W: [8] Hi, Frank, what are you up to? Is that really a French grammar book?
M: [8] Well, I'm trying to teach myself some French. [9] When I get to Montreal next semester, I don't want to find I am just another tourist. Most of the people there are bilingual.
W: [9] Leave Boston to go to Montreal? I didn't notice this university had a program in Canada.
M: It doesn't. I am planning to take a short leave and absence from school, so I can go there on my own.
W: What's the reason for this sudden interest in Canada?
M: Well, actually, I've been thinking about going for some time now. I know someone there who has been wanting me to visit.
W: A relative?
M: An old friend of my uncle's runs the chemical engineering department there, so I'm hoping he can help me enroll in some interesting courses.
W: [ 10 ] If you want those credits transferred back here later on, you'd better arrange well before you leave. Don't forget what happened to Susan after she came back from Rome.
M: Yeah, but her situation was different. [ 11 ] I already have all the credits. I don't need to worry about graduation.
W: So you will be taking courses just for the sake of learning.
M: That will be a nice change for the moment.
What was Frank doing at the beginning of the conversation?
【听前预测】
①四项均以动词的ing形式开头(planning，writing，arranging，looking)。
②两项含有与学习有关的词汇(class schedule，language textbook)。
结论：本题可能与某人正在做某事有关，可能涉及学习。
【解析】题干问在对话刚开始的时候弗兰克正在做什么。对话开头处女士问男士(弗兰克)正在做什么，是不是在看一本法语语法书，男士委婉地表示了肯定，说 “呃，我正在努力自学一些法语。”故答案为D。