TOEIC Short Conversations Analysis (Part 3) Questions and Answers 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Two colleagues talk: Man: 'I can't believe the training session was cancelled again.' Woman: 'I know. This is the third time this month. We should say something to the HR manager.' What does the woman suggest?
- Speaking to the HR manager about the cancellations (Correct answer)
- Cancelling the training session permanently
- Attending a training session at a different company
- Writing a formal complaint to senior management
Correct answer: Speaking to the HR manager about the cancellations
'We should say something to the HR manager' is the woman's explicit suggestion to address the repeated cancellations.
The woman says 'We should say something to the HR manager,' which is a direct suggestion to communicate with the HR manager. This matches Option A. She doesn't suggest permanent cancellation, attending elsewhere, or a formal complaint to senior management.
Question 2: A conversation at a café: Barista: 'What can I get for you today?' Customer: 'I'd like a large iced coffee, please. Can I also get a blueberry muffin?' Barista: 'Of course. Would you like that heated?' What item does the barista offer to heat?
- The blueberry muffin (Correct answer)
- The iced coffee
- Both the coffee and the muffin
- A different menu item
Correct answer: The blueberry muffin
After the customer orders the muffin, the barista asks 'Would you like that heated?' — 'that' refers to the most recently ordered item, the blueberry muffin.
Pronoun reference is tested in TOEIC Part 3. 'Would you like that heated?' uses 'that' to refer to the blueberry muffin, the most recently mentioned item. Heating an iced coffee would be illogical. 'Both' is not suggested. No different menu item is introduced.
Question 3: Two employees speak: Manager: 'We need to finalize the budget proposal before the board meeting on Monday.' Employee: 'I've already completed my section. Should I send it to you?' Manager: 'Yes, please send it to me by end of day today.' By when must the employee send the proposal section?
- By the end of today (Correct answer)
- Before Monday's board meeting
- By the end of the week
- Immediately, during the phone call
Correct answer: By the end of today
The manager specifies 'by end of day today,' setting the deadline for receiving the employee's section.
The manager says 'send it to me by end of day today,' establishing today as the deadline. Monday is when the board meeting is, but the section is needed before that. 'End of the week' is broader. 'Immediately during the call' is not what the manager says — she says 'by end of day.'
Question 4: A store conversation: Customer: 'Excuse me, do you have this jacket in a size medium?' Employee: 'Let me check in the back for you. We may have some in the storeroom.' What will the employee do next?
- Check the storeroom for the jacket (Correct answer)
- Ask the customer to place a special order
- Direct the customer to a different store
- Look up the jacket in the computer system
Correct answer: Check the storeroom for the jacket
'Let me check in the back for you' clearly states the employee's next action — checking the storeroom for the item.
'Let me check in the back' and 'storeroom' confirm the employee will physically check the back of the store. No special order, redirection to another store, or computer lookup is mentioned. TOEIC Part 3 tests 'next action' by looking for the speaker's stated intention.
Question 5: Two colleagues discuss: Woman: 'I heard the IT upgrade has been pushed back to next quarter.' Man: 'Really? I thought it was happening this month.' Woman: 'No, there were some compatibility issues they need to resolve first.' Why has the IT upgrade been delayed?
- There are compatibility issues to resolve (Correct answer)
- The IT team is on vacation
- The budget for the upgrade was cut
- The upgrade has been cancelled permanently
Correct answer: There are compatibility issues to resolve
The woman explicitly states 'there were some compatibility issues they need to resolve first' as the reason for the delay.
Cause identification in TOEIC Part 3 requires careful listening for explanatory phrases. 'There were some compatibility issues they need to resolve' is the stated reason. Vacation, budget cuts, and permanent cancellation are all not mentioned — only compatibility issues are given as the cause.
Question 6: Phone call: Man: 'Good afternoon. This is Daniel Park from Meridian Solutions. I'm calling about invoice number 8832.' Receptionist: 'Hello, Mr. Park. I'll connect you with our accounts department right away.' Where is the man being transferred?
- The accounts department (Correct answer)
- The customer service department
- The sales department
- The manager's direct line
Correct answer: The accounts department
The receptionist says 'I'll connect you with our accounts department right away' — accounts department is where the call is being transferred.
The receptionist explicitly says 'I'll connect you with our accounts department right away.' Invoice inquiries are handled by accounts. Customer service, sales, and the manager's line are not mentioned. Direct comprehension of the receptionist's stated action gives the answer.
TOEIC Short Conversations Analysis (Part 3) Questions and Answers 3
Two colleagues talk: Man: 'I can't believe the training session was cancelled again.' Woman: 'I know.
This is the third time this month.
We should say something to the HR manager.' What does the woman suggest?