Luyện nghe Tiếng Anh TOEIC Part 4 #02

Part 4: Short Talks (Pass the TOEIC Test)

Listening for Main Ideas

In Part 4, you need to show that you have a good overall understanding of the short talks you
hear. Questions that test your ability to understand main ideas in a short talk may ask about the
speaker, the topic, the audience, the location, and the purpose of the talk.
Example:
A: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you all for coming. I have called this board meeting
because I need to tell you some disappointing news. As you know, recent months here at ARC
Pharmaceuticals have not been easy. Orders are currently 50 percent less than they were at the
same time last year. What’s more, today I heard from Bensons, our biggest client, that they are
going out of business. We can expect tough times ahead. However, since I started this
company thirty years ago, we have overcome many challenges. I believe we have the best
product on the market and that we can survive.

01, Who is the audience for this talk?

(A) All staff at ARC Pharmaceuticals
(B) Employees at Bensons
(C) Senior managers in a company
(D) Sales and marketing personnel
02, What is the purpose of this talk?
(A) To report that the company is having difficulty
(B) To announce a merger with Bensons
(C) To give the latest sales figures
(D) To encourage staff to do their best
03, Who most likely is the speaker?
(A) The Production Manager
(B) The Chief Financial Officer
(C) ARC Pharmaceuticals’ Sales Manager
(D) The owner of the company

Questions about the Speakers

These questions focus on who you hear. You need to identify the speaker’s occupation or
position within a company or organization.
Listen to three short talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C), or (D), that best answers each
question.
1. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome aboard flight AE564 to Washington. We
will be flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet today. The weather conditions are good, and we
expect to land in Washington on time at ten thirty-five. Please sit back, relax, and enjoy the
flight.

01, Who is the speaker?

(A) A college professor
(B) A news presenter
(C) An airline pilot
(D) A weather reporter

2. Hello, my name is Gary Wilson, and I’d like to welcome you all to the Seaview Bay Resort.
When you check in at reception, don’t forget to pick up your Welcome Guest Pack. That tells
you all you need to know to help you get the most out of your stay here. Please make
yourselves at home and enjoy your time with us. I’m in charge here, so if you have any
questions during your stay, please just ask.

02, What is the speaker’s occupation?

(A) Office receptionist
(B) Company secretary
(C) Hotel manager
(D) Security guard

3. At Joe’s Grill, we serve the best steak in Chicago. Everyone who works with me here in the
kitchen needs to understand that. I know you’re new here and there’s a lot to learn, but you
have to do your best to be the best. I’ll be watching every move you make, and no dish leaves
here unless I see it first, OK?

03, What is the speaker’s position in the restaurant?

(A) Cleaner
(B) Manager
(C) Waiter
(D) Head chef

Questions about the Topic

These questions focus on what the talk is about. They ask you to identify the subject of the
talk, which can be a person, a thing, or an activity.
Listen to three talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C), or (D), that best answers each
question.
1. Hi, Rahul. It’s Vicky Henderson from Neon Engineering. I’d like to thank you for coming to
visit this morning. We all thought your presentation was very interesting. It also seems you
have the experience we need, and we were impressed by your knowledge of current
technologies, too. So, we’d like to ask you to come for the final stage of interviews next week.
Please call me to discuss a suitable time as soon as you can.

01, What is the main topic of this message?

(A) A presentation
(B) A job vacancy
(C) A new project
(D) A lecture

2. Washing your hands after you help a patient at meal times is very important. It prevents the
spread of disease. You also need to remember to clean the tables and food trays thoroughly as
well. Oh, and it’s essential that the area around the beds is kept clean, too.

02, What is the talk mainly about?

(A) Cleanliness
(B) Safety at work
(C) Meal times
(D) Food and drink

3. This weekend only, get 50 percent, yes, that’s 50 percent off everything at Household
Supplies! Top brand ranges, refrigerators, microwave ovens and more for less than two
hundred dollars! Come this weekend to Household Supplies for some great end-of-the-season
bargains.

03, What is being announced?

(A) A cheap vacation
(B) A job opportunity
(C) A weekend sale
(D) A store closure

Questions about the Audience

These questions focus on who is listening to the short talk. The audience may be a group of
people, such as customers, employees, students, politicians, etc.
Listen to three talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C), or (D), that best answers each
question.
1. OK, so it’s almost three o’clock. Our next stop today is Battery Park, where we will board
the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. This is the last destination in our tour today, and of course is
one of the most famous landmarks in the world. We’ll have two hours to look around before
catching the ferry back here at six o’clock. OK, so please make sure you have all your
valuables with you before you get off.

01, Who is the speaker talking to?

(A) Baseball players
(B) Tourists
(C) Freshmen students
(D) New employees

2. Attention customers: We have a special promotion in the fruit and vegetable section. For the
next half hour, you can buy all fruit and vegetables at half price. That’s everything at half
price, for half an hour. Go to our fruit and vegetable section now to get everything at half
price. Hurry. This promotion is only available for the next thirty minutes.

02, Who is the audience for this announcement?

(A) Workers on a farm
(B) Shoppers in a supermarket
(C) Fruit and vegetable sellers
(D) Customers in a restaurant

3. You have reached Charles Westhill and Associates. Our offices are currently closed. Our
office hours are Monday through Friday, from nine A.M. to five P.M. If you would like to
make an appointment, please call back during these times. If you have an urgent problem, call
our emergency dental advice line at 1-800-555-4321. That’s 1-800-555-4321.

03, Who is this message intended for?

(A) Office workers
(B) Police officers
(C) Dental patients
(D) Ambulance drivers

Questions about the Location

These questions focus on where the short talk is taking place. They ask you to identify the
location, such as a store, a bank, an airport, etc.
Listen to three talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C), or (D), that best answers each
question.
1. And now we come to the Impressionist rooms. Here you will find the finest paintings from
the early to late Impressionist period. We can see on the left here a marvelous example by
Monet, and over there in front of you is a Renoir. Altogether you will find over sixty paintings,
so please feel free to ask questions if you wish.

01, Where is the speaker?

(A) At a theater
(B) At a hotel
(C) At a library
(D) At a museum

2. Attention, please. We regret to announce the late arrival of the 3:45 service to Vancouver,
due to heavy snow. This service is now expected to arrive at 4:30 P.M. Passengers, please note
this train will arrive on Platform 2 and not Platform 6. Thank you.

02, Where is this announcement being made?

(A) At a bus station
(B) At an airport
(C) At a train station
(D) At a taxi stand

3. So, I would like all reports to be handed in by Friday at the latest. These will go towards
your final grade. The end-of-semester exam will be next month, on the 14th. Please study hard
for this. Any students unable to come on the 14th need to tell me now.

03, Where can this talk be heard?

(A) At a library
(B) At a university
(C) At a company
(D) At a sports center

Questions about the Purpose

These questions focus on why the short talk is taking place. They ask you to identify the
purpose. You sometimes need to remember several details in order to identify the purpose.
Listen to three talks. Choose one statement: (A), (B), (C), or (D), that best answers each
question
1. We all know that health is important, but how many of us exercise regularly? Just a twenty
minute walk a day can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease and other serious
illnesses. Why not walk or cycle on weekends? Or take up a hobby, like golf or tennis. More
exercise means a healthier and longer life.

01, What is the purpose of this public announcement?

(A) To encourage people to be more active
(B) To warn people about serious health dangers
(C) To promote participation in team sports
(D) To explain how to live longer

2. I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone for all your hard work
over the last year. Without your efforts, we would not have won the Best Conference Venue
award for the third time. This is a great achievement, and you should all be very proud of
yourselves.

02, What is the main purpose of this talk?

(A) To plan a conference
(B) To accept an award
(C) To thank employees
(D) To discuss a meeting

3. Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome. Your attention, please. We are here today to show our
appreciation to Dr. Williams for all his hard work over the past thirty seven years. Dr.
Williams has been with us since this research facility opened. His hard work, dedication and
enthusiasm are an example to us all. It is therefore with great regret that we have to say good-
bye to him. However, he takes with him our warmest wishes for a long and happy future
ahead.

03, What is the purpose of the event the speaker announces?

(A) To welcome a new employee
(B) To celebrate the retirement of a cowoker
(C) To declare a research facility open
(D) To encourage staff to work harder

Mini Test
Practice listening for all the main idea elements: the speaker, topic, audience, location, and
purpose. Listen to these short talks and choose the most appropriate answer: (A), (B), (C), or
(D), for each question.
Questions 1 through 3 refer to the following advertisement.
A: Mike’s Motors is proud to announce our best deal ever. We are giving all Radio Skyline
listeners a free engine check and a free winter tire check. And that’s not all. We’ll give you a
huge 25 percent off any work we do on your car for the next month. We are the biggest and
best vehicle repair shop in town. All the work we do comes with a 12-month warranty. So, if
you’re already one of our loyal customers, or if you’re new to Mike’s Motors, call now to book
your free engine and winter tire checks.

01, What is the purpose of this advertisement?

(A) To announce a store opening
(B) To attract more customers
(C) To advertise for new staff
(D) To promote car safety
02, What is being announced?
(A) Reduced prices on products
(B) Cheap vehicle insurance
(C) Extra discounts on cars
(D) Vehicle tests at no cost
03, Who is this advertisement directed towards?
(A) Existing customers only
(B) New customers only
(C) Listeners to a radio station
(D) Car owners with full insurance

Questions 4 through 6 refer to the following news report.

A: Welcome to WNRC Radio’s Daily Jobs Bulletin. I’m your host, Jennifer Duran. Our top
story tonight is the breaking news that Derek Brown, head of Australian Workers Unite, has
called for a national strike. Mr. Brown made the announcement at a press conference three
hours ago. Following the breakdown in contract negotiations between workers and
management, Mr. Brown confirmed that the union will instruct its members to stop working as
of Monday. Australian Workers Unite is the largest farm workers union in Australia, with over
70,000 members. The reason for the collapse of the talks is still unclear. However, sources say
it could be due to proposals to cut pay for under-performing employees

04, What is this report mainly about?

(A) A transportation trade show
(B) An industrial dispute
(C) A union leader’s resignation
(D) An auto manufacturer
05, Who is the speaker?
(A) A factory worker
(B) A local reporter
(C) A news presenter
(D) A company president
06, Where is this report being made?
(A) In a radio studio
(B) Outside a union headquarters
(C) At a press conference
(D) From Derek Brown’s home

Questions 7 through 9 refer to the following talk.

A: It’s wonderful to see so many people here for this evening’s lecture. Thank you all for
coming, and welcome to the Cape Cod Historical Society. This is the third in our series of
lectures to the general public. As you know, the series is called People and Places. Today we
focus on people, and specifically Richard Warren. Warren is well-known as one of the
passengers on The Mayflower. He arrived in this country in November of 1620. Yet little is
known about him after he landed here at Cape Cod. Tonight, local historian Peter Fletcher,
who has written a book about The Mayflower, will try to give us more details about Warren’s
incredible life. So, without further ado, please let’s welcome Peter Fletcher

07, What is the main purpose of this talk?

(A) To introduce a speaker
(B) To thank the audience
(C) To promote a book
(D) To present an award
08, What is the woman mostly talking about?
(A) The importance of local history
(B) A prominent local historian
(C) A famous person from the past
(D) The voyage of The Mayflower
09, Who is the audience for this talk?
(A) University students studying history
(B) Local people interested in history
(C) Members of the Historical Society
(D) Authors of books on history
Questions 10 through 12 refer to the following speech.
A: Now, everyone, I would like to welcome the latest member of our team, Martin Sanchez.
Martin comes to us from Brewster and Sons, where he was Sales and Marketing Manager for
fifteen years. He brings with him a great deal of experience, and of course ability. Starting next
week, Martin will share his knowledge and expertise with us, working closely with everyone in
the Sales and Marketing Department. So, as we are finishing up our main course, and before
our dessert arrives, let’s have a round of applause to welcome Martin to Palco Systems.

10, What is the main purpose of this speech?

(A) To share experience and knowledge
(B) To ask for help in the Sales Department
(C) To announce a merger
(D) To introduce a new staff member
11, Who is the speaker talking to?
(A) Lecturers in business
(B) New company trainees
(C) People at a sales conference
(D) Sales and marketing personnel
12, Where is the speech taking place?
(A) In a factory
(B) In a restaurant
(C) In an office building
(D) In a parking lot

TIPS TO GAIN A HIGH SCORE

1. Read the question – Define the content
Reading questions in advance and predicting answers is the most essential step when taking the
TOEIC test.
 Step 1: There is a section for each conversation beginning, and this is enough time for
you to read through the questions and the 4 answers one at a time. Through reading in
advance, you can predict the content of the listening section and partly prepare
psychologically for the official audio.
 Step 2: After the audio is played, you should listen carefully to choose the correct
answer and fill in the Answer Sheet. This section will be simpler when you read ahead
and anticipate the information of the answer.
 Step 3: After that, when the tape comes to the question and answer of the conversation,
it is time for you to read the question of the next conversation to make your own
predictions.
2. Determine the role of each character
The questions in Part 4 do not follow the writing order, so you need to be very focused when
listening to the speech. You should listen carefully to the content from the beginning to the end
and record the important keywords to choose the correct answer, avoiding confusion when
taking the test.
Part 4 of the TOEIC test, which often has numerical questions, is one of the most easily lost
parts of a candidate. You also need to pay close attention.
3. Inference from available data
Unlike Part 3, Part 4 has almost no traps. That is, you will not need to worry too much about
negative traps – as opposed to the previous one. If you hear a sentence that has the same
expression as the answer, it will probably be the correct answer. Because of that ―analogy, the
words in the answer will also be changed but remain the same meaning, ie using synonyms.
This again requires you to constantly replenish your vocabulary to avoid losing points on the
TOEIC Part 4 test.

1. Đọc câu hỏi - Xác định nội dung

Đọc trước câu hỏi và dự đoán câu trả lời là bước cần thiết nhất khi làm bài thi TOEIC.
 Bước 1: Có một đoạn giới thiệu cho mỗi cuộc trò chuyện bắt đầu và đây là thời gian đủ
để bạn đọc qua các câu hỏi và 4 câu trả lời cùng một lúc. Thông qua việc đọc trước, bạn
có thể đoán trước được nội dung của phần nghe và phần nào chuẩn bị tâm lý cho phần
audio chính thức.
 Bước 2: Sau khi audio được phát, các bạn chú ý lắng nghe để chọn câu trả lời đúng và
điền vào Phiếu trả lời. Phần này sẽ đơn giản hơn khi bạn đọc trước và dự đoán trước
thông tin của đáp án.
 Bước 3: Sau đó, khi audio đến câu hỏi và câu trả lời của đoạn hội thoại là lúc bạn đọc
câu hỏi của đoạn hội thoại tiếp theo để đưa ra dự đoán cho riêng mình.
2. Xác định vai trò của từng nhân vật
Các câu hỏi trong Part 4 không tuân theo trình tự viết nên bạn cần hết sức tập trung khi nghe
bài nói. Bạn nên nghe kỹ nội dung từ đầu đến cuối và ghi lại những từ khóa quan trọng để
chọn đáp án chính xác, tránh nhầm lẫn khi làm bài.
Phần 4 của bài thi TOEIC, thường có các câu hỏi về số, là một trong những phần thí sinh dễ
mất điểm nhất. Bạn cũng cần hết sức lưu ý.
3. Suy luận từ dữ liệu có sẵn
Khác với Phần 3, Phần 4 hầu như không có bẫy. Bạn sẽ không cần phải lo lắng quá nhiều về
những cái bẫy phủ định - trái ngược với cái bẫy trước đó. Nếu bạn nghe thấy một câu có cùng
cách diễn đạt với câu trả lời, có lẽ đó sẽ là câu trả lời chính xác. Vì sự ―tương tự đó, các từ
trong câu trả lời cũng sẽ được thay đổi nhưng vẫn giữ nguyên nghĩa, tức là sử dụng các từ
đồng nghĩa. Điều này một lần nữa đòi hỏi bạn phải liên tục bổ sung vốn từ vựng của mình để
tránh bị mất điểm trong bài thi TOEIC Part 4.
—THANK YOU—