How to do Cambridge FCE Listening Exam | Part 4

Oxford English Now

13 Dec 201914:27

Summary

TLDRThis video lesson focuses on Part Four of the Cambridge First Certificate Listening Exam, offering insights into the exam's format and providing strategies to enhance test performance. The instructor outlines the interview-based listening section, emphasizing the importance of identifying opinions and attitudes. Tips include thorough pre-listening preparation, understanding the main ideas, and discerning between distractors. A sample interview with a junior reporter is presented, followed by a practice exercise with answers provided, aiming to improve students' listening skills and confidence.

Takeaways

📚 The lesson focuses on Part 4 of the Cambridge First Certificate Listening Exam, which involves listening to an interview or interaction between two speakers and answering multiple-choice questions.
🔍 There are seven multiple-choice questions with three options each, and the recording is played twice to give candidates a chance to answer correctly.
⏳ The interview or interaction is usually 3 to 4 minutes long, and the focus is on identifying opinions and attitudes, as well as specific information and the main idea.
👂 Listening for the order of the interaction in the recording is important, as the questions follow the sequence of the conversation.
✍️ Reading the questions carefully within the given 30 seconds and underlining the main idea in each question is recommended to have a clear understanding of what to listen for.
💭 Listening for the general idea of what each speaker is saying and waiting until they finish before choosing an answer can help in selecting the correct option.
📝 Paying attention to the same idea as in the options, even if the words are not the same, is crucial because hearing a word in the recording does not guarantee that the option with that word is correct.
🤔 If unsure about an answer, it's better to wait until the second hearing of the recording before making a decision.
🎯 The example provided in the script is an interview with a teenager named Luke Fuller, who discusses his experience as a junior reporter for a local radio station.
📝 The answers to the example questions are provided at the end of the script, with the correct options for questions 24 to 30 being C, A, C, A, C, and B respectively.
📈 The video script also includes tips for improving listening skills and test performance, such as understanding the purpose of the task, preparing with training, and being creative with words in radio reporting.

Q & A

What is the focus of Listening Part Four of the Cambridge First Certificate exam?
-The focus of Listening Part Four is on identifying opinion and attitude, requiring test takers to listen for both detail or specific information and the main idea or gist of an interview or interaction between two speakers.
How long is the listening material in Part Four of the exam?
-The listening material in Part Four is usually about three to four minutes long in total.
What is the format of the questions in Listening Part Four?
-There are seven multiple-choice questions with options A, B, and C.
What is the significance of the order of the questions in relation to the recording?
-The questions follow the order of the interaction on the recording, which means the answers can be found in the same sequence as the events or points discussed in the interview.
How many times is the recording played during the exam?
-The recording is played twice during the exam.
What is the first tip given for improving performance in Listening Part Four?
-The first tip is to spend the given thirty seconds to read each question carefully and think about what it means, to have a clear idea of what you're listening for.
What does the tip about underlining suggest?
-The tip about underlining suggests that one should identify and emphasize the main idea in each question to better focus on the key points while listening.
What is the advice regarding when to choose an answer during the listening?
-The advice is to listen for the general idea of what each speaker is saying and wait until each speaker has finished before choosing an answer.
What does the script suggest about the relationship between hearing a word in the recording and the correctness of an option?
-The script suggests that hearing a word in the recording does not necessarily mean that the option containing that word is correct; it could be a distractor. The meaning should match rather than the exact wording.
What should a test taker do if they are unsure about an answer after the first hearing?
-If a test taker is unsure about an answer after the first hearing, they should wait until the second hearing before making their decision.
What is the final tip provided for answering questions in Listening Part Four?
-The final tip is that if a test taker still doesn't know the answer after the second hearing, they should guess, as there is a chance they might get it right.
What was the purpose of Luke Fuller's junior reporter role at the local radio station?
-The purpose was to encourage teenagers to try being reporters, focusing on ordinary teenagers' stories rather than local celebrities, to show that everyone has a story worth telling.
How did Luke Fuller prepare for his role as a junior reporter?
-Luke had some training, familiarized himself with the equipment, and practiced being natural and relaxed, although he admits to jotting down some ideas despite being encouraged to be spontaneous.
How did Luke Fuller's schoolmates react when he started interviewing them with a microphone?
-Even his most talkative friends tended to become self-conscious, and sometimes he had to start recording a few minutes before the actual interview to help them feel more at ease.
What was the process like after recording the interviews for Luke?
-Everything recorded had to be carefully edited, and Luke had the opportunity to work on this with producers at the station, ensuring he had control over the content.
How did Luke Fuller's experience as a junior reporter change his attitude towards radio?
-It made him appreciate the creativity and skill required in radio reporting, especially in expressing oneself effectively without the aid of visual elements.
What did Luke Fuller enjoy most about being a junior reporter?
-He enjoyed the fact that he had to take on multiple roles—journalist, producer, and engineer—all at once, requiring specific skills for each.
What was the final question in the sample listening part of the video script?
-The final question was 'Has it changed your attitude to radio at all?'
What were the answers provided for the sample questions in the script?
-The answers were: 24 - C, 25 - A, 26 - C, 27 - A, 28 - C, 29 - B, and 30 - B.
What is the channel name where this video can be found?
-The video can be found on the channel 'Oxford English'.
What action is encouraged for viewers who find the video useful?
-Viewers who find the video useful are encouraged to like it, share it with friends and colleagues learning English, and subscribe to the channel.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Cambridge First Certificate Listening Part Four

This paragraph introduces the fourth part of the Cambridge First Certificate listening exam. It explains that candidates listen to an interview or interaction between two speakers and answer seven multiple-choice questions focusing on identifying opinions and attitudes. The segment is typically three to four minutes long, and the exam requires attention to both specific details and the overall gist. The script also emphasizes that questions follow the order of the interaction and that the recording is played twice, providing two opportunities to understand the content.

05:05

🎙️ Luke Fuller's Experience as a Junior Reporter

In this paragraph, Luke Fuller, a 17-year-old who spent a month working as a junior reporter for his local radio station, discusses his experience. The purpose of the project was to encourage teenagers to become reporters, focusing on the stories of ordinary teens rather than celebrities. Luke describes his preparation, which included training and familiarization with equipment. He also talks about the challenges of being spontaneous and natural during interviews, especially at his school where he had to put people at ease. The paragraph covers the editing process, where Luke worked with producers to ensure the content was carefully curated, and reflects on how his experience changed his perspective on radio, appreciating the creativity and skill required in radio reporting.

10:08

🔄 Reflections on Reporting and the Impact on Perception of Radio

The final paragraph continues Luke Fuller's narrative, delving deeper into his feelings about reporting from his school and the challenges of being the center of attention due to his shy nature. He discusses the process of conducting interviews, the editing of recorded material, and the constraints of time on radio broadcasts. Luke shares how the experience of being a reporter, producer, and engineer simultaneously was enriching and the skills required for each role. He concludes by expressing his newfound appreciation for radio as a medium that can convey personal stories and the importance of creative expression in the absence of visual cues.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cambridge First Certificate Exam

The Cambridge First Certificate Exam, also known as FCE, is an advanced English language test designed by the University of Cambridge. In the video, it is the context for the listening part four, which is the focus of the lesson. The exam is used to assess the English proficiency of non-native speakers and is a key part of the video's educational content.

💡Listening Part Four

This refers to a specific section of the Cambridge First Certificate Exam where candidates listen to an interview or interaction and answer multiple-choice questions. The video script describes the structure and strategies for this part, emphasizing the importance of understanding opinions and attitudes.

💡Multiple-Choice Questions

Multiple-choice questions are a type of question where respondents are asked to select the correct answer from a list of options. In the context of the video, these questions are part of the listening exam and require candidates to identify specific information and the main idea from the audio recording.

💡Opinion

Opinion refers to a personal belief or judgment that is not necessarily based on facts or knowledge. In the video, understanding the speakers' opinions is crucial for answering the listening part four questions correctly, as it helps in grasping their attitudes towards the subject matter.

💡Attitude

Attitude is a person's disposition or stance towards something. In the video, identifying the speakers' attitudes is key to answering the listening questions, as it provides insight into their feelings and perspectives on the topics discussed.

💡Gist

The gist refers to the main point or central idea of a piece of information. In the context of the listening exam, understanding the gist helps candidates to answer questions that require comprehension of the overall message, rather than just the details.

💡Strategies

Strategies in this video refer to the techniques and approaches provided to improve performance in the listening exam. The script offers several tips, such as reading questions carefully and listening for the general idea, to enhance the candidates' ability to answer questions accurately.

💡Distractor

A distractor is an option in a multiple-choice question that is designed to mislead the respondent. In the video, the speaker warns that hearing a word in the recording does not necessarily mean the corresponding option is correct, as it could be a distractor.

💡Transcript

A transcript is a written version of spoken language, often used for reference or study. The video script mentions a transcript for the listening part, which candidates can use to review the content and check their answers.

💡Junior Reporter

A junior reporter is typically a young or inexperienced reporter, often in a training or entry-level position. In the video, the interviewee, Luke Fuller, discusses his experience as a junior reporter, which serves as a practical example of the listening content.

💡Editing

Editing refers to the process of reviewing and revising content, such as audio recordings, to improve clarity, coherence, and conciseness. In the script, Luke talks about the editing process he underwent with radio station producers to refine his interviews before they were broadcast.

Highlights

Introduction to Part Four of the Cambridge First Certificate Listening Exam

Explanation of the format: interview or interaction between two speakers with seven multiple-choice questions

Duration of the listening part is usually three to four minutes

Focus on identifying opinion and attitude in the listening part

Importance of listening for detail, specific information, and the main idea

Tips for pre-listening preparation including reading and understanding the questions

Advice on underlining the main idea in each question

Listening strategy: waiting for each speaker to finish before choosing an answer

Caution against choosing options based solely on matching words from the recording

Advice on waiting until the second hearing if unsure about an answer

Encouragement to guess if no answer is known after the second hearing

Introduction of a sample question for home practice

Description of the sample interviewee, Luke Fuller, and his experience as a junior reporter

Luke's preparation for his role and the importance of being natural and relaxed

Challenges of reporting from school and the reactions of Luke's friends

Process of editing recorded material and working with producers

Luke's enjoyment of being a reporter and the skills required for the role

Change in Luke's attitude towards radio and the importance of creative expression

Conclusion and reminder of the answers for the sample question

Final encouragement to like, share, and subscribe for more English language videos