Main Idea Questions The ‘Main Idea, is the most central topic of an announcement, talk, or conversation Main Idea, question asks you what a listening material is about and tests your ability to the central thought. Your job is to show that you have a general understanding of you are listening. TAnnouncement/Talk Main Idea, questions start like this: + What is the subject of the announcement? * What is the secretary / teacher explaining? * What is the teacher / librarian / guidance counselor mainly talking about? "Conversation Main Idea, questions start like this: * What is the main topic of the conversation? * What are the students /speakers mainly talking about? Announcement/Talk main idea questions are based on a class announcement or talk 9) by a school staff member (teacher, coach, principal, volunteer, or anyone working at school). Listen Carefully to the First Sentence ‘The first two or three sentences in an announcement /talk almost always have the main i in them. Announcements /talks are only 55~65 words long. They are very short and the idea is usually in the very beginning. Junior Basic + Listening ComprehensionEEEE Listen for Repetition ‘The most important words are usually said more than once in the announcement / talk. They 2 called keywords. Listen for words that are used a lot and they will usually help you find ‘he correct answer. The following example illustrates both main idea hints and provides you with one main idea ‘Sxample question Ormies Guana n to an announcement by an English teacher. W_ Next Friday, we will have a test. | want everyone to study this weekend and do the test preparations on page 46 in the student book. The test is going to be mainly on reading and listening. Everyone has done very well on this chapter so | hope everyone gets a high score on the test. See you next Friday! Question ‘What is the speaker mainly talking about? (A) A test next Friday (B) A student project (© Weekend homework (D) Working on page 46 in class Sr Tee cra eins! en ad 3 : ‘Announcement/Talk/ Conversation Question Types 23,Conversation main idea questions ask you what two speakers are mainly talking about. Two. students or a student and a school staff member will have a conversation. Listen after Greetings ‘The main idea usually comes after speakers say “hi.” Listen to the sentence after the greetings, ‘The main idea sentence is usually @ question. Execs (@: boy, 6: girh N_Listen to a conversation between two friends. B Good morning, Sue. G_ Hi, Dylan B Should we go to school? Its very snowy today. G I don't think we should: And the bus is very late. B__ Yes itis. Maybe itis not coming today. 6 I don't think itis. Let's go to my house and ask my mother if we can Stay home. B OK. | want to go inside. I'm really cold. G Me too. Let's go. Question ‘What are the students mainly talking about? (A) How cold itis (B) When to go home (©) Why the bus is late (D) If they should go to school E = Explanation FAM The correct answer is (0). itis very Sea ee ee EE thoy should got 2 2h Master TOEFL Junior Basic + Listening Comprehension‘Main Idea, Phrases / Topic Sentences for the first question in conversations. If a question is asked, the question and its ponse are usually the main idea of the conversation. Often questions are asked in order to en answer or to get some advice. should also listen to the first response in a conversation. What the speakers want or help with is usually the main idea. between Two Students eae Cee Bo you want to...? Do you want to eat lunch outside today? ‘Are you going...? ‘Are you going on the field trip? How do 1... How do I get to the office? Do you know...? Do you know what the homework is? | falks between a School Staff Member and a Student ora feet How can | helo you? | need help with this math problem, What can | do for you? ‘Show me where the music room is, please. What's the problem? | don’t know where Mr. Anderson is. Do you need some help? Yes, | need to find this book. Announcement/Tatk/ Conversation Question Types 28fo Announcement / Talk Dictation Qrmior N Listen to a soccer coach helping his team. M. Okay, guys, we need to practice scoring goals. | want everyone © in front of the goal so you can all @ to practice. We had a lot of shots last weekend but we couldn't @ | want everyone to have a chance to practice this tonight. You all are good enough to score goals. You just need to practice more. 1, What is the speaker mainly talking about? (A) Scoring goals (B) The best player (© Last week's game (D) Next week’s game Ovaseal N._ Listen to a gym teacher talking to her class. We have three fitness tests and climb and | am W This week, we are going to © every year and this will be the first. You have to run, a rope. | know it will be hard for some of you. « sure you will be fine, Good luck on the test, everyone. 2, What is the subject of the talk? (A) Push-ups (B) A fitness test (©) Climbing ropes (D) Gym class rules Master TOEFL Junior Basie + Listening ComprehensionConversation Dictation Ormios (G: i, T: teacher) Listen to a conversation between a teacher and a student. Excuse me, Mr. Nelson? Yes, Mary. Do you need something? Yes. Can you show me ® 7 think | am doing it wrong, Yes, of course, To do the triple jump you run, hop, @ ! Wow! You can jump really far Mr. Nelson! | practice a lot. | was a professional trie jumper before | was a teacher. Seeing how you do it really Thank you, si You're welcome, @ Q. What are the speakers mainly talking about? | (A) How to tiple jump (B) Mr. Nelson’s far jump | (© Professional triple jumping (D) Hopping, skipping, and jumping ‘Anawer Key 180 Announcement/Talk/Conversation Question Types 2728 Cay Announcement / Talk Practice Test 1. What is the speaker mainly talking about? (A) English class (B) Writing final papers (C) Taking a writing test (D) Studying for final exams ‘What is the main idea of the talk? (A) A pizza day (B) Lunch next week (©) Cleaning up after dinner (D) Cooking class planned for next week ‘What is the subject of the announcement? (A) Workshops (B) Enjoying a day off (©) Respecting teachers (D) Teachers’ Workshop day J. What is the main topic of the announcement? (A) Thanking the students (B) Bad students missing class (C) Students using the bathroom (D) Students not doing homework Master TOEFL Junior Basic + Listening Comprehension| nan isen | Conversation Practice Test Ora0 0-27 1, What are the two students mainly talking about? (A) Mr. Custer (B) The school gym (C) A long weekend (D) A speaker's stress 2. What does the girl mean when she says “I have had a very long week though”? (A) Ithas been very boring. (B) Ithas been very stressful (C) She hasn’t had many classes. (D) She went to school for seven days. 3. What does the girl say happened to her brother? (A) He got into trouble. (B) He stayed after school. (© He failed out of school. (D) He played in a basketball tournament. 4. What does the girl imply about her brother? (A) He gets into trouble a lot. (B) He doesn’t usually make trouble. (C) He really doesn’t like any sports. (D) He makes friends with bad students. ‘ArewerKoy pp. 190-185 ‘Announcement/Talk/Conversation Question Types 29Tay) Details Questions Details, are facts and information in the listening: They are rot the main idea but work to support it. Your job is to show that you can find Key information from a listening passage. Detail, questions are the most common question type on the TOEFL Junior. Announcement/Talk Details, questions start like th «What does the teacher instruct the students to do? «What does the teacher (principal, volunteer, etc) say about 2 Conversation Details, questions start like this: + Where do...? + What are... + Whois...? + Why did...? + How do...? + When are...? + Which / When /Where/ How / Why / Who...? 30. Master TOEFL Junior Basic + Listening ComprehensionAnnouncement/Talk (GM, Take Notes For details questions, it is important to take notes. DO NOT TRY to write or remember everything that you hear. You will end up missing a lot of the listening. Try to keep your notes. short, Do not try to remember every word that is said in the listening. Instead, write down numbers, words, or ideas that will help you remember what is important. Usually, the information you hear will support the main idea. The following example ilustrates the details hint and provides you with one details example question Ormion Saas Listen to a history teacher talking to his class. Edward Teach, also known as Black Beard, was a famous English pirate. He had a long, black beard and was very scary looking. He is famous for robbing ships and towns in North and South America. He was not a violent man. He usually scared people into giving him what he wanted and didn't have to hurt people. Question What does the speaker say about Black Beard? (A) He robbed English ships. (B) He was very scary looking. (©) He was a very violent man. (D) He was a famous American. Explanation Announcement Talk/ Conversation Question TypesConversation GEEZER auotes Since the right answer for a details question is usually a direct fact from the conversation, an answer choice which quotes the listening is likely correct. Cer) Example Dialogue Excerpt (G: gin, T: teacher) Listen to a conversation between a teacher and a student, Good morning, Ms. Jackson. Why hello, Katie, Do you need some help? Yes. | do not feel very good. Can | please go see the school nurse? (Of course you can. Do you have a pain, or are you feeling sick? I eel sick. | think | got the flu from my brother, That is too bad. Go see the nurse, but tell the secretary how you feel frst so she can call your parents, Ok, Ms. Jackson. Bye. Feel better, Katie, Question ‘Who does the girl need to see before the schoo! nurse? (A) The nurse (B) Ms, Jackson (© Her mother (D) The secretary Explanation Sere 300 the secretary So she can call the g's parents, Cae ae x59" and “Ms, Jackson,” but the git is already Ce Ree ee ee oor te Master TOEFL Junior Basie + Listening Comprehension(OED Note Taking ‘Take notes because itis difficult to remember all the details in a conversation. Write down any names, dates, places. Also, note any key phrases from the topic sentence. They will help you remember information you might need for any question type. Orman Beene’ (B: boy, G: gir) Listen to a conversation between two friends. Hi, Emma. Hey there, Sammy. How are things? Not so good. | need to buy new gym ciothes for school ‘So do |. What's the problem with that? They don't have any in my size. | am_a medium, but the school only has large and small The girls have the same problem. My gym pants are too big | want to ask Mr. Jordon if he can order some medium-sized gym clothes Let's go ask him now. I'l come with you. Alright. Question ‘What gym clothes size does the school have? (A) Just small size (B) Small and large (© Medium and large (D) Small and medium Explanation’ et. ‘Announcement/ Talk/ Conversation Question Types let.com ww. nhante[ceo | Announcement / Talk Dictation Ormion Listen to a history teacher talking to his class. Today, | want to talk about © Everest. The first 2 to the top of Mount Everest were a New Zealand climber named Edmund Hilary and an Indian Sherpa named Tenzing Norgay. Norgay later said that Hilary was actually the first person @ , though they made the climb together. 1. What does the teacher say about the first person to set foot on top of Everest? (A) Itwas Edmund Hilary. (B) It was Tenzing Norgay. (C) It was an Indian Sherpa (D) It was an unnamed person. Oreos Listen to a baseball coach talking to his team. Guys, we have a game tomorrow at 7 PM. | know the game © on Saturday at 4 PM. but North Field's coach just called me on the phone and @ we could play tomorrow. | want @ after school tomorrow so we can practice and eat dinner together before the game. 2, What does the coach say about the time of the game? (A) It will be at 7 PM. tomorrow. (B) It will be in the early evening. (C) [twill be on Saturday at 4 PM. (D) It will be after-school next week. 3h Master TOEFL Junior Basic + Listening Comprehensionfeats | Conversation Dictation Orato {B: boy, G: girl) N_ Listen to a conversation between two friends. B Hey Elizabeth, how are you? Go How about you, Lance? B I'mgreat. @ with you? G I don't know @ the schoo! trip. BI can help you. What trip are you going on? You pay different teachers for different trips. G Yes, that is my problem. | need to know which teacher to pay. B Pay Mr. Hobbs if you are @ Mrs. Kane to go to the art museum, or Mr. Ridley if you want to see the theater play. G I want to go to the art museum. Thanks for helping me. B I'm happy to help. Q. Who does the girl need to pay for her school trip? (A) Mr. Ridley (B) Mrs. Kane (© Mr Hobbs (D) Ms. Elizabeth, powweekey BIB) = ‘Announcement/Talk/ Conversation Question Types 35Ea Announcement / Talk Practice Test OQ r205 05-057 1. What does the history teacher say about Christopher Columbus? (A) He discovered the New World (B) He thought he landed somewhere in India. (©) He was a fisherman from Western Europe. (D) He met many different people on the continent. 2. What does the principal say about the Student Council Meetings? (A) They happen once a month. (B) He will always come to the: (© They are difficult to talk about. (D) They are good for sharing feelings. 3. What does the librarian ask the students to do? (A) Study more (B) Leave the library (©) Be quiet in the library (D) Find a book about writing 4, ‘What does the coach say about pads and uniforms? (A) They will be kept in lockers (B) They won’t be needed until the game. (© Students can get them from Mr. Andrews, (D) They are less expensive than the game gear. MastérvTOEFLSunlor Basic + Listening CompretnsionEa Conversation Practice Test Oras -00 1, What is the girl mainly talking about? (A) Taco day (B) Eating lunch (©) Helping clean (D) Working in the kitchen 2. What does the girl imply about the last taco day? (A) She missed it. (B) It was last month, (©) Itwas a big mess. (D) The tacos did not taste good. 3. Why does the gir! seem surprised that itis taco day? (A) Iris usually announced the week before (B) It usually only happens on Thursdays and Fridays, (© She thought it was hamburger, French fry, and cola day. (D) She thought they wouldn't have tacos after the food fight. 4. What will the girl probably do next? (A) Go study (B) Eat lunch (©) Help clean (D) Cook in the kitchen ‘rower Key 182, ‘Announcement/ Talk / Conversation Question Types