(A) Once every four hours (B) Once every six hours
LISTENING PART 3: CONVERSATIONS
ằ TIP 2 Learn to identify paraphrases for questions about duration, frequency, or quantity.
Paraphrases of duration, frequency, or quantity can be very tricky because they make the words in the answer options different from the words in the conversation. Look at the examples in the chart.
Typical Paraphrases for Duration, Frequency, or Quantity Questions
What You Might Hear What the Question Might Ask What the Correct Answer Option Might Show We hold the meeting every
other Friday.
How often is the meeting held? Once every two weeks We’re up to a dozen employees. How many people are in the
company?
Twelve I ’m going for a week. How long is the man’s vacation? Seven days
TASK Read the phrases used to indicate duration, frequency, or quantity. Match each phrase to the correct paraphrase.
1. once a year a. seven days
2. every other day b. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
3. fifty percent c. annually
4. weeklong d. half
5. twenty-five percent e. a quarter
Try a TOEIC Test Question
Listen to the audio as you read along in the script. As you listen, circle the transition words in the script. Then answer the question. Review the answer options and underline the part of the script that the correct answer paraphrases, Track 3-11
Woman: Michael, are you going to Carl’s retirem ent party? It’s on Friday the tenth, two weeks from now.
Man: I wish I could. But I’m meeting new clients in Mexico the day after. I’ll be getting ready for that trip.
Woman: Oh, too bad. It would be great if you could come, even if you only stayed for an hour or two.
Man: I wanted to do that. Unfortunately, because it’s a weeklong trip, I’ll need tim e to pack.
I’ve been working on this account for a m onth, and I want everything to go perfectly.
How long will the man stay in Mexico?
(A) A few hours (C) Two weeks
SAMPLE SCRIPT ►
(script not available in test)
FOR THE TOEIC® TEST: LISTENING AND READING
Detail Questions About Time
Questions about time require you to recall when a certain event occurred in the past or when it will occur in the future. The answer options can include specific times of day, as well as longer time periods, such as hours, days, weeks, or months.
Possible time questions:
ằ W hen w ill the speakers m e e t? ằ W hen is the w o m a n ’s m ee tin g ?
ằ W hen d id the m an visit the office ? ằ W hat tim e is the m a n ’s a p p o in tm e n t?
ằ TIP 1 Eliminate answer options that do not relate to the question. Pre-read the questions to determine what event they are asking about. This is important because the conversation may include times for other events. When you know which event the questions are about, you can eliminate unrelated times.
TASK Read each question and circle the event that the question is asking about. Then listen to the audio as you read along in the script. Cross out the times in the script that do not relate to the subject of the question. Then answer the question. Track 3-12
1. What time will the meeting occur?
(A) 4:00 (B) 5:00 (C) 6:00 (D) 6:30
Man: So is the m eeting for 6:00 still on?
Woman: No. M ary has dinner plans at 6:30. A nd Tim has an appointm ent with his doctor at 5:00.
Man: OK. C an everyone make it if we have it earlier?
Woman: Yes. We moved it to 4:00.
2. When will the speakers meet?
(A) Today (B) Monday (C) Wednesday (D) Friday
Woman: Michael, I’m so sorry, but I’ll have to cancel our m eeting today.
Man: Oh, that’s no problem. Should we reschedule for tomorrow?
Woman: Actually, I think next W ednesday is best. We just had a major deadline moved up to this Friday.
Man: I understand. I’ll call you on M onday to set up a time.
ằ TIP 2 Learn to understand paraphrases for questions about time. Paraphrases of time can be very tricky because they make the words in the answer options quite different from the words in the conversation. Look at the examples in the chart on page 53.
LISTENING PART 3: CONVERSATIONS
Typical Paraphrases for Time Questions
What You Might Hear What the Question What the Correct Answer
Might Ask Option Might Show
I ’ll arrive at the airport at noon. When will the man arrive? 12:00 p.m.
I ’ll finish the report next When will the woman complete Next week
Monday. the report?
Let’s meet at a quarter to one. When will the speakers meet? 12:45 I called her at half past eight. What time did the man call? 8:30 TASK Read the time phrases. Match each phrase to the correct paraphrase.
1. noon a. 1:45
2. half past one b. last week
3. a quarter to two c. next week
4. the following Monday d. 1:30
5. the Friday before e. 12:00
Try a TOEIC Test Question
Pre-read the question to find out what event it is asking about. Then listen to the audio as you read along in the script. As you listen, cross out times given as distracters in the script.
Then answer the question. Track 3-13
Man: Grace, has that shipm ent of lab equipm ent arrived? It was supposed to arrive this afternoon.
Woman: No, I’m sorry. The m anufacturer called this m orning and said there was a delay.
Didn’t you get my e-mail about it?
Man: I m ust have missed it. So w hen will it arrive? I need those tests completed by Friday.
Woman: The clerk I spoke with said it was com ing tomorrow.
fhen will the shipment arrive?
(A) This morning (C) The next day
(B) This afternoon (D) By Friday
Detail Questions About Identifying People or Places
Questions about identifying people require you to figure out several things. You must sometimes find out which person or group will do a task, caused an event, or is talked about in a conversation.
The correct answer can be one of the speakers, or it can be another person or group the speakers talk about. This question type usually begins with Who.
Questions about places require you to identify what location a speaker is going to or came from.
These questions may also be about the location where an event occurred or will occur in the future. This question type usually begins with Where.
Possible questions about identifying people or places:
ằ W ho w ill ca ll the supplier? ằ W ho su g g e ste d the b u d g e t change?
SAMPLE SCRIPT ►
(script not available in test)
W
QUICK TIP
If you know what event or action is being asked about, it is easier to listen for it and identify related information.
ằ TIP 1 Identify the event or action in the question during pre-reading. After you have done this, listen for information about that event or action in the conversation. You will usually hear the person or group associated with the event or action just before or after it is mentioned. This will help you identify the people involved.
TASK Circle the action as you pre-read each question. Then choose the statement that gives the correct associated information. Remember! Look for words with the same or similar meaning.