QUICK GUIDE: Main Idea Questions

Definition Main idea questions ask you about the gist, or general theme, of a lecture /
conversation. They are based on the main topic of an entire lecture / conversation,
not just detailed parts or sections.
Targeted In order to correctly answer a main idea question, you must be able to:
Skills  listen for the most important ideas in the passage.
 distinguish between main ideas and minor details.
 generalize the information presented in the entire lecture / conversation.
The Correct The correct answer for a main idea question accurately reflects the most important
Answer idea of the lecture / conversation. The correct answer will not include minor
details.
Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:
Answer  minor details from the passage. This information may be factual but does
Options not represent the main idea of the entire passage.
 Information that contradicts the information given in the lecture /
conversation.
 Exact wording from the audio script. The correct answer usually rewords
the information found in the audio script. Remember, the testers are
interested in checking your comprehension of the ideas, not your ability to
recognize phrases that you´ve heard.

QUICK GUIDE: Detail Questions

Definition Detail questions ask about important facts presented in the lecture that support
the main points of the lecture. You will never be asked about a trivial fact, such as
the spelling of a name or the exact year that something occurred. You will,
however, need to know the definitions of key terms and the order of events.

Targeted In order to correctly answer a detail question, you must be able to:
Skills  Identify the main points of the lecture / conversation and the details used
to support them. Often, detail questions relate directly to the main gist of
the lecture / conversation. However, in some cases, you will be asked about
details of secondary points as well.
 Understand the relationships between two events or concepts. Is one
caused by the other? Did one occur after the other? Is one more important
than the other?
The Correct The correct answer for a detail question contains factual information that was
Answer presented in the lecture / conversation. Correct answers typically contain reworded
information from the lecture / conversation. For some questions, you may need to
choose two correct answers. For questions with five answer options, you may need
to choose three correct answers.
Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:
Answer  information that contradicts the information from the lecture /
Options conversation.
 the exact wording from the audio script but that don’t answer the question.
(The correct answer usually rewords the information. Sometimes
distractors use exact wording but don´t give the correct information.)
 information that is not mentioned or supported by the lecture /
conversation.
QUICK GUIDE: Purpose Questions
Definition A purpose question asks you the reason that a speaker visits a professor or specific
office on campus. The entire conversation / lecture will be about this reason and may
involve:
 solving a problem.
 clarifying a process or concept.
 explaining a concept from class.
 discussing an assignment.
Targeted In order to correctly answer a purpose question, you must be able to:
Skills  understand why the conversation / lecture is taking place.
 draw a conclusion about the main reason for the conversation.
The Correct The correct answer for a purpose question correctly identifies the reason that a
Answer conversation is taking place. Usually, the answer is stated directly by the speaker,
although sometimes you will have to infer the purpose based on the conversation.

Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:

Answer  Reasons that are stated early in the conversation. Several purposes may be
Options stated or implied in the conversation. Be sure to choose the one that
represents the speaker’s real purpose.
 The exact wording from the conversation. Usually, the correct answer will
include reworded information from the conversation.

QUICK GUIDE: Inference Questions

Definition Inference questions ask you to make a judgment based on information that is
strongly implied in the lecture / conversation. While the answer is not stated in the
lecture / conversation, you should be able to make a strong inference about a
person, an event, or a situation based on the information provided.
Targeted In order to correctly answer an inference question, you must be able to:
Skills  make an assumption based on the context of the lecture / conversation.
 interpret meaning based on the speaker’s tone.
 reference several details to understand a speaker’s implied meaning.
The Correct The correct answer for an inference question correctly draws a conclusion.
Answer The inference will be supported by information in the passage but will not be stated
directly in the lecture / conversation. The information needed to answer an inference
question is often repeated or reworded once, twice, or sometimes three times in the
lecture / conversation.
Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:
Answer  a conclusion that is true but is not supported by the information in the lecture /
Options conversation. On the test, the correct answer to an inference question is always
supported by the given information. You do not have to rely on previous or
outside knowledge to answer a question.
 information that contradicts the main idea or details of the lecture /
conversation.
 exact wording from the lecture / conversation. The correct answer will usually
reword information.
QUICK GUIDE: Function Questions
Definition For most function question, you listen to a short audio clip from a lecture /
conversation, called an excerpt. Then, you are asked to determine the purpose of the
excerpt in the context of the entire lecture / conversation.
Targeted In order to correctly answer a function question, you must be able to:
Skills  determine a speaker´s motivations for saying or asking something.
 interpret the speaker´s meaning based on tone and context clues.
 tell the difference between literal and figurative language.
 understand how the information in the brief audio clip is related to the entire
passage.
The Correct The correct answer for a function question correctly identifies the speaker’s
Answer motivations for saying something. The speaker will not say the function outright in the
lecture / conversation or in the audio clip. You will have to determine the function
based on the speaker’s tone and your understanding of the lecture / conversation.

Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:

Answer  Possible interpretations of a spoken segment that don’t explain the speaker’s
Options motivation or intention in the excerpt.
 Information that is mentioned in the excerpt but does not relate directly to the
speaker’s purpose.

QUICK GUIDE: Attitude Questions

Definition Attitude question ask you to determine a speaker’s opinion of a subject, such as a
theory. For example, professors may give clues to indicate that they think that a
theory is unfavorable or unrealistic. Attitude question also ask about how sure a
speaker is that something will happen or how certain a speaker is about the validity
for a theory or idea.
Targeted In order to correctly answer an attitude question, you must be able to:
Skills  interpret the speaker’s feelings based on tone and choice of words.
 understand how certain a speaker is about what he or she is saying.
The Correct The correct answer for an attitude question correctly identifies the speaker’s feelings
Answer or certainty about something. The speaker’s attitude will never be stated outright in
the lecture / conversation. Rather, you will have to infer the speaker’s attitude based
on his or her tone and choice of words.
Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:
Answer  Possible interpretations of a phrase that do not show the speaker’s attitude.
Options  The speaker’s attitude about a different topic.
 Descriptions of the attitude of the wrong speaker.
QUICK GUIDE: Organization Questions
Definition An organization question tests your understanding of how a lecture is structured. You
may be tested on overall organization of a lecture or on the relationship between two
different parts of a lecture.
Targeted In order to correctly answer an organization question, you must be able to:
Skills  understand how information in a lecture is presented / organized and understand
the language associated with those organizational structures.
 recognize how part of a lecture relates to the rest of a lecture.
 listen for points that signal how the details of a lecture are related.
 identify the role that examples, comparisons, and rhetorical questions play in a
lecture.
The Correct The correct answer for an organization question accurately states the organizational
Answer structure of a lecture or how one part of a lecture relates to the rest of a lecture. A
professor will not state the organizational structure of a lecture directly. Instead, a
professor will use key words that suggest the overall organizational structures.

Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:

Answer  Information that contradicts the facts stated in the lecture.
Options  Relationships that are not supported by the lecture.

QUICK GUIDE: Connecting Content Questions

Definition Connecting content questions ask you to apply your understanding of a lecture /
conversation to complete a table. Depending on the instructions, you will need to:
 classify the given information.
 identify causes and effects.
 put events or steps of a process in order.
 indicate whether something was or was not included in a lecture.
To complete a table, you will move your mouse over each correct box. When you click
your mouse, a check mark (√) will appear in the box.
Targeted In order to correctly answer a connecting content question, you must be able to:
Skills  understand the main concepts presented in a lecture / conversation.
 listen for main supporting points.
 listen for details that a speaker mentions.
 understand how information in a lecture / conversation could be categorized.
The Correct The correct answer for a connecting content question correctly classifies the given
Answer information according to the directions. There is no partial credit for this question type, so
you must fill in the entire table correctly in order to get credit.
Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:
Answer  Incorrect characteristics, or traits, for a category. For example, in a classification
Options lecture, an incorrect answer option might give a fact for the wrong overall category.