This article will help you answer APTIS listening part IV: Monologue Comprehension questions more effectively.
What is the Aptis listening part 4 like?
Part 4 of the APTIS Listening is called Monologue Comprehension. In this task, you will hear two longer monologues and you will have to decide the attitude, the intention, or the opinion of the speaker.
There are two questions with each monologue (so 4 in total). To complete the task, you must choose one from three options you are given.
The sentence options are longer than part 3. For further information, please visit British Council website here.
Example: Below is an example of one question and the tapescript that goes with it
Listen to a lecturer giving a talk about environmental concerns and answer the questions.
A popular mindset in our modern society is that too much of our financial resources are being invested into preserving our environment as much as possible. People contend that there are more important issues to consider before expending all our capital fighting against global warming or deforestation. However, I have to disagree with those opinions as environmental problems should be dealt with immediately.
Sure, malnutrition, poverty and violence are some examples of insurmountable problems that the world is facing right now, yet it does not mean that the environmental troubles are less important. For instance, the amount of potable water, which is vital for our existence, is decreasing considerably. Rivers and lakes are getting drier and drier. People are still wasting water in developed countries by not turning off the taps when not in use, and overpopulation is making the shortage worse. Even though we have developed very sophisticated systems to recycle rainwater, not every country has the means or infrastructure to implement it. It is true that we must eradicate food insecurity and violence, but it is also true that the water dilemma could trigger more complications, in the worst of the scenarios, who knows?, a war maybe.
Furthermore, air, water, soil, and even sound pollution is responsible for causing global warming. In particular, the climate in most countries, particularly developing ones, is being modified aggressively every year due to the melting of the glaciers. Relatedly, we have witnessed more tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, fires and so on, in our lifetime than ever before. And I believe the situation will exacerbate. These disasters will become more catastrophic and frequent. Natural disasters and global warming go hand in hand and is a matter of time that they will destroy us if we do not pay attention now. Reducing pollution is a small step in the right direction, but everyone must be on board.
It is critical to work on economic and social issues, but it is slightly more crucial to take care of our planet, because it is our home, it is where we live. The future of our existence depends on what we are willing to do today.
1. What is his overall opinion?
- Environmental problems require more concern than social and economic ones.
- Global warming and poverty carry equal prominence.
- The world will go to war over environmental issues.
2. What is his prediction for natural disasters?
- They will disappear if we can create less pollution.
- They will begin to affect developed countries.
- They will worsen with time.
How To Tackle Monologue Comprehension Question?
Analyse the questions and options
Read the main question. We have to keep emphasising this but with section 4 you must be clear on both parts of the question. You will only give the right answer if can see how the two sections can join together.
Take note of the keywords. In part 4 of the listening test, the question options are a little longer and more complicated than in section 3. Think about the keywords in both sections. The first section of the question askes:
1. What is his overall opinion?
Here the word ‘opinion’ is the keyword and you need to listen for something he believes. ‘His’ is also important so you must listen for only his opinion and not someone he quotes.
You should ask yourself ‘What words express opinions?’ And be listening for them, ‘Overall’ could also be an important word and so it is good to make a note of it too. If his opinion is about a specific part of the results and not the overall result, then that may not be the correct answer.
Then we have to think about the three options (the stem sentences).
A. Environmental problems require more concern than social and economic ones.
B. Global warming and poverty carry equal prominence.
C. The world will go to war over environmental issues.
The key phrase is ‘more concern’.
In B there is a key phrase- ‘equal prominence’.
For C the key phrase is ‘war over’ but it has to be used in connection with ‘environmental issues’.
The answer to this question is option A because the professor states:
‘It is critical to work on economic and social issues, but it is slightly more crucial to take care of our planet’.
‘More concern’ and ‘more crucial’ express similar ideas. We can eliminate answer B because it says ‘equal prominence’, not more.
As in part 3, adverbs, nouns and adjectives play a greater part in these questions. They are designed to see what you infer, in other words, what you conclude from statements that are not obvious.
As with other parts of the listening test, the keyword may not always be repeated in the dialogue. You should be prepared to listen for synonyms and parallel expressions. These will again be discussed later in the article.
Be careful of ‘distractors’. As discussed in parts 1, 2 & 3 distractors are words and phrases that are included in the text. These sound like they might be the answer but aren’t.
In part 3 & 4 distractors are often different because you are not listening for specific information. In these parts, you need to be careful of adverbs, nouns and adjectives which can affect the meaning.
However, there are distractors in the example in which words can sound the same. Question C has the word ‘war’ in it and during the speaking, there are references to ‘fighting’ ‘aggressively’ and ‘violence’. There is also the use of an expression that is similar to world war- ‘global worming.
Know your grammar. Grammar is always important because you have to understand the inference of the sentence.
To answer above question we need to think about predictions and what time the speaker is talking about. If the speaker makes a future prediction or uses a conditional using ‘will’, then he, or she is referring to the future. The answer to above question 23 should follow ‘will’. The professor says: ‘And I believe the situation will exacerbate’. The answer is C ‘will get worse’.
When you analyse the grammar you will understand the inference more clearly and be more likely to give the correct answer.
Think about intonation and word stress. To understand a negative or positive reaction you should listen to intonation and word stress. A negative reaction or disagreeing with what’s being said is more likely to have a falling intonation. Negative auxiliaries and modals are usually stressed and so these will help indicate what is inferred. Moreover, positive ideas and statements which agree with someone normally have a rising intonation.
Be ready for the information
Think about the situation. It is an important strategy in all listening tests and means preparing yourself for the answer so that you recognise it when you hear it.
In all parts of the APTIS listening, it is extremely helpful to think about the situation before you listen (the technical expression for this is ‘activating schemata’).
Before you do part 4, you will need to think about the situation and what a person in that situation would say. What would they say if they were giving another person their opinions, agreeing, disagreeing? Expressing different attitudes or intentions?
Think about functional vocabulary. This is the type of vocabulary used in specific situations. In part 4 of the APTIS Listening Test, you have an advantage because you know that it is the answers are opinions and that this will also include agreeing and disagreeing with opinions. You know that you should think about adjectives that express attitudes- disgusted, disappointed, proud etc and phrases that talk about intentions- going to, planning on, would like to.
When you have thought about these, you can match them with the keywords in the monologue and find the correct answer.
Listen for the ‘introduction’ words. These are the words that come before and prepare you for the specific information that you need to answer the question. Again, you should imagine what people would say in a dialogue like this.
Flag the questions you are not certain about and return to them. You may not want to use too much time on the questions and so you can flag them and return later.
Make a note of the things that you want to check when you go back and listen again. If you are not sure of the answer is on the first listen, know what you are looking for when you play it again.
When you listen a second time, make sure that you prepare yourself and concentrate. You still have to listen carefully to the introductions to the answers and for the right matches- the information you need to answer the question correctly.
Remember! You will not lose marks for incorrect answers. Therefore, complete all of the questions.
Don’t change any answers unless you are sure you are right. The first answer is often the correct answer.
Other General TIPs And Strategies To For APTIS Listening
Audio scripts: When choosing or searching for practice tests, try and find ones with scripts. Scripts are the word-for-word written texts of the audio you listen to. It is a good idea to first listen without the script and then with the script. Use the script to confirm why your answer was right, or to tell you what you did wrong.
Listen as much as you can in English: Live talk radio, podcasts, TED talks, documentaries (these work well because there is not too much fast dialogue and the pictures help confirm what you hear) English Movies, English Cartoons, etc.)
Practice your English with your speaking partner: This will not only enable you to improve your speaking but enhance your listening skills too.
Polish your topic vocabulary: Most vocabulary books are set out in topics- Holidays, work, sport, shopping, music etc. By learning your vocabulary by topic then you will be more prepared if it comes up in the exam.
The power of music: Music is a great aid to memory. Memorising words that you like and remembering lyrics will help your vocabulary and grammar, as well as improving your listening skills.
The excitement of film: Films (or ‘movies’) help us predict what will be said by providing visual cues. The body language of an actor – as well as their tone of voice – give signs of what is about to be said, so it will help your English comprehension. Also, the more interested you are, the harder you will listen.
Think In English: This is not easy if you live in a country that is non-native English speaking, but you could change the operating system on your phone, tablet or laptop to English. Play a game with your friends where everyone has to speak English for an hour (try to make it funny by trying to sound as English as possible). Have a day when you only listen to or watch things that are in English. Practice situations or dialogues when you are travelling or don’t have anything to do.
Try as many as practice APTIS tests: Doing practice tests will help you build your concentration levels and your instinct. More than that, practice will improve your English and help you with the timings you need to complete the test with the best result. If you would like to increase your APTIS score by practicing more listening practice tests then please check the exam library in our website here. There you will find largest simulated APTIS test database. Totally free with no registration (we won't even ask for your email).
