TOEFL Listening Part 3: Fire Safety Inspections in University Housing
Announcement Format Questions
In the new TOEFL Listening section, you will hear four different types of listening materials, each followed by questions. In Part 3, you will listen to a short announcement and then answer several questions based on it.
When listening to an announcement, you should focus on taking notes about the following key information:
- Numbers (such as time, dates, deadlines, or prices)
- Place (where the announcement applies)
- Event (what is happening or being announced)
- Expected action (what the audience should do next or by a certain date)
Questions in Listening Part 3 are typically designed to test your understanding of these concrete details. For this reason, paying close attention to numerical information and clearly stated facts will help you handle this part more effectively.
Practice Question
1. Why does the speaker mention eight minutes?
A. To indicate the length of the alarm test.
B. To show how often inspections are conducted daily.
C. To explain how much notice residents will receive.
D. To describe how long each room inspection takes.
2. What must residents do by October 1?
A. Clear items stored in shared hallways.
B. Move personal belongings out of their rooms.
C. Be present in their rooms during inspections.
D. Confirm inspection times with housing staff.
3. What can be inferred about residents who do not remove hallway items?
A. Their room inspections will be postponed.
B. Their items will be taken temporarily.
C. They must attend an additional safety briefing.
D. They will be fined for violating safety rules.
4. Which buildings will be affected by the secondary alarm test?
A. Buildings that were completed before 2015.
B. Buildings that contain shared hallway storage.
C. Buildings scheduled for inspections in October.
D. Buildings that post notices at main entrances.
Answer, Transcript, and Explanation
Question 1. D
Question 2. A
Question 3. B
Question 4. A
Transcription
Attention residents living in university housing. This announcement concerns routine fire safety inspections scheduled for the upcoming month. Beginning October 4, inspections will take place on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and are expected to last approximately eight minutes per room. Residents are not required to be present, but access must be unobstructed. Items stored in hallways, including bicycles and shoe racks, must be removed by October 1 to comply with safety regulations. Failure to do so may result in temporary removal of belongings. In addition, buildings constructed before 2015 will undergo a secondary alarm test on October 7 at 11:00 a.m., during which alarms may sound briefly. Advance notices will be posted at building entrances three days prior to each inspection date.
Question 1: What is suggested regarding personal belongings?
Correct Answer (D)
Key evidence from the announcement:
- “are expected to last approximately eight minutes per room”
The phrase explains the typical time required to inspect one room. It does not relate to alarms, inspection frequency, or advance notice.
Question 2: What must residents do by October 1?
Correct Answer (A)
Key evidence from the announcement:
- “Items stored in hallways, including bicycles and shoe racks, must be removed by October 1”
The deadline applies specifically to belongings kept in hallways. Therefore, the correct answer is A, which reflects that requirement.
Question 3: What can be inferred about residents who do not remove hallway items?
Correct Answer (B)
Key evidence from the announcement:
- “Failure to do so may result in temporary removal of belongings”
This sentence describes a consequence for not following the rule. “Temporary removal” means the items may be taken for a limited time.
Question 4: Which buildings will be affected by the secondary alarm test?
Correct Answer (A)
Key evidence from the announcement:
- “buildings constructed before 2015 will undergo a secondary alarm test”
- “on October 7 at 11:00 a.m.”
The announcement clearly limits the alarm test to a specific group of buildings.
It states that only buildings constructed before 2015 will undergo the secondary test.
Other choices mention inspection timing, hallway storage, or posted notices, but none of these define which buildings are selected for the alarm test.
