Misused word? TOEFL® Listening Discussion 1

[FlippinYesterYears]

Hello,

I have just taken a TOEFL Listening practice test, and it seems a word is misused in one of the questions. I have briefly checked the forum.
http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/Why_is_the_student_talking_to_the_advisor.html

Scoll down to question 3). The first answer choice (A) is "To show that she emphasizes with the student's feelings." It looks like the word "emphasizes" should be replaced by "sympathizes (or sympathises)" since the sentence doesn't make sense; the word "emphasize" requires an object that follows. Also, "sympathize" it makes more sense when "sympathizes" is used, especially the word is followed by "with."

What do you think?

[Beeesneees]

I think you are right about it being the wrong word. I suspect it should be 'empathizes' rather than 'sympathizes' though.
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[FlippinYesterYears]

Beeesneees,

Did you listen to the audio? It talks about how the student wants to tranfer to a school located near his hometown. In response the school adviser he's talking to gives him an example about how she had the same feeling as him...the feeling of being homesick. That's where this question comes in: [w]hy does the advisor say this: "I was ready to pack it in after the first two weeks"?.

If it was "emphasizes," then, "with" shouldn't be followed: it should be "emphasizes the student's feeling" and it wouldn't be the correct answer as it gets more difficult to detect the advisor's intention from this. I still think it should be "sympathizes."

[Beeesneees]

I didn't say it should be 'emphasizes', Flippin. Read my message again... carefully! :)

I believe the correct word should be empathizes.
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[FlippinYesterYears]

Ah, my bad, Beeesneees. "Empathize" comes from "empathy." Yeah, it looks more fit.