LISTENING:

LISTENING SKILLS FOR PROFICIENCY TESTS

PART ONE: LISTENING TIPS

Language proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL test your ability to understand spoken language in a variety of contexts. You are not expected to have any specialist knowledge of the topic, but you should be able to deal with a range of topics and a number of different speaking styles.

These tests measure how well you can manage:

listening for specific information,

listening for main ideas and supporting information,

understanding the speaker’s opinions.(from IELTS Practice Tests, Longman)

Several types of exercises are used:

  • Multiple choice
  • True/False
  • Table completion
  • Note-taking
  • Gap-fill
  • Matching
  • Summary completion
  • Labelling a diagram, map or plan
  • Sentence completion

Since you often hear the passage only once, it is crucial to prepare your brain and ears to know what to listen for.

There are two good ways to do this.

1)Activate your brain by thinking of what you already know on the topic

2)Read the exercises before you listen to know what to focus on.

PART TWO: ACTIVITY

You will do a sample activity from the IELTS Listening Exam. In the exam, you only hear the passage once. However, you will be given time to look at the questions first.

Read the instructions very carefully. You could lose points for incorrect forms.

About IELTS

The Listening exam has 4 parts, 40 questions and lasts 30 minutes. You then have another ten minutes at the end of the exam to copy your answers onto the answer sheet provided. Parts 1 and 2 concentrate on social needs or “survival English” – the kind of English you need on a regular basis if you are living in an English speaking country, for example asking for information or getting directions. Parts 3 and 4 focus more on the topics of education or training. You will hear a combination of dialogues between 2 or more people and monologues.

One of the big differences between the IELTS listening test and other listening exams you may have done is that you only hear it once. This doesn’t seem like a big problem until you have finished listening to it and have just realised you missed the crucial information and need to hear it again. So, what can you do to overcome this problem? One of the key things you can do is make sure you read through the questions before you listen. At the beginning of the test, and before each new part of the test you are given time to read the questions before you listen. This is extremely important as it gives you time to practise your prediction skills and understand what information they are asking for and helps you predict your answers.

Here’s a typical example of an IELTS listening exercise. Which parts would you underline on a first reading to help you predictwhat information is needed in each question? Before you listen, decide what answers you think will go in each space.

Practice ONE:

Practice Two: Globalisation

You will hear an interview with Indira Prabhu, an economist from India, discussing globalisation

Discuss the following with your partner.

1) What is globalisation?

2) What are the advantages and disadvantages?

3) Who stands to gain more from globalisation, rich countries or poor?

II. VOCABULARY FOCUS

Here are some economic expressions you will encounter in this interview.

First mark the stressed syllable in each, then explain their meaning with your partner.

1

  1. developing countries
  2. developed countries
  3. job losses
  4. moving abroad
  5. unemployed
  6. downsides
  7. poverty
  8. child labour
  9. sweatshops
  10. goods
  11. average worker
  12. know-how
  13. cheaper labour
  14. scapegoat
  15. labour-saving efficiencies
  16. manufacturing
  17. services
  18. value added

1

eade

III. Task: You will need to decide if the following questions are True or False. If it is False, you must correct it.

1) Read through the questions before you listen.

2) Then as you listen, take notes next to each statement to help you formulate your answer.

3) You will then have a few minutes to complete the exercise

Part A

  1. The main idea of this interview is to discuss the downsides of globalisation.
  1. The economist argues that globalisation increases poverty in the world.
  1. She argues that globalisation can be a benefit to poor countries.
  1. Problems like child labour and people forced to work in sweatshops is a problem that has been around for a long time.
  1. Globalisation is too often used as a scapegoat for the social problems in the country.
  1. She believes that globalisation can only bring benefits to poor countries.
  1. Western companies tend to set prices arbitrarily on goods from producing countries.

Part B

  1. Globalisation is more dangerous for people in developed countries.
  1. People in the west expect to work less and earn more.
  1. The main reason for job losses is jobs moving abroad.
  1. The standard of living of an unemployed person in Germany is the same as that of the average worker in the developing world.

Part C

  1. Poor countries are often called “decaying economies” because they are losing their competitive advantage.
  1. Poorer countries are less competitive because they have cheaper labour.
  1. The economist believes that an economy can be based only on services.
  1. She advises developed countries to focus on innovation.

ASSIGNMENT: PRACTICE WITH LANGUAGE TESTS

Task: You will do listening exercises from three different internationally-recognized language proficiency tests.

Go to the three links below and follow the instructions below:

Do the exercises, then check your answers.

How many did you get right?

What problems did you have?

Do you understand your mistakes?

Write a brief description (full sentences) about what the text asked you to do, the problems you had. if you are satisfied with you results and why?

Print out your results. Bring printed copy to next class session.

I) IELTS Click on

IELTS
International English Language Testing System /

II. TOEFL Click on

TOEFL®
Test Of English as Foreign Language /

III. CAMBRIDGE FIRST CERTIFICATE Click on

FCE
First Certificate in English (B2) /

1