Listening for Opinion Matching Flashcards

You hear a podcast clip in which Speaker M supports four-day work weeks 'without reservation', and Speaker N supports them 'only if productivity targets are maintained.' How should you classify their opinions for an APTIS matching task?

Answer: M unconditional positive; N conditional positive

'Without reservation' signals unconditional support for M; 'only if' signals a condition for N.

In an APTIS task with five speakers on immigration policy, you need to match each speaker to 'supportive', 'opposed', or 'neutral.' A speaker says: 'I don't have a strong view either way — there are valid points on both sides.' This speaker should be labelled:

Answer: Neutral

Explicitly stating no strong view and acknowledging both sides classifies this speaker as neutral.

Speaker 1 says: 'I used to think social media was harmless, but recent research has changed my mind.' What does this phrase tell you about the speaker's current opinion?

Answer: Changed to a negative view based on evidence

'Changed my mind' after noting the research is harmful signals a shift to a negative current opinion.

Three speakers discuss genetically modified (GM) crops. Speaker A supports them fully; Speaker B says they need more safety testing before approval; Speaker C opposes them on ethical grounds. Which two speakers would both require further action before GM crops are accepted?

Answer: Speakers B and C

Speaker B demands more testing before approval and Speaker C's ethical opposition means GM crops cannot be accepted as-is by either.

An APTIS audio clip features a debate. Speaker X argues strongly for stricter speed limits; Speaker Y argues against them. The moderator then says: 'There are clear merits to both sides.' Who expresses a balanced, non-partisan view?

Answer: The moderator

The moderator explicitly acknowledges merits on both sides, indicating a balanced non-partisan view.

In an opinion-matching section you hear: 'Honestly, I think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, even if it's not perfect.' This opinion is best classified as:

Answer: Overall positive despite acknowledged flaws

The speaker leans positive ('benefits outweigh') while acknowledging imperfection, making it overall positive with reservations.

Five people comment on a new school curriculum. You note that two are enthusiastic, one is cautious, and two are critical. For a task asking which speakers share a negative opinion, you should select:

Answer: The two critical speakers

Only the two critical speakers share an explicitly negative opinion; caution alone does not equal negativity.