Skill #2: CHOOSE ANSWERS WITH SYNONYMS. Often the correct answer in Listening Part A is an answer that contains synonyms (words with similar meanings but different sounds) for key words in the conversation.   Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1YQaIstXzU&t=38s

Skill #3: AVOID SIMILAR SOUNDS. Often the incorrect answers in Listening Part A are answers that contain words with similar sounds but very different meanings from what you hear in the recording program. You should definitely avoid these answer. Example: On the recording you hear.     (man)  : Why couldn't Mark come with us? (woman) : He was searching for a new apartment.     (man) : What does the woman say about Mark? In your test book, you read: (A) He was in the apartment office. (B) He was looking for a place to live (C) He was working on his research project (D) He had an appointment at church. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04_nag0pqWY .

Skill #4: DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHO, WHAT, WHERE It is common in Listening Part A to ask you to draw some kind to conclusion. In this type of question the answer is not clearly stated; instead you must draw a conclusion based on clues given in the conversation. One kind of conclusion that is common in this part of the test is to ask you to determine: Who the speaker is, based on the clues given in the conversation. Example: on the recording, you hear: (woman)    Can you tell me what assignments I missed when I was absent from your class? (man)        You missed one homework assignment and a quiz. (Narrator) Who is the man? In your test book, you read: (A) A newspaper editor (B) A police officer (C) A teacher (D) A student https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4hNyUyfhvU

Skill #5: LISTEN FOR WHO AND WHAT IN PASSIVES It is sometimes difficult to understand who and what is doing the action in a passive sentence. This problem is often tested in Listening Part A.

Skill #6: LISTEN FOR WHO AND WHAT WITH MULTIPLE NOUNS. When there is more than one noun in a sentence in Listening Part A, it is common for the answers to confuse which noun does what. Example. On the recording, you hear: (man)      : Do you know who is in the band now? (woman) : I heard that Mara replaced Robert in the band. (narrator): What does the woman say about the band? In your test book, you read: (A)  Robert became a new member of the band (B)  Robert took Mara's place in the band. (C) Mara didn't have a place in the band. (D) Mara took Robert's place in the band. Analysis: In the woman's response to the man's question, she says "Mara replaced Robers". It means that Mara is in the band, and Robert is not. Therefore, the best answer is (D). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvzN-NawYYU

Skill #7: LISTEN FOR NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS. TYPES OF NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS. Expression Regular negative: not or n´t Example Tom is not sad about the results. Correct answer not sad = happy Expression other negatives: nobody, none, nothing, never. Example Nobody arrived on time. Sal never works hard. Correct answer nobody....on time=late never works hard= lazy Expression negative prefixes: un, in, dis Example the patient was insane Correct answer insame=not same=crazy.