TOEFL Listening Practice #017 — Morning Routine & Crocodiles

TOEFL listening practice on morning routine and crocodiles. 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.
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Watch the video

Listen carefully — you'll answer questions about each clip below.

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Item 1: Conversation — morning routine

Answer the 2 questions about this conversation.

Q1
What is the conversation mainly about?
  1. A. Planning a trip for the weekend.
  2. B. Deciding what to cook for dinner.
  3. C. Getting a child ready for school in the morning.
  4. D. Discussing a new game Leo wants to play.
Q2
What does Leo's mom say she made for breakfast?
  1. A. Toast
  2. B. Cereal
  3. C. Eggs
  4. D. Pancakes
🔑 Answer key — 2 questions
  1. Q1
    C. Getting a child ready for school in the morning.
  2. Q2
    D. Pancakes

Q1: The conversation is about the parent waking up the child and reminding him of his morning tasks to get ready for school.

Common mistake: B (“deciding what to cook for dinner”) is a trap because pancakes are mentioned as breakfast, and “cooking” sounds similar, but the conversation is actually about getting the child ready for school, not deciding a meal.

Q2: The conversation says that Leo's mom made pancakes for breakfast.

Common mistake: C (“eggs”) is a trap because eggs are a common breakfast food students might assume, but the conversation specifically says the mom made pancakes.

Transcript
W
Good morning, Leo! Time to wake up. School starts soon.
M
Ugh, five more minutes, Mom? I'm still sleepy.
W
No can do, sweetie. You need to get ready. First, let's go eat breakfast. I made pancakes!
M
Pancakes? Yay! Okay, I'm up!
W
Good. After breakfast, you need to brush your teeth and wash your face. Don't forget your uniform.
M
My uniform is clean?
W
Yes, I put it on your bed. And remember your backpack. Do you have your homework inside?
M
Oh, yes! My math homework. I almost forgot! I'll go get it now.
W
Great. Let's hurry, we don't want to be late.
M
Okay, Mom! Pancakes first!
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Item 2: Conversation — class field trip

Answer the 2 questions about this conversation.

Q1
What is the conversation mainly about?
  1. A. What to bring for a school activity.
  2. B. The different rooms at a science museum.
  3. C. Excitement for an upcoming class field trip.
  4. D. How to prepare for a scavenger hunt.
Q2
Why does Mark think they will have "lots of time" at the museum?
  1. A. Because they are bringing a small lunch.
  2. B. Because the bus leaves early.
  3. C. Because the museum closes late.
  4. D. Because they only want to see dinosaurs.
🔑 Answer key — 2 questions
  1. Q1
    C. Excitement for an upcoming class field trip.
  2. Q2
    B. Because the bus leaves early.

Q1: The script says Sarah and Mark are talking about being "excited about the field trip tomorrow" and saying "I can't wait!" multiple times.

Common mistake: A (“what to bring for a school activity”) is a trap because bringing lunch and a notebook is mentioned, but that's a small planning detail — the conversation is mainly about the students' excitement for the trip itself.

Q2: The script says, "The bus leaves early, so we'll have lots of time."

Common mistake: A (“because they are bringing a small lunch”) is a trap because lunch is mentioned around the same part of the conversation, but Mark's stated reason for having lots of time is specifically that the bus leaves early.

Transcript
W
Hi Mark! Are you excited about the field trip tomorrow?
M
Oh, yes, Sarah! I can't wait! We're going to the science museum!
W
Me too! I really want to see the dinosaur exhibit. Miss Lee said it's big.
M
Yes, and I heard they have a cool space room. We can learn about planets there.
W
Wow, that sounds amazing! I hope we see everything.
M
I think we will. The bus leaves early, so we'll have lots of time.
W
That's good. What do we need to bring?
M
Just lunch and a water bottle. And your notebook for the activity!
W
Oh, right! The scavenger hunt. It will be fun to find answers.
M
Absolutely! I think it's the best field trip!
W
I agree! Tomorrow can't come fast enough!
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Item 3: Lecture — crocodiles

Answer the 2 questions about this lecture.

Q1
What is the talk mainly about?
  1. A. How crocodiles hunt for their food.
  2. B. What crocodiles look like.
  3. C. Where crocodiles live and what they eat.
  4. D. Why crocodiles are reptiles.
  5. E. How crocodiles hunt for their food.
Q2
According to the talk, where do crocodiles NOT like to live?
  1. A. Warm rivers.
  2. B. Lakes and swamps.
  3. C. Very cold countries.
  4. D. Parts of Africa.
🔑 Answer key — 2 questions
  1. Q1
    C. Where crocodiles live and what they eat.
  2. Q2
    C. Very cold countries.

Q1: The talk is mainly about where crocodiles live and what they eat.

Common mistake: A (“how crocodiles hunt for their food”) is a trap because hunting is described in detail and even listed twice among the options, but the lecture actually covers both where crocodiles live and what they eat, not hunting alone.

Q2: The script says crocodiles like warm places and you won't find them in very cold countries.

Common mistake: A (“warm rivers”) is a trap because rivers are mentioned as a place crocodiles do live, and the question asks for what they do NOT like — some students misread the negative and pick a place they do like instead of very cold countries.

Transcript
Hello everyone. Today, we're going to learn about crocodiles. Crocodiles are very interesting animals. They are large reptiles, like big lizards and snakes. Where do crocodiles live? They like warm places, so you won't find them in very cold countries. You can find them in many parts of the world, like Africa, Asia, Australia, and parts of America. They always live near water, mostly in rivers, swamps, and lakes. They need water to stay cool and to hunt their food. So, what do crocodiles eat? Crocodiles are carnivores, which means they eat meat. They eat other animals. For example, they often eat fish, birds, and small mammals that come to the water to drink. Crocodiles are good hunters. They often wait quietly in the water, looking like a log. When an animal comes close, they quickly catch it. They are strong and fast hunters. So, remember, warm water and meat are very important for crocodiles.
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Item 4: Lecture — rain

Answer the 2 questions about this lecture.

Q1
What is the talk mainly about?
  1. A. How the sun makes water warm.
  2. B. How clouds are formed in the sky.
  3. C. How rain happens as part of the water cycle.
  4. D. Why water flows into rivers and oceans.
Q2
Why do water drops fall from the sky as rain?
  1. A. Because the sun makes them warm.
  2. B. Because they turn into gas.
  3. C. Because they become too heavy in the clouds.
  4. D. Because the air gets colder.
🔑 Answer key — 2 questions
  1. Q1
    C. How rain happens as part of the water cycle.
  2. Q2
    C. Because they become too heavy in the clouds.

Q1: The script explains the entire process of how water becomes rain and then returns to the earth, which is the water cycle.

Common mistake: B (“how clouds are formed in the sky”) is a trap because cloud formation is one stage explained in detail, but the lecture as a whole covers the entire water cycle, from evaporation to rainfall.

Q2: The script says that the drops become too heavy to stay in the air, which is why they fall down as rain.

Common mistake: B (“because they turn into gas”) is a trap because turning into gas describes evaporation, an earlier stage, not the reason drops actually fall — which is that they become too heavy in the clouds.

Transcript
Hello everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something we see all the time: rain. How does rain happen? It's part of something called the water cycle. First, the sun shines on water in oceans, rivers, and lakes. The sun's heat makes the water warm, and some of it turns into a gas called water vapor. This water vapor is very light, so it rises up into the sky.
As the water vapor goes higher, the air gets colder. When the vapor gets cold, it changes back into tiny little water drops. These tiny drops come together and form clouds. So, clouds are just lots of tiny water drops floating in the sky! When more and more water drops join together, the clouds get very full and heavy. The drops become too heavy to stay in the air. That's why they fall down from the sky as rain. This water then flows back into rivers and oceans, and the whole cycle starts again. It's a never-ending journey for water!