这次四级考试的听力短对话部分继承了以往考试的总体特征：
1、 建议句型的考察：以考试第11题为例：
11．M: Christmas is round the corner and I'm looking for a gift for my girlfriend. Any suggestions?
W: Well, you have to tell me something about your girlfriend first. Also, what's your budget?
Q: What does the woman want the man to do?
考察女生对男生的建议特色。原文中suggestions一词为建议的直白表达，四个选项均以动词词组形式出现，也是建议的典型特色之一。再者，本题也体现了男生紧张，女生从容理智应试特色。
2、 转折考点：以考试第12、13题为例：
12．M: What would you like for dessert? I think I'll have apple pie and ice cream.
W: The chocolate cake looks great. But I have to watch my weight, you go ahead and get yours.
Q: What will the woman most probably do?
前段说到巧克力蛋糕不错，but之后当然话锋一转，所以最后女人决定不吃甜点。不过本题中值得注意的一点，也是这次四级考试听力中的一个新的特色是大量出现了一些考生不太熟悉的词组表达，比如本题中的go without。
13．W: Having visited so many countries, you must be able to speak several different languages!
M: I wish I could. But Japanese and, of course English are the only languages I can speak.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
女人根据男人去过许多国家推测男人会多国语言，男人在回答I wish I could.后以but转变基调，说明其实不会那么多语言。在but考点出现的同时也体现了在四级考试中男人不够强悍的特色。
3、 原因考点：以考试第18题为例：
18．M: The taxi driver must have been speeding.
W: Well, not really! He crashed into the tree because he was trying not to hit a box that had fallen off the truck ahead of him.
Q: What do we learn about the taxi driver?
撞车原因的考察。
4、 时间先后顺序：以考试第14题为例：
14．M: Prof. Smith asked me to go to his office after class. So it is impossible for me to make it to the bar at 10：00.
W: Then it seems we'll have to meet an hour later at the library.
Q: What will the man do first after class?
同样以动词词组为选项体现动作先后顺序的特色，这与95年6月第二题比来几乎没有什么差别，所以说即使是新的考题，依然贯穿了老的技巧和出题思路。
