LISTENING Test 6
By 1. Listening for gist
Imagine you are a superhero flying in the sky. From that height, it is possible to see what the entire area is like, how densely populated it is, the kind of houses in each area.
When listening, it is also possible to get the ‘whole picture’ but with one crucial difference: information comes in a sequence. And in that sequence of information, there are content words (the nouns, adjectives and verbs) that can help you form that picture. We often call this listening for gist.
For example, the words ‘food’, ‘friends’, ‘fun’, ‘park’ and ‘sunny day’ have their own meanings, but when you hear the words in sequence, they help form the context of a picnic.Another important method is repeated listening. Listening to the same audio recording several times helps you understand words you may not have noticed before. Watching videos with subtitles also makes learning easier.
When listening, it’s more important to grasp the overall meaning rather than trying to understand every single word. Because it’s impossible to understand every word individually when people speak. The important thing is to grasp the main idea of the conversation.
Listening can also be practiced in daily life. Listening to English music, watching short videos, or following simple podcasts improves this skill. Even just 10-15 minutes of listening a day makes a big difference.
In conclusion, listening is one of the most important parts of learning English. With regular practice, this skill develops rapidly, making it possible to understand English better.
Practise listening for gist:
Find a short video with subtitles on a topic that interests you. Use the title to help you predict the content and then listen out for the content words. Go back, and listen again with the subtitles. How much did you understand the first time? Return to the video a week later and try again.
