorly conceived.
- She plans to give the same presentation again.
Correct answer: She found the criticism painful but recognizes it was valid.
'Stung a bit' means it was hurtful, but 'fair' shows she accepts the validity of the critique.
VEPT Listening Comprehension: Conversations 4
A store employee says: 'That item is out of stock online, but we may have it in limited quantities in-store.
I'd call ahead before making the trip.' What is the employee advising the customer?