The Listening Comprehension section tests your ability to listen for basic interpersonal, instructional and academic purposes.
During the test, you will hear recordings of different talks and discussions. Then, following each audio, you will hear a question or a number of questions about what you just heard.
For each of the questions, read the 4 possible answers and choose the best answer by filling in the space — see sample answer below — that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen.
Print the TOEFL Junior ® Answer Sheet to respond to the numbered sample questions below. If you do not have access to a printer, you can use a sheet of blank paper to write down your answers. A link to the answer key is included at the end of the sample questions.
Note: These sample questions allow you to experience the types of tasks presented in the TOEFL Junior ® test. They are not intended to mimic the testing experience.
Listen to a high school principal (Sample Item A) and a teacher (Sample Item B) talking to students. Then answer questions 1 and 2.
On the recording, you will hear:
(Narrator): Listen to a high school principal talking to the school's students.
(Man): I have a very special announcement to make. This year, not just one, but three of our students will be receiving national awards for their academic achievements. Krista Conner, Martin Chan, and Shriya Patel have all been chosen for their hard work and consistently high marks. It is very unusual for one school to have so many students receive this award in a single year.
(Narrator): What is the subject of the announcement?
In your test book, you will read:
1. What is the subject of the announcement?
On the recording, you will hear:
(Narrator): Listen to a teacher making an announcement at the end of the day.
(Man): Remember that a team of painters is coming in tomorrow to paint the walls. In this box on my desk are sheets of plastic that I want you to slip over your desks. Make sure you cover your desks completely so that no paint gets on them. Everything will be finished and the plastic will be removed by the time we return on Monday.
(Narrator): What does the teacher want the students to do?
In your test book, you will read:
2. What does the teacher want the students to do?
Now listen to a longer conversation between two friends (Sample Set A) and a teacher talk (Sample Set B). Then answer questions 3–10.
On the recording, you will hear:
(Narrator): Listen to a conversation between two friends at school.
(Girl): Hi, Jeff. Hey, have you been to the art room today?
(Girl): Well, Mr. Jennings hung up a notice about a big project that's going on downtown. You know how the city's been doing a lot of work to fix up Main Street — you know, to make it look nicer? Well, they're going to create a mural.
(Boy): You mean, like, make a painting on the entire wall of a building?
(Girl): It's that big wall on the side of the public library. And students from this school are going to do the whole thing . create a design, and paint it, and everything. I wish I could be a part of it, but I'm too busy.
(Boy): [excitedly] Cool! I'd love to help design a mural. Imagine everyone in town walking past that wall and seeing my artwork, every day.
(Girl): I thought you'd be interested. They want the mural to be about nature, so I guess all the design ideas students come up with should have a nature theme.
(Boy): That makes sense — they've been planting so many trees and plants along the streets and in the park.
(Girl): If you're interested you should talk with Mr. Jennings.
(Boy): [half listening, daydreaming] This could be so much fun. Maybe I'll try to visit the zoo this weekend . you know, to see the wild animals and get some ideas, something to inspire me!
(Girl): [with humor] Well maybe you should go to the art room first to get more information from Mr. Jennings.
(Boy): [slightly sheepishly] Oh yeah. Good idea. Thanks for letting me know, Lisa! I'll go there right away.
(Narrator): Now answer the questions.
In your test book, you will read:
3. What are the speakers mainly discussing?
4. Why is the boy excited?
5. Where does the boy say he may go this weekend?
6. Why does the girl suggest that the boy go to the art room?
On the recording, you will hear:
(Narrator): Listen to a teacher talking in a biology class.
(Woman): We've talked before about how ants live and work together in huge communities. Well, one particular kind of ant community also grows its own food. So you could say these ants are like people — like farmers. And what do these ants grow? They grow fungi [FUN-guy]. Fungi are kind of like plants — mushrooms are a kind of fungi. These ants have gardens, you could say, in their underground nests. This is where the fungi are grown.
Now, this particular kind of ant is called a leafcutter ant. Because of their name, people often think that leafcutter ants eat leaves. If they cut up leaves they must eat them, right? Well, they don't! They actually use the leaves as a kind of fertilizer. Leafcutter ants go out of their nests looking for leaves from plants or trees. They cut the leaves off and carry them underground . . . and then feed the leaves to the fungi — the fungi are able to absorb nutrients from the leaves. What the ants eat are the fungi that they grow. In that way, they are like farmers!
The amazing thing about these ants is that the leaves they get are often larger and heavier than the ants themselves. If a leaf is too large, leafcutter ants will often cut it up into smaller pieces—but not all the time. Some ants carry whole leaves back into the nest. In fact, some experiments have been done to measure the heaviest leaf a leafcutter ant can lift without cutting it. It turns out, it depends on the individual ant. Some are stronger than others. The experiments showed that some "super ants" can lift leaves about 100 times the weight of their body!
(Narrator): Now answer the questions.
In your test book, you will read:
7. What is the main topic of the talk?
8. According to the teacher, what is one activity that both leafcutter ants and people do?
9. What does the teacher say many people think must be true about leafcutter ants?
10. What did the experiments show about leafcutter ants?
