TOEFL IBT Listening Sample #3

Transcript 1: Campus Conversation

(Scene: Student walks into the registrar’s office to inquire about class registration.)

Student: Excuse me, I'm trying to register for next semester’s classes, but I'm a bit confused about the process.

Registrar Clerk: Oh, hello there! Sure, I'd be glad to help you with that. What exactly seems to be the issue?

Student: Well, I'm not sure how to find out which classes are required for my major. I’m a History major.

Registrar Clerk: I see. For your major requirements, you should be able to find them on the university website under "Academic Programs". You'll see a list of all the majors offered, and you can click on "History". There you'll find a breakdown of the required courses.

Student: I see, and once I know the classes I need, how do I go about registering for them?

Registrar Clerk: After you've found the courses, you'll need to log in to your student portal. From there, you'll see a link to 'Register for Classes'. You can then search for the classes and add them to your cart. Just remember to hit 'Submit' to finalize the registration.

Student: Okay, that makes sense. Also, I heard that there is a deadline for registration. When is that?

Registrar Clerk: Yes, there is. For next semester, the deadline is August 25th. But I would recommend registering as soon as possible because popular classes tend to fill up quickly.

Student: Got it, thank you for the information!

The Question:

#1 Gist-Content: What is the main problem the student has?

A. He is unable to find the classes for his major.

B. He is unable to log into his student portal.

C. He doesn't know the deadline for registration.

D. He doesn't know where to submit his registration.

#2 Gist-Content: What is the main topic of the conversation?

A. How to register for classes

B. The details of the History major

C. The importance of meeting registration deadlines

D. The difficulties of choosing the right courses

#3 Gist-Purpose: Why does the student visit the registrar clerk?

A. To change his major

B. To inquire about class registration process

C. To ask for deadline extension

D. To complain about a course

#4 Gist-Purpose: Why does the clerk suggest registering as soon as possible?

A. Because the system will be down after a certain time

B. Because popular classes tend to fill up quickly

C. Because late registration incurs a penalty

D. Because the student is already late for registration

#5 Detail: What is the deadline for the next semester’s registration?

A. August 15

B. August 25

C. July 25

D. September 1

#6 Detail: Where can the student find the courses required for his major?

A. On the university website under "Academic Programs"

B. In the registrar's office

C. In his student portal

D. In the university library

#7 Understanding The Speaker’s Attitude: What can be inferred about the student's attitude towards the registration process?

A. He is anxious about it

B. He is confident about it

C. He is uninterested in it

D. He is annoyed by it

#8 Understanding The Speaker’s Attitude: How does the clerk feel about helping the student?

A. Annoyed

B. Pleased

C. Indifferent

D. Rushed

#9 Understanding the Function: What does the clerk mean when she says "popular classes tend to fill up quickly"?

A. The student should register for only popular classes

B. The student should not register for popular classes

C. The student should register as soon as possible

D. The student should avoid classes in high demand

#10 Understanding the Function: Why does the student ask about the deadline for registration?

A. To know when he should start registering

B. To know how much time he has to decide on his courses

C. To challenge the deadline

D. To ask for an extension

#11 Making Inferences: What can be inferred about the student's preparation for registration?

A. The student has not prepared at all for registration

B. The student has done some research but is still confused

C. The student is very well-prepared for registration

D. The student has not decided on his major yet

#12 Making Inferences: What does the clerk imply about the registration deadline?

A. It is flexible and can be extended

B. It is strict and cannot be missed

C. It is irrelevant to the student's course selection

D. It is too short for students to decide on their courses

#13 Understanding Organization: How does the clerk organize the information about the registration process?

A. She provides a step-by-step guide

B. She explains it all at once

C. She gives the student a written guide

D. She shows the student a video tutorial

#14 Understanding Organization: Why does the clerk discuss the details of the "Academic Programs" section of the website?

A. To inform the student where he can find his major requirements

B. To advertise the university website

C. To highlight the different majors offered by the university

D. To guide the student to the online registration platform

Answer key:

The Answers:

#1 Gist-Content: What is the main problem the student has?

A. He is unable to find the classes for his major.

#2 Gist-Content: What is the main topic of the conversation?

A. How to register for classes

#3 Gist-Purpose: Why does the student visit the registrar clerk?

B. To inquire about class registration process

#4 Gist-Purpose: Why does the clerk suggest registering as soon as possible?

B. Because popular classes tend to fill up quickly

#5 Detail: What is the deadline for the next semester’s registration?

B. August 25

#6 Detail: Where can the student find the courses required for his major?

A. On the university website under "Academic Programs"

#7 Understanding The Speaker’s Attitude: What can be inferred about the student's attitude towards the registration process?

A. He is anxious about it

#8 Understanding The Speaker’s Attitude: How does the clerk feel about helping the student?

B. Pleased

#9 Understanding the Function: What does the clerk mean when she says "popular classes tend to fill up quickly"?

C. The student should register as soon as possible

#10 Understanding the Function: Why does the student ask about the deadline for registration?

B. To know how much time he has to decide on his courses

#11 Making Inferences: What can be inferred about the student's preparation for registration?

B. The student has done some research but is still confused

#12 Making Inferences: What does the clerk imply about the registration deadline?

B. It is strict and cannot be missed

#13 Understanding Organization: How does the clerk organize the information about the registration process?

A. She provides a step-by-step guide

#14 Understanding Organization: Why does the clerk discuss the details of the "Academic Programs" section of the website?

A. To inform the student where he can find his major requirements

---

Transcript 2: Academic Reading Passage - Psychology Class

Narrator: Today, we're exploring the concept of cognitive dissonance, a term coined by psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950s. Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors. This produces a feeling of mental discomfort leading to an alteration in one's attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors to reduce the discomfort and restore balance.

Narrator: Let's consider an example. Suppose a person knows that smoking is harmful to their health, but they continue to smoke. This contradiction between their knowledge and behavior creates cognitive dissonance.

Narrator: Festinger's theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony or dissonance. This is known as the principle of cognitive consistency. When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors, something must change to eliminate or reduce the dissonance.

Narrator: How individuals deal with cognitive dissonance can vary greatly. Some people might change their behavior — the smoker might quit smoking. Others might seek to justify their behavior by changing their beliefs — the smoker might start believing that the evidence linking smoking to health issues is flawed.

Narrator: Cognitive dissonance has been widely researched in the field of psychology and is fundamental to understanding human behavior. It provides insight into decision-making and attitudes change and is key to many theories of persuasion and attitude change.

Narrator: In conclusion, cognitive dissonance is not just a concept for psychologists. It's something we all experience. Understanding how we resolve these inner conflicts can help us understand our actions and make changes that bring our beliefs and actions into alignment.

Each of these should take approximately 3-4 minutes to listen to, depending on the speed at which they're read.

The Question:

#1 Gist-Content: What is the main topic of the lecture?

A. The dangers of smoking

B. The theory of cognitive dissonance

C. The life and career of Leon Festinger

D. The process of changing one's behavior

#2 Gist-Content: What problem is exemplified in the lecture?

A. The struggle to quit smoking

B. The contradiction between knowledge about health and behavior

C. The difficulty of changing one's beliefs

D. The challenge of dealing with mental discomfort

#3 Gist-Purpose: Why does the speaker provide an example of a smoker?

A. To show the dangers of smoking

B. To illustrate cognitive dissonance

C. To discuss the health risks associated with smoking

D. To show how attitudes can be changed

#4 Gist-Purpose: Why does the speaker discuss the principle of cognitive consistency?

A. To show why people are always consistent in their attitudes and behaviors

B. To explain how cognitive dissonance can be reduced

C. To argue that cognitive dissonance is unnatural

D. To provide a counter-argument to Festinger's theory

#5 Detail: What is cognitive dissonance according to the lecture?

A. The discomfort when a person's beliefs contradict their actions

B. The result of changing one's behavior

C. The tendency to justify one's behavior by changing beliefs

D. The process of making decisions

#6 Detail: Who coined the term "cognitive dissonance"?

A. A smoker

B. An unknown psychologist

C. Leon Festinger

D. The lecturer

#7 Understanding The Speaker’s Attitude: What is the speaker's attitude towards cognitive dissonance?

A. Critical

B. Appreciative

C. Skeptical

D. Indifferent

#8 Understanding The Speaker’s Attitude: What can be inferred about the speaker's views on dealing with cognitive dissonance?

A. It should be ignored.

B. It should be confronted and resolved.

C. It is a personal choice.

D. It is an inevitable part of human nature.

#9 Understanding the Function: What does the speaker mean when he says "cognitive dissonance is not just a concept for psychologists"?

A. Only psychologists can fully understand cognitive dissonance.

B. Cognitive dissonance is a difficult concept to grasp.

C. Everyone experiences cognitive dissonance in their lives.

D. Cognitive dissonance should be taught in all fields of study.

#10 Understanding the Function: Why does the speaker mention that understanding cognitive dissonance can help us understand our actions?

A. To emphasize the importance of self-awareness

B. To argue that people should always act according to their beliefs

C. To encourage people to change their behavior

D. To suggest that understanding cognitive dissonance is crucial for psychologists

#11 Making Inferences: What can be inferred about the speaker's view on the importance of cognitive dissonance in understanding human behavior?

A. The speaker believes it is insignificant.

B. The speaker believes it is of paramount importance.

C. The speaker believes it is overrated.

D. The speaker believes it is only relevant to psychologists.

#12 Making Inferences: What does the speaker imply about how cognitive dissonance affects decision-making?

A. Cognitive dissonance has no impact on decision-making.

B. Cognitive dissonance often leads to poor decisions.

C. Cognitive dissonance can influence our choices and decisions.

D. People with high levels of cognitive dissonance are indecisive.

#13 Understanding Organization: How does the speaker organize the information about cognitive dissonance?

A. By discussing its origins, explaining the concept, providing an example, and discussing its effects

B. By listing different theories about cognitive dissonance

C. By arguing against cognitive dissonance theory

D. By providing numerous examples of cognitive dissonance in action

#14 Understanding Organization: Why does the speaker discuss the ways individuals might deal with cognitive dissonance?

A. To suggest that there is only one correct way to deal with cognitive dissonance

B. To provide different strategies for dealing with cognitive dissonance

C. To illustrate the complexity and variability of responses to cognitive dissonance

D. To criticize individuals who change their beliefs to justify their actions

The Answer