常规操作与实际效果：
很多考生在备战托福考试时无非就是买一本托福单词书背诵、背诵话题单词、学习背景知识，但是在练习听力录音时就会出现以下情况：只能听个大概；基本听不懂细节；甚至主题都不知道是什么。
 
分数的前提条件：
的确是要背诵分类单词，的确要懂得背景知识，比如我们在学习自然科学的Astronomy的场景时，如果只是一味地背诵单词，而没有一些画面感场景，如流星、大流星体、陨星、彗星、间冰期等，就会感到云里雾里，毕竟这样的知识的接触在日常生活中是非常少的。而要背诵下来以上这些单词，就不要单纯地学习单词，更重要的是学习背景知识和看画面和图片的效果会更好，也会更加加深记忆--形象的内容更容易理解听力内容。
 
为什么“我”还是听不懂？
一切的必要因素都做好了，为什么还是听不懂呢？以下，老师将从对话和讲座两方面分别进行分析，分析一下考生们在哪些环节还没有处理好。
 
一、注意对话的开始部分内容
开始内容包含：人物、地点。这样就可以根据有限的开始部分信息去预测接下来的内容展开：
A: TPO3(1): Listen to the conversation between a student and a receptionist at the Registrar’s office on the first day of the semester.
Student: excuse me, I am supposed to be having my physics class in the physics building, but no one is in the classroom. Could you tell me where the class is .........
预测：这个工作人员如何帮助解决这个问题。
 
B: TPO 33(1): Listen to a conversation between a student and a university employee
- Hi, I am a little lost, is this the housing maintenance office?
- Yes, you found it.....
预测：开场白的地点就知道是设施坏了来保修的。
 
C: TPO18(1):Listen to a conversation between a student and a university career employee
当考生听到这里的时候就预测是和找工作相关的，但录音的开头却是这样的，这么长一段话：
- HI, I hope you help me, I come from ...nearby Chicago.
- Well, welcome to....university.... But Chicago is such a great city.... Why did you...?
- Everyone asks that, it is my hometown, it was sure.... I am interested the program here.
- ... How did you?
- Get interested in.......?
- My family hosted many exchange students ......
- And that led you to the program. Right now you are looking for a job…
 
在这里，海外考试研究中心的老师提醒考生们：听到了最前奏之后一定要耐心等待，耐心得听，也就是前面的暗示已经提醒考生们这个录音的要点了。
 
有些考生可能会问：那么前面听这么多有用吗？会有考题吗？我们还是看看考题的设置吧：

1. Why does the student go to the office?
2. Why did he transfer the university?
3. Why does the student mention hosting exchange student?
小小的开头信息竟然包含了三道题目！
 
同理，我们来看一下学术类对话：
A: TPO5(4): Listen to a conversation between a student and a professor.
I was wondering if i could talk with you about the assignment in the film class....
预测：谈论电影的课程问题。
 
B: TPO22(4);Listen to the conversation between and his musical history professor.
So I was wondering what I could do to improve my paper before the final draft is due.
Well, I have no problem with writing style. It is graceful.... But you wrote about about your grandma’s piano concert......
 
可以看出：无论是非学术还是学术类对话，最开始的前奏不要忽视，预测的内容一定与前奏是相符的。尽管要经过很长的开头后再进入主题，也要耐心等待，否则就会错过重要信息。
 
二、同理听好讲座的开场白
值得提醒考生的是，讲座的最前奏仅仅是汇报今天要讲什么学科而已，没有其他信息。这个时候，分辨是很长的开场白还是很短的开场白就需要我们长期的练习了。怎么样听出来讲座的开场白到哪里为止，要求考生按照写作的思路去理解。试想一下，任何一篇作文都有一个中心，也就是说我们直到要听到今日中心才算正式的预测成功。
A: TPO 26(5):Astronomy(comets)
Ok, we have been looking at some of the smaller member of our solar system -comets. You already know about the structure of the comet. Lets’ continue our discussion now by talking about orbits, especially those of the so-called periodic- orbit comets. .............
 
B: TPO 18(6): Biology class
Well, it is finally looking like spring is arriving. The last of winter snow would be melting away in a few days. So before we close today, I thought Iwould mention a biology event that is a part of the transition from winter to spring. Something you go outside and watch if you have patience.
考生们可以仔细看看：个讲座直接奔着主题就说完了；而第二个讲座的开始部分里却有实际的例子spring, winter, snow. Arrival......这里要小心开头的内容考官会设置两类题目：主旨题和一道细节题目(Why does the professor first mention the arrival of spring?)
 
类似的情况可见于TPO 27(6):开头也很长，也有实际的例子：
As you... Primary color.... Basic colors.... But as you will find when you start working on your painting projects.... The three colors …not always make the best secondary colors... Combining red and blue...never get violet...The idea of primary color being primary colors not exist until 200 years ago the dominant their proposed by ISSACC Newton...
请看最初几道题目的考题设置：主旨题目和细节题目(What does the professor imply about the usefulness of the theory of the primary colors?)--依旧开头部分设置了两道题目。
 
在具备一定的英语能力后再注重细节，可以帮助考生们更高效地达到理想的分数，所谓的细节就是必须要听懂开头，否则一切都无意义。建议考生们平时可以采用专门的开头段的练习，并学会预测接下来的结构和内容的展开。