Listening and Responding: Distinguishing Fact from Opinion
In the Listening section, you hear a radio advertisement for a language school. The speaker says: '¿Quieres aprender español rápidamente? Nuestros cursos son los mejores de la ciudad. Tenemos profesores nativos y clases de solo 5 estudiantes. El 90% de nuestros estudiantes aprueban el examen DELE. Llama ahora y obtén un 20% de descuento. ¡No pierdas esta oportunidad!' The ad lasts 30 seconds and is played twice. You must answer multiple-choice questions about the main message and the purpose of the advertisement. One question asks: 'What is the main purpose of the advertisement?' Options: A) To inform about DELE exam dates, B) To persuade people to enroll in courses, C) To describe the teachers' qualifications. Another question asks: 'What claim is made about the courses?'
1. What is the main purpose of the advertisement?
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The main purpose is to persuade people to enroll in courses (Option B). The ad uses persuasive language: 'los mejores', 'rápidamente', '¡No pierdas esta oportunidad!', and offers a discount. It also provides information (native teachers, small classes, 90% pass rate) but that supports the persuasive goal. Option A is incorrect because DELE exam dates are not mentioned. Option C is too narrow; teacher qualifications are only one detail.
2. What claim is made about the courses, and how reliable is it?
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The ad claims that 90% of their students pass the DELE exam. This is a statistical claim used as a selling point. As a listener, you should recognize it as an advertising claim that may be exaggerated. For exam purposes, you need to identify it as a detail. The reliability is not assessed in the question; you just need to note the figure.