Listening Comprehension
What the listening section asks
Toyama's listening section checks whether you can catch the purpose of short exchanges, not whether you understood every word. Questions typically ask about place, time, reason, action, or the speaker's next step. Some items pair a dialogue with a picture or table; others ask you to choose the reply that fits.
Core rules
- Preview the question before the audio starts; it tells you which information to filter.
- Track who is speaking. An answer about "the man" can be hidden in what the woman says.
- Numbers, days, and prices are often corrected mid-dialogue ("not 8:15-the next one").
- Listen for function words: because, so, but, instead, before, after. They carry the logic.
- If you miss a line, keep listening; one gap should not cost the next item.
Worked example
You hear: Woman: Did you take the 8:15 bus? Man: I missed it by five minutes, so I waited for the 8:40 one. Question: What time did the man catch the bus? Answer: 8:40. "Missed it by five minutes" refers back to the 8:15 bus, but the action he actually took is waiting for the 8:40 bus. The distractor 8:15 is present; 8:20 is a tempting calculation but is not stated.
Traps
- Choosing the first number or name you hear.
- Ignoring negation: "I don't think so" is not agreement.
- Treating a polite question as a factual question.
- Writing a full sentence when a letter or number is required.