由于托福听力考试要求的特殊性，与雅思的听力考试不同，托福考生不能通过预览听力考题来对听力材料中的重要内容作一个预先判断，故而，掌握如何在托福听力材料中定位重要信息的能力对于托福考生来说显得至关重要。

　　除了听力中几乎"百发百中"的转折原则外，问答原则也是在听力材料中定位出题信息的一个重要原则。无论是在对话还是讲座当中，问答情境的出现通常都是对听力材料中涉及的重要问题的明确与深入探讨，对于问题的回答往往就是对听力主线内容的进一步阐释说明，故而一问一答的内容往往就是出题点所在，此部分的信息是考生解题的重要线索与依据，需要重点关注。

　　下面将以TPO真题中的具体实例说明问答原则如何能够帮助考生在托福听力中定位重点出题信息。

　　Conversation篇

　　托福听力中conversation涉及的主要是学生求助他人解决实际问题或授课内容疑难点的场景，问答原则在对话中的主要体现在于一、明确学生的主要问题 --- conversation必考的主旨题往往是在学生与教授或工作人员的问答中得以体现，其中：对话的目的主旨往往直接就是学生的问题所在，对话的大意主旨也都是在对话双方的不断应答中得以揭示的；以及二、探讨、解决问题过程中的重要环节与步骤，在对话中基于不同问题或疑惑的解答往往是涉及对话主线的重要信息，通常在听力中会以细节题的形式进行考察。

　　例1：TPO6 Conversation1当中，学生因不明确校园招聘会具体面向什么学生群体而特意前去咨询，此处涉及的是对对话目的主旨的考察。

　　TPO-6 Conversation-1

　　Narrator

　　Listen to a conversation between a student and an employee in the university's

　　career services office.

　　Student

　　Hi, do you have a minute?

　　Employee

　　Sure, how can I help you?

　　Student

　　I have a couple of questions about the career fair next week.

　　Employee

　　OK, shoot.

　　Student

　　Um ...well, are seniors the only ones who can go?（Q1） I mean, you know, they are

　　finishing school this year and getting their degrees and everything. And, well, it

　　seems like businesses would wanna talk to them and not first year students

　　like me.

　　Employee

　　No, no, the career fair is opened to all our students and we encourage anyone

　　who's interested to go check it out.

　　1. Why does the student go to the career service's office?

　　● to confirm the date and time of the career fair

　　● to learn the location of the career fair

　　● to find out he is allowed to attend the career fair

　　● to get advice about interviewing at the career fair

　　例2：TPO8 Conversation1当中，学生去办理学位证，但因不明白办理的具体要求，学生遇到了一些麻烦。

　　TPO-8 Conversation-1

　　Stu

　　Hi, I'd like to drop of my graduation form; I understand you need this in order to  process my diploma.

　　Reg

　　Ok, I will take that. Before you leave, let's me check our computer. Looks like you are  OK for graduation, and actually, I am getting a warning fly on your academic record  here.

　　Stu

　　Really?

　　Reg

　　Yeah. Let's see was what. Are you familiar with your graduation requirements?（Q2）

　　Stu

　　Yes, I think so

　　Reg

　　Then you know you need 48 credits in your major field to graduate and at least 24  credits in the intermediate level or higher. Also, after your second year, you have to  meet with your department chair to outline a plan for the rest of your time here.(Q2) In the  past, we also issue letters before students' final year began to let them know what  they needed to take in the final year to be OK, but we don't do that anymore.

　　Stu

　　I definitely met with my chair person 2 years ago; he told me that I need 8 more  courses at the intermediate level or higher in the last 2 years to be OK. So I am not  sure what the problem is, I make sure I got these credits.

　　2.According to the registrar, what step is currently taken to ensure that students fulfill their graduation requirements?

　　●Academic records are regularly checked by the registrar's office

　　●Students meet with a department chairperson to plan their course work

　　●Students receive letters listing the courses that they still need to take

　　●Warning letters are sent to students who have fallen behind in their course work

　　例3：TPO14 Conversation2当中，学生想转新闻专业，老师向其解释学校并没有设置新闻专业，且就读新闻专业并不是要成为记者的必要条件。

　　Student:

　　Yeah… anyway, I am glad you schedule this meeting because I want to change my

　　major to journalism now.

　　Advisor:

　　Um，the university doesn't offer a major in journalism.

　　Student:

　　Oh no…

　　Advisor:

　　But….

　　Student:

　　I… I mean… should I transfer to another school, or major in English?

　　Advisor:

　　Er… wait a minute. Let me explain why the major isn't offered. Editors at newspapers… editors… um… I mean when you apply for a reporting job, editors look

　　at the two things(Q2)--- they want to see clips, you know, some of your published articles(Q3), though also want you to try out, though give you an assignment like… covering press conferences of some other event, then see if you can craft the story about it, accurately, on dead line(Q3).

　　3. According to advisor, how do newspaper editors evaluate an applicant for a

　　reporting position?

　　Clickon 2 answers.

　　They ask the applicant to present ideas for news stories.

　　They ask the applicant to write a news story.

　　They review the applicant's university course work.

　　They review a sample of the applicant's published articles.