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So what are we listening for? A comparison of the English listening constructs
in the Japanese National Centre Test and TOEFL^® iBT

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Appendix A: Characteristics of the questions
in the 2006 listening section of the J-NCT

Number of questions: 25 Marking: Each question was worth 2 marks (totalling 50 points, then standardized to 100 points to be in line with other sections of the Japanese NCT) Duration: 60 minutes (allocating 30 minutes for instructions and 30 minutes for the actual listening test) Equipment: Individual and disposable IC players were used (only volume could be manipulated by examinees)
Question Number:	Input			Response
	Format	Length (# of exchanges or words)	Topic (situation)	Specific contents	Format
Section 1:
Q1	Dialogue	10 sec (2 exchanges)	Between friends, confirming flight arrival details	Specifying arrival time	MC: 4 time options
Q2	Dialogue	15 sec (4 exchanges)	Between waiter & customer, ordering in a cafe	Specifying items in a dish	MC: 4 picture options
Q3	Dialogue	10 sec (2 exchanges)	Between coworkers talking in an office	Specifying item locations	MC: 4 picture options
Q4	Dialogue	13 sec (4 exchanges)	Between clerk & customer, shopping	Specifying price and discounts	MC: 4 price options
Q5	Dialogue	10 sec (3 exchanges)	Between friends, talking about a camping trip	Describing the weather	MC: 4 picture / day of the week options
Q6	Dialogue	15 sec (4 exchanges)	Between office workers, talking about study abroad	Describing countries visted	MC: 4 country options
Section 2:
Q7	Dialogue	7 sec (2 exchanges)	Between acquaintances, talking about a movie	Describing an experience	MC: 4 sentence options
Q8	Dialogue	7 sec (2 exchanges)	Between strangers, asking for directions	Describing locations	MC: 4 sentence options
Q9	Dialogue	8 sec (2 exchanges)	Between acquaintances, talking about a meeting	Verifying attendance	MC: 4 sentence options
Q10	Dialogue	8 sec (3 exchanges)	Between friends, complimenting about singing	Discussing lesson frequency	MC: 4 sentence options
Q11	Dialogue	8 sec (3 exchanges)	Between secretary & student seeking to meet a professor	Making an appointment	MC: 4 sentence options
Q12	Dialogue	10 sec (3 exchanges)	Between friends, bowling invitation	Asking for availability	MC: 4 sentence options
Q13	Dialogue	12 sec (3 exchanges)	Between classmates, talking about assignments	Discussing a report deadline	MC: 4 sentence options
Section 3 (Part A & B):
Part A: Q14	Dialogue	18 sec (4 exchanges)	Between strangers, asking for directions / transportation	Specifying the place of conversation (gist)	MC: 4 place options
Part A: Q15	Dialogue	18 sec (4 exchanges)	Between student & teacher, asking about a school trip	Describing a favourite activity	MC: 4 event options
Part A: Q16	Dialogue	18 sec (3 exchanges)	Between customer & clerk, talking in a printing shop	Inferring the woman's next action	MC: 4 sentence options
Part B: Q17 - Q19	Dialogue	65 sec (10 exchanges)	Between students, deciding on an opening ceremony schedule	Listing events sequentially	MC: : 6 time & event options
Section 4 (Part A & B):
Part A: Q20	Monologue	40 sec (90 words)	Talking about travels	Counting countries visited	MC: 4 number options
Part A: Q21	Monologue	35 sec (90 words)	Leaving a message over a phone to change arrangements	Communicating a phone message	MC: 4 name options
Part A: Q21	Monologue	35 sec (87 words)	Teacher giving instructions to students	Specifying a necessary procedure	MC: 4 sentence options
Part B: Q22 - Q25	Monologue	85 sec (184 words)	A story about an imminent hurricane	Confirming storm details	MC: 4 sentence options

Frameworks and taxonomies adopted from Bachman and Palmer (1996, p. 49-50), Valette (1997), Heaton (1990) as cited in Buck, 2001, p. 135-136

Main Article	Appendix A	Appendix B	Appendix C	Appendix D	Appendix E
Appendix F	Appendix G	Appendix H	Appendix I	Appendix J	Appendix K

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2006 Pan SIG-Proceedings: Topic Index Author Index Page Index Title Index Main Index
Complete Pan SIG-Proceedings: Topic Index Author Index Page Index Title Index Main Index

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