TOEFL Listening common mistakes

Listen and Choose a Response

Not quite

Better

Picking the answer that repeats a word you heard.
Pick the answer that responds naturally, like a real reply in conversation.
Ignoring tone and focusing only on words.
Notice whether the speaker is asking, complaining or offering; the right reply fits that.

Write only key words, numbers and names. Full sentences make you miss the next point.
Use arrows and symbols: ↑ increase, → causes, ≠ different, ? problem.
Mark signal words like "however", "the main reason" and "let me give an example".

Many questions ask why a speaker says something, not what they say. When a professor tells a story, ask yourself what point the story supports.

Academic Talk

The professor says: "My grandfather kept bees, and every spring he counted the hives." Why does she mention this?

Answer

To introduce the idea of monitoring bee populations over time.

The story is an example for the main topic, not personal information you need to remember.

If you miss a sentence, let it go and listen for the next signal word. Trying to remember what you missed is how one lost detail becomes three.

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