TOEFL Guide Ibt

8/2/2019 TOEFL Guide Ibt

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TOEFL Guide iBT [Bruce Rogers]

Preparation:Getting started: 1-2 h;Guide to: 60-74 h

- Reading (20-24 h),- Listening (14-18 h),- Speaking (12-16 h),- Writing (12-16 h).

Practice Tests: 8-10 h;Total: 69-86 h.

Format:Reading: 3 readings (600-700 per reading) with 39 questions (12-14 per)about 60 minutesListening: 2 conversations (with 5Q per) and 4 lectures/discussions (with 6Q per)50 m.

Mandatory pauseSpeaking: 2 independent tasks (own knowledge) & 4 integrated (based on a short text)20 m.Writing: 1 independent task with 1 integrated30 m.

Total: 3:15-4 h with an each score part of 30 points

READING

Skills that are tested in this section include the abilities to:- scan for details- use context clues to understand the meaning of vocabulary- draw inferences- recognize coherence- understand how the author explains certain points- understand why the author uses certain examples or mentions certain details- recognize restatements (paraphrases) and sentence simplifications- distinguish between important ideas and minor ones- analyze and categorize information in order to complete summaries and chartsPassages (most are explanatory, but there are some narrative and persuasive one):- Science and technology, including astronomy, geology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, biology,

medicine, and engineering

- History, government, geography, and culture- Art, including literature, painting, sculpture, dance, drama, and architecture- Social science, including anthropology, economics, psychology, urban studies, and sociology- Biography and autobiography

Questions:

- Factual questions (detail questions) and Negative factual question- Vocabulary questions- Inference questions (to draw conclusion from the paragraph)- Questions about the author's purpose- Questions about the author's methods- Questions about the author's attitude- Sentence restatement/ simplification questions- Reference questions


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Factual Q.Factual questions ask about explicit facts and details given in the passage. They often contain one of the wh-

words or phrases: who, what, when, where, why, and so on.Factual questions often begin with the phraseAccording to:

According to the passage... According to the author... Accordingto the theories of

Factual questions sometimes begin with this phrase:

What does the author say about...?When you see these phrases, you know that the information needed for an answer is directly stated

somewhere in the passage (unlike answers for inference questions).Scanning

To scan is to read quickly to find certain information. To answer factual questions, you must scan thepassage or paragraph to locate and identify information that the question asks about. (The question often givesthe number of the paragraph where the information is found and marks it with an arrow, which makes your jobeasier!) If you are not sure from your first reading where in the passage or paragraph to look for specificanswers, use the following techniques: Focus on one or two key words from the question. These might be dates, names, or other nounssomething

that will be easy to find as you scan. Lock these words in your mind.

Scan the passage as you scroll down looking for these words or their synonyms. Look only for these words.Do nottry to read every word of the passage.

Remember that questions generally follow the order of the passage. Therefore, you will usually scroll downfrom the last question that you answered, not up.

When you find the key words in the passage, carefully read the sentence where they occur. You may have toread the sentences preceding or following that sentence as well.

Compare the information that you read with the answer choicesCorrect answers for factual questions seldom use exactly the same words that the passage uses. They often

contain synonyms and have different grammatical structures.There will generally be two or three factual questions about each of the three passages.Here is part of a passage from the Preview Reading Test and a factual question about it.

Negative factual questions ask you to determine which of the four answer choices is not given in thepassage. These questions contain the words not, except, or least, and these words always appear in uppercase(capital) letters.

According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT.... Which of the following is NOTmentioned in the passage? Which of the following is LEAST likely?

To answer this kind of question, you need to scan the passage to find answers that are correct or that arementioned in the passage. The correct answer, of course, is the one that does not appear or is mentioned inanother context. Sometimes, the three incorrect choices are clustered in one or two sentences. Sometimes theyare scattered throughout the passage and will take you more time to find.

Negative factual questions take more time to answer than most of the other types of questions. You maywant to skip these questions and come back to them later by using the Review feature.

Here's a part of one of the passages from the Reading Preview Test and a negative factual question about it.Vocabulary Q.Vocabulary questions ask about the meaning of words or phrases in the passage. You have to decide which

of four words or phrases is closest in meaning to the word from the passage. Most vocabulary questions askabout single words (usually nouns, verbs, or adjectives). Some ask about phrases involving several words.There will generally be two to four vocabulary questions about each of the three passages (six to ten perReading Section).

You can often use other words in the same sentence or in nearby sentences as clues to get an idea of themeaning of the expression you are being asked about. These surrounding words are called the context.


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- SynonymsThe first state to institute compulsory education was Massachusetts, which made it mandatoryfor students to attend school twelve weeks a year.The word mandatory is a synonym for the word compulsory. If it is mandatory to attend schooltwelve weeks a year, then compulsory education must mean "mandatory," "required,""necessary."

- ExamplesMany gardeners use some kind of mulch, such as chopped leaves, peat moss, grass clippings,

pine needles, or wood chips, in order to stop the growth of weeds and to hold in water.From all the examples given, it is clear that mulch means "material from plants."

- ContrastIn the 1820's, the Southern states supported improvements in the national transportation system,but the Northern states balked.Because the Southern states supportedimprovements, and because a word is used that indicatescontrast between the first part of the sentence and the second part {but), then the word balkedmust have a meaning that is basically the opposite ofsupported. In other words, the Northernstates must have "refused to support" improvements, or "been against" improvements.

- Word AnalysisA tiger standing in tall grass is almost invisible because of its striped markings. The prefix in-

often means "not." The root -vis- means "see." The suffix -ible means "able to be." Even if youare not familiar with the word invisible, you could probably guess that it means "not able to beseen."

- General ContextIn a desert, vegetation is so scanty that it is incapable of supporting any large human population.As is generally known, deserts contain little vegetation, so clearly the word scanty must mean"scarce" or "barely sufficient."

You can use any of these techniques to help you answer vocabulary questions about the passages. These arethe steps that you should follow when you answer vocabulary questions:

1. Look at the highlighted word or phrase and the four answer choices. If you are familiar with the word,guess which answer is correct, but don't click on the answer yet.

2. Read the sentence in which the word appears. (The word will be highlighted so it will be easy to find.)See if context clues in the sentence or in the sentences before or after help you guess the correct meaning.3. If context clues do not help you guess the meaning of the word, use word analysis. In other words, see if

the prefix, root, or suffix can help you understand the word.4. If you still are not sure which answer is correct, read the sentence to yourself with each of the four

answer choices in place. Does one seem more logical, given the context of the sentence, than the otherthree? If not, do any seem illogical? If so, you can eliminate those.

5. If you are still not sure, make the best guess that you can and go on. If you have time, come back to thisquestion later.

Inference Q.Some of the questions about the Reading passages require you to make inferences. The answers to these

questions are not directly provided in the passageyou have to "read between the lines" to answer them.Inference questions can be written in a number of ways. Many times the questions contain some form of the

words inferor imply.

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? It can be inferred from the information in paragraph _ that. . . In paragraph____ , the author implies that. . . Which of the following does the passage imply? Which of the following would be the most reasonable guess about ?


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The author suggests that. . . It is probable that. . . It can be concluded from the information in paragraph _ that. . .Purpose, method and opinion Q

1)Purpose q.Purpose questions askwhy the author of a passage (or someone that the author quotes) uses a certain

piece of information in the passage. ETS calls this kind of question a "rhetorical purpose" question. This kind ofquestion really asks you about the developmentof the passage. In other words, it asks you why an author makes

a point or why the author supports and strengthens a point in a certain way. The question may ask you why theauthor. . . mentions a specific piece of information uses a certain example refers to a study uses a certain sequence or order of events makes a comparison quotes a person or a document uses a particular word or phrase

Purpose questions may also ask you the importance of a sentence or paragraph to the passage. Here aresome examples of purpose questions:

Why does the author mention _________in paragraph _ ? Why does the author give an example of _______ ? _________ in paragraph _ is given as an example of. . .

The author refers to _________ to indicate that. . . The author quotes _________ to show that. . . . The phrase _________ in paragraph __ is used to illustrate the effect of. . . Wiry do the scientists mentioned in paragraph say that. . . . Why does the author provide details about ________ in paragraph __ ? The author gives statistics about ________ in paragraph __ because. . . Why does the author first discuss ________ and then discuss? The author's main purpose in paragraph is to.

2) Method qMethod questions askhow the author of a passage (or someone that the author quotes) explains something

or accomplishes something in the passage. Again, these questions are really about the development of thepassage. How does the author strengthen or clarify a point that he or she has made? The question may ask howthe author...

explains a concept supports an idea or a theme or an argument clarifies an idea introduces a topic gives an example shows the importance of a person, development, or idea

3) Opinion q.These questions ask you what the author (or someone the author quotes, such as an expert in the field)

thinks about some issue or idea. The author's opinion is usually not stated directly. You have to infer what theauthor thinks by the language and the ideas that he or she presents in the passage. Here are some examples ofopinion questions:

Which of the following statements best expresses the author's opinion of ? In paragraph _ , the author expresses the opinion that. . . . The author of this passage probably believes that. . . .


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What is the author's opinion of ________ ?Sentence restatement Q.

You will see two or three sentence restatement questions in the Reading Section. This type of questionpresents a sentence from the passage and then asks you to choose the sentence that best restates or summarizesthe information in the original sentence. The correct choice will not look like the original sentence. It will usedifferent grammar and different vocabulary, substituting synonyms for words in the original sentence.

The special directions that are given for these questions tell you that you have to select the choice that hasthe essential information that is in the original sentence. The directions also tell you that incorrect choices omit

important information from the original sentence or change the meaning of the original sentence. To findcorrect choices, you must identify the sentence that summarizes or simplifies the information in the sentencefrom the passage. In other words, a choice that eliminates details and examples from the original sentence maybe correct answer information.Reference Q

Reference questions ask you to look at a highlighted pronoun or other reference word in the passage. Youare then given four nouns or noun phrases, usually taken from the paragraph in the passage where thehighlighted word is found. You must choose which of these words or phrases (called the referent) thehighlighted word refers to.

Two things to remember: The referent almost always comes before the reference word in the passage. The referent is notalways the noun that is closest to the reference word.

Here are some of the reference words you might be asked about:

Personal pronouns/adjectives he, him, his, she, her , hers, it, its,they, them, their, theirs

Reflexive pronouns himself, herself, itself, themselves

Relative pronouns/adverbs who, whose, whom, which, that ,where, when

Demonstrative pronouns/adjectives this, that, these, those (may alsobe used before nouns or nounphrases: this one, that time, thesenew ideas, those problems)

Other reference words some, few, any, none, several,both here, there most, many one,onesanother, other, othersthe former, the latter(some of these words may also beused in phrases: some of these,several examples, both places,most ofwhich, one theory, anotherprocess)

To answer reference questions, first look at the passage and read the sentence in which the highlighted wordappears and a few of the sentences that come before this sentence. If you can't decide immediately which of thefour answers is correct, substitute each of the four choices for the highlighted reference word in the passage?Which one of the four is the most logical substitute?Sentence addition Q.

Sentence addition questions tell you to look at a paragraph in the reading passage. In that paragraph, thereare four black squares. You are given a sentence that is notin the passage and told to add it to the paragraph at


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one of the four places marked by the black squares. You must decide which of these four squares the mostlogical place for the missing sentence is. When you click on one of the squares, the sentence will appear at thatpoint in the paragraph.

Sentence addition questions test your understanding of correct sequencing, of paragraph organization, andespecially of paragraph cohesion. You can think of cohesion as the "glue" that holds the sentences of aparagraph together. There are certain devices that writers use to achieve cohesion. You can sometimes use thesedevices as clues to help you find the best place to put the "new" sentence. You might see these devices either inthe reading passage or in the new sentence.

Devices: Signal Words

Scientists have many theories about why the Ice Ages took place.However, none of these theories canfully explain why ice sheets formed at certain periods and not at others.

The signal wordHoweverlinks these two sentences. It shows that there is a contrast between theinformation in the first sentence and the information in the second.Stone tools are more durable than bones. Therefore, the tools of early humans are found more frequently thanthe bones of their makers.

These two sentences are joined by the signal word Therefore. This word indicates a conclusion. Becausethe information in the first sentence is true, the information in the second sentence also is true.

African art first came to the attention of Europeans around 1905 when art critics and artists recognized

the dynamic qualities of African sculpture. Furthermore, some of the top European artists of the time, such asPicasso and Modigliani, used African art as inspiration for their own work.

These sentences are linked by the signal word Furthermore. This signal words indicates addition. Thefirst sentence provides you with certain information about a topic (African art), and the second sentenceprovides you with more information on the same topic.

If we watch a cell divide under a microscope, what do we see? First, the nucleus of the cell begins tolook different. The dense material then thins out in the middle. Finally, a new cell wall forms between the twonuclei. The cell has divided.

The signal words in this paragraph indicate sequence. They are used to link sentences that describe aseries of events, or as in this paragraph, the steps of a process (cell division).

When people look at cloud formations, they have a tendency to see imaginary shapes. For example, they

may see faces, animals, maps, household objects, boats, or fairyland figures. Similarly, when people viewinkblots on a piece of paper, they may see meaningful shapes. Psychologists have long thought that people'sresponses when they are asked to explain what they see in a set of inkblots reveal a lot about these people'spersonalities. This concept is the basis for the Rorschach inkblot test, which first appeared in 1921.

For example links the second sentence to the first by providing a specific example (cloud shapes) toillustrate the general concept presented in the first sentence. The keyword similarly is linked to the first twosentences by comparing similar concepts. (The idea of seeing shapes in clouds is similar to the idea of seeingshapes in inkblots.)

Here is a list of common signal words:

Contrast however, on the other hand, nevertheless, unlike _ , in contrast

Conclusion therefore, consequently, thus, hence

Addition furthermore, in addition, moreoverSequence first, after that, afterwards, later, next, then, finally, lastly

Examples for example, for instance

Similarity similarly, likewise, like

- Personal PronounsBlood travels through the great arteries.Itthen passes into smaller arteries until reaching the capillaries.

They join to form veins, which carry the blood back to the heart.


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The pronoun It in the second sentence refers back to the referent blood in the first sentence, linkingthose two sentences. Likewise, the pronoun they in the third sentence refers back to capillaries in the secondand links those two sentences.

- DemonstrativesA number of methods of improving worker motivation and performance were developed in the 1970's. One

ofthese was called Management by Objectives (MBO). This technique was designed to improve morale byhaving workers set their own goals.

The demonstrative pronoun these links the second sentence to the first by referring back to the word

methods. The phrase This technique links the third sentence with the second by referring back to the phraseManagement by Objectives.

- SynonymsThe earliest remains of ancient animals are those of soft-bodied jellyfish-like animals, worms, and proto-

insects. Thefossils of these creatures show us that, while some animals remained simple, others were becomingincreasingly complex.These two sentences are linked by the wordfossils, which is a synonym for remains.

- Repetition of Key WordsHydrilla is an invasive plant imported to Florida from Sri Lanka some fifty years ago to be used as a

decorative plant in home aquariums.Hydrilla has overgrown more than 40% of the state's rivers and lakes,making life miserable for boaters and often impossible for native wildlife.

The repetition of the keyword hydrilla links these two sentences.In addition to these language clues, you can also use content clues. The new sentence might be in contrast to

one of the sentences in the passage. The new sentence might give an example of something mentioned in thepassage, or it might represent a missing step in a process or a sequence of events.

Remember: There must be some kind of key in either the passage or in the new sentence that links the newsentence to either the sentence that comes before the new sentence or the one that comes after it. There must besomethingan idea, a word, a phrasethat tells you where to put the new sentence. It's up to you to find theclues!

Follow these steps when you answer a sentence addition question:1. Read the new sentence carefully, then read the sentences in the paragraph that are marked with black

squares as well as the sentences immediately before and after the black squares.

2. Look for signal words, personal pronouns, demonstratives, synonyms, and repeated words, first in thenew sentence and then in the passage. Do any of these devices link the new sentence to any of thesentences before or after the black squares?

3. If the answer is not clear, look for content clues that could tie the new sentence to the sentence thatcomes before or after it.

4. Look for places in the passage where the focus seems to shift from one topic to another abruptly,without much transition.

5. You may be able to eliminate certain squares between two sentences because those sentences are closelyjoined and could not logically be separated.

6. If you still cannot find the answer, just go on to the next question and come back to this question later bymeans of the Review function.

Completing summarize and chart QHere are some tips for completing summaries:

1. First, look for hints in the first paragraph or two about the overall structure of the passage. For examplea sentence in the first part of the passage might say, "There are three main theories about. . . " If you seethis kind of "outline" in the passage, then look for signal words or phrases that will introduce thesetheories: "The first theory..." "The next theory...." "The third theory...." These will probably cor-respond to the three main points of your summary.

2. Unfortunately, there will usually not be an outline of the type mentioned in point 1.Then you will needto study the main idea of each paragraph of the passage and consider the way those main ideas are


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related. Sometimes, perhaps, two main ideas may be found in a single paragraph, but generally the mainideas of the passage will be developed in one or sometimes more than one paragraph. Look at theparagraphs and try to get a quick idea of what each paragraph is about. Begin by looking at the firstsentence or two of each paragraph, because this is the most common position for a topic sentence thatpresents the paragraph's main idea. Make quick notes about each paragraph on your notepaper. Thenlook at the answer choices. If there are more paragraphs than answer choices, look for choices thatcombine the ideas of more than one paragraph. Or you may find that the ideas in some paragraphs areonly details and not important enough to be mentioned in a summary.

3. Try to eliminate answer choices that are just details in the passage. These choices usually have adifferent "feel" to them. They may often be examples of main ideas but not restatements of the majorideas themselves. They are about specific things or concepts rather than about general ideas.

4. Try to eliminate answer choices that do not appear in the passage. These may be about a completelydifferent topic. They may also be about a topic related to the topic of the passage but not mentioned inthe passage.

5. Try to eliminate answer choices that don't present the information accurately. They may repeat wordsfrom the passage but present it in a way that changes the meaning. They contradict information that issaid to be true in the passage.

(B) Complete-the-Chart QuestionsThe complete-the-chart question consists of a list of answer choices and a simple chart (ETS calls this a

"Schematic Table"). You have to place the answer choices into the correct categories to complete an outline ofthe passage.

The answer choices can be phrases or sentences. In some questions there are seven choices and you must putfive into the chart. In some questions there are nine choices and you must put seven into the chart. Correctchoices are important characteristics of the different categories.

There will be two or sometimes three categories of information. These categories represent concepts,theories, or divisions in the passage. Often they represent ideas that are compared or contrasted in the passage.

One or two of the answer choices (depending on whether it is a five- or seven-answer chart) cannot beplaced into the chart. This is because they do not fit properly into any of the categories. This type of questiontests your ability to see how information from different parts of the passage fits into logical categories. It alsotests your ability to see when points of information are notrelated to general categories.

When you decide which category you want to place an answer choice into, you click first on the choice andthen on a space under the category in the chart where you want to put it. You do nothave to put choices into thecategory in any special order. As in summary questions, order is not important. When you have finished, youwill have created a chart that organizes the information in the passage.A five-answer chart is worth 3 points and a seven-answer chart is worth 4 points. Partial credit is given.Seven-answer chart

7 correct choices = 4 points6 correct choices = 3 points4 correct choices = 1 pointFewer than 4 correct choices = 0 points

Five-answer chart

5 correct choices = 3 points4 correct choices = 2 points3 correct choices = 1 pointFewer than 3 correct choices = 0 points

Here are some tips for answering complete-the-chart questions:1. First look at the two or three categories of information given in the chart. Be sure that you understand

the concepts and the differences between them. If you do not, go back to the passage to familiarizeyourself with the categories.


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2. Locate the answer choices one by one in the passage. Remember, the choices might be scattered all overthe passage, not just in one paragraph. Also remember that the information in the answer choices willnot appear the same, word for word, as the information in the passage. Use key words from the choicesto help you find the information quickly just as you did when you were answering factual questions(Lesson 1). When you have found information about the answer choice in the passage, read that sentenceand the sentences around it.

3. Using your notepaper, take simple notes about each choice. Just write down the letter for the choice andan abbreviation for one of the categories. If you are not able to categorize the choice, write a question

mark (?) by the letter of the choice.

LISTENING

understand the main idea or topic of the conversation or lecture understand supporting ideas and details of the conversation or lecture draw inferences identify the speaker's purpose, method, and attitude recognize the relationship between parts of a lecture (cause and effect, comparison/contrast, chronological

order, and so on)

understand how the speaker's intonation affects meaning analyze and categorize information in order to complete summaries and charts

Questions with Multiple Answers- Some factual and negative factual questions have two or even three (out of five) answers. You must

click on two or three answers before you continue. These questions have boxes rather than ovalsnext to the answer choices, and when you click on each choice, the box is not completely blackened.Instead, an X appears in the box. You have to mark two (or three) choices before you can continue tothe next question.

In the Listening Section of the TOEFL iBT, conversations and lectures do not sound as if they are beingread aloud by actors. The speakers sound "authenticlike people actually having conversations or givinglectures. This authentic language may include the following features:

Polite interruptionsProfessor

Okay, let's move on to the topic of. . . StudentExcuse me, Professor Wade, but could we go over that last point one more time?

Mistakes and correctionsProfessorUnlike most drums, tympani produce a definite pitch when struck. It was in the sixteenthcentury that they became a common feature of the classical orchestra. Wait. No, it was inthe . . . uh, 1600's, in the seventeenth century, I should have said.

Hesitations and repetitionsStudentProfessor Jackson, excuse me, let me get this straight. You said that in the Canadianparliament, that the . . . umm, Senate was the upper house but . . . uh, that the House of

Commons . . . . uhhh (pause) that the House of Commons, the lower house, actually hasmore power? ProfessorThat's right. In practice, the House of Commons is the dominant branch o: Parliament.

DigressionsProfessorThere are plenty of good reasons why New York City became the financial center of thecountry. Of course, it's not just finance. New York is a cultural center, an artistic center. Imean, if you want to see a good play, if you want-to go to a good museum, then you go toNew York, right?


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But anyway, one reason it became a financial center is that. . . Reduced speech

Student ASo are you gonna sign up for Professor Kimble's sociology class? Student BI guess. I've gotta take at least one more social science class. (Gonna is the reduced formof "going to." Gotta is the reduced form of "got to.")

Sentence fragments ProfessorWilliam Blake. A great poet. At least in my opinion.

Main Topic QAfter each conversation or lecture in the Listening Section, there is a set of questions. The first question

of each set is often a main-topic question or a main-purpose question. To answer these questions, you need tounderstand the whole conversation or lecture. These questions can be phrased in a number of ways:

ConversationsWhat are these people mainly talking about? What is the main topicof this conversation? What is this conversation primarily about?Why is the man/woman talking to the professor? What is thepurpose of this conversation?Lectures and Class DiscussionsWhat is the primary topic of this lecture?

What is the main point of this lecture?What is the purpose of this lecture?What is the topic of the class discussion?What is the main subject of this discussion?What are the students and the professor discussing?

The answer to main-topic/main-purpose questions must correctly summarize the conversation or lecture.Incorrect answers have one of these characteristics:

They are too general. They are too specific, focusing on a detail in the conversation or lecture. They are incorrect according to information in the conversation or lecture. They are not mentioned in the conversation or lecture.

Although answering these questions will require an overall understanding of the conversations or lectures,the first few sentences often "set the scene" and give you a general idea of what the conversation or lecture willbe about. In fact, in some lectures the speaker will actually announce the main topic at the beginning of the talk:

"In our last class, we discussed _______ but today we're going to move onto __________ ""In this class, we're going to focus on ________ ""Today I'd like to introduce the topic of ________ "

When you are taking notes, as soon as you become aware of the main topic of the conversation or lecture,you should write it down and underline or circle it.Factual and Inference Q

The three types of Listening questionsfactual, negative factual, and inferenceare very similar to

those that are asked about in the readings in Section 1. The best way to answer these three types of questions isto take complete, accurate notes on the conversations and lectures.(A) Factual Questions______________________Factual questions ask about supporting ideas and details that are given in the con-versation or lecture. These questions ask what, where, when, why, how much, andso on. Another common type of question is "What does the professor say about______________________?" Many factual questions begin with one of these phrases:

ConversationsAccording to the man/woman, . . . Lectures


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According to the professor,.. . According to thespeaker, . . .

To answer these factual questions, you need an understanding of specific points.If anything in a conversation is repeated or emphasized, it will likely be asked about, as in

this portion of a conversation:Student A

My project for my filmmaking class took me six weeks to finish. StudentBSix weeks! I can hardly believe it. Doesn't your teacher realize you have other classes too?

You can be fairly sure that there will be a question like this: "How long did the man's project take to complete?"(B) Negative Factual Questions

Negative, factual questions, ask you which answer choice is nottrue according to the conversation orlecture or is not mentioned in the conversation or lecture.(C) Inference Questions

Inference questions ask you to make a conclusion based on information in the conversation or lecture.These questions can be phrased in a number of ways:ConversationsWhat does the man/woman imply about ________________________ ?What can be inferred from the man's/woman's comment about ______________________ ?What does the man/woman suggest about _______________________ ?

LecturesWhat does the professor imply about _______________________ ?What can be inferred from this lecture about ______________________ ?What conclusion can be drawn from the lecture about _______________________ ?Purpose, Method, Opinion Q(A) Purpose QuestionsPurpose questions askwhy a speaker says something or what motivates a speaker to mention something in aconversation or lecture. They may ask you why a speaker presents certain information or gives a certainexample.(B) Method Questions

Method questions ask you howa speaker introduces an idea, emphasize an idea, or explain an idea in aconversation or lecture. A speaker may, for instance, indicate cause/effect, contrast two concepts, give reasons,provide statistics, compare an unfamiliar concept with a familiar one, or provide examples to support a generalconcept.(C) Attitude QuestionsAttitude questions ask you about the speaker's attitude toward something mentioned in the conversation orlecture. What is the speaker's opinion of some concept, person, or thing? The answer to these questions is nevergiven directly in the conversation or lecture. You must infer the answer from the speaker's vocabulary and toneof voice.Replay Q.

Replay questions ask you to focus on a short portion of a conversation or lecture that you just listened to

You see the photograph of the speaker(s) again, and you hear (but you don't read) a few lines of theconversation or lecture a second time. An icon of headphones ft tells you when you will hear the replayedsection. Replay questions can be phrased in a number of ways:

Why does ______ say this? ftWhat does ______ mean when s/he says this? ftWhat does ______ imply when s/he says this? ft


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Ordering and matching QOrdering questions and matching questions require a general understanding of the lecture or at least a

major section of the lecture. These two types of questions are asked only about the lectures and academicdiscussions, not about conversations.(A) Ordering Questions

Ordering questions require you to put four (sometimes three) events or steps in a process into the correctorder. Anytime a speaker presents events in chronological order (the order in which they occurred), a biographyof a person, the steps of a process, or a ranking of things according to their importance, there will probably be

an ordering question. Listen for time words (years, dates) and words that signal a sequence.Common Sequence Words

before that afterwards firstearlier than next secondpreviously after that thirdprior to later fourthsoonerthan

subsequent following that

As you take notes, use numbers to keep track of the order of events or steps in the sequence. You can circlethese numbers to make them easier to find.

(B) Matching QuestionsMatching questions require you to connect three words, phrases, or sentences with three categories

somehow related to them. If the lecturer or speaker lists three or more general concepts and then givesdefinitions, examples, characteristics, or uses of those concepts, you will probably see a matching question.Completing charts

Complete-the-chart questions require an understanding of all or a major part of a lecture. (Chartquestions will not be asked about conversations.)

The chart consists of a grid. There are actually several types of grids. One type lists steps in a process. Youhave to decide if the steps in the grid are actually given in the lecture and then mark each step "Yes" or "No."Another type of grid lists specific characteristics. You have to decide if these characteristics are associated witha certain idea or some general concept, and indicate whether this information was included in the lecture by

placing check marks in the appropriate boxes.SOME HINTS ON TAKING NOTES

1. Take notes throughout the lecture. Try to write down as much information as you possibly can.2. Always write down any terms that are new to you, definitions, specific facts, lists of items, and statistics3. Speakers will sometimes give clues telling you which points in a lecture are especially important and

will be asked about. Some of the most common clues:A. Repetition of a pointB. Emphasis from tone of voice or from pauses before or after making a pointC. The amount of time spent on a point

4. Pay attention to the use of signal words or phrases in the lecture, especiallyones that indicate the structure of the lecture or a change of topic.

Common Signal WordsWords and Phrases Indicating the Structure of the LectureThere are three kinds of . . .We'll be looking at a couple of ways to . . .First, Then, That brings us to . . . There are two points of view . . . Next I want to mention . . . First,let's look at . . . Next, let's consider. . . Okay, now let's talk about. . . Now, what about? Finally,Words and Phrases Indicating a Change of DirectionOn the other hand, However, But. . .Words and Phrases Showing Emphasis or Importance


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Most importantly, One important point/issue/problem/question/concept is. Especially Significantly,Be sure to note that. . . Pay special attention to . . . Words and Phrases Used to Give Examples Forexample, Take , for example . . . For instance, Let's consider the case of. . . Specifically

5.In academic discussions, important information may be in comments that students make (particularly if theprofessor agrees with the student).

6.When taking notes on conversations, pay attention to who is saying what. For example, if a professor isspeaking to a student, you may want to put

the initial P before notes on what the professor says and S before what the student says.

7.Take notes during replay questions. In fact, try to write down as many words as possible when listening forthe second time.

8.Organize your lecture notes according to order of importance. The most important ideas should be on theleft side of the page. Indent to the right to show that an idea is subordinate to or supports the moreimportant idea. In other words, ideas on the left side of the page are general divisions of the lecture. Asyou move to the right, ideas become more specific. You should also skip lines between important parts ofthe lecture. Writing notes in this way helps you analyze the material that you are listening to and organizeyour notes in a logical way.Main idea

Supporting ideaSupporting idea

Minor point, example, detail, etc.9.The average lecturer speaks about 125 to 150 words per minute. The average note taker can write only about20 to 25 words per minute. Therefore, you need to use abbreviations and other shortcuts to help you get down asmuch information as possible.

Common words that you can generally eliminate:- Be verbs (is, are, was, were), articles (a, an, the), pronouns (they, his, them), determiners (this, that

these), prepositions (of, with, from)- Use standard symbols and abbreviations:

+ or & and= is, equals, is the same asit isn't, doesn't equal, is not the same as

is not quite the same as, is similar to+ more or less, about, approximatelyt increases, goes upi decreases, goes down/ per% percent# numberx times> more than, bigger than, greater than< less than, smaller than, fewer than> causes, leads to, produces

$ money10. If you miss a point, don't worry. Just keep taking notes.11. Don't worry about spelling, punctuation, or correct grammar. Don't worry if your notes are messy.12. Remember that there are no "perfect" notes. Everyone has his or her own style of taking notes. There areonly three important issues in taking notes for the TOEFL test:

A. Are they accurate?B. Do they help you answer the questions?C. Can you understand them?


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SPEAKING

Speaking SectionBased on Timing per task

Two Independent Tasks Your own knowledge andexperience

Preparation: 1 5 seconds Response:45 seconds

Four Integrated Tasks:

Two Listening/Reading/Speaking Tasks

Reading passage and relatedlecture or conversation

Reading: 45 seconds Lecture: 60 to80 seconds

Preparation: 30 seconds Response: 60 seconds

Two Listening/Speak ing Tasks Lecture or conversation Lecture: 60 to 90 secondsPreparation: 20 seconds Response: 60 seconds

Skills that are tested in both parts of this section include the abilities to

produce fluent, clear, and intelligible speech organize and deliver a spoken presentation of up to one minute in length connect parts of your speech by using transition words and phrases pronounce words properly use stress and intonation correctly use appropriate grammar use vocabulary accurately use idioms appropriately understand written and spoken information and prompts

Skills that are required to do well on the Independent Speaking Tasks include the abilities to

understand the prompts (questions) and what they ask you to do "brainstorm" ideas and take notes on the ideas that you come up with organize your ideas into a simple outline clearly state and explain your opinion or preference support your ideas with examples, reasons, and details deliver a clear, well-reasoned response based on the prompt in forty-five seconds

THE TWO TYPES OF INDEPENDENT TASKSTask Description Example Timing

Task 1: Involves a single "Describe the most Preparation time: 15Personal Preference prompt (question) important day in your seconds

that asks you to life and explain why it

express a personal was important to you. Response time: 45

choice from a Include details and seconds

category that is given examples to support

in the prompt. your explanation."

Task 2: Paired Involves a single "Some people prefer Preparation time: 15Choice prompt that asks you to work for a company seconds

to express a personal and receive a salary. Response time: 45preference from two Other people prefer to

choices that are given own their own seconds

in the prompt. business. Which of

these do you prefer,

and why? Include

details and examples

in your explanation."


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In order to do well on Task 1, you need to be able to

give descriptions of people, places, and things that you are familiar with narrate an event or action express your preference and support it with reasons and examples quickly decide on an answer and think of supporting information produce intelligible speech (use stress, intonation, and pauses to convey meaning)

In order to do well on Task 2, you need to be able to

express your opinion and provide reasons and examples that support youropinion

make recommendations and defend your recommendations

take a position and provide justifications for it

produce intelligible speech (use stress, intonation, and pauses to convey meaning)Overall Description Delivery of Use of Language Development of

Score of Response the Response (Grammar/Vocabulary) the Topic

Pre-Speaking

Your preparation time is quite short, but it is an important time. Here's what you need to do during this fifteen-second period:

Read and analyze the prompt. Decide on your answer.

Take notes about what you will say and prepare a simple outline.Your outline should include the following:

Your preference A briefdescription of your preference At least one or two reasons for your preference

When you give the Paired Choice response, keep the following points in mind:

State your choice clearly in the first sentence of your response. Follow the simple outline that you made during the preparation time. If you want, give one reason why the opposite choice might be a good choice. If you admit the opposition, make a clear transition to the part of the response in which you support your own

choice by using a transition of contrast, such as howeveror but. Give at least two specific reasons to support your choice. Speak clearly and directly into the microphone. Don't speak too slowly or too fast. Keep your response flowing; avoid long pauses. Pay attention to your pronunciation and intonation. Keep it simple by using familiar vocabulary and grammar.

Skills that are required to do well on the Integrated Speaking Tasks include the abilities to

understand and take notes on readings (Tasks 3 and 4) and lectures/conversations (Tasks 3 through 6) understand the questions and what they ask you to do "brainstorm" ideas and take notes on the ideas that you come up with during the preparation time organize your ideas into a simple outline summarize and report key ideas from the readings and lectures/conversations support your ideas with examples, reasons, and details from the readings and lectures / conversations deliver a clear, well-organized response based on the information in the readings and lectures/conversations


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The Four Types of Integrated Speaking Tasks

Task and Type Description Example Question Timing

Task 3: You read a notice or "The man expresses Reading: 45 secondsAnnouncement/ announcement his opinion of the

Discussion related to some notice. State his Lecture: 60 to 80aspect of university opinion and explain seconds

Reading/Listening/ life and then hear the reasons he gives

Speaking two students discuss for having that Preparation: 30the written notice. opinion." seconds

Campus-based You then report what

situation was in the notice and Response: 60 seconds

what one of the

students thought

about it.

Task 4: You read a passage "The professor Reading: 45 secondsGeneral/ from a textbook or describes A (a specific

Specific academic article about point). Explain howA Lecture: 60 to 90a general concept or is related to X (a seconds

Reading/Listening/ theory. Next you hear general idea)."

Speaking a lecture about a Preparation: 30

specific example of seconds

Academic situation this concept or Response: 60 seconds

application of this

theory. You then

summarize the

reading and lecture

and discuss the

relationship between

the two.

Task 5: You hear two "The students discuss Conversation: 60 to

Problem/Solution students discussing a a problem that the 90 secondsproblem that one of man is having.

Listening/Speaking them has and two Describe the Preparation: 20possible solutions to problem. Then seconds

Campus-based this problem. You explain which of the

situation must summarize the two solutions you Response: 60 secondsproblem and explain think is better and

which of the two give reasons why."

solutions you prefer.

Task 6: You hear a lecture "Using specific points Lecture/Discussion:Summary or a classroom and examples from 90 to 120 seconds

discussion. You must the lecture, explain

Listening/Speaking summarize the main how the process of Z Preparation: 20points of the (the topic of the seconds

Academic situation lecture/discussion. lecture) occurs."


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WRITINGSkills that are required to write an effective Integrated Response include the abilities to

understand and take notes on the spoken lecture and the reading passage find the main idea and key points of both the lecture and the passage understand what the question asks summarize the material in the lecture and the passage paraphrase the material in the lecture and the passage (rewrite it in your own words) synthesize (connect) the material in the lecture and the passage

write a clear, well-organized, coherent response to the question use correct written grammar and appropriate vocabulary edit your response for content, grammar, and mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.) word-process (type) your response

IntroductionParagraph 1

Main topic of the passage and the lecture Main idea of the passageMain idea of the lecture, and how it relates to that of the passage Body

Paragraph 2Key point 1 of the passageImportant example or supporting information

Corresponding key point of the lecture, and how it relates to triat of trie passage Important example or supporting information

Paragraph 3Key point 2 of the passageImportant example or supporting informationCorresponding key point of the lecture, and how it relates to that of the passage Important example or supporting information

Paragraph 4Key point 3 of the passageImportant example or supporting informationCorresponding key point of the lecture, and how it relates to that of the passage Important example or supporting information

ConclusionParagraph 5

Brief summarizing sentence or two

To write your response, you will need to take notes on the following information:

The main idea of both the lecture and the passage Key supporting points from the lecture Corresponding key points from the passage Important examples or supporting ideas for these key points Conclusions (if any)

Skills that are required to successfully complete the Independent Writing Task include the abilities to

understand the prompt and what it asks you to do "brainstorm" ideas and take notes on the ideas that you come up with organize your ideas into an outline clearly state and explain your opinion or preference support your ideas with examples, reasons, and details write a unified, well-organized, and coherent response based on the prompt use correct grammar and sophisticated vocabulary use transitions so that one idea flows smoothly into another write a variety of sentence types edit your response for content, grammar, and mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and so on) word-process (type) your response


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Introduction

Paragraph 1Introduction to the general topicStatement of your opinion or preference (thesis statement) Body

Paragraph 2

Key point #1 of the passageExamples, reasons, and details that support your opinion or preference Paragraph 3

Key point #2 supporting your opinion or preference

Examples, reasons, and details that support your opinion or preference

Paragraph 4Key point #3 supporting your opinion or preferenceExamples, reasons, and details that support your opinion or preference

Conclusion

ParagraphSummary or statement showing the significance of your opinion

Documents

TOEFL Guide Ibt