DSE Listening Skills
AdvancedRead the questions before the recording.
- Use the pre-recording minutes to skim the task file: count questions, note demands.
- Predict and tag each blank (n/d/p) so your ears hunt with a target.
- During listening, write short and jump fast; never mourn one question at the cost of two.
文體小知識：Exam strategies.
§Text Passage
1Good afternoon, candidates. The recording will begin in two minutes, so use this time wisely. Skim the whole task file first so that you know how many questions there are and what each section demands. As you read, predict the type of information each blank needs — is it a name, a date, a number or a place? Write a small 'n', 'd' or 'p' beside the blank to remind yourself. This one-minute habit tells your ears what to hunt for, and half of successful listening is knowing what you are listening for.
2While the recording plays, write your answers in short forms and do not worry about neatness, because you may tidy them up later during checking time. Note keywords as you hear them instead of writing full sentences, since the tape will not wait for your handwriting. If you miss an answer, leave it and move on immediately. Do not panic, because the next question may carry an easier mark, and losing two marks while grieving over one is the most common disaster in this paper.
3Use the transfer and checking time carefully. Check the spelling of names and the accuracy of numbers, because one wrong letter costs a whole mark. Thursday is not Tuesday, no matter how tired you are. Verify singular and plural forms, and make sure every answer fits the grammatical frame of the sentence. Finally, confirm the time, because answers that are correct but written in the wrong box earn nothing.
4That is all from me. Relax, breathe and trust your preparation, because today is simply the hundred and first time you have done this. Good luck.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
Good afternoon, candidates.
各位考生，下午好。
The recording will begin in two minutes, so use this time wisely.
錄音將於兩分鐘後開始，請善用這段時間。
Skim the whole task file first so that you know how many questions there are and what each section demands.
先略讀整份任務題冊，了解共有多少題目、每部分有何要求。
As you read, predict the type of information each blank needs — is it a name, a date, a number or a place?
閱讀時，預測每個空格所需的資料類型——是人名、日期、數字還是地方？
Write a small 'n', 'd' or 'p' beside the blank to remind yourself.
在空格旁寫上小小的「n」、「d」或「p」提示自己。
This one-minute habit tells your ears what to hunt for, and half of successful listening is knowing what you are listening for.
這一分鐘的習慣會告訴你的耳朵該獵取甚麼，而成功聆聽的一半，正是知道自己正在聽甚麼。
While the recording plays, write your answers in short forms and do not worry about neatness, because you may tidy them up later during checking time.
錄音播放期間，用簡寫記下答案，不必工整，因為你可以在檢查時間再整理。
Note keywords as you hear them instead of writing full sentences, since the tape will not wait for your handwriting.
聽到關鍵字便記下，不要寫完整句子，因為錄音不會等你的手。
If you miss an answer, leave it and move on immediately.
若錯過某題答案，立即放下，繼續前行。
Do not panic, because the next question may carry an easier mark, and losing two marks while grieving over one is the most common disaster in this paper.
別慌，因為下一題可能是更容易的分數；為一分悲傷而失兩分，是本卷最常見的災難。
Use the transfer and checking time carefully.
小心運用謄寫和檢查時間。
Check the spelling of names and the accuracy of numbers, because one wrong letter costs a whole mark.
核對人名的串法和數字的準確度，因為錯一個字母便整整丟一分。
Thursday is not Tuesday, no matter how tired you are.
無論多累，Thursday 也不是 Tuesday。
Verify singular and plural forms, and make sure every answer fits the grammatical frame of the sentence.
核實單複數形式，確保每個答案都切合句子的文法框架。
Finally, confirm the time, because answers that are correct but written in the wrong box earn nothing.
最後確認作答位置，因為寫錯格子的正確答案一文不值。
That is all from me.
我的提醒到此為止。
Relax, breathe and trust your preparation, because today is simply the hundred and first time you have done this.
放鬆、深呼吸、相信你的準備，因為今天只不過是你第一百零一次做這件事。
Good luck.
祝各位好運。
1Summary 重點摘要
Read the questions before the recording.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Read questions fast.
Predict.
Notes.
Key word.
Spell.
Number.
Time.
檢查。
3Step by step Steps
- BeforeUse the two pre-recording minutes to skim the task file: how many questions, what each section demands; write a small n (name), d (date) or p (place) beside each blank — tell your ears what to hunt, “train your ear before the recording starts”.
- DuringWhile listening, write short and ignore neatness: keyword notes only — “the tape will not wait for your handwriting”; miss one? Move on at once; mourning one question for two more is “the most common disaster in this paper”.
- AfterAt transfer time run four checks: the spelling of names, the accuracy of numbers (Thursday is not Tuesday, “no matter how tired you are”), singular or plural, and the grammar frame — one wrong letter costs a whole mark.
- FocusNames and numbers are forever the focus: times, prices, phone numbers, people and places — the easiest to mis-copy and the most heavily scored; write them down at once, never trust your memory.
- The right boxAn answer only scores in its own box: a correct answer written in the wrong box earns zero — after transferring, match every answer back to its question number, never by feel.
- Predict the blanksPredict each blank's type (n/d/p) before the tape starts: ears with targets listen accurately — a one-minute habit that puts you ahead before the recording even begins.
- MindsetMindset is a technique too: Relax, breathe and trust your preparation — “today is simply the hundred and first time you have done this”; a relaxed ear hears more.
5Worked example Example
The recording is an invigilator's pre-exam briefing. Combine the advice into a complete before-during-after strategy for the DSE listening paper.
- Step 1: Before: use the two minutes to skim the whole task file — how many questions, what each section demands.
- Step 2: Predict each blank's type and tag it with a small 'n', 'd' or 'p' (name, date, place) so the ears know what to hunt.
- Step 3: During: answer in short forms, ignore neatness, and if you miss one, jump at once — 'the most common disaster in this paper'.
- Step 4: After: check name spelling, number accuracy ('Thursday is not Tuesday'), singular or plural, and the grammatical frame.
- Step 5: Confirm every answer sits in the correct box, then breathe — it is simply 'the hundred and first time'.
- Answer: The briefing converts into a three-stage strategy. Before the recording, skim the entire task file to count the questions and see what each section demands, then label every blank with a small n, d or p — name, date or place — because half of successful listening is knowing what you are listening for. During the tape, write short forms without worrying about neatness; if an answer slips past, leave it instantly, since mourning one question while losing the next two is the paper's most common disaster. At transfer time, inspect spelling, numbers ('Thursday is not Tuesday'), singular and plural endings, and the grammatical frame around each answer. Finally, confirm the boxes — correct answers in the wrong box earn nothing — and relax: this is simply the hundred and first rehearsal.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Prep time?
Q2Before?
Q3During?
Q4After?
Q5Types?
Q6Tip?
8Recap Recap
- Use the pre-recording minutes to skim the task file: count questions, note demands.
- Predict and tag each blank (n/d/p) so your ears hunt with a target.
- During listening, write short and jump fast; never mourn one question at the cost of two.
- At transfer, check four things: spelling, numbers, singular/plural, grammatical fit.
- Right box or no marks — then breathe: it is the hundred and first rehearsal.