Listen to part of a lecture in a biology class. The professor is discussing the behavior of a type of bird called the African grey parrot.
"Today, we're going to look at a fascinating example of animal cognition: the African grey parrot. You may have heard of Alex, a famous parrot studied by Dr. Irene Pepperberg. What made Alex remarkable was not just his ability to mimic human speech, but his capacity to understand and use words in a meaningful way. For instance, Alex could identify objects by their color, shape, and material. He could count up to six items and even answer questions about the number of objects presented to him. What was particularly striking was his ability to understand the concept of 'same' and 'different', which requires a level of abstract thinking. This challenged the long-held assumption that only primates possess such cognitive abilities. So, the study of parrots like Alex forces us to reconsider how we define intelligence and the evolutionary pathways that lead to it. Now, let's consider the implications..."
❓ คำถาม What is the main point the professor makes about the African grey parrot named Alex?
A. Alex could only mimic human speech, which is common among birds.
B. Alex demonstrated advanced cognitive abilities, such as understanding abstract concepts.
C. Alex's abilities were similar to those of primates but less developed.
D. Alex's intelligence was limited to counting and identifying colors.
✅ คำตอบที่ถูกต้อง
Alex demonstrated advanced cognitive abilities, such as understanding abstract concepts.
TOEFL Listening Tips
Skim the questions first to predict the content
Watch for signal words in lectures and conversations (however, actually, in fact)
For main idea questions, focus on the beginning; for detail questions, focus on examples and data
For attitude questions, pay attention to the speaker's tone and word choice
Take notes on keywords; don't try to write down every word