VEPT Listening Comprehension: Conversations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A man says to a coworker: 'I meant to finish the report last night, but I ended up staying at the office until eight and still couldn't wrap it up.' What is the man saying?
- He submitted the report on time.
- He finished the report at home after 8 PM.
- He worked late but did not complete the report. (Correct answer)
- He asked a coworker to finish the report for him.
Correct answer: He worked late but did not complete the report.
The man says he stayed late but still could not 'wrap it up,' meaning finish the report.
Question 2: Two colleagues are talking. Woman: 'Are you coming to the team lunch?' Man: 'I'd love to, but I've got back-to-back meetings all afternoon.' What does the man mean?
- He will join the lunch after his meetings.
- He cannot attend because his schedule is full. (Correct answer)
- He forgot about the lunch until now.
- He is organizing the team lunch himself.
Correct answer: He cannot attend because his schedule is full.
'Back-to-back meetings all afternoon' means he has no free time to attend lunch.
Question 3: A customer calls a store: 'I placed an order three days ago and haven't received a shipping confirmation.' The clerk responds: 'Let me pull up your account and look into that.' What will the clerk do next?
- Cancel the customer's order.
- Check the customer's order details. (Correct answer)
- Transfer the call to a manager.
- Ask the customer to reorder the item.
Correct answer: Check the customer's order details.
'Pull up your account and look into that' means the clerk will review the order information.
Question 4: A woman tells her friend: 'I've been putting off going to the dentist for months. I really need to stop dragging my feet.' What does the woman mean?
- She has already scheduled a dentist appointment.
- She has been avoiding something she should do. (Correct answer)
- She is afraid of dentists and will never go.
- She recently visited the dentist for the first time.
Correct answer: She has been avoiding something she should do.
'Putting off' and 'dragging my feet' both mean delaying or avoiding a task.
Question 5: At a restaurant, a server says: 'Tonight's special is no longer available, but I can suggest something similar off the menu.' What does the server mean?
- The special dish has sold out, but alternatives exist. (Correct answer)
- The menu has been completely replaced tonight.
- The restaurant is closing early tonight.
- The customer should return another night for the special.
Correct answer: The special dish has sold out, but alternatives exist.
The server says the special is 'no longer available' but offers a similar menu item instead.
Question 6: Two students are speaking. Student A: 'Did you understand the professor's explanation of the theorem?' Student B: 'Honestly, I followed it up to a point, then lost the thread.' What does Student B mean?
- She understood the full explanation perfectly.
- She stopped attending the lecture partway through.
- She understood the beginning but became confused later. (Correct answer)
- She asked the professor to repeat the explanation.
Correct answer: She understood the beginning but became confused later.
'Lost the thread' means she could no longer follow the logic after a certain point.
Question 7: A manager tells an employee: 'Your proposal has real potential, but it needs to be fleshed out before we can present it to the board.' What does the manager want the employee to do?
- Withdraw the proposal immediately.
- Add more detail and development to the proposal. (Correct answer)
- Present the proposal to the board as-is.
- Ask another team member to rewrite the proposal.
Correct answer: Add more detail and development to the proposal.
'Fleshed out' means to develop an idea with more detail and substance.
VEPT Listening Comprehension: Conversations 2
A man says to a coworker: 'I meant to finish the report last night, but I ended up staying at the office until eight and still couldn't wrap it up.' What is the man saying?