Part 1 is your warm-up for the test. It’s usually one of the easier sections, but it sets the tone. In Part 1, you’ll hear a conversation where one person has a problem or request, and the other person (often someone in a service role or a knowledgeable friend) helps to solve it. There are 8 questions in this part, and importantly, the conversation is divided into three short sections (segments). After each segment, you’ll get a set of questions (typically 2 or 3) about what you just heard, before the conversation continues.
Let’s break down how to tackle Part 1 step by step and then look at common pitfalls to avoid.
Format & What to Expect
- Context: Often a customer-service scenario or advice scenario. For example, a person at a service counter asking for information, or a phone call to inquire about something, or someone asking a friend for help with a problem.
- Characters: Usually two speakers (commonly one male, one female, though gender doesn’t matter). One is the seeker (the person with a problem/question) and the other is the helper (person providing info or solutions).
- Structure: The conversation is split into 3 parts (Section 1, Section 2, Section 3). Think of it like three acts:
- Section 1: The problem is introduced; some initial discussion.
- Section 2: They delve deeper or discuss possible solutions.
- Section 3: They move toward a resolution or final advice.
- Questions: After Section 1, you get a couple of questions on what was just said. Then Section 2 plays, then questions, then Section 3, then questions. In total 8 questions covering all sections.
Knowing this segmented format is huge: it means you don’t have to remember the entire dialogue at once. You can focus on one segment at a time.
Recommended Approach:
- Read the Introductory Statement: Before Section 1 audio, you’ll see a line like “You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman at a rental car agency. The man needs to resolve an issue with his booking.” This one or two-sentence intro gives you the scenario. Use it! It tells you who is likely the problem-holder (man with a booking issue) and who is the helper (woman at rental agency). This prepares your mind to catch relevant info (likely about a car booking).
- Identify the Problem Early: In the first few lines of the conversation, figure out what the main issue or question is. Write it down if necessary. E.g., “customer’s car booking lost” or “person’s internet not working” etc. This is the anchor for all questions: many questions will revolve around the nature of the problem and the requirements the person has.
- Note Key Details with Each Solution: As the helper offers solutions or information, jot down the options or steps they discuss. Often they will discuss more than one possible solution:
- “We could do A or B.”
- Or “Option1 costs X, Option2 costs Y.”
- Or the helper tries one approach, then another. For each segment, try to capture the gist. For example, Section 1 might only be setting up problem. Section 2 might introduce Solution 1 and 2. Section 3 might confirm which solution is chosen.
- Pay Attention to Reactions: How does the person with the problem react to the suggestions? Do they seem happy, hesitant, do they agree to one of them? Often one question might be like “How does the man respond to the first suggestion?” or “Why does the woman reject the initial solution?” Knowing the reaction (e.g., “He says it’s too expensive” or “She doesn’t have the required document”) is crucial.
- After each segment, quickly recall before answering: Once a segment ends and questions appear, take one second to mentally summarize what was said in that segment: “Okay, they introduced the problem: his flight was delayed so he missed his car pickup.” Then look at the questions and answers – having that recap fresh will help you eliminate wrong answers that might refer to things not in this segment.
- Answer segment questions and prepare for the next: When you finish the questions for Section 1, clear your mind for Section 2. The conversation will continue building on the last, but you have a fresh opportunity to catch new info. Your notes from Section 1 you can set aside unless the conversation references back (which it might, e.g., “Earlier you mentioned...”).
Common Question Themes in Part 1:
- Identifying the problem: e.g., “What problem does the customer have?”
- Asking about a specific detail of the problem: “What caused the issue originally?” or “What does the woman say happened with X?”
- Solution or suggestion details: “What solution does the man offer to the woman?” or “Which of the following is one option given to fix the issue?”
- Outcome/decision: “What will the woman likely do next?” or “Which solution do they decide on?”
- Emotion/attitude during problem solving: sometimes, “How does the customer feel about the final suggestion?” (e.g., relieved, skeptical, etc.)
Knowing these question types, you can listen accordingly. If you anticipate a question about outcome, make sure to note what conclusion they reached in the final section.
Common Traps and Pitfalls:
Trap 1: Misidentifying the issue. Sometimes the conversation might involve a lot of small talk or secondary issues. The test could throw a wrong answer that sounds related but is not the core problem. Always go back to “What is the main problem they are solving?” For example, they might chit-chat about the weather while dealing with a car rental issue – a wrong answer might mention the weather, which was talked about but isn’t the problem at hand.
Trap 2: Mentioned but not chosen. If multiple solutions were discussed (and they usually are), a wrong answer will often be one of the unaccepted solutions. For instance, if the helper suggests Solution A (which the person declines) and then Solution B (which they accept), a question like “What solution is implemented?” will have A as a tempting wrong option since it was mentioned. Make sure you know which one they actually go with.
Trap 3: Who said it? With two speakers, it’s easy to mix up who made a certain statement. If a question asks, “What does the woman suggest doing?” ensure you recall what the woman said. The man’s ideas or actions might be in other options as bait. Keep straight which person is which: your notes can tag M: and W: to keep track.
Trap 4: Partial truths. An answer might contain something that is true but incomplete. For example, the man’s problem might be that his internet is down because of a billing error. A trap answer might say “His internet is down because of a technical outage.” Internet is down (true) but wrong cause. Check that the entire answer choice matches what you heard.
Trap 5: Early information vs. later change. The conversation may start with one understanding and then something changes. Maybe at first the customer thinks he lost his ticket, but later finds it. A detail like that can trip you up – if a question asks, “What is the current status of the ticket?” you need the updated info (he found it), not the initial assumption (it was lost). Listen for any changes or new info in later segments that override earlier info.
Example Walk-through:
Imagine a Part 1 scenario: A man calls a mobile phone company. He lost his phone (problem). The agent offers solutions: 1) They can suspend his line and he can come in to get a new SIM (cost $10), 2) He can upgrade to a new phone with a discount. In Section 1 they identify he lost phone. Section 2, they discuss suspending service vs getting new phone. Section 3, he decides to just suspend for now and use an old phone he has at home.
From that, possible questions:
- What is the man’s problem? (He lost his phone.)
- What is one thing the agent suggests? (Suspend the service and get a new SIM.)
- How much does a replacement SIM cost? ($10 – detail question.)
- What does the man decide to do at the end? (Suspend his line and use an old phone instead of buying a new one now.)
- How does the man feel about the options? (Perhaps relieved that he has a low-cost solution, or hesitant to spend money – depending on tone.)
By preemptively thinking in these terms, you’d make sure to note the $10, the two options, and the final decision while listening.
Practice Tips for Part 1:
- Role-play dialogs: Listen to short customer service calls or advice-giving situations. Pause and predict what you think the solution will be, then see if you’re right.
- Segment your practice: Take any longer conversation and break it mentally into three parts. After each part, quiz yourself: “If the test asked me 2 questions right now, what would they likely be?” This trains you to constantly monitor your comprehension as you listen, which is exactly what Part 1 demands.
- Get comfortable with common scenarios: Part 1 scenarios often involve daily life problems like banking issues, returning a product, scheduling a service (plumber, electrician), travel bookings, etc. The more familiar you are with the vocabulary of everyday transactions (refunds, appointments, reservations, complaints, etc.), the easier Part 1 becomes.
By approaching Part 1 with a clear method – identify problem, track solutions, note outcomes – you’ll “crush” this part of the test, building confidence for the rest. Now, let’s move on to Part 2, which brings a different kind of listening challenge.