Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Taking Simple Notes

10 questions · exam conditions

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Taking Simple NotesQuestion 1 of 10

A student reads a short article: 'Exercise has many benefits. It strengthens the heart and lungs, improves mood by releasing chemicals called endorphins, and helps maintain a healthy weight. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Walking, swimming, and cycling are all good options.'

A student is preparing for a quiz on this article and wants to take notes that will help them remember both the benefits of exercise AND the recommended amount. Which notes accomplish BOTH goals most effectively?

Benefits of exercise — physical and mental health improvements — recommended by experts — several types of exercise are mentioned in the article

Exercise is good for you in many ways — it helps your heart and your feelings and your weight — experts say you should do it regularly every week

Exercise benefits: heart/lungs stronger, mood↑ (endorphins), healthy weight — Recommendation: 30 min, moderate, 5 days/week — examples: walking, swimming, cycling

Exercise: heart, lungs, mood, weight — 30 minutes, 5 days — walking, swimming, cycling — endorphins released during physical activity help improve how you feel

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Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Taking Simple Notes

Practice Taking Simple Notes in Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Taking Simple Notes, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Benefits of exercise — physical and mental health improvements — recommended by experts — several types of exercise are mentioned in the article
Exercise is good for you in many ways — it helps your heart and your feelings and your weight — experts say you should do it regularly every week
Exercise benefits: heart/lungs stronger, mood↑ (endorphins), healthy weight — Recommendation: 30 min, moderate, 5 days/week — examples: walking, swimming, cycling (correct answer)
Exercise: heart, lungs, mood, weight — 30 minutes, 5 days — walking, swimming, cycling — endorphins released during physical activity help improve how you feel

Explanation: When you take notes to study, your goal is to capture specific, usable information — not just general ideas. Ask yourself: "Could I use these notes to answer a quiz question without re-reading the article?" That standard separates strong notes from weak ones. Answer C earns the highest marks because it accomplishes both tasks the question requires. It records the three specific benefits (heart/lungs, mood with the key term endorphins, healthy weight), then clearly labels the recommendation with precise numbers (30 min, moderate intensity, 5 days/week). The abbreviations and arrows keep it brief without losing accuracy. Anyone studying from these notes could answer both a "what are the benefits?" question and a "how much exercise is recommended?" question with confidence. Answer A sounds organized but is too vague — phrases like "physical and mental health improvements" don't name the specific benefits, and the recommendation (the 30/5 formula) is completely missing. Answer B is written in full sentences and feels more like a summary than study notes. It says "regularly every week" instead of the specific "30 minutes, 5 days," so the key numbers are lost. Answer D is actually quite close — it includes the benefits and the numbers — but it buries the endorphin point in a long explanation at the end rather than organizing it clearly under benefits. It's less structured, which makes it harder to use during a quick review. Study tip: When asked about note-taking, always check whether the notes contain specific details (numbers, key terms, named examples) and whether the information is organized by topic. Vague or unstructured notes may feel complete but fail when quiz time comes.

Question 2

A student reads the following paragraph: 'The library closes at 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and at 5:00 p.m. on weekends. Members can borrow up to five books at a time. Books must be returned within three weeks, or a fine of 25 cents per day will be charged.'

After reading this paragraph, a student writes notes to remember the key information. Which notes would be LEAST useful when the student needs to return a book on time and avoid a fine?

Library hours: weekdays 8 pm, weekends 5 pm — borrow limit: 5 books
Return books within 3 weeks — fine: $0.25/day if late
Library rules — members, books, fines — details about borrowing policy are strict (correct answer)
Borrow: max 5 books — return: 3 weeks — late fine: 25 cents/day

Explanation: When taking notes from a passage, your goal is to capture specific, actionable information — details you can actually use later. This question asks you to identify which notes would be least useful for a very specific purpose: returning a book on time and avoiding a fine. Think about what information you actually need for that goal: the return deadline and the fine amount. Any notes that include those details clearly are useful. Notes that leave them out — or replace them with vague language — are not. Choice C is the correct answer because it fails completely at this task. Phrases like "details about borrowing policy are strict" tell you nothing concrete. You can't look at those notes and know when to return the book or how much the fine is. These are reminders that information exists, not the information itself. Vague, general notes are nearly worthless when you need to act on them. Choices A, B, and D are all more useful. Choice A captures library hours and the borrowing limit — practical details. Choice B directly states the return window (3 weeks) and the fine ($0.25/day), which is exactly what you need. Choice D also records the borrowing limit, return deadline, and fine clearly. Even though A and D don't focus only on fines, they still contain usable, specific facts. Study tip: When evaluating notes in reading questions, ask yourself: "Can I use this information to take a real action?" Good notes are specific and complete. If a note only tells you that rules exist without telling you what they are, it's not useful — no matter how organized it looks.

Question 3

A student is learning to take key-word notes while reading. The student writes: 'The reading said that water is very important for the human body and that people should drink enough of it every day and that it helps many things in the body work correctly.' Which revision of these notes BEST demonstrates the key-word note-taking skill?

Water: body needs it, drink daily, helps functions — the reading emphasized that this is a very important health topic worth remembering
Water is important — people need it — it helps the body — drink every day for health
The main idea is that water matters for health and the body needs it to function well on a daily basis
Water = essential for body — drink daily — supports multiple body functions (correct answer)

Explanation: When practicing key-word note-taking, your goal is to strip away full sentences and filler words, keeping only the essential terms and ideas. Good key-word notes are brief, use symbols or abbreviations, and make the core information easy to scan and remember later. Answer D does this best: "Water = essential for body — drink daily — supports multiple body functions." Notice how it uses the equals sign as a shorthand connector, eliminates all unnecessary words, and still captures every major idea from the original passage — importance, daily intake, and bodily functions. That's the key-word method working correctly. Answer A starts well with "Water: body needs it, drink daily, helps functions," but then adds a full sentence at the end ("the reading emphasized that this is a very important health topic worth remembering"). That additional commentary defeats the purpose of key-word notes, which should be compact and efficient. Answer B uses a dash-separated list ("Water is important — people need it — it helps the body — drink every day for health"), but the phrases are still too wordy and sentence-like. Key-word notes should cut down to individual terms and short labels, not mini-sentences. Answer C is actually a complete sentence summarizing the main idea: "The main idea is that water matters for health and the body needs it to function well on a daily basis." This reads more like a written summary than a set of notes, making it the furthest from the key-word technique. A quick tip to remember: if your notes still look like sentences, keep cutting. Aim for nouns, verbs, and symbols — if it could fit on a sticky note, you're on the right track.

Question 4

A student listens to a recorded message from a doctor's office: 'This is a reminder that your appointment is on Thursday, March 14th, at 2:15 p.m. Please arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork. Bring your insurance card and a photo ID. If you need to cancel, call at least 24 hours in advance to avoid a $50 cancellation fee.'

A student takes notes from this message. Later, the student realizes they may need to cancel. Which set of notes gives the student everything they need to cancel correctly and avoid the fee?

Doctor appointment on Thursday — arrive early for paperwork — bring ID and insurance — call if you need to cancel to avoid paying a fee
Appt: Thurs. March 14, 2:15 pm — arrive 15 min early — bring: insurance card, photo ID — cancel: 24 hrs in advance or $50 fee (correct answer)
March 14 appt at 2:15 — bring documents — cancel early — $50 if late cancellation — paperwork needed upon arrival at the office
Appt: March 14, 2:15 pm — arrive: 15 min early — bring ID + insurance — cancellation policy: call in advance — fees may apply for late notice

Explanation: When taking notes from a recorded message, your goal is to capture specific, actionable details — not just general ideas. For a cancellation situation, you need the exact deadline and exact consequence, because vague notes won't help you act correctly in real life. Answer B is the strongest set of notes because it preserves every critical detail precisely: the date (March 14), time (2:15 pm), the 15-minute early arrival, both required documents, and most importantly, the specific cancellation rule — "24 hrs in advance or $50 fee." With these notes, you know exactly when to call and exactly what happens if you miss that window. Nothing is left to guessing. Answer A fails because it says only "call if you need to cancel to avoid paying a fee" — it drops the 24-hour deadline entirely. Without that timeframe, you don't know how early to call, which means you could still trigger the fee. Answer C is disorganized and vague in the wrong places. It says "cancel early" without specifying 24 hours, and it omits the specific documents (just saying "bring documents"), making it incomplete for both the appointment and the cancellation. Answer D comes close but uses soft language: "call in advance" and "fees may apply." The real message says a $50 fee will apply, and specifies 24 hours — D's vagueness could lead to a costly mistake. Study tip: When evaluating notes, ask yourself: Could I act on this information without going back to the original source? If a note replaces a specific detail with a vague phrase, it's incomplete — and on this exam, incomplete notes are wrong notes.

Question 5

Read the following two sets of student notes taken from the same short reading about climate change.

Student 1's notes: 'Climate change — rising temperatures — caused by greenhouse gases (CO2, methane) — effects: melting ice, rising seas, extreme weather'

Student 2's notes: 'Climate change is a very serious problem that is happening all over the world and scientists are very worried about it and say we need to do something soon to fix it.'

A teacher reviews both sets of notes and says one student is using the skill correctly and one is not. Which statement best explains the difference between the two approaches?

Student 1 uses key words linked to specific causes and effects, while Student 2 writes complete sentences that describe feelings and urgency without capturing factual details. (correct answer)
Student 1's notes are too short to be useful, while Student 2's notes are more complete because they use full sentences and show a deeper understanding of the topic.
Student 2's notes are better because they use more words and show that the student was paying close attention and thinking about the importance of the topic.
Both students are using key-word notes correctly, but Student 1's version is harder to read because it uses symbols and abbreviations that may be confusing later.

Explanation: When a question asks you to compare note-taking approaches, focus on what kind of information each student recorded, not how much they wrote. Effective notes use key words and phrases that capture specific facts — causes, effects, definitions, names, and data — so you can review them quickly later. Student 1's notes do exactly this: they identify the topic (climate change), the cause (greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane), and the effects (melting ice, rising seas, extreme weather). Each phrase carries real factual content. Student 2's notes, while longer, contain mostly emotional language — "very serious," "very worried," "do something soon" — without naming a single specific cause or effect. This makes A the correct answer. Student 1 captures facts efficiently; Student 2 captures tone and urgency but loses the actual information. B is a trap because it assumes longer or more "complete" sentences equal better notes. In fact, full sentences in notes often include filler words that slow you down during review and don't add meaning. C makes the same mistake — more words does not mean better comprehension or better notes. D is incorrect because Student 1 uses standard note-taking tools (abbreviations, dashes, parentheses) that are considered correct technique, not a weakness. Both students are definitely not using the skill equally well, so D's opening claim is also false. Your takeaway: when evaluating notes, ask yourself, "Could I use these to study for a test?" If the notes only describe feelings or general importance without specific facts, they're missing the point of the skill.

Question 6

A student is listening to a news report: 'A major storm is expected to hit the coast on Friday evening. Residents in low-lying areas should evacuate by Thursday noon. Shelters will open Wednesday night at six community centers. People should bring food, water, and medicine for at least three days.'

The student needs to use these notes to make decisions about when to leave and what to bring. Which set of notes would best support those decisions?

Storm: Friday evening — evacuate by Thursday noon — shelters open Wed. night, 6 centers — bring: food, water, medicine (3 days) (correct answer)
Big storm coming on Friday — people in low areas need to leave — shelters are opening soon — bring supplies for a few days
Storm warning — evacuation required — community resources available — residents should prepare in advance with necessary items
Storm: Friday — leave Thursday — shelters Wednesday — bring food, water, medicine — low-lying residents most affected

Explanation: When you take notes from a spoken source like a news report, your goal is to capture specific, actionable details — exact times, dates, numbers, and instructions. This question tests whether you can recognize notes that would actually help someone make real decisions, versus notes that are too vague to act on. Answer A is the strongest choice because it preserves all the critical specifics from the report: the exact day and time of the storm (Friday evening), the evacuation deadline (Thursday noon), when shelters open (Wednesday night), how many shelters exist (6 centers), what to bring (food, water, medicine), and for how long (3 days). Someone reading these notes would know exactly what to do and when. Answer B keeps the general ideas but loses the specifics that matter most — "a few days" instead of three, "soon" instead of Wednesday night, and no mention of the six community centers. Vague notes like these force you to rely on memory to fill in the gaps. Answer C is even weaker. Phrases like "community resources available" and "prepare in advance with necessary items" are so general they could apply to almost any emergency situation. These notes offer no real guidance for decision-making. Answer D is close, but it drops "Thursday noon" in favor of just "Thursday," omits "evening" for Friday, and leaves out the detail about six centers. Small omissions like these can lead to real confusion under pressure. Study tip: When evaluating notes, ask yourself: Could someone act on these without hearing the original source? If the answer is no, the notes are too vague.

Question 7

A student listens to a short talk about bus schedules. The speaker says: 'Bus Route 12 runs every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays. On Saturdays, it runs every 30 minutes from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is no service on Sundays. The fare is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for students with a valid ID.'

After listening, a student uses their notes to answer this question: 'Can a student ride Bus Route 12 at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday, and if so, how much will they pay?' Which set of notes would allow the student to correctly answer BOTH parts of this question?

Bus 12 — weekdays every 20 min from 6am — Saturdays every 30 min — no Sunday service — adult $2 / student $1 with valid ID
Bus Route 12 — runs frequently on weekdays, less often on weekends — no Sunday buses — fares differ by age and whether you have identification
Route 12: weekdays 6am–10pm, Sat 8am–8pm, no Sun — cost: $2 adults / $1 students — frequency: 20–30 min depending on day
Route 12 — weekdays: every 20 min, 6am–10pm — Sat: every 30 min, 8am–8pm — no Sun service — fare: adult $2, student $1 (ID required) (correct answer)

Explanation: When taking notes from a listening passage, your goal is to capture specific, usable details — not just general ideas. This question tests whether your notes contain enough precise information to answer a two-part question: (1) Does the Saturday schedule include 7:30 a.m.? and (2) What is the student fare? To answer part one, you need the exact Saturday start time. The talk states Saturday service begins at 8:00 a.m., which means 7:30 a.m. is before service starts — so the answer is no. To answer part two, you need the specific student fare: $1.00 with a valid ID. Your notes must contain both pieces of information clearly. Choice D captures everything needed: the Saturday window (8am–8pm), frequency, Sunday gap, and the exact fares with the ID requirement noted. It's the only set of notes that lets you confidently answer both parts. This makes D correct. Choice A is close but missing the Saturday start and end times (8am–8pm). Without knowing service begins at 8am, you can't confirm whether 7:30 a.m. is covered — which is the entire point of the question. Choice B is too vague throughout. Phrases like "runs frequently" and "fares differ by age" give you no specific times or dollar amounts to work with. Choice C includes the Saturday hours and fares, but doesn't specify which fare applies to students — it only says "$1 students" without the ID requirement, making it incomplete for real-world use. Study tip: When listening for information, always prioritize specific numbers — times, prices, and conditions. Vague notes may feel faster to write, but they often can't answer the actual question.

Question 8

During a job-skills class, the teacher says: 'When you go to a job interview, remember four things: arrive five minutes early, bring two copies of your resume, make eye contact with the interviewer, and ask at least one question at the end. These habits show that you are professional and prepared.'

A student takes the following notes during this lecture. Which version shows the strongest use of key-word note-taking for this skill level?

Job interview tips: arrive early (5 min), 2 resume copies, eye contact, ask 1 question — shows professionalism (correct answer)
The teacher explained that there are four very important things to remember when you go to a job interview so that you look professional
Interview: be early, bring resume, look at interviewer, ask questions — four habits the teacher mentioned in class today
Job interview = professional behavior — teacher listed several tips including arriving on time and bringing documents and being polite

Explanation: When taking notes in class, your goal is to capture key information quickly and efficiently — not to copy every word the teacher says. Strong note-taking uses keywords, abbreviations, and symbols to record only what's essential, while still preserving the meaning of the lesson. Answer A does this best. It condenses the teacher's four tips into short, clear phrases: "arrive early (5 min), 2 resume copies, eye contact, ask 1 question." It uses a number and abbreviation ("2," "min") to save space, and ends with the main point — "shows professionalism" — so the purpose of the tips isn't lost. Everything important is there, and nothing unnecessary is added. Answer B is too wordy. It reads almost like a full sentence copied from the lecture and doesn't actually list the four tips at all. Good notes should be shorter than the original, not reworded sentences. Answer C is close but slightly weaker. It paraphrases the tips in vague language ("look at interviewer," "ask questions"), loses the specific numbers (5 minutes, 2 copies, 1 question), and adds unnecessary filler like "the teacher mentioned in class today." Specific details like numbers are exactly the kind of information worth keeping. Answer D is too vague. Phrases like "several tips," "arriving on time," and "being polite" are so general they wouldn't help you remember or use this advice later. Notes that lose specific details aren't useful for studying or real-life application. As a study tip: when you evaluate note-taking, ask yourself — are the key details still there, and is everything else cut? If the notes are too long or too vague, they're not doing their job.

Question 9

A student is listening to a lecture about healthy eating. The teacher says: 'There are three main food groups you should focus on: proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables. Proteins help build muscles. Carbohydrates give you energy. Vegetables provide vitamins. Try to eat all three groups every day for a balanced diet.'

A student wants to take notes on this lecture. Which set of notes best captures the most important information using key words?

proteins = muscles, carbs = energy, vegetables = vitamins — eat all 3 daily (correct answer)
healthy eating is very important for your body and you should always try to eat well every single day
three food groups — proteins, carbs, vegetables — teacher said to focus on them and balance is important for health
proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables — these are food groups that help the body in different ways depending on what you eat

Explanation: When taking notes on a lecture, your goal is to capture the key ideas quickly using key words and symbols — not full sentences. Good notes are short, organized, and easy to review later. Ask yourself: "What are the main points, and how can I write them as briefly as possible while keeping the meaning?" Answer A does this perfectly. It uses short labels, the equals sign as a shortcut, and a clear action item at the end ("eat all 3 daily"). Every important fact from the lecture — the three food groups, their benefits, and the teacher's recommendation — is captured in just a few words. This is exactly what effective note-taking looks like. Answer B is a full sentence that restates a general idea without including any specific facts. It never mentions proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, or what each one does — so it would be nearly useless when studying later. This is the trap of writing too generally. Answer C includes the food groups but adds extra words like "teacher said" and vague phrases like "balance is important for health." It's closer to a correct answer, but it's wordy and doesn't clearly show what each food group does, which was the key detail in the lecture. Answer D lists the food groups but completely drops their specific benefits (muscles, energy, vitamins) and replaces them with a vague phrase: "help the body in different ways." You lose the most important information. Study tip: When taking notes, use symbols (=, →, +) and key words only. If you can cover your notes and still remember the main facts, you've done it right.

Question 10

A student is taking notes while reading a passage about renting an apartment. The passage says: 'Before signing a lease, you should check for three things: the length of the lease (usually 6 or 12 months), whether utilities like water and electricity are included in the rent, and the policy on pets. Some landlords charge an extra pet deposit of $200 to $500.'

The student plans to use these notes when comparing two apartments. Apartment A includes utilities and allows pets with a $300 deposit. Apartment B does not include utilities but has no pet fee. Which set of notes would best help the student make this comparison using the key concepts from the reading?

Renting tips — check lease carefully before signing — utilities and pets are two things to consider — deposits can cost extra money
Lease checklist: (1) length — 6 or 12 mo, (2) utilities included? (3) pet policy — possible deposit $200–$500 (correct answer)
Lease checklist: length, utilities, pets — landlords may charge fees — compare all options before deciding where to rent
Lease: 6 or 12 months — utilities: sometimes included — pets: check policy, deposit $200–500 — utilities and pet fees are the two most important factors

Explanation: When taking notes for a specific purpose — like comparing two apartments — the best notes are organized, specific, and directly usable. Ask yourself: "If I look at these notes later, can I quickly check each apartment against every point?" That's the standard to apply here. Answer B creates a numbered checklist with exact details: lease length (6 or 12 months), whether utilities are included, and pet policy with the specific deposit range ($200–$500). This structure lets you line up Apartment A and Apartment B side by side against each item. It captures all three key points from the passage with enough detail to be actionable — you could literally write "yes/no" next to each item for both apartments. Answer A is too vague to be useful for comparison. Phrases like "check lease carefully" and "deposits can cost extra money" don't give you the specific categories you need. It reads more like general advice than a working checklist. Answer C includes the right topics but lacks the specific details — notably, the deposit range ($200–$500) is missing. It also adds an opinion ("compare all options before deciding") that wasn't part of the original passage and doesn't help with the actual comparison task. Answer D includes good details but then makes an editorial claim — "utilities and pet fees are the two most important factors" — which the passage never says. Lease length is equally listed as a key factor. Adding your own conclusions into notes can distort the source material. Study tip: Good notes for a task should mirror the structure of the task itself. If you're comparing items, organize notes as a checklist — specific categories with key details, no added opinions.