SHORT TALKS

Identifying the Topic;

Drawing Conclusions: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, and WHEN; and
Listening for Specific Information

Part C of the Listening Comprehension of the paper-based TOEFL® test consists of short
talks in the form of radio programs, tour guides’ talks, short academic lectures and
reports, or procedures and orientations for academic courses. The topics of the short
talks range from transportation, community service, travels, animals and their habits, to
research projects, insurance, outer space, and famous people.

A. Identifying the Topic and Drawing Conclusions

Book One points out that to be able to identify the topic of a short talk, you should briefly
preview the options of the first question on the talk before the talk is read out, and listen
carefully to the first two or three lines of the talk in which the topic is usually mentioned.
Besides reviewing how to identify topics in longer conversations, this unit takes up another
listening skill—drawing conclusions about who, what, where, and when—in short talks.

STRATEGIES

While listening, picture the situation of the talk to help you draw conclusions about
who, what, where, and when.

Sample problem
On the recording, you will hear:
Narrator: Questions 1 through 4 are based on the following talk.
Man: Hello and welcome to ‘World Radio’. I’m Carl King who’ll be with you as
you’re having your lunch. In the next 45 to 60 minutes, we’re going to

Student Book 2 Listening Comprehension Section43

Unit 7–Short Talks
 listen to a distinguished guest, Dr. Jane White, who is with us to talk about
traditional healthcare systems.
Dr. White is a community-based Clinical Pharmacist in New York. In 2001
she received the ‘Good Neighbor Community Pharmacist of the Year’
award for outstanding service to the community-at-large. She is also a TV
hostess for ‘Healthy Advice with Dr. White,’ a talk show that is rapidly
attracting people from all walks of life.
I’m also inviting all of you, listeners, to engage in an interactive dialogue
with Dr. White about the topic. So, now listeners, here is Dr. Jane White…
Narrator: 1. What does the speaker talk about?
In your test book, you will read:
(A) World Radio
(B) Dr. Jane White’s talk
(C) Clinical pharmacy
(D) Community service
On the recording, you will hear:
Narrator: 2. Who is probably the speaker?
In your test book, you will read:
(A) A lecturer
(B) A doctor
(C) A radio host
(D) A pharmacist
On the recording, you will hear:
Narrator: 3. When does the talk probably take place?
In your test book, you will read:
(A) In the morning
(B) During lunch hour
(C) After lunch hour
(D) After office hour
On the recording, you will hear:
Narrator: 4. Where does the talk probably take place?
In your test book, you will read:
(A) In a class room
(B) In a meeting room
(C) In a radio station
(D) In doctor’s room
On the recording, you will hear:
Narrator: 5. What is the purpose of the speaker?

44Listening Comprehension Section Student Book 2

Unit 7–Short Talks
In your test book, you will read:
(A) To introduce a well known guest
(B) To discuss community health care
(C) To interview a famous guest
(D) To ask a guest about pharmacy

Explanation
1. Question 1 asks about the topic of the talk. The man introduces Dr. Jane White and
what she’s going to talk about. So, the correct answer is (B) Dr. Jane White’s talk.
2. Question 2 asks about who the speaker is. The speaker says Hello and welcome to
‘World Radio’ to greet his listeners. Therefore, the best answer is (C) A radio host.
3. Question 3 asks about when the talk probably takes place. The speaker mentions
that he will be with his listeners as you’re having your lunch. Therefore, the best
answer is (A) During lunch hour.
4. Question 4 asks about where the talk probably takes place. The speaker says Hello
and welcome to ‘World Radio’. Therefore, the best answer is (C) In a radio station.
5. Question 5 asks about what purpose the speaker has. From what the speaker says …
listen to Dr. Jane White, who is with us to talk about …, we can conclude that the
answer is (A) To introduce a well known guest.

Exercise 1
Directions: Listen to each short talk and answer the questions that follow.

1. (A) In a classroom
(B) In a jewelry store
(C) In a museum
(D) In a warehouse
2. (A) A guide
(B) A lecturer
(C) A goldsmith
(D) An artist

3. (A) Demonstrate a technique in jewelry making.

(B) Explain the Minoan tombs of Crete.
(C) See some more Sumerian jewelry.
(D) Show jewelry in another room.

4. (A) At 6 A.M.
(B) At 10 A.M.
(C) At 1 P.M.
(D) At 7 P.M.

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Unit 7–Short Talks
5. (A) Students
(B) Tourists
(C) Scientists
(D) Stone collectors
6. (A) Biology
(B) Physics
(C) Geology
(D) Chemistry
7. (A) To prepare the class for a discussion
(B) To provide a class room activity
(C) To prepare the class for a field observation
(D) To do research on the subject
8. (A) A lecturer
(B) An environmentalist
(C) An ethnographer
(D) A researcher
9. (A) In a classroom
(B) In a library
(C) In a museum
(D) At a tourist site
10. (A) In the beginning of a class
(B) At the end of a class
(C) Before a class
(D) After a class

B. Listening for Specific Information

Other questions in Part C ask about specific information mentioned in the conversation.

STRATEGIES

Read along the options while you listen to the conversation as the questions asked
are based on the order of the conversation.

Sample problem
On the recording, you will hear:
Narrator: Questions 1 through 4 are based on the following talk.

46Listening Comprehension Section Student Book 2

Unit 7–Short Talks
 Man: Good morning everybody. As this is your first day in Calculus I, I would
like to briefly explain what you are supposed to do in this class. This is a
very difficult and time-consuming course. To join this class, you should get
at least a B in mathematics and you need a solid background in algebra
and analytic geometry. Calculus has applications in physics, chemistry,
biology, economics and business. The course emphasizes problem solving
techniques and their application. It will cover differential calculus, including
the following topics: limits, continuity, derivatives, etc. as you can see in
this course outline. By the end of the class, you should be able to model a
variety of real-world problems and solve them. This course requires that
you study about ten to fifteen hours a week outside of the class. Work
ahead of the lecture and always read the next section before you come to
class. Should you need any notes of the lecture because you can’t attend,
just go to my website as written in the syllabus. As for the assignments…

On the recording you will hear:

Narrator: 1. When does the talk probably take place?
In your test book, you will read:
(A) At the end of a course
(B) At the beginning of a course
(C) In the middle of a course
(D) During a particular class session

On the recording, you will hear:

Narrator: 2. What is the requirement to take this class?
In your test book, you will read:
(A) Good in mathematics
(B) Have learned differential calculus
(C) Contribute a lot of time
(D) Strong in physics

On the recording, you will hear:

Narrator: 3. What should the students do if they miss the course?
In your test book, you will read:
(A) Check the website for notes.
(B) Refer to the syllabus.
(C) Study at home.
(D) Model real-world problems.

Explanation
1. As you read the options, you can anticipate that Question 1 will ask about when. As
you listen, you learn that the question is when the talk probably takes place and the

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Unit 7–Short Talks
 speaker mentions As this is your first day in Calculus I …. Therefore, the best answer
is (B) At the beginning of a course.
2. Question 2, as can be anticipated from the options, asks about what is the
requirement to take the class. The speaker mentions at least a B in mathematics and
a solid background in algebra and analytic geometry. Therefore, the best answer is
(A) good in mathematics.
3. Question 3, as you read the options, can be anticipated asking about what students
should do. You hear in the talk that Should you need any notes of the lecture because
you can’t attend, just go to my website as written in the syllabus. Therefore, the best
answer is (A) Check the websites for notes.

Exercise 2
Directions: Listen to each short talk and answer the questions that follow.

1. (A) A painter
(B) A tour guide
(C) An actress
(D) A merchant
2. (A) In a museum
(B) At a painting exhibition
(C) In a studio
(D) At a photography course
3. (A) Who the model was
(B) What the original name was
(C) Who owned the painting
(D) How famous the painting was
4. (A) A lecturer
(B) A police officer
(C) An archaeologist
(D) A social worker
5. (A) When burned remains are found at the scene of crime
(B) When police are observing fingerprinting of a criminal
(C) When authorities want to know people’s special characteristics
(D) When a standardized method is not reliable to detect a crime
6. (A) Identical twin criminals
(B) The police’s filing system
(C) Archaeological excavation
(D) Fingerprinting

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Unit 7–Short Talks
7. (A) At an opening of an event
(B) After an evening symposium
(C) During a formal dinner
(D) Before mountain climbing
8. (A) Mountain climbers
(B) Sports lovers
(C) The Alpine Club members
(D) Journalists
9. (A) To encourage the exploration of the eastern Himalayas
(B) To initiate a regular informal meeting among the members
(C) To celebrate the success of the previous event
(D) To share information about new tourist sites
10. (A) A dinner
(B) A follow up meeting
(C) An expedition
(D) A symposium

REVIEW

Directions: Listen carefully to each short talk and answer the questions that follow.

1. (A) A geology lecturer

(B) A water sport instructor
(C) A mountain climber
(D) A relief worker
2. (A) Volcanic eruptions
(B) Volcanic behavior
(C) Volcanic forecasting
(D) Volcanic survey
3. (A) By folding and crumpling
(B) By uplift and erosion
(C) By the accumulation of eruptive materials
(D) By the collection of molten rock below the earth surface

4. (A) They are very damaging.

(B) They always have the same pattern.
(C) They have various behaviors and personalities.
(D) They can be predicted accurately.

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Unit 7–Short Talks
5. (A) Near the mountain investigating station
(B) Miles away after being evacuated
(C) In the emergency shelter
(D) In their own houses

6. (A) An archeology lecturer

(B) A sculptor
(C) An explorer
(D) An artist

7. (A) Easter Island’s monolithic statues

(B) Easter island’s ceremonial sites
(C) Easter island’s quarries
(D) Easter island’s landscape

8. (A) They were carved in one piece.

(B) They were all scattered on the island.
(C) Each of the statues was placed on one stone pedestal.
(D) They all came from one volcano’s ash.

9. (A) From the date of its discovery

(B) From the time people inhabited the land
(C) From its distinctive location
(D) From the discovery of its monolithic statues

10. (A) The statues are placed all over the island.
(B) The statues were made of rock.
(C) The statues were used in the islanders’ ceremonies.
(D) The statues left certain unanswered questions.

Supplementary Exercises

Directions: Listen to each short talk and answer the questions that follow.

1. (A) The Chinese

(B) The Gregorian
(C) The Heian
(D) The Edo

2. (A) The Tanabata festival

(B) Lunar calendar
(C) Chinese customs
(D) The Japanese Empire

50Listening Comprehension Section Student Book 2

Unit 7–Short Talks
3. (A) In a class room
(B) At a festival event
(C) At a tourist site
(D) In a museum

4. (A) On July 7
(B) During the Edo period
(C) During the Heian period
(D) In Gregorian August

5. (A) Write wishes on tanzaku.

(B) Practice for better sewing and craftsmanship.
(C) Ask for better handwriting.
(D) Do activities around midnight.

6. (A) Glacier National Park

(B) The Park’s wilderness
(C) The National Park’s history
(D) Glacier National Park’s creation

7. (A) A tour guide

(B) A hiker
(C) A visitor
(D) A biologist

8. (A) From the person who proposed creating the park

(B) From the rich wildlife collection the park has
(C) From its glaciated landscape
(D) From its visitors

9. (A) Sounds indicating the coming of the predators.

(B) Dangerous animals they may encounter.
(C) Treacherous landscape they will go through.
(D) Endangered species they may catch.

10. (A) It has a less attractive collection.

(B) It is less popular because of its isolation.
(C) It is less accessible because of its remoteness.
(D) It offers less challenging activities.

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Unit 7–Short Talks