TOEFL IBT Listening Practice Test 18 from TOEFL Actual Test Book

Lecture 35-39: Listen to part of a lecture in an engineering class.

35. What aspect of oceanic cables does the professor mainly discuss?
A How they are important to world communications

B The way in which they are planted in the ocean floor

C Why a trench-digging apparatus sometimes disrupts their functions

D The method by which cable ships map their placement


36. According to the professor, what is crucial to the trencher? (Detail Question)

A It is able to move independently of the cable ship.
B It uses water to blast away at the soil and sediment.
C Its light weight makes it perfect for building cable trenches.
D Its speed allows it to lay cables in half the time of prior methods.


37. Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
A. The makeup of the ocean floor often varies.
B. The ocean floor is always hard to blast.
C. The trencher cannot always cut into the seabed.
D. Without different blast settings, the trencher would be useless.


38. According to the professor, why do the cables not float away before they are buried?
A The trencher keeps them pinned to the ocean floor.
B The cable ship forces the cable down with mechanical arms.
C’ The cable is filled with some kind of heavy material.
D The cable is displaced over a large area on the seafloor.


39. The professor explains the steps in the process of laying an oceanic cable. Put these steps in order.
Step 1     _______________
Step 2     _______________
Step 3     _______________
Step 4     _______________

A The cable is spooled off the deck of the cable ship.
B The jets of the trencher blast away the seabed.
C The trencher is lowered into the water.
D Engineers map the position of the cable.


Conversation 40-44:0 Listen to part of a conversation between a student and a librarian.

40. What are the speakers mainly discussing?
A. Where to find reference books for a history paper
B. The student’s book fines and renewal problems
C. How to check out books from the local junior college

D. The reasons why late fines have increased recently


41. According to the librarian, what happens if a book is not returned within two weeks of its due date?
A. The student must pay for the book in full.

B. Late fines double each day the book is not returned.
C. The student must pay five dollars per book.
D. The student will not be allowed to check out any books.


42. According to the librarian, why have the late fines for library books increased?
A The university needs funds to build a new library at the junior college.
B Many students have been neglecting to return their books on time.

C The policy was long overdue for an upgrade according to the school.
D Professors complained about not having access to critical historical texts.


43. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.
A Her professor will be furious with her.
B She will probably fail her upcoming exam.

C The books are the basis of her homework.

D She has never gotten an F on a paper before.


44 What will the student probably do next?
A Go speak to her professor about a paper extension
B Look in the stacks for the books she needs

C Check the two books out from the junior college
D Return to her dorm room for some cash to pay the fines


Lecture 45-50: Listen to part of a lecture in a physiology class.

45. What is the lecture mainly about?
A. How heredity affects a person’s personality

B. A survey of people’s basic somatotypes

C. Reasons why a person’s shape will remain the same
D. The characteristics of type A and type B personalities


46. According to the professor, what can affect a person’s body type?
A. The type of diet and nutrition he follows ‘

B. The genetics of a specific individual

C. The density of ones bones and muscles

D. The desire of the person to change


47. What does the professor imply about personalities?

A They always correlate with a person’s body type.
B They have no relation to a person’s body type.
C In general, certain body types display similar ones.
D. In recent studies, personalities change as body types do.


48. According to the professor, what will mesomorphs be more prone to?
A. They tend to embrace competition and activity.
B. They will enjoy eating more than they exercise.
C. They might often be lethargic and inactive.
D. They will usually have more health risks.


49. Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
A. She is shy about having the students critique her body.
B. She is worried the students will not participate.
C She is embarrassed about her own body type.
D She is enthusiastic about using herself as an example.


50. Are the following characteristics of people with type A or type B personalities?
Click in the correct box for each sentence.

  Type A  Type B
A They tend to be sensitive.    
B They are usually highly competitive.    
C They have a lot of confidence.    
D They might not like to talk too much.    

Solution for TOEFl iBT Listening Practice Test 18