Listening 31–32 Central Idea + Attitude

Listening · Hard

Skip if aiming for Level 3

Items 31–32 are debate- or discussion-style dialogues rated Hard in TOPIK II Listening. Item 31 asks what the speaker (usually the man) thinks, and item 32 asks what attitude that speaker is taking. In both items the correct answer is almost never an extreme position of full support or full opposition — it is usually a subtle stance like 'conditional support' or 'a concerned proposal'. The key to this type is compromise expressions like '다만', '단', and '그렇다고 ~은 아니고'. The speaker is typically asked a confirming question ('So you're against it?') and replies '아니요' (No), then restates their position more precisely — and this corrective sentence is where the real thinking and attitude live. Judging the speaker's stance from the earlier part of the turn alone leads to mistakes. The attitude question in item 32 requires reading both the direction of the feeling (concern, criticism, support, indifference) and its intensity. 'Worried but proposing an alternative' and 'strongly critical' are very different attitudes, and the options often mix the two together as a trap. The vocabulary itself runs to Level 6 complex sentences, so following the sentence structure accurately also takes real reading skill. If your goal is Level 3, it is efficient to drop this section entirely and spend the time on easier items earlier in the test. But if you're aiming for Level 5 or above, training your ear for compromise expressions is worth the investment — it carries over into advanced reading comprehension across Reading and Writing as well, not just this item type.

Central Idea + Attitude

• 지지하다/환영하다 — 긍정적 태도 — An attitude of full agreement and welcome. Expressed with '적극 지지하다·환영하다·공감하다' (strongly support, welcome, sympathize).
• 비판적이다/회의적이다 — 부정적 태도 — An attitude of disagreement that points out problems. Expressed with '비판적이다·회의적이다·부정적이다' (critical, skeptical, negative).
• 신중하다/조심스럽다 — 유보하는 태도 — An attitude that withholds judgment and avoids rushing to a conclusion. Expressed with '신중하다·조심스럽다·유보적이다' (cautious, careful, reserved.)
• 확신하다/자신 있다 — 확신하는 태도 — An attitude that states a clear position backed by evidence. Expressed with '확신하다·단정하다·자신 있다' (be convinced, assert, be confident).
• 절충하다/조건부로 동의하다 — 절충적 태도 — A middle position that is neither full agreement nor full disagreement. It shows up as agreeing with the direction while attaching a condition.
• 우려하다/염려되다 — 걱정하는 태도 — An attitude that worries about a negative outcome in advance. Usually followed by a proposed alternative.
• 관망하다/소극적이다 — 무관심에 가까운 태도 — An attitude close to indifference — not actively engaging, just watching. No clear opinion is stated.
• 다만/단/그렇다고 ~은 아니고 — A compromise signal word that partly revises or supplements the previous statement. The speaker's real condition follows right after it.
• 전면적으로 vs 부분적으로 — A pair of expressions that distinguish the intensity of an attitude. '전적으로·전면적으로' points to a full, unqualified position; '부분적으로·어느 정도는' points to a compromised, partial one.
• 그런 게 아니라/그건 아니고 — An expression that corrects the other speaker's confirming question (a misunderstanding) and restates the real position. The speaker's actual thinking follows right after it.
• 막자는 게 아니라 ~하자는 것이다 — An attitude expression that voices concern while offering a concrete alternative. It is a request to adjust the approach, not outright opposition.

• Softened opinion phrases like '~다고 봅니다' and '~인 것 같아요'
• The speaker's correction or elaboration that follows '그렇다면 ~인가요?' (So, is it ~?)
• Vocabulary expressing concern or caution (신중하다·우려되다·조심스럽다)

• Pair the other speaker's confirming question (e.g. 'So you're against it?') with the speaker's answer to it
• Don't miss the sentence where the speaker partly agrees while attaching a condition ('다만', '단')
• For attitude items, judge both the direction and the intensity of the feeling together
• If an option contains an extreme phrase like 'fully opposed' or 'entirely in favor', compare it against the dialogue's actual tone

• Missing the speaker's compromise and concluding 'opposed' from just the earlier part of the turn
• Judging the attitude from a single emotion word alone and missing its intensity or context

Safe to drop entirely if your target is Level 3. If you're aiming for Level 5 or above, drill compromise expressions ('다만', '단', '그렇다고 ~은 아니고') intensively.