Unit 5 | Levels of certainty

A speaker’s certainty
Some questions on listening tests ask whether a speaker is sure or not. Does
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he/she think something is likely—“almost sure to happen?” Look for verb clues
like will (likely), might/could (possible), or won’t (not likely).

1 How likely is it?

AUDIO FILE Listen to the interview. Circle the best word or phrase.
1. Ann believes another bridge collapse like the Minnesota accident (probably will / probably won’t) happen.
2. Ann believes inspectors (will / won’t) catch every problem in the state’s bridges.
3. Ann says her inspectors (will / might) know if the support under a bridge is getting weaker.
4. Ann is (sure / not sure) that her department will have enough money to inspect bridges properly next year.

2 Why is a speaker sure?

AUDIO FILE Listen to the interview again. Match the statement to the reason. Write the
letter of the reason.

Statement Reason why the speaker is sure / not sure

1. A big bridge collapsed in Minnesota.
2. There are 1,342 highway bridges in
the state.
3. The inspectors caught every big
problem with the bridges.
4. The bridge inspectors may or may
not have enough money next year.
a. Records contain a list of bridges.
b. Budget numbers are not yet available.
c. The speaker saw pictures from special
cameras.
d. News reports showed it.

Support for statements in a reading

Some test questions go beyond “true and false.” They offer a third choice—that
the reading or listening has too little information. Choose this option if you can’t
tell whether a statement is true or not.

3 Deciding whether a prediction is supported

Read the article. What information can be found in the article? Write T if a statement is
true according to the article, write F if it is false, or write NI if there is no information
about it in the article.
1. Summer temperatures in the state will probably be warm.
2. Rainy weather will occur at the end of July.
3. This article is mainly about tourism in California.
4. Gasoline prices this summer will be very high.
5. The state mentioned in the article has beaches that tourists visit.
6. Summer workers this year will get higher pay than in most years.

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 Good Summer Predicted for Tourist Industry
The state’s tourist industry will benefit this
summer from warm weather and high costs for
airline travel. That is the prediction from the State
Tourist Board. Hotel and resort owners are hoping
those predictions are correct.
The Weather Service says this summer will
probably be close to normal, perhaps with an
exceptionally warm period at the end of July. That
should help draw tourists to the state’s beaches
and outdoor attractions.
“Normal patterns of high and low pressure will
probably be observed this summer. We should
see normal summer warmth for most of the
season,” said Charles Pence, chief forecaster for
the Weather Service. “We see a 70 to 80 percent
chance that late July will bring a short heat wave,
with temperatures five to eight degrees above
normal for a week or so.”
More people in the state are expected to stay in the
state for their vacations this summer, according
to the Tourist Board. “Prices for airline tickets are
high,” said Dora Sundberg, the board’s director,
“but gas prices are not. This is a good thing for us.
Instead of flying to California or Europe, people
will drive to vacation spots close to home.”
According to Sundberg, almost three-quarters of
the money spent on tourism in the state comes
from local customers. “We have great beaches,
historical destinations, and theme parks,” she
noted. “Families love us.”
State employment officials expect a lot of
opportunity in the tourist sector this summer.
Hotels, restaurants, and entertainment complexes
are already hiring more workers in advance of the
strong season. Sundberg said this is good news for
students and other seasonal workers. “Any student
who wants a summer job in a hotel or restaurant
should be able to find one,” she said.

4 Check your understanding

Read the article again. Why do speakers mention things? Circle the letter of the best answer.
1. Why does Charles Pence mention “patterns of high and low pressure?”
a. as problems that could hurt the tourist industry
b. as things that affect the weather
c. as reasons why he cannot make exact predictions
2. How does Dora Sundberg describe California and Europe?
a. as places that sometimes take tourists out of the state
b. as places that send a lot of tourists to the state
c. as places that have high gas prices
Look carefully before choosing
5 Skills in review a “no information” option. The reading
may have the information you need, but
Read Long Hot Summer… on p. 30 of the
in different words. Synonyms—e.g., employ
Workbook. Choose three people in the
for hire or bike for bicycle—may point
reading and say what their opinions are about
to the information you need.
the weather. What reasons do they have for
their opinions?

Spotlight on Testing • Unit 5 11