After each extended conversation in Part B, there are four to five questions. Usually the first and sometimes the last question are overview questions. To answer these questions, you need an understanding of the whole conversation rather than of any specific point.
Overview Questions for the Extended Conversations
Main topic questions must correctly summarize the conversation. Incorrect answers for these questions are too general, too specific, or incorrect according to the conversation.
Although these questions require an overall understanding of the conversations, the first few sentences often “set the scene.” In other words, the opening lines of the talk establish the time, place, and main topic. Read the opening lines of the extended conversation given below:
M1: (Answering phone) Hello?
F1: Hi, Rod, this is Rita–I’m in your nine o’clock class. I missed class because of a cold, and I was wondering if I could borrow your notes.
M1: I don’t know if you could read my notes–I have terrible handwriting. But I can tell you what happened. Professor Phillips went over the material in Chapter 4, about different types of stars in our galaxy. And she talked about what the mid-term exam is going to be like.
F1: Uh-oh, you better tell me all about the mid-term–I really need to do well on it.
From this portion of a conversation, we learn that
. . . both of the speakers are students
. . . they are probably taking a course in astronomy
. . . the class is about halfway over (because they are taking mid-term exams)
. . . the rest of the talk will probably deal with the material that will be on the examination
Not all conversations begin with so much detail. However, it is important to concentrate on the opening lines to learn this kind of information.