Listen to a Conversation Between a University Student and an Employee in the Student Services Center

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Listen to a conversation between a university student and an employee

in the student services center.

E: Yes, how can I help you?

S: I'd like to buy a campus parking pass for next year.

E: Certainly. Did you want a limited or unlimited? And just for fall quarter, or for the entireschool year?

S: I was thinking of one for the whole year, but I'm not sure. Does the year include summerquarter? 'Cause I won't be here then.

E:No, summer term is extra. The year includes fall, winter and spring quarters. A yearly pass isvalid only from the start of fall term to the end of spring term. This year, that's, uh, let'ssee...[rustling paper] Sept. 22nd to June 7th.

S: Oh, OK. And you said there were two different kinds? Uh, limited and unlimited?

E: Yes. A limited pass lets you park in any campus lot only on days school is in session. Duringholidays and on weekends, you would have to pay the normal parking rate. With an unlimitedpass, you can park in any lot on any day during the school year, including weekends andholidays. Like I said, between Sept. 22nd and June 7th.

S: Hmm...how much do they cost?

E: A limited pass is $100, and an unlimited is $150.

S: All right, I'll buy an unlimited, I guess. What do I have to do?

E: First, I'm going to give you a registration form. This gives us information about your car. Fillit out, and bring it back to me when you're ready. You can pay by cash, check, or credit card.Then, I'll give you a sticker to put on the corner of your windshield. Make sure that sticker is inplace when you park. Otherwise, you will get a ticket.

S:No problem. So, um, does this pass guarantee that I'll get a parking space? I mean, are there,like, special places set aside in each lot for people with parking passes?

E: That's a good question. Uh, unfortunately, the answer is no. Parking is on a first-come, first-serve basis. If a lot is full, you'll have to park somewhere else, or wait until another car leaves.

S: I see. How much does, um, regular parking cost? Without a pass?

E: It's two dollars an hour, or $10 a day. You're getting an excellent deal.

S: Thank you. Oh, just one more question. Do you need all the money up front, or can I make

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payments?

E: I'm afraid I need it all at once. Sorry.

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Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

S:No problem. So, um, does this pass guarantee that I'll get a parking space? I mean, are there,like, special places set aside in each lot for people with parking passes?

E: That's a good question. Uh, unfortunately, the answer is no. Parking is on a first-come, first-serve basis. If a lot is full, you'll have to park somewhere else, or wait until another car leaves.

S: I see. How much does, um, regular parking cost? Without a pass?

E: It's two dollars an hour, or $10 a day. You're getting an excellent deal.

Listen to a conversation between a bookstore sales clerk and a student.

Clerk: Can I help you? Are you looking for something in particular?

Student: Yes, well... first I'm looking for the foreign language section.

C: Oh, it's right down here. Here we are. "Foreign Languages". What course are you taking?

S: Spanish Four Thirty-one.

C: You need the Intermediate Spanish textbook?

S:No, I still have that from Four Thirty. What I'm looking for is the novel we're supposed toread: Garcia Marquez's 'Cien aos de soledad'-- 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'.

C: 'Garcia Marquez', 'Garcia Marquez'. Hmm. No... Oh, here it is, under 'Marquez'. Here you are.

S: Eighteen dollars? The price is right, but, erm, it's just the text. There don't seem to be anyfootnotes or any glossary.

C: Ah.

S: This is the only edition you have?

C: Yes, it is. Sorry.

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S: Hmm. How many copies do you have left? Just those on the shelf?

C: Yes, uh, four-- no, five copies.

S: Jeez, those'll be gone by Friday for sure. Our class is really full. What's your return policy?

Would it be OK if I bought this now, and then returned it if I can find an annotated edition on theinternet?

C: Yes, certainly. But you'll need to keep your receipt, of course, and be sure that the book is notmarked up or damaged in any way.

S: Sure, that's fair enough.

C: Did you want me to check whether we can find you another edition?

S: I don't think I have time. It usually takes so long to get a book through a bookstore.

C: (laughs) Unfortunately, that's often true.

S: Thanks anyway. I'll take this then, and say-- you have, uh, sweatshirts, don't you?

C: Sweatshirts? Yes, in the 'School Spirit' section. Over this way. And down here. Um. Here youare.

S: Ah. Yes. Hmm....that's not much of a school crest.

C: Oh. (laughs) There's a bigger one on the back, see?

S: Oh, yeah, of course. I see. Uh, this is a medium. I need a large, and uh...I think...in green.

C: Medium, medium...here, is this a large? Yes, large. Here you go.

S: Yeah, that's good. Say, do you know what our motto means, anyway? "Ex Pertinacia Veritas"."Out of something....something-or-other."

C: "From Determination comes Truth". It's been SU's motto since it was founded in 1894. Andthis crest is "an American bison couchant upon a tome vert".

S: What in heck does that mean?

C: A buffalo lying on a green book. I think the idea was that this new pioneer state was gettingits first institution of higher education-- the buffalo represents the prairies-- the green of thebook-- and the book represents learning.

S: Huh. That's really interesting. I'll wear it with pride-- and hope for some of that determination!How much is this?

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C: $39.95 plus tax.

S: Fine. Uh, what else do I need now? Mmm.... I guess that's it, then: the sweatshirt and thebook.

C: And there's no tax on the book.

S: Where's your register?

C: Just take them up to the cashier at the front, please. Over there.

S: Oh, OK. Thanks a lot for your help.

C: Thank you. Have a nice day.

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Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

Student: This is the only edition you have?

Clerk: Yes, it is. Sorry.

S: Hmm. How many copies do you have left? Just those on the shelf?

C: Yes, uh, four-- no, five copies.

S: Jeez, those'll be gone by Friday for sure. Our class is really full. What's your return policy?Would it be OK if I bought this now, and then returned it if I can find an annotated edition on theinternet?

C: Yes, certainly. But you'll need to keep your receipt, of course, and be sure that the book is notmarked up or damaged in any way.

S: Sure, that's fair enough.

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H: A talk? A private one, you mean?

R: Yeah. It's either that, or just give her the cold shoulder.

H: I'm afraid I've already been giving her a bit of that. I thought maybe she'd take the hint and sit

back, listen and take notes for a change.

R: She doesn't-- Doesn't she take any notes? She does in my class-- voluminous ones!

H: Are you sure, Roger?

R: Sure, I'm sure-- she's always scribbling away.

H: But have you seen Sara's notes?

R: Well, no, but--

H: I have. I took a peek over her shoulder a couple of times. She's a doodler.

R: A what?! She doodles?

H: All over her notebook. I don't think she's keeping any kind of notes or paying any attention atall to what I'm saying or what anyone else says in class. She's just daydreaming-- or dreaming upsomething irrelevant to inquire into. This morning we'd been talking about Jung's theory ofarchetypes, and she suddenly blurted out 'What's an archtype?' Well, we'd been discussingarchtypes for half an hour by then, and it was like she'd just realized that she'd heard a strangeword, when the conversation was almost over.

R: Heh! That's Sara, all right. OK then, who's going to talk to her, you or me?

H: Umm..

R: OK, OK, I'll see if I can get her to come in and talk to me later this week. I'll be seeing her inclass tomorrow afternoon, I guess. Maybe I can get her to settle down a little. ...She doodles?!

H: Yes! (laughs) Pretty good, really. Complex, architectural, rococo things. Maybe she shouldgo to art school instead of majoring in sociology.

R: That's Sara's major, is it?

H: I think so-- I think she mentioned that once. Anyway, yes: if you could have a little talk withher, that would be great. And let me know what happens, what you find out, will you?

R: Of course. I'll let you know how it goes.

H: Thanks, Roger, very much. I owe you one. Now, I've got to run before all this secondhand

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Coach: Huh? What? I thought you were an 'A' student. How bad could your grades be?

Cindy: Pretty bad, coach. The courses are getting harder. My grades are pretty awful in CostAccounting, and I'm failing outright in Economics. I'm just not getting the work done that I needto do. I just don't have enough time.

Coach: How'd you do on your midterms?

Cindy:Not so good either. 62 percent on the Economics test, 73 percent in Cost Accounting.And 79 percent in Marketing- and that's supposed to be an easy course! I'm not going tograduate, with those kinds of scores. I've got to get a lot more studying in before the finals, that'sall there is to it.

Coach: Oh. Um. So?

Cindy: So... I'm not sure how much time I can give to football anymore. I was wondering,

wondering, uh.... how would it be if maybe I moved back to the B Squad- kind of 'in reserve', soto speak?

Coach: 'In reserve'?! Cindy, you're the best forward we've got!

Cindy: I dunno, Coach- Marly's good too. She just needs a chance to show her stuff.

Coach: Yeah, but- she's not you, Cindy, and I- the team- we're counting on you. We've got totake on SFU first off next month, and Marly's hardly played with the A Squad at all so far. I justdon't know whether there's time to break her in now.

Cindy: Oh, I can work with her during practice, Coach. She can do it, I know she can, and--

Coach: Wait a minute, wait a minute- don't we have any other option?

Cindy: What option is that?

Coach: Well... how about a tutor? Yeah, how about us finding you a tutor for those courses?Somebody that, you know, could kind of give you what you need to pass your finals.

Cindy: Aw, Coach, I've gotta learn all this stuff myself. There's life after football, you know!There's a lot of competition for jobs out there when I graduate- IF I graduate!

Coach: (laughs) I know, Cindy. You're absolutely right- I just don't want to lose you right beforethe tournament. You've worked so hard to get this far- and so have all your teammates.

Cindy: Yeah. That's why I feel so bad about this. But I need this time to study, I really do.

Coach: I know I'm just clutching at straws now, but how about this, then?- I let you work Marlyinto your position in A Squad this week, and then you take the next two weeks completely off

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from practice, study hard, and- when's your first exam?

Cindy: Uh... Economics is first. March 30th.

Coach: OK, you take all the time off you need until then, and if you pass that exam, come back

for the first round of the tournament at least, OK? That's the big one. If we can get past SFU,then confidence will carry us along from there. And we'll also have time then to reassess yoursituation. Deal?

Cindy: Can't make a deal yet, Coach, I just can't. Let me sleep on it, will you? Let me look at myschedule and try to figure this all out, and then I'll get back to you. I promise.

Coach: And think about that tutor, too. We'll get you one of those too, if you think it will help. Idon't want to jeopardize your career any more than you do, and grades come first in my books,too.

Cindy: Thanks, really- I feel like you're taking real good care of me.

Coach: Yeah, well, just take your time- you gotta do what you gotta do. But think it over. You'regoing to leave a big hole in the offense if you take off.

Cindy: Thanks. Anyway, I'll be in tomorrow afternoon for more of your torture. Right now Igotta take a shower and get out of here.

Coach: Good. No partying tonight, you hear?

Cindy: Got you, Coach. G'night.

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Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

Coach: Wait a minute, wait a minute- don't we have any other option?

Cindy: What option is that?

Coach: Well... how about a tutor? Yeah, how about us finding you a tutor for those courses?Somebody that, you know, could kind of give you what you need to pass your finals.

Cindy: Aw, Coach, I've gotta learn all this stuff myself. There's life after football, you know!There's a lot of competition for jobs out there when I graduate- IF I graduate!

Coach: (laughs) I know, Cindy. You're absolutely right- I just don't want to lose you right beforethe tournament. You've worked so hard to get this far- and so have all your teammates.

Cindy: Yeah. That's why I feel so bad about this. But I need this time to study, I really do.

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Listen to a conversation between two students at the library.

Joan: Excuse me....

Larry: Yes?

J: Sorry, but could I bother your for just a minute? I think I left a book in this carrel last night.Could you just take a look in the shelf for me?

L: Sure. What's the title?

J: Uh..."Fundamentals of Bioengineering" or something like that- I forget the exact title. (laughs)That's why I need it! It's a sort of green paperback.

L: Huh. Looks like a couple of other folks've left their books in here, too. Why don't they putthem back where they got them when they're through, anyway?

J: Probably just forgot, like me. It's easy to forget a book in there after you've been sitting heregoing through books for three or four hours at night.

L: Yeah, I guess. I've done that, too. (laughs) How about, um, "Engineering Basics"? Is this it?It's not green, though. It's kind of, uh, turquoise?

J: Huh! That's kind of eerie, isn't it? That's really pretty close. No, not mine. Nothing else there?

L:Nope. Just a couple of works on Anglo-Saxon grammar. Want those?

J: (laughs) I don't think so! I probably need one on English grammar, though. My paper on GMis not organized very well.

L: GM? General Motors?

J: (laughs) No. Gene modification. It's due next Tuesday and I'm barely half-finished. And Ineed that book to check the pagination- I'm including some quotes out of it.

L: Well, sorry I can't help- it's just not here. Did you check the stacks?

J: Yeah, 'cause I thought at first I'd put it back. But it's not where it's supposed to be, at least.

L: Maybe somebody else's got it then. Somebody from your class maybe?

J: Yeah, maybe. We've all got papers due.

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L: Did you check at the desk? They can tell you if it's been checked out.

J:No- it can't be checked out. Our prof put it on reserve until the end of the term. Too manypeople might need to use it.

L: And there's only one copy? That's pretty rough.

J: Yup, I think so. Or... no- actually, I have no idea. I just presumed there was. I'll go check thecatalogue!

L: Yeah- there might be another one in the Science Reading Room or the Medical Library. Youknow the author?

J: Uh.... Jamison, or um, Jamiston. Why?

L: Because I can search it for you right now- Google Scholar.

J: Huh?

L: Yeah, haven't your heard? University Libraries has linked up with Google's search of libraryholdings all over the world

J: Wow!

L: Just a sec. Jamison?....And the title's something about bioengineering, so keyword'bioengineering'... and- voila! "Jamison, H.J., Fundamental Concepts of Bioengineering"- is thatit?

J: Oh, yes! Great!

L: And...lessee... Tennyson University....yes, here we are: Main Library- and Medical ResearchLibrary! They've got a copy there, too, it says.

J: That is really great! Thanks so much for your help. I'm sorry I took up so much of your time. Ireally appreciate this.

L: My pleasure. It's my major.

J: Huh?

L: Library Science. You just gave me a little practicum

J: (laughs) Well, glad to help, then. I've got to go! The Medical Library closes for the weekendSaturday afternoon.

L: Better run, then!

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J: Thanks again! 'Bye.

L: Good luck!

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Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

Joan: ...Could you just take a look in the shelf for me?

Larry: Sure. What's the title?

J: Uh..."Fundamentals of Bioengineering" or something like that- I forget the exact title. (laughs)That's why I need it! It's a sort of green paperback.

L: Huh. Looks like a couple of other folks've left their books in here, too. Why don't they putthem back where they got them when they're through, anyway?

J: Probably just forgot, like me. It's easy to forget a book in there after you've been sitting heregoing through books for three or four hours at night.

L: Yeah, I guess. I've done that, too. (laughs) How about, um, "Engineering Basics"? Is this it?It's not green, though. It's kind of, uh, turquoise?

J: Huh! That's kind of eerie, isn't it? That's really pretty close. No, not mine. Nothing else there?

L:Nope. Just a couple of works on Anglo-Saxon grammar....

Listen to two roommates talking about fraternities.

Eddie: Oh hi, Marlon. I didn't hear you come in.

Marlon: Shower's too loud. Boy, you sure take long ones. Doesn't your mother complain?

E: Every time. She says I double the water bill.

M: I can believe it.

E: But a shower doesn't use nearly as much water as taking a bath does. 'Course, you wouldn'tknow- you don't use either one.

M: Haw! You'd know if I didn't. You wouldn't be able to breathe in here right now. What's theoccasion?

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E: It's Rush Week, my man. I've got a fraternity to check out tonight. Omega Theta.

M: Omega Theta? Really? They rushed you? That's a feather in your cap- Everybodys saysthey're really cool.

E: Yeah, they are. But they've also got a good reputation for academics, too. They've got thehighest GPA on Fraternity Row..

M: Hmm- that means you're gonna have to keep up your average, too.

E: Yeah, but I figure that'll be easier to do with a little help from some Omega Theta friends.

M: You've got friends there?

E: I will if I join. They've got a pretty strict study regimen: everyone gets assigned a tutor- an

upper-class brother- kind of an academic buddy system. They say it works good.

M: Sounds good if you need that.

E: And I do. I'm not a self-starter at all. Left to myself, I tend to fiddle around and get nothingdone.

M: Me too, I guess- if I go to the library or the coffee shop to study, I do better, but if I sitaround here, I just dawdle. I listen to music or pick at the guitar or, uh, anything to avoid gettingdown to my assignments.

E: That's why I think Omega Theta is a good idea.

M: But what about the really important stuff?

E: Huh? What's that?

M: Their parties! They don't have much of a rep as a party house.

E:No, they don't.

M: Well? Isn't that the main reason for joining a fraternity- to party and meet girls?

E: (laughs) For some guys, I guess so, yes. I like to party too, but not every weekend like theDelta Taus do. Now, that's a real animal house- talk about reputation!

M: Yeah, probably a little much for me, too, when I think about it. We gotta stay a bit serious,after all- we've gotta find jobs when we leave here!

E: Anyway, Omega Theta does throw a good party or two along the way, just before Christmas

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and Easter break- and at Halloween, of course.

M: Oh boy! I hope you'll invite me to that one! I love Halloween parties!

E: Sure, if I can- but I haven't even been invited to join yet.

M: Oh yeah, I forgot. Well, I want to hear how it goes tonight.

E: You bet. Reception's at six-thirty, dinner's at seven. There'll be some talking and a tour of thehouse and some one-on-one. No alcohol, I think. So I should be back here by nine-thirty or ten atthe latest. Then I'll spill all.

M: Hey! I just thought of something! If you join Omega Theta and move into their house, whatam I gonna do for a roommate?

E:No, no, you're stuck with me for a while yet in any case. They don't have freshman residents,

just upper classmen., and not a lot of those. It's not a big house.

M: How many are staying there anyway?

E: I dunno- about a dozen or so, I think. I think they've got five or six bedrooms. Everybody elseis in the dorms or off campus. But they've got a big hall that'll hold thirty or forty brothers formeetings and cram sessions and things.

M: Huh! Well, I don't want to hold you up. It's almost six o'clock now.

E: What? Yipes! I gotta go get dressed and get outta here!

M: I'll leave you to it. I'm going over to the Campus Club and see if there's a good movie on.

E: Don't you have anything better to do?

M:Naw. No one's rushing me tonight. Maybe it's the garlic I ate at lunch.

E: (laughs) Couldn't be your personality, could it?

M: Thanks. You're my pal, too. Lock the door when you leave, will you?

E: Yep. See you about ten?

M: If the movie's over. If there is one. Otherwise, I'll just be hanging out back here.

E: OK. See you later.

M: See you. Have fun!

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Go to questions page >>>

Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

Marlon: ...Well, I want to hear how it goes tonight.

Eddie: You bet. Reception's at six-thirty, dinner's at seven. There'll be some talking and a tour ofthe house and some one-on-one. No alcohol, I think. So I should be back here by nine-thirty orten at the latest. Then I'll spill all.

M: Hey! I just thought of something! If you join Omega Theta and move into their house, whatam I gonna do for a roommate?

E:No, no, you're stuck with me for a while yet in any case. They don't have freshman residents,just upper classmen., and not a lot of those. It's not a big house.

M: How many are staying there anyway?

E: I dunno- about a dozen or so, I think. I think they've got five or six bedrooms. Everybody elseis in the dorms or off campus....

Listen to two seminar classmates discussing their classwork.

Colleen: Ah, there you are. Hi, Jared.

Jared: Hi, Colleen. You still got time?

C: Yes, I've got almost an hour. My next class isn't until three-thirty. That should be enoughtime, shouldn't it? We haven't got that much to decide now.

J: Depends how it goes. We've got our topic, but we haven't divided up the workload yet. Andwe haven't even discussed how to approach it, really.

C: I thought one of us was going to take the coelenterates and the other was going to do thesponges. Seems pretty simple.

J: Yeah, well, that's fine for the basic research, but don't forget that we've got to make thepresentation together. We can't just be 'stings' and 'squirts', like Laurel and Hardy. We're going tohave to field questions from the rest of the seminar- and from Doctor Mankiewicz, too!

C: Yeah, and they can be brutal! So?

J: So- we both have to have a pretty good grasp of the whole thing, the overall picture. Don't

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forget that the key word is 'comparative'- 'A Comparison of the Adaptive Evolution of theCoelenterata and Porifera'. It's not just how jellyfish've evolved and how sponges've evolved, buta, an analysis of their comparative success.

C: So I guess we need to get together and really look at that together, don't we?

J: Yes, we sure do. And it's going to take some thinking, because I don't think we're going tofind all that much material on this idea.

C: There're whole books on invertebrate evolution....

J: Yeah, but each phylum is kind of looked at independently, you know- at least they are in thetexts I've been looking through.

C: Which are?

J: Hyman's 'Invertebrates'. McEdward's 'Ecology of Marine Invertebrates'. McEdward's reallygood- he's got a lot of fascinating examples- but he doesn't really look at one phylum versusanother in term of relative, uh, relative success. He just marvels at their individual, uh, creativity.

C: Well, that's good stuff....

J: But we're gonna have to take it a step further than that.

C: Well, look- we're still beginning with each of us researching a phylum, aren't we?

J: Yes, yes, that's still a good starting point for sure, but-

C: I know, so let's get going on that then, learn something about these critters, and then try to putit together after we've got an idea what we're talking about. We've got six weeks to do this thing,so why don't we, well, bulldoze our way through this first part in, say, two weeks? And then planto get together a lot after that to intercalate what we've found out. And get some original ideas.

J: Yeah, OK. We can, like, mini-present to each other and see what angles we can come up with.Put four weeks into that, and we might have something.

C: So, what do you like?

J: Huh? What do I what?

C: Which ones you want- sponges or jellyfish?

J: Oh. Yeah. Huh! Y'know, they're actually both very intriguing. Amazing beasts. Frankly,though, the coelenterates look pretty daunting- there's such a, you know, range of forms andbehaviour. The sponges seem much more manageable. But what about you?- I'm easy, really.

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C: Ha! That's funny- to me, the Porifera seem kind of boring. They're so, so...sessile. They justsit there and filter. They remind me of my grandfather. (Laughs)

J: (Laughs) I like that. Stick it in the presentation!

C: Maybe. Anyway, I'll be happy to take the jellyfish- they interest me much more.

J: OK. Say, this is working out well so far.

C: Yeah, but the hard part comes later. So, shall we look at our schedules and see if we canarrange a regular time to meet?

J: Uh, sure. Once a week?

C: For now, yeah, that's enough, I guess.

J: Well, how about this time?

C: Um....yeah, that'll be good for me. So... Tuesdays at one p.m.?

J: Fine. Uh...here?

C: This'll be OK, I think. Not too noisy after lunch hour.

J: All right, then I'll see you next week, on the seventh. No! I'll see you in the seminar onThursday, won't I? (Laughs)

C: (Laughs) Yep. Gotta go.

J: Right. Thanks. Later.

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Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

Colleen: So, what do you like?

Jared: Huh? What do I what?

C: Which ones you want- sponges or jellyfish?

J: Oh. Yeah. Huh! Y'know, they're actually both very intriguing. Amazing beasts. Frankly,though, the coelenterates look pretty daunting- there's such a, you know, range of forms andbehaviour. The sponges seem much more manageable. But what about you?- I'm easy, really.

C: Ha! That's funny- to me, the Porifera seem kind of boring. They're so, so...sessile. They justsit there and filter. They remind me of my grandfather. (Laughs)

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J: (Laughs) I like that. Stick it in the presentation!

C: Maybe. Anyway, I'll be happy to take the jellyfish- they interest me much more.

J: OK. Say, this is working out well so far.

Listen to a conversation between a student and his counselor.

Lisle: Excuse me, Mrs. Morgan?

Counselor: Oh, hi...uh...Lisle, isn't it? Come in, Lisle. I haven't seen you in quite a while, haveI? How can I help you?

L: Well...if you have a few minutes... I need you to help me sort out my credit hours. It's kind of

an, uh, an emergency.

C: OK, sit down. I've got a few minutes right now.

L: Thanks very much.

C: So, what's the problem with your credit hours?

L: Well...um...I think I may not have the right ones. The ones I need to graduate, I mean.

C: What's your major again? Business Management?

L: Yeah, it's supposed to be. For Bus Ad, I still need to take Global Economics- EC 303- and,well, I've got room for it in my schedule but, erm...303's got a prerequisite, which I, uh, I haven'ttaken. EC 203, Econometrics.

C: Oh, that's just great. How did you manage that, Lisle?

L:Not paying attention. I didn't notice until now that I needed 303 to graduate, and didn't noticebefore that I needed 203 before. Is there anything I can do now to fix this?

C: Well, I'm not sure. It's possible that the dean would let you take them concurrently. It's been

done before, in extremis.

L: Well, that's what I'm in- extremis. The last term before graduation and I'm stuck. Do youthink he would, really?

C: It's possible, if your grades are good enough and everything else is in order. Are they? Is it?

L: Oh, yeah! My GPA's three point seven. And I've got all the other required credits, and then

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some- I've actually taken more electives than I need to.

C: Hmm. Too many electives and missed a prerequisite. Good work, Lisle.

L: Yeah, pretty dumb, eh?

C: OK, well- they're both offered this term, I hope?

L: Oh yes. Global Economics is Tuesday-Thursdays at three pm and Econometrics is the samedays at eleven in the morning. Those would work fine, except, uh....

C: Except what?

L: Except I've already signed up for the second half of my statistics course- Stats 202- at eleven.

C: Is that a required course?

L:No, but it's highly recommended for business majors. And I really need that math. Math is myweak point, I'm afraid, and I'm going to use a lot of it if I go into finance like I want to.

C: Lisle, do you know what, um, Econometrics is?

L: Sure! Uh... I guess- what? It's, uh, "measuring economies"- "econo-" plus "-metrics"- isn't it?

C: It's math, Lisle. Statistics. It's a course in the kinds of statistics used in business, finance, andeconomics.

L: Oh!... Oh... so maybe I don't need Stats 202 then?

C: That's right. Bus Ad makes sure you get the necessary math by requiring Econometrics. But-you've taken Statistics 201 already?

L: Yes.

C: Hmm. Listen- there may be another solution to this. The dean might accept Stats 201-202 inplace of Econometrics.

L: Really? That'd be great!

C: He might. Anyway, I'm going to have to call his office about this- about both possibilities-right away. Let me just see what they say. If you had a choice, which option would it be?

L: Uh... well, unless they really want me to take Econometrics, I think it would be easier if Icompleted the second half of my statistics course. I mean, then I'd have the whole course undermy belt. But whatever the dean wants- I'm happy to do whatever it takes to graduate on time.

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C: OK, good. Well, with two options, he may be more amenable to exempting you from theprerequisite. Can you bring me a copy of your transcript later today?

L: I've got one right here, Mrs Morgan. Here you go.

C: Ah. Mmm. Yes. it does look good, Lisle- three point seven and a good scattering of 'A's, too!OK. I'll arrange to see the dean as soon as I can- if not today, then tomorrow morning, I hope.And we'll try to get this straightened out for you. Stop by tomorrow afternoon about three, willyou?

L: Sure! And thanks. Thank you very much.

C: OK. And don't worry too much. The dean can be quite flexible in a good cause. See youtomorrow, then.

L: Thanks so much, Mrs Morgan. See you tomorrow afternoon at three.

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Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

Counselor: So, what's the problem with your credit hours?

Lisle: Well...um...I think I may not have the right ones. The ones I need to graduate, I mean.

C: What's your major again? Business Management?

L: Yeah, it's supposed to be. For Bus Ad, I still need to take Global Economics- EC 303- and,well, I've got room for it in my schedule but, erm...303's got a prerequisite, which I, uh, I haven'ttaken. EC 203, Econometrics.

C: Oh, that's just great. How did you manage that, Lisle?

L:Not paying attention. I didn't notice until now that I needed 303 to graduate, and didn't noticebefore that I needed 203 before. Is there anything I can do now to fix this?

C: Well, I'm not sure. It's possible that the dean would let you take them concurrently. It's beendone before, in extremis.

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Listen to a conversation between two students in a chemistry class.

Marie: Huh! This isn't working.

Peter: What isn't?

M: This reaction. I'm supposed to get hydrogen gas, but I don't seem to be getting anythingexcept air.

P: How are you supposed to tell?

M: Well, hydrogen gas should explode when I hold this burning splint up to the test tube- but...nothing happens, see?

P: Hmm. Very unimpressive. How do you do this experiment, again?

M: Well, I put some hydrochloric acid into this test tube here. And then I add a piece of zincmetal to it. A reaction takes place and hydrogen gas is produced- it says- which should come outof the glass tubing, over here, and go into this other test tube. But it doesn't.

P:Nothing happens?

M: Well, something happens. The zinc bubbles and bounces around- the acid does something toit. Some gas must be coming off, I guess, but it isn't flammable. It doesn't burn at all.

P: Is there any way else to identify hydrogen?

M:Not that I 've learned. It's completely colorless and tasteless, I know- it just burns verydramatically.

P: Huh. Well, I dunno. Shall we run through your experiment again together and see how itgoes?

M: Sure, if you don't mind- that would be great! I'm sure I'm doing everything right, I've gonethrough it twice now, but I still get nothing, nada.

P: OK. Lessee.... We need what? Clean test tubes? Two of 'em? Here we are. And... a rubberstopper with ten centimeters or so of glass tubing through it... right...uh...here. That's it?

M: Yep. And a graduated cylinder and the Bunsen burner. And the zinc and the acid.

P: All right: let's do this first- let's take the zinc and the HCl from different sources- from, uh,those reagent bottles on that lab table over there. Maybe your bottles are contaminated ormislabeled or something.

M: Oh, good idea. Trust me to use the wrong reagents.

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P: It's floating up. It's rising from the tube mouth. It's not falling into your container. Hold itabove the tube!

M: Ack! How stupid! I am so stupid. I'm never gonna pass this course. OK, OK- now...light that

for me, will you?

P: Right...here you go.

M: And.... POW! Wow, did you see that?

P: And we've got lift off! And you've got hydrogen. Congratulations.

M: Yeah. (sighs) Thanks, Peter. Now all I gotta do is write this experiment up.

P:No problem. So, what's your next experiment?

M: Uh, something about sodium and water.

P: Oh no!

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Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

Peter: ...OK, now you run the experiment like you think you should, and I'll watch what you do.

Marie: Well, first I clamp this test tube onto its stand...like this... and put in about five millilitersof the hydrochloric acid....

P: "About" five milliliters?! Isn't this a scientific laboratory?

M: All right, all right. Exactly five milliliters of HCl...like this....

P: OK. Mmm... and....

M: Then I take a little piece of zinc metal with these tweezers, like this, and-

P: Are they all the same size?

M: Yeah, they seem to be. It looks like they're pressed out of some kind of machine in standardbits.

P: And add "one"?

M: Yeah, one. Like this. And see?- it starts to bubble!

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Listen to a conversation between a professor and her student.

Professor: Well, hello, Jason. What are you doing sitting in here all alone?

Jason: Hi, Dr Wescott. Oh, I was just looking for a quiet place to study where there's nodistractions.

P: (laughs) Well, you found the perfect spot- my empty classroom. But I guess I'm a distractionnow. I left my folder of notes in here last period. Do you mind if I...?

J: Oh! No, no- please go ahead, Professor.

P: Um. Hmm.... Ah- here it is. OK. I leave you to it.

J: Oh, Professor....

P: Yes?

J: Would you have a minute? Could I just ask you about the comment you wrote on my lastessay?

P: Yes, I have a few minutes now. What did I write on it?

J: Well, here's the essay- "The Heights of Romanticism"- and you wrote just the word "vague!"

at the top beside my grade....

P: Oh yes. It's an interesting topic choice, Jason, but I think that maybe you, uh, bit off morethan you could chew. That title covers a lot of very major English poets!

J: Yeah, I guess it does, doesn't it? Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, Byron. You know, I felt thatway too, actually, after I got started with it. But by then I was kind of trapped.

P: Trapped? What do you mean?

J: Well, I had already started research. I'd picked out some key passages from the Prelude, from

Keats's odes, et cetera. I'd already learned a good bit about their personal lives- I was, you know,committed.

P: Well now, listen, Jason: one of the key steps in writing an essay is choosing and defining yourtopic at the very beginning. If you get a feeling that the theme's too broad or too narrow, or uh,too convoluted or too, um, whatever- then cut your losses right away. Abandon it and find a freshtheme. That's rule number one.

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J: Hmm. Yeah, I guess you're right. (sighs)

P: And what happened here is that you were never able to get down to brass tacks. That's why Iwrote "vague"- that was my main reaction when I got done reading your paper. You're assignedthree-page essays in my class, and you chose a subject fit for a book!

J: (laughs) Well, could I ask you, could you give me an example, of how I could've narrowedthis down to a manageable size? Should I have just chosen one poet, do you think?- say, LordByron?

P: Yes, that's a simple solution to the problem here. But with only three pages to work with, youcould afford to narrow it even more- just look at "Don Juan" as a work, uh, symbolic of theRomantic ideal, you know.

J: And that would be enough?

P: Sure, more than enough! The narrower your topic, the more incisive you can be. You mighteven come up with an original idea about Byron and the Romantic Movement!

J:Not likely.

P: But see, that's wrong thinking. These essays are not just rote assignments, Jason, somethingyou have to crank out in order to pass my course. The point is to train you to research- "re-search"- "search again"- through our literary history... and add new light on it. This is somethingyou should be eager to do!

J: Yes, of course, Professor- and I am, really! But I guess sometimes they do just, well...turn intoassignments. Sometimes I do forget why I' m here.

P: (laughs) Well, you're not the only one, I can tell you that. Actually, this was one of the betteressays. At least you didn't wander off topic, or just fill the three pages with polysyllabicgobbledegook. Those are the students I really come down hard on. Look, a "B minus" isn't sobad, is it?

J:No, I guess not. I like "A"s better, though. (laughs) And that's what I'm trying for next time.Our next paper's on the 19th century up to World War One, right?

P: Yes, that's right.

J: I'm interested in the Symbolists, and I've been reading about Rimbaud- he's kind of seminal,isn't he?

P: He certainly is- and in a way Rimbaud is a topic already narrowed down for you. He has avery small opus- he stopped writing when he was 21 and ran off to become a trader in Africa.

J: Yes-- and I can identify! (laughs)

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P: (laughs) Oh, no you don't! I expect good things from you- starting with your next essay. Justremember: control your topic, don't let your topic control you. You've only got three pages, so beconcise, be pithy.

J: OK, I'll try. Thanks very much for your time, Dr Wescott. I really appreciate it.

P: My pleasure, Jason. See you in class.

J: 'Bye.

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Excerpt from the TOEFL test listening conversation

Jason: ...Our next paper's on the 19th century up to World War One, right?

Professor: Yes, that's right.

J: I'm interested in the Symbolists, and I've been reading about Rimbaud- he's kind of seminal,isn't he?

P: He certainly is- and in a way Rimbaud is a topic already narrowed down for you. He has avery small opus- he stopped writing when he was 21 and ran off to become a trader in Africa.

J: Yes-- and I can identify! (laughs)

P: (laughs) Oh, no you don't! I expect good things from you- starting with your next essay. Justremember: control your topic, don't let your topic control you. You've only got three pages, so beconcise, be pithy.

J: OK, I'll try. Thanks very much for your time, Dr Wescott. I really appreciate it.