Listening Part 2: A Conversation about Common Dorm Problems
Listening Part 2: Listen to a Conversation
As the name suggests, you will hear a conversation between two people. The topics vary widely and may include daily life, meals, social situations, education, hobbies, services, health issues, household chores, and travel.
Although the previous TOEFL also included conversation-based questions, the new TOEFL Part 2 focuses much more heavily on everyday life. Since the older version of the TOEFL was composed almost entirely of academic contexts, you may be surprised by the types of topics you hear in this section.
How to Tackle Part 2?
Before we move on to practice questions, let’s review some effective strategies for tackling Listening Section Part 2. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this section is the limited time you have to select your answer: you are given only 20 seconds for each question.
Within that short time frame, you must read all four options and choose the most appropriate one.
No Need to Take Notes
The conversation in Part 2 is very short. In fact, it usually lasts less than 30 seconds, often around 20 seconds. Because of its length, you generally don’t need to take notes. Instead, you should focus fully on understanding the audio.
Focus on the Problem Mentioned in the Conversation
In the new TOEFL Listening Section Part 2, some questions require you to identify the problem mentioned in the conversation. Therefore, if one of the speakers refers to a specific issue, make sure you clearly remember what it is.
Focus on What the Speaker Will Do Next
Many questions require you to infer what one of the speakers will do next. The key information often appears at the very end of the conversation. Therefore, do not lose focus until the audio finishes.
Limited Time Window for Selecting an Option
As mentioned above, you will have only 20 seconds to answer each question. This time includes reading the instructions and the answer choices, and then selecting the correct one.
Practice Questions
Answers and Transcriptions
Listening 1 (Question 1 and 2)
Transcription
Student: The laundry room in my residence hall wouldn’t unlock with my ID card this morning.
Staff Member: Was it the main laundry room on the first floor or the smaller one in the basement?
Student: The basement one. I went there because the machines upstairs were all in use.
Staff Member: That explains it. The basement room is temporarily restricted during the plumbing repair.
Student: Really? I saw the maintenance notice, but I thought it only referred to the bathrooms.
Staff Member: The notice mentioned the bathrooms first, but the water shutoff also affects the basement laundry area.
Student: That’s a problem. I need to wash my uniform before my shift tonight.
Staff Member: Normally I’d suggest waiting until the repair is finished this afternoon.
Student: I can’t really do that. I have class until four, and then I go straight to work.
Staff Member: In that case, I can give you temporary access to the laundry room in Oak Hall.
Student: Would that work even though I live in a different building?
Staff Member: Yes. I just need to activate a cross-building pass for today.
Student: Great. Then I’ll stop by Oak Hall as soon as I can.
Answer for Question 1
Question: What problem does the student have?
Answer: C
Key evidence from the conversation:
- Student: “The laundry room in my residence hall wouldn’t unlock with my ID card this morning.”
- Student: “The basement one.”
- Staff Member: “The basement room is temporarily restricted during the plumbing repair.”
These lines show that the student is specifically having trouble accessing the basement laundry room. The staff member explains that the room is temporarily restricted because of plumbing work. Therefore, the best answer is C. He cannot use the basement laundry room.
Answer for Question 2
Question: What does the staff member explain about the maintenance notice?
Answer: A
Key evidence from the conversation:
- Student: “I saw the maintenance notice, but I thought it only referred to the bathrooms.”
- Staff Member: “The notice mentioned the bathrooms first, but the water shutoff also affects the basement laundry area.”
The staff member clarifies that the notice was broader than the student realized. It did not apply only to the bathrooms; it also affected the basement laundry room. Therefore, the best answer is A. It also applies to the basement laundry area.
Listening 2 (Question 3 and 4)
Transcription
Student: My mailbox key code isn’t working, and I think an important document was delivered this afternoon.
Staff Member: Did you recently move to a different room in the building?
Student: Yes, last weekend. I assumed the mailbox information would update automatically.
Staff Member: Usually it does, but I’m seeing your old room number still attached to the mailbox record.
Student: So that’s why the keypad keeps rejecting the number I was given at check-in?
Staff Member: Right. The housing records team can correct it, but they won’t be back until tomorrow morning.
Student: That’s a problem. I need the document tonight because it’s the original form for my visa appointment tomorrow.
Staff Member: In that case, I can verify your ID and open the mailbox with the master key, but I still can’t permanently change the code tonight.
Student: That’s fine. I just need to get the envelope out.
Staff Member: Okay. Once I check your student ID, I’ll bring you over to the mailbox area.
Student: Great. I have my ID with me, so we can do that now.
Answer for Question 3
Question: What problem does the student have?
Answer: B
Key evidence from the conversation:
- Student: “My mailbox key code isn’t working…”
- Student: “So that’s why the keypad keeps rejecting the number I was given at check-in?”
The student’s direct problem is that she cannot access her mailbox. The conversation later explains why the code fails, but the problem itself is loss of access. Therefore, the best answer is B. She cannot open her mailbox.
Answer for Question 4
Question: What will the student probably do next?
Answer: A
Key evidence from the conversation:
- Staff Member: “I can verify your ID and open the mailbox with the master key…”
- Staff Member: “Once I check your student ID, I’ll bring you over to the mailbox area.”
- Student: “Great. I have my ID with me, so we can do that now.”
The staff member explains that the next step is ID verification, and the student immediately agrees. Therefore, the best answer is A. Show her student ID to the staff member.
