Skills For The TOEFL IBT Test - Reading and Writing

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SKILLS FOR THE

TOEFL iBT TEST
Reading and Writing
Collins
English for Exams
SKILLS FOR THE

TOEFL iBT. TEST
Reading and Writing
Collins
HarperCollins Publishers
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First edition 2012
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ISBN 978-0-00-746059-5
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Academic Word List C Corhead, Avail (2000)

Contents
How to Use This Book
Overview of the TOEFL® Test
Guide to Reading
Overview
Challenges and Solutions
Lesson 1: Detail Questions and Referent Questions 13

Lesson 1k Detail Question Overview
Walk Through
Get It Right: Tips and Tasks for Answering Correctly
Lesson 1B: Referent Question Overview
Walk Through
Progressive Practice
Lesson 2: Negative Fact Questions and Function Questions 26

Lesson 2A: Negative Fact Question Overview
Walk Through
Lesson 2B: Function Question Ovenriew
Walk Through
Lesson 3: Inference Questions and Vocabulary Questions 39

Lesson 3A: Inference Question Overview
Walk Through
Lesson 3B: Vocabulary Question Overview
Walk Through
Lesson 4: Sentence Summary Questions and Passage
Summary Questions 52
Lesson 4A: Sentence Summary Question Overview
Walk Through
Lesson 4B: Passage Summary Question Overview
Walk Through
Get It Right: lips and Tasks for Answering Correctly
iii
Lesson 5: Add Text Questions and Table Completion Questions 65
Lesson 5k Add Text Question Ovenfiew
Walk Through
Lesson 5B: Table Completion Question Overview
Walk Through
Reading Review Test
82
Guide to Writing 95
Overview
Integrated Writing Task

Lesson 1: Academic Reading / Lecture Synthesis Essay Overview 107
Walk Through
Independent Writing Task
Lesson 2: Personal Experience Essay Overview 123
Walk Through
Writing Review Test
137
Answer Key
141
Audio Script
166
Academic Word List 170
iv
OE* OF THE TOEFL1FST
How to Use This Book

Skills for the TOEFL iffr Test: Reading and Writing, and its companion edition, Skills for the
TOEFL iBT• Test: Listening and Speaking offer a comprehensive guide to the TOEFL test If you
use this series to prepare for the test, you will earn a top score on the TOEFL test and improve
your chances at getting accepted by a great university.
No matter the level of your English, Skills for the TOEFL 1i3T Test: Reading and Writing provides
you with all the tools you need to succeed on the test. Here's a glimpse of the learning tools
included in this book
Skill-specific Challenges and Solutions sections. These sections offer strategy and skills
reviews to help you learn how to overcome the most common challenges in each section of
the test.
Quick Guide question overviews. Each lesson provides a brief summary of the question type
in an easy-to-read chart, making it simple for you to quickly understand what is important to
know to answer the question correctly.
Walk Through samples. Clear, visual examples show you the types of questions, passages, and
responses you can expect to find on the test. Knowing what to expect is an important part of
preparing for the test.
Get It Right presentations. These presentations give an overview of the most important steps
for doing well on each question. It provides Tips and Tasks for noticing and understanding
the important elements of each question type.
Progressive Practice. For each question type, carefully designed activities gradually prepare
you for the TOEFL test. This step-by-step practice builds the knowledge and skills you need
for a high score and encourages independent learning while working up to TOEFL testing
levels.
Get Ready activities require you to look and listen for certain pieces of information, practice
structured activities, and notice why answers are correct or incorrect
Get Set activities encourage even more practice working with the question types and
answers and will help you gain the skills and confidence you need.
Go for the TOEFL Test activities provide you with authentic test questions to practice what
you have learned and further prepare you for the test.
D Answer Analysis presentations. The answer analyses will teach you how to eliminate
incorrect answer options and select the best answers for various question types.
Skill-specific Review Test sections. At the end of each section, you'll be able to put your skills
to the test by taking a practice test The review sections will help you identify your weaknesses
so you can know what areas to focus on before the test.
Test Tips. Throughout the book, you'll see Test Tips, which offer best practice strategies and
useful advice on how to approach certain activity types.
Dictionary definitions. Collins Gotland Advanced Dictionary definitions and web links are
provided throughout the book to help you understand words and build your knowledge of
academic vocabulary often found on the TOEFL test and in U.S. university texts and lectures.
Academic Word List, The Academic Word List, compiled by Coxhead (2000), consists of
570 word families that occur frequently over a wide range of academic texts. Knowing and
practicing these words will help you build your vocabulary base to understand and use more
academic English words.
TOER MT READING MID WRITING
a Audio Script and Answer Key Found at the back of this book, these tools will help you practice
and check your answers as you prepare for the TOEFL test. The Writing section also includes two
sample responses per question type.
a Audio CD. The CD included with this book provides you with all of the listening passages for
the Writing lessons and review test
Tips for Success

Make a plan to succeed, and start by following these tips:
Register for the test early. Check the application deadlines for the universities you are applying
to. Make sure that you register to take the test well before the deadline to ensure that your scores
arrive on time. For information on how to register, see page xi of this book. •
a Learn the score requirements for the universities you want to apply to. Degree programs that
have minimum score requirements typically post them on their admissions websites.
a Start to study early. The more you practice, the more you will improve your skills. Give yourself
at least one month to review the materials and complete all of the practice activities in this book
and in the companion edition: Skillsfar the TOEFL iBT Test: Listening and Speaking offer. Spend
at least one hour a day studying and don't give up. Remember, by using this book, you are on
your way to high scores on the TOEFL test!
a Time yourself when you complete the exercises and practice tests.
Complete the exercises on the page. Also, don't be afraid to make your own notes on the page.
For example, writing down the definitions to words you don't know on the page will help you
remember them later on.
On the reading sections, read the passages and the model responses as many times as you need to
in order to understand the concepts taught in this book
a On the writing section, return to the prompts and try to come up with new responses. Practice
until creating responses within the time limits becomes easy for you.
Overview of the TOEFL® Test

The TOEFL* iBT test (Test of English as a Foreign Language) measures your proficiency in English.
The TOEFL test does not evaluate your knowledge of the English language. Rather, it measures your
ability to use English in a variety of academic settings.
The test is divided into four timed parts: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. Each section
tests key skills that you will need in order to succeed as a student at an English-speaking university
Reading Section
The reading section is the first section on the test It measures your reading comprehension abilities
by presenting you with a series of academic passages. Then you will answer a set of questions based
on each reading. The questions in this section test your ability to:
D identify the main idea
a understand the main details
a make inferences
a understand the organizational structure of the passage
a use context dues to determine the definitions of key words
OVSMEW OHRE TOEFITEST
There are three to five academic reading passages per reading section. Each passage is between
600 and 750 words long. After each reading passage, you will answer a set of questions. There
are usually 12 to 14 questions per passage. In the reading section, you are allowed to go back to
previously-answered questions in the section to review or change your answers. For a detailed
discussion of the reading section, induding more information on the specific question types, see
pages 1-93.
TOEFL Reading ••
"")0
v,;)
0 0
Question 1 of 12 ere 00 .18 • 54
Origins of the Moon

1. Based on the information in paragraph
1, what can be inferred about Darwin's Throughout the 19th and 20'h centuries,
theory of moon formation? several astronomers advanced competing
theories about how the moon formed.
0 It was the first theory of moon formation
For example, in 1878, astronomer George
to gain wide acceptance.
Howard Darwin proposed fission theory,
0 It assumed that the Earth and moon were which claimed that early in the Earth's
made of the same material. formation, the planet began spinning
0 It was inspired by other scientists' work on extremely fast. Darwin believed that the
the condensation theory. rapid spinning motion caused a large
chunk of Earth to break off and launch
0 It explained why the Earth and the moon into space. This chunk then began orbiting
developed at different times. the Earth and became the moon. Another
Paragraph 1 is marked with an arrow [4] explanation, called the condensation
theory, stated that while the solar system
was still forming, a star exploded and left
behind mass amounts of debris. According
to condensation theory, the Earth and the
moon formed roughly at the same time,
and through the same processes, from this
debris.
Listening Section
The listening section is the second section on the test. In order to evaluate your listening
comprehension abilities, you will first listen to a lecture or conversation through your headphones.
Then you will answer a set of questions based on each listening. The questions in this section will
test your ability to:
identify the main idea or purpose of the listening
n understand the main details
make inferences
indentify the speaker's purpose
vii
TOEfL IBT READING NID WRMNG
There are six to nine listening passages per listening section. Each listening is between five to seven
minutes long. After each listening passage, you will answer a set of questions. 'There are usually five
to six questions per passage. In the listening section, you are mg allowed to review questions that
you have answered previously. For a detailed discussion of the listening section, including more
information on the specific question types, see Skills for the TOEFL MP Test: Listening and Speaking.
Speaking Section
The speaking section is the third section on the test. In this section, you will speak your response to
a variety of tasks into the microphone. The tasks test a number of speaking abilities, including:
)) giving opinions
understanding and responding to questions in the classroom
participating in discussions on academic subjects
synthesizing (combining) information from two sources
)) reporting the opinions of others
)) interacting with university employees
TOEFL Speaking
Question 1 of 6
Describe an activity that you like to do and explain why you

like doing it. Please include specific details in your explanation.
Preparation time: 15 seconds

Response time: 45 seconds
Preparation Time
00:00:13
viii
OVEFMEW OF METOEFLIEST
There are six speaking tasks in the speaking section: two independent tasks and four integrated
tasks. Each item requires different skills, including: speaking only; reading, listening and speaking;
and, listening and speaking. For more information about the speaking section, see Skills for the
TORE iBT Test: Listening and Speaking.
Writing Section
The writing section is the fourth section on the test. In this section, you will type your responses for
each item on the computer. The tasks measure your ability to:
9 plan and organize an essay
9 develop a written response by using examples or specific details
9 use a variety of grammatical structures and vocabulary
9 use correct spelling and punctuation
There are two writing tasks in the writing section: one integrated writing task and one independent
writing task. For more information about the writing section see pages 95-140.
TOEFL Writing
Directions: Read the question below. You have 30 minute to

prepare, write and revise your response. An effective response
usually contains at least 300 words.
Question,
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
It Is necessary to be competitive in order to succeed in life.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your response.
Experimental Sections
In order to field test new materials, ETS always includes an experimental section in either the
reading or listening section of each test. That means that on the day of the test, you will see extra
passages and questions in either the reading section or the listening section. If the experimental
section is part of the reading section, you will have to read an additional two passages and answer
the accompanying questions for them. If the experimental section is part of the listening section,
you will have to listen to an additional three listening (two lectures and one conversation) and
answer questions that are based on them.
Please note that the experimental section is not graded. However, you will have no way of knowing
which section is experimental, so it is very important that you try your best on all of the sections of
the tests.
ix
TOEFL IBT READING AND WRMNG
QUICK GUIDE: TOEFL® Test

Section Tasks Timing
Reading Reading Passages. 3-5 Part 1 (1 Passage + Questions) 20 minutes

Section
Number of Questions: Part 2 (2 Passages + Questions) 40 minutes
39-70 Part 3* (2 Passages + Questions) 40 minutes
Total Section Time: 60-100 minutes

Listening listening Passages: 6-9 Part 1(2 Lectures, 1 Conversation + Questions)
Section
4-6 Lectures 30 minutes !
2-3 Conversations Part 2 (2 Lectures, 1 Conversations+Questions)
Number of Questions: 30 minutes I
34-51 Part 3* (2 Lectures ,1 Conversations+Questions)
30 minutes
Total Section Time: 60-90 minutes

10 Minute Break
Speaking Number of Questions: 6
Section
2 Independent Total Section Time: 20 minutes
4 Integrated
Writing Number of Tasks: 2 Integrated Task: 20 minutes 1
Section
1 Integrated Independent Task: 30 minutes
1 Independent
Total Section Time: 50 minutes
"these parts are experimental and will appear on either the Reading or Listening Section.
Scoring
You will receive a score for each section of the test. The score ranges per section are as follows:
Reading 0-30
Listening 0-30
Speaking 0-30
Writing 0-30
In order to calculate your total score, the score for each section are added together. Thus, the
highest score you can possibly achieve on the TOEFL test is 120.
The reading and listening sections are both scored by computer. However, in order to determine
your scores for the speaking and writing sections, your responses are saved and sent to ETS, where
they are scored by certified raters. Each of the six responses in the speaking section are assigned a
score of 0-4. The scores for each task are added together and converted into a score on the 30-point
scale described above. Similarly, the two tasks on the writing section are given a score of 0-5. Again,
the scores for both tasks are added together and then converted to a score of 0 to 30.
PANSY OF DE TOB1.11EST
Score Reports
There are several ways to review your scores. First, you may view your scores online 15 business
days after the test All you have to do is visit the TOEFL website (http://www.ets.org/toefl) and sign
into the "My TOEFL iBT account" with the username and password that you created when you
registered for the test Your online score report will show the following information:
)) The date that you took the test
)) Your scores for each section
D Your total score
I> Performance evaluations for each section that describe whether your performance was low,
medium, or high
You may access your scores online for tests that you have taken within the past two years. Please
note that the universities and/or institutions that you have selected to receive your scores will also
be able to view your scores online.
In addition to being able to access your scores online, you will receive a paper score report via mail
two to three weeks after the test date.
TOEFL Test: What You'll See and Hear on the Day of the Test
Registration
There are a number of ways to register for the TOEFL iBT test.
Online Registration: Visit the TOEFL website at http://www.ets.org/toefl and follow the
instructions for registering. You will be able to find the nearest test center near you on the
website, as well as dates for upcoming tests. Seats at test centers are limited, so be sure to register
for the test early! You must register seven days before your desired test date. Late registration
is also available up to three days before your desired test date, but you will be charged a late
registration fee.
By Phone: Visit the TOEFL website and download the registration form. Then, call your regional
registration center (check website for phone numbers) and a representative will help you register.
Late registration by phone is available until 5 p.m. the day before your desired test date.
)) By Mail: Visit the TOEFL website and download, print and complete the registration form. Send
your completed form with payment to your regional registration center four weeks before the
desired test date.
For payment information and other details about the registration process, visit the TOEFL website
at http://www.ets.org/toefl.
Before the Test Starts

When you arrive at the test center, you will sign in and give your identification document, such as
a passport, to a test center employee (for information about accepted identification documents,
see the ETS website at envw.ets.org). Make sure that the name on your identification document
matches the name under which you registered! If it does not match, you will not be allowed to take
the test.
After you sign in, the employee at the test center will instruct you to put your personal belongings
such as jackets, car keys, or cell phones into a storage area. Review the TOEFL website for rules
about personal items. You will also be given a document that outlines the rules of the test. At the
end of the document, you will see a statement of confidentiality. You are required to write this
xl
TOEFL IBT READING MID MMHG
statement at the bottom of the page. Then you will sign and date the document and submit it to the
employee.
Next, an employee at the test center will call your name. You will be asked to pose for a photograph
in order to ensure that you are the person who signed up to take the test (this photo will appear
on the paper copy of your score report). At this point, the employee will return your identification
document. The employee will also give you two pencils and several sheets of blank paper for notes.
You may be asked to show the employee the inside of your pockets to verify that you are not taking
any unauthorized materials into the test room. Then, an employee will escort you to the computer
on which you will be taking the test.
Screen-by-Screen Process
I. Confirmation of Identity: On the first screen, you will see your name and the photo that
you took before you entered the test room. Before you proceed, you must confirm that the
information is correct.
Copyright Screen: The next screen contains copyright information about the TOEFL test
materials. To proceed, click "Continue".
Test Introduction: You will see a screen that contains general information about the test,
including:
a general description of the TOEFL test
a short description of all four parts of the test
timing guidelines
Once you have finished reading the introduction, dick "Continue" to proceed to the next screen.
Test Rules: The next screen will describe the test policies. Be sure that you read the rules carefully
and that you understand them, as breaking any of the rules may result in cancellation of your
scores and you may lose your test fee. Click "Continue" when you've read and understood the
rules.
Confidentiality Statement: You will see a confidentiality agreement on the next screen. The
confidentiality agreement states that you will not share information about the test such as
passages or questions with anyone. Read the statement carefully. By clicking "Continue" on this
screen, you are agreeing to the terms of the confidentiality statement
Headset Instructions: On the following screen, you will be instructed to put on your headset.
The headset includes noise-cancelling headphones and a microphone. You are allowed to wear
the headset throughout the entire test.
ir,EF_ tfl
43-1 erl
sr. 00_11: 20
Please put your headset on at this time.
Make sure to properly position and adjust
your microphone in order to achieve a
high-quality recording. In your normal
speaking voice, speak directly into the
microphone.
zil
OVERYEN OF 111E TOIER TEST
7. Microphone Adjustment: Next, you will see a screen that gives you instructions on how to adjust
your microphone. You will be asked to speak a response to the following question: Describe the
city that you live in. Please note that this portion is not graded and is only used to adjust your
microphone. Just be sure to speak clearly and in your normal speaking voice.
You will continue to speak until a window appears that says "Success: Your microphone is functioning
properly" appears.
If your microphone adjustment is not successful, readjust the microphone so that it is closer to your
mouth and try again. If you continue having problems adjusting your microphone, raise your hand
to get help from an employee at the test center.
Section Screens
At the beginning of each section, you will see a screen that gives you directions about that
particular section. Please note that the on-screen tools will vary according to the section. For more
information about the screen-by-screen process for each section, see the Overviews and Walk-
throughs for the questions types.
On-screen Tools
Throughout the test you will have access to a number of on-screen tools. The tools vary slightly by
section. For example, in the reading section, you will have a button that allows you to review your
answers. In the listening section, you will have buttons that allow you to confirm your answers
before you proceed. For more information about the specific on-screen tools, please see the
Overview for each section.
"Help" Button
During the reading and listening sections, you will see a "Help" Button on the toolbar at the top of
the screen. By clicking on the "Help" button, you will be given instructions for:
Using the on-screen tools
Marking your answers
Section directions, and
Test directions
Please note that when you access the "Help" materials, the clock will keep running. If you must
refer to the "Help" materials, be sure to do so quickly or you may waste precious time.
About the Break

After you've finished with the Listening Section, you are required to take a 10-minute break The
break screen will appear on the monitor. At this time, you may leave the test mom. You will have
to take your identification document with you. When you leave the test room, be sure to notify the
test center employee. You may be required to sign out during the break.
When you are ready to return to the test room, you will have show the test employee the contents
of your pockets once again. You may also have to sign back in. Then, the test center employee will
escort you back to your seat and unlock the screen so you can continue the test
Please note that while you are allowed to use the bathroom at any point during the test the dock
will not stop unless it is your designated break time. Therefore, to ensure that you have enough time
to finish each section, it is wise to only leave the test room during the break
TGEFL MT READING AND WRMNG
When You're Done

Score Reporting: After you've completed the final task of the writing section, you will see the
Score Reporting screen, which will re you the option of reporting or cancelling your scores. If
you choose to cancel the scores, you will not be able to see your scores. Furthermore, you will not
receive a refund of the test fee.
)
0 0 0 0
Ira- no 11 20
Report or Cancel Scores
At this time, please decide whether you would like to report or

cancel your scores from this testing session.
Checking Out: When you are finished, you may leave the test room. Be sure to bring your note
paper and pencils and personal identification document The test center employee will take back
the pencils and note paper. You will sign out and indicate the time that you finished the test Then
you can get your personal belongings from the storage area and leave the test center.
sly
Guide to Readin•
Overview of the Reading Section

The reading section is the first part of the TOEFL® test. It tests your comprehension
of written English by presenting you with a series of reading passages and then
asking you a set of questions based on each one.
QUICK GUIDE: TOEFL Test Reading Section

Definition The reading section tests your ability to understand written academic English. The
section includes different types of reading passages that are based on a variety of
academic subjects.
Targeted In order to do well on the reading section, you must be able to:
Skills • understand basic academic vocabulary in context.
quickly scan a written passage and understand its main ideas and supporting
details.
understand how information is organized.
understand inferences, relationships, paraphrases and the purpose of a
passage.
answer questions within the given time.
The Reading The reading section includes three to five reading passages. Each passage
Passages Is usually 650-700 words long. A typical reading section consists of three
reading passages, each of which will appear on your screen and remain there
while you answer the questions based on that passage. Please note that, on
some occasions, the testing company ETS will include two additional reading
passages as sample material. This sarnple material is not scored. However,
you will not know which passages are sample materials, so you should try your
best on all of the passages
There are three different types of passages in the reading section: expository,
argumentative, and historical. In addition, each passage is arranged according to
a particular organizational style, which include compare and contrast, cause and
effect, problem and solution, theory and support, and classification. For more
information about passage types and organizational Wes, see pages 1-80.
Questions There are typically 12-14 questions per reading passage. The questions are
multiple choice and can usually be classified as one of the following question
types:
Detail • Vocabulary
Referent • Sentence Summary
Negative Fact • Passage Summary
Function • Add Text
Inference • Table Completion
Timing You will have 60 minutes to read and answer the questions for a set of three
reading passages. If you receive sample material for the reading section, which
will add an additional two reading passages, you will have 100 minutes to
read and answer the questions for all five reading passages.
1
SIOLLS FORME TOER IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
Reading Section: What You'll See and Hear

On-screen Tools
In the reading section, the information on the computer screen is slightly different
than in other parts of the test. Study the sample screen below to familiarize yourself
with the on-screen tools for the reading section.
T, )FFL hhir.
rt; 6-1 6 a a• '
Question lot 12
Indicates what section of the test you this button, you will be able to move a
are currently working on slider up or down in order to increase or
decrease the volume.
Shows which question you are currently
working on Allows you to get important
Allows you to go back and view the information about the section. Keep
in mind that the clock will continue to
entire text for some questions
count down if you click on this button.
Takes you to a review saeen that shows
Used to return to previously answered
all of your answers for the section. By
clicking on any of the questions, you questions in the section
can return to that question and change Used to move on to the next question
your answer. This function also allows Allows you to hide or view the
you to view any questions you may have
countdown clock
skipped.
Shows how mudi time is left in the
Allows you to adjust the volume of reading section
the test narrator. When you click on
Screen-by-Screen ProcPcs
In the reading section, you will see a number of screens. By familiarizing yourself
with the screens and the instructions, you will know exactly what to do on the day
of the test.
Instructions: Fist, you will see a screen that gives you general information about the section, including
information about how the section is organized and how much time you will have to complete the entire
section. This screen also gives information about scoring and how to use the on-screen tools for the
section. You must wait until the narrator has finished reading the instructions before you are allowed to
move on to the next screen.
Reading: Once the section begins, a reading passage will appear on the right half of your screen. Note
that the entire passage will not be viewable on the screen—you will have to use the scroll bar to view
the rest of the passage. When you first see the passage, you should only scan it. In other words, you
should quickly read through the passage, paying special attention to the important ideas and details.
When you have finished scanning the passage, click on the "Continue" button.
2
OVERVIEW OE THE flEADING SECTION
TOEFL Reading
The Decline of the English Cloth Dade
After 45 years of the queen's rule, James!

succeeded Elizabeth Ito the English throne
in 1603, at which point the English economy
was struggling. The population of England
was swelling, food production was insufficient,
and prices were high. Despite its instability,
a few industries brought reliable income to
the English economy. In particular, many
merchants relied on the export of cloth to the
3. Questions: The questions for the passage will appear one at a time on the left side of the screen. Note
that the paragraph that the question is based on will be marked with an arrow (—)) in the passage.
To mark your answer, click on the cirde next to the answer option you want to choose. The circle will
turn dark when it has been selected. To deselect an answer, click on the circle again. After selecting
an answer option, click on the "Next" button to proceed to the next question. You may also click on the
"Back" button in order to view the previous question and change the answer.
TOEFL Reading
0 0 0 0
Question 1 0( 12 en on:18 54
The word succeeded in paragraph 1 is closest in The Decline of the English Cloth Trade
meaning to
0 did away with. -*After 45 years of the queen's rule, James
came after. I succeeded Elizabeth Ito the English
0 turned aside. throne in 1603, at which point the English
0 kept back economy was struggling. The population of
Paragraph us marked with an arrow [4]. England was swelling, food production was
insufficient, and prices were high. Despite its
instability, a few industries brought reliable
income to the English economy. In particular,
many merchants relied on the export of cloth
4. End of Section / Confirmation Screen: When the given time for the reading section is over, you will see
a screen alerting you that the time is up. If you have viewed all of the questions in the reading section
before the given time is over, you will see a confirmation screen that informs you of your options. If you
want to continue working, you should dick on the "Retvm" button. If you want to see the review screen
in order to check your answers, click on the "Review" button. If you are finished and wish to proceed to
the next section, click on "Continue." Remember, if you choose to continue, you will not be able to return
to the section at aster time. Carefully consider whether you want to proceed or return to the questions
in the section.
3
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IP TEST READING AND MIRING
Review Screen
TOEFL Reading
Question 1 of 12 TODEIMfm 00.11 20
Below is a list of the questions from this section. The status column shows if you have answered the
question or not.
To review a question from this list, click on the question.
Passage Questions Status

The Decline of the English I. The word succeeded in paragraph 1 is Answered
Cloth Trade closest in meaning to
The word its in paragraph 1 refers to Answered
In paragraph 1, the author describes Unanswered
insufficient food production as an
indication of the
Reading Seaton: Passage Types
In the reading section, you will be presented with reading passages that are similar
to texts that a student may encounter at a North American university. The topics for
the reading passages are drawn from a wide range of academic subjects, including
the following:
anthropology • engineering • music

archaeology • environmental science • paleontology
art history • history • photography
astronomy • geology • psychology
botany • geography • sociology
biology • literature • urban studies
education • marketing
4
OVERVIEW OF THE READING SECTION
There are three types of passages on the reading section: expository,
argumentative, and historical. Typically, a reading section will consist of at least one
of each passage type.
Passage Type Definition Sample Topics

Types of Camouflage
Provides a general explanation of a • Adaptations of Deep Sea Fish
Expository
topic • Important Traditions of the Bambara
Culture
Evidence of Contact Between Pacific
Cultures and Indigenous Americans
Provides a point of view and gives
Recuperation Theory vs. Circadian Theory
Argumentative several reasons to support that point
of Sleep
of view
How Non-Native Species Hurt Local
Habitats
History of the Telescope
The Effects of the Norman Conquest
Historical Focuses on past events
Journalism and Social Change in the
Twentieth Century
Organizational Styles
Each passage will usually feature a specific organizational style. An organizational

style describes how the ideas in a passage are arranged.
Common Organizational Styles of Reading Passages

Organizational Style Description
Classification Describes two or three different categories of something
Compare / Contrast Discusses similarities and differences between two or more
things
Cause / Effect Explains the causes and effects of something
Theory / Support Presents a theory and provides support for it
Problem / Solution Presents a problem and discusses solutions
5
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRITING

II CHALLENGE 1: "I don't know a lot of the words that I see in the passages or In the questions."
SOLUTION: Expand your vocabulary. There are several tools that you can use to increase your
vocabulary. For one, there are several word lists available that present the most common words found in
academic settings. The Academic Word List, developed by Averil Coxhead, is a list of 570 words that are
commonly included in introductory college texts. Getting to know these words will likely help you perform
better on the test and prepare you for entering English-language courses. For more information on the
Academic Word List, see page 170.
SOLUTION: Use a learner's dictionary when you study. Dictionaries such as the Collins Cobuild
Advanced Dictionary offer clear definitions, sample sentences, grammar, illustrations, and photographs
to help you expand your knowledge and use of everyday and academic vocabulary. In this book, you will
find definitions for challenging or unfamiliar words, much like you would in the TOEFL reading passages.
These definitions come from the Collins Cobuild Advanced Dictionary.
SOLUTION: Use context clues. Context clues are the words and phrases that surround key words. Using
these clues will help you determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. The author may use a number of
strategies to provide context clues for key words, including giving examples of the keyword, contrasting
the meaning of the key word with an opposite idea, or giving an indirect definition of a key word. For
more information about these strategies, see the table in Lesson 3B on page 44. To practice finding
and using context clues, try reading a 300-word excerpt from a newspaper or a college textbook. Pay
attention to the strategies that the authors use to help you figure out the definitions of difficult words.
Strategies for Using Context Clues

Strategy Key Words Example
Pay attention to examples that appear near the such as The photographs show
highlighted word. If you are familiar with the including banal activities, like goi
examples, you can use them to determine the consists of this to thegrooerv store or
meaning of the highlighted word. includes like doing household chores.
Unlike X... Unlike most mammals, few
Look for key words that signal a contrast from a On the other of which are venomous
previous idea. If you know the meanings of the hand, X... the platypus produces a
words from surrounding sentences, you'll know noxious substance that
that the highlighted word has an opposite meaning. But... can cause extreme pain in
However ... humans.
Look for indirect definitions of terms in the and In the southwestern United
meaning that States, the sunflower is
sentences that surround the highlighted word.
These definitions may indude an easier synonym ubiquitous grid it is
of the highlighted word or information that helps difficult to find a garden
darify its meaning. that doesn't include the
SOLUTION: Learn how to look at word parts, like prefixes and suffixes, to determine the meanings of
unknown words. Many English words are formed through the use of prefixes, which go at the beginnings
of words, and suffixes, which go on the ends of words. By learning the meanings of common English
prefixes and suffixes, you will be able to guess the definitions of unknown words. For more information,
see the table in Lesson 3B on page 45.
6
OVERVIEW OF THE READING SECION
b CHALLENGE 2: "I often run out of time before completing allot the questions."
SOLUTION: Use skimming and scanning skills to find the answers to the questions. Skimming is when
you quickly read a passage, paying attention only to the most Important Ideas. By skimming, you can
often identify the key ideas that many questions are based on in a short amount of time. This way, you
can avoid running out of time during the test.
In order to skim effectively, make sure you know where to find the most Important Ideas. Regardless of
the different organizational styles for passages, important ideas often appear in the same places. See the
table below for information on where to find a passage's most important ideas.
Part of the Passage Skimming Strategy

Introduction • Read the last two-three lines in the introductory
paragraph. These lines will typically describe the main
idea of the passage.
Body Paragraphs • Read the first two-three lines in the body paragraphs.
These sentences will describe the main ideas of the
paragraphs.
Read the last two-three lines in the body paragraphs.
These lines will often explain how each paragraph
relates to the main idea of the passage. These lines will
also help you understand how the body paragraphs are
related to one another.
Scanning is when you read the passage quickly in order to find specific key words or ideas. After you've
read a question and its answer options, you should make note of any key words or ideas, like names,
terms, or numbers, that will help you answer the question. Then, scan the passage, looking specifically
for those key words.
Remember, you don't need to understand every word perfectly while you skim or scan a passage. The most
important part is to find the information you need in order to answer the questions quickly and correctly.
To practice skimming and scanning, find an article with 600-700 words in a college textbook. First,
skim the article and 'mite down the most important ideas on a piece of scrap paper. Then, try scanning
the article for key words and dates. The more you practice skimming and scanning, the faster and more
accurate you will get, so try to practice every day.
SOLUTION: Pay attention to the on-screen clock. This clock displays how much time you have left
in the section. You should not spend more than 20 minutes on each reading passage. While you work
on the questions, be sure to glance at the clock. On the reading section, you are able to return to
unanswered questions later, so be sure to take advantage of this feature. If you take more than two
minutes on a question, skip it and return to it later. This will help you avoid getting stuck on one question
and wasting your time.
7
&IOUSFOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
CHALLENGE 3: "The passages are often complicated and confusing—sometimes I get lost as
I'm reading them."
SOLUTION: Understand the basic organizational styles found on the reading section of the TOEFL test.
If you lose concentration or become confused while you are reading, you just have to Think about how the
passage is structured in order to get hack on track. See the table below for the most common organizational
structures of the reading passages and how the information in these passages is often arranged.
Compare / Problem / Theory /

Classification Contrast Cause / Effect Solution Support
0 Introduces what
will be classified
Introduces two
ideas, things, or
Introduces
an event or
Introduces a
problem
Introduces a
theory
in the passage events process
Present 2-3 The first body The first body Provide 2-3 Provide 2-3
different types paragraph paragraph solutions to the pieces of
or features of describes several describes 1-2 problem evidence to
the subject being features of the causes for support the
classified first subject. In an event or theory
the following process. Then,
paragraphs, the the author
author presents describes the
corresponding effects, or
features of the consequences,
second subject, of the causes.
pointing out how
these are similar
to or different
from those of the
first subject.
To practice, read each of the passages in this book. See if you can identify the organizational structure of
each passage. Make note of how the body paragraphs are organized.
SOLUTION: Look for transition language as you read. Transition language includes words and phrases
that are used to connect the ideas in different sentences. For example, some transition words signal
the introduction of a new topic (e.g., "Mother example of X is ..."), while others signal a process or
sequence of events (e.g., "First ..."). Transition words often appear at the beginning of a new paragraph,
though they can appear in the middle part of a paragraph as well. By paying attention to transition words
and how they are used, you can get a better sense of what is happening in the passage. In turn, this will
help you avoid becoming confused by the information in the passage. For a more detailed discussion on
transition words and to practice identifying them, see page 67.
8
OVEFME• OF THE READING SEC11ON
CHALLENGE 4: "There's too much Infomiation to remember!"
Solution: Don't worry about remembering every detail from the passage. In the reading section, the
passages will always appear on the right side of the screen while you answer the questions. The
paragraph that the question is based on will be marked with an arrow [4], and you will be able to scroll
through the paragraph as you answer the question in order to find any information you may need.
SOLUTION: On your scrap paper, create a quick outline of the passage. Just because you have access
to the passage while you answer the questions doesn't mean that it's not helpful to write down notes in
certain instances. For example, while you skim the passage, you can create a quick outline of the basic
points in the reading. You should try to use abbreviation strategies so you don't spend too much time
writing your outline. Then, you can use this outline as a quick reference while you answer the questions.
The outline does not need to contain all of the details from the passage, but it should contain the main
ideas, which can be helpful when answering nearly all of the question types. See below for a sample
outline for a reading passage. This outline is based on the passage on page 23.
Age of Bradshows: unsure, wasp nest

2 theories about who created Bradshaws
- Australian Aborigines
similar to Aboriginal artwork
- 1st humans in Aust.
human migration studies
canoes, animals in paintings
Note that while the outline is very brief, it still contains the most important ideas from the passage.
Furthermore, the outline reflects the basic organization of the passage, which would be especially helpful
for table completion or passage summary questions. Regardless of what question type you are working
on, by writing this information down, you may find that you understand the basic ideas of the passage
better and remember them more clearly.
SOLUTION: Write down key words and ideas as you read the questions and answer options. Some
people find it helpful to highlight key words while they read. However, on the day of the test, you will gf
be able to highlight any portion of the text on the computer screen. Instead, you can use your notepaper
to write down any key words that will help you remember important ideas from the questions or the
answer options. Then, you can refer to your list of key words and quickly scan for them in the reading
passage.
9
SIOLLS FOR THE TD. IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
s CHALLENGE 5: "I have a hard time telling the difference between major supporting details and
minor facts."
SOLUTION: Try to understand the role of the details in the passage. By understanding how the details
that you are confused about relate to the ideas in the passage, you will be able to sort the major details
from the minor ideas. Use the steps in the table below to start understanding the roles of details in a
passage.
Steps For Differentiating Between Major Supporting Details and Minor Facts
Skim the first paragraph to find the topic sentence. Topic sentences are sentences that express
the main topic of a passage or paragraph. Regardless of the passage type or organizational style
of a passage, each reading will have a major point that it is trying to make.
The introduction will usually provide a brief background of the main topic and then present a
topic sentence that summarizes the main point of the passage.
Skim the body paragraphs to find the topic sentence for each paragraph. The topic sentences
ri are usually located within the first two or three lines of the body paragraphs.
By locating the topic sentences, you can start to understand what the main argument of the
passage is and how the author has organized the flow of ideas.
Once you've located the topic sentences and the main point of the passage is clear to you,
s
ai quickly review the details that you are unsure about Again, when you review details, make
sure you scan the passage for the key words associated with those details in order to save time.
When you read a sentence containing a detail you are unsure about, ask yourself the following
question: If you were to leave out that particular detail, would the main point of the passage be
sr weakened?
If the answer is yes, the detail in question is probably a major detail. On the other hand, if
leaving out the detail would not majorly change or weaken the main point of the passage, then
the detail is a minor fact.
10
OVERVIEW OF THE READING SECRON
)) CHALLENGE 6: "None of the answer options 'feels right"
SOLUTION: Familiarize yourself with the question types and the skills required to answer each one.
On the reading section, there are 10 possible question types. By learning which skills each question
type tests, you will better understand what to look for in a correct answer, which should help improve
your intuition about the correct answers. Study the Quick Guides for each question type, located at the
beginning of each lesson.
SOLUTION: Understand how correct answer options are created. While the correct answers on the
reading section will vary in many ways, remember that one common feature of correct answer options is
the rewording of key information.A correct answer option will always contain key information that you've
read in the passage. However, the information is typically mixed up so that the correct answer option
doesn't use the exact wording from the reading. In other words, the correct answer option will include
paraphrased information from the reading passage. Information in answer options may be paraphrased
by:
changing out key words (i.e., using synonyms).
including general information about a concept that is described in detail in the passage.
changing the voice of the information from active to passive (or vice versa). The passive voice is
formed by using the verb be + past participle.
To practice recognizing paraphrased information, complete an activity in the reading section of this book,
then try to identify the paraphrase types used in some of the answer options. This may help you improve
your ability to recognize correct and incorrect answers.
SOLUTION: Use a process of elimination. A process of elimination involves reading each answer option
carefully and eliminating options that are incorrect. Typically, you can eliminate answer options that
contain:
information that contradicts the facts and details presented in the passage.
information that does not answer the question.
the exact wording from the passage. Remember, the correct answer typically paraphrases information
from the passage, so an answer option that includes the same wording is probably incorrect.
SOLUTION: Skip questions you are unsure about. Remember, you are allowed to return to previous
questions on the reading section. However, you have only 60 minutes to answer all of the questions
in this section. For some people, it's easier to answer difficult questions once they've had some time
to think about them. So if you find that you're spending too much time on one question and you aren't
certain of the answer, move on to the next question or the next passage. You may find that it's easier to
answer a difficult question when you return to it later.
11
Overview of Question Types
on the Reading Section
Frequency Per
Question Type Description Reading Passage
Detail Asks you about factual information presented in a 3-5
reading passage.
Referent Asks you to identify the word or phrase that

another word refers to—usually a pronoun.
Negative Fact Asks you to recognize the answer option that is

not true according to the passage.
Function Asks you about the rhetorical strategies used by

the author. Is the author trying to give an example,
explain or darify something, challenge a point, etc.?
Inference Asks you to draw a condusion based on the

information presented in the passage.
Vocabulary Asks you to choose the definition that best 2-4

describes how a highlighted word or phrase is
used in the passage.
Sentence Summary Asks you to choose the answer that provides the
best summary of a highlighted sentence from a
passage.
Passage Summary Presents you with an introductory statement for

the passage, then asks you to choose three answer
options that best summarize the main idea of the
passage.
Add Text Asks you to determine where a given sentence

will fit best in a passage.
Table Completion Asks you to categorize information into a table

format
12
1=,,zr.:141fif I •
Detail Questions
Detail questions ask you about factual information presented in a reading passage.
They are the most common type of question in the reading section, and you can
expect three to five detail questions per reading passage.
Detail questions may be worded as follows:
According to paragraph 1, what is true about X?

According to paragraph 2, why was the discovery of X significant?
What do X and Y have in common?

According to paragraph 3, which of the following was responsible for X?
In paragraph 4, what does the author say about X?
QUICK GUIDE: Detail Questions

Definition Detail questions ask about important facts presented in the reading passage
that support the main points of the reading. They are often based on
supporting facts, definitions of key terms, and the order of events described in
the passage.
Targeted In order to answer a detail question c,orrectly, you must be able to:
Skills identify the main points of the reading and the details used to support
them. Be prepared to answer questions about secondary details as well.
understand the relationships between two events or concepts (Is one
caused by the other? Did one occur after the other? Is one more Important
than the other?).
read the question carefully and understand what information it is asking for.
scan the passage for specific details that you can use to determine the
correct answer.
The Correct The correct answer for a detail question contains factual information that was
Answer presented in the reading. Correct answers can usually be found in one or two
sentences in the passage and typically contain reworded information from the
reading.
Wrong Watch out for answer options that:

Answer include information that contradicts the information given in the reading.
Options use the exact wording from the reading but don't answer the question. The
correct answer usually rewords the information.
include information that is not mentioned or supported by the reading.
13
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND MMHG
WALK THROUGH: Detail Questions

A Quickly read the sample detail question below. Underline any key words in the question
and the answer options that will help you determine the correct answer.
OEFL Reading map out.)

ant i 0 0
Question I or 12 1110110 00 . n: 20
I. According to paragraph 2, what is true about the repetition strategy used in ancient India?
0 It allowed users to add new details to narratives.
0 It is more complex than other repetition methods.
0 It was only used to memorize sacred texts.
0 It required users to remember entire paragraphs at a time.
B Now read part of a passage about literature. While you read, underline words or phrases
that you think will help you answer the question in Part A. When you are done, mark the
correct answer for the question above.
Oral Narratives
'Oral narratives are stories that are communicated through speech and not through the
written word. Most cultures have important oral narratives that allow them to pass on
traditional stories to younger generations. Amazingly, these can survive for many years
without experiencing significant changes. Oral narratives remain unchanged for many years
due to specific memorization techniques that help storytellers preserve the original form of
the narrative.
One such technique is repetition, which involves saying the words of a story many
times. For instance, a storyteller might repeat the same sentence many times until he or she
remembers it. Once one sentence is memorized, the storyteller repeats the next sentence
until it, too, is committed to memory. Thus, sentence by sentence, one can learn a complete
narrative. Of course, some forms of repetition are more complicated than the method just
described. For example, in ancient India, people memorized sacred texts by repeating the
words in a different order. If a sentence read, "She went to the river to wash her clothes," a
person might memorize the sentence by repeating the words like this: "She went she, went to
Glossary: went, to the to:' and so on.
POWERED BY CORDED ' Another important way to memorize oral narratives is through the use of musical
sacred: something that is memory, which refers to a person's ability to remember pitch. Like notes in a song, some
believed to be holy and to words in a story have higher or lower pitch than the surrounding words. Someone listening
have a connection to God to an oral narrative might remember these changes in pitch, and this can help the person
remember the changes in the story. If one part of the story is exciting, the storyteller's voice
pitch: how high or low a
sound is may become higher in pitch. The listener will record this in his or her musical memory, and
when the listener retells the story, his or her voice will become higher at the same moment.
14
OUSTIONWPEO2M2
GET IT RIGHT: lips and Tasks for Answering Correctly

TIP 1: Read the question carefully. The wording of detail questions varies widely, so make sure you
read the question carefully and understand exactly what it is asking for. Is it asking about a main detail
or a secondary detail? Does It ask when an event occurred, or is it asking about the cause and effect
relationship between two events?
TASK 1: Underline the words or phrases in the question on page 14 that help you understand what
information you need to answer the question.
TIP 2: Scan the paragraph that the question is based on. The answer for detail questions can
typically be found in one or two sentences from the reading passage. When you scan the paragraph the
question is based on, look for key words that will help you answer the question.
TASK 2: Scan paragraph 2 in the passage on page 14 and draw a box around words or expressions
that will help you choose the correct answer.
TIP 3: Watch out for answer options that use the same wording as the passage. Correct answers
for detail questions usually contain reworded information from the reading. Be cautious of answer
choices that contain exact wording from the reading—they may not include the information that the
question is asking for.
edIrtre TASK 3: For the question on page 14, draw a line through one answer option that uses exact wording
ir tett _ from the reading.
tete,
TIP 4: Eliminate answer options that are inaccurate according to the passage. Detail questions
100.1 are always based on facts from the passage. Therefore, any answer option that is false according to the
information in the passage is incorrect.
TEST TIP! TASK 4: Draw a line through two of the remaining answer options on page 14 that are inaccurate
Don't spend too much according to the information in the passage.
time on one question.
TIP 5: Guess wisely! Detail questions are often asked about supporting details for main points. If you
Remember, on the
are having a difficult time choosing the correct answer, choose the answer option that coincides with the
reading section of the
main idea of the paragraph that the question is based on.
TOEFL test, you are
allowed to return to TASK 5: Cirde one sentence in paragraph 2 in the passage on page 14 that summarizes the main idea
previous questions in of the entire paragraph. Does the answer you marked as correct support this topic sentence?
the section as long
as you have time.
monitors, if you are
having bouble with
one question, don't be
afraid to move on to
the next one. Just be
sure to make a note of
the question number so
you remember to return
to it later.
15
Lesson 1B
Referent Questions
A referent question asks you to identify the word or phrase that another word refers to.
The most common type of referent question will include a pronoun. A pronoun is a word
that takes the place of a noun or noun phrase in a sentence. On the TOEFL test, personal
pronouns are most commonly tested, though on occasion referent questions may be
based on relative, demonstrative, or reflexive pronouns, in addition to other words. See
the table below for some examples.
Pronouns or Other Words Examples

Personal Pronouns: 1, you, he / she / it, we, Susie went to the lab. ahl didn't come back until
they, me, him / her, us, them later.
Relative Pronouns: which / that, who / Rick replaced the window that was broken during
whom / whose, whatever, what the storm.
Demonstrative Pronouns: this, that, The apples were in the bowl. Alan used these to
these, those bake a pie.
Reflexive Pronouns: myself, yourself, herself, The baseball players entertained themselves by
himself, itself, ourselves, themselves singing.
Other Words: any, so, one Sarina and Ben went to buy supplies at the store.
They couldn't find Any.
Note: In these examples, the pronoun is underlined and the referent is in bold.
There is typically no more than one referent question per reading passage.
Referent questions may be worded as follows:

>> The word X in paragraph 2 refers to. .
QUICK GUIDE: Referent Questions

Definition Referent questions will specify a pronoun in the passage by highlighting it in
gray The answer options will be words or phrasas from the passage. You must
choose the answer option that indicates the referent of the highlighted pronoun.
Targeted In order to correctly answer a referent question, you must be able to:
Skills • understand grammatical agreement between nouns and pronouns.
identify the referent of a pronoun that is highlighted in a passage.
The Correct The correct answer for a referent question correctly identifies the referent of
Answer the highlighted pronoun. The referent will agree with the highlighted pronoun
in number, gender, or case. In most cases, the referent will appear before the
pronoun in the passage.
Wrong Watch out for answer options that:
Answer • do not agree with the highlighted pronoun in number, gender, or case.
Options • appear immediately before the highlighted word. While the correct answer
usually appears before the pronoun, the referent is not usually the noun that
immediately precedes the pronoun.
change the meaning of the sentence so that it contradicts the facts
presented in the passage.
16
QUESTION TYPE: REFERENT
WALK THROUGH: Referent Questions

A Quickly read the sample referent questions below. Underline any key words in the
questions and the answer choices that will help you detemiine the correct answers.
TOEFL Reading
o 0 0 0_
Question 1 of 12 IODEIFME UU fl :20
The word it in paragraph 1 refers to

0 the fifteenth century.
0 Venice, Italy.
0 Europe.
0 a top producer.
The word they in paragraph 2 refers to
0 the city's legacy.
0 printers.
0 books.
0 historians.
B Now read the sample passage. While you read, underline the sentences that contain
the answer options for the questions above. When you are done reading, mark the
correct answers for the questions above.
Printing in Venice
' In 1455, a German goldsmith named Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press,
changing the way that people received new information thereafter. Not long after that,
hundreds of print shops had opened throughout Europe. However, one city in particular
emerged as the leader in printing by the end of the fifteenth century: Venice, Italy. Printing
nearly a quarter of all books in Europe during the 1490s, it was a top producer of books. This
success, which continued well into the 1500s, was due to several factors.
2 Long before the first print shop opened in Venice in 1469, the city was known as a major
trade capital in Europe. For centuries, Venice had been an important stop on many trade
routes, allowing Venetian merchants to establish partnerships with businesses based in many
international locations across Europe and Asia. The city's legacy as a trade hub proved useful
for printers in the fifteenth century because it was relatively easy to sell and distribute the
Glossary: books that they produced. According to historians, many printers in Venice created books
CB POWERED BY COBUILO
specifically for export to other countries.
hub: an important center Another factor that allowed Venetian printers to flourish was the abundance of skilled
for activity and educated workers who resided in the city. Indeed, throughout the 1400s, Venice was
home to a large and diverse population of scholars. These scholars not only provided
flourish: to be successful
and develop quickly and manuscripts for printing, but were able to edit works created by other people as well. As a
strongly result, editing and printing a manuscript in Venice was relatively inexpensive. In some cases,
printing costs in Venice were a third of what they were in other printing centers in Europe.
17
SPaLLS FORME TO& ET 'TEST MANGANO VIRMNG
GET IT RIGHT: Tips and Tasks for Answering Correctly

)) TIP 1: Reread the paragraph in which the highlighted word appears. When you do this, be sure to
pay attention to the nouns that are used as answer options for the question. Also, look for context clues
that will help you eliminate incorrect answer options.
TASK 1: Scan paragraphs 1 and 2 in the passage on page 17. Underline four words or expressions
in paragraph 1 that are used as answer options for question 1. Underline four words or expressions in
paragraph 2 that are used as answer options for question 2.
TIP 2: Try replacing the highlighted word with each of the answer options. When you do this, you
can eliminate answer options that:
contradict the facts in the passage. You may find that more than one answer option works. However,
one of them may change the meaning of the sentence so that it is no longer accurate according to the
passage.
don't agree with the pronoun in terms of number, gender, or case. See the table below for a brief
explanation of grammatical agreement
Type of Agreement Explanation Examples

Number Refers to whether the noun Correct The students sat in the classroom.
and the corresponding They didn't know when the class would start.
pronoun are singular or
Incorrect The students sat in the office. He
plural
didn't know when the doss would start.
Gender Refers to whether the noun Correct The man left his keys on the table,
and the corresponding where he could find them easily.
pronoun are masculine or
Incorrect The man left his keys on the table,
feminine
where she could find them easily.
Case Refers to whether the noun Correct Peter arrived late, so he couldn't
and the corresponding find a seat.
pronoun are the object or
Incorrect Peter arrived late, so him couldn't
subject
find a seat.
Note: In these examples, the pronoun is underlined and the referent is in bold.
Referent goes-
TASK 2: For gnostical on page 17, draw a line through one answer option that contradicts the facts
bons am the only
from the passage when used in place of the pronoun. For question 2 on page 17, draw a line through one
grammar-related answer option that doesn't agree with the number of the pronoun.
quesbon type on the
reading section. It
you are unsure about
how to use English
pronouns, make sure to
review a grammar text
on the subiect before
the test.
18
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: DETAIL AND REFERENT QUESTIONS
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: Get Ready

A Scan the short passage about theater. Underline the main idea of each paragraph.
English Renaissance Theater
'As European societies changed dramatically in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,
artistic expression changed as well. England offers a clear example—in the early sixteenth
century, a new type of theater, called English Renaissance theater, flourished there. English
Renaissance theater was popular through the mid-seventeenth century and featured the
work of famous playwrights like Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. This new
theatrical style, which was more for entertainment and less for promoting religious values,
developed because of a number of changes in England.
One major reason for the popularity of English Renaissance theater was that it reflected
the cultural changes that were occurring in England at the time. One such change was
the ongoing attempts to distinguish the practices and beliefs of the English from those of
cultures in mainland Europe. In the theater, this was accomplished by breaking from the
types of plays that were trendy at the time throughout Europe. These typically featured
religious themes and were intended to teach the audience moral lessons. They were common
in English theater until the early sixteenth century. However, as social change occurred in the
1500s, morality plays became less prevalent in England. Instead, theater companies borrowed
heavily from classical Greek tragedies and comedies to create new Renaissance-style
pieces. The plays of William Shakespeare are well-known examples—he wrote about tragic
love stories, comedic love stories, and the histories of royal families. These themes, which
prioritized entertainment over moral lessons, became widespread throughout England.
' During the same period, English theater companies and performance spaces also
underwent a number of changes that helped bolster English Renaissance theater. Before the
sixteenth century, theater groups in England consisted of traveling companies that went
from town to town performing the same morality plays. But starting in the mid-sixteenth
century. English nobility began finding the construction of theaters throughout the country.
These public spaces housed companies of actors, who enjoyed the support and sponsorship
of different noble families. Many theaters became recognized as public spaces devoted
to entertainment, and gradually, the traveling companies of morality actors disappeared
completely. Moreover, because many acting companies received financial support from noble
families, they had the resources to create more and more Renaissance pieces and perform
them in these spaces.
B Read the questions carefully. What types of questions are they? Underline any key words in the questions
and answer options that you will look for while you review the passage. Then, answer the questions. Note
the correct answers and read why the answer options are correct or incorrect.
1. According to paragraph 2, which of the following best describes popular theater in mainland Europe during
the 1500s?
It was based on Greek plays.
Its primary goal was to teach lessons.
ft featured the work of William Shakespeare.
It was developed in churches.
19
SKILLS FORME TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
ANSWER ANALYSIS 10.

Question Type: Detail
X The author states that English Renaissance theater, not European theater, borrowed from Greek plays.
I The passage mentions that morality plays were popular in Europe and that they taught lessons.
X The passage says that English Renaissance theater featured works by William Shakespeare.
X The author mentions that morality plays featured religious themes, but it does not say where the plays developed.
2. The word those in paragraph 2 refers to

cultural changes.
ongoing attempts.
practices and beliefs.
the English.
ANSWER ANALYSIS 00
Question Type: Referent
X If "cultural changes" replaced the highlighted pronoun, the sentence would not make sense.
X If "ongoing attempts" replaced the highlighted pronoun, the sentence would not make sense.
I The pronoun is referring to practices and beliefs.
X Remember, the answer for referent questions is rarely the noun that is closest to the pronoun.
According to paragraph 3, what role did noble families play in the growth of English Renaissance theater?
0 They discouraged the production of morality plays.
0 They formed traveling companies that could perform new plays.
0 They provided inspiration for new types of plays.
0 They paid to have public theater spaces built.
- ANSWER ANALYSIS 10.

X The author says that noble families supported English Renaissance theater, not that they tried to prevent morality plays.
X The author says that traveling companies disappeared because noble families supported local acting companies.
X In paragraph 2, the author says that English Renaissance theater featured stories about royal families, but these are not the
same as noble families. Also, the question indicates that the answer appears in paragraph 3.
I The author says that noble families funded the construction of public theaters.

public spaces.
morality actors.
acting companies.
noble families.
ANSWER ANALYSIS 10.

X Public spaces are referred to at the end of the sentence ("these spaces"), so this cannot be the answer.
X The author says that morality actors disappeared. If this choice replaced the pronoun, the sentence would not make sense.
/ The pronoun is referring to acting companies.
X While "noble families" agrees in number with the pronoun, this choice does not make sense.
20
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: DETAIL AND REFERENT QUESTIONS
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: Get Set

A Scan the short passage about music. Write the main idea of each paragraph.
1
2
3
4
Astor Piazzolla and Nuevo Tango
'Tango is a type of music that originated among immigrant communities in Argentina and
Uruguay during the mid-1800s. Today, tango remains iconic in its countries of origin and
can still be heard in the homes of many Argentines and Uruguayans, though some musicians
have made efforts to modernize the genre. One such artist was Astor Piazzolla, who based
his nuevo tango, or new tango, on raditional Argentine tango. Piazzolla's nuevo tango retains
elements of traditional tango, but it s also distinct in several ways.
Piazzolla was born to Italian parents in Argentina. However, he spent most of his childhood
in New York City. Throughout his early years, Piazzolla missed Argentina and felt a connection
to his native country's tango music, the lyrics of which often describe nostalgia for ones home
country. Piazzolla began to explore traditional Argentine music by learning how to play the
bandoneon, an accordion-like instrument that is often employed in tango music. At sixteen,
Piazzolla returned to Argentina, where he was widely considered a highly skilled bandoneon
player. In fact, he was often invited to play with Argentine orchestras and bands before his own
music gained popularity. The bandonefln also featured prominently in his nuevo tango music
While there were clear influences of traditional Argentine tango in his work, Piazzolla's
nuevo tango also reflected the other types of music he was exposed to as a young man. For
example, growing up in New York, he developed an interest in jazz. Not surprisingly, he often
incorporated rhythms from this music into many of his pieces. Furthermore, he learned
about classical music by composers like Johann Sebastian Bach through his parents and later
through his musical studies. Piazzolla used classical ideas in his work, such as counterpoint,
which is when two or more voices sing using different rhythms but work together to create
Glossary:
the harmony of a piece. Between jazz and classical influences, Piazzolla's tango was very
C
,POWERED BY COBUILD
different from the traditional tango of Argentina.
iconic to be a symbol of
something 'Another unique element of Piazzolla's nuevo tango music is its experimental tendency.
Piazzolla was always looking for new and interesting pieces to incorporate into his own musk.
genre: a particular type In 1956, Piazzolla released an album that combined his musk with the poetry of writer Jorge
of literature, music, film, Luis Borges. Throughout the album, Borges's romantic and emotional poetry was narrated over
or other art that has
special characteristics Piazzolla's nuevo tango musk. This unique collaboration sparked outcries from traditional
tango musicians, who considered Piazzolla's style to be too experimental.
Read the questions carefully and note whether they are referent or detail questions. Then, answer
the questions. Write the letter of each answer option next to the reason in the Answer Analysis box
explaining why it is correct or incorrect.
1. The word It in paragraph 1 refers to

origin. [A]
0 the genre. [13]
nuevo tango. [C]
traditional tango. ED]
21
Sala FORTHEMERIBTIEST READINGANDWROMG
ANSWEI ANALYSIS I.
X The author is referring to nuevo tango, not to traditional tango.
X If "origin" replaced the pronoun, the sentence would not make sense.
I The pronoun is referring to nuevo tango.
X Replacing the pronoun with "the genre" would change the meaning of the sentence.
2. According to paragraph 2, what aspect of Piazzolla's nuevo tango is directly inspired by traditional Argentine tango?
His use of the ban doneOn [A]
0 The lyrics of his music [B]
His tendency to write music for large orchestras [C]
0 The focus on childhood experiences [IT]
ANSWER ANALYSIS Of
X The passage menhons Piazzolla's childhood, but there is no mention of this being a part of Piazzolla's music.
The author says that the bandone6n is often used in tango music and that Piazzolla used the instrument.
X The author menbons this as a feature of Argentine tango, but there is no indication that Piazzolla used it in his own music.
X The passage says that Piazzolla played with Argentine orchestras, but not whether he wrote for them.
3. The phrase this music in paragraph 3 refers to

0 Argentine tango. [A]
nuevo tango. [B]
0 jam. [C]
classical music. [0]
ANSWER ANALYSIS
X Piazzolla's pieces are what created the nuevo tango genre, so this cannot be the correct choice.
The pronoun is referring to jazz.
X "Classical music" could replace the pronoun, but it would change the meaning of the sentence.
X While "Argentine tango" could take the place of the pronoun, the meaning of the sentence would change.
4. According to paragraph 4, the experimental quality of Piazzolla's work resulted in

0 the inspiration of a work of poetry. [A]
disapproval from traditional Argentine musicians. [B]
collaborations with musicians in various genres. [C]
his lasting popularity in his home country. [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS
X The author says that Piazzolla worked with a writer, not with other musicians.
X The author does not say that the poetry was inspired by Piazzolials experimental music.
%I The last sentence says that Piazzolla's experimental style sparked outcries from traditional musicians, which
means that they disapproved.
X While Piazzolla was popular in his home country, the experimental quality of his music caused some people to dislike it.
22
FACGRESSIVE PRACTICE: DETAIL AND REFERENT QUES11ONS
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: Go for the TOEFL Test

Read the passage about a topic in art history.
TOEFL Reading
Question 1 of 12
Bradshaw Rock Paintings
'In 1891, Australian farmer John Bradshaw discovered a rock painting in the Kimberley
region of western Australia while taking his cattle out to graze. The rock painting that he
uncovered turned out to be only one of 100,000 that were scattered throughout the region. This
collection, which came to be known as the Bradshaw rock paintings, has gained the attention
of art historians and archaeologists alike. Art historians marvel at the realistic representations
of humans and animals that are featured in the paintings. These representations are interesting
in that these subjects are extremely rare in ancient art. Archaeologists, meanwhile, are more
concerned with identifying the artists who were responsible for creating the Bradshaws. This
task has proven to be a difficult undertaking and has led to the formulation of two competing
theories about who created the ancient rock paintings.
In order to find out more about who painted the Bradshaws, scientists first needed to
get an idea of approximately how old they are. Unfortunately, archaeologists have mostly
been unsuccessful in determining when the Bradshaws were painted, due to the chemical
changes that the rocks have experienced. Over time, iron oxide and other chemicals have
blended with the rocks on which the paintings were created. These changes have made it
impossible for scientists to use their usual dating methods, which in normal cases would
involve testing the age of the paint.
Still, due to a curious accident, archaeologists are not without any information about
the age of the paintings. In one extraordinary case, the fossil of an ancient wasp nest was
found covering a painting. While the painting itself could not be analyzed, scientists could
determine the age of the nest, which would help them estimate how old the painting beneath
was. After testing the wasp nest, scientists discovered that it was more than 17,000 years old.
This breakthrough suggested that the painting underneath the wasp nest was at least this
old, and some scientists argued that it could very well be much older. Though scientists need
more information to determine the exact age of the Bradshaws, there is enough proof to
demonstrate that the Bradshaws are among the oldest pieces of art in the world.
'Because archaeologists cannot determine the definite age of the artwork, no one can
be sure who painted the Bradshaws. This issue has become a major controversy in the
archaeological community. On one side of the argument are those who believe that these
paintings were created by the Australian Aborigines, the largest indigenous group in
Australia. In support of this theory, many archaeologists point out that there are many
examples of indigenous artwork in the Kimberley region that closely resemble Aboriginal
works created elsewhere in Australia This resemblance, they say, indicates that the
Bradshaws were likely created by the Aborigines.
However, other archaeologists contend that the Bradshaws were painted by a cultural
Glossary:
group that lived in Australia before the Aborigines. They suggest that the Bradshaws could
POWERED BY COBUILD
even have been painted by the first groups of humans to arrive in Australia This theory is
graze: to eat plants or supported by studies of human migration, which indicate that the first humans reached the
grass
coast of Southeast Asia between 70,800 and 60,000 years ago. Based on historical fluctuations
resemble: to be or in sea level, scientists believe that it was possible for these groups to have crossed from the
appear similar southern tip of Southeast Asia to Australia about 65,000 years ago.
23
MILS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
'Furthermore the images depicted on the Bradshaws hint that the artists who created them
were not originally from Australia. For example, some of the paintings include portrayals of
ancient canoe-like boats. Some experts believe that these boats may be representations of the
type of boat used to cross the sea from Asia to Australia. Other paintings show animals that
look like deer. However, there are no deer, or any creatures related to the deer, in Australia. To
explain these images, some scientists suggest that the artists who created the Bradshaws had
seen these animals elsewhere before their arrival in Australia.
Now answer the questions.
According to paragraph 1, what makes the Bradshaws interesting to art historians?

0 The number of pieces found in the Kimberley region
0 The subjects of the paintings
0 The location where they were created
0 The possible age of the paintings

0 theories.
0 the Bradshaws.
scientists.
archaeologists.
3. According to paragraph 2, why can't scientists use typical dating methods to determine the age of the Bradshaws?
0 The artists used an unknown type of paint.
Chemicals have damaged the paint.
Iron oxide was used in the creation of the works.
0 The paintings were created on different types of rocks.
4. According to paragraph 3, how were scientists able to find the minimum age of one of the Bradshaw paintings?
By testing the age of an object that was covering the painting
By determining how long a species of wasp has lived in Australia
By analyzing the age of the materials used to create the painting
By comparing the painting to similar creations found elsewhere
24
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: DETAIL AND REFERENT OUESRONS
5. According to paragraph 4, what proof is there to support the argument that Australian Aborigines are responsible for
the Bradshaws?
The paintings were created at the same time that the Australian Aborigines arrived in Australia.
0 The Australian Aborigines continue to create artwork today that resembles the Bradshaws.
0 The Bradshaws look similar to paintings created by Australian Aborigines in other parts of the country,
Artwork by Australian Aborigines has been found in different parts of the country, including the Kimberley area.
6. The word their in paragraph 6 refers to

images.
the artists.
0 the Bradshaws.
animals.
25
Lesson 2A
\eaative Fact Questions

A negative fac question asks you to recognize the answer option that is not true
according to the information in the reading passage. It may take you longer to
answer negative fact questions compared to other question types because you
have to confirm the accuracy of three details instead of just one. Expect to see no
more than one negative fact question per reading passage.
Negative fact questions may be worded as follows:
The passage describes all of the following aCEPT:
)) According to paragraph 2, which of the following is NOT true about X?

In paragraph 3, which of the following is LEAST likely?
QUICK GUIDE: Negative Fact Questions

Definition A negative fact question asks you to choose one of four answer options
that presents incorrect information according to the passage. The question
is usually based on one paragraph of the reading, although in some cases,
negative fact questions can be based on multiple paragraphs from the
passage. Negative fact questions are often based on information that appears
as part of a list.
Targeted In order to correctly answer a negative fact question, you must be able to:
Skills • understand the main ideas and main supporting details in the reading
passage.
quickly scan the passage in order to find facts that support three out of the
four answer options.
recognize one answer option that contains incorrect information according
to the passage.
The Correct The correct answer for a negative fact question is the answer option that
Answer contradicts information in the passage. Often, it uses key words or phrases
from the text but changes a key detail, making it incorrect according to the
passage. In cases where the question is based on a list, the correct answer is r
the item that is not included in that fist.
Wrong Watch out for answer options that include:

Answer rephrased information from the passage. An answer option might rephrase
Options a fact from the passage so that it looks like it is incorrect when is actually
accurate according to the passage. Remember, for this question type, you
are looking for the answer that is not true.
a shift from the active voice to the passive voice (or vice versa). For
example, the passage might say, "The man ate the apple." In the answer
option, it shifts to the passive voice, reading, "The apple was eaten by the
man." Notice that the meaning is the same in both cases.
26
QUESTION TYPE: NEGATIVE FACT
WALK THROUGH: Negative Fact Questions

A Quickly read the sample negative fact question below. Underline any key words in the
question and the answer options that will help you determine the correct answer.
crr
TOEFL Reading
Question of 12 -.win 00 n 20
1. According to paragraph I, all of the following accurately describe dynamic pricing EXCEPT:
0 Its popularity started to decline at the end of the twentieth century.
0 It gives the buyer some control over the price of an item.
0 It is used by sellers in online auctions.
0 It means that sellers charge different prices according to the situation.
B Now read the sample passage. While you read, check (I) the facts that are mentioned
in the answer options in Part A. Remember, the answer option that is not a fact
according to the passage is the correct answer. When you are done, mark the correct
answer for the question above.
The Return of Dynamic Pricing
'Throughout the twentieth century, many businesses used fixed-price strategies, meaning
that prices for goods or services are predetermined by the seller. If a store has fixed prices,
customers are expected to pay the set price. More importantly, 0 buyers do not have any
direct input in regard to the price of the items that they wish to purchase. In recent years,
however, many sellers have started using dynamic pricing, 0 a strategy that involves
changing the price of an item based on an individual buyer's needs and the circumstances
of the purchase. Unlike fixed pricing, dynamic pricing is more flexible and allows buyers
and sellers to work together to come up with prices that both parties can agree on. 0 For
example, online auctions, which allow buyers to place bids on items, use dynamic pricing.
The rising popularity of dynamic pricing is, without a doubt, linked to the improvement of
technology such as the Internet.
The Internet has made it easier for sellers to use dynamic pricing by giving them access
to information that affects pricing decisions. For example, sellers can now access up-to-
date market information at any time of the day by using the Internet. They might receive
information that shows that the demand for an item is rising or that the cost to make a
specific product has dropped. Both these factors influence the price of the item, so knowing
€ POWERED BY COBU1LD this information allows sellers to update prices as often as they want in order to reflect
market fluctuations.
bid: an offer to pay a
particular amount of New technologies also allow companies to monitor the purchase history of individual
money for something buyers. Sellers can then use this information to make recommendations that are tailored
Inventory: a supply or
to meet a particular customer's preferences. Furthermore, the seller can change prices
stock of something according to the customer's desires. For instance, sellers might offer unwanted inventory at
lower prices to customers who show interest in it. As a result, the buyer receives a better deal.
27
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING NW WRITING

» TIP 1: Read the question and the answer options before you scan the passage. For this question
type, you will have to review the paragraph or paragraphs specified in the question in order to check the
accuracy of each of the answer options. Before you review the paragraph(s), read the question and the
answer options. You should try to understand the full meaning of each answer option. That way, you can
determine whether or not it is accurate based on the facts in the passage. Also, make note of any key
words or phrases in the answer options. Then, scan the appropriate paragraph(s) in the passage and
look for these key words or phrases. This will help you find the information you need in order to answer
the question quickly.
TASK 1: Look at the key words you underlined in the question and the answer options on page 27.
Scan the passage on page 27 and circle four key words or expressions in paragraph 1 that relate to
each of the answer options.
» TIP 2: Check for rewording of language from the passage. Answer options for this question type
will often contain rephrased information from the passage in order to make correct answer options
seem incorrect. If you see that an answer option has reworded information from the passage, compare
it to the passage. Is the meaning the same? If the answer option is supported by the information in the
passage, you can eliminate it.
TASK 2: Which two answer options on page 27 reword the information from the passage?
» TIP 3: Look for answer options that use the passive voice. In English, the passive form is
constructed by using a be verb plus the past participial form of a verb. For example, the sentence "The
company opened three new factories" is in the active voice. "Three new factories were opened by the
company" is in the passive voice. Notice that the meaning of the sentence doesn't change regardless
of the voice. For this reason, you should watch out for answer options that change the voice of the
TEST 71PI
sentences they are based on. For example, if a sentence in the passage is in the active voice, and the
Negative fact questions
answer option is in the passive voice, they could mean the same thing.
typically take more time
to answer than other TASK 3: Which answer option on page 27 uses the passive voice to talk about an event that was
question types because
originally described in the active voice?
you have to confirm
the accuracy of each
answer option. Expect
to spend 2-3 minutes
on each negative fact
question,
28
Lesson 2B
Function Questions
A function question (also referred to as a rhetorical purpose question) asks you about
the rhetorical strategies used by the author. A rhetorical strategy is a tactic used to
accomplish a number of functions, including giving an example, explaining or clarifying
a point, challenging or supporting a point, etc. Answers for this question type often start
with to infinitives. For example, to explain and to make a point about are common infinitive
phrases used to start answer options for function questions. There is typically no more
than one function question per reading passage.
Function questions may be worded as follows:
Why does the author mention X in paragraph 1?

Why does the author give an example of X?
How does the information in paragraph 2 relate to paragraph 1?
QUICK GUIDE: Function Questions

Definition Function questions ask you to identify the purpose of a word, phrase, or even
an entire paragraph in the passage. There are two types of function questions.
One type will ask you to identify why the author mentions a specific piece of
information in the passage. For example, you will be presented with a word
or phrase, and you will have to identify the function of the word or phrase in
relation to the sentences around it. The second type asks you why the author
organizes the information in part of the passage in a certain way. For instance,
you may have to explain how one paragraph relates to another.
Targeted In order to answer a function question correctly, you must be able to:
Skills • recognize common rhetorical strategies and the expressions associated
with them.
determine the author's reasons for mentioning a piece of information.
identify the main Idea in each paragraph in order to understand how the
paragraphs are related.
understand how the word, phrase, or paragraph being asked about relates
to the sentences or paragraphs around it.
The Correct The correct answer for a function question correctly identifies the author's
Answer motivations for mentioning a piece of information or for organizing the
information in a paragraph in a certain way. Please note that the author
will not state the function directly in the passage. Therefore, you must
determine the function based on the clues in the passage and your overall
understanding of the passage.
Answer • information that is mentioned in the passage but does not explain the
Options speaker's function.
ideas that are not mentioned in the passage at all.
relationships that contradict the facts presented in the reading.
29
SfULLS FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
WALK THROUGH: Function Questions

A Quickly read the sample function questions below. Underline any key words in the
questions and the answer options that will help you determine the correct answers.
TOEFL Reading 3 us.) —0 Kn)

= 0 0 0
Question 1 of 12 ETWE
I. In paragraph 3, why does the author discuss the pyramid in Teotihuacan that featured the
feathered serpent?
0 To argue that the Mayans inspired the use of the feathered serpent in Teotihuacan
0 To contrast the symbolic images used by the Teotihuacanos and the Maya
0 To give an example of an archaeological technique used by the Teotihuacanos
0 To point out that the symbol was popular in Teotihuacan before the Maya used it
2. How does paragraph 1 relate to paragraph 2?

Paragraph 1 gives examples of an idea that is explained in further detail in paragraph 2.
Paragraph 2 describes the background of one of the cultures mentioned in paragraph 1.
Paragraph I defines a key term that is central to the theory refitted in paragraph 2.
Paragraph 2 provides evidence to support a theory that is introduced in paragraph I.
B Now read the sample passage. While you read, underline information that you think will
help you answer the questions in Part A. When you are done reading, mark the correct
answers for the questions above.
The Influence of Teotihuacan
'The city of Teotihuacan, located in the central region of modern-day Mexico, was one of
the first urban civilizations in Central America. Due to its military strength and far-reaching
trade partnerships, Teotihuacan became very influential, reaching the height of its power
around the year 450 AD. During this time, the people of Teotihuacan had frequent and direct
contact with the Maya, a civilization whose territory extended from southwestern Mexico
to the regions of El Salvador. Evidence suggests that the Maya were greatly influenced by the
Teotihuacanos, especially in the areas of architecture and ideology
The Maya used a variety of architectural styles. However, one that was likely inspired
by Teotihuacan was a technique called the slope-and-panel style. This technique involved
stacking rectangular stone panels on top of stone slabs that had inwardly sloped sides.
The largest stone panels were located at the base, and the size of the panels decreased at
each level, giving the resulting structures their characteristic pyramid shape. According
to archaeological evidence, the slope-and-panel style was used in Teotihuacan as early
as 200 AD. Experts observed the same style in several Mayan cities. Interestingly, the
Mayan structures that used the slope-and-panel style were built much later than those at
Teotihuacan. This suggests that the style developed first in Teotihuacan and that the Maya
adopted the style as a result of direct contact with the Teotihuacanos.
' There is also evidence that the Teotihuacanos influenced the ideology of the Maya. This
is particularly apparent in the use of certain religious symbols. For example, one of the most
important religious symbols in Teotihuacan was the feathered serpent. Between the years
150 and 200, the Teotihuacanos even built a pyramid that featured the symbol extensively.
The same symbol has been found in Mayan texts. However, the Maya didn't use it before
1000 AD
30
QUES110N 1YPE: FUNCTION

» TIP 1: Read the answer options before you scan the reading. When you read the answer options, be
sure to make note of key words. This will help you find important information faster when you scan the
passage.
TASK 1: Look at the key words you underlined in question 1 and its answer options on page 30. Scan
the passage on page 30 and circle four key words or expressions in paragraph 3 that relate to each of
the answer options for question 1.
TIP 2: Learn the rhetorical strategies that am commonly used on the TOEFL test. In the reading
section, the authors will use a number of common rhetorical strategies in order to achieve a number
of goals. The table below shows some common rhetorical strategies and the words you may see in the
passage that signal the use of these tactics.
Common Words You Might See

Rhetorical Strategy in the Passage How Answers May Be Worded
Give an Example For example ... To provide / give an example of...
To describe X in more detail
That is to say...
To show / illustrate / demonstrate...
This shows how... To provide evidence of...
To describe...
Compare or In contrast ... To contrast X and Y
Contrast To show the similarity / difference
For the same reason ...
between X and Y
Another similarity / difference. To argue that Xis the same as Y
Emphasize a Piece In this sense, X could be seen as.. To note that...
of Information To highlight that...
Specifically...
To make the point that ...
This is particularly apparent in...
TASK 2: Draw a box around one phrase in the passage on page 30 that is related to the common
rhetorical strategies mentioned above. Which answer option for question 1 on page 30 is related to this
phrase?
» TIP 3: Eliminate answer options that don't relate directly to the author's purpose. In some cases,
an answer option will mention information from the passage that does not correctly explain the author's
function.
TASK 3: Draw a line through one answer option for question 1 on page 30 that contains information
that's mentioned in the passage but does not indicate the author's purpose.
9 TIP 4: If a question asks how two paragraphs relate, find the main ideas of both paragraphs
asked about. Typically, each paragraph will have a topic sentence that describes the main idea of the
paragraph. Comparing the topic sentences will give you clues about how the paragraphs are related.
Does one paragraph refute or support a theory introduced in the other? Does one paragraph discuss an
idea introduced in the other?
TASK 4: Underline the main ideas for paragraphs 1 and 2 in the passage on page 30. Based on these
topic sentences, how are the two paragraphs probably related?
31

A Scan the short passage about architecture. Underline the main idea of each paragraph.
Active Design
' Daily physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. For this reason, many
architects and designers are working to create buildings that encourage people to make
exercise a part of their ordinary routine. The movement to promote healthy activity through
architecture is called active design. It began in 1998 as part of a university public health
program, and it has since gained popularity in cities around the world. Active design uses a
number of techniques to encourage the occupants of a building to be more active.
2 One of the most important strategies of active design is inspiring people to make
walking part of their routine. A particularly successful tool for promoting walking is the
skip-stop elevator. These elevators stop only on every second or third floor, leaving riders
to take the stairs in order to reach their destination. Another strategy of active design is to
make stairs more pleasant and inviting. Instead of creating dim stairwells that are located in
isolated parts of buildings, active design uses well lit and centrally placed stairs to encourage
more foot traffic. Skip-stop elevators and appealing stair design are both effective tools of
active design because they offer incentive and opportunity for exercise. In fact, researchers
studying a building that employs both skip-stop elevators and more attractive stair design
said that 70 percent of building occupants reported using the stairs every day.
Active design encourages physical activity using not only the interior features of a
building, but the relationship between a building and its surroundings as well. A building
that employs active design may integrate outdoor space in order to make the environment
more engaging and promote physical activity. Some elements that architects use to
Glos incorporate the exterior with the interior are glass walls, interior gardens or park spaces,
and courtyards with open ceilings, all of which de-emphasize the boundaries between inside
incentive: and outside. These elements make the building more physically and mentally invigorating.
encouragement to do Similarly, by increasing the number of entrances and exits to a building, architects can help
something keep a building's users interested in their surroundings by providing a variety of routes for
incorporate: to include; them to use. If people continue to be stimulated by new sights or experiences, they are less
to make a part of likely to choose the quickest and easiest path to their destination and may instead choose a
more physically challenging route.
Read the questions carefully. What types of questions are they? Then, answer the questions. Note the
correct answers and read why the answer options are correct or incorrect.
1. According to paragraph 1, all of the following are true about active design EXCEPT:
It began at the end of the twentieth century.
Promoting physical activity is its goal.
0 Architects and medical professionals created it.
It is becoming increasingly common in cities.
32
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: NEGATNE FACT AND FUNCTION QUESTIONS
ANSWER ANALYSIS
Question Type: Negative Fact
X The passage says the active design movement started in 1998, which is the end of the twentieth century.
X The passage says, "The movement to promote healthy activity through architecture is called active design."
While the passage mentions both architects and health professionals, there is no indication that architects and
medical professionals worked together to create the active design movement.
X The passage says. "It has since gained popularity in cities around the world"
2. Why does the author discuss dim stairwells in paragraph 2?

0 To demonstrate the differences between elevator and stairwell design
0 To make a point about why people don't use the stairs often
0 To describe one advantage of using skip-stop elevators in buildings
To argue that skip-stop elevators may lead to design failures
ANSWER ANALYSIS 110.

Question Type: Function
X The author does not mention the differences between the design of elevators and stairwells.
/ The author writes that well-designed stairwells encourage foot traffic. Dim stairwells are mentioned to give an
example of why people avoid using the stairs.
X While the author talks about the advantages of using skip-stop elevators, dim stairwells are not one of the benefits.
X The author implies that dim stairwells are a design failure not that skip-stop elevators cause this type of failure.
3. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is NOT a way that architects eliminate the boundary between indoor
and outdoor spaces?
Creating spaces with open ceilings
Using see-through materials
Creating more routes for entering and exiting
Building gardens inside the building
ANSWER ANALYSIS No
X The author mentions "courtyards with open ceilings" when describing how to incorporate outdoor spaces indoors.
X The author mentions "glass walls," and glass is a see-through material.
The passage says that creating multiple exits and entrances is meant to keep building users stimulated, not to
eliminate the boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces.
X The passage mentions "interior gardens or park spaces"
4. How does paragraph 2 relate to paragraph 3 in the passage?

Paragraph 2 describes an early model of a design discussed in paragraph 3.
Paragraph 3 argues about the effectiveness of the technique from paragraph 2.
Paragraph 2 explains a technique, and paragraph 3 gives examples of how it is used.
Paragraph 3 introduces a different strategy than the one discussed in paragraph 2.
ANSWER ANALYSIS Ir.

X The author does not discuss the early model of any design mentioned in the passage.
X Paragraph 3 does not mention the effectiveness of the strategy described in paragraph 2.
X Each paragraph describes a separate technique and gives examples. The same technique is not split over two paragraphs.
Both paragraphs discuss a distinct strategy that is used in active design.
33
MILS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST HEADING AND WRMNG

A Scan the short passage about archaeology. Write the main idea of each paragraph.
1
3
4
Archaeological Dating
' In the past, archaeologists had few precise ways of determining the age of artifacts. Some
methods they used included researching written records, comparing objects to similar items,
or analyzing the depth at which an object was buried. The limitations of such methods
were numerous. For instance, though it may seem logical to assume that relics buried deep
underground are older than those found closer to the surface, earthquakes, floods, and even
rodents can change the position of artifacts. Thus, these methods could not provide the exact
information that archaeologists needed. However, advances in technology have provided
modem archaeologists with several methods that give them the absolute age of an object.
1 The most common absolute dating technique is radiocarbon dating. This process involves
analyzing objects for a substance called radiocarbon. All organic material, or matter that was
once part of a living organism, contains trace amounts of radiocarbon. For example, human
remains, ash residue on cooking pots, or animal products used for dothing or tools all contain
radiocarbon. Over time, the amount of radiocarbon in an object steadily decreases at a
predictable and measurable rate. Thus, by determining the amount of radiocarbon present in a
skull fragment, for example, archaeologists can calculate the age of that object.
3 However, many of the artifacts that archaeologists study are not organic. They also
study the inorganic remains of human culture, like architecture, tools, jewelry, and
pottery. For some inorganic remains, like pottery, archaeologists use a technique called
thermoluminescence dating. This process measures radioactive decay, which is the
breakdown and loss of atomic material that many inorganic remains experience. In rigidly
structured matter, like the minerals often found in pottery, radioactive decay also results in
the storage of small amounts of energy. When the minerals are heated to high temperatures,
they release this stored energy as light, or thermoluminescence.
Thermoluminescence dating is particularly useful for dating pottery because of the process
Glossary:
by which pottery is made. In order for day to be converted into pottery, it must be fired. The
CY POWERED BY CORP 0
clay is put into a special oven, called a kiln, and heated to very high temperatures. When
relic: something that was pottery is fired, the minerals in the clay release the energy they have stored during radioactive
made or used a long time decay. This resets the clock, and the minerals continue to undergo radioactive decay from
ago
the time of firing. When archaeologists heat a pottery sample, the amount of light it releases
trace: yew small amount tells them how long ago it was fired. Because pottery is a common artifact of ancient cultures,
thermoluminescence dating is a valuable tool for archaeologists.
B Read the questions carefully and note whether they are negative fact or function questions. Then, answer
the questions. Write the letter of each answer option next to the reason in the Answer Analysis box
1. The author discusses rodents in paragraph 1 in order to

explain the problem with one dating technique. [A]
argue that modem dating techniques are not accurate, [B]
describe how scientists use living organisms to date objects. [C]
34 0 give an example of a modem dating technique. [D]

PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: NEGATIVE FACT MID FUNCTION QUESTIONS
ANSWER ANALYSIS lw
X The author does not mention using living organisms to date objects in paragraph 1.
X When the author mentions rodents, the focus is on giving an example of earlier dating techniques, not modern ones.
The author says that rodents can change the position of artifacts, which would give an inaccurate age if an
archaeologist used the depth of burial as an indication of age.
X The author is arguing that earlier dating techniques, not modern ones, are inaccurate.
2. Why does the author mention ash residue in paragraph 2?

0 To illustrate the accuracy of radiocarbon dating [A]
0 To show how radiocarbon can be destroyed [B]
0 To provide an example of an organic material [C]
0 To differentiate between organic and inorganic objects [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS Ilw

X The passage does not mention ash residue in relation to the accuracy of radiocarbon dating.
I In the previous sentence, the author defines organic material. The sentence in question starts with For example."
X The author does not specify if or how radiocarbon can be destroyed.
X The sentence in question mentions only organic materials, not inorganic ones.
3. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is NOT true about thermoluminescence dating?
It will likely replace radiocarbon dating methods. [A]
It measures how much radioactive energy has been stored. [B]
It works well for materials that have a rigid structure. [C]
It uses light as a measure of stored radioactive energy. [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS
X The author says that the age of pottery is based on how much light it releases when heated to extremely high temperatures.
1 The author says that radiocarbon dating doesn't work for inorganic materials, not that thermoluminescence
dating will become more popular than radiocarbon dating.
X The author says That radioactive decay results in "the storage of small amounts of energy."
X The author says that thermoluminescence dating is used on 'rigidly structured matter," like the minerals in some pottery.
4. According to paragraphs 3 and 4, which of the following is NOT a way that pottery is well suited to
thermoluminescence dating?
It is relatively easy to find compared to other artifacts. [A]
Pottery is made of inorganic materials. [B]
Pottery contains minerals that undergo radioactive decay. [C]
It has no stored radioactive energy from the time it is fired. [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS
Question Type: Negative Fad
X In paragraph 4, the author explains that when pottery is fired for the first time, it "resets the clock," meaning that it has
no stored radioactive energy.
X In paragraph 3, the author says that thermoluminescence dating is good for some inorganic materials, like pottery.
./ While pottery is a common artifact, this doesn't relate to its appropriateness for thermoluminescence dating.
X The author says that the minerals in pottery "continue to undergo radioactive decay" once the pottery has been fired.
35

Read the passage about a topic in psychology.
TOEFL Reading
0 0 0
Question 1 of 12
Nonverbal Communication
'The ability to share complex, detailed information through spoken language is

frequently cited as the primary factor that distinguishes humans from animals. However,
in addition to using a highly developed language system, people also share information
nonverbally, without using words at all. Though speech is often considered the chief
form of human communication, people also depend heavily on many types of nonverbal
communication.
O of the most common forms of nonverbal communication is body language. Body
language can include facial expressions, gestures, and even eye contact The human body
is capable of a nearly limitless variety of expressions, postures, and gestures, all of which
can carry meaning that can be used for the purposes of communication. Facial expressions
are perhaps the most commonly recognized form of body language. Some studies even
suggest that facial expressions showing feelings like anger, fear, surprise, happiness, and
sadness could be universal, meaning that they are understood by people all over the world.
For example, in some cases, even though two people may speak entirely different languages
and come from widely divergent cultures, they can still share basic emotions by using facial
expressions.
3 It is important to recognize, however, that not all body language is universal and that
the attitudes and norms of a culture play a large role in how some kinds of body language
are interpreted. For instance, putting ones hands in one's pockets might indicate feelings
of relaxation to members of one culture, but it could signal disrespect to members of
another. Thus, the meaning of body language is often dependent on culture or personality.
Despite the difficulty of interpreting what particular types of body language mean, studies
of human behavior indicate that it forms a significant part of human life. Some researchers
suggest that 50-70 percent of human communication consists of body language.
4 1n addition to communicating through movements, expressions, or other visible body
Glossary language, human beings also communicate nonverbally through touch, which is often
OWERED BY COSMO referred to as the haptic sense. Research indicates that haptic communication is especially
divergent things that important in the development of infants. Before children develop language, parents or
axe different from each other caregivers can use touch to convey a number of ideas, such as attention, care, and
other safety. Touch remains an important means of communication for adult humans as well. It is
a central part of establishing friendships and other cooperative relationships. That's because
convey: to cause
information or feelings touch often indicates and encourages trust. However, in some cases, the haptic sense can
to be known or also communicate less positive messages. For instance, physical violence is a form of haptic
understood by someone communication in which a person expresses their state of mind by threatening or harming
another.
36
PROGRESSIVE PRACOCE: NEGATIVE FACT AND FUNCTION QUESTIONS
Though a majority of the messages sent and received through body language and
interpersonal contact are subconscious, human beings use nonverbal communication
consciously as well. People often choose certain aspects of their appearance, like their clothes,
their hairstyles, or other forms of personal decoration, very carefully, and these choices are
another form of nonverbal communication. One of the primary purposes of nonverbal
communication through appearance is to indicate wealth or status. For example, a person can
communicate wealth by wearing expensive dothes. Similarly, a person can show his or her status
by wearing specialized types of clothing, like badges or uniforms. Appearance can communicate
information about whether a person wishes to be considered serious or playful, conventional
or odd, professional or casual. For instance, though the types of clothing that are considered
formal differ widely from culture to culture, most societies recognize some difference between
formal and informal dress. Most commonly, formal dress is apparel that shows respect for
an important occasion. While most people exert some degree of control over what they wear
or how they present themselves, there are some types of nonverbal communication that are
unintentional. Studies have found that, in some cultures, taller people are regarded as being
more impressive and often receive promotions over their shorter colleagues. In this case,
nonverbal communication is not intentional and may even convey false information.
1. According to paragraph 2, which of the following is NOT true about body language?
It includes behaviors like gestures and facial expressions.
Some cultures use body language more than others.
It accounts for at least half of all human communication.
Some body language is thought to have the same meaning everywhere.
2. In paragraph 3, the author mentions putting one's hands in one's pockets in order to
explain a common way of using body language.
make a point about how body language can affect mood.
give an example of body language that can have multiple interpretations.
support the idea that the majority of communication is nonverbal.
3. How does paragraph 2 relate to paragraph 3?

Paragraph 2 presents a theory about some body language, and paragraph 3 demonstrates that the theory is not
always true.
Paragraph 3 compares the two types of body language described in paragraph 2.
Paragraph 2 gives examples of body language, and paragraph 3 explains how body language is interpreted.
Paragraph 3 provides evidence for a theory about body language that was introduced in paragraph 2.
4. In paragraph 4, the author mentions all of the following functions of haptic communication EXCEPT:
Giving attention to infants
Promoting language development
Building trust among friends
Physically harming others
37
OILS RJR ME JOCK ST TEST READING AND WRITING
In paragraph 5, the author says that conscious nonverbal communication can he used for all of the following EXCEPT:
0 To indicate ones personality
0 To demonstrate how much money one has
0 To recognize members of the same group
0 To show respect in certain situations
Why does the author mention a study about height in the workplace in paragraph 5?
0 To illustrate how nonverbal communication can have unintended consequences
0 To suggest that people's impressions based on height are the same around the world
0 To provide evidence that most types of nonverbal communication are conscious
0 To show that using nonverbal communication can have a number of advantages
98
I I i 11E11 I W.'S
Inference Questions
An inference question asks you to draw a conclusion based on the information
presented in the passage. The correct answer for an inference question will never
be stated outright. Rather, you will have to connect information from the passage
in order to make an inference. There is typically no more than one inference
question per reading passage.
Inference questions may be worded as follows:
In paragraph 1, the author implies . . .
)) According to paragraph Z which of the following can be inferred about X?

Which of the following is implied about X in paragraph 3?
Based on the information in paragraph 4, what can be inferred about X?
QUICK GUIDE: Inference Questions

Definition Inference questions ask you to test your understanding of an idea or
suggestion that is Implied in the reading. While the answer will not be stated
in the passage, you should be able to make a strong inference by using the
information provided.
Targeted Skills In order to answer an inference question correctly, you must be able to:
understand ideas that are implied but not stated directly in the reading.
interpret the idea in the passage based on context clues.
quickly scan the passage in order to find information that supports your
conclusion.
The Correct The correct answer for an inference question correctly draws a conclusion. The
Answer inference will be supported by information in the passage but will not be stated
directly.
Wrong Answer Watch out for answer options that include:
Options • a conclusion that is true but is not supported by the information in the
1 passage. On the test, the correct answer to an inference question IS always
supported by the information given. You do not have to rely on previous or
1 outside knowledge to answer a question.
1 • information that contradicts the main idea or details of the passage.
l • the exact wording from the passage. The correct answer will usually reword
I information.
39
SIOLLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
WALK THROUGH: Inference Questions

A Quickly read the sample inference question below. Underline any key words in the
question and the answer options that will help you determine the correct answer
TOEFL Reading
II Mt 0 0 0
Question 'I o 2 RIM 00 .11 213
I. According to paragraph 2, what can be inferred about the abacuses used in Babylon?
0 They were the earliest calculators.
0 They did not have any educational value.
0 They were not easy to move around.
0 They inspired the invention of the wire abacus.
B Now read the sample passage. While you read, underline key words and phrases from the
passage that you think will help you answer the question in Part A. When you am done, mark
the correct answer for the question above.
Early Calculators
' Modern electronic calculators perform many complex mathematical functions. However,
any device that helps compute mathematical values is a type of calculator. The earliest form
of calculator was the human hand. In fact, a medieval English monk developed a system for
using one's fingers to count all the way up to one million. But advanced tools are necessary for
math that requires more difficult calculations than simple counting. Ancient cultures all over
the world developed a variety of early calculators.
The most common type of early calculator was the abacus. An abacus is a device that uses
stones or beads as markers to assist a person in basic calculations, like addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division. The earliest abacuses, which used grooves for holding stone
markers, are also called counting trays. Merchants used them to determine prices, while
government officials used them to keep official accounts and teachers used them to teach
mathematics. Records suggest that the Babylonians created the first counting tray around
300. This type of abacus was used by Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and other cultures for
centuries. In the thirteenth century, Chinese thinkers invented the wire abacus, which uses
beads mounted on wires and held within a frame. The wire abacus is more portable than the
counting tray and can be used for more rapid calculations. In fact, despite advancements in
Glossary:
technology, people all over the world still use the wire abacus.
I POWERED BY COBOL° Trade between people in China, India, Europe, and Africa explains the spread of early
portable: something that calculators in many parts of the world. However, the early inhabitants of the Americas
is easily earned or moved actually created a calculator without these influences. Some scholars propose that the Inca,
a South American empire that was powerful from about 1430-1533, used a device called a
miniature: something yupana for calculations. The yupana is a block of stone carved into many sections and levels
that is very small;
a smaller version of
that resembles a miniature model of a city. This device was most likely used to calculate
something that is normally amounts of stored resources, like grain or livestock, and some historians speculate that it may
bigger have been used for astronomical calculations. Unlike the wire abacus, the yupana is no longer
in use.
40
OUESRON TYPE: INFERENCE

TIP 1: Read the question and answer options carefully. When you read the question, pay attention to
what you are supposed to make an inference about. Also, you should read the answer options carefully
to make sure you understand the general point of each option.
TASK 1: Circle the five key phrases in the question and answer options on page 40. When you scan the
passage, make sure you keep these words in mind to help you answer the question.
TIP 2: Watch out for answer options that contain key words from the reading! The correct answer
for an inference question won't be stated directly in the reading. Furthermore, the correct answer will
usually reword any key ideas. Because of this, you should be careful with answer options that use the
same language from the passage.
TASK 2: Draw a line through an incorrect answer option on page 40 that repeats key words from the
reading.
TIP 3: Eliminate answer options that aren't supported by the information in the passage. You
might see an answer option that seems like it could be true. However, unless it is supported by the
information in the passage it cannot be the right answer. Also, you should be able to answer the
question based only on the information in the passage. You do not need any background knowledge in
order to answer questions in the reading section.
0.001' TASK 3: Draw a line through an incorrect answer option on page 40 that presents an inference that
may be true but is not supported by the reading.
TEST 1114
Inference questions are
often based on dates
and numbers. While
you read a passage,
pay attention to
information relating to
dates. You may have
to draw a conclusion
about events that
occurred before or
after the specified
dates.
41
Lesson 3B
Vocabulary Questions
A vocabulary question asks you to choose the definition that best describes how
a highlighted word or phrase is used in the passage. In most cases, you will be
asked to choose the definition of a single word, though occasionally you may
be asked about the definition of a short phrase. There are typically two to four
vocabulary questions per reading passage.
Vocabulary questions may be worded as follows:
The word X in the passage is closest in meaning to . . .

The phrase X in the passage is closest in meaning to . . .
QUICK GUIDE: Vocabulary Questions

Definition Vocabulary questions ask you to identify the definition of a word or phrase
from a passage. The word or phrase will be highlighted in the passage.
The vocabulary you are tested on may have multiple meanings. You must
choose the definition that best describes how the word or phrase is used
in the passage. For this reason, you cannot simply study a list of words in
preparation for vocabulary questions.
Targeted Skills In order to answer a vocabulary question correctly, you must:

be able to understand how words or phrases are used in a passage.
be able to use context clues to determine the meaning of a word or phrase.
know common English suffixes and prefixes and their meanings.
have a broad knowledge of English vocabulary.
The Correct The correct answer for a vocabulary question can replace the highlighted word
Answer or phrase without changing the meaning of the sentence or contradicting the
main idea of the passage. The correct answer option is often a synonym of the
highlighted word.
Wrong Answer Watch out for answer options that include:

Options similar constructions as the highlighted word, such as the words slather and
gather. Remember, just because two words look alike does not mean they
have the same meaning.
the opposite meaning of another answer option. If two answer options have
opposite meanings, it's likely that neither one of them is correct.
the correct definition of the word but for a different usage. You must choose
the answer that best describes the meaning of the word as it's used in the
passage.
42
QUESTION lYPE:VOGABULAfff
WALK THROUGH: Vocabulary Questions

A Quickly read the sample vocabulary questions and answer options below. Write down
brief definitions for the words you know.
TOEFL Reading = 0 0 0
Question 1 of 12 2 Int 00 1120
I. The word gradual in paragraph us closest in meaning to

0 hurried
0 continuous.
0 slow.
0 graceful.
2. The word imperceptible in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
0 dangerous.
0 insignificant.
0 unnoticeable.
0 impassible.
B Now read the sample passage. While you read, underline information that you think
will help you answer the questions in Part A. When you are done reading, mark the
correct answers for the questions above.
Fast-Moving Glaciers
'Glaciers are enormous rivers of ice that form in locations where snow accumulates more
quickly than it can melt. These ice rivers are known for their gradual pace—on average,
glaciers move a mere 30 centimeters a day. However, in some cases, glaciers move at a much
faster rate. For example, one glacier travels at a speed of III feet a day. Fast-moving glaciers
can have both local and more widespread consequences.
One result of increased glacial speeds is glacial earthquakes. When a glacier experiences
a dramatic increase in speed, it can cause seismic waves, or waves of energy that travel
through the earth. Because glaciers are usually located in uninhabited areas, glacial
earthquakes are not particularly destructive. Furthermore, the seismic waves produced
by glacial earthquakes are usually imperceptible, even to someone standing on the glacier
as the earthquake occurs. However, some scientists hypothesize that a significant glacial
earthquake could cause oceanic disturbances and perhaps even tsunamis.
'While glacial earthquakes may currently have limited effects, fast-moving glaciers
can also impact the environment in a more noticeable way. When a glacier mows at a
fast pace, it loses massive amounts of ice. This causes the sea level to rise because the ice
melts into the ocean. In fact, records show that melted ice from a single, particularly rapid
glacier has caused the global sea level to rise by four percent Higher sea levels can have
disastrous effects not only for human beings, who frequently settle in coastal areas that
mere: a small amount could be flooded by rising oceans, but also for the complex ecosystems that are located in
or number of something
or near oceans and freshwater bodies. For example, many organisms live in tidal areas, or
hypothesize: to say places that are underwater at high tide and above water at low tide. Rising sea levels could
what you think will wash these habitats away altogether. Thus, by raising the sea level, increased glacier speed
happen because of in extreme northern regions of the earth could be devastating for organisms in locations
various facts
thousands of miles away.
43
SKLLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRITING

» TIP 1: Review the paragraph in which the highlighted word or phrase appears. Because you
have to choose the answer that is closest in meaning to the word or phrase in the passage, you need to
see exactly how the word or phrase is used. When you review the word or phrase and the surrounding
sentences, make note of context clues that can help you figure out the meaning. See the table below for
strategies for using context clues to determine the meaning of a word or phrase.
Strategies for Using Context Clues

Strategy Key Words Example
Pay attention to examples that appear near such as.. The photographs show
the highlighted word. If you are familiar with including... banal activities, like goinv
the examples, you can use them to determine consists of... to the grocery store or
the meaning of the highlighted word, this includes ... doing household chores.
Look for key words that signal a contrast Unlike X... Unlike most mammals, few
from a previous idea. Ifyou know the On the other of which are venomous
meanings of the words from surrounding hand, X... the platypus produces a
sentences, you'll know that the highlighted While... noxious substance that
word has an opposite meaning. But... can cause extreme pain in
However... humans.
Look for indirect definitions of terms in and In the southwestern United

the sentences that surround the highlighted meaning that States, the sunflower
word. These definitions may include an is ubiquitous and it is
easier synonym of the highlighted word or difficult to find a garden
information that helps clarify its meaning. that doesn't include the
Plants
Task 1: Draw a box around one indirect definition and one contrasting word located near the word
gradual in the passage on page 43. Based on these context clues, which of the answer options is
probably correct?
TIP 2: Learn common English prefixes and suffixes. By learning the meanings of common English
prefixes and suffixes, you will be able to analyze an unfamiliar word and guess its meaning.
44
QUESTION ITPE:YOCABULARi
Common English Prefixes and Suffixes

Prefix / Suffix /
Meaning Example Meaning Example
a- amoral: without morals -able readable: able to be read
without ability to do
de- 4fig to remove fog -acy privas: the state of being private
remove state
im- umper: not proper
&j -ate activate: to make active
not make
mis- nSlace: to put in the -en / -or actor: a person who acts
wrong wrong place job
pre- medate: to happen -Jul merci: full of mercy
before before a certain date full of
re- redo: to do something -ish whitish: somewhat white
do again again somewhat
sub- subzero: below zero -matt fidfillment the state of being fulfilled
under or below state
un- unhealthy: not healthy -ness happiness: the state of being happy
not state
Task 2: Draw a box around the prefix in the word imperceptible in the passage on page 43. What does
this prefix mean in English?
TIP 3: Try replacing the highlighted word with each of the answer options. Then, try reading
the sentence. When you insert the correct answer option, the sentence should be logical and should
support the main ideas of the passage. Answer options that don't make sense when inserted should be
eliminated.
Task 3: Draw a line through the answer options for questions 1 and 2 on page 43 that are illogical or
contradict the main ideas of the passage when inserted in place of the highlighted words.
» Tip 4: Increase your vocabulary knowledge before the test. Use a dictionary and the Academic
- 0.rers,re Word List on page 170 to learn the definitions of new words. The Academic Word List, created by
Coxhead (2000), consists of 570 word families that occur frequently over a wide range of academic
f lit texts. Knowing and practicing these words will help you build your vocabulary.
Task 4: Use a dictionary to look up the highlighted words in questions 1 and 2 on page 43.
the day of the test,

you may notice that
some of the words in
the reading passages
are underlined. These
are typically technical
words that are defined
for you. To see the
definition, just click on
the underlined word.
45
SKILS FOR THE TO EFL IBliEST READING AND WARING

A Scan the short passage about climate. Underline the main idea of each paragraph.
The Climate of the Atlantic Archipelago
'The Atlantic Archipelago is a group of islands located northwest of continental Europe. The
largest island in the archipelago, Great Britain, covers nearly 90 thousand square miles and is one
of the most heavily populated islands in the world, with nearly 60 million inhabitants. Ireland,
located west of Great Britain, is the second largest island in the group, with a land area of about
32 thousand square miles and a population of 6.4 million. In addition to the two large islands, the
Atlantic Archipelago consists of more than six thousand smaller islands. The entire archipelago
covers more than 120 square miles, and its location plays a large role in the climate of the region.
The latitude of the Atlantic Archipelago undoubtedly influences its climate. Latitude refers
to how far north or south a place is in relation to the equator, the imaginary line that divides
the north half of the world from the south half Typically, the farther away from the equator a
location is, the weaker the intensity of sunlight in that area. The Atlantic Archipelago is about 54
degrees north of the equator, similar to Russia and Canada. Yet, despite their northern location,
the islands have a temperate marine climate that ranges from 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the
winter to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.
3 The islands enjoy mild temperatures largely because of their proximity to the ocean. Ocean
water heats up and cools down more slowly than land, so areas by the coast usually experience
less extreme temperature swings in summers and winters. Furthermore, the Atlantic Archipelago
POWERED BY COBUILD benefits from being near the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is an ocean current that begins in
climate: general the Gulf of Mexico, flows up the east coast of North America, then crosses the Atlantic Ocean
weather conditions and reaches the Atlantic Archipelago. The water transported by the Gulf Stream ranges in
temperature from 45-72 degrees, which is about twice as warm as the water surrounding the Gulf
marine: relating to
the sea Stream. The islands in the Atlantic Archipelago constantly receive this warm ocean water from
the Gulf Stream, which makes the climate about 10 degrees warmer than it would be otherwise.
Read the questions carefully. What types of questions are they? Underline any key words in the questions
and answer options that you will look for while you review the passage. Then, answer the questions. Note
the correct answers and read why the answer options are correct or incorrect.
1. Based on the information in paragraph 2, which of the following can be inferred about sunlight?
Its intensity is not affected by latitude.
0 Areas north of the equator receive less sunlight.
it is most intense near the equator.
Places near the ocean receive more sunlight.
ANSWER ANALYSIS
Question Type: Inference
X The author says that the intensity of sunlight is weer the farther away from the equator a place is. This means that
latitude does influence the intensity of the sun.
X The author says that the farther away from the equator a place is, the less intense The sunlight is in that location. This does
not mean that These areas receive less sunlight
The author explains that the intensity of sunlight is weaker in areas far from the equator. Based on this
infonnatMn, you can infer that it is strongest at the equator.
X While the islands of the Atlantic Archipelago are surrounded by the ocean, the author doesn't say that this factor accounts
for the amount of sunlight that the islands receive.
46
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE:INFERENCE AND VOCABULARY QUESTIONS
2. The word ternperate in the passage is closest in meaning to
moderate.
extreme.
varying.
humid.

Question Type: Vocabulary
The contrast words "yet" and "despite" in the same sentence signal that "temperate" is the opposite of what one
would expect from northern locations (i.e., coldness). In the next sentence, the author writes that the islands have
mild temperatures. "Mild" is another word for "moderate," or lacking serious extremes.
X "Temperate" means lacking in extreme temperatures.
Jr While "varying" works in the sentence, it changes the meaning. The focus should be on the lack of extremes, not on the
range of temperatures.
Jr The islands may have a humid climate, but "humid" does not have the same meaning as "temperate."
3. The ward proximity in the passage is closest in meaning to

dependence.
introduction.
Significance.
closeness.
ANSWER ANALYSIS
Jr This answer option is illogical. While the islands could be said to be dependent on the ocean in some sense, this
dependence would have no effect on temperatures.
Jr Replacing "proximity" with "introduction" creates a sentence with a confusing meaning. This answer is incorrect.
Jr While "significance" works in the sentence, it changes the meaning of the sentence so that it doesn't support the main
ideas of the paragraph.
The author mentions that the Atlantic Archipelago is surrounded by water. Also, it makes sense that being close to
the ocean would affect temperatures.
4. Which of the following can be inferred about the Gulf Stream?

It leads to warm water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico.
It keeps its warmth as it crosses the Atlantic Ocean.
It carries cooler waters during the summer.
It ends when it reaches the Atlantic Archipelago.
ANSWER ANALYSIS Is.

Question lYpe: Inference
Jr The author mentions that the Guff Stream originates in the Guff of Mexico, but there is no information that indicates how
the current affects water temperatures there.
The author says that the current crosses the Atlantic Ocean and that the Atlantic Archipelago receives warm water
from the current. From this information, you can infer that the current keeps its heat as it crosses the ocean.
Jr The author mentions that the Atlantic Archipelago constantly receives warm water from the current. This suggests that the
temperature of the water does not change in the summer.
X The author describes the movement of the current up until it reaches the Atlantic Archipelago. This does not mean that the
Guff Stream ends there.
47
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING MID WRMNG

A Scan the short passage about biology. Write the main idea of each paragraph.
1
2
3
4.
Poison Sequestration
'There are hundreds of thousands of poisonous organisms in the world, and many of these
plants and animals are able to produce their own toxins. However, there is also a class of
poisonous animals that cannot produce toxins independently. Instead, they use a process
called poison sequestration in order to obtain toxins. By using this method, animals are able
to save and use toxins that are produced by another organism, generally in order to defend
themselves from predators. Given the advantages that toxins offer, many animals have
developed multiple strategies for obtaining poison through poison sequestration.
One method of poison sequestration involves obtaining toxins from plant sources. This
strategy is especially common among insect species, such as butterflies, beetles, and ants,
but it's also employed by several larger species. One such animal is the African crested rat,
a species native to West Africa that can grow up to fourteen inches long. The rat's spine is
protected by long, absorbent fur that sticks up when the rat is threatened. This strip of fur is
covered with poison that the rat obtains by chewing on the bark and roots of the arrow poison
tree and coating the hairs on its spine with the chewed material. Thus, if a predator attacks the
rat, it inadvertently ingests the poison, which causes heart attacks in many organisms.
3 Another poison sequestration strategy involves obtaining poison from other animals.
Typically, this strategy is used by larger animals, like the European hedgehog, that are capable
of hunting other organisms. In a manner similar to African crested rats, European hedgehogs
chew the skins of poisonous toads and slather the remains onto themselves. However, some
small species have developed methods of obtaining toxins from animals larger than them.
For example, the blue sea slug, a creature that usually grows no larger than one inch, becomes
poisonous by eating the tentacles of an aquatic animal called the Portuguese man-of-war.
These tentacles are up to 100 feet long and contain a deadly poison. When blue sea slugs eat
Portuguese man-of-wars, they store the poisonous parts of the animal in special pouches so
they can use it for defense at a later time.
'It is also common for poison sequestration to progress up the food chain, meaning that
many predators sequester poison from prey that have also sequestered poison. For instance,
the tiger keelback, a species of snake, sequesters poison by eating poisonous frogs. In many
cases, poisonous frogs become toxic by eating poisonous insects.
Read the questions carefully and note whether they are inference or vocabulary
questions. Then, answer the questions. Write the letter of each answer option next to
the reason in the Answer Analysis box explaining why it is correct or incorrect.
1. The word Inadvertently in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
suddenly. [Al
partially. [6]
accidentally. [C]
harmlessly. [D]
48
PROGRESSIVE PRAC110E: INFERENCE AND VOCABULARY DUES-DONS
ANSWER ANALYSIS
X While "suddenly" works in the sentence, it doesn't fit the general idea of the passage.
X The poison causes heart attacks in some animals, so eating the poison is not harmless.
X This answer option is illogical because there is no reason that the predator would eat only some of the poison.
An animal attacking the rat doesn't know that it is poisonous. Thus, it eats the poison by accident.
2. Based on the information in paragraph 3, what can be inferred about poison sequestration?
0 A small animal is more likely to sequester poison from plants than animals. [A]
Poison sequestration is a common defense strategy among large animals. [B]
Poison that is sequestered by animals is usually stored in special pouches. [C]
Small animals are typically able to produce their own poisons. [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS
X There is nothing in the passage that suggests that poison sequestration is more common among larger animals.
I The author describes several small animals that sequester poison because they cannot produce their own.
X The author mentions only one animal that stores poison in special pouches.
I The author states that larger animals are able to hunt other animals, which makes them more likely to get poison
from other organisms. This suggests that smaller animals are more likely to get poison from plants.
3. The word slather in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

gather. [A]
0 toss. [B]
drop.
spread. [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS
X While "slather" and "gather" look similar, they do not have the same meaning.
X "Toss" means to throw into the air. There are no clues that this is the action that the author is referring to in the passage.
I "Slather" means to spread a thick substance over something. This is the correct answer option.
X This answer option is illogical because it's unlikely that the animals would be able to drop the remains on themselves.
4. Based on the information in paragraph 4, what can be inferred about toxins?

Most toxins that are sequestered by animals are produced by plants. [A]
0 Toxins used by snakes are typically sequestered from frogs. [B]
Predators that do not eat plants may sequester toxins originally made by plants. [C]
0 Toxins produced by insects are the main source of poisons used by plants. [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS 10.

X There is no information given to support the idea that most snakes sequester poison from frogs.
I The author says that predators often eat animals that have sequestered poison from sources like plants. This
means that even if the predator does not eat plants, it might sequester poison from a plant source.
X The author does not give any information to support this inference.
X The author says that many insects get their poison from plants, not that plants get poison from insects.
49
VOUS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
r it k RP
Read the passage about a topic in astronomy.
TOEFL Reading
0 0
Question 1 of 12 4MMI al 11 20
Origins of the Moon
' Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, several astronomers advanced competing
theories about how the moon formed. For example, in 1878, astronomer George Howard Darwin
proposed the fission theory, which claimed that early in Earth's formation, the planet began spinning
extremely fast. Darwin believed that the rapid spinning motion caused a large chunk of Earth to break
off and launch into space. This chunk then began orbiting Earth and became the moon. Another
explanation, called the condensation theory, stated that while the solar system was still forming, a star
exploded and left behind mass amounts of debris, According to the condensation theory, Earth and
the moon formed from this debris at roughly the same time and through the same processes.
These theories were accepted to various degrees among the scientific community and there was
much debate among scientists about which one provided the most complete account of how the moon
formed. Ultimately the validity of both was undermined in the second half of the twentieth century
At this time, newly available data from lunar missions revealed several inconsistencies between the
assumptions of the theories and facts about the moon. For one, data collected on the moon showed
that, at some point, the moon was subjected to intense heat However, neither the fission theory nor
the condensation theory involved processes that would result in intense heat. Furthermore, there is no
evidence that Earth experienced similarly intense heat. Thus, both theories were deemed invalid.
' Data from lunar explorations also revealed another discrepancy with the condensation theory.
According to the theory, the moon and Earth formed through the same process at the same time.
Scientists pointed out that if Earth and the moon actually formed this way, they should have the same
chemical composition. But when scientists obtained samples from the surface of the moon, they
found that the chemical composition of the moon was different from that of Earth, which severely
discredited the condensation theory
' Information from lunar explorations played a large role in dispelling previous theories of lunar
formation. However, it also helped astronomers formulate a theory that better explains how the moon
was formed. Today, the most current and widely accepted explanation is called the giant impactor
theory. According to this theory, all of the planets in the solar system formed at the same time. In
addition to the planets that are currently in our solar system, scientists believe that a planet called
Theia also developed at this time. Theia was likely about 4,000 miles in diameter, roughly the size of
Mars. During Earth's formation, Theia crashed into Earth and disintegrated. Scientists believe that the
collision between Earth and Theia caused at least two large chunks of Earth to break off. The larger
of these chunks is thought to have become the moon. Meanwhile, scientists believe that the smaller
chunk, which was probably about one-third the size of our moon, also orbited Earth for some time.
These two pieces orbited Earth together for a period of time that lasted between 10 million and 100
million years. Then, the smaller moon was eventually destroyed when it collided into the larger one.
Glossary:
Unlike previous theories, the giant impactor theory adequately explains most of the data collected
POWERED BY COW.°
on the moon. For example, the theory accounts for why there is evidence that the moon was subjected
noticeable difference to strong heat while there is no such evidence on Earth. Scientists speculate that when Theia collided
between two things
with Earth, intense heat was produced at the point of impact. Moreover, the material that was directly
dispel: to stop someone hit by Theia was likely the chunk of Earth that broke off and formed the moon. This also explains why
from having an idea or the chemical composition of Earth and the moon is different—the ejected material that formed the
feeling moon was primarily from Earth's outer surface. Thus, the chunk that became the moon represents
only a portion of the composition of Earth.
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: INFERENCE AND VOCABULARY QUESTIONS
1. Based on the information in paragraph 1, what can be inferred about Darwin's theory of moon
formation?
It was the first theory of moon formation to gain wide acceptance.
It assumed that Earth and the moon were made of the same material.
It was inspired by other scientists' work on the condensation theory.
It explained why Earth and the moon developed at different times.
2.The word undermined in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

dismissed.
weakened.
proven.
expanded.
3. In paragraph 2, the author implies that

the majority of scientists favored the condensation theory Over the fission theory.
lunar exploration provided evidence to support the fission theory.
data from lunar missions was not available to the entire scientific community.
the chemical composition of the moon was unknown until after the 1950s.
4. The word disintegrated in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to

became larger.
softened.
broke apart.
disappeared.
5 Based on the information in paragraph 4, what is implied about the giant impactor theory?
its accuracy is still disputed by many astronomers.
It cannot explain what became of the planet Theia.
ft describes the creation of multiple moons.
it is closely based on the condensation theory.
6. The word speculate in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to

theorize.
confirm.
overlook.
reveal.
51
Lesson 4A
Sentence Summary
Questions
A sentence summary question asks you to choose the answer option that provides
the best summary of a highlighted sentence from a passage. Expect to see no
more than one sentence summary question per reading passage.
Sentence summary questions may be worded as follows:

0 Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence?
Incorrect answer options change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential
information,
QUICK GUIDE: Sentence Summary Questions

Definition A sentence summary question asks you to choose I
the same meaning as the highlighted sentence in the passage. The highlighted
sentence that the question is based on Is typically two to four lines long.
Targeted Skills In order to correctly answer a sentence summary question, you must be able
to:
understand the main ideas and main supporting details in the reading
passage.
identify how the ideas in the highlighted sentence fit in with the rest of the
paragraph that it appears in.
recognize the answer option that accurately paraphrases the information
from the ['Agave.
The Correct The correct answer for a sentence summary question correctly rewords and
Answer simplifies the information from the highlighted sentence. It will contain all the
essential or important, information from the original sentence.
Wrong Answer Watch out for answer options that:
Options leave out important ideas from the highlighted sentence.
contradict the main ideas and facts from the passage by changing cause
and effect relationships or misstating the frequency of an event.
include the exact wording and sentence constructions from the original
highlighted sentence. The correct answer will typically use synonyms and
change the construction of the original sentence.
52
BEM ME RIMINCE SWAN
WALK THROUGH: Sentence Summary Questions

A Quickly read the sample sentence summary question below. Underline any key words
in the answer options that will help you determine the correct answer.
OEFL Readim r)
c a—) ar
OJeslion I of I nu :1
1. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence? Incorrect answer options change the meaning in important ways or leave out
essential information.
0 Inventors created a new technology that allowed the simultaneous recording of sound
and picture in order to resolve problems with sound synchronization.
0 Sound-on-film technology created by filmmakers fixed a problem that they had rarely
faced when adding sound to films.
0 To solve the problem of synchronization, filmmakers used technology that allowed
them to add sound to pictures separately after filming.
0 The video and audio elements of movies were synchronized using technology that was
created by inventors.
B Now read the short passage about sound in film. While you read, underline key ideas
in the highlighted sentence that should be included in the correct answer. When you
are done, mark the correct answer for the question above.
Sound in Early Film
'In the late nineteenth century, technological innovations led to the birth of a new art form:
the motion picture. The first motion pictures could be viewed by only one person at a time.
Further innovation made it possible to show films to larger audiences, and the first motion
picture appeared before a live audience in Paris in 1895. These early films were silent,
although they were sometimes accompanied by live orchestras or narrators in the theater.
Silent films were a popular form of entertainment in the United States, Great Britain, Japan,
and India in the early twentieth century, but they were soon replaced by "talking pictures,"
films that incorporated sound as well as images. The rising popularity of talking pictures
was made possible by two important advances in technology.
One of the most significant barriers to producing films with sound was the
synchronization, or simultaneous playing, of sound and pictures. In many early films, the
sound was played separately from the film. This system was unreliable, however, as skips or
other minor problems with the sound disc could cause the sound recording and the video
C POWERED BY COBUILD to play at different times or speeds. To solve this problem, inventors created sound-on-film
technology that allowed filmmakers to record the sound and the pictures together, making
synchronization: two
activities, processes, or it impossible for the video and audio elements to become separated.
movements happening at ' But even when the sound was precisely synchronized with the images onscreen, it
the same time
was often difficult for audiences to hear the recordings. Advancements in amplification
amplification: ability technology, or processes for increasing sound volume, were essential to the popularization
to increase the strength of films with sound and dialogue. Improvements in microphones made the recording
or intensity or something, process more effective, and the development of more powerful speakers made it possible to
usually sound
play sound capable of filling larger and larger spaces.
53
SIOLLS FOR ME TOER IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG

» TIP 1: Create your own paraphrase of the highlighted sentence. After reviewing the highlighted
sentence, quickly paraphrase it, being sure to include all of the key ideas from the original sentence.
Then, look at the answer options and check if any of them are close to your rephrasing.
TASK 1: Paraphrase the highlighted sentence from the passage on page 53. Undedine one answer
option for the question on page 53 that is similar to your paraphrase.
» TIP 2: Eliminate answer options that leave out important information from the highlighted
sentence. Remember, the correct answer option will include all of the important information from the
highlighted sentence. An answer option that includes factual information from the passage but leaves
out important information is incorrect and should be eliminated.
TASK 2: Draw a line through an answer option on page 53 that leaves out important information from
the highlighted sentence. What information was left out?
TIP 3: Watch out for answers that contradict the facts and main ideas from the passage. For
sentence summary questions, the correct answers will always support the facts and main ideas of the
passage. Incorrect answer options may contradict the facts of the passage by switching the cause and
effect relationship of an event In other words, an event that was described as the cause of something
else in the passage may be described as the effect in an incorrect answer option. Also, watch out for
answer options that contain frequency adverbs, as these may change the meaning of the sentence so
that they contradict facts from the passage.
Common Frequency Adverbs

always occasionally
frequently seldom
usually rarely
often hardly ever
sometimes never
TASK 3: Draw a line through one answer option on page 53 that includes one of the frequency adverbs
from the table above. How does this frequency adverb change the meaning of the sentence?
» TIP 4: Check for rewording of language from the passage. The correct answer option usually
contains synonyms and a variation of the original sentence construction, If you see an answer option
that has similar wording and / or a similar structure as the highlighted sentence, be sure thread it
carefully before choosing it.
TASK 4: Draw a line through one answer option on page 53 that has similar wording as the original
sentence. Why is this answer option incorrect?
54
4B
Passage Summary
Questions
A passage summary question (referred to as a prose summary question in ETS
preparation materials) presents you with an introductory statement that provides
a brief overview of the main idea of the passage. It will also give you six answer
options. You will have to choose the three answer options that best summarize
the main ideas of the passage. There is typically no more than one passage
summary question per reading passage. See the Walk Through on page 56 for an
example of how passage summary questions are presented on the test.
QUICK GUIDE: Passage Summary Questions

Definition A passage summary question provides you with:
an introductory sentence that summarizes the main idea of the passage.
six sentences that are related to the passage.
TEST TIP! You must choose three of the six sentences that best summarize the entire
passage. To choose a sentence, click on it with your mouse and drag it to the
For passage summary gray box.
questions, you cannot
earn partial credit Targeted In order to correctly answer a passage summary question, you must be able
Skills to:
That means you must
recognize the main ideas of the passage.
choose all three correct
understand the basic organization of the passage.
answers—If you include
identify the points that the author uses to support the main topic.
even one incoaect
answer, you will not The Correct The correct answer for a passage summary question will reflect the main
get any credit for the Answer ideas of the passage. By reading the introductory sentence and the three
correct sentences, a reader who is unfamiliar with the passage should be able
question.
to understand what the passage is about.

Answer information that is mentioned in the passage but is not one of the main
Options ideas of the passage.
ideas that are not mentioned in the passage at all.
information that contradicts the facts presented in the passage.
55
SKILLS FOR THE IDEA. IRI TEST READING AND WRITING
WALK THROUGH: Passage Summary Questions

A Quickly read the sample passage summary question below. For each answer option,
underline key words that will help you while you scan the passage.
TOEFL Reading
r, --arc) cic
Question 1 of 12 glair DO 1: 20
1. An introductory sentence for a summary of the passage is provided below Complete the
summary by selecting the THREE answer options that express the most important ideas in the
passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary, because they express ideas that are
not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
This passage discusses literature of the American South.
Answer Options
Southern writers who worked during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
are among the most important literary figures of American literature.
The unique aspects of the American South were represented in southern literature
through a number of characteristics.
The economy of the American South was largely centered in cities.
Family relationships are a central theme found in a lot of southern writing.
Faullcner's stories focused on events that happened to his own family.
Southern writers like Eudora Welty often described southern settings in careful detail.
B Now read the short passage about literature. While you read, underline information
that you think will help you answer the questions in Part A. When you are done
reading, circle the three correct answers for the question above.
Literature of the American South
' The American South has developed a culture that is distinctive in many ways. While the
literature of the American South is diverse, southern writers—especially those who worked
in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—often employed similar strategies to
explore the distinct character of the region.
Family relationships are a central theme found often in southern writing. Many stories
describe the events that affect a family for several generations. For example, William
Faulkner, a key writer in the southern literary tradition, wrote novels that focused on
family structure and familial bonds. Perhaps because the economy of the American South
is traditionally agricultural, Faullcner's novels are especially concerned with how land
ownership is passed from generation to generation.
Giossar :
q. POWERED BY COBUIU) In addition to writing about subjects that reflect the values of southern culture, southern
writers also created similar settings or locations in their works. Eudora Welty, a southern
distinct different or
separate from something novelist and short story writer, describes the southern landscape in careful detail. The settings
of the same type of her stories and novels are filled with plants and animals that are specific to the American
South, and her writing often makes a place, like a particular river or a certain town, central to
rooted: strongly the story she tells. While some stories may seem like they could take place anywhere, many of
influenced by something
the stories in southern literature are rooted in a specifically southern environment.
56
QUESTION ME: PPSSAGE SUMMARY

7112 1: Look for topic sentences for each paragraph in the passage. A topic sentence is one that
introduces the main topic of the paragraph. For the first paragraph of the passage, the topic sentence
will probably appear toward the end of the paragraph. For the paragraphs that follow, expect to find the
topic sentence toward the beginning of the paragraph. By locating and rereading the topic sentences in
the passage, you will be able to quickly pick out the answer options that are similar in content.
TASK 1: Draw a box around the topic sentence for each paragraph in the passage on page 56. Note
the location of these sentences in the passage.
TIP 2: Eliminate answer options that include only minor details. Some answer options may include
information that appears in the passage but is nonetheless unimportant. Minor details are those that
aren't important when describing the main ideas of the passage. If you are unsure if a detail is minor or
not, imagine whether someone who is unfamiliar with the passage would understand the main idea of
the passage if you left that detail out.
TASK 2: Draw a line through one answer option on page 56 that contains minor details.
» TIP 3: Watch out for answer options that include information that wasn't mentioned in the
passage. The correct answers for passage summary questions will always be mentioned in the
passage. In some cases, the information in an answer option may seem familiar or appear to relate
in some way to the ideas from the passage. However, unless you can find direct references for that
information in the passage, it cannot be the correct answer.
TASK 3: Draw a line through one answer option on page 56 that includes information that wasn't
mentioned in the passage.
After you make your » TIP 4: Be careful with answers that contradict the facts from the passage. Because the correct
choices for passage answers for this question type represent the main ideas of the passage, they have to be factual
summary questions,
according to the reading. To avoid choosing incorrect answer options, be sure to review the passage
read all three answers
and see if you can find information to support each answer option. if you cannot, you should eliminate
that answer option.
again. Would some-
one who is unfamiliar TASK 4: Draw a line through one answer option on page 56 that contradicts facts from the passage.
with the subject of the
passage understand
what is about based
on your choices? If
there is some doubt
consider reviewing your
answers and trying to
identify better choices.
57
SILLS FOR THE RIER IBT TEST READING AND WRITING

A Scan the short passage about silversmithing. Underline the main idea of each paragraph.
Navajo Silversmithing
'The Navajo are an indigenous group that has lived for centuries in the southwestern part of
what is now the United States. The traditional artwork of the Navajo, which includes rugs,
baskets, and pottery is popular around the globe. However, perhaps no Navajo artwork has
attracted as much attention as the group's silverwork. In fact, silver jewelry made by Navajo
designers is admired among art collectors all over the world. Interestingly, silversmithing
is a relatively recent art form in the Navajo culture, but it is one that craftspeople have
transformed into a uniquely Navajo creation that is an important part of modern Navajo
culture and commerce.
2 The origins of Navajo silversmithing can be traced back to a man named Atsidi Chon,
who is widely regarded as the father of Navajo silversmithing. In the late 1860s, Chon
learned silversmithing techniques from a Mexican craftsman. He brought his knowledge,
as well as tools for working silver, back to his hometown and taught silversmithing to his
sons. Within a few decades, many people in the Navajo community had learned the craft,
though they faced several obstacles. For example, it was often difficult to obtain the materials
required in order to work silver. In the early years of Navajo silverwork, craftspeople
frequently melted coins or the silver hardware used in wagons and harnesses in order to
obtain the silver for their work. Furthermore, it was equally hard to get the tools for crafting
silver, and early silversmiths often resorted to using very basic techniques. Despite these
early limitations, craftspeople were able to develop the characteristic style for which Navajo
silver items are now known.
Today, the work of Navajo silversmiths dearly reflects designs that are culturally important
to the group. Characteristic Navajo silver jewelry often uses the traditional squash blossom
bead, a hollow, rounded bead with petal-like carvings that, for some Navajo people, represents
strength and vitality Navajo silverwork also frequently incorporates turquoise, a semiprecious
green or blue stone found in abundance in the American Southwest
Glossary: ' Some elements of Navajo silverwork are clearly influenced by other cultures. In the late
CP POWERED BY COEURD nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Navajo traded with Mexicans and Spaniards,
indigenous: people who whose ornate silver belts, spurs, and saddle decorations inspired early Navajo silversmiths.
belong to the country in For instance, early Navajo silver often incorporated designs that resembled pomegranate
which they are found blossoms, which were very popular among the Spanish who traveled to the American
vitality: having great
Southwest. The Navajo also traded with other Native American groups. The silverwork they
energy and liveliness acquired from these groups often copied British colonial styles, which further influenced
Navajo silversmiths and inspired their craft.
8 Read the questions carefully. What type of questions are they? Underline any key words in the
questions and answer options that you will look for while you review the passage. Then, answer the
questions. Note the correct answers and read why the answer options are correct or incorrect.
1. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 3?
Incorrect answer options change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
0 Typical Navajo jewelry made out of silver uses a squash blossom bead that looks like a hollow bead with petals.
0 Navajo silversmiths use traditional squash blossoms and rounded, hollow beads to represent strength and vitality.
0 The charactehstic Navajo silver jewelry often employs traditional squash blossom beads, a design that symbolizes
strength and energy.
0 Hollow, rounded beads called squash blossom beads are often used in traditional Navajo jewelry.
58
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: SENTENCE SUMMARY AND PASSAGE SUMMARY QUESTIONS

Question Type: Sentence Summary
X This answer option leaves out the information about what the beads symbolize to the Navajo.
X This answer option contains incorrect information. Squash blossoms are the type of bead often used in the jewelry, not
something used in addition to the beads.
This answer option contains all the essential information from the original sentence about squash blossom
beads, including the significance of the beads.
X This answer option doesn't include information about the significance of the beads to some Navajo people.
2. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting
the THREE answer options that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the
summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This
question is worth 2 points.
This passage discusses the history of Navajo silversmithing.
Answer Options
The Navajo are famous for their rugs, baskets, and silver jewelry.
Although it was introduced to the group fairly recently, silversmithing is an important part of Navajo culture.
Atsidi Chon is credited as the father of Navajo silversmithing because he created new tools for working silver.
Though they often lacked the tools for silversmithing, Navajo artists created a distinctive style soon after the art form
was introduced to the community.
Navajo silverwork employs designs inspired by other cultures but also features styles that are distinctly Navajo.
The design of the squash blossom bead and the use of turquoise are two styles that were borrowed from the Spanish.
ANSWER ANALYSIS Ir.

Question Type: Passage Summary
X 1. While this fact was mentioned in the passage, it is minor and does not describe a major point from the passage.
2. At the end of the first paragraph, the author says that Navajo silversmithing was introduced to the community
somewhat recently and that it is an important part of Navajo culture and commerce.
X 3. The passage says that Atsidi Chon introduced silversmithing techniques to Navajo communities, not that he created new
tools for working silver.
./ 4. The author says that Navajo silversmiths created their characteristic style soon after Atsidi Chon first
introduced the craft to the culture.
I 5. Paragraph 4 discusses the influence of other cultures, while paragraph 3 discusses the features of Navajo
silvenvork that are distinctly Navajo.
X 6. The author describes the squash blossom bead and the use of turquoise as Navajo innovations.
59
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING MID WTIMNG

A Scan the short passage about history. Write the main idea of each paragraph.
1
2
3
Ancient Trade Routes

In the first millennium, a number of civilizations lived throughout the Eurasian continent. In
many cases, there was limited contact between these civilizations, in part because oceans, mountain
ranges, and deserts discouraged travel between the east and west. Despite these difficulties, many
traders traveled over land and sea in search of new customers and of new items to bring back to their
homelands. Historians now refer to these routes, which spanned up to 4,300 miles and connected
cultures on the eastern coasts of Asia to North Africa and the Mediterranean, as the Silk Road. Vital to
trade from around the first century until about 1400, these routes were important because they allowed
the exchange of both goods and ideas.
The Silk Road was first developed by Chinese merchants who sought to trade silk and other goods
within the Chinese Empire. Soon, the routes expanded as merchants from places like Persia, India, and
Egypt sought out rare commodities that they could sell in their home countries. This kind of trade was
very profitable because goods that were common in one place were priceless and exotic in another.
For example, the Romans were greatly interested in Chinese silk, and the Chinese often bought horses
from their western neighbors. Furthermore, traders from the east often carried items like gunpowder,
porcelain, and paper, while traders from the west brought ivory, amber, and cosmetics. People from all
over the Eurasian continent exchanged a wide variety of goods, which brought wealth to the merchants
who sold the items, to the craftspeople who copied and sold domestic versions of foreign products, and
even to people who lived along the trade routes and provided services to travelers.
' The trade routes brought many different cultures together, and they often exchanged ideas as well as
material goods. Commerce encouraged cultural contact that significantly influenced the development
of nations that were very different from one another. For instance, because of trade along the Silk Road,
Chinese cities often housed visitors from many different places. Records show that in 754, one Chinese
Glossary: city was home to at least 5,000 foreigners. These visitors often brought new ideas and ways of thinking
C POWERED BY COSMO with them. Chinese thinkers adopted and adapted some of these new ideas, and they were particularly
commodity: something influenced by Indian philosophies. Many merchants also carried artwork with them on the trade routes.
that is sold for money This promoted creative exchanges between cultures, and the similarities between some styles of Greek,
Iranian, and Indian sculpture and painting are the result of those exchanges. Additionally, some records
priceless: worth a very suggest that performance art forms, such as music, dance, and storytelling, were transformed by the
large amount of money
connections the Silk Road permitted between civilizations.
B Read the questions carefully and note whether they are sentence summary or passage summary
questions. Then, answer the questions. Write the letter of each answer option next to the reason in the
Answer Analysis box explaining why it is correct or incorrect.
60
PROGRESSIVE PRACTCE: SENTENCE SUMMARY AND PASSAGE SUMMARY OUES11ONS
1. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 2? Incorrect
answer options change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
People throughout Eurasia traded goods, bringing wealth to merchants and craftspeople and to people who provided
services for the residents who lived along the trade routes. [A]
Merchants and craftspeople provided services, as did people who lived along the trade routes, and all three groups
grew wealthy as a result. [13]
Merchants became rich largely because of the trading activities of craftspeople and people who lived along the trade
routes in Eurasia. [GI
0 The trading activities throughout Eurasia led to the rise of wealth for merchants, craftspeople, and people who provided
services to travelers along the routes. [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS
Question TYper Sentence Summary
X Craftspeople grew rich from selling replicas of foreign products, and people who lived along the routes earned money by
providing services to travelers. The passage does not say that these groups were involved in trading.
X In the passage, the author says that services were provided by the people who lived along the trade routes, not by the
merchants and craftspeople.
The highlighted sentence says that trade on the Eurasian continent brought wealth to merchants, craftspeople,
and people who lived along the routes.
X The passage does not mention a group that provided services to residents who lived along the trade routes.
2. Ni introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting
summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This
This passage discusses the history of trade on the Silk Road.
Answer Options
.me trade routes known as the Silk Road connected cultures, allowing the exchange of merchandise and ideas. [A]
The cultures that lived throughout Eurasia during the first millennium didn't have much contact due to obstacles like
oceans, mountains, and deserts. [13]
The Silk Road developed when Chinese merchants expanded their trade routes in order to obtain precious goods from
Persia, India, and Egypt. [C]
While silk originally drove trade along the Silk Road, merchants from a number of cultures eventually began exchanging
a variety of goods. [D]
In addition to promoting the exchange of goods, the Silk Road also helped people learn about the philosophies and art
forms of different cultures. [E]
The Silk Road helped people from different cultures exchange ideas and philosophies, which is evident in the art forms
produced along the Silk Road. [9
61
SKILLS FOR NE TOEFL IBT TEST READING NiD MMHG

Question lifpc Passage Summary
X In the first paragraph, the author says that the cultures of Eurasia had contact with one another despite the obstacles.
X The author does not describe the art forms produced along the Silk Road.
./ This sentence summarizes the main idea of the entire passage, which is stated in the first paragraph.
V In paragraph 3, the author describes the exchange of ideas and art forms via the Silk Road.
X In paragraph 2, the author states that the Silk Road was expanded when merchants from places like Persia, Ink, and
Egypt sought goods from China, not the other way around.
./ The author says that the route was originally developed by Chinese merchants selling silk but that it later
expanded as merchants from different places traded other items,
62
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: SENTENCE SUMMARY AND PASSAGE SWAM QUESTIONS
MI%TVrI tPtrrWI
Read the passage about a topic in music.
TOEFL Reading
C C
Question l ot 12
Stradivarius Violins
' Antonio Stradivari was a famous luthier, or maker of stringed instruments, who lived in Italy
during the early sixteenth century Stradivari began his career at the young age of 12, when he
began working under another famous luthier named Nicole Amati. Stradivari learned the basic
skills of violin making from Amati, but he eventually developed his own style, for which he is still
known today. During his lifetime, Stradivari created an estimated 1,000 violins, 450 of which still
survive. The violins of Antonio Stradivari are commonly regarded as the finest stringed instruments
in the world, surpassing nearly all others in terms of sound quality as well as in visual appeal. Yet,
despite the universal recognition of their exceptional quality there is much debate over what makes
Stradivarius violins so extraordinary.
Some experts contend that the violins' superior quality derives from their structure Though his
early violins bore a strong resemblance to Amati instruments, the brilliant luthier eventually altered the
standard violin structure by experimenting with the shape of the sound hole. Additionally he varied
the width of the purling, which is the inlaid border located on the violin% back and front end. These
structural alterations resulted in violins that produced louder sounds, which, in turn, allowed violinists
to perform in larger concert halls because the sound could carry to the very back of the venue.
'While changes to the violins' structure allowed players to play more loudly, professional
violinists argue that these changes do not sufficiently explain the instruments' superiority to other
violins. They explain that the excellence of Stradivarius violins is based not only on the volumes that
they are able to achieve, but also on their ability to produce loud sound without a loss of quality.
"One factor that may contribute directly to the superior sound quality is the type of varnish
Stradivari used on the instruments. Stradivari stained each of his creations using the same process.
First, he applied a coat of oil similar to that used on canvas paintings. Then, he added a layer of
oil resin, a glaze-like substance. Finally, he applied a coat of red dye that gave the instruments the
classic color of the Stradivarius violin. Some experts believe that the simple oil varnish preserves
the wood's ability to vibrate, a quality that allows the instrument to produce sound. This hypothesis
is supported by studies in which researchers tested the effects of different types of varnishes on
sound quality They found that violins that are stained with oil-based varnishes, like the Stradivarius
violin, produce the most brilliant sound.
It is also possible that the wood used to make Stradivarius violins may explain their unique
qualities. Analyses have shown that the violins are made out of dense wood, a characteristic that
has important implications for sound quality This is because the particles in dense wood are closer
together, resulting in clear, longer-lasting vibrations. As a result, a violin made with dense wood can
carry sound over long distances with no loss in quality.
For some time, many people believed that Stradivari acquired this dense wood from ancient
Glossary cathedrals and castles. However, modern research suggests that, in actuality, it probably originated
c. POWERED BY COBUILD in the spruce forests that grew near Stradivari's home. Today, the wood from these forests is not
universal: something
very dense, but there are indications that it was denser during a period known as the Maunder
that relates to everyone or Minimum. This period, which lasted from 1645 to 1715, was characterized by unusually cold
everything in the world or temperatures in Europe, the coldest that the continent had experienced in 500 years. The cold
in a group temperatures, which probably resulted from a decrease in solar activity, are thought to have
slowed tree growth, leading to denser wood than what would have resulted from warmer growing
venue: the place where
an event occurs
conditions. One researcher determined not only that the colder temperatures of the period caused
the trees in the forests near the home of Stradivari to grow slower, but that the violin maker used
the spruce wood from these forests in constructing his instruments.
63
sratis FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING AHD MUMS
0 The changes to the violins structure increased the instruments' top volume, allowing violinists to perform in larger
places because the sound would be heard.
0 Violinists could perform in larger performance spaces because the structural alterations to the violins allowed players to
perform with greater ease.
Prior to the structural changes to the basic design of the violins, there were few large performance spaces for violinists.
Structural changes to the violins resulted in louder sound but a slight decrease in the quality of the sound.
Dense wood can grow in warm areas, though it is more common in places that have reduced solar activity and lower-
than-usual temperatures.
Dense wood, which is associated with slow tree growth, resulted from cold temperatures during a period of lowered
solar activity.
0 A decrease in solar activity led to slower tree growth because growth is affected by cold temperatures and wood
density.
0 The cold temperatures during the period of decreased solar activity resulted in slow tree growth, which led to less dense
wood than what would have grown in warmer temperatures.
3. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting
summary, because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This
This passage discusses the features that contribute to the exceptional sound of Stradivarius violins.
Answer Options
With only 450 of these instruments remaining today, Stradivarius violins are among the most valuable musical
instruments in the world.
Stradivari adjusted the structure of the violins in ways that improved their ability to create loud and clear sounds.
violinists who played Stradivarius violins were able to perform in large venues because the instruments were loud
enough to be heard over long distances.
Researchers determined that Stradivarius violins had exceptional vibrational quality due to the process in which the
varnish was applied.
The oil-based finish on all Stradivarius violins likely contributes to their sound quality because it preserves the wood's
vibrational ability.
The dense wood used to create Stradivarius violins, which likely came from a forest near Stradivari's home, is a factor in
the superior sound of the instruments.
64
Lesson 5A
Add Text Questions

An add text question (referred to as an insert text question in ETS preparation
materials) asks you to determine where a given sentence will best fit in a passage.
You will have a choice of four places to insert the sentence in the passage. The
spots in the passage where you can insert the sentence will be marked with
black squares 11. Expect to see no more than one add text question per reading
passage.
Add text questions may be worded as follows:
Look at the four squares a in paragraph 1 that indicate where the following
sentence could be added to the passage.
Ma result, scientists disagree about the origins of X
VVhere would the sentence best fit?
QUICK GUIDE: Add Text Questions

Definition An add text question presents you with a sentence. You must determine
where in the paosage the sentence best fits. The prikkible places where the
sentence can be inserted will be marked with a black square 0]. To place
the sentence, click on the appropriate black square in the passage and
the sentence will appear in place of the black square. The black squares
will typically appear in the same paragraph. However, they will not always
appear in consecutive sentences.
Targeted Skills in order to correctly answer an add text question, you must be able to:
understand the content and meaning of the given sentence.
identify the main idea of the paragraph(s) where the inserted sentence will
aPPear.
recognize context clues, like grammatical agreement, that will help you
decide where the sentence fits best.
identify transition words and know what they mean in the context of the
passage.
The Correct The correct answer for an add text question will make sense in the context
Answer of the paragraph. The ideas will flow logically between the sentences that
precede and follow the given sentence.
Wrong Answer Watch out for answer options that:

Options don't agree with the grammatical forms in the sentences that come
before and after the given sentence.
don't follow the logical progression of ideas in the paragraph.
65
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
WALK THROUGH: Add Text Questions

A Quickly read the sample add text question below. Underline the key words that help you
understand the given sentence.
TOEFL Reading
fro 0 0 0 0
Question 1 of 12 arm' r:
I. Look at the four squares [M] in paragraph 2 that indicate where the
following sentence could be added to the passage.
As a result, the agricultural productivity in these areas has
declined by 20 percent.
Where would the sentence best fit?
Oa
Ob
0c
0 cl
B Now read the short passage about environmental science. While you read, note the
four places where the sentence from Part A can go. When you are done reading, mark
the correct answer for the question above. Note: the lowercase letters next to the black
squares do not appear on the actual test.
Environmental Impacts of Irrigation Systems
'Over the last 35 years, agricultural production has increased significantly around the world.
les estimated that half of that increase can be attributed to the advancement and spread of
irrigation technology. However, recent research shows that the environmental consequences
of this technique may be more serious than previously thought.
Waterlogging, a state in which the ground becomes oversaturated with water, is a
particularly harmful effect of irrigation. When waterlogging occurs, the soil, heavy under
the weight of the water, begins to become tightly packed. [a] U Thus, it is difficult for oxygen
to enter the soil, and without it, plant roots essentially suffocate. ffdl • According to experts,
approximately 10 percent of the world's arable land is waterlogged. [c] • Additionally, it's
difficult to prevent waterlogging from occurring because tests that determine whether a field
has a high possibility of becoming waterlogged are very expensive. [d] •
s Another consequence of irrigation is salinization, or the accumulation of salt crystals
Glossary: on the surface of a field. Excessive irrigation causes water to collect on the surface of a field.
POWERED BY COEUR D Eventually, this water begins to evaporate, drawing salt and minerals from underground
arable: land that is used rocks to the surface in the process. Once it reaches the surface of the soil, the salt forms
for growing clops, such as into crystals, which reduce plants' ability to absorb water from the soil. Thus, even if there
wheat and bailey is plenty of water, salinization makes it difficult for plants to absorb the water they need
wither: to dry up and die to survive. When salinization occurs, plants begin to wither and agricultural productivity
suffers.
66
QUESTION lYPEADD TEff

TIP 1: Review the given sentence and the paragraph(s) in which the black squares appear. When
you read the sentence that you are supposed to insert into the passage, make sure you understand
it completely. Also, while you read the paragraph in question, pay attention to the main idea in that
paragraph and how the author builds the argument. Also, be sure to think about how the given
sentence may fit into the paragraph.
TASK 1: Draw a box around the given sentence in the question on page 66. Then, draw a box around
the main idea of paragraph 2 in the passage on page 66.
TIP 2: Pay attention to any transition words and know what they mean. Transition words are
expressions that writers use to make their writing clear and easy to understand. By learning and
recognizing transition words, you will be able to determine the logic of the paragraph, making it easier
for you to identify areas where there is a shift in flow or a lack of logical progression. See the table
below for examples of transition language.
Function Transition Language Examples

first since First, the volcano erupts,
second then emptying the chamber beneath
Indicating Sequence
third until it. Eventually, the land around
eventually prior to the empty chamber collapses.
again and Fleas have extremely long legs
Continuing in the Same additionally equally relative to their body size.
Line of Thinking furthermore likewise Likewise, grasshoppers also
have very long legs.
although instead The Atacama Desert is one
despite even so of the driest places on Earth.
Shift in Focus
regardless however Even so, it is home to several
communities.
Cause Effect Due to the speed of the water,
when for this reason the rock becomes eroded
Indicating Cause as long as as a result quickly. Consequently, the
and Effect in order to thus channel becomes deep over a
because of accordingly short amount of time.
due to consequently
TASK 2: Underline three transition words in paragraph 2 of the passage on page 66.
)/ TIP 3: Try inserting the sentence in all of the available spots. Remember, you are allowed to
change the answer as many times as you want, so feel free to try all of the spots. When you do this,
read the paragraph and pay attention to how the information flows depending on where you place the
sentence. Does it fit with the sentences that come before and after? The correct answer will have the
most logical flow.
TASK 3: Try inserting the sentence in each place and reread it for sense. Then, circle the one answer
option on page 66 that is the best option when the sentence is set at that place in the passage.
61
Lesson 5B
Table Cormletion Questions

A table completion question (referred to as a fill-in-a-table question in ETS preparaton
materials) presents you with a list of statements that are related to a passage. You must
correctly categorize the statements in the table according to the directions. The table will
categorize information presented in the passage. There is typically no more than one table
completion question per reading passage. Please see the Walk Through on page 69 for an
example of how table completion questions are presented.
QUICK GUIDE: Table Completion Questions

Definition Table completion questions provide you with a table that reflects two or
three categories or criteria from the passage. You are also presented with
seven or nine statements related to the passage, and you need to select
which categories the statements belong in, if any. Here is a summary of the
table types that may appear on the test:
Columns/Rows Statements Correct Answers allots
2 columns 7 statements 5 correct answers 3 points
In order to answer the question, you must click on the statements and drag
them to the correct categories in the table.
Targeted Skills In order to correctly answer a table completion question, you must:
be able to recognize the main ideas of the passage.
know the organizational styles that are commonly associated with the
question type.
be able to identify the points that the author uses to support the main
topic.
The Correct The correct answers for table completion questions will fit the categories
Answer in which they are classified. The correct statements will usually contain
reworded information from the passage, Also, the correct statements are
usually major ideas from the passage. For this question type, it is passible
to eam partial credit depending on how many of the statements you
correctly categorize.
Wrong Answer Out of the seven or nine answer options, there are usually two that do not fit
Options into the table. Watch out for answer options that:
do not fit into the general categories described in the chart.
include information that is not mentioned in the passage.
contradict the facts from the passage.
are minor details that are mentioned only briefly in the passage.
66
QUESHONTYPETABLEMPLEMN
WALK THROUGH: Table Completion Questions

A Quickly read the sample table completion question below. Underline key words in the
statements that will help you classify them.
staa sw)
TOEFL Reading C 0 0 0
Question 1 of 12 2511511P n 20
1. Complete the table below to summarize information about the two types of bird navigation
techniques discussed in the passage. Match the appropriate statements to the navigation techniques
with which they are associated. This question is worth 3 points.
Navigation Technique Statements

Celestial Select 2
Magnetism Select 3
Statements
I. Proven by discovery of magnetic substances in some birds' beaks
Similar to navigation method employed by humans that makes use of landmarks, like rivers,
mountains, and oceans
Earth's magnetic pull indicates the direction of travel
Studies in which magnets are applied to birds demonstrate its validity
Employed only by birds that migrate annually
Allows birds to use the position of the sun or stars to navigate
Supported by observations that birds that don't have a clear view of the sky can't navigate effectively
B Now read the sample passage on the next page. While you read, underline information
that you think will help you categorize the statements in Part A. When you are done
reading, write the number of the statements in the correct boxes in the table. Note that
you will use only five of the seven statements.
69
SOILS FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
Bird Navigation Techniques
' Many species of birds migrate, flying up to 20,000 miles to temporary habitats in response
to seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation. In many cases, migratory birds return
to the same lake or particular piece of coastline year after year, which demonstrates their
ability to find their way with surprising accuracy. Research suggests that birds have at least
two primary methods of navigation.
Some biologists have shown that birds probably use the location of celestial bodies,
such as the sun and the stars, to orient themselves. Humans often use landmarks like rivers,
mountains, and oceans, to determine their direction. In contrast, birds seem to ignore
geographical features and depend on a kind of internal clock that tells them their location
based on the time of day and the position of the sun or, if they are flying at night, the stars.
For instance, scientists have observed that when the stars are obscured by clouds, birds cannot
navigate as accurately as when the stars are clearly visible.
In addition to the sun and stars, birds may also use Earth itself as a kind of compass.
ErrSome scientists argue that birds navigate using Earth's magnetic field. Certain metals cause
a POWERED BY COBUILD Earth's poles to have a magnetic pull, and birds may use this pull to determine what direction
seasonal: a particular they're traveling in. To test this, one scientist glued magnets to migratory birds. The magnets
time of year
interfered with the birds' navigation, which suggests that magnetic pull is important for
celestial: relating to the determining direction. Recently, researchers also discovered iron oxide, a magnetic material,
sky or heaven in the beaks of homing pigeons. This is further evidence that birds may be sensitive to Earth's
magnetic field and use that sense to navigate.
For table completion

questions, it's possible
to earn partial credit
See the summary below
or possoe scores.
Five Mann
I Correct Points
Awarded
5 3
4 2
3
0-2 0
Seven Answers
7 4
6 3
5 2
4
0-3
70
QUESDON1YPE:TAIXEfl
Tips and Tasks for Answering Correctly

» TIP 1: Learn the organizational styles that are associated with table completion questions.
Table completion questions often appear with passages that present information that can be
categorized. Learning which types of passages often have table completion questions will help you
pay close attention to the categories as they are presented in the reading and make it easier for you to
quickly find the information you need in order to answer the question. The table below describes the
organizational styles of passages that are often followed by table completion questions.
Organizational Styles Associated With Table Completion Questions

Pros and Cons Presents the advantages and disadvantages of a topic
Compare and Contrast Discusses the similarities and differences between two subjects
Cause and Effect Describes the causes and effects of something
Theory-Support Presents multiple theories about a subject and support for each
theory
Classification Discusses different types of something
Regardless of the organizational style, you should read the topic sentences for the paragraphs in order
to get a sense of the focus of each one. Then, you can pinpoint the information you need in order to
categorize the statements correctly.
TASK 1: Underline two sentences in the passage on page 70 that summarize the categories mentioned
in the table on the same page.
» TT 2: Watch out for answer options that contain the exact wording from the reading. Typically,
the correct statements for table completion questions will contain paraphrased information from the
reading. If you see a statement that has the same wording from the passage, be sure to read it carefully
before choosing it.
TASK 2: Draw a line through one incorrect answer option on page 69 that contains the same wording
from the reading.
» TIP 3: Eliminate answer options that represent minor points or contradict information from the
passage. A statement that mentions only a minor point or that is not factual according to the passage
will not fit into the categories in the table.
TASK 3: Draw a line through one incorrect answer option on page 69 that contains information that is
not true according to the passage.
71
MILS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WAMNG

A Scan the short passage about biology. Underline the main idea of each paragraph.
Control of Malaria
'Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite in the blood. It has existed since at least 2700 BC,
when its symptoms, including headache, fever, and nausea, were described in Chinese
medical writings. However, unlike many other ancient diseases, malaria persists today, with
approximately 225 million cases reported in 2009. Advances in medical sciences have made it
possible to control the disease, but malaria is difficult to eradicate entirely for several reasons.
'Though early doctors developed some treatments for malaria using plants and herbs, it
was not until the true nature of the disease was discovered that it was possible to formulate
a more effective treatment. [a] U In 1880, a French surgeon discovered that malaria was
not caused by a virus, but by a parasite living in the blood of infected people. [b] • The
discovery that malaria was not a viral infection led to developments in medicine that focused
on destroying the parasite. [c] • In 1897, a British doctor stationed in India discovered that
malaria parasites were passed from person to person by mosquitoes. [d] •
Today, medical researchers have made several developments in controlling the spread of
malaria. For one, doctors now have access to a wide array of effective medicines for treating
malaria, and many of these can be taken to prevent the disease or even build up a partial
immunity to it. Furthermore, scientists have developed pesticides to kill mosquitoes and thus
prevent the spread of malaria. Additionally, in some places, controlling malaria is achieved
through non-medicinal methods, such as the use of mosquito nets that are constructed
from fine mesh cloth. The nets are typically placed over beds in order to protect people from
Glossary: mosquito bites while they sleep.
r POWERED_ C, BUILD " Despite these advancements in treating and preventing malaria, the disease is still a
nausea: the condition of worldwide problem. Because mosquitoes and the malaria parasite are living beings, they
feeling sick and that you can develop resistance to the medicines and pesticides used to kill them. [a] • Medical
are going to vomit scientists must create new medicines and pesticides to fight these resistant parasites and
eradicate: to get rid of mosquitoes. [b] • Automobiles, airplanes, and other kinds of transportation make it easy for
something completely infected people to carry malaria to new locations. [c] II Despite these obstacles, malaria cases
continue to decline worldwide. [di •
Read the questions carefully. What types of questions are they? Underline any key
words in the questions and answer options that you will look for while you review the
passage. Then, answer the questions. Note the correct answers and read why the
answer options are correct or incorrect.
1. Look at the four squares [N1 in paragraph 2 that indicate where the following sentence could be
added to the passage.
This information led to malaria prevention efforts that involved destroying or avoiding the
mosquitoes that carried it.
Where would the sentence best fa?
Ca
b
Cc
d
72
PROGRESSIVE PRACIICE ADO TEXT AND TARE COMPLETION QUESTIONS
ANSWER ANALYSIS
Question Mope: Add Text

X a: The sentence before this marker is about how discovering the true nature of the disease led to more effective
treatments. Thus, the next sentence after the marker should include information about the discovery that the disease is
caused by a parasite.
X b: The sentence cannot go here because the author has not mentioned the discovery that mosquitoes transmit the disease.
X c: Grammatically, the sentence does not flow here, as there is no logical referent for the demonstrative pronoun "this?
d: This is the most logical place for the given sentence. The sentence mentions mosquitoes, and the paragraph
brings up mosquitoes only in the sentence that precedes this marker. In addition, the ideas flow most logically
when the given sentence is placed in this spot.
2. Look at the four squares [s] in paragraph 4 that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the
passage.
Another challenge in eradicating malaria is the increased mobility of human beings.
a
b
c
d
ANSWER ANALYSIS lw
Question 7Ype: Add Test

X a: The given sentence does not make sense in this position because the sentence after the marker continues discussing
ideas about using medicines and pesticides to kill the parasite and mosquitoes.
b: This is the most logical place for the sentence. The given sentence mentions that increased mobility poses a
problem for efforts to eradicate malaria, and the sentence after this marker supports this idea by describing the
types of transportation that contribute to increased mobility.
X c: The given sentence introduces a second challenge in eradicating malaria. Placing the sentence in this position disrupts
the flow of ideas in the paragraph.
X d: The author has already discussed the role of mobility in the spread of malaria. ht does not make sense to add the given
sentence after a statement that describes the decline of malaria.
3. Complete the table below to summarize the information about malaria discussed in the passage. Match the
appropriate statements to the facts with which they are associated. This question is worth 4 points.
Facts About Malaria Statements

Causes of Malaria Select 2
Methods for Controlling Select 3

Spread of Malaria
Obstacles in Controlling Select 2

Malaria
73
DOLLS FOR THE TDEFL IBT TEST READING MID WONG
Statements
Use of mosquito nets Antiparasitic medications
Ease of travel in the modern world Discovered by a French physician
Plants and herbs Medications that treat the symptoms
Parasites spread through mosquito of the disease
bites Based on a discovery by a British
Immunity to medicines and pesticides doctor
ANSWER ANALYSIS
Question Type: Table Completion

Facts About Malaria Statements
Causes of Malaria Select 2
A. 4. Parasites spread through mosquito bites
R. 7. Discovered by a French physician
Methods for Controlling Select 3
Spread of Malaria > 1. Use of mosquito nets
N. 6. Antiparasitic medications
A. 9. Based on a discovery by a British doctor
Obstacles in Controlling Select 2
Malaria > 2. Ease of travel in the modern world
5. Immunity to medicines and pesticides
1: In paragraph 3, the author states that mosquito nets control the spread of malaria by preventing mosquito bites.
I 2: In paragraph 4, the author says that the increased mobility of humans contributes to malaria.
2( 3: In paragraph 2, the author says that plants and herbs were used to treat malaria. This does not fail under any of the
categories in the table.
In paragraph 1, the author says that malaria is caused by a parasite. In paragraph 2, the author mentions that
mosquitoes spread the disease,
In paragraph 4, the author says that, as living organisms, the parasite that causes malaria and the mosquitoes
that transmit it acquire immunity to pesticides and medicines.
In paragraph 3, the author says that doctors have developed medications for treating malaria. Because malaria
is caused by a parasite, these medicines are aritiparasitic.
In paragraph 2, the author says that a French surgeon discovered that malaria is caused by a parasite.
X 8: In paragraph 2, the author mentions that medications were formulated to treat the cause of the disease (i.e., the
parasite), not the symptoms. This cannot be classified in the provided categories.
9: In paragraph 2, the author says that a British doctor discovered that the malaria parasite Is transmitted through
mosquito bites.
74
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: ADO TEXT HID TABLE COMPLETION ouEsnotts

A Scan the short passage about geology. Write the main idea of each paragraph.
2
3.
4
History of the Mediterranean Sea
'The Mediterranean Sea spans 2.5 mffiion square kilometers and is almost entirely
surrounded by Europe, Africa, and northwestern Asia. Despite its size, a number of
geological discoveries suggest that the Mediterranean may have entirely dried up about five
million to 12 million years ago. For one, during the 1970s, geologists discovered reflective
materials at the bottom of the sea by using a specially designed ship and drilling system to
take core samples of the Mediterranean's seabed that were about 30 feet long. [a] • These
samples revealed that the reflective layer was composed of minerals left behind by evaporated
seawater. [b] • Geologists also found other materials that were unlikely to exist at the
bottom of a sea. [c] • For example, they found a layer of anhydrite, a mineral that undergoes
a chemical transformation when it comes into contact with water. [d]•
a Based on the depth of the layers of non-oceanic materials at the bottom of the sea, many
scientists argue that evaporation was caused by the Mediterranean becoming separated from
the Atlantic Ocean. Currently, the Mediterranean is connected to the Atlantic at a narrow
point, about 8.9 miles wide, called the Strait of Gibraltar. The connection between the two
bodies of water is important because the Mediterranean Sea has a negative moisture balance.
[a] III Because of its negative moisture balance, it's likely that the Mediterranean Sea would
dry up in about 1,500 years without extra water from the Atlantic Ocean pouring in through
the strait [b] • Researchers speculate that several million years ago, a geological event
caused the Strait of Gibraltar to dose, cutting off the Mediterranean from its water source.
[c] U Completely separated from the Atlantic, geologists claim that the Mediterranean dried
up in as little as 1,000 years. [d] •
The evaporation of the Mediterranean had significant effects locally and globally.
Emptied of water, the region became a vast desert. It's believed that when the Mediterranean
Sea dried up, the water level of the oceans around the world increased by up to 32 feet.
Furthermore, a large part of the salt from the world's oceans was stored in the dry seabed.
This led not only to decreased salinity in the world's oceans, but also to a hypersaline, or
extremely salty, environment in the Mediterranean desert. Because many animals cannot
Glossary: survive in hypersaline conditions, ifs likely that many of the species that once lived in the
z POWERED BY COBUILD area probably died, resulting in a severe decline in the biodiversity of the area.
evaporate: to change 'However, this desert eventually became a sea again. About five million years ago,
from a liquid state to a gas geologists theorize that a major geological event opened the dam between the Atlantic and
salinity: the amount of
the Mediterranean, causing an enormous waterfall to flood the Mediterranean basin, refilling
salt in something it in only 100 years. Such a sudden influx of water would wash away any life growing in the
Mediterranean desert and affect the climate of the surrounding regions.
75
SKILLS FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING AND MMHG
B Read the questions carefully and note whether they are add text or table completion questions. Then,
answer the questions. Write the letter of each answer option next to the reason in the Answer Analysis box
1. Look at the four squares [m] in paragraph 1 that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
The presence of anhydrite, then, suggests that at some point in the past there was an absence of water in the
region that is now the Mediterranean Sea.
Where would the sentence best to
a [Al
b [B]
c [Cl
d [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS
Question Type:Add Text
_X The sentence after this marker introduces the topic of other materials that are unlikely to be found on a seabed, like
anhydrite. Placing the given sentence here would disrupt the flow of ideas in the paragraph.
X The sentence after this marker continues the discussion of the reflective materials at the sea bottom, so this is not a
logical place to insert the dtteen sentence.
The sentence before this marker mentions anhydrite for the first lime. This is the most logical location for the
given sentence because it gives more details about the discovery of anhydrite and how that supports the theory
that the Mediterranean once dried up.
X The sentence after this marker describes anhydrite for the first time, so it's unlikely that the given sentence goes here.
2. Look at the four squares [M] in paragraph 2 that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
This means that every year, more water evaporates from the sea than is added to it by rivers and rainfall.
a [Al
b[B]
c [C]
d [D]
ANSWER ANALYSIS 10.
Question lype: Add Text
X The sentence before this marker describes how long scientists believe tt took the sea to dry up after being cutoff from
the Atlantic. This is not a good place to add the definition of negative moisture balance.
I The given sentence provides a definition for negative moisture balance. Thus, it most likely belongs after the
sentence in which negative moisture balance is first mentioned.
X The sentence before this marker discusses the event that probably caused the Mediterranean to become closed off from
the Atlantic Ocean. Placing the given sentence here would disrupt the flow of the paragraph.
X The sentence before this marker mentions the effect That negative moisture balance could have on the Mediterranean. It's
unlikely that a definition would be introduced at this point.
76
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: ADD TEXT AND TAKE C,OMPLERON OUESTIONS
3. Complete the table below to summarize information about the causes and effects of the evaporation of the
Mediterranean Sea. Match the appropriate statements to the methods with which they are associated. This question
Is worth 3 points.
Causes and Effects Statements

Factors Leading to the Evaporation of the Select 2
Mediterranean Sea
Consequences of the Evaporation of the Select 3

Mediterranean Sea
Statements
The world's oceans became less salty. [A]
The Mediterranean Sea became a large desert. [B]
The main water source for the Mediterranean was closed off. [C]
Many of the animals that once lived around the Mediterranean died off. [D]
Hypersaline conditions led to the temporary closing of the Strait of Gibraltar. [E]
The sea level of the Atlantic Ocean decreased due to a geological event. [F]
The Mediterranean Sea received too little moisture to replenish the water that evaporated from
it every year. [G]
In paragraph 3, the author says the region turned Into a vast desert
X The author does not mention a connection between hypersalinity and the closing of the Strait of Gibraltar. This chotce
cannot be classified under either category.
_I In paragraph 2, the author says that the Atlantic supplies the Mediterranean with water. Later, the author says
that a geological event caused the Shalt of Gibraltar to close.
X In paragraph 2, the author says that a geological event caused the closing of the Strait of Gibraltar, not a lowering of the
Atlantic's sea level.
In paragraph 2, the author discusses negative moisture balance and its role in the drying of the Mediterranean.
In paragraph 3, the author says that the drying of the Mediterranean led to decreased salinity in the world's
oceans.
In paragraph 3, the author says that biodiversity, or the number of distinct species of animals, in the area
declined because of the hypersaline conditions.
77
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL no°EST READING AND WRITING

Read the passage about a topic in astronomy.
TOEFL Reading
0 0 0 0
ii I IWT1
1:71 111D
Detection of Extrasolar Planets
'An extrasolar planet is a planet that is located outside of Earth's solar system. [a] • Like the planets
in our solar system, which orbit around the sun, extrasolar planets follow the path around stars in
the galaxy. [b] U In addition, these planets may be able to provide information about astronomical
processes like star formation, which could help scientists understand the beginnings of our own solar
system. [c] • However, because they are located outside of the solar system, extrasolar planets are
very difficult to detect. The task of discovering extrasolar planets is further complicated by the fact
that, as mature plans they do not have their own light source, and the intense light from the stars
that they orbit usually obscures them. [d] U Despite these difficulties, scientists have devised several
methods for detecting extrasolar planets.
1 The primary methods for locating extrasolar planets are indirect meaning that they involve taking
measurements from objects other than extrasolar planets themselves. For example, the radial velocity
method involves calculating changes in a star's movement in response to the extrasolar plans orbiting
around it When an extrasolar planet orbits a star, it changes the star's velocity or the speed at which
the star travels. Instruments on Earth that measure the movement of starlight through space can detect
changes in a star's velocity from billions of light-years away. [a] • By calculating these changes for
faraway dais, scientists can determine if there are any extrasolar planets orbiting around them. [b]
II Furthermore, this method provides researchers with information about the mass of the extrasolar
planets that are causing the velocity changes. [c] • Typically, extrasolar planets that are discovered using
this method are very large. [d] • However, researchers are in the process of refining this method in
order to be able to detect smaller planets as well.
'The radial velocity method provides information about the mass of an extrasolar planet but by
using another indirect detection technique called the transit method, scientists can gather other kinds
of information about an extrasolar planet's size [a] II Most importantly the transit method helps
observers to determine an extrasolar planet's radius, which is the distance from the center of a planet to
its surface. [b] • When a planet comes between a star and the instruments used to observe it, the star's
light is momentarily dimmed. [c] • Thus, by measuring the star's light output scientists can determine
if an extrasolar planet has traveled between that star and their telescopes. [d] • Scientists using this
method pay attention not only to the intensity of the star's light output, but to the frequency of any
changes in output as well. By using this information, along with the size of the shadow that an extrasolar
planet casts as it passes in front of a star, scientists are able to figure out a planet's size Planets with a
larger radius cause the light of a star to dim more significantly than it would with smaller plans.
'In addition to these indirect methods, researchers are developing new technology intended to make
it easier to obtain images of extrasolar planets directly They are making advancements toward creating
Glossary: instruments that are capable of filtering out the glare of a star's light and producing extremely dear
images that allow scientists to distinguish extrasolar planets from the stars they orbit Some scientists
C POWERED 1111 GOBU _D
are researching the possibility of adapting the coronagraph, which is a telescope originally used to block
light-year the distance out our sun's light in order to study the fainter light surrounding it [a] • With some modifications,
that light travels in a year
the coronagraph's ability to block out large amounts of light may make it useful for detecting extrasolar
orbit to move around planets. [b] U Unlike ordinary telescopes, an interferometer uses a system of several mirrors and
a sun or moon in a gathers images from many different angles. [c] • By combining the multiple images, the relatively dim
continuous curving path light of extrasolar planets is intensified and is therefore more apparent to scientists. [d] •
78
PROGRESSNE PRACTICE: ADD TEXT AND TABLE COMPLETION QUESTIONS
1. Look at the four squares [0] in paragraph 1 that indicate where the following sentence could be
Research on extrasolar planets is driven primarily by the possibility that other solar
systems may contain planets similar to Earth in that they are capable of supporting life.
a
b
c
d
2. Look at the four squares [E] in paragraph 2 that indicate where the following sentence could be
This is because planets with a larger mass cause more noticeable changes in the speed
of a star's movement.
a
b
Cc
d
Researchers measure the size of extrasolar planets by observing the light a star
produces.
Ca
b
Cc
d
Other researchers are concentrating on interferometry technology.
Ca
b
Cc
d
79
SIOLLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AHD WRMNG
5. Complete the table below to summarize information about the methods for detecting extrasolar planets
discussed in the passage. Match the appropriate statements to the methods with which they are
associated. This question is worth 4 points.
Methods for Detecting

Extrasolar Planets Statements
Indirect Methods Select 4
Direct Methods Select 3
Statements
Allows researchers to determine the distance between an extrasolar planet and
the star it orbits
Involves measuring how fast a star moves as a result of the planets orbiting
around it
Uses technology that makes light from extrasolar planets appear brighter to
observers on Earth
Uses a star's light output to indicate the size of an extrasolar planet
Involves using the light emitted from surrounding planets to detect extrasolar
planets
Employs technology that allows scientists to create clear images of extrasolar
planets
Provides researchers with information about the mass of extrasolar planets
Involves blocking light from stars that may be located near the extrasolar
planet
Currently, one of these methods is not effective for locating small extrasolar
planets.
80
Reading Review Test
The following sec ion will test the skills that you've learned so far. In the Reading
Review Test, you will read hree passages. After each passage, you will answer a set
of 12-14 questions. The difficulty of the reading passages and the questions is the
same as those that appea on the TOEFL® test.
You will have 60 minutes to read all of the passages and answer 39 questions in this
section. See the timing guide below for details on how much time you will have to
answer the questions.
Reading Section Timing Guide

Passage Number of Questions Time to Complete Section
Passage 1 13
Passage 2 12 60 =lutes
Passage 3 14
When you start the review test, be sure to follow the directions exactly as they
appear on the page. Use a clock to time yourself while you answer the questions, and
make sure that you don't take more than 60 minutes for the entire section. After you
complete the review test, check the answer key to see if your answers are correct.
Look at the questions you got wrong and determine what type of questions they are.
Did you have trouble with a particular question type? If so, make sure to review that
question type before you take the TOEFL test.
82
READING REVIEW TEST
PASSAGE 1
Read the passage about a topic in economics.
The Decline of the English Cloth Trade
'After 45 years of the queen's rule, James I succeeded Elizabeth Ito the English throne in
1603, at which point the English economy was struggling. The population of England was
swelling, food production was insufficient, and prices were high. Despite its instability,
a few industries brought reliable income to the English economy. In particular, many
merchants relied on the export of doth to continental Europe. For the first decade of
James I's reign, the cloth trade prospered and was an important source of revenue for the
English. However, the king was to make a serious mistake that would eventually lead to
the fall of the English cloth trade.
In 1614, William Cockayne, an English merchant and politician, proposed that James
I make a dramatic change to the way the English exported cloth. At the time, the English
produced primarily unfinished cloth. This meant that they sold cloth that had not been
dyed, bleached, or otherwise processed. Most often, companies in the Netherlands bought
the plain cloth from England and finished it themselves. The Dutch were experts in the
complex procedures and technologies required to finish cloth, and these processes added
significant value to the unfinished cloth they had purchased from England. As a result,
Dutch cloth companies could sell their goods at much higher prices than the English
could. Hoping to transfer these profits to English companies, Cockayne proposed that the
English finish the cloth themselves to increase the value of their cloth exports. He also
asked James Ito establish a company, which was to function under Cockayne's leadership,
that would control and monopolize the export of finished cloth to continental Europe. The
king was in need of money, and the prospect of increased revenue appealed to him. Thus,
he agreed to Cockayne's plan and, per Cockayne's request, founded the King's Merchant
Adventurers, a company with a primary purpose of exporting finished cloth.
However, Cockayne's plan disrupted the previously steady English cloth trade and
was ultimately ineffective for a number of reasons. First, James l's support of Cockayne's
company created a rift between the king and many powerful English merchants,
particularly the members of the unfinished cloth company called the Merchant
Adventurers, which had been cast aside in favor of Cockayne's group. Furthermore, the
Dutch, who had previously been Europe's main supplier of finished cloth, responded to
English competition by refusing to purchase any English cloth products, and many other
Glossary: European nations did the same. In addition, merchants in other countries refused to ship
POWERED BY COBUILD
English cloth or charged English businesspeople inflated fees for shipping. The resistance
from abroad was particularly damaging to the King's Merchant Adventurers because it
monopoly: a company, could not afford the ships that were necessary to transport its goods to European markets.
person, or state that has
complete control over 4 1n addition to the difficulties caused by its widespread unpopularity, Cockayne's
something so that others company was unable to produce quality goods. For one, Cockayne did not have the funds
cannot become involved to acquire the machines needed to finish cloth. [a] • Moreover, English cloth makers were
in it
not experts in the finishing process and could not match the high-quality finished doth
rift a quarrel or produced by their competitors in the Netherlands. [b) • By 1617, just three years after the
disagreement company was established, lames! had dissolved the King's Merchant Adventurers. [c) •
83
SEMIS FOR THE TOER IBT TF-ST READING AND WRMNG
The failure of the King's Merchant Adventurers did more than bankrupt those who
had supported its efforts. Ecll • The damage Cockayne's plan inflicted on the cloth trade
had disastrous economic effects on other industries as well. Under the King's Merchant
Adventurers, more than 500 families had begun producing finished cloth. However, because
they could not sell it, their ventures failed. This caused unemployment to rise and even
resulted in riots in London and elsewhere. Furthermore, formerly beneficial trade relationships
had been destroyed, and sellers of unfinished cloth had to attempt to reestablish contacts with
European buyers who were willing to purchase their goods. Though James I had returned
power to the members of the Merchant Adventurers, the group resented the damage that
had been done to its business. Business relations were strained both internationally and
domestically as the English cloth trade made a slow recovery from Cockayne's experiment.

1. The word succeeded in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
did away with.
came after.
turned aside.
kept back.
2. The word its in paragraph 1 refers to

population.
food production.
income.
the English economy.
3. In paragraph 1, the author describes insufficient food production as an indication of the

need for the expansion of the English cloth trade.
consequences of heavily emphasizing the cloth trade.
poor state of the English economy in 1603.
king's mismanagement of the country.
4. Based on the information in paragraphs 1 and 2, what can be inferred about the English cloth
trade prior to the establishment of the King's Merchant Adventurers?
It was neglected in favor of the shipping and agriculture industries.
It was the only profitable sector of the English economy.
It was responsible for driving up prices for necessary items in England.
It consisted of multiple companies working with iMemational partners.
5. According to paragraph 2, William Cockayne proposed all of the following changes to the English
cloth trade EXCEPT:
0 The establishment of a company that would exclusively handle the cloth trade
0 A focus on increasing the value of cloth created in England
0 The interruption of cloth supply to merchants in the Netherlands
0 A shift in the primary activities of the English cloth industry
84
READING REVIEW TEST
6. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence
in paragraph 2? Incorrect answer options change the meaning in important ways or leave out
0 The procedures and technologies used to create finished cloth, which were often very complex,
were primarily used by Dutch workers.
Unfinished cloth from England was typically finished by the Dutch, who were experts in the
complicated procedures that resulted in more valuable cloth.
Hnished cloth from England was often more valuable than Dutch cloth due to the complicated
processes used to treat the cloth.
Unfinished cloth from England lost its value because the Dutch were able to create finished cloth
by using expert techniques.
7. Based on the information in paragraph 2, why did the king agree to Cockayne's proposals?
He was desperate to improve the English economy quickly.
He believed that the changes would allow England to expand the cloth industry.
He worried about England's overreliance on trade partnerships with the Netherlands.
He wanted to encourage technological advancement in English industries.
8. According to paragraph 3, what is true about the Merchant Adventurers?

It continued to sell cloth to the Dutch after the execution of Cockayne's plan.
Its members objected to the changes proposed by Cockayne.
It was forced to focus primarily on shipping instead of the cloth trade.
It became the top English trader due to the unpopularity of Cockayne's plan.
9. The word Inflated in paragraph 31s closest in meaning to

unfair.
special.
secret
increased.
10. According to paragraph 4, which of the following was a factor in the King's Merchant
Adventurers inability to create quality goods?
It did not have financial support from the king.
It couldn't afford to pay cloth-finishing experts.
Its employees didn't have the necessary knowledge about finishing cloth.
It had an inadequate supply of unfinished cloth.
11. According to paragraph 5, people in London rioted in response to

0 the restoration of the Merchant Adventurers.
the high rate of joblessness.
0 the unavailability of jobs in the cloth industry.
the bankruptcy of the King's Merchant Adventurers.
85
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
12. Look at the four squares gi in paragraphs 4 and 5 that indicate where the following sentence
could be added to the passage.
He also reinstated the previous cloth export company, the Merchant Adventurers.
Oa
b
c
d
13. Directions: Complete the table below to summarize information about the causes and effects
of the decline of the English cloth trade. Match the appropriate statements to the methods with
which they are associated. This question is worth 3 points.
Causes and Effects Statements

Factors Leading to the Decline Select 2
of the English Cloth Trade
Consequences of the Fall of Select 3

the English Cloth Trade
Statements
With approval from James I, the English competed with their international partners by attempting to
finish their own cloth.
The Dutch sold finished cloth from England at high prices.
English cloth makers were unable to match the quality of cloth products created in other countries.
People who supported the King's Merchant Adventurers lost a lot of money.
Companies in other countries were unwilling to purchase goods from England.
The king created the Merchant Adventurers and made William Cockayne responsible for managing Et.
English makers of unfinished cloth had a strained relationship with the king.
86
READING ANEW TEST
PASSAGE 2
Read the passage about a topic in natural history.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
'In the mid-1800s, scientists discovered the complete skeleton of a dinosaur called Archaeopteryx
lithographica. The creature, which might have grown to a maximum size of about one and a half
feet, was thought to have lived approximately 150 million years ago and, curiously, had features
that resembled not only dinosaurs, but modem birds as well. For instance, while it had sharp
teeth and a bony tail like the dinosaurs of its time, it also had wings and feathers like modem
birds. Despite these similarities to birds, the general consensus within the scientific community
was that the closest living relatives of dinosaurs were reptiles, like lizards and alligators. It
wasn't until 1969, when paleontologists discovered the fossils of a dinosaur called Deinonychus
antirrhopus, that the debate about whether or not birds evolved from dinosaurs was reopened.
' The main problem with the theory linking dinosaurs to modern birds—which was also
the main support for arguments that reptiles were, in fact, the closest living ancestors of
dinosaurs—was the belief that dinosaurs did not have furculae, or wishbones. The main
function of this fork-shaped bone, which is located at the base of the neck on birds, is to
reinforce the skeleton against the many stresses of flight However, fossil evidence found in
recent years has revealed that many dinosaurs did indeed have furculae. For example, the
dinosaurs in the Dromaeosauridae family, a group of bird-like dinosaurs, are all believed to
have had furculae. This discovery contradicts the theory that the bones are unique to birds.
3 1a1 • In addition to the observation of furculae in dinosaur fossils, paleontologists have
identified a number of other structural similarities between birds and dinosaurs. [b] • For
example, comparisons between the skeletons of birds and those of dinosaurs like Velociraptor
mongoliensis and Deinonychus reveal that birds and dinosaurs share many unique skeletal features.
[c] • For instance, Velociraptor fossils show that the creature's front limbs, the construction of
which would have presumably allowed for great flexibility are similar to those of modem birds.
1c11 • On the other hand, no such likenesses exist between dinosaurs and early reptiles.
'Such evidence of structural similarities is only one of many reasons that paleontologists
now generally agree that birds evolved from dinosaurs. Another compelling piece of evidence is
the presence of feathers in both organisms. Fossils of Archaeopteryx, which many experts now
consider to be both a dinosaur and a bird, feature imprints of feathers that closely resemble
those found on modem birds. Since the discovery of Archaeopteryx, paleontologists have
discovered fossils demonstrating that a number of other dinosaurs that were likely related
to Archaeopteryx also had feathers. Furthermore, even the fossils of dinosaurs that were not
related to Archaeopteryx, such as Tyrannosaurus rex, have been found to have long, feather-like
structures that are commonly referred to as protofeathers. According to many paleontologists,
the main function of protofeathers was to insulate dinosaurs from cold temperatures, not to
assist with flight, which accounts for why many flightless dinosaurs may have had them. Because
no other animals besides dinosaurs and birds have been found to have feathers, scientists believe
that the existence of feathers is a strong indication that the two animals are directly related.
Paleontologists have also found evidence that the lungs of dinosaurs were shaped similarly
Glossary:
to birds' lungs. Most animals, including primates, lizards, and frogs, have lungs with two
I.POWERED BY COBUILD compartments. However, birds have extra air sacs in front of and behind their lungs that allow
stresses: strong physica them to keep their lungs inflated constantly. Studies of dinosaur skeletons indicate that some
pressures dinosaurs also had lungs with extra chambers. Like the similarities in skeletal structures and
compartment: a the existence of feathers in both groups, the fact that only birds and dinosaurs have these extra
separate part or space lung chambers reveals that birds probably evolved from dinosaurs and are thus their closest
living relatives.
87
SKILLS FOR IRE TOEFL 1131 TEST READING AND WRMNG
14. In paragraph 1, the author mentions wings and feathers in order to
point out features shared by Archaeopteryx and modern birds.
explain the small size of Archaeopteryx fossils.
argue thatArchaeopteryxwas most likely a bird and not a dinosaur.
describe what Archaeopteryx probably looked like.
15. The word consensus in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
question.
debate.
evidence.
agreement.
16. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence
0 The idea that dinosaurs did not have wishbones was the chief difficulty in proving that modem
birds were related to dinosaurs.
Many people believed that reptiles were the closest living ancestors of dinosaurs because, like
dinosaurs, they do not have furculae.
0 The main reason that scientists couldn't link modem birds and dinosaurs was because they
could not find furculae in most modem bird species.
Dinosaurs' presumed lack of wishbones made people think that birds, not reptiles, were their
closest living ancestors.
17. The word reinforce in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
prepare.
strengthen.
protect.
extend.
18. The discovery of dinosaur fossils with furculae was important because it
indicated that several bird species had already evolved during the time of dinosaurs.
proved that many reptilian animals, including dinosaurs, had furculae.
cast doubt on the theory that reptiles were the closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
helped scientists determine the purpose of furculae in non-bird species.
What can be inferred about dinosaurs in the Dromaeosawidae family?
0 They were closely related to Archaeopteryx.
0 They were able to fly.
0 They were the only dinosaurs that had furculae.
0 They were small compared to other dinosaurs.
The word those in paragraph 3 refers to

Velociraptor fossils.
front limbs.
likenesses.
early reptiles.
88
READING REVIEW TEST
21. The word compelling in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to

persuasive.
conflicting.
recent.
sufficient.
22. According to paragraph 4, what is true about protofeathers?
0 They were likely the type of feathers that Archaeopteryx had.
Only bird-like dinosaurs had them.
0 They probably helped dinosaurs stay warm.
Some modem birds have been found to have them.
23. According to paragraph 5, what do primates and lizards have in common?
0 They have a more elaborate lung structure than dinosaurs did.
0 They are able to keep their lungs full of air constantly.
0 Their lungs have a similar structure.
They have other organs in addition to lungs to help them breathe.
24. Look at the four squares MO in paragraph 3 that indicate where the following sentence could
be added tome passage.
Scientists have also observed structural similarities in the skulls and necks of some
dinosaurs and birds.
a
b
c
d
25. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the
summary by selecting the THREE answer options that express the most important ideas in the
passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary, because they express ideas that are
not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
Today, there is evidence showing that modem birds, not reptiles, are probably the
closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
•
•
•
Answer Options
1.The shape of the forelimb in many dinosaurs would have allowed for great flexibility and movement.
Many dinosaurs had feathers or protofeathers, making them the only other creatures besides birds
known to have any type of feather.
Dinosaur skeletons have revealed that dinosaurs probably had multiple-chambered lungs, as do birds.
Dinosaurs and birds have several structural similarities, including the presence of furculae.
Like modem birds, not all feathered dinosaurs could fly.
Scientists have believed that modem reptiles evolved from dinosaurs since the discovery of
Archaeopteryx lithograph/ca fossils in the mid-1800s.
89
SIOLLS FORME TOR IDLEST READING AND WRMNG
PASSAGE 3
Read the passage about a topic in marketing.
Pricing Approaches in Marketing
'An important part of marketing is determining what price to charge consumers for goods
and services. Companies aspire to set prices that are high enough to allow them to make
a profit but low enough to encourage people to purchase their products. To determine
these prices, marketing specialists must consider a variety of factors and use a number of
different pricing approaches.
Cost-based approaches determine the price of a product based on how much it
costs to make. This is the simplest method because manufacturers can easily determine
how much it will cost them to produce their goods. After they calculate the price of
materials and labor, they add a set percentage to that cost, called a standard markup,
which covers advertising, marketing, and other administrative costs, as well as profit.
For instance, rather than determining the exact price of a new building before they start
to build it, construction companies will often give estimates about prices based on the
cost of materials, equipment, and labor, plus a markup of 20 percent. The final price is
not calculated until after the building is completed, when the company adds the markup
amount to its total building costs.
The main advantage to the cost-based approach to pricing is its simplicity. By using this
method, businesses do not need to adjust their prices constantly based on changes in the
market for their goods. However, the inability to account for important factors relating to
the market is also the weakness of the cost-based approach. This is why many businesses
also use more complex approaches to determine their prices.
In many industries, producers often pay less attention to their own costs and set prices
based on those of their leading competitors instead. This is called competition-based
pricing. Competition-based pricing often relies on the going rate, or the average price that
consumers expect to pay for a good or service. If five companies are selling plastic tubing
for two dollars per foot, a sixth company is unlikely to be successful selling that same kind
of tubing for three dollars per foot. Thus, even if the sixth company's production costs are
higher, they cannot afford to set their prices higher than their competitors' prices.
Competition-based pricing sometimes puts small businesses at a disadvantage. Because
they can buy their materials or production machinery in bulk, very large companies often
have lower production costs than smaller companies do. In order to compete, smaller
companies cannot depend on cost-based pricing. They often set their prices lower than
those of their larger competitors, even though their production costs may be higher, in
order to make their products attractive to consumers and build or maintain their customer
base. These sellers will also combine cost-based and competition-based pricing in order to
find the most competitive price that will yield the highest profit after costs are subtracted.
IMEr While cost-based and competition-based pricing are largely based on objective
POWERED BY COBUILD
mathematical factors, like production costs and average prices, buyer-based approaches are
in bulk: in large based on individual perspective. [a] • Perceived value is how much consumers feel an item
quantities is worth, as opposed to its actual monetary value. [b] • For example, a product like a pet
monetary: relating to rock, which is simply an ordinary rock marketed as a pet, has very little actual monetary
money value. [c] • Marketers will not use production costs to set their price, because this would
make the price too low. [d] • Instead, they must determine how much consumers feel
their product is worth.
90
READING BREW TEST
' Because perceived value is subjective, it is difficult to calculate. One common strategy
for determining the perceived value of a product is to interview people in focus groups,
small groups of people who share their feelings about a product with market experts.
The responses of focus groups often change according to the group being interviewed, so
experts try to interview a large enough sample to get useful information. Along with focus
groups and market experts, some businesses may even employ psychologists to help them
understand the minds and emotions of consumers so that they can create products that
people will see as valuable. The more perceived value an item has, the more a company can
charge for that item, regardless of its production costs or the prices set by competitors.
26. The word aspire in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

decide.
hurry
aim.
attempt
27. The phrase account for in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

summarize.
0 take into consideration.
formulate.
make clear.
28. In paragraph 4, the author implies that a company with higher production costs couldn't afford
to charge more than Its competitors because the company would
lose money because customers would choose its competitors' products.
be expected to lower its production costs to match its competitors' costs.
have to buy equipment that would lower its production costs.
be forced to use the same pricing strategies as its top competitors.
29. According to paragraph 5, all of the following are ways that small businesses are disadvantaged
by competition-based pricing approaches EXCEPT:
it provides benefits for companies that buy materials in bulk.
it favors companies with low production costs.
It promotes the use of a single pricing strategy.
It encourages sellers to set prices lower than their costs will allow.
30. The word yield in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to

balance.
result in.
0 withhold.
make larger.
91
SKLIS FOR 1NEIDER IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
According to paragraph 5, what can be inferred about large businesses?

0 They are more likely to use only one pricing approach.
0 Their prices are influenced by the pricing strategies of small businesses.
0 They spend less money on marketing than small businesses do.
0 They tend to have higher production costs when using competition-based pricing.
The word objective in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to
accessible.
improper.
Impartial.
precise.
33. According to paragraph 6, what do cost-based and competition-based approaches have in

common?
0 They are based on the value of a product or service.
They depend on measurable information.
0 They rely equally on personalized information and averages.
0 They focus on the costs to the customer.
Why does the author mention a pet rock in paragraph 6?

0 To give an example of a product with a low perceived value
0 To illustrate why using perceived value is appropriate for certain products
0 To contrast the actual and perceived value of a specific item
0 To explain how buyer-based and competition-based pricing can be used together
Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence
In order to determine the perceived value of a product, some focus groups interview experts
about their feelings on a product.
Interviewing people in focus groups is one way that market experts determine the perceived
value of a product.
Focus groups allow market experts to interview people about how they form their ideas about
the value of an item.
One strategy for interviewing small groups of people about perceived value involves asking
them how they feel about a product.
36. The word they in paragraph 7 refers to
market experts.
businesses.
psychologists.
consumers.
92
READING REMY TEST
37. According to paragraph 7, what is NOT true about an item's perceived value?
It allows companies to set prices without concem for other marketing factors.
It may vary from group to group.
It reflects the psychology of the consumer.
It is often higher than the actual value.
38. Look at the four squares [11] in paragraph 6 that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage.
In buyer-based pricing, companies set prices based on the perceived value of a commodity.
a
b
c
d
39. Directions: Complete the table below to summarize information about the approaches to
pricing discussed in the passage. Match the appropriate statements to the methods with which
they are associated. This question is worth 4 points.
Pricing Approach Statements

Cost-based Select 2
Competition-based Select 2
Buyer-based Select 3
Statements
Helps companies set prices for items that have lithe actual value
Forces some companies to set lower prices than they can afford in order to be able to compete
The simplest way of determining the price of a product
Rarely used in combination with other pricing strategies
Often involves the use of focus groups or psychologists in order to understand how much a
customer might think a product is worth
Not suitable for products that have little actual value
The price of a product depends on the cost of making the product, including labor and, in some
cases, a standard markup.
Prices are based on how consumers feel about the price of a product
Companies set prices based on how much other businesses charge for the same product.
93
Overview of the Writing Section
-
The writing section is the fourth and final part of the TOEFL° test. It tests your ability
to create written responses based on two different types of prompts. For the first
prompt, you will read a short passage, listen to an academic lecture on the same
topic, then write an essay which combines information from both sources. For the
second prompt, you will read a short question about a familiar topic and write an
essay in response to that question.
QUICK GUIDE: TOEFL® Test Writing Section

Definition The writing section tests your ability to understand written and spoken English
and respond to prompts in writing. For each question, you MN be required to
understand the task lifnow how to write a well-organized essay, and incorporate
main ideas and details to answer the question.
Targeted In order to do well on the writing section you must be able to:
Skills • understand prompts that appear in writing.
take notes on material you hear and read, then combine them to mate a
well-organized essay.
summarize and paraphrase ideas from a listening and/or reading passage.
express your ideas or the ideas of other people about a subject.
create a well-organized essay in a limited time.
The The writing section includes two questions. The first question is an integrated
Questions task and the second question is an independent task (for more information about
question types, see page 107-136).
liming The time that you have to prepare and respond to each question varies by
question type.
Question 1: Integrated Task Question 2: Independent Task

Reading* 3 minutes n/a
Listening 3-5 minutes n/a
Writing Time 20 minutes Writing Time 30 minutes
The entire section takes approximately 60 minutes to complete.
*Remember, you will be able to see the reading on the screen while you write
your essay but you will not be able to replay the listening passage.
95
SKILLS FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
Writing Section: What You'll See and Hear

On-screen Tools
When you work on the writing section, you will have a number of on-screen tools to
help you with the writing process. Familiarize yourself with the tools shown below
and how to use them.
(b) (h) 9) 00 (I) (I) (c) (9) (9) (e) (ra)
!
TOEFL Writing
Question 1 of 2
Type your response here. 1— (n)

Section Tools Editing Tools
indicates what section of the test you allows you to erase ("Cut") or move a
are currently working on portion of the text that you highlight.
shows which question you are When you dick "Cut", the text will
currently working on disappear. You can then paste the text
allows you to adjust the volume of the somewhere else in the typing area
listening passage. When you click on (see i).
this button, you will be able to move a allows you to insert ("Paste") text that
slider up or down in order increase or you previously cut. Simply move your
decrease the volume. cursor to where you want to place text.
allows you to get important When you click "Paste, the text you
information about the section. Keep cut earlier will reappear.
in mind that the dock will continue to (I) lets you erase or "Undo" the last
count down if you click on this button. change you made.
used to move on to the next question. (k) reverses the undo action. Your screen
allows you to hide / view the will look the same as before you clicked g
countdown dock on "Undo".
shows how much time is left to write (1) allows you to hide / view the number
your essay of words you've typed
shows how many words you've typed
in your essay
the words you type will appear in this
part of the screen
Screen-by-Screen Process
You will see a number of screens in the writing section. Review the screens
shown below in order to familiarize yourself with the different screens that you will
encounter on the day of the test.
Instructions: First, you will see a screen that gives you general information about the section. This
screen will include general informabon about the two tasks in the section and how much time you'll have
to write your essays for each question. In addition to reading the information on the screen, the narrator
will read the instructions. You must wait until the narrator has finished reading the instructions before you
are allowed to move on to the next screen.
Question 1 Directions: The next screen gives you directions for the integrated reading / lecture
synthesis task. It describes the task, how much time you will have to write, and how many words you
should include in your essay.
96
OVERVIEW OF ITIE WRITING SECTION
Reading screen: Next, you will see the reading passage on left side of the screen. The clock on the
upper right part of the screen counts down three minutes. When She three minutes are over, the narrator
says: "Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about."
Listening screen: When the screen changes, the reading will disappear and you will see a picture of
a university setting. The lecture will start immediately alter the screen changes. The progress of the
passage is marked by a blue bar in the center bottom of the screen. For example, if hair of the bar is
blue, the listening is half over. Use this bar to gauge how much time is left in the listening passage.
Prompt screen: On the next screen, you will see the directions for the task under the on-screen tools.
You will see the question under the directions. The reading passage will reappear on the left side of the
screen. You will have space to type your essay on the right half of the screen.
TOEFL Writing
r 0 o
Question I of 2 00110 Go : 20 , 00
LS-Lti 22!'i
Directions: You have 20 minutes to prepare, write, and revise
your response. Your essay will be graded based on your abdity to
communicate dearly through writing and on how well your essay
'Type your response here
demonstrates the relationship between the points in the lecture
and those in the reading. An effective response madly contains
150-225 words.
Television has influenced society in many

ways since its invention in the early 1900s, and
now new studies are showing that educational
television shows have a positive effect on
children's development. There are several
reasons why this is true...
End of Task 1 Screen / Confirmation Screen: When the 20 minutes are over, you will see a screen
alerting you that the time is up and that you will now move on to the next task.
If you click on "Next" before the 20 minutes are over, you will see a confirmation screen that informs you
that you still have time to work on your essay. It also reminds you that if you choose to continue, you will
not be able to return to it at a later time. Consider carefully whether you want to proceed or return to your
essay.
Question 2 Directions: The next screen gives you directions for the personal experiences task. It
describes what you will have to dolor the task, how much time you will have to write, and how many
words you should include in your response.
Prompt Screen: Next, you will see the prompt screen. On the left side, you will see a box that has the
directions for the task. Under that box, you will see the prompt. On the right side of the screen, you will
see the editing tools and the text entry area.
97
SKILLS FOR ME TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
TOEFL Wriling n..r.1 .10

0 0 0
Question 2 of 2 It.- 00 30 DO
Directioar Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to prepare, oue wool o
aerlirisarst osereri
sour response. An effective response usually conama
wo
Type your response here
Question:
Do you agree or disagree with the following
statement?
It is necessary to be competitive in order to

succeed in life.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your

response.
9 End of Task 2 Screen / Confirmation Screen: When the 30 minutes are over, you will see a screen
alerting you that the time is done.
If you dick on "Next" before the 30 minutes are over, you will see a confirmation screen that informs
you that you still have time to work on your essay. It also reminds you that if you choose to continue,
you will not be able to return to it at a later time. Consider carefully whether you want to proceed or
return to your essay.
10. End of section screen: This screen tells you that you have finished the writing section.
Writing Section: Task Types

In the writing section, there are two types of tasks: integrated questions and
independent questions. The main difference between the types of tasks is the skills
involved in answering them.
Integrated Task Independent Task

The first task in the writing section (Reading / The second question (Personal Experience Essay)
Lecture Synthesis Essay) is an integrated task. is an independent task. For this question, you will
This task requires you to use a combination of write an essay about a general topic.
reading, listening, and writing skills.
VViiting Section: Scoring

The essays that you type for the writing section are saved and sent to ETS, where
they are scored by human raters. Two raters will review your response and give it
a rating of 1 to 5. The scores are then added and converted to a score that falls on
the 0-30 score range.
When scoring your responses, the raters will read the entire essay and assign you
a rating based on your overall skill. This means that it's possible to make a few
mistakes and still receive a top score as long as your overall response fulfills the
general scoring criteria described below:
98
OVEFMEW OF THE MMHG SEC11014
Scoring What Raters Will Be Looking For in What Raters Will Be Looking For in
Category the Responses to Question 1 the Responses to Question 2
Topic • You connected information from both Your introduction clearly stated
Development the reading passage and the lecture. whether you agreed or disagreed with
You explained the professor's position the statement,
by providing specific details from the You explained each of your key points
lecture by using specific personal examples
You wrote between 125 and 225 and details
words. You wrote at least 300 words
Organization You wrote a five-paragraph essay that You wrote a five paragraph essay that
and Clarity included an introduction, three body included an introduction, three body
paragraphs, and a conclusion. paragraphs and a conclusion.
Each body paragraph addresses a key You used transitions to improve the
point from the reading as well as the flow of your essay.
professor's position on that point. Each body paragraph introduced
You used transition words throughout a distinct key point which you
your essay. supported with personal details and
examples.
Language • You used correct grammar and punctuation.
Usage • You made few, if any, spelling errors.
You used a variety of sentence structures and displayed a broad vocabulary
99
DatiS FOR THE TOER 'BITES READING AND MIRING

n CHALLENGE 1: "I don't have time to write a complete essay."
SOLUTION: Know the template for fully answering each question. That way you know what information
you must include in your essay in order to get a high score. Then you can spend the majority of your time
organizing your essay and thinking of good supporting details.
Template for Task 1 Template for Task 2

Paragraph 1: Main topic from reading; Main topic Paragraph 1: Topic sentence; Summary of
from the lecture Key Points
Paragraph 2: Key Point 1 from reading; Key Point I Paragraph 2: Key Point 1; Personal details
from lectures Support from lecture
Paragraph 3: Key Point 2 from reading; Key Point 2 Paragraph 3: Key Point 2; Personal details
from lecture; Support from lecture
Paragraph 4: Key Point 3 from reading; Key Point 3 Paragraph 4: Key Point 3; Personal details
from lecture; Support from lecture
Paragraph 5: Conclusion Paragraph 5: Conclusion
SOLUTION: Be aware of how much time you have. On the day of the test, you will see how much time
is remaining on the on-screen clock that appears on the upper right side of the screen. While you work,
be sure to check the clock. Use the following timing guide while you write:
Timing for Task I Timing for Task 2

Total time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes
Time on Time on the
the Clock What you should be doing Clock What you should be doing
20:00-18:00 Review notes and write a quick 30:00-25:00 Read the prompt carefully
outline. Just write a few words to and brainstorm the topic.
help you remember what you will Try to come up with as many
write down points as you can for each side.
Choose the side with the most
supporting points.
18:00-4:00 Write your essay. Be sure that 25:00-4:00 Write your essay. Be sure that
your essay has five paragraphs your essay has five paragraphs
and that you indude specific and that you include personal
details from the professor's details to support your key
lecture in your essay. points.
4:00-0:00 Review and edit your essay. Be 4:00-0:00 Review and edit your essay. Be
sure to look for misspelled words sure to look for misspelled words
and ungrammatical sentences. and ungrammatical sentences.
SOLUTION: Practice typing as much as possible before the test. On the day of the test, you will have to
type your essay on the computer. If you do not type fast, you will not be able to write your essay within
the given time. So you should make sure to practice typing before the test in order to improve your typing
speed.
100
OVERVIEW OF THE WRMRG SECTION
CHALLENGE 2: "I'm afraid that the raters will not understand the ideas in my essay."
SOLUTION: Use transition words. Transition words are expressions that connect two sentences together
by indicating a shift in focus, continuing in the same line of thinking, drawing a conclusion, clarifying
a point, indicating sequence, etc. if you use transition words throughout your essay, you will be able
to improve the flow of your response and make it easier to understand. Use the following table as a
reference of transition language and their uses:
Function Transition Language
Shift in focus but nonetheless

conversely on the contrary
despite on the other hand
however, still
in contrast though
nevertheless yet
Continuing in the same line additionally furthermore

of thinking also in addition
and likewise
besides that moreover
Drawing a conclusion accordingly hence

as a result indeed
consequently therefore
for that reason thus
Clarifying a point in other words that is to say

specifically namely
Indicating Sequence after later

as soon as meanwhile
before next
finally soon
in the first place then
Giving Examples For example,...

Take X, for instance.
One example of X is...
SOLUTION: Work on improving your spelling. Remember, the word processing tool on the test does not
include a spell checker. While a few misspelled words won't affect your score, if you spell a lot of words
incorrectly, it may keep the raters from understanding your meaning. One way to improve your spelling
is to read a lot. This is because the more you see words in English, the more you will understand how
common words are spelled. Another way to help your spelling is to practice writing.When you check your
writing, circle all the misspelled words and make sure you learn how to spell them correctly.
SOLUTION: Don't use an idiomatic expression unless you are sure you know what it means. When the
raters score your essay, they will look at how well you can use idiomatic expressions. However, if you use
an idiomatic expression incorrectly, it will only harm your score.
101
SIMS FOR THE TOR V TEST HEADING AND WRMNG
s CHALLENGE 3: "I have trouble talking about opinions."

SOLUTION: Know when you will be required to express opinions. Question I asks you to describe the
opinions of the professor while Question 2 requires you to give your opinion. Knowing this information will
help you prepare before you take the test. Use the table below to help you know when and how to use
opinion language.
Whose Opinion Will You Expressions You Can Use in Your

Question Give? Response
Question 1: State the opinion of professor The professor feels that ...
Academic Reading / The professor will dearly In the lecture, the professor says that
Listening Synthesis Task express agreement or Xis a good / bad idea.
disagreement with the main The professor says she supports /
topic and provide three Opposes...
reasons to support this In the professor's opinion, Xis
position. good / bad...
The professor's view is that Xis
Do nar give your own opinion positive / negative...
for this tasld The professor agrees / disagrees with
the claim that...
Question 2: Personal Give your own opinion about While some people think that X, I
Experience Task whether you agree or disagree personally believe that...
with the statement I know that some people feel
differently, but ifs my opinion
It's my opinion that .. .

I agree/disagree with the idea
that...
Other people might disagree, but my
view is that...
SOLUTION: Learn basic citation skills. On the academic reading / lecture synthesis task, you have
to talk about attitudes that come from either a reading passage or an audio passage. Use the following
citation expressions to indicate whether the information came from the reading or the lecture.
Expressions for Citing the Source

The author / professor thinks / feels that ...
The author / professor agrees / disagrees / opposes / supports...
According to the passage / professor, ...
In the conversation, the professor says / argues / points out / makes the point that...
In the reading / lecture, the author / professor says....
The author / professor supports X by saying / pointing out / arguing / giving an example of...
102
OVERVIEW OF THE WRMNG SECTION
s CHALLENGE 4: "For the academic reading / lecture synthesis task, I'm supposed to reword the
information from the passage and the lecture, but this is very difficult for me."
SOLUTION: Make sure you completely understand the meaning of what you are trying to paraphrase.
When you paraphrase, you put the information from a source in your own words. But you can't do this
effectively if you don't fully understand the meaning. Remember, the reading will appear on the screen,
so you will be able to refer to the passage and review parts that you want to paraphrase to make
sure you understand them. For the lecture, you should review your notes to make sure that you fully
understand the main points made by the professor
SOLUTION: Leam synonyms for common words that appear on the test After all, part of paraphrasing
involves using synonyms of key terms and phrases. So, by learning synonyms of words that commonly
appear on the test, you will be able to paraphrase with ease. To practice, reread one of the reading
passages for the integrated wilting task in this book. Choose 10-15 key words that appear in the
passage. Then look in a thesaurus for synonyms of these words and make a list to study and team. You
can then use these synonyms in your paraphrased sentence. See below for examples of how to use
synonyms in your paraphrases.
Original Wording Paraphrased Version Using Synonyms

A Lazarus taxon is a species' that was once Types of organisms' that were thought' be
believed' to have been extinct, but is later found to extinct and are later found to still exist' are
be alive'. called a Lazarus taxon.
One advantage of using surveys' for data Conducting surveys' in order to collect data'
collection' is that it allows' researchers' to ask' is advantageous because it gives scientists' the
consumers' questions about their attitudes and opportunity' to question' customers' about
shopping behavior. their attitudes and shopping behavior.
SOLUTION: Don't copy the words and ideas exactly as they appear in a source. Paraphrasing is putting
the ideas from a source into your own words. If you simply copy words and sentences from the reading
passage, you will receive a zero for your essay. To avoid copying, check the original source after you
create a paraphrase. Is the sentence structure and vocabulary different? if your paraphrase is too similar
to the original, be sure to change it by using different types of sentence structures and synonyms of key
words. Also, if you write down exactly what the professor says in your notes, be sure to put those words
in quotation marks. That way, you will remember to paraphrase in your essay and not pass those words
off as your own.
SOLUTION: Practice paraphrasing.The best way to improve your paraphrasing skills is to practice. And
a reading passage from the reading section of this book. Then choose a paragraph to paraphrase. Put
the passage away and try paraphrasing. When you are done, compare your paraphrase with the source.
Did you change key words by using synonyms? Also, did you change the sentence structures? Practice
paraphrasing one paragraph a day until you feel confident about your paraphrasing skills.
103
SKILLS FORTHE TOEli RH TEST READING AND WRMNG
u CHALLENGE 5: "There's too much information to remember on the academic reading / lecture
synthesis task."
SOLUTION: During the integrated task, you will read a passage, then Osten to the lecture about the
same topic. You don't have to worry about taking notes on the reading passage because you will see it on
your screen while you write your essay. However, you will need to take notes on the lecture. The lectures
may include a lot of information, but remember that you are allowed to take notes during this portion of
the test. Because of this, it's important to develop your note-taking skills. Use the following note-taking
strategies to help you write down the most important information:
Use abbreviations. You won't have enough time to write everything out, so be sure to use shorter
forms whenever possible. Also, use abbreviations that make sense to you—Et won't matter if you write
something down if you don't remember what it means. See the table below for tips for abbreviations.
Then, practice writing down things you hear using abbreviations, but remember to be sure you
understand what they mean!
Abbreviation Tip Examples

Use numerals instead of writing out numbers one, two, three, etc.-)1, 2,3, etc
Leave the vowels out of a word conversation, forest, novel -> cnyrstn, frst, nvl
Use symbols instead of words Jane and Jack -) Jane+Jack
Jane or Jack -> Jane / Jack
Everyone except Jack --> Everyone -Jack
The numbers increased -) The #s T
eight hundred dollars -> $800
fifty percent-) 50%
at -) @
Other common abbreviations without -> w/o because -> b/c
within -4 w/in before -> b4
approximately -> approx. example-* ex
et cetera -* etc. regarding -) re
Study the table below for the basic information you should be writing down during the academic
lecture:
What you should write down

Whether the professor agrees or disagrees with the main topic from the reading
Three reasons that the professor gives for either agreeing or disagreeing
Details such as studies or discoveries that support each of the professor's key points
Organize your notes as you write. It can be very helpful to write headings for all of the information you
need to write down (Main Idea, Key Point 1, Support, etc.) Then, if you leave room beneath each of the
above points, you can write down supporting details under them later.
104
OVERVIEW OF THE WRITING SECMON
CHALLENGE 6: "I have a hard time choosing what to write about on the Personal Experience
Task."
SOLUTION: Practice brainstorming techniques. Brainstorming involves thinking about the topic and
trying to come up with major supporting details quickly. One technique you might find useful is to spend
a minute or two writing down all of the points you can think of for both sides of the argument Don't
worry about whether the points you're writing down are good or not—sometimes, writing down a weak
point will help you think of a better one. Try this technique for the topics in this book. When you are done,
review your notes from brainstorming. Can you think of a way to adjust the technique so it works better
for you?
SOLUTION: Don't waste time considering which point to support. When you are writing your personal
experience essay, you should choose the position that is easiest for you to support. You can determine
this by looking at the notes you've created when you brainstormed. Which side has more points? Also,
remember that there are no right or wrong opinions on the TOEFL test. In other words, you are not being
graded based on your opinions themselves. Whats really important is how well you support your opinion
in your essay.
SOLUTION: Don't be afraid of making up personal examples to include in your essay. For the personal
experience task, you are required to support all key points with relevant personal examples. However,
nobody is going to check whether your personal examples are true or not. tf you have to change the
details of one of your examples so that it supports your key point better, go ahead and do it. It will make
your essay even stronger.
SOLUTION: Make a list of familiar topics and practice coming up with key points for them. Give yourself
about two to three minutes to think of key points for each topic. That way, you'll get used to thinking of
supporting points in limed conditions like you'll have to on the day of the test. Use the topics from the list
below or try to come up with your own topics:
Some people think it is important to get a degree from a top school in order to get a good job.
Others feel that real-world experience is more helpful for getting a good job. Which do you think
is more important and why? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
Teachers are the most influential people in a child's life.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Some people think that having a good diet is the most important factor for physical health,
Others think that exercise plays a larger role in health. Which do you think is true and why? Use
reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
It is best to travel before starting a career.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
105
Overview of Question Ty oes
on trt Wrifing Section
Question Type Skills Description
Integrated Task: Reading • First you will read a paccage about an academic subject.
Academic Listening • Then, you will listen to a professor's lecture on the same
Reading / Lecture Writing topic.
Synthesis Essay • The question will ask you to combine information from
the reading passage and the lecture.
Response Time: 20 minutes
Independent Task Writing • The question will ask you whether you agree or disagree
Personal Experience with a statement, usually related to a familiar topic. You
Essay need to answer the question and use your experiences to
support your answer.
Response Time: 30 minutes
106
ifi
lata
AA
Academic Reading /
Lecture Synthesis
For witting task 1, you will first read a passage on an academic topic, and then you
will listen to an audio passage on the same topic. Next, you will see a prompt that
asks you to combine information from the reading passage and the lecture.
The prompt for the academic reading / lecture synthesis task may be
worded as follows:
)> Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they challenge the points
made in the reading.
Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they support the points made
in the reading.
Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they cast doubt on the
points made in the reading passage.
First, a short academic reading passage will appear on your computer screen. The
reading passage is typically between 250 and 300 words and will remain on the
screen for about three minutes. After these three minutes, the reading passage will
disappear, but it will reappear after the listening passage is over, and you will be
able to see it while you are typing your response. The reading passage for writing
task 1 is always about an academic subject that may include the following:
anthropology biology literature
art history botany psychology
astronomy environmental science sociology
The reading passage is typically organized as follows:

Introduction of the topic
Point 1
Supporting details
Point 2
Supporting details
Point 3
Supporting details
107
SKILLS FOR THE TOR IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
The audio passage is an academic lecture given by a university professor. You will hear it
after you read the text and before you type your response. You will hear the lecture only
once, so take good notes! In the lecture, the professor either casts doubt on or supports
the points made in the reading passage. "To cast doubt on" means that the professor
disagrees with the main claim of the reading and provides three points that show why the
claim is wrong. Please note that in the majority of cases, the professor casts doubt on the
points from the reading rather than supporting them. The listening passage is typically
organized as follows:
Statement of agreement or disagreement
Point 1
Supporting details
Point 2
Supporting details
Point 3
Supporting details
rcrite
tette You will then be asked to summarize and integrate the information from the reading and the
Ares t listening passages. In your response, you will need to use only the information provided
by the reading passage and lecture. You do not need to have specific knowledge of any
academic subject in order to respond effectively.
EST TIP!
For the writing section,
you will have to type
your response. Be
sure to practice typing
as much as possible
bet ore the test in order
to improve your typing
speed and accuracy.
108
QUESTION TYPE: ACADEMIC READING LECTURE SYNTHESIS
Academic Reading / Lecture

QUICK GUIDE: Synthesis Task
Definition The academic reading / lecture synthesis task requires you to create a
typed response that describes how a lecture either supports or challenges
information presented in a reading passage.
The Question After you read the passage and listen to the lecture, you will hear the
narrator ask a question.
The question asks you how the points in the lecture either support or
challenge the points made in the reading.
The question and the reading passage will remain on your screen until you
have completed your response. You will hear the lecture only once.
You will have 20 minutes to plan and type your response. A clock on the
screen will show how much time you have left to complete the task.
There is no minimum word count for your essay. However, in order to get a
top score, you should write between 150 and 225 words for this task.
Targeted In order to achieve a high score for the academic reading / lecture synthesis
Skills task, you must:
identify the major points in the reading and the lecture.
determine whether the professor supports or challenges the points made in
the reading.
analyze the writing prompt and understand what information you need to
include in your response.
create an outline for your response
connect information from both sources and correctly cite where the
information came from.
organize your response so It is clear and easy to understand.
A Great A top-scoring response will be between 150 and 225 words. It will dearly
Response identify the important points or ideas from the lecture and accurately describe
how the lecture either challenges or supports the information from the
reading. The response should be well organized, use topic sentences, provide
specific details, cite the source of the information, and generally be easy to
understand.
Things to Take good notes and make sure that you understand the professor.
Remember Organize your notes so you can clearly see each key point from the reading
and the corresponding points from the lecture.
Begin your typed response by briefly summarizing the main ideas of both
the reading and the lecture. Be sure to describe whether the professor
supports or casts doubt on the points from the reading.
Your essay should have three body paragraphs. Each body paragraph
should address one point from the reading and the professor's supporting
point or counterpoint from the lecture. Don't forget to include the
supporting details from the lecture for each key point!
Write a concluding sentence that restates the main point of the reading and
the main point of the lecture. In total, you should have frve paragraphs: an
introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Use the time given to plan, write, and proofread your essay.
109
SKILLS FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING MID WRITING
WALK THROUGH: Academic Reading / Lecture Synthesis Task

A Below is a sample academic reading / lecture synthesis task. Read the passage and then listen to the
lecture. While you read and listen, underline the information in the passage and the sample script that
you think will be important to include in a response. Q CD1, Track 2
TOE FL Writing
Han sta)
0 0
Question 1 of 2 00 :18: 5'1
Television has influenced society in many ways since its invention Htde Wool Count I 0
in the early 1900s, and now new studies are showing that
educational television shows have a positive effect on children's
development. There are several reasons why this is true.
First, watching a few hours of educational programming a
week has been proven to boost children's test scores. Researchers
found that in a group of 200 preschool-age children, those who
watched educational programs had higher reading, vocabulary,
and math scores than those who did not. Another study showed
that educational programs assist in language acquisition by helping
infants and toddlers develop speech more quickly.
Furthermore, watching educational television programs
together can be an important bonding activity for families.
Current studies continue to demonstrate the importance of family
bonding time in creating emotionally healthy and well-adjusted
children. Family bonding is linked to higher rates of academic
success. In addition, research shows that it also promotes increased
physical health, as well as a healthy ability to relate to others.
Finally, there are a wide variety of excellent educational
programs available, and the quality of these programs is closely
monitored. Governments in several countries have passed laws
and regulations to ensure that educational programming meets
certain standards of excellence. The regulations set by these
laws are enforced, and program producers must adhere to them.
Therefore, it's guaranteed that children are exposed to only the
highest quality of television programming.
110
QUESTION TYPE: ACADEMIC READING / LECTURE SYNTHESIS
SAMPLE SCRIPT 110 Professor: It seems that TV is everywhere

for reference only, these days, especially in the home. There are
not available in test a lot of contradicting views about the impact
of T'V on families and especially on young
children. Overall, though, evidence indicates
that watching educational programs on
TV is not particularly beneficial for young
toddlers and preschoolers.
Although some studies do indicate that
watching educational programming boosts
test scores, there are plenty of studies that
directly contradict this notion. In fact, one
research team found that watching TV of
any kind was harmful to brain development
in young children. Specifically, children
under three years old who were exposed to
a well-known educational program showed
delayed speech development in comparison to those who watched no TV at all.
Second, it's true that family bonding time is an important part of emotional development for
children. Unfortunately, studies show that parents are present with their children during just
32 percent of the time that kids watch TV In addition, watching TV together simply is not an
effective form of bonding. Although family members might be physically present while watching
TV, there is no direct interaction between the individuals. Research shows that for bonding to
take place, more contact and communication needs to occur between parents and children.
Some good examples of this type of bonding are playing a game or eating a meal together.
Finally, although government regulations aim to ensure programming excellence, they often fail to
do so. A 2008 study revealed that only one in eight educational programs actually met standards
set by the regulations. This means that most of what kids are watching on TV is not very helpful in
an educational sense. The regulations are in place, but they just don't work very welL
13 Now review the notes that the test taker wrote down. Notice how the test taker orga-
nized his notes in two columns so he can easily see how the points from the lecture
challenge those made in the reading. Read the passage and lecture again and circle
the information that the test taker included in his outline. Compare the information you
underlined and the information you circled. Did you notice all of the important points?
SAMPLE NOTES
Reading: Edu TV is good for kids Lecture: TV is bad for kids
I. Boost test scores I. TV does NOT help test scores
- Study w/200 preschoolers: those who watch - Studies show watching any kind of TV not
edu TV had better reading, vocab, math good for brain dev
scores - Kids under 3 watched pop TV shows, had
- Study showed TV helps kids learn language slower speech dev
faster TV doesn't help families bond
Bonding for families - Watching TV isn't a good way to bond: no
- Studies show fam time is important for interaction; need contact and communication
emotional health (ex. playing games, eating)
- Earn time = academic success, phys health Govt doesn't monitor quality of edu TV
Quality of edu programs is good b/c - 2008: 1 in 8 edu shows met govt
monitored by govt standards = most edu TV is not helpful
111
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRONG
C Below is a sample prompt and essay for an academic reading / lecture synthesis task.
While you read, notice how the test taker uses his notes from Part B to create his
essay.
TOEFL Writing V15.°) I.,

0 0 0
Question 1 of 2 0TIFOW00. . 91
Dinah= You have 20 minutes to prepore, Mite, and revise

JPal
te __I 1 H.leWsJCccrl0
your imumist. Your essay will be graded based on your ability to SAMPLE ESSAY
communicate clearly through writing and on how well your essay
The reading passage argues that educational
and those in the reading. An effective response usually contains programs on TV have a positive effect on young
150-225 words. children. However, the professor disagrees and -
Question: Summarize the points made in gives evidence that educational programs are not -
the lecture, being sure to explain how they good for preschool-age children to watch.
cast doubt on the points made in the reading The reading passage states that watching
passage. educational programs encourages academic
success. It refers to studies and statistics showing
that watching educational TV programs can
boost test scores and increase language skills.
However, the professor points out that there are
also a lot of studies that show the opposite result.
The professor gives an example of one study
where watching a famous educational program
was actually harmful to speech development in
young children.
Second, the passage says that the quality of
educational TV programs is dosely regulated by
the government. This means that the educational
programs that children watch are guaranteed
to be excellent. However, the professor argues
that most educational programs fall below the
government standards. This means that most
programs children watch do not meet the
regulations.
Finally, the passage states that watching TV -
together can be a good opportunity for bonding
between family members. It allows parents and :
children to spend quality time together. On the
other hand, the professor states that there is
no chance for family members to bond while
watching educational programs, because there is
no interaction between the people involved. The
professor adds that playing a game and eating a
meal together are much better ways to achieve
family bonding.
To summarize, in the reading, the author
argues that educational TV is good for young
children. However, the professor disagrees with
this idea and gives three pieces of evidence to
show that TV is actually bad for children.
112
QUESTION ItPE: ACADBAIC REAFANGJ LECREIE SYNTHEStS

» TIP 1: Scan the reading for the most important points. When you read the passage for the first time,
immediately look for and write down the author's main claim and the three key points used to support
this claim. Remember, you will be able to see the reading passage when you write your essay. Therefore,
you don't have to worry about writing down every detail. However, understanding the major points in the
reading will help you predict what information will be included in the listening.
TASK 1: Draw a box around the author's claim and three key points presented in the reading passage
on page 110.
» TIP 2: Take notes doting the listening! You will hear the academic lecture only once. However, by
knowing ahead of time what information to write down, you will have all of the information you need
in your notes to write a great essay. When you listen to the lecture, write down the professor's position
about the claim made in the reading. Does the professor support or challenge the claim? You should also
write down the three key points that the professor uses to support his or her position.
TASK 2: Draw a box around the professor's position and three key points presented in the lecture on
page 111.
» TIP 3: Read the prompt carefully. In most cases, the prompt asks how the professor's lecture either
supports or challenges the points made in the reading.
TASK 3: Underline a phrase in the prompt on page 112 that tells you if the professor supports or
challenges the claim made in the reading.
» TIP 4: Write a clear introduction and conclusion. The introduction of your essay should describe the
claim made in the reading and whether the professor supports or challenges the claim. You can then
reword your introduction to form a concluding sentence at the end of your essay. Use the phrases below
to describe the relationship between the reading and the lecture.
Lecture Supports Reading Lecture Challenges Reading

The reading passage says that [main topic The reading passage argues that [main topic from
from reading]. The professor supports this reading]. However, the professor disagrees and
by providing examples of ... gives evidence that [main topic from lecture].
In the reading passage, the author claims that The reading states that [main topic from reading].
[main topic from reading]. In the lecture, the In the lecture, the professor argues the opposite.
professor discusses several studies that show He gives evidence to support [main topic from
that [main topic from reading] is true. lecture].
The author of the pacsage says that [main The reading claims that [main topic from reading].
topic from reading]. The professor agrees The professor disagrees and says that [main topic
with [main topic from reading] and supports from lecture].
it by mentioning a number of specific studies.
TASK 4: Underline four sentences in the sample essay on page 112 that describe the relationship
between the reading and the lecture. Look for the phrases mentioned in the table above.
TIP 5: Mention all three key points from the reading. The reading passage will always include three
key points. Organize your essay by writing an introduction and then writing three paragraphs that each
address one of the key points. In addition to describing the key points from the reading, you must write
about how the professor either supports or challenges each point.
TASK 5: In the sample essay on page 112, double underline the three key points from the reading.
Notice the words that the test taker uses to report the key points from the reading and the lecture.
113
SKILLS FOR THE TO [19. IFIT TEST READING MD WRMNG

A Read the passage and underline the points that you feel may be important for responding to the ques-
tion. Then, listen to the lecture on the same topic. Make notes about the important points. n CD1, Track 3
Scientists have been testing vegetable oil as a source of fuel for
cars since the early 1900s. However, some key factors indicate
that vegetable oil is not an ideal source of fuel.
First, using vegetable oil as fuel requires the installation
of special equipment in a vehide, which can be quite costly.
A person can expect to pay as much as $1,600 for basic
equipment,-including a fuel tank, filters, fuel lines, and sensors.
Also, when vegetable oil is used as fuel, impurities within the
oil can cause the equipment to become dogged over time.
These pieces of equipment must be fixed or replaced, which
makes regular maintenance more expensive.
Next, using vegetable oil as fuel for cars can be a
complicated process. In order for the vehicle to function
properly, the special equipment must be turned on when first
starting the vehicle and turned off several minutes before
stopping. The amount of detail required to use the equipment
requires a high level of attention.
Another issue is that using vegetable oil as fuel has the potential to reduce the availability of food crops. Most
vegetable oil used for fuel comes from crops that are also used for food, such as corn and sunflowers. In regular
production, it takes more than 400 sunflower plants to make just one gallon of sunflower oil. If this vegetable
oil were to be used primarily for fuel, then the price of some foods that use the oil, such as french fries or salad
dressings, could increase dramatically.
B Why did the test taker write down the information below? Answer the questions about the person's
notes. Then, compare the notes to your underlined content in the reading and your notes from the
listening. Did you notice the same important information?
Reading. Veg oil not good source of fuel (A) Lecture: Veg oil is good (C)
I. Expensive Equip pays for itself
- Need to install special equip; costs up to - Avg miles / tank is 800-1,000 using veg
$1,600 fuel (500 mi for I tank of gas)
- Veg oil clogs; more to fix / replace equip - Price of equip will as tech becomes
Complicated (B) more common
- Driver needs to turn on / off equipment Not hard to use
at certain times; needs lots of attn - Becomes automatic
Reduce avail of food crops - Automatic converters in dev
- Veg oil comes from corn, sunflowers (food) Veg fuel is waste product (V)
- 400 sf plants for 1 gallon of oil - From factories and rests: used, no intrrptn
- Food prices t (ex. french fries, salad to food supply
dressing)
114
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: ACADEMIC READING I LECTURE SYNTHESIS
1. What does item A in the notes tell us? 3. What does item C in the notes tell us?
[ ] The main topic presented in the reading [ 1 The professors main topic
[ ] The first point in the reading [ ] The professor's first point
2. What is item B? 4. What is item D?

[ ] The first point from the lecture [ ] The third point from the lecture
[ ] The second point from the reading [ I The third point from the reading
C Read the prompt. Is it asking if the professor supports or challenges the points made in the reading? Then,
read a sample essay. Notice the words and expressions the writer uses to introduce the main topic from the
reading and the lecture, introduce and talk about key points, and introduce and talk about supporting details.
Then, identify the purpose of each section in the essay. Write the numbers of the phrases from the Section
Purposes box in front of the correct sections in the sample essay.
TOE FL Welling "II
0 0 0
• n 1 of 2 013 18:58
CoLnli 0
_ 4t9 WOW
Dffections; You have 20 minutes to prepare, write, and revise

your mponse. Your essay wilt be graded based on your ability to
communicate clearly through writing and on how welt your essay
demonstrates Me relationship between the pot ts the lecture
and those in the reading An effective response %stilly contains
150-225 worth.
Question: Summarize the points made in

the lecture, being sure to explain how they
cast doubt on the points made in the reading
passage.
Section Purposes
I. Main Tupic eg 2. Key Point from Lecture 3. Key Point from Reading
4. Professor's Main Topic 5. Support from Lecture 6. Conclusion
SAMPLE ESSAY [ 1 ] The reading states that vegetable oil is not a good source of fuel for cars. It gives several reasons
for this argument.
[ ] However, in the lecture, the professor argues the opposite. She gives evidence to support the idea
that vegetable oil is an excellent source of fuel for vehicles.
[ ] The passage points out that it's expensive to install conversion equipment. There are many
different pieces that cost money Maintenance is also expensive.
[ ] However, the professor argues that while it is expensive, the equipment pays for itself quickly by
saving money
[ ] Using vegetable oil as fuel is a lot cheaper than gas. This way, drivers save money in the long term.
Continued on next page
115
SKILLS FOR THE TDER IBT TEST READING MID MMHG
f I Second, the passage suggests that using the special equipment needed for vegetable oil fuel could
be very complicated. It requires a lot of attention.
I The professor disagrees.
I I She points out that it's not very hard and that people get used to these motions. Also, she explains
that there are new systems that are automatic and don't need a person to turn them on or off.
J Finally, the passage argues that using vegetable oil could affect crops normally used for food, like
sunflowers. This could cause the price of certain foods to go up.
I In contrast, the professor says that the oil used for fuel is a waste product from places like food
factories.
[ ]It's already been used once, so using it for fuel does not affect food production.
In conclusion, both the reading and the lecture discuss using vegetable oil as a source of fuel for
cars. While the author claims that vegetable oil is not a good source of fuel, the professor disagrees
and offers several pieces of evidence to show that vegetable oil is, in fact, a good source of fuel for
vehicles.
D Now fill in the template below to create your own sample essay.
[Introduction: Main Topic from Reading Main Topic from Lecture]

In the reading, the author says that
The professor disagrees and shows that vegetable oil is a good source of fuel by
[Paragraph 2: Key Point) from Reading, Key Point) from Lecture, Support from Lecture]
First, the reading says that using vegetable oil as fuel is
The professor rejects this point and says that
[Paragraph 3: Key Point 2 from Reading Key Point 2 from Lecture, Support from Lecture]
Next, the reading claims that
Again, the professor disagrees. According to the professor
[Paragraph 4: Key Point 3 from Reading Key Point 3 from Lecture, Support from Lecture]
The final point in the reading is that
The professor disproves this point as well. She argues that
[Conclusion: Restatement of Introduction]

To summarize
116
INDGRESSWE PRACTICE: ACADEMIC READING / LECTURE SYNTHESIS
E Now review your complete sample essay. Then, read the statements below. Did your response meet the
scoring requirements for academic reading / lecture synthesis task? Check (i) Yes or No. Keep drafting
until you can check Yes for all of the statements.
Response Checklist: Academic Reading / Lecture Synthesis Task

Yes No
My essay accurately connected information from both the academic reading and
the lecture.
My essay has five paragraphs, including an introduction, three body paragraphs
that discuss the three points from both sources, and a conclusion.
3.1 mentioned the three points presented in the reading and described the
professor's point of view for each one.
4.1 used specific details and examples from both the lecture and the reading.
5.1 used correct grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation and had few, if any,
typographical errors (typos).
6. I used signposts and transition words to effectively show the relationships between
my ideas.
117
SULLS FOR THE IDEA. IBT TEST READING MD WilifiNG

A Read the passage. Then, listen to the lecture on the same topic. (1 CD1, Track 4
The runic alphabet is a set of letters made up of forms called

runes. This writing system was used by various Germanic
groups in central and northern Europe as early as 150 AD until
about 1100 AD. The origins of this alphabet have remained
unclear, but archaeological evidence shows that runes most
likely developed independently of any other alphabet.
First, Germanic groups had little interaction with people
from other parts of Europe until around 700 AD, when the
Romans conquered many parts of central Europe. Because
people in central and northern Europe were culturally isolated
from other groups, it's unlikely that the runic alphabet was
based on a previous writing system.
Furthermore, according to the legends of some Germanic
people, the alphabet was created by a mythological god called
Odin. In one mythological text, Odin claims that the runes
allow him to bring the dead back to life. The mythology of the
Germanic groups was very different from the mythology in other parts of Europe, and the magical significance of
the local alphabet within this mythology is also distinct. This implies that Germanic groups connected the runes to
their unique mythology and traditions and not to writing systems from other groups.
Finally, many archaeologists note that the runic alphabet lacks similarities to any other alphabet that existed before
or at the same time as the runic system. Any similarities between the runic alphabet and other alphabets are most
likely random or coincidental. This makes it difficult to verify that the runic alphabet is a variant of an earlier alphabet.
B Read the passage and listen to the lecture again. Complete the notes below using the information from
both sources.
Reading; Runic alphabet developed independently Lecture. Runes come from •

of other alphabets (script common throughout Europe)
I. Cultural isolation of Germanic pal I. Influenced by groups that used al.. like
- No contact whther • and Romans
Europeans until 700 (Roman conauest) - Germanic opl traded with Greeks and Italians
2. Germanic ppl thought alphabet came from 2. No evidence of myth origins
_None god) - Italic groups traveLed all over EuropeJlefore
- Myth text. • let Odin bring Norse myths became popular.
pal back from dead 3 Similarities between 0.1 and runes
3. No 0 to other alphabets - Use same 0 letters
- Any sim are coincidental
118
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE ACADEMIC READING! LECTURE SYNTHESIS
C Read the prompt and decide if it's asking you to support or challenge the points made in the reading.
Then, use the notes on page 118 to complete the sample response template on page 120. Be sure to use
citing expressions and transition words like the ones listed below to introduce your topics. Type your
response if possible.
Citing Expressions Transition Words

The [source] claims/says! argues that... First / Second / Third...
The [source] agrees / disagrees... Next...
The [some] points out / describes /
illustrates... Finally...
According to the [source] ... In conclusion / To sum up / In summary...
The [source] notices / observes ... On the other hand...
In the reading / lecture...
TOEF L Writ, ng dr) Oar.) Cr)

Question 1 of 2 ae 00 12 Sid
Hide wore Qom o
Dtrectionsi You have 21 minutes to prepare, write, and revise
your response. Your essay will be graded based on your ability to
communicate clearly through vniting and on how well your essay
demonstrates the relationship between the pants in the lecture
and those in the main& An effective response usually contains
150-225 words

Passage.
119
&au FOR ME TOEFLIBT TEST READING AND WAVING
Main Topic from Reading:
Main Topic from Lecture
Key Point 1 from Reading:
Key Point 1 from Lecture
Support from Lecture.
Key Point 2 from Lecture.
Support from Lecture.
Key Point 3 from Lecture.
Support from Lecture
Conclusion:
D Now review and proofread your complete sample essay. Then, read the statements below. Did your
response meet the scoring requirements for academic reading / lecture synthesis tasks? Check (.1) Yes
or No. Keep drafting until you can check Yes for all of the statements.
Response Checklist: Academic Reading / Lecture Synthesis Task

Yes No
My essay accurately connected information from both the academic reading and
the lecture.
My essay has five paragraphs, including an introduction, three body paragraphs
that discuss the three points from both sources, and a conclusion.
3.1 mentioned the three points presented in the reading and described the
professor's point of view for each one.
4.1 used specific details and examples from both the lecture and the reading.
6. fused signposts and transition words to effectively show the relationships between
my ideas.
120
PflOGRESSNE PRACTICE ACADEMIC READING LECTURE SYNTHESIS

Read the passage in three minutes. Begin reading now.
TOEFL Writing 0
Question 1 of 2 gillwr co le $1
, Paste I . I I Hoe Word Count 0
The Venus de Milo is one of the most famous examples of ancient
Greek art. The statue depicts Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love and
beauty and enjoys nearly universal recognition. Its origins remain
controversial—many historians argue that the Venus de Milo is a
copy of an earlier work.
These historians believe the sculpture is a copy primarily because
of its resemblance to older classical works. Upon its discovery in
1820, the Venus de Milo was first credited to Greek artist Praxiteles
because it strongly resembles the classical style of this earlier artist,
who lived during the fourth century BC. When Alexandros of
Antioch was correctly credited with creating the Venus de Milo
between 100 and 190 BC, art historians pointed out that he may
have taken the idea from classical artists.
The idea that the Venus de Milo could be a re-creation is further
supported by its resemblance to the Aphrodite of Capua in Naples.
Both statues represent the goddess Aphrodite (called Venus by
Romans) in a twisting posture, with her robe falling from her hips.
The Aphrodite of Capua is a Roman work and is itself a replica of an
earlier Greek sculpture.
Finally, historians point to the artist's cultural context as an
indication that the Venus de Milo was most likely copied from
another statue. Alexandros of Antioch lived during the Hellenistic
period, a period of decline for Greek art after the more productive
classical era. Many other works from the Hellenistic period were
copied from classical art Historians believe that the popularity of
re-creations during the Hellenistic period makes it likely that the
Venus de Milo was also a replica
Now listen to part of a lecture in an art history class and take notes. 0 COI , Track 5
Notes:
121
SOUS FOE THE TOER IBT TEST READING AND WONG
Read the prompt and write your response.
o o o
Question 1 of 2 ifirneeic 00 13 51-1
Direction: You have 20 minutes to prepare, write, and

revise your response. Your essay will be graded based on
your ability to communicate dearly through writing and
an how well your essay demonstrates the relationship
between the points in the lecture and those in the reading.
An effective response usually contains 150-225 words.

passage.
To see sample responses and rater's comments see page 158.
122
miL,Itaajagiata",a,sur
Personal Exoenence Essay

For writing task 2, you will write an essay that is based on a short question. The question
will typically ask whether you agree or disagree with a statement. The statement in the
question will relate to a familiar topic, such as school or family.
The prompt for the personal experience essay task may be worded as follows:
D Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

It is impossible for a town to grow without a good public transportation system.
Some people like to save extra money Other people prefer to spend it right away Which do you
prefer to do? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

It is wrong to judge people before getting to know them.
TEST TIP! In your typed essay, you must clearly state if you agree or disagree with the
On the day of the test, statement and justify your response by describing three reasons why you hold
you will type your that opinion. Furthermore, you will have to provide personal examples and details
response using a very
to support your justifications.
basic word processing
You will have 30 minutes to prepare and write your essay. There is no limit on how
tool. This tool does Nt
many words you can write, but a strong response will typically include at least
include a spell-checker,
300 words. At the end of the 30 minutes, your essay will automatically be saved. It
so be sure to practice
will then be sent to ETS in order to be scored.
Tieing rvaParmes
before the day of the
test without the help of
a spell-checker.
123
&OILS FOR THE FOUL IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
QUICK GUIDE: Personal Experience Essay

Definition For the personal experience essay task, you will read a prompt that asks
whether you agree or disagree with a statement. The statement is always
about a general issue related to school, family, or community matters.
You will rat need to have any in-depth knowledge of a specific academic
subject in order to answer the question.
The Question • You will see the directions and the prompt on the left side of your
screen. This information will remain on the screen for the entire time.
The directions instruct you to read the prompt and create your essay in
30 minutes. The directions also inform you that a top-scoring response
usually has at least 300 words.
The prompt is a question. In most cases, you will be asked if you agree
or disagree with a statement.
Targeted In order to achieve a high score for the personal experience essay task,
Skills you must:
analyze and understand the writing prompt.
consider both sides of the argument and choose the side that you can
support with the most details and personal information.
state your opinion based on the prompt.
support your opinion with personal details.
organize your response so it is clear and easy to understand.
A Great A top-scoring essay should be about 300 words or more. It will clearly
Response answer all aspects of the question and use examples and personal
details to support and connect the main ideas The essay should be well
organized and thorough, the vocabulary and grammar usage should be
correct and varied, and the essay should generally be easy to understand.
Things to 1. First, analyze the prompt. What information do you need in your
Remember response?
Next, spend a moment or two brainstorming the topic on your
notepaper or your computer screen. You should decide which position
to support (do you agree or disagree?) and come up with three key
points to support your position. Also, its helpful to write down a few
words that you can use as examples.
Create a brief introduction. Your introduction should describe the
general topic and clearly state your opinion. It should also summarize
the three key points that support your opinion.
Explain the first reason for your preference and then provide personal
details to support this reason.
Explain the second reason for your preference and then provide
personal details to support this reason.
Explain the third reason for your preference and then provide personal
details to support this reason.
Write a short conclusion that summarizes your essay.
124
OUE5110N TYPE: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ESSAY
WALK THROUGH: Personal Experience Essay

A Below is a sample prompt for the personal experience essay. Underline two pieces of
information that must be included in the response.
TOEFL Writing
EA or-) c
isiflipoC 29 56
Question 2 of 2
Cal I HgeWcr111Cantl
/4
•• epee „..e.
tett_
t Directions: Read he question below You have 30 minutes to
ree
prepare, write, and revise your response An effective response
400'w
Question: Do you agree or disagree with the
following statement?
ilf:C3E131M It is necessary to be competitive in order to
Showing that you have
succeed in life.
a large vocabulary is
useful only if you are Use specific reasons and examples to support
able to use the words
your response.
correctly. Using too
many words inconecdy

B Now review the sample notes that the test taker made while brainstorming. Notice how
may lower your score,
the test taker writes points for each side of the argument before deciding which side to
so don't use a word
support. Also note that while you can brainstorm on your notepaper, it might save you some
in your essay unless
time to brainstorm on the computer. That way, you can just turn your notes into sentences
you're sure that you are and change the organization using the "cut" and "paste" functions on the screen.
using it correctly.
TOEFL Writing
6"1 C
Question 2 of 2 min oc: 29 56
no
Directions: Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to SAMPLE NOTES
prepare, write, and revise your response. An effective response
usually contains at Least 300 words. Agree
- Encourages you to work harder
Everybody gets better.
Higher-quality results
It is necessary to be competitive in order to
succeed in life. Disagree
Wastes too much energy
Use specific reasons and examples to support - Accomplishment becomes about winning,
your response. not gaining new skills.
Brings out ugly side of people
- Someone always loses.
- Makes people feel bad
Cooperation is a better way of doing things.
- People can get more done when they work
together, not against each other.
125
C Below is a sample essay for a personal experience essay task. While you read, notice how the test taker
turns the notes from Part B into a full essay.
TOEFL Writing
•0 0 O.
Question 2 of 2 001011 00 29 56
Paw' jj I H, de Word Ceur I. 349
SAMPLE ESSAY
Directiont Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to prepare, I disagree with the idea that it is necessary to be
write and revise your response. An effeaive response usually contains at
least 300 words.
competitive to succeed in life. Sometimes life offers no
alternative to competition, but there are better options
Question: Do you agree or disagree with the most of the time. Competing against someone else
following statement? usually requires too much energy Also, competition
often leads to somebody's feelings getting hurt. I think
It is necessary to be competitive in order to cooperation is easier and nicer than competition.
succeed in life. First of all, I think that competing is usually a waste
Use specific reasons and examples to support your of energy Competition is about feeling superior to
someone else, which usually involves spending more
response.
energy than the other person. Some time ago, a friend
and I both bought a video game and started competing
to see who could earn the highest score. To get higher
scores, my friend and I spent increasing amounts of
time and energy playing the game. Eventually, I had no
energy left after playing and couldn't do anything else.
I decided it wasn't worth it and refocused my energy
on other activities.
I also dislike competition because at least one of
the competitors always loses. Losing usually makes
the loser feel sad or angry so I don't think situations
should be approached competitively. A dassmate
and I once found ourselves tied for the top rank of a
dass mid-semester. For the rest of the semester, we
competed to overtake each other's rankings, and in
the end she came in second. She felt as if her effort
had been wasted and was pretty sad.
Cooperating is a much better alternative to
competing. Everybody involved can spend less
energy to achieve the same results, and cooperative
behavior rarely leads to sadness or anger. One time,
a friend and! both wanted to participate in a writing
competition. Rather than act competitively, we
decided to cooperate with each other. We edited each
other's stories and helped each other write. When his
story did better than mine, I didn't feel bad, because I
had helped him write it.
While some people might think its necessary to be
competitive in order to succeed, I think that being
competitive is not a great option.
126
QUESTION TYPE: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ESSAY
GET IT RIGHT: lips and Tasks for Answering Correctly

-cre,r _e TIP 1: Use your time wisely. Use the on-screen clock to check how much time you have left. You
ar. rept should spend about five minutes brainstorming and creating a brief outline. Spend 20 minutes writing
rer e your essay. The last five minutes should be spent revising your essay and making sure there are no
spelling or grammatical errors.
TASK 1: Read the sample notes on page 125 and the sample essay on page 126. Notice how the
notes are very short.
Your concluding TIP 2: Brainstorm before you start writing. Spend two minutes writing as many points that you can
sentence or paragraph think of for each side of the argument. When you are done, notice which side of the argument has more
points. Don't worry about choosing a "wrong" answer. Remember, your response is being graded on the
can be similar to your
basis of how well you support your ideas, not on the opinions you hold.
introduction. You can
begin it with concluding TASK 2: Look at the sample notes on page 125. Which side of the argument did the test taker come
words, such as in sum, up with more support for?
for these reasons, etc.
711,3: Make sure you have three distinct key points to explain your preference. Once you pick
which side to support, make sure you have three points to support your main idea. In order to achieve a
strong score, the three points should be completely different from one another. If any of your points are
too similar, spend another moment trying to think of a different point. One common way of supporting a
position is by pointing out why the other side is bad.
TASK 3: Circle three key points in the sample essay on page 126 that the test taker uses to support
his opinion.
TIP 4: Start your essay by clearly stating your position. By clearly stating your preference in your
introduction, you will show that you understand the prompt. Also, stating upfront whether you agree or
disagree helps the organization of your essay because you can spend the rest of the essay justifying
Refer to the countdown your position.
clock from time to time
TASK 4: Draw a box around the introductory statement in the sample essay on page 126.
while you're giving your
response. Make sure TIP 5: Provide plenty of personal details. For the independent writing task, the raters will be looking
you're not spending too for personal details to support your key points. Remember, you can make up or exaggerate your
much time on any one personal details in order to create stronger support. The graders will not be concerned with whether or
part of your response not your personal details are true. They just want to know that you can support your opinions.
and that you leave time TASK 5: Draw a circle around the three personal details in the sample essay on page 126.
to check your work.
127
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL FIT TEST READING AND WHITING

A Look at the prompt and circle two pieces of information that must be included in the response.
Toga Writing
0 0 0
Question 2 of 2 hn 00 29 SE
Pails] PI vvorr coo o
Directions: Read the question below. You have

30 minutes to prepare, write, and revise your
response. An effective response usually contains
at least 300 words.
You should always try to be polite to others.
Use specific reasons and examples to support
your response.
B Based on the notes below, which side do you think the test taker will support in her essay?
L Agree
E Disagree
OEFL Writing
0 0 0
Question 2 of 2 Wrsn' 00 29 SE
-— -
Directions: Read the question below. You have SAMPLE NOTES
30 minutes to prepare, write, and revise your
Agree
response. An effective response usually contains
It makes people feel good.
at least 300 words.
It makes you feel good about yourself.
Question: Do you agree or disagree with the - Ifs a good way to get people to do what you
following statement? want.
It makes people's days better.
You should always try to be polite to others.
It makes people want to be nice to you in
Use specific reasons and examples to support return.
your response. You can avoid offending people by being polite.
Disagree
Why be nice to people who aren't nice to you?
Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to be polite.
It makes people think you're weak.
128
PROGRESSIVE PRAC110E: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ESSAY
C Read a sample essay in response to the prompt on page 128. Notice the words and expressions the
writer uses to state her position, introduce and write about key points, offer personal details, and end her
essay. Then, read the essay again. Identify the purpose of each section in the essay. Write the numbers
of the phrases from the Section Purposes box in front of the correct sections in the sample essay.
Section Purposes
1. Tupic 2. Summary of Key Points 3. Key Point 1
4. Key Point 2 5. Key Point 3 6. Personal Details
7. Conclusion
SAMPLE ESSAY lo [1] I agree with the idea that you should always try to be polite to others.
[ II think that being polite makes you feel good. I think it also makes the person who receives
your politeness feel good. Moreover, impoliteness can cause people to become angry with
you.
I have found that when I am polite to others, it makes me feel good. Being polite makes me
feel like! am a decent and kind person.
[ For instance, one time as I was walking into a grocery store) a woman was walking in the
opposite direction, and she accidentally spilled her groceries all over the parking lot. I
stopped and helped her pick them up. She didn't thank me, but my act of politeness made
me feel good anyway.
The act of being polite also benefits the person who receives the politeness. It often brightens
the recipient's day and can positively change the way he or she looks at people.
For example, I was traveling in a foreign country last summer and wasn't sure what I was
going to do one evening. A local spotted me wandering around and asked me if I needed
help finding something. He ended up giving me many good suggestions on places to visit.
That one act of politeness made me happy the entire rest of my week.
Another good reason for being polite is that people sometimes become offended when you
are impolite, and generally it is not a good idea to offend people.
[ I For instance, an old friend of mine once introduced me to a woman he had met and was
dating. At one point, when I thought she wasn't listening, I made a rude comment about
her dress. She heard me and became very offended. My friend stopped spending time with
me after that. The woman remains close to my friend, but neither of them has spoken to me
since.
[ To summarize, it's my opinion that you should always try to be polite to others. Being polite
not only makes you feel good, it makes others feel good, too. Also, being polite helps you
avoid offending people.
129
SIOLLS FOP THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING MO WRMNG
D Now fill in the template with your own experiences and opinions. Use the ideas from the sample notes on
page 128 or use your own ideas. Be sure to use personal details to support your key points. Try to type
your response.
In my opinion, I you should always be polite to others. I feel this way for a number of
reasons, including that
First, I think that By that, I mean that
For example,
Nat,
Franldy, there are times when
Finally
I know somebody who is
In summary,
130
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ESSAY
E Now review your complete sample essay. Then, read the statements below. Did your response meet the
scoring requirements for personal experience essay task? Check (/) Yes or No. Keep drafting until you
can check Yes for all of the statements.
Response Checklist: Personal Experience Essay Task

Yes No
1. My essay thoroughly addressed the question asked in the prompt.
2.1 clearly described in the introduction of my essay whether I agreed or disagreed

with the statement.
O
3. My essay presented three key points to support my topic sentence. My three key
points were completely different from one another.
DO
4.1 included personal details to support each of my key points. DO
1 used correct grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation and had few, if any,
ED
My essay was well organized, and I used transition words to help the flow of my
essay.
El
131
SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL 1131 TEST READING AlID WRITING

A Look at the prompt and write the two pieces of information that must be included in the essay.
TOEFla Writing
Question 2 of 2
c. I _i_teJ na not owni
Directions: Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to

prepare, write, and mist your response An effective response

People should focus on the happiness of
others instead of their own happiness.
your response.
B Read the sample notes. Then, use the phrases from the Section Purposes box to label the main points
that the test taker has written down. Some items will be used more than once.
Section Purposes
Topic Sentence Key Point I Key Point 2
Key Point 3 Personal Details
TOEFL Writing
Question 2 of 2
Directions:Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to prepare, SAMPLE NOTES
write, and revise your response. An effective response usuallycontains at
least 300 words. Agree
Question: Do you agree or disagree with the Makes you feel good to make others feel happy
People will want to do nice things for you in return
People should focus on the happiness of others Disagree °
It's too hard to tell what makes different people happy
instead of their own happiness. 0
Use specific reasons and examples to support your Calling my friends 0
response. People become dependent on you 0
Coffee with Jack, became sad when I moved away
0
Will make you miserable 0
Sister focused too much on other people's
happiness, nobody focused on hers
•
132
PROGRESSPff PflACTICE: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ELMO
C The information in the sample essay below is out of order. Write the numbers 1-5 to put the paragraphs
in the order they should appear.
TOEFL writing
0 0
Question 2 of 2
SAMPLE ESSAY
Directions:Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to prepare, Another reason focusing on your own happiness 14.
write, and revise your response. An effective response usually contains at is better is because when you focus on other peoples
least 300 words.
happiness, they may eventually start to count on you
Question: Do you agree or disagree with the for it. Then, if you are suddenly unable to focus on
following statement? them, they can become depressed. For example,! had
a friend named Jack who I met for coffee a few times a
People should focus on the happiness of others week. This was something we both enjoyed, but when
instead of their own happiness. I moved to another state, he became unhappy. Had
Use specific reasons and examples to support your I focused less on pleasing him—perhaps by meeting
him less often—be might have felt less sad.
response.
It seems like each person has a unique set of
things that they enjoy Because of this, it's often easier
to figure out how to satisfy yourself than to learn what
satisfies others. For instance, many of my friends don't
like when I call them on the phone without warning.
One friend doesn't mind if I call without warning, but
only on the weekends. Another friend prefers that I
call only Tuesday or Sunday evenings. It was too hard
to remember what everyone preferred, so I decided to
stop trying.
To summarize, I don't think that people should
focus on the happiness of others. Instead, they should
focus on their own happiness.
I disagree with the idea that people should focus
on the happiness of others instead of their own
happiness. For one, it's too difficult to determine
what makes different people happy. Also, people can
become dependent on you if you're their only source
of happiness. Furthermore, focusing on bringing
other people pleasure might lead to your own sadness.
Finally, if you focus entirely on bringing other
people happiness, you probably will not be happy
yourself This is especially true if nobody tries to make
you happy. For instance, my sister used to spend a lot
of time doing favors to bring her friends joy. However,
nobody focused on her, so she ultimately became
exhausted and miserable. She probably would have
been happier if she had focused more on herself.
133
Ca IS FOR NE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WONG
D Now fill in the template to create your own sample essay. Use the words given or your own ideas. Be sure to
use personal details to support your key points. Try to type your response.
with the statement that people should focus on the happiness of others over their own
happiness. Focusing on the happiness of others
and
Also, it often
First, in my experience, I've found that
For the past years I have
Second, I think that focusing on the happiness of others
'Third, a lot of the time, focusing on the happiness of other people
In conclusion, it is best if
E Now review and proofread your complete sample essay. Then, read the statements below. Did your
response meet the scoring requirements for personal experience essay tasks? Check (i) Yes or No. Keep
drafting until you can check Yes for all of the statements.
Response Checklist: Personal Experience Essay Task

Yes No
1. My essay thoroughly addressed the question asked in the prompt.
2.1 dearly described in the introduction of my essay whether I agreed or disagreed

with the statement
My essay presented three key points to support my topic sentence. My three key
points were completely different from one another.
1 included personal details to support each of my key points.
6. My essay was well organized, and I used transition words to help the flow of my
essay.
134
PROGRESSIVE PRACTICE: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ESSAY

NEI 44141rDA:Minii
iI
TOEFL Writing
0 0
Marin Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to prepue,

write, and revise your response. An effective response usually contains at
least 300 words.

It is more important to set realistic goals than
ambitious goals.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your
response.
To see sample responses and raters comments see pages 160-161.
135
Writing Review Test
The following section is designed to put the skills you have learned to the test. In the Writing
Review Test, you will encounter both question types as they appear on the writing section.
Furthermore, the questions are the same difficulty as those on the TOEFI! test.
In order to make the review test as true to the TOEFL test as possible, please be sure to follow
the directions on the page. When you play the CD track that is listed on the page, you will hear
instructions that let you know when to start writing your essay. The following timing guide shows
how much time you will have to write your essay for each question type on the writing section.
Time yourself.
Writing Section Timing Guide

Lecture Response
Question Reading Time Time Time
Question 1: Academic Reading / Lecture About 3 minutes About 3-5 20 minutes
Synthesis Task (shown on-screen) minutes
Question 2: Personal Experience Essay Task n/a n/a 30 minutes
For the best results, you should use a simple word processor to type your responses for the
questions in the Writing Review Test. Remember, the word processor on the TOEFL test does
not have a spell-checker. In the answer key for the Writing Review Test, you will find two model
responses for each question. Each model response has been rated and is accompanied by a rater's
analysis that explains the good and bad points of the response. Use these evaluations, along with
the scoring guides in the writing section on pages 98-99 to determine what score you would have
received.
When evaluating your essays, try to identify your weaknesses. Did you provide enough personal
details? Is your essay long enough? By understanding your weaknesses, you will know exactly what
sections to review in order to improve.
137
SKILLS FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING ARO MSG
QUESTION 1
Read the passage in three minutes. Begin reading now.
TOEFL Writing
71
0 dr
Question 1 of 2 an*/ 00
The Upper Paleolithic Revolution refers to the period during which -

Homo sapiens, or modem humans, started exhibiting distinctly
human behavior for the first time. Among these behaviors was the
development of sophisticated stone tools, as well as the creation
of language and artwork According to the available evidence, it is
likely that the Upper Paleolithic Revolution occurred in mainland
Europe about 40,000 years ago.
First, there are indications that around 40,000 years ago, an
earlier type of human, called the European Neanderthal, went
extinct. The extinction of the European Neanderthal coincides
with the population boom of modern humans in Europe. The
population boom is supported by the discovery of large amounts
of skeletal remains of modem humans that date to around 40,000
years ago. These discoveries suggest that modern humans took the
place of European Neanderthals and were probably able to do so
because they had developed superior tools, like stone knives, that
helped them catch food and survive.
Next, climate records suggest that Europe provided the
conditions necessary for the revolution. According to the records,
Europe experienced a period of lower than normal temperatures
starting around 70,000 years ago until about 10,000 years ago.
Scientists believe that the cold climate prompted modern humans
that were living in Europe at the time to create better tools in order
to survive. For example, by inventing fishing tools, they were able
to catch food despite the abnormally cold weather.
Finally, the first example of modern figurative art appeared in
Europe during the Upper Paleolithic Revolution. The Venus of
Honk Fels, a stone statue from Germany, dates to around 35,000-
40,000 years ago. This is an early example of sophisticated artwork
and no earlier examples exist elsewhere
Now Isten to part of a lecture in a history class and take notes.

0 COI, Track 6
Notes:
138
WRMNG REVIEW TEST
j °lu
st. 1 I I
Di! edit= You have 20 minutes to prepare, write, and revise
your response. Your essay will be graded baud on your ability to
communicate clearly through writing and on how well your essay
and those in the reading, An effective response usually contains
150-225 words.

passage.
To see sample responses and rater's comments see pages 162-163.
139
SKILLS FOR THE IDEA. IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
QUESTION 2
Read the prompt and write your response in 30 minutes.
TOEFL Writing
Quest* 2 of 2
H.do WO'dCcutC 0
Directions Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to

prepare. write, and revise your response. An effective response
usually contains an least 300 word,.

The best way to learn is by following the
examples set by others.
your response.
To see sample responses and rater's comments see pages 163-164.
140
Answer Key
READING
Lesson 1: Detail Questions and Referent Questions
Walk through: Detail Questions
Al. Key Words: repetition strategy used in ancient India; add new details; more complex; memorize sacred
texts; remember entire paragraphs Correct Answer: It is more complex than other repetition methods.
B Key Words / Phrases: Thus, sentence by sentence, one can learn a complete narrative.; Of course, some
forms of repetition are more complicated than the method just described.; For example, in ancient India,
people memorized sacred texts by repeating the words in a different order.
Get It Right: Detail Questions

Task 1: paragraph 2; true about the repetition strategy used in ancient India Task 2: some forms of
repetition are more complicated; For example, in ancient India, people memorized sacred texts by repeating
the words in a different order. Task 3: It was primarily used to memorize sacred texts. Task 4: It allowed
users to add new details to narratives.; it required users to remember entire paragraphs at a time. Task 5:
One such technique is repetition, which involves saying the words of a story many times.
Walk through: Referent Questions

Al. Key Words: The word it; paragraph 1 Correct Answer Venice, Italy 2. Key Words: The word they;
paragraph 2 Correct Answer: printers
B Answer Options for Question 1: However, one city in particular emerged as the leader in printing by the
end of the fifteenth century: Venice, Italy. Printing nearly a quarter of all books in Europe during the 1490s,
it was a top producer of books. Answer Options for Question 2: The city's legacy as a trade hub proved
useful for printers in the fifteenth century because it was relatively easy to sell and distribute the books
that they produced. According to historians, many printers in Venice created books specifically for export to
other countries.
Get It Right Referent Questions
Task 1: Paragraph 1: the fifteenth century; Venice, Rely; Europe; a top producer Paragraph 2: the city's
legacy; printers; books; historians Task 2: Question 1: Europe Question 2: the city's legacy
Get Ready
A Paragraph 1: England offers a clear example—in the early sixteenth century, a new type of theater,
called English Renaissance Theater, flourished there. This new theatrical style, which was more for
entertainment and less for promoting religious values, developed because of a number of changes in
England. Paragraph 2: One major reason for the popularity of English Renaissance Theater was that it
reflected the cultural changes that were occurring in England at the time. Paragraph 3: During the same
period, English theater companies and performance spaces also underwent a number of changes that
helped bolster English Renaissance Theater.
B 1. Key Words: best describes popular theater in mainland Europe during the 1500s; based on Greek
plays; primary goal was to teach lessons; work of William Shakespeare; developed in churches 2. Key
Words: The word those 3. Key Words: role did noble families play; growth of English Renaissance
Theater, discouraged the production of morality plays; formed traveling companies; provided inspiration;
paid to have public theater spaces built 4. Key Words:The word they
141
SKILLS FOR THE TOER MT TEST READING AND WRITING
Get Set
Al. Piazzolla's nuevo tango retains elements of traditional tango, but it is also distinct in several ways.
2. Piazzolla began to explore traditional Argentine music by learning how to play the bandoneon, an accordion-
like instrument that is often employed in tango music. 3. While there were clear influences of traditional
Argentine tango in his work, Piazzolla's nuevo tango also reflected the other types of music he was exposed
to as a young man. 4. Mother unique element of Piazzolla's nuevo tango music is its experimental tendency.
B 1. D,A, C, B 2.0,A,B,C 3.B, C, D,A 4.C,A,B,D
Go for the TOEFL Test
1. The subjects of the paintings 2. the Bradshaws 3. Chemicals have damaged the paint. 4. By
testing the age of an object that was covering the painting 5. The Bradshaws look similar to paintings
created by Australian Aborigines in other parts of the country. 6. the artists
Lesson 2: Negative Fact Questions and Function Questions
Walk through: Negative Fact Questions
Al. Key Words: According to paragraph 1; accurately describe dynamic pricing EXCEPT; started to
decline at the end of the twentieth century; buyer some control over the price; used by sellers in online
auctions; sellers charge different prices according to the situation Correct Answer Its popularity
started to decline at the end of the twentieth century.
Get It Right Negative Fact Questions
Task 1: popularity; buyer's; online auctions; price Task 2: It gives the buyer some control over the price
of an item.; It means that sellers charge different prices according to the situation. Task 3: It is used by
sellers in online auctions.
Walk through: Function Questions
Al. Key Words: In paragraph 3; the pyramid in Teotihuacan; the feathered serpent; Mayans inspired;
symbolic images; archaeological technique; symbol popular in Teotihuacan Correct Answer To point
out that the symbol was popular in Teotihuacan before the Maya used it 2. Key Words: Paragraph 1
gives examples; Paragraph 2 describes the background; Paragraph 1 defines a key term; Paragraph 2
provides evidence to support a theory Correct Answer Paragraph 2 provides evidence to support a
theory that is introduced in paragraph 1.
B Information for Question 1: Between the years 150 and 200, the Teotihuacanos even built a pyramid
that featured the symbol extensively. The same symbol has been found in Mayan texts. However, the
Maya didn't use it before the year 1000. Information for Question 2: Evidence suggests that the Maya
were greatly influenced by the Teotihuacanos, especially in the areas of architecture and ideology. The
Maya used a variety of architectural styles. However, one that was likely inspired by Teotihuacan was a
technique called the slope-and-panel style.
Get It Right: Function Questions
Task 1: feathered serpent; religious symbols; symbol; Teotihuacanos Task 2: Phrase from Passage:
This is particularly apparent in Answer Option: To point out that the symbol was popular in Teotihuacan
before the Maya used it Task 3: To give an example of an archaeological technique used by the
Teotihuacanos Task 4: Main Idea for Paragraph 1: Evidence suggests that the Maya were greatly
influenced by the Teotihuacanos, especially in the areas of architecture and ideology. Main Idea for
Paragraph 2: The Maya used a variety of architectural styles. However, one that was likely inspired by
Teotihuacan was a technique called the slope-and-panel style. Relationship Between Paragraphs:
Paragraph 2 provides support for a theory introduced in paragraph 1.
Get Ready
A Paragraph I: Active design uses a number of techniques to encourage the occupants of a building to
be more active. Paragraph 2: One of the most important strategies of active design is inspiring people
142
ANSWER KEY
to make walking part of their routine. Paragraph 3: Active design encourages physical activity using not
only the interior features of a building, but the relationship between a building and its surroundings as well.
Get Set
Al. Advances in technology have provided modem archaeologists with several methods that give
them the absolute age of an object. 2. The most common absolute dating technique is radiocarbon
dating. 3. For some inorganic remains, like pottery, archaeologists use a technique called
thermoluminescence dating. 4. Thermoluminescence dating is particularly useful for dating pottery
because of the process by which pottery is made.
B 1. C, D, A, B 2.A,C,B,D 3.D,A,B,C 4.D,B,A,C
Go for the TOEFI. Test
1. Some cultures use body language more than others. 2. give an example of body language that
can have multiple interpretations 3. Paragraph 2 presents a theory about some body language,
and paragraph 3 demonstrates that the theory is not always true. 4. Promoting language
development 5. To recognize members of the same group 6. To illustrate how nonverbal
communication can have unintended consequences
Lesson 3: Inference Questions and Vocabulary Questions
Walk through: Inference Questions
Al. Key Words: paragraph 2; abacuses used in Babylon; earliest calculators; did not have any
educational value; not easy to move around; inspired the invention of the wire abacus Correct Answer:
They were not easy to move around.
B Key Words / Phrases: The earliest form of calculator; used them to teach mathematics; invented the
wire abacus; more portable
Get It Right Inference Questions
Task 1: abacuses used in Babylon; earliest calculators; did not have any educational value; were
not easy to move around; inspired the invention of the wire abacus Task 2: They were the earliest
calculators. Task 3: They inspired the invention of the wire abacus.
Walk through: Vocabulary Questions
Al. Definitions. hurried: in a rush; continuous: constant; slow not fast; graceful: moving
smoothly Correct Answer: slow 2. Definitions dangerous s not safe; insignificant not important;
unnoticeable: not recognized; impassible: not able to be passed Correct Answer unnoticeable
B Information for Question 1: on average, glaciers move a mere 30 centimeters a day; However, in some
cases, glaciers move at a much faster rate. Information for Question 2: even to someone standing
on the glacier as the earthquake occurs; However, some scientists hypothesize that a significant glacial
earthquake could cause oceanic disturbances and perhaps even tsunamis.
Get It Right: Vocabulary Questions

Task 1: Indirect Definition: on average, glaciers move a mere 30 centimeters a day Contrasting
Word: However Correct Answer slow Task 2: Prefix: en- Definition: not Task 3: Question 1:
hurried Question 2: dangerous Task 4: (answers may vary) graduat proceeding by steps or degrees;
imperceptible: extremely slight or subtle
Get Ready
A Paragraph 1: its location plays a large role in the climate of the region Paragraph 2: The latitude
of the Atlantic Archipelago undoubtedly influences its climate. Paragraph 3:The islands enjoy mild
temperatures largely because of their proximity to the ocean.
B 1. Key Words: sunlight; intensity; latitude; north of the equator; near the equator; near the
ocean 2. Key Words: The word temperate 3. Key Words: The word proximity 4. Key Words: Gulf
Stream; water temperatures; Gulf of Mexico; Atlantic Ocean; summer; Atlantic Archipelago
143
&MIS FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING AND WARING
Get Set
A 1. many animals have developed multiple strategies for obtaining poison through poison
sequestration 2. One method of poison sequestration involves obtaining toxins from plant
sources. 3. Another poison sequestration strategy involves obtaining poison from other animals.
4. It is also common for poison sequestration to progress up the food chain, meaning that many predators
sequester poison from prey that have also sequestered poison.
B 1.A, 0,B, C 2.8, D, C,A 3.A,B,D,C 4.B,C,A,D
1. It assumed that Earth and the moon were made of the same material. 2. weakened 3. the chemical
composition of the moon was unknown until after the 1950s. 4. broke apart 5. it describes the
creation of multiple moons. 6. theorize
Lesson 4: Sentence Summary and Passage Summary Questions
Walk through: Sentence Summary Questions
Al. Key Words: simultaneous recording of sound and picture; problems with sound synchronization;
Sound-on-film technology; problem that they had rarely faced; problem of synchronization; add sound
to pictures separately after filming; video and audio elements of movies were synchronized; created by
inventors Correct Answer Inventors created a new technology that allowed the simultaneous recording
of sound and picture in order to resolve problems with sound synchronization.
B Key Ideas: inventors created sound-on-film technology; allowed filmmakers to record the sound and
the pictures together; impossible for the video and audio elements to become separated
Get It Right: Sentence Summary Questions
Task 1: Paraphrased Sentence: Answers will vary but should be most similar to the correct answer
option. Correct Answer Option: Inventors created a new technology that allowed the simultaneous
recording of sound and picture in order to resolve problems with sound synchronization. Task 2:
Answer Option: The video and audio elements of movies were synchronized using technology that was
created by inventors. Missing Information:This answer option does not describe the problem inventors
were trying to solve with the new technology. Task 3: Answer Option: Sound-on-film technology
created by filmmakers fixed a problem that they had rarely faced when adding sound to films. Change
to Meaning: The passage says that the problem of synchronization was a constant one, not a rare
one. Task 4: Answer Option: To solve the problem of synchronization, filmmakers used technology
that allowed them to add sound to pictures separately after filming. Reason It's Incorrect This answer
option contains information that contradicts the facts of the passage.
Walk through: Passage Summary Questions
Al. Key Words: Southern writers; late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; important literary
figures; unique aspects of the American South; economy of the American South; centered in cities;
Family relationships; Faulkner's stories; Eudora Welty; southern settings Correct Answers: 2. The
unique aspects of the American South were represented in southern literature through a number of
characteristics.; 4. Family relationships are a central theme found in a lot of southern writing.; 5. Southern
writers like Eudora Welty often described southern settings in careful detail.
B Important Information: southern writers—especially those who worked in the late nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries—often employed similar strategies to explore the distinct character of the
region; Family relationships are a central theme found often in southern writing.; southem writers also
created similar settings or locations in their works
Get It Right: Passage Summary Questions
Task 1: Paragraph 1: While the literature of the American South is diverse, southern writers—especially
those who worked in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—often employed similar strategies
to explore the distinct character of the region. Paragraph 2: Family relationships are a central theme
144
ANSWER KEY
found often in southern writing. Paragraph 3: In addition to writing about subjects that reflect the values
of southern culture, southern writers also created similar settings or locations in their works. Task 2:
Southern writers who worked during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are among the
most important literary figures of American literature. Task 3: Faulkner's stories focused on events that
happened to his own family. Task 4: The economy of the American South was largely centered in cities.
Get Ready
A Paragraph 1: Interestingly, silversmithing is a relatively recent art form in the Navajo culture, but it is
one that craftspeople have transformed into a uniquely Navajo creation that is an important part of modem
Navajo culture and commerce. Paragraph 2: The origins of Navajo silversmithing can be traced back to
a man named Atsidi Chon, who is widely regarded as the father of Navajo silversmithing. Paragraph 3:
Today, the work of Navajo silversmiths clearly reflects designs that are culturally important to the
group. Paragraph 4: Some elements of Navajo silverwork are clearly influenced by other cultures.
B 1. Key Words: Typical Navajo jewelry; silver; squash blossom bead; hollow bead with petals; Navajo
silversmiths; traditional squash blossoms; rounded, hollow beads; represent strength and vitality;
characteristic Navajo silver jewelry; traditional squash blossom beads; symbolizes strength and energy
2. Key Words: famous; rugs, baskets, and silver jewelry; fairly recently; important part of Navajo culture;
Atsidi Chon; new tools for working silver; lacked the tools; distinctive style; inspired by other cultures;
distinctly Navajo; squash blossom bead; use of turquoise; borrowed from the Spanish
Get Set
Al. these routes were important because they allowed the exchange of both goods and ideas 2. This
kind of trade was very profitable because goods that were common in one place were priceless and exotic
in another 3. The trade routes brought many different cultures together, and they often exchanged ideas
as well as material goods.
B 1. C, B, D, A 2. F, A, E, C, D
1. The changes to the violins' structure increased the instruments' top volume, allowing violinists to
perform in larger places because the sound would be heard. 2. Dense wood, which is associated with
slow tree growth, resulted from cold temperatures during a period of lowered solar activity. 3. Stradivari
adjusted the structure of the violins in ways that improved their ability to create loud and clear sounds.;
The oil-based finish on all Stradivarius violins likely contributes to their sound quality because it preserves
the wood's vibrational ability.; The dense wood used to create Stradivarius violins, which likely came from
a forest near Stradivari's home, is a factor in the superior sound of the instruments.
Lesson 5. Add Text and Table Completion Questions
Walk through: Add Text Questions
A 1. Key Words: As a result; agricultural productivity; declined by 20 percent Correct Answer c
Get It Right: Add Text Questions
Task 1: Given Sentence: As a result, the agricultural productivity in these areas has declined by
20 percent. Main Idea of Paragraph 2:Waterlogging, a state in which the ground becomes oversaturated
with water, is a particularly harmful effect of irrigation. Task 2: When; Thus; Additionally Task 3: c
Walk through: Table Completion Questions
Al. Key Words: magnetic substances; beaks; humans; landmarks; magnetic pull; migrate; magnets;
sun or stars; view of the sky Correct Answers: Celestial: 6. Allows birds to use the position of the sun
or stars to navigate; 7. Supported by observations that birds that don't have a clear view of the sky can't
navigate effectively Magnetism: I. Proven by discovery of magnetic substances in some birds' beaks;
3. Earth's magnetic pull indicates the direction of travel; 4. Studies in which magnets are applied to birds
demonstrate its validity.
145
Daus FOR THE MER IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
B Important Information: birds probably use the location of celestial bodies, such as the sun and the
stars, to orient themselves; birds seem to ignore geographical features; when the stars are obscured by
clouds, birds cannot navigate as accurately as when the stars are clearly visible; birds navigate using
Earth's magnetic field; The magnets interfered with the birds navigation; researchers also discovered iron
oxide, a magnetic material, in the beaks of homing pigeons
Get It Right Table Completion Questions
Task 1: Celestial: Some biologists have shown that birds probably use the location of celestial bodies, such as
the sun and the stars, to orient themselves. Magnetism:In addttion to the sun and stars, birds may also use
Earth itself as a kind of compass. Task 2: Similar to navigation method employed by humans that makes
use of landmarks, like rivers, mountains, and oceans Task 3: Employed only by birds that migrate annually
Get Ready
A Paragraph 1:Advances in medical sciences have made it possible to control the disease, but malaria
is difficult to eradicate entirely for several reasons. Paragraph 2: Though early doctors developed
some treatments for malaria using plants and herbs, it was not until the true nature of the disease was
discovered that it was possible to formulate a more effective treatment Paragraph 3:Today, medical
researchers have made several developments in controlling the spread of malaria. Paragraph 4:
Despite these advancements in treating and preventing malaria, the disease is still a worldwide problem.
B 1. Key Words: malaria prevention efforts; destroying or avoiding mosquitoes 2. Key Words: challenge
in eradicating malaria; increased mobility of human beings 3. Key Words: mosquito nets; Ease of
travel; Plants and herbs; Parasites; mosquito bites; Immunity; medicines and pesticides; Antiparasitic
medications; French physician; Medications; symptoms of the disease; British doctor
Get Set
Al. Despite its size, a number of geological discoveries suggest that the Mediterranean may have
entirely dried up about five million to 12 million years ago. 2. Based on the depth of the layers of non-
oceanic materials at the bottom of the sea, many scientists argue that evaporation was caused by the
Mediterranean becoming separated from the Atlantic Ocean. 3. The evaporation of the Mediterranean
had significant effects locally and globally. 4. However, this desert eventually became a sea again.
B 1. B, A, D, C 2.0, A, 0,8 3. Factors Leading to the Evaporation of the Mediterranean Sea: C, G
Consequences of the Evaporation of the Mediterranean Sea: A, B, D Answ Analysis: B, E, C, F, GA, D
Go tor the TOEfL Test
1. b 2. d 3. c 4. b 5. Indirect Methods: 2. Involves measuring how fast a star moves as a result
of the planets orbiting around it; 4. Uses a star's light output to indicate the size of an extrasolar planet;
7. Provides researchers with information about the mass of extrasolar planets; 9. Currently, one of these
methods is not effective for locating small extrasolar planets. Direct Methods: 3. Uses technology that
makes light from extrasolar planets appear brighter to observers on Earth; 6. Employs technology that
allows scientists to create dear images of extrasolar planets; 8. Involves blocking light from stars that
may be located near the extrasolar planet
146
ANSWER KEY
Reading Review Test

Passage 1: The Decline of the English Cloth Trade
Answer Analysis:
X To "do away" with something means to eliminate Et. There are no clues that James I eliminated Elizabeth.
I "Succeed" means to come after. James I came to the throne after Elizabeth I, so this is the
correct answer.
X "Turn aside" means to turn away from. This definition does not work in the sentence.
X "Keep back" means to keep someone from doing something. The author does not give any indication
that James I kept Elizabeth I from the throne.
Answer Analysis:
X The author is not talking about the instability of the population of England, so this option does not work
in the sentence.
X Because the author is not talking about the instability of food production, this is not the correct answer.
X The author is not referring to unstable incomes, so this answer is incorrect.
The author mentions that a few industries brought reliable income to the English economy,
which was struggling and unstable.
Question Type; Function
Answer Analysis:
X The author says that the cloth trade was one of the reliable sources of income for England's economy.
However, there is no indication that the English cloth trade needed to be expanded.
X In paragraph 1, the author mentions that the cloth trade was one of the few successful industries in
England. There's no indication that the emphasis on the cloth trade led to insufficient food production.
/ The author mentions insufficient food production and two other facts as signs that the English
economy was struggling,
X There is no mention in the passage of the king's mismanagement of the country.
Answer Analysis:
X In paragraph 1, the author says that the cloth trade was one of the few successful industries in
England. It's unlikely that it was neglected in favor of other industries.
X The author says that the cloth trade was one of England's few successful industries, but we cannot
assume that it was the only successful industry.
X The author mentions that prices were high in England, but there is no way of knowing whether the
cloth trade was responsible for this based on the passage.
I The author says that the King's Merchant Adventurers were given a monopoly over exports,
meaning that prior to the company's creation, there were numerous companies working on
exports of English cloth. The author also mentions that England's unfinished cloth was sent to
companies in the Netherlands—those companies would be considered international partners.
Answer Analysis:
X In paragraph 2, the author says that Cockayne asked James Ito create a company that would handle
all English cloth exports.
X paragraph 2, the author explains that Cockayne proposed that English cloth makers finish cloth
In
themselves, which would allow them to charge more for the cloth.
I While Cockayne hoped that English cloth makers would finish cloth themselves and thus
compete with the Dutch, he did not plan for the English to stop selling cloth to Dutch merchants.
147
siats FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRIONG
X Cockayne wanted the English to finish cloth themselves instead of just sending unfinished cloth to other
countries. This represented a shift in the primary activity of the English cloth industry.
Question Type Sentence Summary
Answer Analysis:
X This answer option leaves out important information about how finished cloth was more valuable than
unfinished cloth.
./ This sentence includes the two key ideas in the highlighted sentence: the Dutch usually finished
the cloth, and finishing it allowed Dutch merchants to charge more for it.
X This answer option contains non-factual information. The highlighted sentence does not talk about
finished cloth from England. Rather, it talks about why the Dutch charged more for cloth they originally
bought from England.
X This answer option contains non-factual information. The cloth from England didn't lose its value.
Rather, the cloth from the Netherlands was more valuable due to the finishing process.
Answer Analysis:
In the passage, the author says that the English economy was struggling and that the king
needed money. These facts demonstrate the king's desperation to improve the economy.
X There is no indication that the king was interested in expanding the cloth trade.
X The author does not mention England's reliance on trade partnerships with the Dutch.
X The author mentions that the Dutch had the technology to finish cloth but does not say that the king's
motivation for approving Cockayne's plan was to encourage technological advancement in England.
Answer Analysis:
X The author says that the Dutch refused to buy English products after the creation of the King's Merchant
Adventurers. Thus, it's unlikely that the Merchant Adventurers could have continued selling to the Dutch.
I The author says that there was a rift between the Merchant Adventurers and the king as a
result of the plan. This suggests that the Merchant Adventurers did not approve of the plan.
X There is no mention of what the Merchant Adventurers did after the execution of Cockayne's plan.
X The author specifically mentions that the King's Merchant Adventurers had trouble transporting their
goods to European markets. However, based on this information alone, it's impossible to determine if
the Merchant Adventurers became the top English traders.
Answer Analysis:
X While "unfair" woks in the sentence, there are no context dues to suggest that this is the correct answer.
X "Special" works in the sentence, but this is not the correct meaning of "inflated."
X There are no clues that suggest that the fees were secret.
I "Inflated" means increased. Shipping companies increased the fees for English traders.
Answer Analysis:
X There is no mention of whether the king provided financial support to the company.
X The author does not mention how much it would cost to pay cloth-finishing experts or whether the
company could afford to pay them.
The author says that English cloth makers lacked the expertise of their Dutch counterparts. For
this reason, they couldn't match the quality of Dutch finished cloth.
X The author says that the English provided unfinished cloth to other countries before the Cockayne plan,
so it's unlikely that they wouldn't have sufficient cloth to finish.
148
ANSWER KEY

Answer Analysis:
X The author says that the Merchant Adventurers were reinstated but does not mention the public
response to this.
,/ The author says that more than 500 families tried to go into business but failed. This led to high
unemployment or joblessness, which, in turn, made people in London riot.
X The author does not mention if people wanted jobs in the cloth industry or speak to those jobs'
availability following the failure of the King's Merchant Adventurers.
X The author says that the people who supported the King's Merchant Adventurers went bankrupt. We do
not know if these were the same people who rioted in London.
Question Type: Add Text

Answer Analysis:
The sentence that comes before this marker talks about why the King's Merchant Adventurers couldn't
produce quality finished cloth. Thus, if placed here, the given sentence would disrupt the flow of ideas.
X The sentence that comes after this marker discusses the failure of the King's Merchant Adventurers. If
placed here, the given sentence would not make sense.
The sentence that comes before this marker discusses the failure of the King's Merchant
Adventurers. The "also" in the given sentence indicates a continuation of ideas, so this is the
best place for it.
I The sentence that comes before this marker mentions the consequences of the failure of Cockayne's
plan. Therefore, a sentence about the king's actions does not fit here.
Answer Analysis:
./ 1. Decline Part of Cockayne's plan was to compete with the Dutch. The failure of this plan
eventually led to the decline of the English cloth trade.
X 2. This statement is incorrect. The Dutch acquired unfinished cloth from England and then finished it
themselves before selling it at high prices.
3. Decline One of the reasons that Cockayne's plan failed, leading to the decline of the English
cloth trade, was that English cloth makers couldn't match the quality of finished cloth
products made in the Netherlands.
4. Consequence According to the passage, those who had supported the King's Merchant
Adventurers lost money because of the failure of the company. This was one consequence of
the fall of the English cloth trade.
5. Consequence The author says that companies in other countries lost confidence in English
trade and did not want to do business with English companies anymore. This happened as a
result of Cockayne's plan.
I 6. This statement is untrue. The king created the King's Merchant Adventurers, not the Merchant
Adventurers.
7. Consequence. The author says that the Merchant Adventurers remained resentful of the king
even after being reinstated.
Passage 2: Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
14. Question Type: Function
Answer Analysis:
I The author says that Archaeopteryx had features similar to those on both dinosaurs and birds.
To show the animal's similarities to birds, the author mentions wings and feathers.
X While the author describes the size of Archaeopteryx, the mention of wings and feathers does not
explain its size.
149
DLLS FOR THE TDEFL MT TEST READING AND WING
X The author later describes Archaeopteryx as a bird-like dinosaur. However, by describing wings and
feathers, the author is not saying that it was a bird.
X Though the description of these features helps the reader imagine what Archaeopteryx
looked like, the
author doesn't mention them specifically to describe the animal's appearance.
Question bye:Vocabulary
Answer Analysis:
X The sentence in which the highlighted word appears makes it seem as though the entire community
agreed on the theory, so "question" does not work.
X If "debate" were the correct answer, the sentence would probably mention two sides of the debate.
Also, you can eliminate this answer option because it is the antonym of the correct answer.
X "Evidence" does not work in the sentence. if this were the correct answer, the passage would probably
include examples of such evidence.
To reach a "consensus" means to come to an agreement In the context of the sentence, this
word best replaces the original word.
Question Type: Sentence Summary
Answer Analysis:
I This answer option best summarizes the highlighted sentence because it includes all of the key
ideas from the original sentence.
X The sentence mentions that people believed that reptiles were the closest living ancestors of
dinosaurs because of dissimilarities between birds and dinosaurs, not similarities between reptiles and
dinosaurs.
X The sentence says that birds have furculae, so this sentence contains non-factual information.
X This sentence is incorrect because it says that the lack of wishbones in dinosaurs made people think
that dinosaurs were related to birds, which is untrue.
Answer Analysis:
X "Prepare" does not work in the sentence, as it's unlikely that a bone could prepare the skeleton for the
stresses of flight.
To "reinforce" something means to strengthen it. In the sentence, it means that the bone
strengthens the skeleton in order to better handle the stresses of flight
X While "protect" works in the sentence, it's unlikely that a bone could protect the skeleton from the
stresses of flight.
X "Extend" does not work in the sentence.

Answer Analysis:
X The author does not mention the existence of any bird species during the time of dinosaurs.
X The author says that only dinosaurs and birds have furculae.
V The author says that the idea that dinosaurs and reptiles are relatives was based on the belief
that dinosaurs didn't have furculae like birds do. Thus, the discovery of dinosaurs with furculae
showed that their closest living ancestors are birds, not reptiles.
X The author doesn't describe the purpose of furculae in dinosaurs, which are the only other animals that
have the bones.
Answer Analysis:
X The author doesn't give any dues to suggest that dinosaurs in the Dromaeosauridae family were
related to Archaeopteryx
150
ANSWER KEY
The author says that the function of the wishbone was to reinforce the skeleton against the
stresses of flight. Therefore, if the dinosaurs in the Dromaeosauridae family had wishbones, its
probable that they were able to fly.
X The author gives the Dromaeosauridae family as one example of dinosaurs with furculae. The author
says that many dinosaurs had furculae.
X The author gives no Indication about the size of dinosaurs In the Dromaeosauridae family.

Answer Analysis:
X "Velociraptor fossils" does not work In place of the highlighted word.
The author is referring to the dinosaur's front limbs.
X The author is not referring to the likenesses of modem birds.
X "Early reptiles" would not make sense in the sentence.
Answer Analysis:
In the sentence, "compelling" means persuasive. The evidence is persuasive because It further
supports the theory that birds are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
X "Conflicting" would mean that the evidence doesn't support the theory, so this answer option is incorrect
X There are no clues to suggest that "compelling" could be replaced with "recent." If "recent" were the
correct answer, the author would have probably mentioned a date or another time marker.
X If something is "sufficient," that means there is enough of it, This definition does not work in place of
the highlighted word.
Answer Analysis:
X The author says that Archaeopteryx had feathers much like those found on modem birds. Furthermore,
protofeathers are described as feather-like structures found on dinosaurs not related to Archaeopteryx
X The author says that Tyrannosaurus rex, which was not a bird-like dinosaur, had protofeathers.
.1 The author says that protofeathers insulated dinosaurs from cold, or helped keep them warm.
X The author does not mention any modern birds that have protofeathers.
Answer Analysis:
X The author says that dinosaurs had multiple-chambered lungs, while primates and lizards have two-
chambered lungs. That means the lungs of dinosaurs were more elaborate.
X The author says that the lung structure of birds, not primates and lizards, allows them to keep their
lungs full of air at all times.
I The author says that primates and lizards have two-chambered lungs, which means they have a
similar structure.
X The author does not mention whether primates and lizards have other organs to help them breathe.
Question Type: Add Text
Answer Analysis:
X The sentence that comes after this marker mentions the last idea from the previous paragraph and
introduces a new topic. Thus, this is not the correct place for the given sentence.
X The sentence that comes after this marker gives examples of structural similarities between birds and
dinosaurs, continuing the ideas from the first sentence of the paragraph. The given sentence does not
belong here.
X The sentence that comes before this marker discusses the skeletal features shared by birds and two
specific types of dinosaurs. The next sentence gives more details about these similarities. Placing the
sentence here would disrupt the logical flow of the paragraph.
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siaus FOR THE TOEFL IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
The sentence that comes after this marker mentions that there are no similarities between
dinosaurs and early reptiles. The first similarity between dinosaurs and birds, regarding the
limbs, is discussed earlier in the paragraph. The second similarity, about the skull and neck, is
mentioned in the given sentence.
25. Question Type: Passage Summary
Answer Analysis:
X 1. While this is true according to the passage, it is not a major point in supporting the idea that modern
birds, not reptiles, are probably the closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
2. The fact that dinosaurs had feathers or protofeathers is mentioned as an important piece of
evidence in support of the theory that birds are the closest living ancestors of dinosaurs.
3. The author mentions that birds and dinosaurs had similarly shaped lungs and that this is
further proof that the two are probably related.
4. The author describes the presence of furculae in both birds and dinosaurs, as well as other
structural similarities between the two, as proof of their relation.
This detail is mentioned briefly in the passage but is only a minor point.
This statement is incorrect The discovery of Archaeopteryx lithographica fossils in the mid-1800s
led many scientists to believe that birds are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
Passage 3: Pricing Approaches in Marketing
Answer Analysis:
X "Decide" does not have the same meaning as "aspire."
X If "hurry" were the correct answer, the author would have likely included some information about why a
company would want to set prices quickly.
I "Aspire" and "aim" have similar definitions—both words mean to want to achieve something.
X To "attempt" something means to try to do it. This is not the correct meaning of "aspire."

Answer Analysis:
X "Summarize" means to give information in a brief form. This word does not work in the sentence.
I In the sentence, to "account for" something means to take it into consideration. The sentence
highlights that cost-based pricing approaches fail to consider market-related factors.
X "Formulate" means to create something. This word does not work in the sentence.
X "Make clear" means to fully explain something, which does not work in the sentence.
Answer Analysis:
The author explains that a sixth company selling tubing for one dollar more per foot than its
competitors would not be successful. This suggests that customers would probably buy the less
expensive alternatives.
X The author doesn't mention how a company could lower its production costs or that it would have to in
order to compete.
X The author does not say that buying new equipment would lower production costs.
X The author says that a company with higher production costs would have to match the prices set by its
competitors but does not say that the companies' pricing strategies would necessarily be the same.
Answer Analysis:
X The author says that because larger companies can buy materials in bulk, they often have lower
production costs and can afford to charge less for products.
X The author explains that companies with low production costs can afford to charge less for items.
152
ANSWER KEY
In paragraphs, the author says that small companies often combine competition-based pricing
with cost-based pricing to find the best price.
X The author says that smaller companies often have higher production costs and that setting prices to
match their competitors' prices puts them at a disadvantage.
30. Question Type: Vocabulary

Answer Analysis:
X "Balance" means to make something steady. This word does not work in the sentence.
In the sentence, "yield" means to result in. In other words, small companies look for a pricing
strategy that will result in a large profit even after considering costs.
X "Withhold" means to keep away from.This word does not work in the sentence.
X In the sentence, "yield the highest profit" means to result in the largest profit. "Make larger" would not
make sense in the context of the sentence.

Answer Analysis:
The author says that smaller businesses often combine different pricing strategies in order
to make profits. Because larger companies don't have to worry as much about how their
production costs will affect profits, it's more likely that they will use a single pricing strategy.
X The author explains how the pricing strategies of large companies influence those of smaller
companies, not the other way around.
X The author does not mention how much large or small businesses spend on marketing.
X The author describes why smaller companies have higher production costs than large companies.
There is no information about how using a particular pricing method affects production costs.
Answer Analysis:
X "Accessible" means easily reached. This word does not work in the sentence.
X "Improper" means not correct. This word does not work in the sentence.
I "Impartial" means not at fected by personal opinions or beliefs. If cost-based and competition-
based pricing are described in contrast to buyer-based approaches, which are based on individual
perspective, then "impartial" must have the opposite meaning of "based on individual perspective."
X "Precise" means extremely exact. This word does not work in the sentence.
Answer Analysis:
X Only cost-based approaches are based on the value of a product or service. Competition-based
methods are based on what a company's competitors are charging.
The author explains that cost-based and competition-based approaches are based on factors
like production costs and average prices, both of which can be measured.
Jr The author mentions that personalized information is used for buyer-based approaches, not for cost-
based and competition-based strategies.
Jr The author does not mention a pricing strategy based on the costs to the customer.
Answer Analysis:
Jr The author says that pet rocks have a low actual value but does not describe their perceived value.
The author mentions the pet rock to demonstrate how some products have a low actual value,
meaning sellers need to use perceived value to set prices.
X The author does not mention the perceived value of a pet rock.
X The author describes determining the perceived value of pet rocks only as part of a buyer-based strategy.
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SKILLS FOR DIE TOEFL IV TEST READING MD WRMNG
35. Question Type: Sentence Summary
Answer Analysis:
X This sentence incorrectly expresses the actions in the original sentence. The experts interview the
focus groups, not the other way around.
I This sentence correctly summarizes the important information from the highlighted sentence. It
describes why market experts interview focus groups.
X The highlighted sentence says that the point of focus groups is for people to share their feelings about
a product with market experts, not to share how they form their ideas about product values.
X The highlighted sentence describes one way of determining the perceived value of products, not ways
for interviewing people In focus groups.
36. Question Type: Referent
Answer Analysis:
X Market experts play a role in finding the perceived value of a product, but they do not actually create
products.
Businesses hire psychologists and create products.
X Psychologists are hired by businesses, but psychologists do not create products.
X Consumers' opinions about a product are important to companies, but consumers do not create products.
37. Question Type: Negative Fact
Answer Analysis:
X The author explains that some companies base prices on perceived value and not on other factors.
X The author says that the perceived value of an item may change depending on the focus group being
interviewed and that experts interview many groups in order to get useful information.
X The author says that some companies hire psychologists to understand the emotions of consumers.
The author does not mention if the perceived value of an item is always higher than its actual
value.
38. Question Type: Add Text
Answer Analysis:
J The sentence that comes before this marker describes how cost-based and competition-based
pricing work. It makes sense that the author would then define buyer-based pricing to contrast
it with the other two pricing strategies.
X In the sentence that comes before this marker, the author defines perceived value. It does not make
sense to change the topic to buyer-based pricing.
X The sentence that comes before this marker gives an example of an item with a low perceived value.
Placing the given sentence here would disrupt the flow of the ideas about perceived value.
X The sentence that comes before this matter explains why companies would not use cost-based
approaches for certain products. The next sentence, which starts with "instead," provides a better
method for determining the price for such products. Placing the given sentence here would disrupt the
flow of the ideas in the paragraph.
39. Question Type: Table Completion
Answer Analysis:
1. Buyer-based The author explains that companies use perceived value, which is part of
buyer-based pricing, to set prices for items with low actual value.
V 2. Competition-based In paragraph 5, the author describes why some companies have to set
lower prices than they can afford or risk losing sales to competitors who offer the same
product for less money.
I 3. Cost-based In paragraphs 2 and 3, the author says that cost-based pricing is simple and that
it is the easiest way of determining the price of a product.
154
ANSWER KEY
X 4. The author doesn't describe any pricing strategies that aren't used in combination with other
strategies.
5. Buyer-based In paragraph 7, the author describes the use of focus groups and psychologists
in buyer-based pricing.
X 6. In paragraph 6, the author says that buyer-based pricing works well for items that have little actual
value. However, the author never specifically says that competition-based and cost-based strategies
are not well suited for items with little actual value.
7. Cost-based In paragraph 2, the author explains that cost-based approaches involve figuring
out the production costs and, In some Industries, adding a standard markup.
Buyer-based In paragraph 6, the author says that buyer-based pricing Is based on how
customers feel about the value of a product.
9. Competition-based In paragraph 4, the author describes competition-based pricing as
setting prices based on how much competitors charge for the same item.
155
SIRS FOR 15E TOER. IBT TEST READING AND WRMNG
WRMNG
WRITING TASK 1: Academic Reading / Lecture Synthesis
Get It Right
Task 1: Author's Claim: now new studies are showing that educational television shows have a
positive effect on children% development Key Points: First watching a few hours of educational
programming a week has been proven to boost children's test scores.; Furthermore, watching educational
television programs together can be an important bonding activity for families.; Finally, there are a wide
variety of excellent educational programs available, and the quality of these programs is closely monitored.
Task 2: Professor's Position: Overall, though, evidence indicates that watching educational programs
on TV is not particularly beneficial for young toddlers and preschoolers. Key Points: Although some
studies do indicate that watching educational programming boosts test scores, there are plenty of studies
that directly contradict this notion.; In addition, watching TV together simply is not an effective form of
bonding.; Finally, although government regulations aim to ensure programming excellence, they often fail
to do so. Task 3: explain how they cast doubt on Task 4: The reading passage argues that educational
programs on IV have a positive effect on young children.; However, the professor disagrees and gives
evidence that educational programs are not good for preschool-age children to watch.; To summarize,
in the reading, the author argues that educational TV is good for young children. However, the professor
disagrees with this idea and gives three pieces of evidence to show that TV is actually bad for children.
Task 5: The reading passage states that watching educational programs encourages academic success.;
Second, the passage says that the quality of educational TV programs is closely regulated by the
government.; Finally, the passage states that watching TV together can be a good opportunity for bonding
between family members.
Get Ready
A However, some key factors indicate that vegetable oil is not an ideal source of fuel.; First, using
vegetable oil as fuel requires the installation of special equipment in a vehicle, which can be quite costly.;
Next, using vegetable oil as fuel for cars can be a complicated process.; Another issue is that using
vegetable oil as fuel has the potential to reduce the availability of food crops.
B 1. The main topic presented in the reading 2. The second point from the reading
3. The professor's main topic 4. The third point from the lecture
C [1] The reading states that vegetable oil is not a good source of fuel for cars. It gives several reasons
for this argument. [4] However, in the lecture, the professor argues the opposite. She gives evidence to
support the idea that vegetable oil is an excellent source of fuel for vehicles.
[3] The passage points out that it's expensive to install conversion equipment. There are many different
pieces that cost money. Maintenance is also expensive. [2] However, the professor argues that while it is
expensive, it pays for itself quickly by saving money. [5] Using vegetable oil as fuel is a lot cheaper than
gas. This way, drivers save money in the long term.
[3] Second, the passage suggests that using the special equipment needed for vegetable oil fuel could be
very complicated. It requires a lot of attention. [2] The professor disagrees. [5] She points out that it's not
very hard and that people get used to these motions. Also, she explains that there are new systems that
are automate and don't need a person to turn them on or off.
[3] Finally, the passage argues that using vegetable oil could affect crops normally used for food, like
sunflowers. This could cause the price of certain foods to go up. [2] In contrast, the professor says that
the oil used for fuel is a waste product from places like food factories. [5] ft's already been used once, so
using it for fuel does not affect food production.
156
ANSWER KEY
[6] In conclusion, both the reading and the lecture discuss using vegetable oil as a source of fuel for cars.
While the author claims that vegetable oil is not a good source of fuel, the professor disagrees and offers
several pieces of evidence to show that vegetable oil is, in fact, a good source of fuel for vehicles.
D Sample Essay: In the reading, the author says that vegetable oil isn't a good source of fuel for cars.
The professor disagrees and shows that vegetable oil is a good source of fuel by describing some of the
advantages of using vegetable oil as fuel in cars.
First, the reading says that using vegetable oil as fuel is too expensive because cars using this type of fuel
require special, expensive equipment. The professor rejects this point and says that the equipment pays for
itseff in the end. That's because cars can travel long distances with vegetable oil.
Next, the reading claims that the equipment is too complicated to use. Again, the professor disagrees.
According to the professor, using the converter becomes automatic, so drivers don't have to really think
about it. In addition, she says that automatic converters are available, so drivers don't have to worry at all
about switching the equipment on and off.
The final point in the reading is that using vegetable oil as fuel will lead to higher food prices. The professor
disproves this point as well. She argues that the vegetable oil used as fuel is a waste product that typically
comes from restaurants and factories. It's used for cooking before it's used as fuel, so it doesn't affect food
prices at all.
To summarize, the author of the reading argues that vegetable oil is not a good source of fuel for cars. The
professor disagrees with this idea and discusses three reasons why vegetable oil is a good source of fuel.
Get Set
B 1. Europeans 2. Odin 3. runes 4. similarities 5. Old Italic 6. Greeks 7. angular
C Sample Response: Main Topic from Reading: The reading claims that runes most Rely developed
as an independent writing system. Main Topic from Lecture: The professor disagrees and says that there
is strong evidence that runes actually originated in an Old italic alphabet.
Key Point 1 from Reading: First, the reading describes how Germanic groups who used runes could
not have based their alphabet on an earlier system, because they were culturally isolated until 700 AD.
Key Point 1 from Lecture: The professor says that this is not completely true. Support from Lecture:
He says that Germanic groups interacted with early Romans and traders who used Old Italic scripts long
before this.
Key Point 2 from Reading: Next, the passage describes how runes appear in mythology as creations
of the god Nth. Key Point 2 from Lecture: The professor, however, points out that people from the
Italian Peninsula traveled to Germanic regions long before that mythology became popular. Support from
Lecture: The runes could have been derived from an Old Italic alphabet and added to mythology later on.
Key Point 3 from Reading: Finally, the reading claims that runic symbols are not visibly similar to letters
used in Old Italic alphabets. Key Point 3 from Lecture: The professor, on the other hand, notices many
similarities between the two alphabets. Support from Lecture: In particular, he says that the similar
shapes of their letters indicate a relationship between the runic and the Old Italic alphabets.
Conclusion: In summary, while the reading says that runes developed independently from other writing
systems, the professor disagrees and provides evidence to show that runes probably came from Old Italic
scripts.
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SIOLLS FOR THE TOER IBT TEST READING AND WRITING
Go for the TOER Test
Sample Essay #1 Sample Essay #2

The reading argues that the Venus de Milo is a copy of an The lecture is about the Venus de Milo and why it's not a
earlier Greek or Roman sculpture. The professor, however, copy The reading is opposite of that. The reading first says
disagrees and explains why she thinks the Venus de Milo is that it looks like a sculpture that was first discovered in
an original piece of art and not a replica 1820. That sculpture was by an artist who worked during
First the reading points out that this Hellenistic sculpture the classical era. But the professor says it actually looks
strongly resembles older classical sculptures, particularly like something from the Hellenistic period. It took place
those of Greek artist Praxiteles. The professor disagrees after the classical period. That's why the Venus de Milo
with this because she feels that the Venus de Milo is very looks like that.
Hellenistic in style and that its similarities to classical Next, the professor says that the Venus de Milo doesn't
works have been exaggerated. look like the Aphrodite of Capua that much. The reading
The reading also suggests that the Venus de Milo must be argues that the similarity between these two is proof that
a replica because of its similarities to Aphrodite of Capua. the Venus de Milo copied the Aphrodite of Capua. So if the
The professor says that there were so many Aphrodite Venus de Milo doesn't look like the Aphrodite of Capua,
and Venus sculptures created between the fourth and first the professor says that means it's not a copy.
centuries BC that of course some of them look similar,
but she points out that the similarities between these two
statues are not substantial enough to prove that the Venus
de Milo is a copy.
Finally, the reading claims that because the statue was
created during the Hellenistic period, and because so
many Hellenistic pieces were replicas of classical works,
the Venus de Milo must also be a replica. The professor
feels that the Hellenistic period is underrated and that it
produced many original works.
To summarize, in the reading, the author says that
the Venus de Milo is a replica of a previous work. The
professor disagrees with this.
Sample Score #1 Sample Score #2
'Ibis essay would likely score very well because the test This response would likely score poorly because it is
taker provides an accurate and complete response to the difficult to understand and does not completely answer
prompt The essay is organized in such a manner that the prompt. After a short introduction, the test taker
the relationship between the reading and the lecture discusses only two of the points in the reading. At 138
is very clear. For example, in the introduction, the words, the essay is too short. The score would have been
test taker writes, "The professor, however, disagrees." higher if the writer had addressed the third point and, in
This sentence shows that the student understands the doing so, extended the word count of the essay. Next, the
professor's stance with respect to the claim made in the language used in the essay severely limits understanding.
reading. Furthermore, the test taker writes about each of In several cases, the writer uses pronouns without
the points in the reading and describes how the professor making the referent dear, as in the following sentence:
casts doubt on those points. In order to do this, the "But the professor says it actually looks like something
writer provides plenty of specific details from the lecture. from the Hellenistic period." In this sentence, the referent
Finally, the language in the response is dear and easy to of air is not dear. The writer also provides inaccurate
understand. The essay is well organized, and the ideas information about the discovery of the Venus de Milo
flow very well. The writer uses a variety of grammatical (the Venus de Milo was discovered in 1820; it did not, as
structures and makes no spelling errors. the essay suggests, resemble a different sculpture that was
discovered in 1820).
158
ANSWER KEY
WRMNG TASK 2: Personal Experience Essay
Get It Right
Task 2: The test taker disagrees with the statement. Task 3: First of all, I think that competing is usually a waste of energy.; I also
dislike competition because at least one of the competitors always loses.; Cooperating is a much better alternative to competing.
Task 4: 1 disagree with the idea that it is necessary to be competitive to succeed in life. Task 5: Some time ago, a friend and I both
bought a video game and started competing to see who could earn the highest score. To get higher scores, my friend and I spent
increasing amounts of time and energy playing the game. Eventually, I had no energy left after playing and couldn't do anything
else. I decided it wasn't worth it and refocused my energy on other activities.; A classmate and I once found ourselves tied for the
top rank of a class mid-semester. For the rest of the semester, we competed to overtake each other's rankings, and in the end she
came in second. She felt as if her effort had been wasted and was pretty sad.; Onetime, a friend and I both wanted to participate
in a writing competition. Rather than act competitively, we decided to cooperate with each other. We edited each other's stories
and helped each other write. When his story did better than mine, I didn't feel bad, because I had helped him write it.
Get Ready
A Do you agree or disagree; Use specific reasons and examples
B Agree
C [1] I agree with the idea that you should always try to be polite to others. [211 think that being polite makes you feel good. I
think it also makes the person who receives your politeness feel good. Moreover, impoliteness can cause people to become angry
with you.
P11 have found that when I am polite to others, it makes me feel good. Being polite makes me feel like I am a decent and kind
person. [6] For instance, one time as I was walking into a grocery store, a woman was walking in the opposite direction, and she
accidentally spilled her groceries all over the parking lot. I stopped and helped her pick them up. She didn't thank me, but my act
of politeness made me feel good anyway.
The act of being polite also benefits the person who receives the politeness. It often brightens the recipient's day and can
positively change the way he or she looks at people. [6] For example, I was traveling in a foreign country last summer and wasn't
sure what I was going to do one evening. A local spotted me wandering around and asked me if I needed help finding something.
He ended up giving me many good suggestions on places to visit. That one act of politeness made me happy the entire rest of my
week.
Mother good reason for being polite is that people sometimes become offended when you are impolite, and generally it is not
a good idea to offend people. [6] For instance, an old friend of mine once introduced me to a woman he had met and was dating.
At one point, when I thought she wasn't listening, I made a rude comment about her dress. She heard me and became very
offended. My friend stopped spending time with me after that. The woman remains close to my friend, but neither of them has
spoken to me since.
[7] To summarize, it's my opinion that you should always try to be polite to others. Being polite not only makes you feel good, it
makes others feel good, too. Also, being polite helps you avoid offending people.
D Sample Essay: In my opinion, I don't think you should always be polite to others. I feel this way for a number of
reasons, including that there's no reason to be nice to someone who is not nice to you first, it takes a lot of work to be nice
to others, and politeness makes people think you're weak
First, I think that politeness should be earned. By that, I mean that! don't think I should have to be nice to someone
who hasn't been nice to me first. For example, I work at a grocery store, where! deal with a lot of different people every
day. Sometimes the customers there are very rude. I don't treat them badly, but if somebody's been rude to me, I don't
try to be nice to them,! just don't think should have to be polite to people who have treated me badly.
Next, it takes a lot of effort to be polite. You have to listen to the other person and make sure you don't offend them.
Frankly, there are times when! just don't have the energy to be polite, like when I'm riding the subway home after a long
day at school and work. 1 just want to sit back and relax until! get home.
Continued on the next page

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SILLS FOP THE TOIEFL IBTTEST READING ARO WRITING
Finally, there are situations in which being polite makes people think you are weak. I know somebody who is a
manager at a busy office. She told me that if she behaves politely by doing things rdce saying "thank you" or "please," her
employees don't take her seriously and won't listen to her. For the people in her office, this polite behavior means that
she's weak and can't just say what she means. So my friend doesn't act as politely at work anymore, and people treat her
with respect. In her case, it just doesn't make sense to be polite all of the time.
In summary, I disagree with the idea that you should always be polite to others.! think people need to earn my
politeness, and in some cases, it's just too much work to be polite. Finally, I don't think you should be polite if it makes
people think you are weak.
Get Set
A 1. Do you agree or disagree 2. Use specific reasons and examples
B 1. Topic Sentence 2. Key Point 1 3. Personal Details 4. Key Point 2 5. Personal Details
6. Key Point 3 7. Personal Details
C 3, 2, 5,1, 4
D Sample Essay: I agree with the statement that people should focus on the happiness of others over their own
happiness. Focusing on the happiness of others helps you understand others and makes you a better person. Also, it often
encourages other people to focus on your happiness in return.
First, in my experience, I've found that focusing on the happiness of others broadens the ways in which you see the
world, which, in turn, helps you understand others better. For the past two years, I have volunteered at a local school as
a tutor. One of my students was obviously very smart, but he was doing badly in school. Through my work with him, I
eventually realized that he didn't have time to study because he helped take care of his younger brothers and sisters. By
focusing on helping this student, I realized that everybody has a different situation that may affect how he or she does in
school.
Second,! think that focusing on the happiness of others helps you be a better person in general. To return to my
example of volunteering, I've found that in order to be a good volunteer,! have to be unselfish and think about the
happiness of the students before my own happiness. Because of this experience, I try to be unselfish in other parts of my
life, too. In my opinion, these qualities are a really important part of being a good person.
Third, a lot of the time, focusing on the happiness of other people encourages them to focus on your happiness in return.
My best friend, Sally, is a great example of this. Because she's my friend, I always try to make her happy by spending time
with her and doing fin things, like going to the movies or listening to music together. In return, Sally always makes sure
that I'm happy, too. There's never a time when she lets me down, and I'm sure that my happiness is as important to her as
hers is to me.
In conclusion, it is best if you focus on the happiness of others. In general, it helps you to understand people and to be
unselfish. It also encourages others to make you happy.

Sample Essay *1 Sample Essay #2
I agree with the idea that it is more important to create People have different types of goals. You can make
realistic goals than ambitious ones. I think it's easier to get ambitious goals, like climbing Mount Everest or writing a
started when you have a realistic goal. Also, it's easier to great book, or you can make realistic goals, like learning
stay motivated when you're trying to reach a realistic goal. how to speak a different language. I think it's possible to
Finally, having realistic goals is a lot less stressful than achieve an ambitious goal, but in my opinion, it's better to
having ambitious goals. have realistic goals.
First of all, realistic goals are better because they're easier First, realistic goals are a lot easier to achieve, if you think
to start For example, my friend wanted to become a rock about it. For example, I had a friend who had dreams of
star, which was a very ambitious goal. When he realized writing best-selling novels. That's a pretty
(Continued) (Continued)
160
AN5VIEFI KEY
how much work was involved in reaching that goal, he ambitious goal, and he'll probably never reach it. It's too
decided to not even try. He felt that achieving that goal much work,! think. Ambitious goals are usually too
was impossible and that it was useless to even try. much work. If he had chosen a realistic goal,! think it
would be easier for him to achieve his dream. You don't
Next, I think it's a lot easier to stay motivated when you
have to work as hard or commit a lot of time to achieve
have realistic goals. The fact is, achieving an ambitious
realistic goaLs. In that way, you'll be more likely to achieve
goal requires a lot of patience and hard work, and you
a realistic goal long before achieving an ambitious goal.
probably have to face a lot of failure before you achieve
your dream. This is what happened to my friend Melissa, Next,! think that realistic goals are better because they
who wanted to be a photographer for a famous magazine. are easier to prepare for. In order to achieve an ambitious
Eventually, she became discouraged because the magazine goal, you have to prepare a lot But it's not as hard to
kept rejecting her photographs, and she decided to prepare for a realistic goal.
abandon her goal. I think that if she'd had a more realistic Third, I also think that realistic goals are easy to achieve
goal, like being a photographer for a newspaper, she because you have a lot more control. I mean, you can
wouldn't have faced as much rejection and probably change your expectations if you need to. If it seems like
would have stuck with her goal. you can't achieve the goal, you should change it and that
Finally, it's better to set realistic goals because it's less might also help you.
stressful. That's because there's less at stake when you have To create a realistic goal, you should think about what
a realistic goal, so it doesn't feel like your whole life is you can accomplish. And it's helpful to think of when you
ruined if you don't achieve it. For example, I knew a girl want to accomplish the goal, too. That way, you will have
who had the realistic goal of dancing in the city ballet. She a deadline for when to finish.
didn't get the lead part, but that was OK with her. At least
she got a smaller part and was able to dance onstage.
To conclude, if you want to reach your goals and feel
successful, you should set realistic ones.
Sample Score #1 Sample Score #2
This essay would probably score very well because the test This response would likely score in the mid-level range.
taker answers the question in the prompt in a dear and While the essay addresses the main topic, the writer
well-organized manner. The test taker writes his position at doesn't fully develop the points. Adding more personal
the very beginning of the essay, so ifs easy to tell whether he examples would have improved this aspect of the essay.
agrees or disagrees with the statement He also gives a brief Next, the body paragraphs show some progression, but
summary of the key points that he will use to support his the ideas are often unclear. For example, in the third
opinion, which makes it easy to understand the organization paragraph, the writer mentions that it's easier to prepare
of the essay from the beginning. Furthermore, the test taker for realistic goals but does not give any examples to clarify
gives three distinct key points, which are supported with this idea. At the end of the essay, the focus of the response
relevant personal details. The details help make the key shifts to a discussion of how to create a realistic goal,
points dear to the reader. Finally, the sentences in the essay which is off topic. Overall, the writer repeats much of the
are well written and contain no grammatical or spelling same key language throughout the response and does not
errors, and the essay contains more than 300 words. show that he has a wide vocabulary.
161
SIDLES FOR THE TOEFL 113T TEST READING AND WRITING
WRITING REVIEW TEST

Question 1
Sample Essay #1 Sample Essay #2
Both the reading and the lecture are about the Upper The reading and the lecture talk about the Upper
Paleolithic Revolution, which was a period during which Paleolithic Revolution. The reading says that the Upper
humans started displaying modern behavior, like making Paleolithic Revolution happened 40,000 years ago in
tools and creating artwork. According to the reading, the Europe.
Upper Paleolithic Revolution took place in Europe about
First of all, the reading says that European humans
40,000 years ago. However, the professor disagrees with
during the Upper Paleolithic Revolution caused
this and daims that it probably took place in Africa much
Neanderthals to go extinct The lecturer agrees that the
earlier than that.
sophistication of human tools was probably the reason
The first point in the reading is that a population boom for Neanderthal extinction in Europe.
among modern humans in Europe was a sign that
Next, there's the idea that humans first developed
modem behavior started there about 40,000 years ago.
sophisticated new tools during the Ice Age in Europe
The author also mentions that European Neanderthals, an
because it was too cold. The lecture, though, points out
earlier type of human, went extinct because of the success
that sophisticated stone and bone tools were actually
of the modem humans. In the lecture, the professor
developed even earlier in Africa.
disagrees that modern humans emerged in Europe. He
points out that sophisticated tools much older than those Finally, the reading discusses a rock sculpture from
found in Europe were found in Africa According to Germany that is 35,000-40,000 years old. But the
him, this is an indication that the tools were developed professor claims in his lecture that sophisticated art
in Africa and brought to Europe when people migrated began as early as 70,000 BC.
there.
Next, the reading argues that a period of cold weather
In Europe prompted humans there to develop better
tools so they could survive. Again, the professor
disagrees by saying that sophisticated tools, like
projectile points and engraving tools, were found in
Africa that date to about 50,000 years ago. He says that
this is a sign that the tools were actually developed in
Africa and not Europe.
Last, the author says that the earliest piece of art was
found in Germany. The stone statue is called the Venus
of HoMe Feb. and it was probably created between
35,000 and 40,000 years ago. The professor challenges
the idea that this is the first piece of art He describes
two rock carvings that were found in a cave in South
Africa He says these carvings were created in 70,000 BC,
which makes them much older than the piece found in
Germany.
In conclusion, the reading says that the Upper Paleolithic
Revolution took place in Europe 90,000 years ago. But the
professor disagrees and provides evidence that it actually
took place in Africa earlier than that
162
WWI kEt
Sample Score *I Sample Score *2

This essay would probably score very well. The essay This response would likely score poorly. While the essay
has five paragraphs, including an introduction, three includes an introduction and three body paragraphs, it
body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Furthermore, the does not have a conclusion. In the essay, the writer fails to
writer connects information from both the reading and fully connect information from both the reading and the
the lecture by giving the main topic of the reading and lecture, and in some places he describes only information
accurately describing how the professor challenges each from the reading. The essay also lacks specific details from
key point from the reading. The writer's language is easy the lecture, which would have made the points easier
to understand and includes a variety of grammatical to understand. For example, in the second paragraph,
structures and vocabulary. the writer says that the lecturer partially agrees with
the reading but does not describe the details that the
professor gives to challenge the point from the reading.
The writer uses many of the same grammatical structures
from the reading itself, suggesting that he lacks a strong
knowledge of English sentence constructions.
Question 2
Sample Essay *1 Sample Essay *2
; I disagree with the idea that the best way to learn is by In my opinion, following the examples set by others
following examples set by others. Figuring things out on is the best way to learn. I think this is true because it's
your own often leads to a greater understanding of the easier to learn from people who know what they're doing.
subject, and you may find a new way of doing something Also, you can learn from the mistakes of others and have
by not following examples. Furthermore, it is more fun to someone to help you along the way.
find things out by yourself. When you follow the examples of others, you are basically
One reason following examples isn't the best way of just learning from people who have more experience than
learning is because you often learn more about a subject you. People who have more experience, like teachers, can
when you explore it unaided. For example,! once wanted tell you if you're doing a good job or a bad job. That's very
to learn about origami. I didn't have time to take lessons, important, if you ask me.
so! bought a book and started studying it on my own. I Also, when someone sets an example for you, you know
would spend hours looking at the book and practicing, that they've already made mistakes and have learned
and I ended up learning a lot. I think if I had taken from them. That way, you don't really have to make the
lessons, I wouldn't have explored anything outside of my mistakes yourself. Making mistakes is often a part of
session, so I wouldn't have learned as much. learning something new. But following the examples
Another reason following examples is not the best way of others makes it so you skip this step, and that is
to learn something is because it rarely results in finding convenient, I think
new ways to do things. When you try to learn something Last, by following the example of someone else, you have
independently, you're more likely to find something someone to help you along the way. For example, when!
nobody has disrovered before. Consider my friend who was learning how to ride a bike, my cousin rode his bike
launches homemade rockets as a hobby Instead of following first to show me how. When it was my turn to try, he was
examples, he decided to figure everything out without there to give me hints so it wouldn't be so hard. This was
help. In the process of doing so, he designed a new rocket really good.
fuel that shoots the rocket farther. If he had followed an That's why! think it's good to learn by following the
example, he wouldn't have come up with this new fuel. examples set by others. It's better because it helps you
Finally, learning new things on your own is better than learn from the mistakes of others and learn from people
learning from examples because it's more Mn. The feeling who know what they are doing.
you get from discovering something is much more thrilling
than what you get from copying an example. For example, a
friend of mine once built his own bicycle without any sort of
a guide. He was prouder of this achievement than anything
else he had done that whole year. I doubt he would have
been as excited if he had simply followed instructions.
(Continued) (Continued)
163
MIS FOR NE TOEFL MT TEST READING AND %WIC
In conclusion, it my belief that learning by following

examples is not the best way to learn. I think that learning
something new on your own is better because it helps you
understand a subject more, it can help you find a new way of
doing something, and it is more fun than following examples.
Sample Scores! Sample Score e2
This essay would lardy score very well because the writer This response would probably get a mid-level score. The
provides a dear and well-organized response to the writer includes five paragraphs and answers the question
question in the prompt In the introduction, the writer in the prompt, but it is difficult to understand the writer's
states her position and briefly summarizes her reasons meaning at times. The writer could have improved this
for holding that opinion. The three body paragraphs each by adding more personal details to clarify the points.
present a distinct reason that supports the main topic. The Furthermore, the writer should have included more
writer also presents personal details that help clarify her transition language to indicate the relationship between
key points and gives a brief conclusion that summarizes the sentences in the response. The writer often uses the
her opinion and her reasons for holding that opinion. The same words and does not display a broad vocabulary.
language in the essay is dear and includes different types of Finally, at 256 words, the response is too short.
sentence constructions. The writer uses transition language
to improve the flow of the essay, and the response is more
than 300 words.
164
0.•
Audio Script
O CD1, Tracks
Narrator: Writing Lesson 1: Get Ready
Narrator: Now listen to part of a lecture in an environmental science class.
Professor As the world's supply of fossil fuels begins to run low, scientists have been exploring alternative sources
of fuel for cars and other vehicles. One of the best alternative fuels is vegetable oil. There are a lot of reasons why
using vegetable oil is a great idea.
First, it's true that people have to invest a little money at first for conversion equipment However, if you think
about it, the equipment soon pays for itself because the car can be driven many more miles on fuel from
vegetable oil. Most cars can drive between 800 and 1,000 miles on just one tank of vegetable oil! Compare this
to the average gas engine that gets about 500 miles for one tank of gas. The use of vegetable oil saves a lot of
money. In addition, the cost of conversion equipment will come down quickly as more people switch to using
vegetable oil.
It's also very true that the use of a converter requires the driver to pay attention. However, it really isn't that
hard to remember to turn the equipment switch on and off. After awhile, people who use the equipment
just do it automatically. Also, with rapid improvements in technology, soon even that won't be necessary.
Already there are automatic converters that sense when to turn the equipment on or off. The driver doesn't
have to do anything at all.
Finally, it's true that vegetable oil comes from crops that are used for food. However, the vegetable oil that we
use for fuel in cars is a waste product. Huge amounts of this waste oil are discarded every day from places like
restaurants and potato chip factories. This oil has already been used once for cooking, so using it in a car doesn't
interrupt the food supply at all.
166
AUDIO SCRIPT
CD1, Track 4
Narrator: Writing Lesson 1: Get Set
Narrator: Now listen to part of a lecture in an archaeology class.
Professor: There's this big debate with historians and archaeologists about the origins of runes. Did they develop
independently, or were they based off of some older alphabet system? Our reading from last night suggests that
runes developed independently. I don't really agree with that. I think there's a lot of evidence that runes could
have developed from another script. In particular, I think they came from Old Italic, a family of alphabets that
originated on the Italian Peninsula in the eighth century BC. The Old Italic alphabets spread around Europe and
were used to write many different European alphabets.
First of all, it's true that Germanic groups were more isolated than other people in Europe. But they weren't
immune to influences from powerful groups like the Greeks and the Romans, who used Old Italic alphabets.
Early Romans probably did travel to central Europe, especially for trade. Actually, I believe that trade with
Greeks and Italians, and then conquest by those groups, could have really influenced Germanic culture. So the
different languages definitely came into contact, and it's likely that runes were based on the Old Italic system.
Also, let's mention the idea about the runes having a basis in mythology. There just isn't strong evidence to
support this claim. Yes, runes are mentioned in mythology and in connection with the god Odin, but that
doesn't make it impossible that they originated in another alphabet. We know that people who used Old Italic
scripts were traveling all over Europe before the Germanic mythology took shape.
I also want to address the claim that there aren't many similarities between runes and other scripts. If you
compare runic and Old Italic scripts, it's obvious that these two are related somehow. They all use the same
angular letters. And while the reading suggests that anything they have in common is probably random or a
coincidence, I think that's pretty unlikely.
167
MILS FOR ME TOER NIT TEST READING MID WRMNG
CD1, Track 5
Narrator: Writing Lesson 1: Go for the TOEFL Test

Narrator: Now listen to part of a lecture in an art history class and take notes.
Professor: OK, our reading tries to convince us that the Venus de Milo is probably a re-creation of an earlier piece.
Personally, I disagree with this stance. I think that the Venus de Milo is an original work from the Hellenistic
period, not a copy of something from the classical period.
Let's start by looking at style. The article says that the Venus de Milo resembles classical works by artists like
Praxiteles. Really, though, it depends on how you look at the statue. Yes, some of it looks a lot like classical pieces
in certain ways, but that's because the classical period lasted from the fifth century BC until about 330 BC, and
the Hellenistic period immediately followed. And actually, the Venus de Milo looks very Hellenistic. It's very
realistic and detailed, and the body is long and lean. These are features of the Hellenistic era. I don't think the
artist was copying classical styles.
Also, there's this claim that the Venus de Milo must be a replica because it looks a lot like the Aphrodite of Capua,
which we know is a replica of an older Greek statue. But this doesn't make much sense, either, if you ask me. I
mean, there were many different artists depicting Venus and Aphrodite between the fourth and first centuries
BC—so many that of course some of them look similar. So I don't think the similarity between these two works
proves anything.
And finally, just because Alexandros of Antioch lived during the Hellenistic period doesn't mean that this
image of Aphrodite wasn't his own creation. I think that the Hellenistic period was a little underrated. Plenty of
beautiful and unique art came out of that time period. I think, urn, we can't assume that the Venus de Milo was a
replica just because it came from an unknown person at an unlikely time.
188
AUDIO SCRIPT
WRMNG REVIEW TEST
o COI, Track 6
Narrator: Writing Review Test: Question 1
Narrator: Now listen to part of a lecture in a history class and take notes.
Professor: OK, today let's talk about the Upper Paleolithic Revolution. As you know from the reading, this was
a period in which people started exhibiting modern human behavior. By that,! mean that humans started
developing tools and culture, which earlier types of humans didn't have. Anyway, some scientists argue that the
Upper Paleolithic Revolution took place in Europe about 40,000 years ago. But there's actually a lot of evidence
that shows that it took place in Africa a lot earlier than that
First of all, there's this idea that modern humans emerged in Europe and that's why the European Neanderthals
went extinct. But that's not the whole story. I mean, the modem humans had to have come from somewhere, and
with the information we have, I'd say they came from Africa. See, it's true that scientists found tools in Europe
that date to around 90,000 years ago. But even older versions of those tools have been found in parts of Africa.
What does that mean? Well, it means that modern humans migrated from Africa to Europe, and they took their
new technology with them when they did.
OK, let's move on. Another theory is that the cold weather in Europe forced modern humans there to develop
new tools. Again, I'm afraid this just isn't true. I mean, many stone and bone artifacts appeared in Africa as early
as 50,000 years ago. I'm talking about objects like projectile points and engraving tools. So, again, here we have
examples of sophisticated human tools that are older than the tools that were found in Europe. It's true that new
tools probably allowed humans to flourish in Europe during the period of cold climate, but! don't think the new
tools originated in Europe.
Finally, some experts say that the first example of art was found in Europe. But we actually have evidence of
much older pieces of art. And guess what? These older pieces were found in Africa. For example, the oldest rock
carvings in Africa are two decorated stones that were found in Blombos Cave in South Africa. Amazingly, these
were created in 70,000 BC!
169
Acade TIC Word List
academicw / wkademik, mkedemikli /6 (academics)
ADJ. (ADJ n) Academic is used to describe things that relate to the work done in schools, colleges, and
universities, especially work which involves studying and reasoning rather than practical or technical
skills.
Their academic standards are high.
I was terrible at school and left with few academic qualifications.°

academically AN
He is academically gifted.
othe word you are looking for
0 how it sounds
*type of word leg. noun, adjective, adverb, etc)
0 example sentence
The following 570 words are of the most common word families found in academic texts. These are
important to leam and know to ensure academic success. Use the Collins Cobuild Advanced Dictionary
to find definitions, different forms of words, see authentic sample sentences, learn pronunciation, and much
more!
Coxhead Academic Word List*

abandon affect approximate
abstract aggregate arbitrary
academy aid area
access albeit aspect
accommodate allocate assemble
accompany alter assess
accumulate alternative assign
accurate ambiguous assist
achieve amend assume
acknowledge analogy assure
acquire analyze attach
adapt annual attain
adequate anticipate attitude
adjacent apparent attribute
adjust append author
administrate appreciate authority
adult approach automate
advocate appropriate available
170
ACADOIC WORD IIST
aware conceive culture
behalf concentrate currency
benefit concept cycle
bias conclude data
bond concurrent debate
brief conduct decade
bulk confer decline
capable confine deduce
capacity confirm define
category conflict definite
cease conform demonstrate
challenge consent denote
channel consequent deny
chapter considerable depress
chart consist derive
chemical constant design
circumstance constitute despite
cite constrain detect
civil construct deviate
clarify consult device
classic consume devote
clause contact differentiate
code contemporary dimension
coherent context diminish
coincide contract discrete
collapse contradict discriminate
colleague contrary displace
commence contrast display
comment contribute dispose
commission controversy distinct
commit convene distort
commodity converse distribute
communicate convert diverse
community convince document
compatible cooperate domain
compensate coordinate domestic
compile core dominate
complement corporate draft
complex correspond drama
component couple duration
compound create dynamic
comprehensive credit economy
comprise criteria edit
compute crucial element

171
eliminate final incline
emerge finance income
emphasis finite incorporate
empirical flexible index
enable fluctuate indicate
encounter focus individual
energy format induce
enforce formula inevitable
enhance forthcoming infer
enormous found infrastructure
ensure foundation inherent
entity framework inhibit
environment function initial
equate fund initiate
equip fundamental injure
equivalent furthermore innovate
erode gender input
error generate insert
establish generation insight
estate globe inspect
estimate goal instance
ethic grade institute
ethnic grant instruct
evaluate guarantee integral
eventual guideline integrate
evident hence integrity
evolve hierarchy intelligent
exceed highlight intense
exclude hypothesis interact
exhibit identical intermediate
expand identify internal
expert ideology interpret
explicit ignorant interval
exploit illustrate intervene
export image intrinsic
expose immigrate invest
external impact investigate
extract implement invoke
Facilitate implicate involve
factor implicit isolate
feature imply issue
federal impose item
fee incentive job
file incidence journal
172
ACADEMIC WORD LIST
justify nonetheless practitioner
label norm precede
labor normal precise
layer notion predict
lecture notwithstanding predominant
legal nuclear preliminary
legislate objective presume
levy obtain previous
liberal obvious primary
license occupy prime
likewise occur principal
link odd principle
locate offset prior
logic ongoing priority
maintain option proceed
major orient process
manipulate outcome professional
manual output prohibit
margin overall project
mature overlap promote
maximize overseas proportion
mechanism panel prospect
media paradigm protocol
mediate paragraph psychology
medical parallel publication
medium parameter publish
mental participate purchase
method partner pursue
migrate passive qualitative
military perceive quote
minimal percent radical
minimize period random
minimum persist range
ministry perspective ratio
minor phase rational
mode phenomenon react
modify philosophy recover
monitor physical refine
motive plus regime
mutual policy region
negate portion register
network pose regulate
neutral positive reinforce
nevertheless potential reject

173
relax site terminate
release so-called text
relevant sole theme
reluctance somewhat theory
rely source thereby
remove specific thesis
require specify topic
research sphere trace
reside stable tradition
resolve statistic transfer
resource status transform
respond straightforward transit
restore strategy transmit
restrain stress transport
restrict structure trend
retain style trigger
reveal submit ultimate
revenue subordinate undergo
reverse subsequent underlie
revise subsidy undertake
revolution substitute uniform
rigid successor unify
role sufficient unique
route sum utilize
scenario summary valid
schedule supplement vary
scheme survey vehicle
scope survive version
section suspend via
sector sustain violate
secure symbol virtual
seek tape visible
select target vision
sequence task visual
series team volume
sex technical voluntary
shift technique welfare
significant technology whereas
similar temporary whereby
simulate tense widespread
*Please note, there is no direct correlation between the words found on the TOEFL Test and those found on the
Corhead Academic Word list. This list has been included only as a reference for vocabulary commonly found in
academic texts.
174
TOEFL: Test preparation
English for Exams
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Collins Skills for the TOEFL iBT® Test Cc] [ins Includes
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Listening and Speaking full of test
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Practice listening to the kinds of exercises you'll practice
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Academic Word List C Corhead, Avail (2000)

Lesson 1: Detail Questions and Referent Questions 13

Lesson 2: Negative Fact Questions and Function Questions 26

Lesson 3: Inference Questions and Vocabulary Questions 39

Integrated Writing Task

How to Use This Book

Tips for Success

Overview of the TOEFL® Test

Origins of the Moon

Describe an activity that you like to do and explain why you

Preparation time: 15 seconds

Directions: Read the question below. You have 30 minute to

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

It Is necessary to be competitive in order to succeed in life.

Use specific reasons and examples to support your response.

QUICK GUIDE: TOEFL® Test

Reading Reading Passages. 3-5 Part 1 (1 Passage + Questions) 20 minutes

Total Section Time: 60-100 minutes

Total Section Time: 60-90 minutes

Before the Test Starts

About the Break

When You're Done

Report or Cancel Scores

At this time, please decide whether you would like to report or

Overview of the Reading Section

QUICK GUIDE: TOEFL Test Reading Section

Reading Section: What You'll See and Hear

The Decline of the English Cloth Dade

After 45 years of the queen's rule, James!

Question 1 of 12 TODEIMfm 00.11 20

Passage Questions Status

Reading Seaton: Passage Types

anthropology • engineering • music

Passage Type Definition Sample Topics

Each passage will usually feature a specific organizational style. An organizational

Common Organizational Styles of Reading Passages

Challenges and Solutions

Strategies for Using Context Clues

Part of the Passage Skimming Strategy

Compare / Problem / Theory /

CHALLENGE 4: "There's too much Infomiation to remember!"

Age of Bradshows: unsure, wasp nest

Referent Asks you to identify the word or phrase that

Negative Fact Asks you to recognize the answer option that is

Function Asks you about the rhetorical strategies used by

Inference Asks you to draw a condusion based on the

Vocabulary Asks you to choose the definition that best 2-4

Passage Summary Presents you with an introductory statement for