TOEFL Listening Part A - Skill 2: Negative

TOEFL Listening Part A

SKILL 2: NEGATIVE

Negative expressions are very common in Listening Part A. The most common kind of correct response to a negative statement is a positive statement containing a word with an opposite meaning.

Example

On the recording, you hear:

        (woman)            :  Did you get a lot of work done at the library today? 
        (man)                 :  I couldn’t. It wasn’t very quiet there.
        (narrator)           :  What does the man mean?

In your test book, you read:

        (A) The library was noisy

        (B) He got a lot done.

        (C) He couldn’t quite get to the library today.

        (D) The library’s a good place to work because it’s quiet.

The correct answer is answer (A). If it was not quiet in the library, this means that it was noisy. Notice that the correct answer uses noisy, the opposite of quiet.

The following chart shows how negatives can be tested on the TOEFL test.

NEGATIVE SENTENCES
EXAMPLE	CORRECT ANSWER	NEGATIVE EXPRESSION
Tom is not sad about the results.	Tom is happy about the results.	not sad = happy
The door isn’t open.	The door is closed.	not open = closed
Steve did not pass the class.	Steve failed the class.	did not pass = failed

EXERCISE 2: In this exercise, underline the negative expression in the second line of each short conversation. Then read the question, and choose the best answer to that question. Remember that the best answer is one that uses an opposite meaning.

1. (woman)   :  You made so many mistakes in this homework. 

    (man)        :  I wasn’t very careful. 

    (narrator)  : What does the man mean? 

    (A) He was rather careless.
    (B) He does not care about mistakes.
    (C) He took care of the work at home.
    (D) He did not carry the work home.

2. (man)        : Is there a lot of soup? I’m kind of hungry.

    (woman)   :  Sorry, there’s not a lot.

    (narrator)  : What does the woman mean?

    (A) There’s not very much soap.
    (B) She doesn’t like soup.
    (C) There’s only a little soup.
    (D) The man should not be hungry.

3. (woman)  : How was the weather on your trip?
    (man)        : There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
    (narrator)  : What does the man mean?

     (A) It was cloudy.

     (B) He couldn’t see the sky
     (C) It wasn’t very crowded.
     (D) There was a lot of sunshine. 

TOEFL EXERCISE 2: In this exercise, listen carefully to the short conversation and question on the recording, and then choose the best answer to the question. You should pay particular attention to negative expressions.

Now BEGIN THE RECORDING AT TOEFL EXERCISE 2.

1.

(A) He was on time.
(B) He’s sorry he was late.
(C) He doesn’t know why he was late.
(D) He hasn’t come there lately.

2.

(A) She’s sorry she brought the book.
(B) She remembered to say she was sorry.
(C) She forgot the book.
(D) She didn’t remember the ring.

3.

(A) The baby’s nodding off.
(B) The baby’s asleep.
(C) The baby’s on the way home.
(D) The baby’s just waking up.

4.

(A) He wants to go by himself.
(B) He isn’t going on the trip.
(C) He has a large number of friends.
(D) He isn’t traveling alone.

5.

(A) She does not have time to park the car.
(B) She has some free time.
(C) She has not been to the park in a while.
(D) The park is too wild.

6.

(A) He closed the windows.
(B) It didn’t rain.
(C) The windows were open during the storm.
(D) He saw the rain through the windows.

7.

(A) She’s certain the plant’s alive.
(B) She’s not sure what happened to the plant.
(C) She planned to throw it out.
(D) She’s sure the plant should be thrown out.

8.

(A) The apple is good because it’s sweet.
(B) There is an apple in each suite.
(C) The apple doesn’t look good.
(D) The apple is sour.

9.

(A) It’s cheap.
(B) It costs a lot.
(C) It has a few problems.
(D) it’s hard to find.

10.

(A) She must leave the rock there.
(B) She needs a big rock.
(C) She should take the rock with her.
(D) She should take a bigger rock.

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