ACCUPLACER ESL Listening flashcards
ACCUPLACER ESL Listening · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- WH-question mapping
- Who asks for a person, what for an object or action, when for a time, where for a place, why for a reason, and how for a manner or method.
- Literal comprehension question
- A literal question asks for information stated directly in the spoken passage, such as a name, date, place, price, or stated reason.
- Time expression: quarter to
- 'A quarter to seven' means 6:45, because 'to' indicates fifteen minutes before the stated hour on a clock.
- Time expression: half past
- 'Half past nine' means 9:30; the phrase names thirty minutes after the hour, not halfway to the next hour.
- Discount final price
- If an item costs $80 and is 25% off, the discount is $20 and the final price is $60, which is 75% of $80.
- Sequence markers
- Words such as first, then, next, after that, and finally signal the order in which events or steps occur in a spoken passage.
- Negation cue
- Words such as not, never, except, instead, and rather than reverse or limit a statement; the correct literal answer must preserve that negation.
- Pronoun reference
- A pronoun such as he, she, it, or they refers to a previously mentioned noun that agrees in number and fits the meaning of the sentence.
- Paraphrased answer
- A correct literal answer may use synonyms or a different sentence structure while keeping the same meaning as the spoken text.
- Distractor with repeated word
- An answer choice that repeats a word from the passage can be wrong if it answers a different question or changes the stated detail.
- Number stress contrast
- Similar-sounding numbers such as thirteen and thirty are distinguished by stress: thirteen stresses the second syllable, thirty stresses the first.
- Price total rule
- When several items and quantities are mentioned, total cost equals the sum of each item's price multiplied by its quantity.
- Location preposition
- In, on, at, near, beside, and across from specify where something is; the chosen answer must match the stated spatial relationship.
- Reason marker
- Because, since, due to, and so that introduce a reason or purpose; a literal why-question is answered by the clause following such markers.
- Speaker's stated job
- A speaker's occupation may be stated directly, as in 'I am a nurse,' rather than inferred from duties or workplace details.
- Explicit agreement
- Phrases such as 'I agree,' 'that's right,' and 'exactly' state agreement directly and can answer a literal question about the second speaker's position.
- Inference
- An inference is a conclusion that follows from evidence in the passage but is not stated directly; it must be supported by the whole utterance.
- Tone
- Tone is the speaker's attitude conveyed by word choice, pitch, and pacing, such as friendly, annoyed, worried, or enthusiastic.
- Rising intonation
- A rise at the end of an utterance often signals a yes-no question, uncertainty, or a request for confirmation, depending on context.
- Contrastive stress
- Stress marks contrast: saying 'I didn't take your book' with stress on 'your' denies ownership, while stress on 'book' denies the object taken.
- Indirect request
- Questions such as 'Could you close the door?' and 'Would you mind closing the door?' usually function as polite requests, not literal questions about ability or objection.
- Idiom meaning
- An idiom's meaning cannot be predicted from its individual words; for example, 'hit the books' means to study.
- Sarcasm cue
- Sarcasm often pairs positive words with a negative situation or exaggerated tone, so the intended meaning is the opposite of the literal words.
- Speaker relationship
- Formality, vocatives such as 'sir' or 'honey,' and topic control help infer whether speakers are strangers, coworkers, friends, or family.
- Strong agreement
- 'I couldn't agree more' means the speaker agrees completely; it does not express disagreement or inability to agree.
- Partial disagreement
- 'I see your point, but...' signals partial agreement followed by disagreement; the main claim after 'but' is the speaker's real position.
- Causal inference
- Markers such as because, since, so, therefore, and that's why link cause and effect; an unstated cause may be inferred when the link is clear.
- Implied refusal
- A response like 'I'd love to, but I'm swamped' implies refusal or inability, even though the first clause sounds positive.
- Speaker purpose
- Purpose is what the speaker wants to achieve, such as apologizing, complaining, persuading, informing, or asking for help; it is inferred from the whole message.
- Polite softening
- Phrases such as 'a little,' 'sort of,' and 'I'm afraid' soften criticism or bad news and often signal a negative message.
- Implied location
- A location can be inferred from background sounds or mentioned objects, such as a menu and orders suggesting a restaurant.
- Emphatic repetition
- When a speaker repeats a word or phrase, it usually marks importance, emotion, or correction rather than adding a new literal fact.