Gist-purpose Questions in TOEFL Listening
Learn about Gist-purpose questions in TOEFL listening with an overview and practice question.
by Tim Martyn
Overview
Gist-purpose questions test your ability to identify the purpose of (part of) a lecture or conversation.
Here are some key points about Gist-purpose questions:
- They’re used with both lectures and conversations.
- They’re easy to identify because they use phrases like Why does the student/professor… or What is the main purpose of…
- The purpose won’t necessarily be given at the start of the recording.
- Be careful – the speaker(s) will probably talk about many different things.
Practice question
Now it’s your turn to practise. Answer the Gist-purpose question below.
Feedback
Click below for the transcript.
Student: Hi, Professor Wilkins.
Professor: Oh, hi, John. How was your sister’s wedding?
Student: Great thanks. It was such a beautiful day. Everything went perfectly. Sorry I had to miss class last week, though.
Professor: No need to apologize – just make sure you catch up on what you missed. I’m glad you stopped by, actually. I was just going through some paperwork, and I noticed I haven’t received your internship form yet. It’s due by the end of the week, remember?
Student: Yes, sorry about that. The thing is, I haven’t quite decided where I want to do my internship yet.
Professor: I get that. It can be tough to choose, especially with so many options. Just make sure you get the form in by the deadline.
Student: I understand. I’ll make sure I do that in the next few days.
Professor: OK, great. So, what can I do for you?
Student: Well, I was just wondering about the group assignment. Our group’s struggling a bit. Is there any chance we could get an extension?
Professor: Ah, well, I don’t usually grant extensions. What’s the issue exactly?
Student: Well, it’s Ben, one of my group members. He’s really holding us back. He hasn’t been showing up to meetings, and when he does, he barely contributes. He hasn’t done any of the research, and when we give him a specific task to do, he doesn’t follow through. It’s making it really hard for the rest of us to stay on track.
Professor: I see. That’s frustrating. Have you tried talking to him about it?
Student: We’ve tried. He says he’s juggling a lot of things right now, but we all are.
Professor: I see. Look, I know group assignments can be challenging, but I’m afraid I can’t offer an extension. I’d recommend having another chat with him, maybe setting clear expectations about what needs to be done and when. If things don’t change, let me know and we can take it from there.
Student: OK, I’ll do that. Thanks for the advice, Professor Wilkins.
Professor: No problem. See you in class tomorrow. And don’t forget to send me that internship form, alright?
Student: Don’t worry – I will. Thanks again!
