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iTEP Academic-Core practice questions

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First 50 of 199 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

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Question 1Listening

A speaker says: "The library closes at six on weekdays, but stays open until nine on Thursdays." When does the library close on Thursday?

  1. It stays open all night
  2. At nine Correct answer.
  3. At seven
  4. At six

Explanation

The speaker contrasts the usual weekday closing time of six with a specific exception for Thursdays, when the closing time is nine. Listening for contrast words like "but" signals that the second time overrides the first for that day.

Question 2Listening

A man says: "I was going to take the bus, but the driver told me the route was canceled, so I walked." How did the man travel?

  1. On foot Correct answer.
  2. By taxi
  3. By bus
  4. By train

Explanation

The speaker explains that the planned bus trip did not happen because the route was canceled, and the result was walking. The cause-and-effect structure ("so I walked") identifies the actual means of travel.

Question 3Listening

A teacher says: "Please bring your draft to class on Monday; we'll peer-review it, and the final version is due Friday." What should students bring on Monday?

  1. A peer review form
  2. Nothing at all
  3. The final version
  4. Their draft Correct answer.

Explanation

The instruction links Monday to the draft and Friday to the final version, so the item due on Monday is the draft. Distinguishing two dates in one sentence is the key listening skill here.

Question 4Listening

A woman says: "I'd rather meet in the morning than in the afternoon, since I'm not a morning person but my afternoons are always packed." When does she prefer to meet?

  1. In the evening
  2. At noon
  3. In the afternoon
  4. In the morning Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase "I'd rather... than..." states a preference for the first option, the morning. The reason clause explains that her afternoons are busy, confirming the morning choice.

Question 5Listening

An announcement says: "The museum is free for students with ID, and children under twelve enter at no charge. All other visitors pay ten dollars." How much does an adult without a student ID pay?

  1. Ten dollars Correct answer.
  2. Nothing
  3. Five dollars
  4. Twelve dollars

Explanation

The announcement lists free groups (students with ID and young children) and sets a price of ten dollars for everyone else. An adult without a student ID falls into the "all other visitors" group.

Question 6Listening

A speaker says: "Turn left at the bank, then take the second right, and the post office is across from the park." Where is the post office?

  1. Across from the park Correct answer.
  2. Next to the bank
  3. On the first right
  4. Behind the school

Explanation

The final clause of the directions places the post office across from the park. Following a sequence of turns to a landmark is a common listening task.

Question 7Listening

A man says: "My sister is a nurse, and my brother just started law school." What is the man's sister's job?

  1. Lawyer
  2. Student
  3. Nurse Correct answer.
  4. Teacher

Explanation

The speaker directly identifies the sister as a nurse and separately mentions the brother's law studies. Matching each person to the correct role is the listening task.

Question 8Listening

A speaker says: "The meeting has been moved from Tuesday to Wednesday because the manager is traveling." Why was the meeting moved?

  1. A holiday falls on Tuesday
  2. The manager is traveling Correct answer.
  3. Too few people could attend
  4. The room was unavailable

Explanation

The word "because" introduces the reason for the change, which is the manager's travel. Cause-and-effect markers point directly to the answer.

Question 9Listening

A woman says: "The train was supposed to leave at eight, but it didn't arrive until half past nine." How late was the train?

  1. Two hours
  2. Thirty minutes
  3. One hour
  4. Ninety minutes Correct answer.

Explanation

The scheduled time was 8:00 and the actual arrival was 9:30, a difference of one and a half hours, or ninety minutes. Computing the gap requires holding both times in memory.

Question 10Listening

A speaker says: "Although the apartment is small and far from campus, the rent is reasonable and the neighbors are quiet." What is the speaker's overall view of the apartment?

  1. Completely neutral
  2. Mixed but favorable Correct answer.
  3. Completely positive
  4. Entirely negative

Explanation

The speaker names drawbacks (small size, distance) but balances them with advantages (reasonable rent, quiet neighbors). The overall impression is therefore mixed yet leaning positive.

Question 11Listening

A professor says: "Some of you cited secondary sources in your papers. While those can be useful, I expect you to engage with the primary texts we discussed in class." What does the professor want students to do?

  1. Rewrite from memory
  2. Cite more secondary sources
  3. Use the primary texts Correct answer.
  4. Avoid all sources

Explanation

The professor acknowledges secondary sources but states an expectation to engage with primary texts. The contrast word "while" signals that the real requirement is the primary material.

Question 12Listening

A woman says: "I finally finished the report, though I had to stay up until two in the morning to do it." What does her tone suggest?

  1. Anger at a coworker
  2. Indifference to the deadline
  3. Relief mixed with exhaustion Correct answer.
  4. Excitement about a new project

Explanation

"Finally finished" conveys relief at completion, while staying up until two conveys fatigue. Tone is inferred by combining the achievement with the cost it required.

Question 13Listening

A man says: "If I had checked the weather report, I would have brought an umbrella." What does he imply?

  1. He brought an umbrella
  2. He got wet without an umbrella Correct answer.
  3. He checked the forecast
  4. He enjoys rainy weather

Explanation

The third conditional describes a past situation that did not happen: he did not check the report and therefore did not bring an umbrella. The implication is that he was caught in the rain.

Question 14Listening

A librarian says: "Books can be renewed online twice; after that, you must come to the desk in person." What must a student do after two online renewals?

  1. Renew in person at the desk Correct answer.
  2. Return the book immediately
  3. Pay a fine at the desk
  4. Renew online a third time

Explanation

The speaker sets a limit of two online renewals and then specifies the next step: renewing in person at the desk. Listening for sequence markers like "after that" clarifies the procedure.

Question 15Listening

A speaker says: "The workshop is aimed at beginners, so you don't need any prior experience, but you should bring a laptop." What should a beginner bring?

  1. A textbook
  2. A registration fee
  3. A laptop Correct answer.
  4. Prior experience

Explanation

The speaker removes the experience requirement and then states a single practical requirement: a laptop. The contrast word "but" highlights the actual obligation.

Question 16Listening

A woman says: "I thought the film was going to be a comedy, but it turned out to be a documentary about climate change." What surprised her?

  1. The film's genre Correct answer.
  2. The actors' names
  3. The film's length
  4. The ticket price

Explanation

She expected a comedy and instead saw a documentary, so the surprise concerns the type of film. The expectation-versus-reality structure signals the answer.

Question 17Listening

A man says: "The conference was supposed to start at nine, but the keynote speaker's flight was delayed, so we began at eleven." What caused the delay?

  1. Heavy traffic
  2. A late flight Correct answer.
  3. A missing microphone
  4. A room booking error

Explanation

The "so" clause traces the two-hour delay back to the keynote speaker's delayed flight. Identifying the cause among several possible disruptions is the listening task.

Question 18Listening

A speaker says: "You may submit the form by email or in person, but not by fax." Which method is acceptable?

  1. Email or in person Correct answer.
  2. By phone
  3. Fax only
  4. By mail

Explanation

The speaker lists email and in-person submission as allowed and explicitly excludes fax. Recognizing an exclusion clause is essential to answering correctly.

Question 19Listening

A woman says: "I used to run every morning, but since I moved downtown, I've been swimming at the gym instead." What does she do now for exercise?

  1. She runs every morning
  2. She swims at the gym Correct answer.
  3. She cycles to work
  4. She no longer exercises

Explanation

"Used to" marks a past habit, and "since I moved" introduces the current routine: swimming at the gym. Distinguishing past from present habits is the key.

Question 20Listening

A speaker says: "The study found that students who took notes by hand recalled more information than those who typed their notes." What did the study compare?

  1. Two different age groups
  2. Two different schools
  3. Handwritten versus typed notes Correct answer.
  4. Exam scores over time

Explanation

The comparison is between two note-taking methods, handwriting and typing, and their effect on recall. Recognizing comparative structures ("more... than") reveals what is being compared.

Question 21Listening

A professor says: "Your essay should be analytical rather than descriptive; don't just summarize the plot, argue a point." What is the main requirement?

  1. Summarize the plot in detail
  2. Describe the author's life
  3. Write a longer essay
  4. Argue an interpretive point Correct answer.

Explanation

The professor contrasts description with analysis and explicitly asks students to argue a point rather than summarize. The instruction after the semicolon restates the main requirement.

Question 22Listening

A man says: "The new policy isn't as strict as the old one, but it's stricter than what the staff originally proposed." Which policy is the least strict?

  1. The old policy
  2. All three are equally strict
  3. The originally proposed policy Correct answer.
  4. The new policy

Explanation

Two comparisons must be chained: the new policy is less strict than the old one but stricter than the original proposal. That makes the original proposal the least strict of the three.

Question 23Listening

A speaker says: "Had the committee reviewed the budget earlier, the cuts would not have been necessary." What does the speaker suggest?

  1. The committee acted too late Correct answer.
  2. The budget was never written
  3. The cuts were avoided
  4. The committee reviewed the budget on time

Explanation

The inverted conditional "Had the committee reviewed..." describes a past condition that was not met, implying the review came too late. The result clause confirms that the cuts happened.

Question 24Listening

A lecturer says: "The data appear to support the hypothesis, but correlation alone cannot establish causation." What is the lecturer's point?

  1. The data are irrelevant
  2. The study should be repeated
  3. The hypothesis is proven
  4. The relationship may not be causal Correct answer.

Explanation

The lecturer accepts a correlation in the data but warns that correlation does not prove causation, so a causal link remains unestablished. The contrast after "but" carries the main claim.

Question 25Listening

A woman says: "I wouldn't have minded the extra hours if they had been announced in advance; it was the surprise that bothered me." What upset her?

  1. Her coworkers' attitude
  2. The lack of advance notice Correct answer.
  3. The number of hours
  4. The type of work

Explanation

She says the extra hours themselves would have been acceptable if announced beforehand, so the problem was the unexpected nature of the change. The cleft sentence "it was the surprise that..." focuses the complaint.

Question 26Listening

A woman says: "The library's extended hours start next week, so we'll be open until midnight on weekdays." What change is she announcing?

  1. The library will close later on weekdays. Correct answer.
  2. The library will have shorter hours.
  3. The library will be closed on weekends.
  4. The library will open earlier.

Explanation

The speaker states that the library will be open until midnight on weekdays, which means it will close later than before. The phrase 'extended hours' confirms the change is an extension, not a reduction.

Question 27Listening

A man says: "I was going to drive to the airport, but with the snow forecast, I've decided to take the shuttle instead." Why did he change his plan?

  1. He is concerned about the weather. Correct answer.
  2. The shuttle is cheaper.
  3. He missed his flight.
  4. He does not have a car.

Explanation

The man mentions a snow forecast as the reason for choosing the shuttle over driving. The forecast implies potentially hazardous driving conditions, so weather concern is the cause of his change.

Question 28Listening

A speaker says: "Please note that the chemistry lab is on the second floor of the science building, not the first." Where is the chemistry lab?

  1. In a different building
  2. On the first floor
  3. In the basement
  4. On the second floor Correct answer.

Explanation

The speaker corrects a possible misunderstanding by stating the lab is on the second floor, not the first. The phrase 'not the first' clarifies that the correct location is the second floor.

Question 29Listening

A woman says: "The orientation session is mandatory for all new employees, and it will be held in the main conference room." What is true about the orientation?

  1. It is for managers only.
  2. It is optional for new employees.
  3. It is required for all new employees. Correct answer.
  4. It will be online.

Explanation

The word 'mandatory' means required, and the speaker says it applies to all new employees. Therefore, attendance is required for every new employee.

Question 30Listening

A man says: "I'll be out of the office until Thursday, but you can reach me by email if there's an emergency." What should someone do if they need to contact him urgently?

  1. Visit his office.
  2. Wait until Thursday.
  3. Send him an email. Correct answer.
  4. Call his office phone.

Explanation

The man says he can be reached by email in case of an emergency while he is away. Therefore, email is the recommended method for urgent contact.

Question 31Listening

A woman says: "The lecture on ancient Rome has been cancelled, and the professor will reschedule it for next month." What will happen to the lecture?

  1. It will be replaced by another topic.
  2. It will not be rescheduled.
  3. It will be held online.
  4. It will be given next month. Correct answer.

Explanation

The speaker says the lecture has been cancelled but will be rescheduled for next month. Thus, the lecture will take place next month.

Question 32Listening

A man says: "I've been trying to cut down on coffee, so I've switched to tea in the afternoons." What change has he made?

  1. He drinks more coffee now.
  2. He only drinks coffee in the mornings.
  3. He drinks tea instead of coffee in the afternoons. Correct answer.
  4. He has stopped drinking all caffeine.

Explanation

The man says he has switched to tea in the afternoons as part of cutting down on coffee. This means he now drinks tea rather than coffee in the afternoon.

Question 33Listening

A speaker says: "The museum is free on the first Sunday of every month, but there is a charge on all other days." When can visitors enter without paying?

  1. On weekdays
  2. On the first Sunday of the month Correct answer.
  3. On all days
  4. Every Sunday

Explanation

The speaker specifies that the museum is free on the first Sunday of every month. On other days, including other Sundays, there is an admission charge.

Question 34Listening

A woman says: "The new software is supposed to make data entry faster, but I find it more complicated than the old system." What is her opinion of the new software?

  1. It is easier to use than the old system.
  2. She has not used it yet.
  3. It is faster but less complicated.
  4. It is more complicated than the old system. Correct answer.

Explanation

The woman contrasts the intended benefit with her own experience: she finds the new software more complicated than the old system. Her opinion is that it is more complicated.

Question 35Listening

A man says: "I was planning to take the advanced course, but after talking to the advisor, I realized I should complete the prerequisite first." What did the advisor likely tell him?

  1. He needs to take the prerequisite before the advanced course. Correct answer.
  2. He is not eligible for any courses.
  3. He should drop out of the program.
  4. He should take the advanced course now.

Explanation

The man's realization that he should complete the prerequisite first suggests the advisor informed him of this requirement. The advanced course likely requires the prerequisite.

Question 36Listening

A woman says: "The results were not as conclusive as we had hoped, so we need to collect more data before drawing any firm conclusions." What does she mean?

  1. The data collection is complete.
  2. They need more data to reach firm conclusions. Correct answer.
  3. They have already drawn firm conclusions.
  4. The results are conclusive.

Explanation

The woman states that the results are not conclusive and that more data are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. This means they need additional data.

Question 37Listening

A man says: "The workshop was informative, but I think it would have been better if the presenter had allowed more time for questions." What is his criticism?

  1. The presenter was not informative.
  2. There was not enough time for questions. Correct answer.
  3. The workshop was not informative.
  4. The workshop was too long.

Explanation

The man says the workshop was informative but would have been better with more time for questions. His criticism is that there was insufficient time for questions.

Question 38Listening

A woman says: "I thought the article was well researched, but the author's conclusion seemed to go beyond what the evidence supported." What is her view of the article?

  1. The article was completely accurate.
  2. The author did not do any research.
  3. The research was poor.
  4. The conclusion was not supported by the evidence. Correct answer.

Explanation

The woman praises the research but criticizes the conclusion as going beyond the evidence. This means she thinks the conclusion was not adequately supported.

Question 39Listening

A man says: "The new policy is stricter than the old one, but it's less strict than the one proposed last year." How does the new policy compare to the one proposed last year?

  1. It is equally strict.
  2. It is the same as the old one.
  3. It is less strict. Correct answer.
  4. It is stricter.

Explanation

The man states the new policy is less strict than the one proposed last year. This is a direct comparison: new policy < last year's proposal in strictness.

Question 40Listening

A woman says: "The experiment failed to replicate the original findings, which suggests that the initial results may have been due to chance." What does she imply about the original findings?

  1. They are definitely correct.
  2. They may not be reliable. Correct answer.
  3. They were based on a large sample.
  4. They were replicated successfully.

Explanation

The failure to replicate and the suggestion that the initial results may have been due to chance imply doubt about the reliability of the original findings. Thus, they may not be reliable.

Question 41Listening

A man says: "I was going to buy the textbook, but I found out the library has multiple copies on reserve." What did he decide to do?

  1. Download the textbook.
  2. Share a textbook with a friend.
  3. Buy the textbook.
  4. Borrow a copy from the library. Correct answer.

Explanation

The man implies he will use the library's reserve copies instead of buying the book. The phrase 'but I found out' signals a change from his original plan to buy.

Question 42Listening

A woman says: "The conference was supposed to be in-person, but due to the rising cases, it will now be held virtually." What change has been made?

  1. The conference will be online. Correct answer.
  2. The conference is cancelled.
  3. The conference will be in-person.
  4. The conference will be postponed.

Explanation

The speaker says the conference will now be held virtually, meaning it will take place online instead of in-person. The change is from in-person to virtual.

Question 43Listening

A man says: "The professor's feedback was quite critical, but I think it was fair and will help me improve my thesis." How does he feel about the feedback?

  1. He is angry about the feedback.
  2. He thinks it was helpful despite being critical. Correct answer.
  3. He ignores the feedback.
  4. He thinks it was unfair.

Explanation

The man acknowledges the feedback was critical but considers it fair and useful for improvement. Thus, he sees it as helpful.

Question 44Listening

A woman says: "The study's sample size was small, so the results should be interpreted with caution." What is her concern?

  1. The results were too cautious.
  2. The study was too long.
  3. The study had no results.
  4. The sample size was too small. Correct answer.

Explanation

The woman explicitly mentions the small sample size as a reason for caution. Her concern is that the sample size was too small to draw strong conclusions.

Question 45Listening

A man says: "I was hoping to get an A in the course, but given my performance on the midterm, I'll be satisfied with a B." What does he mean?

  1. He has already received a B.
  2. He expects to get an A.
  3. He is not satisfied with any grade.
  4. He now thinks a B is more realistic. Correct answer.

Explanation

The man's original hope was an A, but based on his midterm performance, he would be satisfied with a B. This indicates he now sees a B as a realistic outcome.

Question 46Listening

A woman says: "The new employee orientation covers safety protocols, but it doesn't address the specific software we use daily." What is missing from the orientation?

  1. Employee benefits
  2. Software training Correct answer.
  3. Safety protocols
  4. Company history

Explanation

The speaker says the orientation covers safety protocols but does not address the specific software used daily. Therefore, software training is the missing element.

Question 47Listening

A man says: "The article was supposed to be published in the spring issue, but due to delays, it will now appear in the summer issue." When will the article be published?

  1. In the summer issue Correct answer.
  2. In the spring issue
  3. In the fall issue
  4. It will not be published.

Explanation

The speaker states the article was delayed from the spring issue to the summer issue. Thus, it will now be published in the summer issue.

Question 48Listening

A woman says: "The lecture was supposed to be introductory, but the professor assumed we already knew the basics and went into advanced topics." What was the problem with the lecture?

  1. It was too advanced for the audience. Correct answer.
  2. It was too short.
  3. It was cancelled.
  4. It was too basic.

Explanation

The lecture was intended as introductory, but the professor assumed prior knowledge and covered advanced topics. This mismatch made it too advanced for the audience.

Question 49Listening

A man says: "I would have applied for the scholarship if I had known the deadline was extended." What does he imply?

  1. He was not eligible for the scholarship.
  2. He applied for the scholarship.
  3. He did not apply because he thought the deadline had passed. Correct answer.
  4. He knew about the extension.

Explanation

The conditional 'would have applied' indicates he did not apply. The reason is that he did not know the deadline was extended, implying he believed the deadline had passed.

Question 50Listening

A woman says: "The committee's report was not so much a critique of the policy as a recommendation for its revision." What is the report's main purpose?

  1. To recommend revising the policy Correct answer.
  2. To praise the policy
  3. To criticize the policy
  4. To ignore the policy

Explanation

The phrase 'not so much A as B' means B is more accurate than A. Here, the report is more a recommendation for revision than a critique, so its main purpose is to recommend revision.