Chapter 3 — Listening comprehension

Adaptive format since January 21, 2026 — approximately 18 to 27 minutes — scored 1–6 (CEFR)

Overview

• The Listening section has four task types: Listen and Choose a Response (pick the best reply to a short spoken statement or question), Listen to a Conversation (short campus or everyday conversations), Listen to an Announcement (campus or classroom announcements), and Listen to an Academic Talk (short lectures or explanations). It uses a multistage adaptive format spread across two modules: everyone starts with the same first module, and the second adjusts in difficulty based on your performance. The examples below illustrate two of these types: a conversation and an academic talk.
• Each recording is followed by 3 to 6 questions. Most require only one answer. If a question requires two answers, this will be clearly indicated (choose two answers).
• A photo accompanies each recording to help you visualize the situation. You cannot replay the recording or go back.
• The old 0–30 scale has been replaced with a 1–6 scale in half-point increments, aligned with the CEFR. A 0–120 equivalent score will continue to be provided until January 2028.

Tips

• Look at the photo before listening to anticipate the context (location, participants, probable topic).
• Take notes on the scratch paper provided: main idea, the role of each speaker, keywords, numbers, contrasts, and examples given by the professor.
• For multiple-choice questions with two correct answers (2 points): if you identify one answer with certainty, select it rather than guessing the second randomly — a wrong choice cancels the partial point.
• For attitude or inference questions, focus on the tone and indirect wording rather than only on explicit facts.