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All 14 Flashcards — Listening strategies
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Question
What are listening strategies?
Answer
Overarching techniques (predict, two-listen, deduce, infer) that improve every Paper 2 Listening question type.
Question
What does it mean to 'predict' in listening?
Answer
To guess the vocabulary you'll hear, from the questions, before the audio plays.
Question
What is 'the gist'?
Answer
The general idea of the recording — who, where and what it's about.
Question
What is 'a detail' in a recording?
Answer
The specific piece of information a question asks for.
Question
What does 'to deduce' mean?
Answer
To work out the meaning of an unknown word from the context around it.
Question
What is 'inference'?
Answer
What is meant but not stated outright — a mood, opinion or purpose you work out from clues.
Question
Name the four core listening strategies.
Answer
Active prediction; the two-listen strategy (gist then detail); deducing unknown words from context; inference of mood/opinion/purpose.
Question
What is the two-listen strategy?
Answer
Use the first listen for the gist and the second listen for the details and to confirm.
Question
What does 'catch the gist' mean?
Answer
To grasp the general idea on the first listen, without writing much yet.
Question
What is the master listening routine?
Answer
Read the questions → Predict the vocabulary → First listen for the gist → Second listen for the details → Infer what isn't said & check.
Question
Why shouldn't you try to catch every word?
Answer
Nobody catches every word — you need the meaning. The gist plus key details beats transcribing the whole clip.
Question
What should you do when you hit an unknown word?
Answer
Don't freeze — deduce its meaning from the surrounding context and keep listening; one word rarely costs the answer.
Question
When is inference needed in a listening question?
Answer
When the answer isn't word-for-word — you deduce the mood, opinion or purpose from the clues.
Question
Why is the second listen important?
Answer
It exists to catch the details and confirm your answers — not just to re-hear the gist.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Listening strategies
Topic 5.2 hub
Listening skills
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English B exam skills
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