SKILL 2:

DETAIL QUESTIONS Created by Kyu Ashley Lee

SKILL 2: DETAIL QUESTIONS

oMost common question type in TOEFL listening.

oQuestion asks you about the details from the

listening passage.

oNote-taking is crucial for this type of questions.

 NOTE-TAKING IN THE TOEFL iBT
Ø TOEFL iBT is not a test of memory, but the listening passages
contain very dense information.

Ø People cannot remember everything from a lecture lasting 5-6 minutes.

Ø At the testing location, you will be given paper to use for taking notes. After the
test, you return the paper to the supervisor, but your notes will not be graded.

Ø Note-taking skills can be improved ONLY by practicing.

Ø Note-taking helps you focus.

 SOME TIPS ON NOTE-TAKING
1. Do not write down everything you hear; for example, you can easily omit auxiliary
verbs (must/can/don’t), determiners (the, some, my, etc.), pronouns (he, their, its, etc.)
and prepositions (in, under, etc.);
2. Concentrate on important words, like nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, also
names, dates, numbers, etc.;
3. If you hear unfamiliar names or terms, check the visuals. It will save you from trying
so hard to understand the unknown terms.
4. Pay attention to the points that are repeated and that are emphasized with tone of
voice or with pauses.
 SOME TIPS ON NOTE-TAKING
4. Pay attention to transition words or phrases.
=> Good tips for the organization of the lecture
e.g. There are three kinds of … / We’ll be looking at a couple of ways to…
First, let’s look at… / Next, what about ___? / That brings us to…
On the other hand, / However… / Contrarily
Be sure to note that…. / Pay special attention to…
Let’s consider the case of …. / For example, … / To illustrate this, …

5. Use symbols and abbreviations.

NOTE TAKING STRATEGIES
­Symbols & Abbreviations handout
 TEXTBOOK PAGES PP.156-157
•Do NOT look at the script or the questions yet.

•Take notes using abbreviations.

•As you listen to the audio the second time, try fixing or adding to your notes.
TEXTBOOK PAGES 156-157
MY NOTE
Focus on content
words

Notes are for YOU!

Develope your own

way of note-taking
1. What reasons does the student 2. Why does the advisor think the student
give for not attending the internship should attend the internship fair?
fair? (Choose two.)

A. He is starting a construction job on A. The internships are easy to find and

Saturday. apply for.
B. An internship can provide the student’s
B. He already has a summer job.
spending money for the school year.
C. He has not filled out an C. The internships provide better
application. experience than what the student has
planned.
D. He has something planned on
D. The student’s parents will be upset if he
Saturday. doesn’t find an internship for the summer.
1. What reasons does the student give for not
attending the internship fair?
(Choose 2 answers.)

A. He is starting a construction job on Saturday. Not true: He is watching basketball on Saturday.

B. He already has a summer job.

C. He has not filled out an application.

Not true: Application was mentioned about the construction job.
D. He has something planned on Saturday.
2. Why does the advisor think the student
should attend the internship fair?
A. The internships are easy to find and apply for. Not mentioned.

B. An internship can provide the student’s spending money for the school year.
Not true: Student’s spending money is from the construction job.
C. The internships provide better experience than what the student has planned.
True: Professor said that student can get some incredibly important experience.
D. The student’s parents will be upset if he doesn’t find an internship for the summer.
Not true: Professor said student’s parents would be proud.
TIPS FOR TOEFL LISTENING

§ Academic passages are much more challenging. However, with much practice, there
will be much improvement.

§ Everyday, practice listening to a variety of materials.

(News, TV shows, TOEFL practice questions, audiobooks, etc.)

§ ALWAYS take notes when you practice for the TOEFL listening.

§ Choose a time when you are not tired but more alert.
LISTENING PRACTICE
TEXTBOOK P.162 (TRACK 027)
Gold vs. Fool’s gold
VOCABULARY
mineral
: a substance that is naturally formed under the ground (e.g., copper, lead,
aluminum, iron, etc.)
element
: one of the basic substances that are made of atoms of only one kind
Water is composed of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen.
compound
: In chemistry, a compound is something that is formed by combining two or
more elements (chemical compound)
VOCABULARY
density
: an amount of something in a particular space
dense (adj)
The forest was so dense that we could barely walk between the trees.
VOCABULARY
volume
:how big something is

mass
: how heavy something is
VOCABULARY

property
(n) 1. A piece of land, a building, or an object that is owned by a person
2. a special quality or characteristic of something
We are not responsible for the loss of personal property.
One of the properties of helium is its lightness.
 NOTE EXAMPLE

Ø Try to understand how

the professor “organizes”
the lecture.
ØFocus on “understanding,” heat
not “writing.”