广大“烤鸭”们普遍认为雅思考试的听力部分还是比较简单的，但是想冲刺高分也非易事。专家分析发现，如若能够在听的过程中对一系列的信号词抑或路标词敏感起来，许多基础较好的同学是很有希望冲刺高分的。而基础比较差的同学，也可以通过对这些路标词的学习在短期内有所突破。以下是几类高频路标词：
一、顺序路标词
对顺序路标词的记忆有利于快速掌握speaker的节奏，以免跟丢题目。尤其是在流程图一类的填空题中，或是描述实验步骤的独白，这些词可称之为Marker words/phrases, 有时根据此类词可以判断音调突然转变，应当多加留心。
☆ first, first of all ,for a start, in the first place, to begin with ...
second, followed by, third ,then , next , previously, before that finally, last, for one thing ,for another, meanwhile, until ,subsequently
☆ Now tell me ... And now (we will) ... Before I move on to ... Next, I’d like to ... Right, so the first thing ... And what about...? Well, that’s about it, except for ... I’d like not to move on to ... One more thing Finally, can you tell us...
二、强调路标词
强调路标词有助于考生对某一细节事实的理解及加深认识，往往其后跟的就是考点，若对这些词不敏感，答案往往就溜走了。而这些词之间会进行paraphrase(同义置换)，需注意甄别。
☆ That is, That is to say, I mean, namely, in particular, specially
☆ especially, actually, to be exact, in other words, another way of saying this, Let’s put it this way, equally, etc.
三、转折路标词
转折路标词可以说是逢考必现，也就是百分之百会考到，而且不止出现一次，所以要求考生熟练掌握。在课堂实践教学中，发现有不少相当聪明的同学，没有听懂对话的意思，却能准确识别出转折关系，从而找到正确答案(尤其是选择题)。所以当听到表示转折或对比的词或短语时，考生一定要集中注意力，因为此时speaker会提供新信息或完全相反的观点，也就是考点所在。需要引起注意的是，but一词考试是会弱化的，类似于/bə/，所以考试时一定要仔细辨音。
☆ 强转折： but, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, yet, while, whereas
☆ 让步：Although, though, even if, in spite of, despite
☆ 对比：by/in contrast, by comparison, as a matter of fact, instead, otherwise
Eg. Most people tend to book twenty-four hours in advance…however, the earliest you book a computer is forty-eight hours before you need it.
题目：Computer can be booked up to ___hours in advance.
如果注意到however一词，可知个数字24小时是个陷阱，而正确答案应为48小时。
