TOEFL LISTENING TEST

TOEFL® Listening: Lecture 1

In this section, you will hear academic lectures. In the exam you will hear each lecture once before you look at the
questions. In this practice test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.

Listen to the lecture about the poet Sylvia Plath. Take notes while you listen. Then answer the questions.
Read all the questions before you start listening. You should listen to the audio twice.
1. Listen to the lecture

1. The Bell Jar was

A. about her father 7. In 1953 Sylvia
B. her first novel A. left New York to get a job as an editor
C. a very successful collection of poems B. rejected an offer to teach creative writing
D. her last poem C. worked as a guest editor in New York
D. returned to New York because she was
2. Sylvia Plath’s ‘Collected poems’ depressed

8. What does the lecturer imply when she says “Very

few modern poets have captured the popular
imagination as much as Plath”
A. Plath was able to understand the hopes of
ordinary people.
B. Plath has become very popular
C. It is unusual for a modern poet to become
popular with ordinary people.
D. Plath’s writing was about modern people and
their imagination.

9. What does the lecturer imply when she says “This

domineering father figure became a common theme
that recurred throughout Plath’s writing.”
A. The image of her father appears in many of
her poems.
A. won the Pulitzer Prize twenty years after it was B. Plath often wrote of her love for her father.
published C. Plath writings were dominated by the image of
B. were written during the last year of her life her father.
C. won the Pulitzer Prize in 1982 D. Plath’s father often told her what to write
D. were never published about.

3. Sylvia’s husband 10. Which THREE sentences best summarise the

A. made movies passage?
B. died in 2003 A. What's remarkable about Plath's work is that it
C. was also a poet addresses many women's issues that were
D. had a movie made about him ahead of her time.
B. Plath's father was one of her guiding
4. Susan Bassnett thought Sylvia’s work influences and he supported and mentored her
A. was about her husband until he died in 1940.
B. wasn’t very good C. Plath's early life was spent living happily by the
C. was about work life sea with her mother who had a part time job to
D. was of great interest to women support the family.
D. The real significance and the greatness of
5. Sylvia’s brother work was never recognised within in her
A. was two years older than her lifetime.
B. was born two years after her E. Plath's academic path to success was secured
C. was a professor at Boston University by winning an early scholarship. After this she
D. was a highly educated academic never looked back.
F. Plath's work reflects the many of the personal
6. Sylvia Plath’s time at college was difficult because difficulties that she had whilst growing up and
A. she got bad grades later as a wife and mother.
B. she won a scholarship
C. boys didn’t like her
D. she was short of money
TOEFL® Listening: Lecture 2
In this section, you will hear academic lectures. In the exam you will hear each lecture once before you look at the
questions. In this practice test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to the lecture about population growth. For questions 1-6, choose the best answer.

1. Which of the following is defined as the number of

children born per 1000 people per year? 5. What do French couples who have eight children
A. Replacement Level receive?
B. Fertility Rate
C. Birth Rate
D. Fertility Level

2. Which of the following countries in the UK has the

highest fertility rate?
A. England A B
B. Scotland
C. Wales
D. Northern Ireland

3. Why is fertility rate in the UK higher than it was

twenty years ago?
A. Couples are choosing to have larger families. C D
B. A higher proportion of women are having
children. 6. Which of the reasons for low fertility rates is NOT
C. Women who delayed childbirth are having mentioned?
children now. A. Women are increasingly focused on their jobs.
D. Fewer women are interested in their careers. B. People want to enjoy their lives before taking
on responsibility.
4. What proportion of women in their mid-forties do not C. Parents do not have time to have many
have children nowadays? children.
A. 10% D. Children are considered to cost a lot of money.
B. 4%
C. 25%
D. 40%

TOEFL® Listening: Lecture 3

In this section, you will hear academic lectures. In the exam you will hear each lecture once before you look at the
questions. In this practice test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to the lecture about facial recognition. Then answer the questions.

1. Where does the TV show ‘Las Vegas’ take place? D. It cannot distinguish between identical twins
A. In a shopping mall
B. In a police department 5. Which TWO elements below can be measured by
C. In a casino Skin Biometric technology?
D. In a crime lab A. the curve of someone’s chin
B. the texture someone’s skin
2. What is a faceprint? C. the existence of lines on the face
A. a code which identifies a face D. the distance between the eyes
B. distinctive curves in the face
C. a 2D image of the face 6. Which of these faces will the Skin Biometric System
D. the number of nodal points on the face be UNABLE to identify?

3. Identify TWO problems with 2D facial recognition

from the list below.
A. It is not effective if a picture is dark.
B. The person in the photograph must face the
camera.
C. Facial curves change over time.
D. Nodal points cannot be measured

4. What is the problem with the 3D technology?

A. It can only be used when the individual is
directly facing the camera
B. The image might change over time
C. It’s impossible to match a 3D image to a 2D
image
TOEFL® Listening: Lecture 4
In this section, you will hear academic lectures. In the exam you will hear each lecture once before you look at the
questions. In this practice test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to a lecture about tunnels. Then answer the questions.
1. What is a borehole?
A. A kind of tunnel
B. A smaller version of the final tunnel
C. A shaft drilled into the ground
D. A tunnel construction method
2. Match the type of tunnel to its use.
A. Cut and Cover
B. Immersed Tube
C. Bored tunnel
3. What tunnelling system was used to create the
tunnels in the London underground system?
A. Cut and Cover
B. Boring
C. Top Down
D. Immersed Tube
4. What will the choice of boring machine depend on?
A. The number of buildings and roads in the area
B. The depth and length of the tunnel
C. The rock type and ground water content
D. The time available to complete the project
TOEFL® Listening: Lecture 5
In this section, you will hear academic lectures. In the exam you will hear each lecture once before you look at the
questions. In this practice test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to a lecture about anthropology. Then answer the questions.
1 Which of the following characterise anthropological
study before the time of Franz Boas?
A. Few people were interested or involved in
anthropological study.
B. Anthropologists were not expected to support
their claims with evidence.
C. Anthropology was not studied seriously
D. Data was not collected in a systematic and
objective way.
2 How did Boas’s early life influence his work in
anthropology?
A. His religious upbringing meant that he was
respectful to people from other backgrounds.
B. His fondness for collecting things inspired him
to gather artefacts from little-known cultures.
C. His liberal upbringing helped him to
understand different cultures.
D. His scientific studies ensured that he
approached experiments systematically.
3 Why is Charles Darwin mentioned in the talk?
A. Darwin’s work in the natural sciences inspired
Boas to study the world around him.
B. Both Darwin and Boas believed that
individuals change according to their
situations.
C. Darwin and Boas both went on expeditions to
study human societies.
5. What is the purpose of ground freezing?
A. It increases the stand-up time
B. It allows tunnels to be built in hard rock
C. It allows water to be pumped out of the ground
D. It softens the rock
6. Which of these tunnel shapes is MOST difficult to
support?
A B
C D
D. Both Boas and Darwin believed that humans
evolved along a fixed route towards
civilization.
4 What did Boas object to about museums?
A. The type of artefacts that were on display
B. The fact that certain cultures were not
represented
C. The fact that some cultures were not
considered important.
D. The order in which the displays were laid out
5 What did Boas prove about head shape?
A. Intelligence is not linked to head shape and
size.
B. Injuries to the head can alter its shape and
size.
C. People in some cultures had larger brains than
those in others.
D. The shape and size of people’s heads is not
predetermined.
6 What did Boas make people realise?
A. To study a culture, one can’t be a member of
it.
B. Anthropology is broad and covers multiple
disciplines.
C. Cultures can be effectively studied at a
distance.
D. Many indigenous cultures were being lost to
globalization.
TOEFL® Listening: Conversation 1
In this section, you will hear short conversations. In the exam you will hear each conversation once. In this practice
test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to a student at the accommodation office. Then answer the questions.
1. When is this conversation taking place?
A. July
B. before term starts
C. at the beginning of term
D. midway through a term
2. Whose mistake was it that led to the problem?
A. The student’s
B. The warden’s
C. Godfrey White’s
D. The accommodation office
3. Where is the YMCA on the map?
A
B
C
D
TOEFL® Listening: Conversation 4
In this section, you will hear short conversations. In the exam you will hear each conversation once. In this practice
test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to the conversation and answer the questions
1. Why is the student looking for accommodation now?
A. The accommodation she booked is no longer
available.
B. She forgot to book accommodation earlier.
C. She signed up for the course at the last
minute.
D. She dislikes her present accommodation and
wants to change.
2. Listen to this part of the conversation again.
Student: No. I didn’t think I needed to. We had a
sort of… informal agreement.
Accommodation Officer: Hm. Very informal by the
sounds of it. Well, that’ll teach you for next time
won’t it?
What does the man imply when he says ‘Well, that’ll
teach you for next time won’t it?’
A. He thinks the student was foolish.
B. He feels sorry for the student.
C. He wants to give the student some advice.
D. He expects the same thing to happen again.
4. Which of the following TWO things does the
accommodation officer provide for the student?
A. a telephone
B. a map
C. information about bus routes
D. a pen
5. Match the information to the type of
accommodation.
A. University Dormitories
o You can buy meals cheaply
o Meals are not included in the price
o Meals are included in the rent
B. Private Houses
o You can buy meals cheaply
o Meals are not included in the price
o Meals are included in the rent
C. YMCA
o You can buy meals cheaply
o Meals are not included in the price
o Meals are included in the rent
3. Why doesn’t the student want to remain where she
is staying now?
A. It is too far from the college campus.
B. She doesn’t want to stay with her parents.
C. The rooms are too expensive.
D. She is currently sleeping on the floor.
4. What sort of accommodation may the man be able
to offer her in a couple of weeks?
A. a room in a student dorm
B. a room in a motel
C. a room in a shared student flat
D. a room in a private house
5. What is the problem with the accommodation listed
in the folder and on the website?
A. It goes out of date very quickly.
B. There aren’t many addresses listed there.
C. Most accommodation was booked up long
ago.
D. There is a waiting list for the accommodation
listed there.
TOEFL® Listening: Conversation 2
In this section, you will hear short conversations. In the exam you will hear each conversation once. In this practice
test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to Li, Paul and Kitty discussing a project. Then answer the questions.

1. Which TWO of the following things will the team do

as a group? 4. What can be inferred about cycling at the university?
A. Write the report A. More students cycle than use the bus
B. Do the presentation B. There is inadequate shelter for bikes at the
C. Write the questions university
D. Carry out the questionnaires C. Bicycles are often stolen from the bike sheds
D. Students have to pay to use the bike sheds
2. How long does the report have to be?
A. 1000 words 5. Match the group member to the questionnaire they
B. 1000 – 1500 words will carry out.
C. 1500 words A. Bus transport
D. 1500 - 2000 words o Li
o Kitty
3. Which of the following aspects of the university will o Paul
not be investigated by any of the groups?
B. Car parking facilities
o Li
o Kitty
o Paul

C. Bicycle facilities
o Li
o Kitty
o Paul

TOEFL® Listening: Conversation 5

In this section, you will hear short conversations. In the exam you will hear each conversation once. In this practice
test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to the conversation and answer the questions

1. What is the main point of the discussion?

A. Job prospects for students doing their course 4. The man says that employers will appreciate the
B. Grades for a recent assignment woman’s ____.
C. The advantages and disadvantages of going to A. transferable skills
college B. ability to train others
D. The quality of the teaching on their course C. enthusiasm
D. knowledge of history
2. Why is the woman concerned?
A. She feels she is not learning anything useful. 5. What is implied about Professor Jacques?
B. She has been receiving poor grades. A. She has never worked outside the university.
C. She is not enjoying her course. B. She is a good person to ask about careers.
D. She is finding the course very difficult. C. She is more approachable than the other
professors.
3. What does the man appreciate most about studying D. She teaches on both the history and the
at university? business course.
A. Studying a subject in depth
B. Getting involved in discussions
C. Meeting people with diverse interests
D. Teaching others about what he has learnt
TOEFL® Listening: Conversation 3
In this section, you will hear short conversations. In the exam you will hear each conversation once. In this practice
test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to Amir asking for advice at the library. Then answer the questions.

1. Which of the following has Amir done already?

A. Used the library search engine
B. Reserved some books
C. Used the e-journals
D. Been on a library induction tour

2. On how many days per week are library inductions

currently available?
A. 7 days per week
B. 5 days per week
C. 2 days per week
D. 1 day per week

3. What can Amir do on level two? A

A. Use the computers B
B. Sign up for a library tour C
C. Find the electrical engineering books D
D. Meet Mark Taylor
5. What time does the librarian recommend that Amir
4. Where on the library homepage is the link to the returns to meet the subject librarian?
database of journals? A. At around 12.15
B. At around 12.30
C. At around 1.00
D. At around 2.0

TOEFL® Listening: Conversation 6

In this section, you will hear short conversations. In the exam you will hear each conversation once. In this practice
test you can control the audio yourself. You can also see the script of the conversation.
Listen to the conversation and answer the questions

1. Carla wants to talk to the professor because…
A. she doesn’t think she can finish her
assignment in time.
B. she has been unable to find good sources for
her assignment.
C. she is worried that her assignment is too long.
D. she doesn’t know how many sources she
should refer to.
2. Read the 6 sentences below. Which two does the
professor advise Carla to do?
1. Make her writing more concise.
2. Use just one piece of information from each
source.
3. Focus on comparing and contrasting
information.
4. Discard information from less reliable sources.
5. Remove citations which contradict information
from other sources.
6. Ensure that there is a reference to a source in
every sentence.
3. The Harvey Graduate Business Program provides
young people with…
A. a funded Masters course of their choice
B. overseas work experience
C. work in various departments in the company
D. a total of two years’ employment at the Harvey
Group
4. Listen to Carla:
Harvey’s is a prestigious company. I couldn’t see
myself moving on fast if I managed to get my foot in
the door.
What does Carla mean by this?
A. After I’ve worked at Harvey’s, I’d be able to get
a job in very prestigious company
B. If I got the job at Harvey’s, I wouldn’t have to
work there for ever.
C. If I got a job at Harvey’s, I wouldn’t want to
leave the company for some time.
D. Once I’ve got a job at Harvey’s, I would
probably be promoted very quickly.

A. 1&3 5. Which one of these does Carla NOT need to do?

B. 2&4 A. Send in a résumé.
C. 5&6 B. Complete an application form
D. 3&4 C. Give a presentation
E. 1&6 D. Attend an interview