Actual TOEFL Listening 8

B Listen to a lecture in a political science class.

Politics and Sports

1 What is the lecture mainly about?

a. The history of the Olympic Games and the World Cup

b. The reasons why politics should not be a part of sports
c. The conspiracy theories involving the World Cup
d. The influence politics has on international sports

2 Which of the following events is NOT mentioned in the lecture?

a. The opposition to the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing

b. The deaths of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches in Munich
c. The cancellation of the Olympics in 1916 due to World War I
d. The exclusion of South Africa from the Olympics for 30 years

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3 How does the professor begin the discussion on the topic?

a. By giving examples of sporting events influenced by politics

b. By asking the students in class to share their opinions
c. By showing a movie discussing politics and sports
d. By having the students read a handout about certain incidents

4 What can be inferred from the lecture?

a. There is no relationship between politics and sporting events.

b. The professor thinks part of the class is not informed about politics.
c. The majority of the class thinks sports and politics are related.
d. Many countries have been excluded from the Olympic Games.

Listen again to a part of the lecture. Then answer the question.

5 What does the professor mean when she says, “That may be a little bit of a

stretch”?
a. The student is wrong about which countries have won the World Cup.
b. The professor finds the comment fanciful with no basis in truth.
c. The student’s theory may be true and needs further investigation.
d. The countries outside Europe and South America will win a World Cup soon.