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Core English 1

Listening Task – Purpose Question

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A purpose question asks about the speakers' purpose, or what the speaker hopes to accomplish in the conversation or lecture.

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Strategy 1: Understand the main idea (see also main idea questions above).

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Strategy 2: Recognize the kind of passage.Lectures can be clearly understood as arguments, comparisons, explanations, etc.

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Strategy 3: Place the lecture in a broader context.A lecturer's purpose may also relate to the course curriculum or the semester.

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Strategy 4: Be prepared to identify the purpose as an infinitive phrase.

to

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Purpose Question FormsRecognize the question form and the related vocabulary, especially the interrogative pronoun "why."

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Distracter 1: The infinitive refers to the wrong action or state.

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Distracter 2: The purpose is too specificPurpose is most often expressed as an infinitive phrase (infinitive + main topic), a distracter could use the correct infinitive but a main topic that is too specific.

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Distracter 3: The purpose is too general Distracter uses a correct infinitive and an incorrect object.However, this object is broader than the actual topic of the conversation or lecture.

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Distracter 4: The purpose rearranges ideas This distracter type repeats familiar ideas (names, actions, states, etc.) from the passage and rearranges their relationship with each other.

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Distracter 5: The purpose reverses a positive or negative, or uses antonyms Always read each answer choice carefully and pay close attention to the vocabulary used.Don’t skim the choice too quickly and carelessly, you might miss the addition or omission of a negative, such as no or not.

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Practice

Listen to CD 1, Track 3

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5. Why does the student approach the Financial Aid officer?

o To ask for help in applying for an in-school scholarshipo To explain why she is having trouble covering tuition costso To find financial assistance that doesn't come from the schoolo To request help in using the Internet

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Listen to CD 1, Track 4

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6. What is the main purpose of this lecture?

o To showcase the major inventions of Ansel Adamso To explain the main reasons for Adams's modern appealo To describe Adams's role in furthering and popularizing photographyo To show the influence of the natural world upon Adams's photographs