12.english 1-Meeting 12-Listening Negatives
12.english 1-Meeting 12-Listening Negatives
12.english 1-Meeting 12-Listening Negatives
MEETING XII
LISTENING: NEGATIVES
A. OBJECTIVES
After studying this material, students are able to:
12. 1 Recognize and understand various types of negatives
12.2 Recognize and understand the expressions for every negative
B. MATERIAL DESCRIPTION
1. INTRODUCTION
Negative expressions frequently appear in listening section. The answers for this
kind of question may appear either in positive statement or in negative statement. But,
it can be said that they are mostly positive statements which contains negative meaning
words.
a. NEGATIVE
There are some negative markers or expression you will find in listening section.
To be clear, look at this following table:
Now listen to these following examples. Underline the negatives and pick the
best answer for every question below!
ENGLISH I 130
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
3 Woman) Where are your keys? a. His keys are lost forever.
(Man) I can’t find them, but I’m sure b. He expects to find his key soon.
they’ll show up soon. c. His keys were lost, but now he has
(Narrator) What does the man say about found them.
his keys? d. Someone showed up with his key soon
after he had lost them.
Exercises on negatives: In this exercise, listen carefully to the short conversation and
question in the recording program, and then choose the best
answer to the question. You should be careful of negative
expressions.
3 a. He has almost all the notes. 8 a. The project will take all their
b. His attendance was perfect. effort.
c. He went to all the lectures but one. b. They have no other work to do.
ENGLISH I 131
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
4 a. They passed the library at 6:00. 9 a. She doesn’t mind an hour more.
b. The library opens at 6:00 in the b. She’d rather stay more than an
summer. hour.
c. The library closes at 6:00. c. It’s better to stay than go.
d. You can’t check out more than six d. She prefers to leave.
books in the summer.
5 a. Water the plants once a day. 10 a. The service at the hotel wasn’t
b. Give the plants no more water. too good.
c. Water the plants often while the man b. This hotel gave excellent service.
is gone. c. The service at the hotel could
d. Give the plants a limited amount of have been improved.
water. d. This hotel’s service was the same
as the service at other hotels.
b. DOUBLE NEGATIVES
Look at this following table. This will provide you where the double negatives can
occur.
Double Negatives
Situation Example Meaning
Negative words, ex: I can’t left it unfinished it tonight. I can left it finished.
not, no, none Nobody isn’t at home. Everybody is at home.
Negative prefixes: I did not disrespect you. I respected you.
In-, un-, dis-
Two negative verbs She doesn’t bring the ATM, so she Implies that she can
cannot withdraw. withdraw money if she
brings the ATM.
Neither or not…either The shop won’t open tomorrow, Both won’t open
and neither the restaurant. tomorrow.
ENGLISH I 132
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
Now listen to these following examples. Underline the negatives and pick the
best answer for every question below!
1 (Man) How is your boss feeling about a. He is eager to leave his job.
this retirement? b. He is unhappy at the thought
Woman) Oo, he isn’t too unhappy to be of retiring.
retiring. c. He couldn’t be unhappier
(Narrator) What does the woman imply about about retiring.
her boss? d. He is retiring too soon.
3 Woman) I think it’s impossible for me to a. It’s not possible to pass the
(Man) pass this class class.
You should never say b. She’ll definitely fail.
(Narrator) “impossible” c. It’s always possible.
What does the man mean? d. She shouldn’t say anything
about the class.
ENGLISH I 133
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
4 a. She felt good enough to go 9 a. The first essay was better than the
out. second.
b. She went out to get some b. The first and second drafts couldn’t
medicine. be better.
c. She felt like dancing, so she c. The second draft of the essays was
went out with everyone. much better than the first.
d. She stayed home because she d. Both versions were poorly written.
was sick.
c. ALMOST NEGATIVES
Almost negative means that something is not fully or not 100% negative. In
English we can recognize this by expressions such as hardly, seldom, etc. For better
understanding, look at this sentence:
ENGLISH I 134
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
Now listen to these following examples. Underline the almost negatives and pick
the best answer for every question below!
1 (Woman) How was your meat at the a. His meat wasn’t tender
banquet? b. The speaker did not have a
(Man) My meat was so tough I could good character
hardly cut it. c. It was difficult to meet new
(Narrator) What does the man say about his people in the crowd
experience at the banquet? d. The meeting was cut short
2 Woman) I hope we don’t have a quiz today. a. The professor gives quizzes
I’m not really very prepared on regularly.
the material for today. b. The woman is really quite
(Man) I don’t think we will. This prepared.
professor rarely, if ever, gives c. It is unusual for this
quizzes. professor to give quizzes
(Narrator) What does the man mean? d. He doesn't think there's a
class today
3 Woman) Did you get to the airport in a. The plane took off just after
plenty of time? he arrived
(Man) There was scarcely enough time b. He arrived just after the plane
to get there? took off.
(Narrator) What does the man imply? c. He wasn’t in time to catch
the plane.
d. He arrived too late to catch
the plane.
ENGLISH I 135
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
ENGLISH I 136
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
Î The negative “do not” is followed by comparative “naughtier” means that the
Tom is the naughtiest kid in this class. “the naughtiest” can also be replaced by
“extremely naughty” or “highly naughty”, etc.
Comparatives with negatives
more No one is more diligent than Sukma. Sukma is the most diligent.
-er He couldn’t be more thankful. He is the most thankful.
1 (Man) A change has sure come over you. a. She is disappointed with the
(Woman) I finally had my annual review result.
with my boss. It couldn’t have b. She likes her job very much.
gone better. c. She is hoping for some
(Narrator) What does the woman mean? improvements in her
workplace.
d. She is very pleased with the
outcome of her meeting
ENGLISH I 137
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
then choose the best answer to the question. You should be careful
of comparatives with negatives.
3 a. The prices were great. 8 a. She wants that job very much.
b. The prices were too high. b. No one is going to get the job.
c. She didn’t buy much because of c. Everybody else wants that job
the prices. as much as she does.
d. The prices could have been d. She is not sure about taking the
lower. job.
ENGLISH I 138
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
1 a. She can try a little harder. 6 a. Neither Tim nor Sylvia is taking care
b. There is a lot more that she can do. of Art.
c. She’s doing the best that she can. b. Sylvia likes modern art even less than
d. It is impossible for her to do Tim does.
anything? c. Sylvia doesn’t care for anything Tim
does.
d. Sylvia and Tim agree in their opinion
of modern art.
2 a. She’s always been late for the bus. 7 a. They always work hard in the
b. The bus has always been late. afternoon.
c. The bus left on time. b. They don’t do much after lunch.
d. Only on his trip has the bus been on c. After noon they never work.
time. d. It’s never hard for them to work in the
afternoon.
3 a. There wasn’t enough soup to go 8 a. It’s hard for him to work when it gets
around. warm.
b. We had so much soup that we b. Whenever it gets warm, he turns on
couldn’t finish it. the air-conditioner.
c. Everyone got one serving of soup, c. The air conditioner only works when
but there wasn’t enough for seconds. it isn’t needed.
d. Everyone around the table need a lot d. He likes to use the air conditioner
of soup. when it is warm.
5 a. She handed the paper in on time. 10 a. With so many members present, the
b. She was able to complete then committee couldn’t reach a decision.
paper, but she didn’t turn it in. b. The committee should’ve waited until
c. The paper was unfinished. more members were present.
c. The issue shouldn’t have been
decided by all the committed
members.
d. The issue wasn’t decided because so
many members were absent
ENGLISH I 139
UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG
D. References:
Phillips, Deborah. 2001. Longman Complete Course for the TOEFL Test (Preparation for
the Computer and Paper Test). New York: Longman.
_____________. 2003. Longman Complete Course for the TOEFL Test (the Paper Test).
New York: Longman.
Pyle, Michael A., Page Mary Ellen Munos. 1995. TOEFL Preparation Guide (5th Ed).
Foster City: IDG Books Worldwide.
Pyle, Michael A.2001. Cliff Test Prep – TOEFL CBT. Foster City: IDG Books Worldwide.
ENGLISH I 140