Directory enquiries and directory assistance

[JOSE]

Test No. incompl/advan-61 "Trains", question 1

It was necessary to telephone ......... enquiries before we could get the number to ring up the railway station.

(a) dictionary
(b) directory
(c) survey
(d) compendium

Test No. incompl/advan-61 "Trains", answer 1

It was necessary to telephone directory enquiries before we could get the number to ring up the railway station.

Correct answer: (b) directory

Your answer was: incorrect
It was necessary to telephone dictionary enquiries before we could get the number to ring up the railway station.
_________________________

why directory is correct and dictionary is incorrect

[Torsten]

Directory enquiries is a call-center service which you can telephone if you want to find out someone's telephone number. This service is called Directory Enquiries in the UK and Directory Assistance is in the US.
A dictionary is a reference book that contains vocabulary words and their definitions. You can refer to a dictionary but you cannot telephone it.

TOEFL listening lectures: What aspect of Carl Sandburg's life does the professor mainly discuss?