T . O . E . F .

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MEETING
U . P . G . R . A . D . I . N . G
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S.T.R.U.C.T.U.R.E A.N.D W.R.I.T.T.E.N E.X.P.R.E.S.S.I.O.N

SKILL 1 COORDINATE CONNECTORS

Many sentences in English have more than one clause. (A clause is a group of
words containing a subject and a verb.) When you have two clauses in an
English sentence, you must connect the two clauses correctly. One way to
connect two clauses is to use and, but, or, or so between the clauses.

- The sun was shining, and the sky was blue.

- The sky was blue, but it was very cold.
- It may rain tonight, or it may be clear.
- It was raining outside, so I took my umbrella.

In each of these examples, there are two clauses that are correctly joined with a
coordinate connector—and, but, or, or so - and a comma (,).

The following example shows how this sentence pattern could be tested in
structure questions on the TOEFL test.

Example:
I forgot my coat, _____ I got very cold.
(A) then
(B) so
(C) later
(D) as a result

In this example you should notice quickly that there are two clauses, I forgot my
coat and I got very cold. This sentence needs a connector to join the two clauses.
Then, later, and as a result are not connectors, so answers (A), (C), and (D) are
not correct. The best answer is answer (B) because so can connect two clauses
in this manner

The following chart lists the coordinate connectors and the sentence pattern
used with them.
COORDINATE CONNECTORS
and but or so
S V coordinate connector S V
It was raining but Bill went out To play

EXERCISE 1
Each of the following sentences contains more than one clause. Underline
the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the connectors. Then indicate
if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. ___C___ The lawn needs water every day, or it will turn brown.
2. ___I____ The book was not long, but it difficult to read.
3. ________ It was raining, so decided not to go camping.
4. ________ The material has been cut, and the pieces have been sewn together.
5. ________ The patient took all the medicine, he did not feel much better.
6. ________ The bill must be paid immediately, or the electricity will turned off.
7. ________ The furnace broke so the house got quite cold.
8. ________ The dress did not cost too much, but the quality it seemed excellent.
9. ________ The leaves kept falling off the trees, arid the boys kept raking them
up, but the yard was still covered.
10. _______The postman has already delivered the mail, so the letter is not
going to arrive today, it probably will arrive tomorrow.

SKILL 2 ADVERB CLAUSE CONNECTORS

Sentences with adverb clauses have two basic patterns in English. Study the
clauses and connectors in the following sentences:

-He is tired because he has been working hard.

-Because he has been working hard, he is tired

In each of these examples, there are two clauses: he is tired and he has been
working hard. The clause he has been working hard is an adverb clause that
is introduced with the connector because. In the first example, the connector
because comes in the middle of the sentence, and no comma (,) is used. In the
second example, the connector because comes at the beginning of the sentence.
In this pattern, when the connector comes at the beginning of the sentence, a
comma (,) is required in the middle of the sentence.
The following chart lists common adverb connectors and the sentence
patterns used with them.
ADVERB TIME AND CAUSE CONNECTORS
TIME CAUSE CONDITION CONTRAST
after, as, before, because, since if, whether although,
since, until, when, even though,
while though, while
S V coordinate S V
connector
Matt felt good because he passed
adverb S V , S V
connector
Because Matt pased , He felt good 
EXERCISE 2
Each of the following sentences contains more than one clause. Underline
the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the connectors. Then indicate
if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. ____C___ After the plane circled the airport, it landed on the main runway
2. ____I___ The registration process took many hours since the lines so long.
3. ________ This type of medicine can be helpful, it can also have some bad side
effects.
4. ________ The waves were amazingly high when the storm hit the coastal town.
5. ________ We need to get a new car whether is on sale or not.
6. ________ Just as the bread came out of the oven, while a wonderful aroma
filled the kitchen.
7. ________ Everyone has spent time unpacking boxes since the family moved
into the new house.
8. ________ Although the area is a desert many plants bloom there in the
springtime.
9. ________ The drivers on the freeway drove slowly and carefully while the rain
was falling heavily because they did not want to have an accident.
10. ________ If you plan carefully before you take a trip, will have a much better
time because the small details will not cause problems.

EXERCISE 3
Choose the letter of the word or group of words that best complete the
sentence.
1. A spacecraft is freed from friction __________ launched into space.
A. it B. it is C. after is D. after it is

2. __________ with their surroundings, or they hide in crevices For protection.

A. Lobsters B. Lobsters blend
C. Lobsters blending D. Because lobsters blend

3 __________ a ball-and-socket joint, the elbow is a simple hinge joint.

A. While the shoulder B. While the shoulder is
C. The shoulder is D. The shoulder

4. A car has several sections with moving parts, __________ of those parts is
essential.
A. good lubrication B. well lubricated
C. and good lubrication D. and well lubricated


5. Bears cannot see well __________ small eyes.
A. bears have B. because having
C. because they have D. because of bears

6. __________ at the Isthmus of Panama, so animals were able to migrate

between North and South America.
A. A land bridge existed B. a land bridge existed
C. A land bridge D. With a land bridge

7. __________ mostly made of granite, it also contains some human-made materi-

als.
A. The Empire State Building
B. The Empire State Building is
C. Although the Empire State Building is
D. Although the Empire State Building is built

8. Pressure differences make the eardrum vibrate __________ the ear.

A. enters the sound waves B. as sound waves
C. sound waves enter D. as sound waves enter

9. An optical microscope magnifies as much as 2,000 times, but art electron

microscope __________ as much as a million times.
A. magnifying B. it magnifies
C. can magnify D. magnify it

10. If scientific estimates are accurate,

__________ with the Earth about 20,000 years ago.
A. the Canon Diablo meteorite collided
B. the collision of the Canon Diablo meteorite
C. the Canon Diablo meteorite colliding
D. colliding the Canon Diablo meteorite

R.E.A.D.I.N.G C.O.M.P.R.E.H.E.N.S.I.O.N
Additional Reading Skills Questions
In the previous chapters of this book, we looked at the main types of questions
asked in the Reading Comprehension section of the test, which include main
idea, detail, inference, and reference questions. In this chapter, the remaining
types of questions that appear in this part of the test will be covered. These are
1. Questions on context
2. Questions on tone and attitude
3. Questions on information that might precede or proceed from the
passage
4. Questions on main purpose
5. Questions on drawing conclusions
6. Questions on organization 
QUESTIONS ON CONTEXT
‘There are different types of context questions depending on the particular field
of the reading passage.
1. The questions may regard the kind of publication in which the passage may
be found.
Examples
- The passage would most likely be found in a textbook on which of the
following subjects?
- The passage would most likely be found in ....

2. The questions may regard the author of the passage.

Examples
- The passage was most probably written by a specialist in ....
- The passage was written most likely by an expert in ....

3. The questions may regard the audience for the passage.

Examples
- For whom has the author probably written the passage?
- The audience the author had in mind when writing this passage was most
likely a group of ....
- The information in this passage would most likely be of interest to ....

4. The questions may be about the class for which the passage would be
assigned.
Examples
- For what course would the passage probably be assigned?

QUESTIONS ON TONE AND ATTITUDE

These questions ask you about the author’s feelings when he or she wrote the
passage.
Examples
- The tone of the passage could best be described as ....
- What tone does the author take in writing this passage?

In the passage the author may take a strong position for or against something,
but passages in this section usually have a neutral tone. The following are
examples of strong positive and negative tones
Examples
The work, a true masterpiece, was written in a day. (positive)

In her brilliant career as an architect, she was renowned not only for the
quality of her work but also for the amount of work she produced.
(positive)

This system is extravagant of land use and not suitable for many areas of
the world. (negative)

These experiments are not only shocking but also a waste of time and money.
(negative)

Attitude questions are similar to questions on tone. You must determine the
author’s opinion or position toward the subject.
Examples
- The author’s attitude toward ... could best be described as ...
- What is the author’s attitude toward ... ?
- The author’s opinion of ... could best be described as one of ....
- How would the author probably feel about ... ?

Here are some examples of tone or attitude answers:

positive negative neutral
humorous disbelieving scientific
supportive depressing objective
favorable unfavorable impersonal

In other attitude questions, you may be asked what you think the author’s
opinion of four statements would be.
Examples
- The author of the passage would most likely agree with which of the
following?
- Which of the following recommendations would the author most likely
support?

QUESTIONS ON INFORMATION COMING BEFORE OR AFTER THE

PASSAGE
‘These questions ask you to suppose the passage is part of a longer work and
to guess what the topic of the previous paragraph or the following paragraph
would be. In such questions, the beginning of the passage usually gives you a
clue as to the previous paragraph, and the end of the passage usually gives you
a clue as to the topic that follows.
Examples
- The paragraph(s) before this one most probably discussed the ....
- The paragraph following this one most probably discusses ....
- What was most probably discussed in the paragraph preceding the passage?
- What is most likely the topic of the paragraph following this one?

QUESTIONS ON MAIN PURPOSE

Questions on main purpose ask why the author wrote the passage. These
questions appear in place of main idea questions and are the first questions
after the passage.
Examples
- What is the author’s main purpose in the passage?
- The author’s purpose in writing is to ....
- Why did the author write the passage?

The answers to these questions begin with infinitives such as
to explain to describe
to discuss to tell how
to mention to distinguish
to persuade to illustrate
to summarize to advise
to compare to criticize

QUESTIONS ON DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

Questions on drawing conclusions are similar to inference questions. These
questions ask you to infer from the facts or ideas presented in the passage.
- It can be concluded from the passage that . ...
- The passage supports which of the following conclusions?
- Which of the following conclusions about ... is supported by the passage?
- Which of the following conclusions about can be drawn from the passage?

QUESTIONS ON ORGANIZATION
Organization questions ask you about the general organization of the passage
or of a particular paragraph.
Example
- Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?
- Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the first
paragraph?
- Here are some examples of the answer to such questions:
- Persuasive language is used against . . . .
- A general concept is defined, and examples are given.
- The author describes . ...
- Several generalizations are presented, from which various conclusions are
drawn.
- The views of two researchers are described and contrasted.
- A specific case is given to describe a general principle.


 T . O . E . F . L U . P . G . R . A . D . I . N . G
MEETING 2
S.T.R.U.C.T.U.R.E A.N.D W.R.I.T.T.E.N E.X.P.R.E.S.S.I.O.N

SKILL 3 NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTORS

A, noun clanse, is a clause that functions as a noun; because the noun clause
functions as a noun, it is used in a sentence as an object of a verb (if it follows a
verb) or an object of a preposition (if it follows a preposition). Study the clauses
and connectors in the following sentences.

I don’t know why he said such things

NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT OF VERB

I am thinking about why he said such things

NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT OF PREPOSITION

In the, first example, there are two clauses, I don’t know and he said such
things. These two clauses are joined with the, connector why. Why changes the
clause he said such things into a noun clause which functions as the object of
the verb don’t know.

In the second example, the two clauses I am thinking and he said such things
are also joined by the why. Why change the clause he said such things into a
noun clause, which functions as the object of the preposition about

Thefollowing chart lists the noun clause connectors and the sentence patterns
used with them

NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTORS

what, when, where, why, how
whether, if
that
S V noun clause connector S V
Sally explained why she did it.


EXERCISE 1
Each of the following sentences contains more than one clause. Underline
the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the connectors, Then
indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. ___C___ It is unfortunate that the meal is not ready yet.
2. ___I____ She told me when should pick her up.
3. ________ The instructor explained where was the computer lab located.
4. ________ We could not believe what he did to us.
5. ________ Do you want to know if it going to rain tomorrow?
6. ________ We never know whether we will get paid or not.
7. ________ This evening you can decide what do you want to do.
8. ________ The manager explained how wanted the work done.
9. ________ The map showed where the party would be held.
10. ________ Can you tell me why was the mail not delivered today?

SKILL 4 NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTOR/SUBJECTS

In Skill 7 we saw that noun clause connectors can be used to introduce noun
clauses. In Skill 8 we will see that in some cases a noun clause connector is
not just a connector; a noun clause connector can also be the subject of the
clause at the same time. Study the clauses and connectors in the following
sentences.

I know what happened yesterday.

NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT OF VERB

We are thinking about what happened yesterday.

NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT OF PREPOSITION

In the first example, there are two, clauses: I know and what happened
yesterday. These two clauses are joined by the connector what. It is important
to understand that in this sentence the word what serves two functions. It is
both the subject of the verb happened and the connector that joins the two
clauses.

In the second example, there are two clauses. In the first clause we is the
subject of are thinking. In the second clause what is the subject of happened.
What also serves as the connector that joins the two clauses. The noun clause
what happened yesterday functions as the object of the preposition about.


The following chart lists the noun clause connector/subject and the sentence
pattern used with them.

NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTORS/SUBJECTS

who what which
S V noun clause connector/subject V
Al told me what happened

EXERCISE 2
Each of the Following sentences contains more than one clause.
Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the cinnectors.
Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. ___C___ The teacher heard who answered the question.
2. ___ I___ I do not understand what it went wrong.
3. ________ Of the three movies, I can’t decide which is the best.
4. ________ She did not remember who in her class.
5. ________ No one is sure what did it happen in front of the building.
6. ________ We found out which was her favorite type of candy.
7. ________ Do you know what caused the plants to die?
8. ________ I am not sure which it is the most important course in the program.
9. ________ We thought about who would be the best vice president.
10. ________ She saw what in the box in the closet.

EXERCISE 3
Choose the letter of the word or group of words that best completes the
sentence.

1. Air near the equator _______ a faster west-to-east motion than air farther
from the equator.
A. to have B. it has C. has D. having

2. About 4000 B.C., humans discovered That _______ obtained from special
rocks called ores.
A. metals could be B. the ability of metallic
C. possibly metallic D. could metals be

3. _______ quickly after an animal dies.

A. In the degradation of DNA B. Degrading DNA
C. DNA degrades D. For DNA to degrade
10
4. _______ aerodynamic design has contributed a major part in reducing
resistance to motion.
A. Improved B. It improves
C. Improvement D. They improve

5. The southern part of Florida is much warmer in the winter than the
northern part, so more _______ to the south.
A. flocking tourists B. touring flocks
C. flocks of tourists D. tourists flock

6. The Moon’s gravity pulls water the near side of the Earth toward the Moon,
and this is what _______ tides to occur.
A. the cause B. causes
C. causing D. the cause of

7. _______ they pick up Fragments of rock which become frozen into the base of
the ice.
A. Glaciers move B. Glaciers moving
C. They were glaciers D. As glaciers move

8. The tape measure first evolved from _______ used by the Egyptians.
A. the chains measure B. the chains are measured
C. the chains are measuring D. the measuring chains

9. A typical Atlantic hurricane starts as a low pressure system near _______

A. Africa coasts B. coast to Africa
C. the African coast D. Africa has a coast

10. It is not clear whether the subdivisions of the neocortex _______ units.
A. Individual B. are individual
C. they are individual D. individually

SKILL 5 ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTORS

Art adjective clause describes a noun. Because the clause is an adjective, it is
positioned directly after the noun that it describes.

This is the house that I want to buy.

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE

The house that I want to buy is quiet expensive.

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE

11
In the first example, there are two clauses: this is the subject of the verb is, and
I is the subject of the verb want. That is the adjective clause connector that joins
these two clauses, and the adjective clause that I want to buy describes the
noun house.

In the second example, there are also, two clauses: house is the subject of the
verb is, and I is the subject of the verb want. In this sentence also, that is the
adjective clause connector that joins these two, clauses, and the adjective clause
that I want to buy describes the noun house.

The following chart lists the adjective clause connectors and the sentence
patterns used with them.
ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTORS
whom which that (FOR
(FOR (FOR PEOPLE
PEOPLE) THINGS) OR
THINGS)
S V adjective S V
clause
connector
I like the that you are wearing
dress
S adjective S V V
clause
connector
The dress that you are wearing is beautiful
NOTE: The adjective connectors can be omitted. This omission
is very common in spoken English or in casual written English.
It is not as common in formal English or in structure questions
on the TOEFL test.

EXERCISE 4
Each of the following sentences contains more than one clause. Underline
the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the connectors. Then
indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. ____C___ I did not believe the story that he told me.
2. ____I___ Ms. Brown, whom did you recommend for the job, will start work
tomorrow.
3. ________ The lecture notes which lent me were not clearly written.
4. ________ Sally has an appointment with the hairdresser whom you recom
mended.
5. ________ The phone number that you gave me.
6. ________ She is able to solve all the problems which did she cause. 12
7. ________ The day that she spent on the beach left her sunburned.
8. ________ Next week I am going to visit my cousins, whom have not seen in
several years.
9. ________ Did you forget the promise whom made?
10. ________ The teacher whom the students like the most is their history
teacher.

SKILL 6 ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTOR/SUBJECTS

In Skill 9 we saw that adjective clause connectors can be used to introduce
clauses that describe nouns. In Skill 10 we will see that in some cases an ad-
jective clause connector is not just a connector; an adjective clause connector
can also be the subject of the clause at the same time.

We are looking at a house that is quite expensive.

The house that is quite expensive seems like a great house.

In the first example, there are two clauses: we is the subject of the verb are
looking, and that is the subject of the verb is. These two clauses are joined with
the connector that. Notice that in this example the word that serves two func-
tions at the same time: it is the subject of the verb is, and it is the
connector that joins the two clauses. The adjective clause that is quite
expensive describes the noun house.

In the second example, there are also two clauses: house is the subject of the
verb seems, and that is the subject of the verb is. In this example, that also
serves two functions: it is the subject of the verb is, and it is the connector that
joins the two clauses. Because that is quite expensive is an adjective clause
describing the noun house, it directly follows house.
The following chart lists the adjective clause connector/subjects and the
sentence patterns used with them.

13
 ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTORS
whom which (FOR that (FOR PEOPLE OR
(FOR THINGS) THINGS)
PEOPLE)
S V adjective clause connector/ V
subject
I bought the dress that was on sale
S adjective clause V V
connector/subject
The dress that was on sale was beautiful
NOTE: Although adjective clause connectors can be omitted in informal
English, adjective clause connector/subjects can never be omitted.

EXERCISE 5
Each of the following sentences contains more than one clause. Underline
the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the connectors. Then
indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. ____C___ The children that were vaccinated did not get sick.
2. ___ I____ I did not vote for the politician who he just won the election.
3. ________ The dog that barking belongs to my neighbor.
4. ________ I took two of the blue pills, which were very effective.
5. ________ We rented an apartment from the landlord who does he own the
buildings on Maple Street.
6. ________ She forgot to attend the meeting which it began at 11:00.
7. ________ Any student who does not turn in the paper by Friday will fail the
class.
8. ________ The people which came in late had to sit at the back.
9. ________ The courses that satisfy the graduation requirements they are
difficult.
10. ________ After dinner she went to visit her parents, who were living down
the street.

EXERCISE 5
Choose the letter of the word or group of words that best completes the
sentence.
1. ________ is famous as the home of the United States Naval Academy.
A. Annapolis B. Because of Annapolis
C. Why Annapolis D. Because Annapolis

14
2. Some scientists think ________ be a planet but a moon of Neptune.
A. that Pluto does not seem B. not Pluto
C. Pluto that might not D. That Pluto that might not

3. With ________ of sophisticated oil lamps, elaborate tools were made to cut the
wicks.
A. appeared B. the appearance
C. the appearance was D. it appeared

4. Fort Union was the site of what ________ principal fur-trading past on the
upper Missouri River.
A. the B. being the
C. was the D. it was the

5. Since ________ commercial risk, it has to appeal to a large audience to

justify its cost.
A. the face of the movie B. moving faces
C. a movie faces D. to face a movie

6. A current of water known as the Gulf Stream comes up from the Gulf of
Mexico, and then ________ the North Atlantic toward Europe.
A. it crosses B. crossing
C. with its crosses D. crosses it

7. Systems ________ the two symbols 0 and 1 are called binary number sys
tems.
A. use B. they use
C. uses D. using

8. Genes, ________ the blueprints for cell construction, exist in tightly organized
packages called chromosomes.
A. are B. they are
C. which D. which are

9. The Earth’s atmosphere consists of gases ________ in place around the Earth
by the gravitational pull of the planet.
A. held B. hold
C. it holds D. the hold

10. Oscar Hammerstein II collaborated with a number of composers including

Jerome Kern, whom ________ in writing the musical Show Boat.
A. joined B. was joined
C. hejoined D. joining

15
 R.E.A.D.I.N.G C.O.M.P.R.E.H.E.N.S.I.O.N
Sample Reading Passage
Although “lie detectors” are being used by governments, police departments,
and businesses that all want guaranteed ways of detecting the truth, the
results are not always accurate. Lie detectors are properly called emotion
detectors, for their aim is to measure bodily changes that contradict what a
person says. The polygraph machine records changes in heart rate, breathing,
blood pressure, and the electrical activity of the skin (:galvanic skin response,
or GSR). In the first part of the polygraph test, you are electronically
connected to the machine and asked a few neutral questions (“What is your
name?” “Where do you live?”). Your physical reactions serve as the standard
(baseline) for evaluating what comes next. Then you are asked a few critical
questions among the neutral ones (When did you rob the bank?”). The
assumption is that if you are guilty, your body will reveal the truth, even if you
try to deny it. Your heart rate, respiration, and GSR will change abruptly as you
respond to the incriminating questions.
That is the theory; but psychologists have found that lie detectors are simply
not reliable. Since most physical changes are the same across the emotions,
machines cannot tell whether you are feeling guilty, angry, nervous, thrilled,
or revved up from an exciting day. Innocent people may be tense and nervous
about the whole procedure. They may react physiologically to a certain word
(“bank”) not because they robbed it, but because they recently bounced a
check. In either case the machine will record a “lie.” The reverse mistake is also
common. Some practiced liars can lie without flinching, and others learn to
beat the machine by tensing muscles or thinking about an exciting experience
during neutral questions.
QUESTION
1. It can be concluded from the passage that a polygraph test
(A) is the best way to determine a person’s guilt
(B) can read a person’s thoughts
(C) is the only evidence needed in a court of law
(D) works in principle but not in practice

ANSWER
Answer (A) is not correct because the polygraph is not reliable according to
psychologists; therefore, it cannot be the best way to determine a person’s
guilt. Answer (B) is also incorrect because a polygraph only records physical
reactions. Answer (C) is not correct since the passage does not imply that this
would be the only evidence needed in a court of law. The best answer is (D),
since this is another way of saying that the theory of the polygraph is good but,
because it is not reliable, in practice it does not work.

QUESTION
1. What is most likely the subject of the paragraph preceding this passage?
(A) Using lie detectors in the hope that machines will do better to discover
the truth 16
(B) How achievement and aptitude tests measure ability and intelligence
(C) The role of psychologists in fighting crime
(D) An analysis of the criminal mind
ANSWER
Answer (B) is not correct since neither ability nor intelligence has been
mentioned in the passage. Answer (C) is also incorrect. Psychologists are not
mentioned in the beginning of the passage; they are mentioned later and only
to state that they find the machine unreliable, indicating nothing about a role
in fighting crime. Answer (D) is incorrect since only one example of the criminal
mind is given, at the end of the passage at the mention of those who beat the
machine. Therefore, this cannot be the subject that comes before the passage.
Answer (A) is the best answer because the beginning of the passage talks about
lie detectors and how the machines work to discover the truth.

QUESTION
1. This passage was probably written by a specialist in
(A) sociology (B) anthropology
(C) mind reading (D) criminal psychology

ANSWER
Answer (A) is not correct because a sociologist studies human behavior in
groups and does not study the human mind and its related bodily reactions.
Answer (B) is also incorrect because an anthropologist studies different human
races and their habits and beliefs. Answer (C) is incorrect because a specialist
in mind reading will use parapsychology and will not believe in what psycholo-
gists have to say. The best answer is (D) since the polygraph supports the opin-
ion of psychologists on the subject of being found guilty or innocent of commit-
ting a crime.

QUESTION
1. The author would most probably agree with which of the following
statements?
(A) Polygraphs have no place in our society.
(B) Physical reactions are not connected to thoughts.
(C) Machines are no match for psychologists.
(D) Polygraph tests should not be used as the sole evidence of guilt.

ANSWER
Answer (A) is not correct; although the author does not think that polygraphs
are reliable, this statement would be overwhelmingly disapproving and an
exaggeration of the author’s feelings. Answer (B) is also not correct since the
author does not deny this statement, but only indicates how physical reactions
may not be reliably determined by the polygraph. Answer (C) is also incorrect.
Machines could be any machines, including computers. This is an exaggerated
statement. The best answer is (D) since this statement supports the author’s
opinion that polygraph tests are unreliable, but it does not exaggerate by
ruling out other evidence of guilt. 17
QUESTION
1. Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the last
paragraph?
(A) Several generalizations are made from which several conclusions are drawn.
(B) A general concept is defined and examples are given.
(C) Suggestions for the use of lie detectors are given.
(D) Persuasive language is used to argue against a popular idea.

ANSWER
Answer (A) is not correct since no generalizations are made. Answer (B) is not
correct because no concept is given or defined. Answer (C) is also not correct
since suggestions for the use of lie detectors are not given. Answer (D) is the best
answer since persuasive language is used to argue against the popular idea of
using lie detectors.

QUESTION
1. Why did the author write the passage?
(A) To illustrate how a lie detector works
(B) To explain how innocent people are found guilty
(C) To criticize the use of the lie detector
(D) To propose ways of using a lie detector

ANSWER
Answer (A) is not correct. The author illustrates how a lie detector works only in
the first paragraph, but only in order to make the main point later. Answer (B)
is not correct. Although the second paragraph mentions that innocent people
might be mistakenly found guilty, the passage is about lie detectors. Answer (D)
is also not correct. No mention is made of ways of using a lie detector. Answer
(C) is the best answer since the author first describes how a lie detector works
and then describes how it is unreliable, and in this way criticizes its use.

L.I.S.T.E.N.I.N.G C.O.M.P.R.E.H.E.N.S.I.O.N
SKILL 1 AGREEMENT

Expressions of agreement are common in the short dialogues, so you should

become familiar with them. The follo wing example shows agreement with a
positive statement.
Example:
On the recording, you hear:
(man) : I thought that the meal was overpriced.
(woman) : Me, too.
(narrator) : What does the woman mean?

18
In your test book, you read:
(A) There were too many spices in the meal.
(B) She has the same opinion of the meal as the man.
(C) She wants to share the man’s meal.
(D) The price of the meal was great.

The expression Me, too shows agreement with a positive statement, so the
woman means that she has the same opinion as the man. The best answer is
therefore answer(B).

The following chart lists common expressions that show agreement. You should
become familiar with these expressions.

EXPRESSIONS OF AGREEMENT
So do I. I’ll say.
Me, too. You can say that again.

EXERCISE 6
In this exercise, listen carefully to the short dialogue and question on the
recording, and then choose the best answer to the question.
1 A. Baking some pies n 4 A. A florist
B. Climbing some trees B. A barber
C. Having some dessert C. A chef
D. Picking some apples D. A gardener

2 A. There are thirty questions on 5 A. She failed the test.

the test. B. She’s not exactly sure
B. About a half hour remains. about the exam.
C. The test will begin soon. C. Her statistics were quite
D. Thirty students are taking the exact.
test. D. She received a passing
grade.
3 A. She agrees with the man.
B. They should visit their friend 6 A In a fast-food restaurant
Bill. B In a grocery store
C. It would be a good idea to play C In an airport
billiards. D In a service station
D. The bills have already been
paid.
19
7 A. Going down to the bot- 9 A. He would like a cold drink,
tom of the lake too.
B. Swimming in the lake B. The woman should repeat
C. Riding a boat across the what she said.
lake C. He doesn’t like the taste of
D. Taking a picture of the the drink.
beautiful lake D. It’s too cold to stop for a
drink.
8 A. He asked a number of
questions. 10 A. He wants to have some
B. He felt that the expres- water.
sion was true. B. The grass is quite dry.
C. He is an honorable man. C. He’s waiting for the loan to
D. He said what he really be approved.
felt. D. He’s going to mow the
lawn this week.

20
 T . O . E . F . L
MEETING
U . P . G . R . A . D . I . N . G
3
S.T.R.U.C.T.U.R.E A.N.D W.R.I.T.T.E.N E.X.P.R.E.S.S.I.O.N
SKILL 7 SINGULAR AND PLURAL NOUNS
A problem that is common in written expression questions on the TOEFL test
is a singular noun used where a plural noun is needed or a plural noun used
where a singular noun is needed.

He just finished several book*.

She studied each chapters*.

In the first example, several indicates that the plural books is needed. In the
second example, each indicates that the singular chapter is needed.
In written expression questions on the TOEFL test, you should watch very
carefully for key words such as each, every, a, and single that indicate that a
noun should be singular. You should also watch carefully for key words such
as many, several, and three that indicate that a noun should be plural.

The following chart lists the key words that indicate to you whether a noun
should be singular or plural.

KEYWORDS FOR SINGULAR AND PLURAL NOUNS

For Singular Nouns each every single one a
For Plural Nouns both two many several various

EXERCISE 1
Each of the following sentences contains at least one key word to tell you
if a noun should be singular or plural. Circle the key words. Draw arrows
to the nouns they describe. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C)
or incorrect (I).
1. ___I__ She talked to each people in the room.
2. __C__ There is not a single bit of food in the refrigerator.
3. ______ You need two piece of identification to cash a check.
4. ______ Both classes started on time.
5. ______ We took a new routes to the beach house.
6. ______ He gave many different reasons for his actions.
7. ______ You must answer every questions on the test.
8. ______ She tried several times to call me.
9. ______ He offered me only one glass of water.
10. ______ We had various kind of drinks with the meal.
21
 SKILL 8 COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
In English, nouns are classified as countable or uncountable. For certain
questions on the TOEFL test, it is necessary to distinguish countable and
uncountable nouns in order to use the correct modifiers with them.

As the name implies, countable nouns are nouns that can be counted.
Countable nouns can come in quantities of one, or two, or a hundred, etc. The
noun book is countable because you can have one book or several books.

Uncountable nouns, on the other hand, are nouns that cannot be counted
because they come in some indeterminate quantity or mass. A noun such as
milk or happiness cannot be counted; you cannot have one milk or two milks,
and you cannot find one happiness or two happinesses. Uncountable nouns
are often liquid items such as water, oil, or shampoo. Uncountable nouns can
also refer to abstract ideas such as sadness, fame, or hope.

It is important for you to recognize the difference between countable and

uncountable nouns when you come across such key words as much and
many.
They have taken much* trips recently.
There was not many* water in the pool.

In the first example, much is incorrect because trips is countable. This

sentence should say many trips. In the second example, many is incorrect
because wateris uncountable. This sentence should say much water

The following chart lists the key words that indicate to you whether a noun is
countable or uncountable.

KEYWORDS FOR COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

For Countable Nouns many number few fewer
For Uncountable Nouns much amount little less

EXERCISE 2
Each of the following sentences contains at least one key word to tell you
if a noun is countable or uncountable. Circle the key words. Draw arrows
to the nouns they describe. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C)
or incorrect (I).
1. __C__ She will visit in a few months.
2. ___I__ Many risk are unnecessary.
3. ______ You need to show a little kindness.
4. ______ You have a number of choice.
5. ______ There was a large amount of apples in the bowl.
6. ______ We have fewer opportunities now. 22
7. ______ How much money is left?
8. ______ He caused less problems this time.
9. ______ They need a little times to finish their work.
10. ______ He visited many exotic places

EXERCISE 3
Choose the letter of the word or group of words that best completes the
sentence.
1. _______ the second most common metal in the Earth’s crust, and it always
occurs in combination with other substances.
A. Iron B. Iron is C. With iron D. With iron is

2. In most parts of the globe, the _______ not exceed roughly 31 degrees
centigrade.
A. ocean surface B. ocean has a surface
C. ocean surface does D. ocean has surfaced

3. _______ which climatologists have determined is the wettest place on Earth

not under water is a spot on the island of Kauai.
A. The place B. It is the place C. The place is D. In the place is

Choose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not
correct.

4. A single protein molecule may being composed of tens of thousands of atoms.

A B C D
5. Less plants grow in the poor taiga soils beneath the trees.
A B C D
6. Vast reserves of oil and gas is located in the Gulf of Mexico.
A B C D
7. Helium is a colorless, odorless, taste element often used to inflate balloons.
A B C D
8. The common was the heart of every New England villages built in the
A B C D
9. Some of the regulations that bind U.S. institutions allows foreign banks to
A B C
package loans at hard-to-beat interest rates.
D
10. In angioplasty, a catheter is thread through an artery and guided through
A B
the body to the blocked area.
C D

23
 SKILL 9 PRONOUN REFERENCE
After you have checked that the subject and object pronouns and the posses-
sives are used correctly, you should also check each of these pronouns and
possessives for agreement with its referent. The following are examples of er-
rors of this type that you might find on the TOEFL test.

The cookies are for you, so please take it*.

Each person has to sign their* application form.

In the first example, the singular pronoun it is incorrect because it refers to the
plural noun cookies. This pronoun should be replaced with the plural pronoun
them. In the second example, the plural possessive adjective their is incorrect
because it refers to the singular each person. This adjective should be replaced
with the singular his or his or her.
The following chart outlines what you should remember about checking
pronoun reference.

PRONOUN REFERENCE
1. Be sure that every pronoun and possessive agrees with the noun it refers
to.
2. The noun that the pronoun refers to generally comes before the pronoun.

EXERCISE 4
Each of the following sentences contains at least one pronoun or
possessive. Circle the pronouns and possessives. Draw arrows to the nouns
they refer to. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
1. ___I__ If my friend calls, please ask them to call back later.
2. __C__ I don’t like the idea because is too costly.
3. ______ The tables at the restaurant are so large that it can seat twelve people.
4. ______ The soup needs more salt because he does not taste very good.
5. ______ The girls ran too fast, and she fell down.
6. ______ In the autumn, the tree lost its leaves.
7. ______ The windows were open, so I closed it.
8. ______ The travelers lost their way in the storm.
9. ______ The boy got the box, and he opened it carefully.
10. ______ The woman left their earrings at home, so she wasn’t wearing them.

EXERCISE 5
Choose the letter of the word or group of words that best completes the
sentence.
24
1. Although knives and forks _______ of prehistoric origin, spoons are relatively
new.
A. are B. they are C. are they D. which are

2. Neptune’s _______ the planet in the direction opposite to the other seven
moons.
A. moon Triton orbiting B. moon Triton orbits
C. moon Triton in orbit D. moon is in Triton’s orbit

3. A dip pen’s nib is split into two halves _______ at the point of the nib.
A. who meet B. which meet C. they meet D. meet

EXERCISE 6
Choose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not
correct.

4. In 1785, Henry Knox was appoint the new republic’s first secretary of war.
A B C D
5. Biophysics is one of the various branch of physics.
A B C D
6. Unlike many great writers, Longfellow was an enormously popular poet in
A B C
him day.
D
7. After Lincoln’s assassination, Ford’s Theater was closed and parts of it was
A B C
converted to government office space.
D
8. Most of the Earth’s ice is found either in the two great ice caps of Antarctica
A B C
and Greenland and on the tall mountains of the world.
D
9. Except for a few species, such as the spotted salamander, the courtship of
A
salamanders are secretive and not often observed.
B C D
10. Unlike most mollusks, crustaceans outgrow their shells and need to build
A B
several completely new casings throughout they lives.
C D

25
 R.E.A.D.I.N.G C.O.M.P.R.E.H.E.N.S.I.O.N
Martin Luther King, Jr., is well known for his work in civil rights and for his many
famous speeches, among them his moving “I Have a Dream” speech. But fewer
people know much about King’s childhood. M.L., as he was called, was born in
1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, at the home of his maternal grandfather. M.L.’s
05 grandfather, the Reverend A.D. Williams, purchased their home on Auburn
Avenue in 1909, 20 years before M.L. was born. The Reverend Williams, an
eloquent speaker, played an important role in the community because so many
people’s lives centered around the church. He allowed his church and his home to
be used as a meeting place for a number of organizations dedicated to the
10 education and social advancement of blacks. M.L. grew up in this atmosphere, with
his home being used as a community gathering place, and was no doubt influenced
by it.
M.L.’s childhood was not especially eventful. His father was a minister and his
mother was a musician. He was the second of three children, and he attended
15 all-black schools in a black neighborhood. The neighborhood was not poor,
however. Auburn Avenue was the main artery through a prosperous neighborhood
that had come to symbolize achievement for Atlanta’s black people. It was an area
of banks, insurance companies, builders, jewelers, tailors, doctors, lawyers, and
other black-owned or black-operated businesses and services. Even in the face of
20 Atlanta’s segregation, the district thrived. Dr. King never forgot the community
spirit he had known as a child, nor did he forget the racial prejudice that was a
seemingly insurmountable barrier that kept black Atlantans from mingling with
whites.

EXERCISE 7
Choose the best answer for the following questions.
1. What is this passage mainly about?
A. The prejudice that existed in Atlanta
B. Martin Luther King’s childhood
C. M.L.’s grandfather
D. The neighborhood King grew up in

2. The word “eloquent” in line 7 means most nearly:

A. Powerful B. Active C. Romantic D.Fascinating

3. Which lines best describe King’s childhood neighborhood?

A. Lines 9-11 B. Lines 14-17
C. Lines 18-21 D. Lines 21-23

4. As used in line 13, the word “eventful” is closest in meaning to which of the
following?
A. Valued B. Memorable C. Admirable D. Emotional

5. In line 17, the word “it” refers to which of the following?

A. Achievement B. Neighborhood
C. Segregation D. Services
26
6. According to the author, blacks in King’s neighborhood were involved in
all the following businesses and services EXCEPT:
A. Dentistry B. Medicine C. Law D. Banking

7. The word “tailors” in line 18 describes people who are associated with which
of the following trades”
A. Flower arranging B. Shoe making
C. Garment making D. Book binding

8. According to the author, King was influenced by:

A. Community spirit B. Black lawyers
C. His mother D. His speeches

9. The word “thrived” in line 20 refers to which of the following?

A. Achieved B. Surrendered
C. Flourished D. Held speak

10. As used in line 22, which of the following is closest in meaning to the word
“seemingly”?
A. Apparently B. Inevitably C. Inexplicably D. Hastily

11. The word “mingling” in line 22 could best be replaced by which of the
following?
A. Interfering B. Gargling
C. Consuming D. Associating

12. According to the author, M.L.:

A. Achieved B. Surrendered
C. Flourished D. Held

L.I.S.T.E.N.I.N.G C.O.M.P.R.E.H.E.N.S.I.O.N

SKILL 2 LONG CONVERSATIONS

Part B of the Listening Comprehension section of the paper TOEFL test consists
of two long conversations, each followed by a number of questions. You will
hear the conversations and the questions on a recording; they are not written in
your test book. You must choose the best answer to each question from the four
choices that are written in your test book.
The conversations are often about some aspect of school (how difficult a class is,
how to write a research paper, how to register for a course) or about general
living (renting an apartment, playing sports, going to the bank). The
conversations can also be about topics currently in the news in the United
States (desalination of the water supply, recycling of used products, damage
from a storm or some other type of natural phenomenon).
27
Example
On the recording, you hear:
(narrator) : Questions 1 through 4. Listen to a conversation between two people
who are decorating an apartment.
(woman) : Hey, Walt. Do you think you could help me hang these pictures on the
wall? There are only two of them.
(man) : Sure, Monica. Where do you want them to go?
(woman) : I’d like the picture of the mountains over the fireplace, and I’d like the
picture of my family over the sofa. What do you think ?
(man) : I think they’ll look fine there. How about if you hold the pictures while
I hammer the nails into the wall?
(woman) : Okay. Let’s start with the picture of my family.

Questions:
1. On the recording you hear :
(narrator) : What are the man and woman discussing?
In your test book you read :
(A) Taking some pictures (B) Hanging some plants
(C) Taking a trip to the mountains (D) Putting some pictures on the wall

2. On the recording you hear :

(narrator) : How many pictures are there?
In your test book you read :
(A) One (B) Two (C) Three (D) Four

3. On the recording you hear :

(narrator) : Where is the picture of the woman’s family going?
your test book you read :
(A) In the fireplace (B) Above the sofa
(C) Home with Walt (D) To the top of the mountain

4. On the recording you hear :

(narrator) : What is Watt probably going to do next?
In your test book you read :
(A) Sit on the sofa (B) Photograph Monica’s family
(C) Hammer the nails into the wall (C) Climb the walls

The first question asks what the man and woman are discussing. Since the woman
asks the man to help hang these pictures on the wall, the best answer to this question
is answer (D), putting some pictures on the wall. The second question asks how many
pictures there are, and the woman clearly says that there are two, so the best answer is
answer (B). The third question asks where the family picture is going. The woman says
that she would like the family picture over the sofa, so the best answer to this question
is answer (B), above the sofa. The last question asks what Walt is probably going to do.
Walt has suggested that he should hammer the nails into the wall, so the best answer is
answer (C).

28
ROCEDURES FORTHE LONG CONVERSATIONS
1. If you have the time, preview the answers to the questions. While you are
looking at the answers, you should try to anticipate the questions for each of
the groups of answers.
2. Listen carefully to the first line of the conversation. The first line of the
conversation often contains the main idea, subject, or topic of the
conversation, and you will often be asked to answer such questions.
3. As you listen to the conversation, follow along with the answers in your
test book and try to determine the correct answers. Detail questions are
generally answered in order in the conversation, and the answers often sound
the same as what is said on the recording.
4. You should guess even if you are not sure. Never leave any answers blank.
5. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the questions
that follow.

EXERCISE 8
In this exercise, listen carefully to the short dialogue and question on the
recording, and then choose the best answer to the question.

1 A. Where the woman lives 4 A. Go buy a package

B. Where the man can find out B. Go pick up his mail
the time C. Go mail a package
C. Where the school is located D. Get into his car
D. Where the man can mail
something
5 A. From a textbook
B. From the television
2 A. Several streets away
C. From a magazine
B. Just over one block away
D. From a lecture
C. Four miles away
D. A great distance
6 A. How trees are grown in
America
3 A. For one hour B. How paper is made from
B. For two hours trees
C. For four hours C. Why paper is used so much
D. For five hours D. The amount of paper that
Americans use

29
7 A. 50 million tons 10 A. A speed reading class
B. 850 million tons B. An American novels class
C. 85 million tons C. A library skills class
D. 50 tons D. A class in literary criticism

8 A. Cut down more trees 11 A. Some novels

B. Use less paper B. Some short stories
C. Produce more paper C. A textbook
D. Read more about the prob- D. Some journal articles
lem
12 A. Go to the library
9 A. The difficulty in finding B. Head for class
some books
C. Return to the dorms
B. How far it is to the library
D. Start reading
C. The amount of reading
they must do
D. How much they don’t like
the books

30
 T . O . E . F . L
MEETING
U . P . G . R . A . D . I . N . G
4
S.T.R.U.C.T.U.R.E A.N.D W.R.I.T.T.E.N E.X.P.R.E.S.S.I.O.N

SKILL 10 ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

Sometimes in written expression questions on the TOEFL test, adjectives are

incorrectly used in place of adverbs, or adverbs are incorrectly used in place
of the adjectives. Adjectives and adverbs have very different uses in sentences.
Adjectives have only one job: they describe nouns or pronouns.

It is a delicious meal.
ADJ. NOUN

It is delicious.
PRON. ADJ.
In the first example, the adjective delicious describes the noun meal. In the
second example, the adjective delicious describes the pronoun it.

Adverbs have three different uses. They can describe verbs, adjectives, or other
adverbs.

He writes letters quickly.

NOUN ADV.

It is a quickly written letter.

ADV. ADJ. NOUN

It is an extremely quickly written letter.

ADV. ADV. ADJ. NOUN

In the first example, the adverb quickly describes the verb writes. In the second
example, the adverb quickl describes the adjective written (which describes the
noun letter). In the third example, the adverb extremely describes the adverb
quickly, which describes the adjective written (which describes the noun letter).

The following are examples of incorrect sentences as they might appear on the
TOEFL test.

They were seated at a comfortably* table.

ADV. NOUN
31
 The child talked soft* to her mother.
VERB ADJ.

We read an extreme* long story.
ADJ.

She speaks unbelievable* quickly.

ADJ. ADJ.

In the first example, the adverb comfortably is incorrect because the adjective
comfortable is needed to describe the noun table. In the second example, the
adjective soft is incorrect because the adverb softly is needed to describe the
verb talked. In the third example, the adjective extreme is incorrect because the
adverb extremely is needed to describe the adjective long. In the last
example, the adjective unbelievable is incorrect because the adverb
unbelievably is needed to describe the adverb quickly.

The following chart outlines the important information that you should
remember about the use of adjectives and adverbs.

USE OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

ADJECTIVES Adjectives describe nouns or pronouns.
ADVERBS Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

EXERCISE 1
Each of the following sentences has at least one adjective or adverb.
Circle the adjectives and adverbs, and label them. Draw arrows to the
words they describe. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or
incorrect (I).
1.____I____ Her hair was an unusually color of red.
ADJ.

2.___C____ The weather is really comfortable.

ADV. ADJ.

3._________ We attended a poor planned conference.

4._________ He talked slowly and carefully.
5._________ The composition was careful prepared.
6._________ She had an incredible story about her long trip.
32
7._________ He sent me a quickly written note.
8._________ The cat meowed sad.
9._________ The children are hungry and tired.
10._________ The lecturer spoke extremely loud.

R.E.A.D.I.N.G C.O.M.P.R.E.H.E.N.S.I.O.N
Carbohydrates, which are sugars, are an essential part of a healthy diet. They pro-
vide the main source of energy for the body, and they also function to flavor and
sweeten foods. Carbohydrates range from simple sugars like glucose to
complex sugars such as amylose and amylopectin. Nutritionists estimate that
05 carbohydrates should make up about one-fourth to one-fifth of a person’s diet. This
translates to about 75-100 grams of carbohydrates per day.
A diet that is deficient in carbohydrates can have an adverse effect on a person’s
health. When the body lacks a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, it must then
use its protein supplies for energy, a process called gluconeogenesis. However, this
10 results in a lack of necessary protein, and further health difficulties may
occur. A lack of carbohydrates can also lead to ketosis, a build-up of ketones in the
body that causes fatigue, lethargy, and bad breath.

13. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Carbohydrates are needed for good health.
B. Carbohydrates prevent a build-up of prot-2ins.
C. Carbohydrates can lead to ketosis.
D. Carbohydrates are an expendable part of a good diet.

14. The word “function” as used in line 2 refers to which of the following?
A. Neglect B. Serve C. Dissolve D. Profess

15. The word “range” as used in line 3 is closest in

meaning to which of the following?
A. Probe B. Proceed C.Hail D. Extend

16. Where is the best place in the passage to add the following sentence?
This daily recommendation can be met by eating carbohydrate-rich
foods, such as whole grains, breads, cereals, legumes, potatoes, fruits,
and vegetables.
A. In line 2 after the word “diet”
B. In line 4 after the word “foods”
C. In line 9 after the word “day”
D. In line IS after the word “breath”

33
17. According to the passage, what do most nutritionists suggest?
A. Sufficient carbohydrates will prevent gluconeogenesis.
B. Carbohydrates are simple sugars called glucose.
C. Carbohydrates should make up about a quarter of a person’s daily diet.
D. Carbohydrates should be eaten in very small quantities.

18. Which of the following do carbohydrates NOT do?

A. Prevent ketosis B. Cause gluconeogenesis
C. Provide energy for the body D. Flavor and sweeten food

19. Which of the following words could best replace “deficient” as used in line
7?
A. Outstanding B. Abundant C. Insufficient D. Unequal

20. What does the word “this” refer to in line 9?

A. Using protein supplies for energy
B. Converting carbohydrates to energy
C. Having a deficiency in carbohy¬drates
D. Having an insufficient amount of protein

21. According to the passage, which of the following does NOT describe
carbohydrates?
A. protein supply B. necessity
C. range of sugars D. An energy source

22. The word “lack” in line 11 is most similar to which of the following’?
A. Plethora B. Shortage
C. Derivation D. Commission

23. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone”

A. Sensitive B. Emotional C. Informative D. Regretful

24. Which of the fallowing best describes the orga¬nization of this passage’?
A. Cause and result B. Comparison and contrast
C. Specific to general D. Definition and example

34
 L.I.S.T.E.N.I.N.G C.O.M.P.R.E.H.E.N.S.I.O.N
SKILL 3 LONG TALKS
Part C of the Listening Comprehension section of the paper TOEFL test
consists of three long talks, each followed by a number of questions. You will hear the
talks and the questions on a recording; they are not written in your test book. You
must choose the best answer to each question from the four choices that are written
in your test book. Like the conversations in Listening Part B, the talks are often about
some aspect of school life or topics currently in the news. It is also very common for the
talks to be shortened versions of lectures from courses taught in American colleges and
universities.
On the recording, you hear:
(narrator) : Questions 1 through 4. Listen to a lecture in a
history class.
(woman) : Salt, which today seems so plentiful to us, in the past
used to be a valuable commodity. In the ancient past in China, salt was used to
make coins, and in parts of Africa it was traded in place of money. In the Roman
Empire, soldiers were not paid in money but were instead paid in salt. In fact, the
English word “salary, “ which means the amount of money that one earns, comes
from the Latin root for “salt. “

Questions:
1. On the recording, you hear :
(narrator) : What is the topic of the talk?
In your test book, you read :
(A) Valuable commodities (B) Salt
(C) Ancient China (D) Money

2. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator) : What was salt used for in China?
In your test book, you read :
(A) To spice food (B) To build houses
(C) To make coins (D) To locate Africa

3. On the recording, you hear :

(narrator) : What does “salary” mean in English?
In your test book, you read :
(A) Coins (B) Earnings (C) Soldiers (D) Commodities

4. On the recording, you hear :

(narrator) : What is the meaning of the root “sal” in Latin ?
In your test book, you read :
(A) Salt (B) Rome (C) Money (D) Trade

The first question asks about the topic of the talk. The speaker begins with salt and
continues to talk about it throughout the passage, so the best answer is answer
(B). The second question asks about the use of salt in China. The speaker says that
in China, salt was used to make coins, so the best answer is answer (C). The third
question asks the meaning of “salary.” The speaker says that salary means the
amount of money that one earns, so the best answer is answer (B). The last question
asks about the meaning of the root “sal.” The speaker says that “salary comes
from, the Latin root for “salt, “so the best answer is answer (A).
35
 PROCEDURES FOR THE LONG TALKS

1. If you have time, preview the answers to the questions. While you are looking at
the answers, you should try to anticipate the questions for each of the groups
answers.

2. Listen carefully to the first line of the talk. The first line of the talk often contains
the main idea, subject, or topic of the talk, and you will often be asked this type of
question.

3. As you listen to the talk, follow along with the answers in your test book and
try to determine the correct answers. Detail questions are generally answered
in order in the talk, and the answers often sound the same as what is said on the
recording.

4. You should guess even if you are not sure. Never leave any answers blank.

5. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the questions that
follow.

36
 T . O . E . F . L
MEETING
U . P . G . R . A . D . I . N . G
5
S.T.R.U.C.T.U.R.E A.N.D W.R.I.T.T.E.N E.X.P.R.E.S.S.I.O.N

SKILL 11 ADJECTIVES AFTER LINKING VERBS

Generally an adverb rather than an adjective will come directly after a verb
because the adverb is describing the verb.

She spoke nicely.

VERB ADV
In this example, the verb spoke is followed by the adverb nicely. This adverb
describes the verb spoke.
However, you must be very careful if the verb is a linking verb. A
linking verb is followed by an adjective rather than an adverb.

She looks nice.

SUBJ. ADJ.
In this example, the linking verb looks is followed by the adjective nice. This
adjective describes the subject she.

You should be sure to use an adjective rather than an adverb after a linking
verb. Be careful, however, because the adjective that goes with the linking
verb does not always directly follow the linking verb.

He seems unusually nice.

In this example, the adjective describes the subject he, is itself described by
the adverb unusually. From this example, you should notice that it is possible
to have an adverb directly after a linking verb, but only if the adverb describes
an adjective that follows.

These sentences show, type of error with linking verbs chat is common
on the TOEFL test.

The test looks easily* to me.

Sally feels unbelievable* happy about the news.

In the first example, the linking verb looks should be followed by the adjective
easy rather than the adverb easily. In the second example, the linking verb
feels is followed by the adjective happy. The incorrect adjective unbelievable
should be the adverb unbelievably because it describes the adjective happy.
The following chart lists commonly used linking verbs and outlines the
different uses of adjectives and adverbs after regular verbs and linking
verbs. 37
 ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS AFTER VERBS

(subject) + (regular verb) + (adverb)

regular verb is followed by an adverb. The adverb describes the verb.

(subject) + (linking verb) + (adjective)

linking verb is followed by an adjective. The adjective describes the subject.

(subject) + (linking verb) + (adverb) + (adjective)

It is possible for a linking verb to be followed by an adverb and an adjective.
The adverb describes the adjective, and the adjective describes the subject.
LINKING VERBS:
appear, feel, seem, be, look, smell, become, prove, taste

EXERCISE 1
Each of the following sentences contains at least one adjective or ad-
verb. Circle the adjectives and adverbs, and label them. Draw arrows to
the words they describe. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or
incorrect (I).

1. _____Kathy looks gorgeously in that dress.

ADV

2. _____ The children have grown considerably

ADV

3. _____ Steve walked rapid to the corner to catch the bits.

4. _____ The boys became sick with the flu.
5. _____ The mother closed the door careful.
6. _____ Toni appeared rather unhappily at what had happened.
7. _____ The choir members sang enthusiastically.
8. _____ The soup tastes too salty.
9. _____ The book seemed easily for the students.
10. _____ In the late afternoon, the sun set slow in the west.

EXERCISE 2
Choose the letter of (fie word or group of words that best completes the
sentence.
1. On December 17, 1903. the Flyer ________ near Kitty Hawk. North
Carolina, with Orville Wright as pilot. 38
A. took off B. it took off C. taking off D. took it off

2. Comets are relatively small celestial bodies ________ up chiefly of dirt and
icy materials.
A. make B. made C. they make D. make them

3. Researchers have long debated about ________ moon Titan contains hydro
carbon oceans or lakes.
A. Saturn’s B. whether it is Saturn’s
C. whether Saturn’s D. whether Saturn’s is a

Choose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not
correct.

4. The abrasively action of the wind wears away softer layers of rock.
A B C D
5. There are two way of making a gas condense: cooling it or putting it under
A B C D
pressure.

6. Researchers have discovered that the application of bright light can some
A B
times be uses to overcome jet lag.
C D
7. Salmon migrations may include having to jump up waterfalls, swim up
A B
rapids, or climbing fish ladders at dams.
C D
8. If a strike is called in violation of an existing contract between labor and
A B C
management, its a wildcat strike.
D
9. Snapping turtles are easily recognized because of the large head, the long
A B C
tail, and the shell that seems insufficiently to protect the body.
D
10. The long string of genes making up a chromosome have been likened to a
A B C D
string of pearls.

39
 After two decades of growing student enrollments and economic prosperity,
business schools in the United States have started to face harder times. Only
Harvard’s MBA School has shown a substantial increase in enrollment in recent
years. Both Princeton and Stanford have seen decreases in their enrollments.
05 Since 1990, the number of people receiving Masters in Business Administration
(MBA) degrees, has dropped about 3 percent to 75,000, and the trend of lower
enrollment rates is expected to continue.
There are two factors causing this decrease in students seeking an MBA degree.
The first one is that many graduates of four-year colleges are finding that an MBA
10 degree does not guarantee a plush job on Wall Street or in other financial districts
of major American cities. Many of the entry-level management jobs are going to
students graduating with Master of Arts degrees in English and the humanities as
well as those holding MBA degrees. Students have asked the question, “Is an MBA
degree really what I need to be best prepared for getting a good job?” The second
15 major factor has been the cutting of American payrolls and the lower number of
entry-level jobs being offered. Business needs are changing, and MBA schools are
struggling to meet the
25. What is the main focus of this passage?
A. Jobs on Wall Street
B. Types of graduate degrees
C. Changes in enrollment for MBA schools
D. How schools are changing to reflect the economy

26. The phrase “two decades” in line 1 refers to a period of:

A. 10 years B. 20 years C. 50 years D. 100 years

27. The word “prosperity” in line 1 could best be replaced by which of the
following?
A. Success B. Surplus C. Nurturing D. Education

28. Which of the following business schools has NOT shown a decrease in
enrollment?
A. Princeton B. Harvard C. Stanford D. Yale

29. The phrase “trend” of in line 6 is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. Reluctance of B. Drawback to
C. Movement toward D. Extraction from

30. As used in line 8, the word “seeking” could best be replaced by which of the
following?
A. Examining B. Avoiding C. Seizing D. Pursuing

31. Which of the following descriptions most likely applies to Wall Street?
A. center for international affairs B. major financial center
C. shopping district D. neighborhood in New York

32. The word “plush” in line 10 most probably means:

A. Legal B. Satisfactory C. Fancy D. Dependable

40
 L.I.S.T.E.N.I.N.G C.O.M.P.R.E.H.E.N.S.I.O.N
EXERCISE 1
1. A. An artist B. A circus performer
C. John Ringling D. A tour guide

2. A. Because he was from Sarasota, Florida

B. Because he knew Rubens
C. Because he started a circus
D. Because he painted baroque-style paintings

3. A. Modern circus equipment

B. Paintings by Rubens
C. A parade wagon
D. A famous portrait of the Ringling brothers

4. A. Enter the museum B. Go to the circus

C. Return to the bus D. Meet the Ringlings

5. A. An assembly line B. A car

C. A company D. An inventor

6. A. In 1908 B. In 1914
C. In 1918 D. In 1924

7. A. It was faster. B. It was more efficient.

C. It was more individualized. D. It was cheaper.

8. A. It increased slowly. B. It increased quickly.

C. It remained about the same. D. It decreased.

9. A. Students who will soon graduate from the Psychology Department

B. Professors in the Psychology Department
C. Graduate students in the Psychology Department
D. Graduate advisors

10. A. Whether to write a thesis or take an exam

B. Whether to be graduate or undergraduate students
C. Whether to graduate this year or next
D. Whether or not to study psychology

11. A. Exams covering one or two hundred pages

B. Exams about research
C. Exams covering all material in the program
D. Exams about recent developments in psychology

12. A. Today B. Soon C. Within six weeks D. Within half a year

41