Study Guide

Field 256: World Language: Japanese 
Interpretive Listening

Recommendation for individuals using a screenreader: please set your punctuation settings to "most."

Expand All | Collapse All

Directions for Interpretive Listening Section

This section of the test contains multiple-choice questions that involve listening to recorded excerpts. Each excerpt will be followed by one or more multiple-choice questions. Each multiple-choice question has four answer choices. After listening to an excerpt, read each question and answer choice carefully and choose the ONE best answer. Each listening excerpt will be played twice.

The first recorded excerpt will begin playing automatically once you advance to the next screen. There will be a period of silence at the beginning of each recording. During this silence, you should familiarize yourself with the test question(s) presented on the screen.

Once the audio begins, you will not be able to pause, stop, or replay it. Therefore, listen carefully, then answer the question(s). Even if you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than not to answer a question at all. You will NOT be penalized for guessing.

You will not be able to go back and review your answers to questions in this section of the test. Once you move to the next question, you will not be able to go back to previous questions in this section. Therefore, be sure to select your answer carefully before you move to the next question. The next recorded excerpt will not begin playing until you advance to the next question.

Please be aware that the visual enhancements Example of the Color Scheme visual enhancement control and Example of the Font Size visual enhancement control are NOT available during this section of the test. Please DO NOT use these features until you have completed all listening items and proceeded to the remaining sections of the test.

Click the Next button when you have finished reading these directions and are ready to begin the listening section of the test. Be sure you have your headset on before proceeding.

Select the Next button to continue.

Sample Interpretive Listening Questions

[The examinee will hear an audio recording, which includes a 20-second pause at the beginning.]

Listen carefully to the classroom announcement about a student activity; then answer the question. You will hear the announcement twice.

[The passage shown below is representative of a transcript used to make an audio recording on the actual test. It is shown here for study purposes only. The examinee will not see transcripts that accompany audio recordings on the actual test.]

(one male or female speaker)

Now you will hear the announcement again.

[The examinee will hear the announcement again.]

Now answer the question.

[The examinee will see on screen ONLY:]

Click "Next" when the recording ends to answer the questions.

Objective 0001 
Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

1. この説明は、何を目的としますか。

  1. 相手の理解(りかい)の仕方について考える。
  2. 分かりやすい言葉(ことば)の表現について考える。
  3. 話の構成(こうせい)について考える。
  4. 話題の選び方について考える。
Answer
Correct Response: C. In the announcement, the speaker is giving step-by-step instructions to his/her class about how to complete an activity. The final step in the instructions states the purpose of the activity ), which is to reflect on the structure of the presentation.

Listen carefully to the dialogue about a visit to the Okinawa region; then answer the questions. You will hear the dialogue twice.

[The passage shown below is representative of a transcript used to make an audio recording on the actual test. It is shown here for study purposes only. The examinee will not see transcripts that accompany audio recordings on the actual test.]

(one male and one female speaker)

Female:

Male:

Female:

Male:

Female:

Male:

Female:

Male:

Female:

Now you will hear the dialogue again.

[The examinee will hear the dialogue again.]

Now answer the questions.

[The examinee will see on screen ONLY:]

Click "Next" when the recording ends to answer the questions.

[Each of the following 5 items will be presented on an individual screen on the actual test.]

Objective 0002 
Infer meaning and analyze information from a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

2. 女性(じょせい) が会話をしている相手は誰(だれ)だと思いますか。

  1. 旅行先のツアーガイド
  2. 観光案内所(かんこうあんないじょ)の担当者(たんとうしゃ)
  3. 旅行会社のスタッフ
  4. ホテルコンシェルジュ
Answer
Correct Response: C. In the dialogue, the female speaker is inquiring about possible group trips, specifying desired destination, duration of trip, number of people in group, etc. The male speaker is responding to her inquiries with corresponding suggestions. According to these details, as well as the fact that the speakers are communicating in a polite, formal register (and ), it is likely that the male speaker is a travel agent and the female speaker is a client.

Objective 0002 
Infer meaning and analyze information from a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

3. 会話中の「おきなわならでは」の説明として最もふさわしいものはどれですか。

  1. おきなわにもある
  2. おきなわにしかない
  3. おきなわではめずらしい
  4. おきなわで人気の
Answer
Correct Response: B. Interpreting idiomatic expressions from the given contexts helps to support the understanding of new and unfamiliar words, which leads to more meaningful communications. At the beginning of the dialogue, the female speaker (client) uses the idiomatic expression to explain that she and her friends are interested in activities and experiences that are unique to Okinawa. The meaning of this expression can be determined from key words in the travel agent's suggested activities for tour participants, such as (Okinawa's nature) and (Okinawa's traditional tea ceremony).

Objective 0002 
Infer meaning and analyze information from a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

4. 女性(じょせい) が満足(まんぞく)できなかった点がありました。それが分かるのはどこですか。

  1. 「おきなわに行きたいんですが」
  2. 「内容(ないよう)は、どういうものですか」
  3. 「でも、もう少し安いのはありませんか」
  4. 「それ、いいですね」
Answer
Correct Response: C. The dialogue focuses on exchanges of information on tours. In the process, two different tours are suggested by the travel agent. Since the client's inquiry (but do you have cheaper ones?) has led the travel agent to introduce the second tour, it can be concluded that the client was not satisfied with the first tour option suggested by the travel agent.

Objective 0001 
Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

5. 会話の後半で男性(だんせいがじょせい女性に安いツアーを提案(ていあん)できた理由は何ですか。

  1. 滞在(たいざい)日数を短くしてツアーを探(さが)したから。
  2. 出発日を変更(へんこう)してツアーを探(さが)したから。
  3. 行き先を近場にしてツアーを探さがしたから。
  4. 出発地を変更(へんこう)してツアーを探(さが)したから。
Answer
Correct Response: B. The reason why the travel agent was able to suggest the less expensive tour is clearly understood from the clause (If you could change the departure date to January 3). The tour that departs on a different date had a lower price, which is what the client wanted.

Objective 0001 
Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of culturally authentic spoken communications (e.g., announcements, dialogues, documentaries, poetry).

6. 女性(じょせい) が最後に言った「そうしてください」を聞いて、男性(だんせい)は何をしますか。

  1. 友達と相談(そうだん)する。
  2. 明日午後五時まで待つ。
  3. 旅行の予約(よやく)を入れる。
  4. ツアーの内容(ないよう)を変更(へんこう)する。
Answer
Correct Response: C. To the travel agent's suggestion (Shall I secure the seats at this point?), the client responds (Please do so). The adverb (so) indicates a confirmation by the client that the travel agent should do precisely what he just asked her, which in this case is to make the reservation for the second tour option.