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DLPT practice questions

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Question 1Listening comprehension

You hear a news broadcast: 'The ministry announced the new policy will take effect on the first of next month.' According to the speaker, when does the policy begin?

  1. Immediately upon announcement
  2. At the start of next year
  3. After a public comment period
  4. On the first day of the coming month Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase 'the first of next month' specifies the start of the month following the broadcast, not the moment of announcement or the new year. Listeners must anchor the relative time expression to the moment of speaking.

Question 2Listening comprehension

A speaker says: 'I'd rather take the train than drive, even though it costs more.' What does the speaker prefer?

  1. Flying instead
  2. Driving because it is cheaper
  3. Neither option
  4. The train despite the higher cost Correct answer.

Explanation

The construction 'I'd rather X than Y' marks X as the preferred choice, and the concessive clause 'even though it costs more' shows the preference persists despite a disadvantage. The listener must not let the cost detail reverse the stated preference.

Question 3Listening comprehension

In a weather report you hear: 'Expect scattered showers through the afternoon, clearing by evening.' What should listeners anticipate?

  1. Heavy rain all night
  2. Snow in the evening
  3. Intermittent rain that ends later Correct answer.
  4. Clear skies all day

Explanation

'Scattered showers' means rainfall that is intermittent and unevenly distributed, and 'clearing by evening' indicates it will stop later. Combining the two phrases yields rain that tapers off, not continuous heavy precipitation.

Question 4Listening comprehension

A guide says: 'The museum is closed on Mondays, but open every other day from nine to five.' When can a visitor enter?

  1. Every day after five
  2. Any day at any hour
  3. Only on Mondays
  4. Tuesday through Sunday, daytime hours Correct answer.

Explanation

'Every other day' here means all days except Monday, and 'nine to five' sets the operating window. The listener must combine the exclusion and the hours to derive the valid visiting period.

Question 5Listening comprehension

You hear: 'Please hold all questions until the end of the presentation.' What is the audience asked to do?

  1. Leave the room quietly
  2. Submit questions in writing now
  3. Cancel their questions
  4. Wait to ask questions until the talk concludes Correct answer.

Explanation

'Hold all questions until the end' is a polite instruction to defer asking until the presentation finishes. The verb 'hold' in this context means to reserve or postpone, not to cancel.

Question 6Listening comprehension

A speaker states: 'The prototype failed testing twice, so the team went back to the drawing board.' What does this imply?

  1. The team hired new engineers
  2. The team abandoned the project
  3. The team passed the test
  4. The team restarted the design from the beginning Correct answer.

Explanation

The idiom 'back to the drawing board' means starting a design over after a failure, and the preceding clause supplies the failure that triggered it. Idioms like this must be interpreted figuratively rather than literally.

Question 7Listening comprehension

On a train platform announcement: 'Due to signal problems, the express to the capital is delayed by twenty minutes.' What is the cause of the delay?

  1. Track maintenance
  2. A staff shortage
  3. Signal problems Correct answer.
  4. Bad weather

Explanation

The announcement explicitly attributes the delay to 'signal problems' introduced by 'due to', a phrase marking cause. Other plausible railway causes are not stated and must not be substituted.

Question 8Listening comprehension

A colleague says: 'I'll be out of the office until Thursday, so copy me on anything urgent.' What should you do with urgent items?

  1. Handle them silently without informing anyone
  2. Escalate them to a manager instead
  3. Wait until Thursday to report them
  4. Send them to the colleague while they are away Correct answer.

Explanation

'Copy me on anything urgent' requests that urgent messages be sent to the colleague even during absence. The instruction combines a status update with a standing request for visibility on time-sensitive matters.

Question 9Listening comprehension

A radio interview: 'The author concedes that her early novels were derivative, though she insists the later ones are original.' How does the author view her early work?

  1. As imitative of others Correct answer.
  2. As better than the later novels
  3. As her most original writing
  4. As never published

Explanation

'Derivative' means imitative rather than original, and 'concedes' signals an admission of a weakness. The contrast with 'original' later work confirms the negative self-assessment of the early novels.

Question 10Listening comprehension

A speaker remarks: 'If we'd budgeted properly, we wouldn't be scrambling now.' What does this reveal?

  1. The project has not yet begun
  2. The budget was never approved
  3. Poor budgeting caused the current rush Correct answer.
  4. Budgeting was adequate and no problem exists

Explanation

This is a third conditional describing a counterfactual past and its present consequence, implying the actual past lacked proper budgeting and produced the current scramble. Recognizing the unreal condition is key to inferring the causal claim.

Question 11Listening comprehension

A manager says: 'Sales figures were flat this quarter, but customer retention actually improved.' Which statement best captures the message?

  1. Both sales and retention declined
  2. Sales were unchanged while retention got better Correct answer.
  3. Sales grew sharply while retention fell
  4. Retention was unchanged while sales grew

Explanation

'Flat' describes figures that neither rose nor fell, while 'actually improved' marks an unexpected positive contrast in retention. The contrastive 'but' signals that the two metrics moved differently.

Question 12Listening comprehension

A tour guide: 'The trail is steep, so those with knee trouble may want to wait at the lodge.' What is the guide doing?

  1. Recommending the trail to everyone
  2. Warning that the lodge is closed
  3. Canceling the hike entirely
  4. Suggesting an alternative for people with mobility concerns Correct answer.

Explanation

The guide uses 'may want to' to offer a considerate alternative to those who might struggle, without forbidding anyone from hiking. Recognizing hedged advice as a suggestion rather than an order is the listening skill tested.

Question 13Listening comprehension

A scientist on a podcast: 'The correlation we found is suggestive, but by no means conclusive.' How certain is the scientist?

  1. Certain the finding is false
  2. Fully convinced of a causal link
  3. Indifferent to the result
  4. Cautiously interested but not certain Correct answer.

Explanation

'Suggestive' indicates a promising hint, while 'by no means conclusive' explicitly denies final proof, producing cautious interest. Hedging language of this kind signals calibrated uncertainty rather than firm belief or rejection.

Question 14Listening comprehension

A caller says: 'I was told the refund would take five business days, but it's been a week.' What is the caller's concern?

  1. The refund was too large
  2. The refund was never requested
  3. The refund has not arrived as promised Correct answer.
  4. The refund arrived early

Explanation

Five business days is roughly a calendar week, so 'it's been a week' signals the promised window has passed without the refund. The caller contrasts the stated timeline with the elapsed time to express a complaint.

Question 15Listening comprehension

A professor says: 'Contrary to popular belief, the experiment was replicated successfully three times.' What is the professor correcting?

  1. The funding source of the study
  2. The year the experiment occurred
  3. A common misconception about replication Correct answer.
  4. The number of researchers involved

Explanation

'Contrary to popular belief' explicitly flags that the following statement corrects a widespread assumption, here that the experiment could not be replicated. The listener must identify what the contrast phrase is rebutting.

Question 16Listening comprehension

A receptionist says: 'Dr. Alvarez is fully booked this morning, but there's an opening at two.' What is being offered?

  1. A morning appointment
  2. A two o'clock appointment slot Correct answer.
  3. A cancellation of the appointment
  4. A meeting with a different doctor

Explanation

The receptionist contrasts a full morning with 'an opening at two', which denotes an available afternoon slot. 'Opening' in scheduling contexts means a free appointment time.

Question 17Listening comprehension

A narrator says: 'She slipped out of the meeting, unnoticed by anyone but the intern.' Who observed her leaving?

  1. Only the intern Correct answer.
  2. Everyone in the meeting
  3. The narrator alone
  4. No one at all

Explanation

The construction 'unnoticed by anyone but the intern' means the intern was the sole observer, since 'but' here means 'except'. Parsing this exception structure correctly is the listening challenge.

Question 18Listening comprehension

A negotiator says: 'We can accept the timeline, provided the deliverables stay unchanged.' What is the condition for acceptance?

  1. The timeline must be shortened
  2. The deliverables must remain the same Correct answer.
  3. The price must be reduced
  4. New deliverables must be added

Explanation

'Provided' introduces a condition that must hold for the acceptance to stand, and that condition is unchanged deliverables. Conditional connectors like 'provided' and 'as long as' specify necessary terms.

Question 19Listening comprehension

A voicemail: 'Hi, it's Ken. My flight got in late, so I'll need to push our ten o'clock to the afternoon. Call me back.' What does Ken want?

  1. To hold the meeting by phone
  2. To meet earlier than planned
  3. To cancel the meeting permanently
  4. To move the meeting later in the day Correct answer.

Explanation

'Push our ten o'clock to the afternoon' means rescheduling the morning meeting to a later time, not canceling it. The flight delay provides the reason for the change.

Question 20Listening comprehension

A commentator says: 'The senator's remarks were carefully worded, arguably to avoid committing to either side.' What is implied about the senator?

  1. The senator deliberately stayed neutral Correct answer.
  2. The senator made an error
  3. The senator openly endorsed one side
  4. The senator refused to speak

Explanation

'Carefully worded' combined with 'arguably to avoid committing' implies intentional ambiguity to preserve neutrality. The hedge 'arguably' marks the interpretation as inference rather than fact.

Question 21Listening comprehension

A doctor tells a patient: 'Your results are normal, though I'd still like to monitor things every six months.' What is the doctor recommending?

  1. Stopping all checkups
  2. Periodic follow-up checks Correct answer.
  3. Immediate surgery
  4. Changing medication today

Explanation

'Monitor things every six months' is a recommendation for regular follow-up despite normal results. The concessive 'though' shows the monitoring continues even though nothing is currently wrong.

Question 22Listening comprehension

A news anchor: 'The company denied wrongdoing, but acknowledged that internal controls had lapsed.' What did the company admit?

  1. That its internal controls had failed Correct answer.
  2. That it had bribed officials
  3. That it would close down
  4. That it committed fraud

Explanation

'Acknowledged' marks an admission, and what is admitted is that internal controls lapsed, meaning they stopped functioning properly. The denial of wrongdoing must be kept distinct from this partial concession.

Question 23Listening comprehension

A speaker says: 'Far from being a minor inconvenience, the outage cost the firm millions.' What is the speaker emphasizing?

  1. The outage was quickly forgotten
  2. The outage was trivial
  3. The outage's impact was very serious Correct answer.
  4. The firm saved money

Explanation

'Far from being X' rejects the description X and substitutes a stronger claim, here that the outage was extremely costly. The construction emphasizes contrast between a dismissed characterization and the reality.

Question 24Listening comprehension

Two colleagues talk. One says: 'You didn't have to stay late, you know.' The other replies: 'I know, but someone had to.' What does the second speaker mean?

  1. They felt the work required someone to remain Correct answer.
  2. They were ordered to stay by a manager
  3. They resented being forced to stay
  4. They regretted staying late

Explanation

'Someone had to' expresses a sense of necessity or duty rather than external compulsion, since the first speaker already noted there was no obligation. The reply justifies staying voluntarily because the task demanded it.

Question 25Listening comprehension

A pundit says: 'Had the vote been held a week earlier, the outcome might well have been reversed.' What does the pundit suggest?

  1. The timing of the vote likely affected the result Correct answer.
  2. The vote was never held
  3. The result would have been identical
  4. The vote was postponed indefinitely

Explanation

This past counterfactual implies that an earlier vote could have produced a different outcome, so timing was likely decisive. Recognizing the inverted conditional 'Had the vote been held' is essential to recovering the meaning.

Question 26Listening comprehension

In a recorded public-service announcement, the speaker says: 'Residents in the eastern district should boil all tap water for at least three minutes until further notice.' What are eastern-district residents being told to do?

  1. Store bottled water for an emergency
  2. Report water problems to the city
  3. Avoid using water for cooking entirely
  4. Boil tap water before drinking it Correct answer.

Explanation

The announcement gives a direct instruction: boiling tap water for at least three minutes is required until the notice is lifted. The other actions are not mentioned at all, so the instruction to boil water is the only defensible reading.

Question 27Listening comprehension

A weather bulletin heard on the radio states: 'Coastal fog will clear by mid-morning, with strong gusts expected over the ridge by late afternoon.' What does the bulletin predict for the late afternoon?

  1. Clear skies everywhere
  2. Strong wind over the ridge Correct answer.
  3. Heavy rain along the shore
  4. Fog returning to the coast

Explanation

The bulletin separates two events: fog clearing by mid-morning and strong gusts arriving over the ridge later. The late-afternoon forecast is therefore strong wind over the ridge.

Question 28Listening comprehension

A store's automated phone message says: 'Our downtown branch closes at six on weekdays and at eight on Fridays.' A caller wants to visit on Friday evening. What does the message indicate?

  1. The branch is closed all Friday evening
  2. The branch closes at six as usual
  3. The branch stays open until eight that day Correct answer.
  4. The branch opens only at eight that day

Explanation

The message gives two closing times: six on ordinary weekdays and eight on Fridays. Since the caller plans a Friday visit, the relevant closing time is eight in the evening.

Question 29Listening comprehension

A museum audio guide says: 'The sculpture you see here was originally placed in the courtyard; it was moved indoors in 1975 to protect it from the weather.' Why was the sculpture moved?

  1. To place it closer to the entrance
  2. To protect it from weather damage Correct answer.
  3. To make room for a new courtyard
  4. To prepare it for sale

Explanation

The guide states the move happened in order to protect the sculpture from the weather. That purpose is stated explicitly, so no inference beyond the sentence is needed.

Question 30Listening comprehension

A gym instructor tells a class: 'Keep your knees behind your toes during the squat, and stop the set if you feel any sharp pain.' What does the instructor say about sharp pain?

  1. It is a signal to end the set Correct answer.
  2. It only matters after the class
  3. It means the muscles are working
  4. It should be ignored during the set

Explanation

The instructor links sharp pain to a clear instruction: stop the set. That makes pain a signal to end the exercise rather than something to push through.

Question 31Listening comprehension

A voicemail from a landlord says: 'The plumber can come Tuesday morning or Thursday afternoon; let me know which works and I'll confirm with him.' What does the landlord want from the tenant?

  1. Permission to enter without notice
  2. A choice between two appointment times Correct answer.
  3. A list of past plumbing problems
  4. Payment for the plumbing repair

Explanation

The landlord offers two possible times and asks the tenant to say which one works. The requested response is therefore a choice between the two options.

Question 32Listening comprehension

A park ranger announces: 'The north trail is closed for repairs through the weekend; the south trail remains open but is muddy.' Which trail can visitors use this weekend?

  1. The south trail, though it is muddy Correct answer.
  2. The north trail only
  3. Neither trail
  4. Both trails equally

Explanation

The ranger closes the north trail for the weekend and says the south trail stays open, adding that it is muddy. The usable option is the south trail with that caveat.

Question 33Listening comprehension

A flight attendant says: 'We'll be landing in about twenty minutes; please return your tray tables to the upright position and fasten your seat belts.' What are passengers asked to do?

  1. Secure trays and fasten belts Correct answer.
  2. Remain standing until landing
  3. Collect their luggage from the overhead bins
  4. Move to their assigned seats

Explanation

The announcement pairs the upcoming landing with two concrete requests: stow tray tables upright and fasten seat belts. Both actions belong to preparing for landing.

Question 34Listening comprehension

A speaker at a community meeting says: 'We've had three burglaries on this street since spring, and the streetlights have been out for months.' What is the speaker drawing attention to?

  1. A dispute between neighbors
  2. A plan to install new streetlights
  3. A rise in break-ins linked to poor lighting Correct answer.
  4. A decline in neighborhood population

Explanation

The speaker combines a count of burglaries with the fact that streetlights are out, implicitly connecting the two. The point is the increase in break-ins alongside the lighting problem.

Question 35Listening comprehension

A supervisor tells a new employee: 'Don't worry about memorizing every procedure this week; shadow Maria and you'll pick it up as you go.' What is the supervisor advising?

  1. Learning the job gradually by observing Correct answer.
  2. Studying the procedures before starting
  3. Memorizing procedures before the shift
  4. Avoiding Maria during the first week

Explanation

The supervisor explicitly lowers the pressure to memorize and recommends shadowing a colleague instead. The advice is to learn through observation over time.

Question 36Listening comprehension

A podcast host says: 'Critics called the policy bold; its supporters prefer the word cautious. Both sides, notably, agree it will be expensive.' What do the two sides agree on?

  1. That the policy will cost a lot Correct answer.
  2. That the policy is bold
  3. That the policy should be withdrawn
  4. That the policy is cautious

Explanation

The host contrasts the two labels but then states that both sides agree on one thing: the policy will be expensive. Agreement concerns cost, not the descriptive label.

Question 37Listening comprehension

A radio ad says: 'Tickets bought at the door cost five dollars more, so reserve online and save.' What is the ad encouraging listeners to do?

  1. Wait until the day of the event
  2. Attend a different event
  3. Purchase tickets in advance online Correct answer.
  4. Buy tickets at the door

Explanation

The ad contrasts a higher door price with a saving available online, which is a clear nudge to buy in advance. The practical advice is to reserve online rather than at the door.

Question 38Listening comprehension

A nurse tells a patient: 'Take this with food, and if you miss a dose, skip it rather than doubling up.' What should the patient do after missing a dose?

  1. Skip it and continue as scheduled Correct answer.
  2. Stop the medication altogether
  3. Take two doses at once
  4. Take the missed dose with food

Explanation

The nurse gives a specific instruction for a missed dose: skip it instead of doubling up. That means resuming the normal schedule without making up the dose.

Question 39Listening comprehension

A documentary narrator says: 'The bridge was hailed as an engineering triumph when it opened; within a decade, repairs had consumed its entire construction budget.' What contrast is the narrator drawing?

  1. Two rival engineers' designs
  2. The bridge's length versus its height
  3. Initial praise versus later costly problems Correct answer.
  4. Urban versus rural transportation

Explanation

The narrator sets the enthusiastic reception at opening against the heavy repair costs that followed. The contrast is between early acclaim and later financial burden.

Question 40Listening comprehension

A customer-service recording says: 'Your package left the warehouse on Monday, but the carrier has not scanned it since; we'll open a trace if it doesn't move by Friday.' What is the company offering to do?

  1. Cancel the shipment on Monday
  2. Resend the order at no charge
  3. Investigate if the package stays unscanned Correct answer.
  4. Refund the purchase immediately

Explanation

The recording describes a package with no recent scan and promises a trace if there is no movement by Friday. A trace is an investigation into the shipment's whereabouts.

Question 41Listening comprehension

A coach tells the team: 'We lost by two points, but we controlled possession for most of the match; that's what we build on.' How does the coach frame the loss?

  1. As a reason to change the lineup
  2. As proof the team is unprepared
  3. As a result worth encouraging despite defeat Correct answer.
  4. As an unfair outcome

Explanation

The coach acknowledges the defeat but highlights a positive statistic as something to build on. The loss is framed as encouraging progress rather than failure.

Question 42Listening comprehension

A travel agent says: 'The fare is cheaper if you fly Tuesday and return the following Monday, but the difference disappears once you check a bag.' What should the traveler consider?

  1. The bag fee against the fare saving Correct answer.
  2. The airline's safety record
  3. The length of the security line
  4. Only the day of departure

Explanation

The agent notes that a cheaper fare exists for certain days but that the saving vanishes when a checked bag is added. The traveler should therefore weigh the bag fee against the fare difference.

Question 43Listening comprehension

A lecturer says: 'The data are consistent with the hypothesis, but a different model would explain them just as well.' What is the lecturer's point about the hypothesis?

  1. It is the only possible explanation
  2. It fits the data but is not uniquely supported Correct answer.
  3. It has been definitively proven
  4. It has been disproven by the data

Explanation

The lecturer grants that the data fit the hypothesis but adds that another model fits equally well. That means the evidence supports the hypothesis without singling it out as the only explanation.

Question 44Listening comprehension

A neighbor says: 'I'd lend you the ladder, but I promised my brother he could pick it up this afternoon.' What is the neighbor explaining?

  1. That the brother has already taken it
  2. Why the ladder is unavailable right now Correct answer.
  3. Why ladders should not be borrowed
  4. That the ladder is broken

Explanation

The neighbor gives a prior commitment to a brother as the reason for declining the request. The explanation concerns the ladder's current unavailability, not its condition.

Question 45Listening comprehension

A manager says: 'I'm not asking anyone to work weekends, but the client deadline hasn't moved.' What is the manager implying?

  1. The team has already finished the work
  2. Weekend work may be needed to meet the deadline Correct answer.
  3. The deadline has been extended
  4. The client has canceled the project

Explanation

The manager avoids issuing an order while stressing that the deadline is unchanged. The implication is that volunteers may need to put in weekend hours to finish on time.

Question 46Listening comprehension

A witness in a hearing says: 'I saw the car approach the intersection, but I was looking away when the light changed.' What is the witness clarifying?

  1. That the car ran a red light
  2. That the car never reached the intersection
  3. That the witness cannot confirm the light's color Correct answer.
  4. That the witness saw everything clearly

Explanation

The witness describes seeing the car approach but admits to looking away at the moment the light changed. The clarification limits the testimony: the witness cannot say what color the light was.

Question 47Listening comprehension

A pundit says: 'The reform passed easily, though few of its architects expected it to survive the first legal challenge.' What does the pundit suggest about the reform?

  1. Its survival in court is in doubt Correct answer.
  2. It faced no legal opposition
  3. It was rejected by the legislature
  4. Its passage was expected to be difficult

Explanation

The pundit contrasts an easy legislative passage with the low expectations of its own authors about a legal challenge. The suggestion is that the reform's judicial survival is uncertain.

Question 48Listening comprehension

A scientist says: 'We stopped the trial early, not because the results were disappointing but because they were so clear.' What does the scientist mean?

  1. The results were too ambiguous to continue
  2. The trial ended due to poor results
  3. The trial was canceled for lack of funding
  4. The evidence was strong enough to end the trial Correct answer.

Explanation

The scientist explicitly denies that disappointment caused the early stop and instead cites clarity. Ending a trial because results are clear means the evidence was already convincing.

Question 49Listening comprehension

A mediator says: 'Both parties say they want the contract renewed, yet neither will put that in writing.' What does the mediator highlight?

  1. A preference to end the contract
  2. A complete breakdown in negotiations
  3. A gap between stated intent and commitment Correct answer.
  4. Agreement on all contract terms

Explanation

The mediator notes that both sides voice support for renewal while refusing to commit in writing. The observation points to a gap between what is said and what is formally committed.

Question 50Listening comprehension

A public-address announcement at a train station says: 'The 4:15 service to Osaka will depart from platform 6 instead of platform 2. Passengers already waiting on platform 2 should make their way across the footbridge.' Where should passengers for the 4:15 go?

  1. The ticket office
  2. Platform 2
  3. Platform 6 Correct answer.
  4. The footbridge entrance

Explanation

The announcement states the departure platform has been changed to platform 6, and directs those waiting on platform 2 to cross the footbridge. The footbridge is only the route, not the boarding point.