ENGLISH TODAY NATIVE TEACHER AGENCY JAKARTA

English Today’s TOEFL Reading Course is divided into 3 levels; beginners, intermediate and advanced.

The TOEFL Reading is designed as a preparation course for the TOEFL iBT test administered by ETS.

Key Features of Reading

• Focused practice of each question type
• Controlled note-taking activities
• Annotated reading passages to support vocabulary acquisition
• Graded practice to support comfortable development of test skills
• Authentic test practice modeled on the TOEFL iBT format

How English Today TOEFL Course is organized

Introduction    

Understanding what each section requires you to do

Unit 1             

Practicing basic skills with short reading passages

Unit 2             

Developing the skills with longer reading passages

Unit 3              

Focusing on classifying information in charts or tables

Practice Test Practicing with questions designed according to the real test.

Reading

In the reading section, you will be required to read three to five passages on varying topics. After each passage, you will answer twelve questions that test your ability to understand vocabulary, sentence structure, and factual information as well as implied information and the writer’s intention. You will not be permitted to see the questions until after you have read the passage. While answering the questions, you will be permitted to look back at the reading. You do not need any previous knowledge on the topic in order to answer the questions correctly.

Passage types:

1. Exposition – material that provides information about or an explanation of a topic
2. Argumentation – material that presents a point of view about a topic and provides supporting evidence in favor of a position
3. Narrative – an account of a person’s life or a historical event

Question types:

Questions 1 through 10 will be multiple-choice questions much like those found on older versions of the TOEFL. The following list explains the types and number of each type of question on the test. Questions will not necessarily appear in this order.

The 11^th and 12^th questions for each passage are not multiple-choice and are question types not found on older versions of the TOEFL. The 11^th question is a sentence insertion activity, and the 12^th question can be one of two types of activities; either a chart or a summary question.

Sentence Insertion

This question shows you a sentence that could be added to the passage. You must decide where the sentence would best fit in the passage. While you are reading you will notice several icons that look like this on the actual internet-based test. You will be required to click on the square [   ] where you feel the new sentence should be added. For the purposes of this practice test, you can simply choose the letter beside the appropriate square. This question tests how well you understand the organization of the passage. 

Category chart

In passages on topics that explain groups or categories of information, you will most likely be asked to demonstrate your understanding of the groups or categories mentioned in the reading by completing a chart. There will be two or three categories and seven or nine choices. Five or seven of these choices should be placed in a chart or table listing characteristics of the groups or categories. Two choices will not be used.

Example:

Frogs                                             Toads                                                  (A) bumpy, dry skin

                                                                                                                 (B) eggs in a chain

                                                                                                                 (C) build nests  

                                                                                                                 (D) shorter legs

                                                                                                                 (E) eggs in a bunch

                                                                                                                 (F) have live babies

                                                                                                                 (G) longer legs

                                                                                                                 (H) smooth, wet skin

                                                                                                                 (I) live close to water

Correct answers:

Frogs                                                                     Toads

Smooth, wet skin                                                    bumpy, dry skin

Longer legs                                                             shorter legs

Eggs in bunches                                                      eggs in a chain

Live close to water

Not used: build nests, have live babies

The chart questions are worth up 3 points if there are five key items and 4 points if there are seven key items. Partial credit is given for this question format.

Summary

In this type of question, you will be presented first with an introductory sentence for a possible summary of the passage. You will then find a set of additional sentences. Three of these sentences belong in a summary paragraph, and the others do not. Your job is to decide which sentences belong. Incorrect choices will either present ideas that are not in the passage or ideas that do not belong in the summary because they are only minor ideas.

Example:

First sentence of introduction:

• Animals in the desert have different ways to live with little water.
• Camels can live for a long time without water.
• Desert plants do not need much water.
• Desert reptiles and birds, don’t sweat.
• Larger animals get the water they need from things they eat.
• Some animals stay underground to keep water in their skin.
• At night, desert temperatures can drop below 10 degrees Celcius.

Correct Answers:

First sentence of introduction:

• Animals in the desert have different ways to live with little water.
• Desert reptiles and birds don’t sweat.
• Larger animals get the water they need from things they eat.
• Some animals stay underground to keep water in their skin.

Not used:

• Camels can live for a long time without water. (minor detail)
• Desert plants do not need much water. (incorrect information)
• At night, desert temperatures can drop below 10 degrees Celsius. (minor detail)

The summary questions are worth up to 2 points each.

Study tips for reading:

Practice reading passages of academic English regularly (the Internet can be a great source of practice materials).

Become a master of vocabulary and constructions:

Make it your goal to understand all the words you come across when studying.

Keep a vocabulary notebook listing new terms and their definitions. Write out the definitions in English. Only refer to bilingual dictionaries as a last resort. Set aside a period of time every week to review your new vocabulary. Practice it by writing out your own sentences using the words.

Master any and all grammatical and rhetorical constructions you encounter. Discover their meanings and uses by asking a teacher or doing an Internet search and viewing multiple examples of their use. You can keep a notebook of constructions as well.

Learn how to take notes. You are permitted to take notes during the reading section of the TOEFL. Note-taking is NOT writing down every word of the reading. A good idea is to note the main idea, and then note the information that supports this main idea. Note-taking must be learned, and it takes time. The better your note-taking skills, the easier you should find the TOEFL reading section, as well as other sections of the TOEFL iBT.

Do not use a pencil or your finger when you are reading. Your eyes move faster than your finger, so you slow yourself down if you trace lines with a pencil or finger while reading.