TOEFL Listen and Choose a Response Practice Questions

Answer: D. Ingrid put her name on it yesterday.

The speaker checks an assumption with a tag question: the corner plot is still unclaimed. The best reply corrects it indirectly by saying someone has already put her name on it, so the plot is taken.

Evidence: The corner plot by the fence is still unclaimed, isn't it?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. I've never claimed a plot before. — Incorrect. Echoes 'plot' and the sound of 'unclaimed' but talks about the listener's own history, not the status of the corner plot.
• B. Corner plots get the most sun. — Incorrect. Repeats 'corner' and 'plot' but only describes corner plots in general; it does not say whether this plot has been claimed.
• C. They're fixing the fence on Friday. — Incorrect. Repeats 'fence', which only locates the plot; a repair date says nothing about whether the plot is unclaimed.

Answer: B. That bank is always slow with deposits.

The speaker says, "How come my rent check hasn't cleared yet?" The speaker wants to know why the money from a rent check hasn't gone through. The best reply is "That bank is always slow with deposits." It explains the delay: the bank takes a long time to process checks, so the money hasn't gone through yet. The other replies repeat a word or sound from the prompt, take a word in another sense, or answer a different kind of question, so they do not respond to what the speaker means.

Evidence: How come my rent check hasn't cleared yet?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. I checked the mailbox this morning. — Incorrect. Repeats the sound of 'check' as a verb; checking the mailbox does not explain why a deposited check hasn't gone through.
• C. The sky should clear up by noon. — Incorrect. Plays on 'cleared' with the weather sense of 'clear up'; it says nothing about the check.
• D. Rent's gone up again this year. — Incorrect. Repeats 'rent' but talks about the price of rent, not why the check hasn't cleared.

Answer: C. Paulo said he'd cover it.

The question asks which person is watering during Tomasz's absence. Only the reply naming Paulo, who offered to 'cover' the job, gives a person; the others answer when, how often or where.

Evidence: Who's watering the beds while Tomasz is away?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. About twice a week in summer. — Incorrect. Answers 'how often', not 'who'; it gives a frequency for watering but names no one.
• B. The raised beds by the gate. — Incorrect. Repeats 'beds' and gives a place, so it answers 'which beds' or 'where', not 'who'.
• D. He's away until the twentieth. — Incorrect. Picks up 'away' and says when Tomasz returns, which answers 'how long' rather than who is doing the watering.

Answer: D. Only the one by the gate.

The negative question checks whether the bins were emptied last week. The best reply says only one of them was, which answers the question in part without repeating its words.

Evidence: Didn't someone empty the compost bins last week?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. Yes, the green bin's for food scraps. — Incorrect. Repeats 'bin' and says what the green bin is for; the 'Yes' is not followed by anything about emptying.
• B. No, I'll be away next week. — Incorrect. Echoes 'week' but shifts to next week and to the listener's plans, so the 'No' is not about the bins.
• C. Compost is great for the soil. — Incorrect. Repeats 'compost' but praises it in general; it says nothing about whether anyone emptied the bins.

Answer: D. There's still frost in the forecast.

The speaker asks whether to plant now or wait. The reply about frost in the forecast never says 'wait', but it gives the reason the speaker should: the nights are not yet warm enough.

Evidence: Should I plant the peppers now or wait for warmer nights?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. The nights are longer in winter. — Incorrect. Repeats 'nights' but states a general fact about day length, not whether it is warm enough to plant now.
• B. Peppers need a lot of water. — Incorrect. Repeats 'peppers' but gives care advice that has nothing to do with when to plant.
• C. Yes, I planted mine last week. — Incorrect. Says 'yes' to an either-or question and talks about the listener's own planting in the past, so it does not advise the speaker.

Answer: D. Let's fill a few watering cans, then.

The speaker reports a problem: the hose is too short for the back beds. The best reply offers another way to water them, which the watering-can suggestion does. "Did you make your bed this morning?" is a word trap: it takes 'beds' as a bed for sleeping, not the garden beds the hose cannot reach. "Could you reach that box for me?" repeats 'reach' as a request for help with a box; it says nothing about watering the back beds.

Evidence: The hose doesn't quite reach the back beds.

Why the other options are wrong

• A. Yes, the back gate is locked. — Incorrect. Repeats 'back' but talks about a gate; agreeing with 'yes' does not make it a response to the hose problem.
• B. Could you reach that box for me? — Incorrect. Repeats 'reach' as a request for help with a box; it says nothing about watering the back beds.
• C. Did you make your bed this morning? — Incorrect. Word trap: takes 'beds' as a bed for sleeping, not the garden beds the hose cannot reach.

Answer: C. Registration hasn't opened yet.

The speaker asks where to register for a garden plot. The best reply explains that it is not possible yet because registration has not opened; the others answer 'when', play on 'sign', or describe the plots.

Evidence: Where do I sign up for a plot next season?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. Sometime in early March. — Incorrect. Gives a time, which answers 'when' rather than 'where'.
• B. Most plots get plenty of sun. — Incorrect. Repeats 'plot' but describes growing conditions, not where to sign up.
• D. The sign blew over in the wind. — Incorrect. Echoes 'sign' as a noun (a posted sign), which is unrelated to signing up.

Answer: C. Yes, it's in my coat pocket.

The speaker uses a tag question to check that they gave the listener the key to the tool shed. The best reply confirms it with 'Yes' and says where the key is now. The other 'Yes' reply answers as if the speaker were offering the key, and the reply that starts with 'No' is about the tools, not the key.

Evidence: I gave you the key to the tool shed, didn't I?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. Yes, please leave it by the door. — Incorrect. Starts with 'Yes' but treats the question as an offer to hand the key over later. The speaker says 'gave', so the question is whether the key was already handed over.
• B. No tools are left in the shed. — Incorrect. Starts with 'No' and repeats 'tool' and 'shed', but it is about the tools left in the shed, not about the key.
• D. I gave the rake back yesterday. — Incorrect. Repeats 'gave' but reports the listener returning a rake, a different object.

Answer: D. Have you seen the squirrels lately?

The speaker complains that someone is taking strawberries too early. The best reply questions who the 'someone' is by pointing to the squirrels, an indirect but relevant response.

Evidence: Someone's been picking the strawberries before they're ripe.

Why the other options are wrong

• A. The strawberry sale was last week. — Incorrect. Repeats 'strawberry' but mentions an unrelated sale.
• B. Pick whichever plot you like. — Incorrect. Repeats 'pick' in the sense of 'choose', so it does not respond to the complaint.
• C. They ripen faster in the heat. — Incorrect. Echoes 'ripe' and gives a general fact; it does not respond to the claim that someone is taking unripe fruit.

Answer: B. My car's in the shop this week.

The speaker asks the listener to bring extra trowels. The best reply gives a reason the listener cannot do it, which is an indirect way of saying no.

Evidence: Could you grab a few extra trowels on Saturday?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. The trowels are for planting bulbs. — Incorrect. Repeats 'trowels' and explains their use, which does not accept or decline the request.
• C. I grabbed a coffee on the way. — Incorrect. Repeats 'grab' in a different context and does not answer the request.
• D. Saturday's forecast looks sunny. — Incorrect. Repeats 'Saturday' but talks about the weather, not the request.

Answer: B. I think it's Kofi's.

The question asks which person should lock up tonight. Only the reply naming Kofi identifies a person; the others play on 'turn', give a time, or answer yes about the wrong night.

Evidence: Whose turn is it to lock up the garden tonight?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. It closes at sunset in summer. — Incorrect. Gives a closing time, answering 'when' rather than 'whose'.
• C. Turn left at the tall sunflowers. — Incorrect. Repeats 'turn' as a direction, which is unrelated to taking a turn at a task.
• D. Yes, I locked it last night. — Incorrect. Says 'yes' to a wh-question and refers to last night rather than tonight.

Answer: C. They're still hanging the prints.

The speaker asks when the exhibit opens. The best reply explains that the photographs are still being put up, which implies it is not open yet.

Evidence: When does the new photography exhibit open?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. In the gallery beside the stairs. — Incorrect. Gives a place, which answers 'where' rather than 'when'.
• B. New exhibits always draw crowds. — Incorrect. Repeats 'new' and 'exhibit' but makes a general comment instead of giving a time.
• D. I took some photos there last year. — Incorrect. Sounds like 'photography' but talks about the listener's past visit, not the opening.

Answer: A. No, they talked me into keeping it.

The speaker says, "Didn't you close that account you never used?" The speaker thought the listener had closed an account that was never used. The best reply is "No, they talked me into keeping it." It answers the negative question: the account is still open because the people who hold it persuaded the listener, the person replying, to keep it. The other replies repeat a word or sound from the prompt, take a word in another sense, or answer a different kind of question, so they do not respond to what the speaker means.

Evidence: Didn't you close that account you never used?

Why the other options are wrong

• B. I've never used that app before. — Incorrect. Repeats 'never used' about something else; it does not answer whether the account was closed.
• C. Account for the time difference, too. — Incorrect. Repeats 'account' as a verb meaning 'allow for'; it does not answer whether the account was closed.
• D. Close the window if you're cold. — Incorrect. Repeats 'close' in the sense of shutting a window; it does not say whether the account was closed.

Answer: B. Only in the main hall.

The speaker asks whether photography is permitted in this room. The best reply limits photos to another space, which tells the speaker they cannot take them here.

Evidence: Aren't we allowed to take pictures in here?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. It takes about an hour to see. — Incorrect. Repeats 'take' in a different sense (time needed), so it does not answer the question.
• C. We're allowed to bring our coats in. — Incorrect. Repeats 'allowed' but is about coats, not taking photos.
• D. The pictures are by local artists. — Incorrect. Repeats 'pictures' in the sense of paintings and says who made them, not whether photos are allowed.

Answer: B. The front desk can swap it for you.

The speaker reports that the audio guide is not working properly. The best reply says where to get it replaced.

Evidence: My audio guide keeps skipping ahead.

Why the other options are wrong

• A. I skipped lunch so I could get here. — Incorrect. Repeats 'skip' in another sense and talks about the listener's lunch.
• C. Yes, we're a little ahead of schedule. — Incorrect. Repeats 'ahead' in the sense of time; it misreads the problem.
• D. The guided tour starts at two. — Incorrect. Sounds like 'guide' but gives the time of a tour, which does not address the broken device.

Answer: C. The top one, past the café.

The speaker asks which floor has the instrument collection. Only 'the top one' identifies a floor; the concert date sounds similar because of the ordinal but answers a different question.

Evidence: Which floor are the musical instruments on?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. Mostly violins from the 1700s. — Incorrect. Says what instruments are shown, answering 'what' instead of 'which floor'.
• B. The floors are all original marble. — Incorrect. Repeats 'floors' but describes what they are made of.
• D. The concert's on the third of May. — Incorrect. Uses an ordinal, 'third', like a floor number, but it gives a date for a concert, not a floor.

Answer: D. I'll just wander around.

The speaker offers a choice between a guided tour and exploring without a guide. The best reply picks exploring alone without using the same words. "Did you join the gym, then?" repeats 'join' and is a question, but it is about a gym membership, not how to see the site. "Where did you explore last summer?" repeats 'explore' but asks about a past trip, not how to see the place today.

Evidence: Would you rather join the guided tour or explore on your own?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. Where did you explore last summer? — Incorrect. Repeats 'explore' but asks about a past trip, not how to see the place today.
• B. Yes, the tour was excellent. — Incorrect. Says 'yes' to an either-or question and refers to a tour in the past.
• C. Did you join the gym, then? — Incorrect. Repeats 'join' and is a question, but it is about a gym membership, not how to see the site.

Answer: C. That changed at the start of the year.

The speaker is surprised to find they must pay. The best reply explains why: the free Wednesday arrangement ended earlier this year.

Evidence: I thought the museum was free on Wednesdays.

Why the other options are wrong

• A. The museum was built in 1902. — Incorrect. Repeats 'museum' but states a historical fact unrelated to admission.
• B. The museum shop closes at five. — Incorrect. Repeats 'museum' but gives the shop's hours, which does not address the belief about free entry.
• D. I'm free Wednesday afternoon, too. — Incorrect. Repeats 'free' and 'Wednesday' but uses 'free' to mean available, not without charge.

Answer: A. Is the cloakroom open yet?

The speaker asks the listener to take a school group to leave their coats. The best reply checks whether the coat room is open, a relevant question in return. "Did you leave your coat in the car?" repeats 'leave' and 'coat' and is a question, but it asks about the speaker's own coat, not where the school group should put theirs.

Evidence: Could you show the school group where to leave their coats?

Why the other options are wrong

• B. Did you leave your coat in the car? — Incorrect. Repeats 'leave' and 'coat' and is a question, but it asks about the speaker's own coat, not where the school group should put theirs.
• C. A group of twelve, I think. — Incorrect. Repeats 'group' and gives its size, which does not respond to the request.
• D. The school is two blocks away. — Incorrect. Repeats 'school' but gives the school's location, not where to leave coats.

Answer: B. They're moving new sculptures in.

The speaker asks for a reason. Only the reply about sculptures being moved in explains why the wing is closed.

Evidence: Why's the east wing roped off today?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. Just through the double doors. — Incorrect. Gives a location, answering 'where' rather than 'why'.
• C. The east entrance opens at nine. — Incorrect. Repeats 'east' but gives an opening time for an entrance.
• D. It was roped off yesterday, too. — Incorrect. Repeats 'roped off' and adds a time, but gives no reason.

Answer: B. More are coming on Monday.

The speaker reports that the postcards are sold out. The best reply says a new delivery is on the way.

Evidence: The gift shop's out of the exhibition postcards.

Why the other options are wrong

• A. Yes, the shop opens at ten. — Incorrect. Repeats 'shop' and gives hours, which does not address the shortage.
• C. I bought her a gift last week. — Incorrect. Repeats 'gift' in a different sense (a present).
• D. The exhibition closes in June. — Incorrect. Repeats 'exhibition' but gives its closing month, not information about the postcards.

Answer: A. Yes, I went there on Sunday.

The speaker asks whether the listener has visited the sculpture garden. The best reply says 'Yes' and adds when the listener went. The other 'Yes' reply uses 'see' to mean 'understand', and the reply that starts with 'No' is about the sculptor, not the garden.

Evidence: Have you seen the sculpture garden yet?

Why the other options are wrong

• B. Sculpture classes start next month. — Incorrect. Repeats 'sculpture' but mentions classes, not whether the listener has visited.
• C. Yes, I see what you mean. — Incorrect. Echoes 'seen' as 'see' in the sense of 'understand', which does not answer the question.
• D. No, I haven't met the sculptor. — Incorrect. Starts with 'No' but swaps 'sculpture' for the sound-alike 'sculptor'; meeting the artist says nothing about visiting the garden.

Answer: D. Around forty minutes if traffic's light.

The speaker asks about travel time. Only the reply giving about forty minutes answers it; the frequency answer is a close trap because it also mentions minutes.

Evidence: How long's the ride to the airport from here?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. The ride over was smooth and quiet. — Incorrect. Repeats 'ride' but describes a past trip's comfort.
• B. It's a long walk from the airport. — Incorrect. Repeats 'long' and 'airport' but refers to walking, not to the ride from here.
• C. It leaves every twenty minutes. — Incorrect. Gives a number of minutes, but it tells how often the service runs, not how long the trip takes.

Answer: D. They moved it to Pine Street.

The speaker asks whether the bus used to stop here. The best reply implies yes and adds that the stop was moved.

Evidence: Didn't the number twelve bus stop here before?

Why the other options are wrong

• A. The number's printed on your ticket. — Incorrect. Repeats 'number' but says where a number appears.
• B. The bus pass is cheaper for students. — Incorrect. Repeats 'bus' but talks about the price of a pass, not whether the number twelve used to stop here.
• C. It's twelve stops to the city center. — Incorrect. Repeats 'twelve' and 'stop' but answers 'how many stops', not whether the bus used to stop here.