TOEFL listening practice on playground rules and ants. 8 questions with video, full script, answers, and explanations.
How to use this practice: Watch the video first, try answering the questions in your head, then expand the answer key to check. Use the transcript only after you’ve attempted the questions.
Listen carefully — you'll answer questions about each clip below.
2
Item 1: Conversation — playground rules
Answer the 2 questions about this conversation.
Q1
What is the conversation mainly about?
- A. Where the children want to play today.
- B. What games the children like to play most.
- C. The rules for playing on the playground.
- D. How to share toys with friends easily.
Q2
According to the conversation, what is a rule for playing on the swings?
- A. You should push your friends.
- B. You need to hold on tight.
- C. You must wait for your turn.
- D. You should share the swing with others.
🔑 Answer key — 2 questions
Q1
C. The rules for playing on the playground.
Q2
B. You need to hold on tight.
Q1: The conversation is a discussion between two children recalling and confirming various rules for playing safely on the playground.
Q2: The conversation says that children need to hold on tight when they are on the swings.
Transcript
W
Hi Mike! Are you ready to play on the slides?
M
Hi Lisa! Yes, but remember the rules.
W
Oh, right! What are they again? I always forget some.
M
Well, first, we can't push anyone. That’s important for safety.
W
Yes, no pushing. And we have to wait our turn for the slide, right?
M
Exactly! No cutting in line. And when we are on the swings, we need to hold on tight.
W
Okay, hold tight on swings. What about sharing? Do we share the balls?
M
Yes, we always share the toys, like the soccer ball or the jump ropes. And we need to stay inside the fence. No going outside the playground.
W
Got it! No pushing, wait for turns, hold tight on swings, share toys, and stay inside the fence.
3
Item 2: Conversation — reading challenge
Answer the 2 questions about this conversation.
Q1
What is the conversation mainly about?
- A. How to buy books for a challenge.
- B. A new school reading challenge.
- C. Why reading fantasy books is good.
- D. A teacher named Miss Lee.
Q2
Why does Sarah say the reading challenge helps them?
- A. It helps them choose new book genres.
- B. It helps them win a gift card.
- C. It helps them practice English.
- D. It helps them finish school assignments.
🔑 Answer key — 2 questions
Q1
B. A new school reading challenge.
Q2
C. It helps them practice English.
Q1: The script says Sarah asks Mark if he is joining the 'school reading challenge,' and they discuss its rules and prize.
Q2: The script says Sarah states, 'And it helps us practice English.'
Transcript
W
Hi Mark! Are you joining the school reading challenge?
M
Oh, hi Sarah! Yes, I am! Miss Lee told us about it today. It sounds fun.
W
It does! I want to read more books this year.
M
Me too. What's the goal? Do we just read books?
W
You need to read five new books in two months. Not ones you've read before.
M
Five books? That's a good number. What happens if we finish?
W
If you read all five, your name goes into a draw for a prize. Maybe a gift card!
M
A prize? That's great! I'll definitely try. It's a good way to discover new stories.
W
Exactly! And it helps us practice English.
M
True. I'm going to start with a fantasy book.
Answer the 2 questions about this lecture.
Q1
What is the talk mainly about?
- A. How to find different types of ants.
- B. The different jobs ants have in a colony.
- C. The best places for ants to build their nests.
- D. Why ants are dangerous insects.
Q2
According to the talk, what is the main job of the queen ant?
- A. To find food for the colony.
- B. To protect the colony from other insects.
- C. To lay eggs for new ants.
- D. To clean the ant nest.
🔑 Answer key — 2 questions
Q1
B. The different jobs ants have in a colony.
Q2
C. To lay eggs for new ants.
Q1: The talk is about the different jobs ants have in a colony and how they work together.
Q2: The talk says that the queen ant's job is to lay all the eggs that grow into new ants.
Transcript
Today, we're going to talk about ants and how they live together. Ants are amazing insects, and they don't live alone. They live in big families called colonies. In an ant colony, every ant has a job, and they work together as a team. This teamwork helps the whole colony survive.
First, there's the queen ant. Her job is to lay all the eggs that grow into new ants. Then, we have the worker ants. They do many different tasks. Worker ants search for food to bring back. They also clean the nest and take care of the young ants. They make sure everyone has enough to eat. Finally, there are soldier ants. Their job is to protect the colony from danger, like other insects. So, every ant has a special role, and by working together, they make their colony very strong.
5
Item 4: Lecture — rivers and lakes
Answer the 2 questions about this lecture.
Q1
What is the talk mainly about?
- A. How rivers start in the mountains.
- B. The differences between rivers and lakes.
- C. Why lakes are still bodies of water.
- D. Where you can find large bodies of water.
Q2
Why does a river's water always move?
- A. Because it is a large body of water.
- B. Because it flows from a higher place to a lower place.
- C. Because it gets water from lakes.
- D. Because it is contained in a bowl shape.
🔑 Answer key — 2 questions
Q1
B. The differences between rivers and lakes.
Q2
B. Because it flows from a higher place to a lower place.
Q1: The script says the talk is about how rivers and lakes both have water but are very different, explaining the distinctions between them.
Q2: The script explains that rivers always move because they flow from a higher place, like mountains, towards a lower place.
Transcript
Hello everyone! Today, let's talk about rivers and lakes. They both have water, but they are very different. A river is like a moving road of water. It always flows, going from one place to another. Rivers usually start high up in mountains or hills, from rain or melting snow. They always move towards a lower place, often to a lake, an ocean, or another river. So, the water in a river is always fresh and always moving.
Now, a lake is different. A lake is a large body of water that is mostly still. It's like a big bowl filled with water. Lakes are usually found in low areas or valleys. Water comes into a lake from rivers, rain, or underground sources. But unlike a river, the water in a lake does not flow out quickly. It stays there for a long time. So, the main difference is that rivers move, and lakes are contained.