Chapter 33

Speaking Task Type 5: A

Speaking questions test your ability to comprehend and respond orally to written or spoken material. You
will have to speak your response aloud. There are six different speaking tasks. Speaking Task Type 5,
Campus Situation (Problem/Solution), is an “integrated” task. You will listen to a conversation between
two people about a problem and possible solutions to that problem. Your task will be to summarize the
problem and to provide your opinion as to which solution you think is best. You will not be able to replay
any part of the conversation.
Speaking questions test your ability to understand spoken and written information and to summarize and
express opinions about that information. They also test your ability to respond orally to specific questions,
including your grammar, your vocabulary, and the logical organization of your ideas.
How should you use this chapter? Here are some recommendations, according to the level you’ve reached in
TOEFL Speaking:
0. Everyone! Hold yourself to the time limits whenever practicing Speaking tasks. Tape your response
and listen to it afterward to analyze your performance. You can use any app on your computer or
phone to tape yourself. If you don’t know of a good app already, try www.vocaroo.com.
1. Fundamentals. Start with a type that is a “medium weakness”—not your worst Speaking question
type but not your best either. Try one question and then check the sample answer. Think carefully
about the principles at work. If you think you can do a better job, redo the question. Articulate what
you want to do differently the next time you do this type of task.
2. Fixes. Do one Speaking task, examine the results, learn your lessons, then try a different type of
Speaking task. Be sure to keep to the time limits. When you’re ready, graduate to doing a set of six
different Speaking tasks all in a row.
3. Tweaks. Confirm your mastery by doing a set of six different Speaking tasks all in a row under
timed conditions.
Good luck on Speaking!

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 Chapter 33 Speaking Task Type 5: A

33.1

You will now listen to part of a conversation. You will then be asked a question about it.
After you hear the question, give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response. Then
record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

  Listen to Track 412.

Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your
recommendation.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

33.2

You will now listen to part of a conversation. You will then be asked a question about it.
After you hear the question, give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response. Then
33 record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

  Listen to Track 413.

Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your
recommendation.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

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 Speaking Task Type 5: A Chapter 33

33.3

You will now listen to part of a conversation. You will then be asked a question about it.
After you hear the question, give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response. Then
record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

  Listen to Track 414.

Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your
recommendation.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

33.4

You will now listen to part of a conversation. You will then be asked a question about it.
After you hear the question, give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response. Then
record yourself speaking for 60 seconds. 33
  Listen to Track 415.

Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your
recommendation.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

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 Chapter 33 Speaking Task Type 5: A

33.5

You will now listen to part of a conversation. You will then be asked a question about it.
After you hear the question, give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response. Then
record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

  Listen to Track 416.

Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your
recommendation.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

33.6

You will now listen to part of a conversation. You will then be asked a question about it.
After you hear the question, give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response. Then
33 record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

  Listen to Track 417.

Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your
recommendation.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

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 Speaking Task Type 5: A Chapter 33

33.7

You will now listen to part of a conversation. You will then be asked a question about it.
After you hear the question, give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response. Then
record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

  Listen to Track 418.

Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your
recommendation.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

33.8

You will now listen to part of a conversation. You will then be asked a question about it.
After you hear the question, give yourself 20 seconds to prepare your response. Then
record yourself speaking for 60 seconds. 33
  Listen to Track 419.

Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your
recommendation.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

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 Chapter 33 Speaking Task Type 5: A

Answers and Explanations—33.1

Loud Roommate—Track 412
Narrator: Now listen to a conversation between two students.
Male student: I couldn’t finish the programming homework. My roommate was driving me absolutely crazy.

Female student: What happened?

Male student: He was listening to the exact same album over and over on repeat, for hours. And the
volume was incredibly loud. I couldn’t concentrate at all. I kept making mistakes and having to start again.
Female student: Tell him to use headphones.
Male student: He broke his headphones.
Female student: Do you have headphones?
Male student: Yeah, but they don’t block out the sound…
Female student: No, I don’t mean that you should wear them. I mean you could lend your own
headphones to your roommate. Then he wouldn’t have an excuse not to use them.
Male student: That’s an interesting idea. Although I want to use them sometimes—he couldn’t have
them all of the time!… And I’m worried that he would break my headphones, too. He’s pretty careless… he
already broke his own and I only have one pair.
Female student: Have you tried studying somewhere else? My roommate snores, so I usually study in
33 the computer lab when she’s sleeping.
Male student: Between classes, definitely, but this happens late at night.
Female student: The library is open 24 hours. You could study there.
Male student: Ugh, I don’t want to walk all the way across campus at night. But I might have to so that
I can concentrate.
Narrator: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.

Sample Spoken Response—Track 420

The male student’s roommate is listening to very loud music at night, um, and, uh, he… the student isn’t
concentrating on his homework. Um, the woman suggests that he can, you know, lend his roommate
headphones. His roommate is careless and he broke his own headphones. Or he could, you know, study at
the library instead. Um, but the library is inconvenient because it is far away. I think that the student
should allow his roommate, you know, to borrow his headphones. They need to compromise because he
should be able to study, you know, as his roommate should be able to listen to music. I think that’s a better
compromise, you know, than traveling to the library every night to do his homework. He should be able to,
you know, do his work in his room.

Comments
The student offers a clear opinion and her reasoning to support that opinion. She could improve
her response by training herself to say “you know” less often.

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 Speaking Task Type 5: A Chapter 33

Answers and Explanations—33.2

Group Project—Track 413
NARRATOR: Listen to a conversation between two students.
FEMALE STUDENT: This is terrible. I’m probably going to fail my English class, just because somebody else
didn’t do his work.
MALE STUDENT: What happened?
FEMALE STUDENT: We’ve got a group project due tomorrow. Everybody was supposed to send me their
work today so I could put it all together before the presentation. But one guy didn’t send me anything.
MALE STUDENT: Did you talk to him?
FEMALE STUDENT: He’s not answering my texts or emails. His roommate said he went home for the weekend.

MALE STUDENT: Maybe the rest of your group could get together tonight and redo his part of the project.
Then you’d have it ready for tomorrow.
FEMALE STUDENT: We could probably get it done, but I wouldn’t get any of my other homework done
tonight… I have a chemistry lab report, too.
MALE STUDENT: At least you’d probably get a decent grade on this project.
FEMALE STUDENT: Sure, but everyone gets the same grade. If we did his part and got an A, …it isn’t fair
that he’d get an A, too, without doing anything.
MALE STUDENT: What if you just submit the project as is? 33
FEMALE STUDENT: Just turn it in with a big part of it missing?
MALE STUDENT: Yeah. Explain to the professor what happened. Maybe he’d give you a grade based on just
the work you did, since it wasn’t your fault.
FEMALE STUDENT: Or maybe he’d say that we should have finished it anyways and give us an F! We’re
adults—we should be able to handle problems like this without complaining to the professor.
NARRATOR: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.

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 Chapter 33 Speaking Task Type 5: A

Sample Spoken Response—Track 421

A group project, um, would fail because one of the group members is not performing his work. He went
home for the weekend and is not even responding to emails or calls, so the female student’s group… they
don’t know whether they should tell the instructor, you know, that this student is not contributing or
whether they should finish themselves the remainder of the project. Um, I believe that they should finish
the student’s work. Um, it is a group project, um, you know, and it sometimes is difficult to manage the
balancing of the weight of the work. Um, you know, it… something really terrible could be happening with
that student… something they are not knowing. If this student continues to not make a contribution, they
can inform the professor later.

Comments
The student offers a clear review of the situation and a judgment that she supports with an
insightful hypothetical (“something really terrible could be happening with that student”). The
speaker makes a few grammatical errors, but they are relatively minor.

Answers and Explanations—33.3

Sprained Ankle—Track 414
NARRATOR: Listen to a conversation between two students.
FEMALE STUDENT: You’re limping! What happened to you?
MALE STUDENT: I injured my ankle the other day when I was running. I stumbled over a rock and twisted
33 it… it’s really swollen and painful.
FEMALE STUDENT: Have you seen a doctor?
MALE STUDENT: I went to health services and they said it’s not broken. I’m just not supposed to walk much
to let it heal. But we have a basketball game next weekend… the semifinals. This is the first time our team
has ever gotten this far in the tournament… I would be so frustrated if I couldn’t play.
FEMALE STUDENT: If you follow what the doctor says, then your ankle might be better by next weekend
and you could still participate.
MALE STUDENT: Maybe, but I wouldn’t be able to practice ahead of time… I’m worried about being out of
practice and letting my team down.
FEMALE STUDENT: It’s only 10 days. And you could still go to practice and learn your team’s strategies.
MALE STUDENT: It might be better if they get somebody else to play, though. If I’m not okay by the game,
it’s probably better for them to practice with the new person now, instead of waiting until the last minute.
FEMALE STUDENT: Oh, I understand. Yes, you might be right. Do you know anybody else who could take
your place?
MALE STUDENT: My roommate said he was thinking about signing up. I could probably ask him. The
problem is… I know he likes basketball, but I don’t think he’s that good at playing it.
FEMALE STUDENT: Hmm. That’s a tough decision.

8
 Speaking Task Type 5: A Chapter 33

Narrator: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.

Sample Spoken Response—Track 422

The students discuss two solutions to the problem of this sprained ankle for this basketball player whose
team is going to have an important game. The first solution is for him to rest and heal and go to practices
in order to learn the strategies, and then hopefully will be able to play in the game. The second is find a
replacement because if he is not healed then we need… they need the replacement to learn all the strategies.
I prefer the first one… the first solution because to me it seems like the experience of being together as a
team is most important. Uh, while it is noble of him to offer to give up his position, the new person
probably will not be a strong player anyway.

Comments
The student’s response is full of good content. He offers a quick, clear review of the two solutions,
chooses a side, and provides reasons to support his opinion. Some of his phrasing changes course,
making it hard to follow (“we need… they need”). But he handles some complex structures
­reasonably well (“while it is noble of him to offer to… the new person probably will not be… ”).
This response would still earn a good score.

Answers and Explanations—33.4

Forgot Physics Textbook—Track 415
Narrator: Listen to a conversation between two students. 33
Male student: What’s wrong?
Female student: I just realized I left my physics textbook at home this morning.
Male student: What do you need it for?
Female student: I have a physics exam this afternoon… I was too busy to study last night, so I was
going to study today during lunch.
Male student: That’s definitely a problem. You aren’t in my physics class, right?
Female student: No. We have different textbooks.
Male student: Okay, so I can’t lend you mine. Hmm, do you think they have copies of your textbook in
the library?
Female student: I’m sure they do… but the library is all the way across campus. By the time I got there
and found the right textbook, I’d hardly have any time to study.
Male student: It’s better than nothing, though.
Female student: That’s true. But who knows whether other people have already checked out all of the
copies? I might get all of the way over there and not find one. Wait, do you think the textbook is online?
Male student: I’m pretty sure you’re right. All of my books have online versions. But you’ll probably
have to pay to download it.

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 Chapter 33 Speaking Task Type 5: A

Female student: Yeah, I think it’s a lot of money, too… but if I bought the online version, I’d be able to
study on my laptop in the cafeteria. I wouldn’t have to go all the way to the library… so I’d have more time
to study.
Male student: That’s a good solution.
Female student: I guess. I just don’t know if I want to spend all that money, just to study for one exam.
Narrator: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.

Sample Spoken Response—Track 423

The woman was planning to study for her, uh, physics test today during her, uh, lunch break… but she
realized she, uh, forgot her physics book. Um, so her options are, either the library, which is, uh, all the way
across campus, to try to get a… a copy of the physics book, um, or she could pay to download an online
version. I think, you know, of her options, I think the safest decision is to pay to download a copy. This is
an expensive book, but, uh, she’s worried that, because the library is, you know, so far away, she, uh, won’t
have acceptable time to study, and… and also there’s no, uh, guarantee that the book will be available at
the library. Um, if she purchases the online version, so she will have, you know, abundant time to study.

Comments
The student provides several strong reasons to support her preferred solution. She could improve
her response by reducing the number of times she says “um,” “uh,” or “you know.”

33 Answers and Explanations—33.5

Late Shift & Final Exam—Track 416
Narrator: Listen to a conversation between two students.
Male student: Wow, I’m exhausted… I could sleep for a week.
Female student: Did you have to work late again last night?
Male student: Yeah. My boss keeps scheduling me to work the late shift. I have to work until midnight
on Tuesday… and then I have a statistics final at 8am on Wednesday morning. I don’t know how I’m going
to do it.
Female student: Are you sure there isn’t anything you can do about it? You don’t want to fail an exam
just because you were tired. School is more important in the long run.
Male student: Well, I thought about seeing whether I could trade shifts with somebody else at work. If
I worked the morning shift on Tuesday instead of the night shift, I could get a good night’s sleep before the
exam. But I don’t know whether my boss would let me do that—she always wants me to work nights,
because she says I’m more reliable.
Female student: Can you move the exam?
Male student: Do you mean ask to take it later in the day? If I ask to take it later, the professor might
think I didn’t study.

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 Speaking Task Type 5: A Chapter 33

Female student: Well, why not ask to take it earlier? See if your professor would let you take it the
day before.
Male student: Hmm, I have no idea if he’d let me take it early. And that would mean I’d have less time
to study for the exam… I’m really busy with work and my other classes.
Narrator: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.

Sample Spoken Response—Track 424

The man is scheduled to work very late the night before a final exam. The woman first suggests that he tries
to change shifts, uh, so that he can sleep well the night before. She also suggests that he asks the professor
to take the exam at a different time, perhaps even the day before so that the professor will not think that he
is making excuses because he didn’t study. I like the first idea better. Um, I think asking a professor to do
an exam later has some problems and if he does it earlier, he will not have enough time to study. Uh, and
overall, unless his job is incredible, it is more important to do well in school than to, uh, you know, impress
a job boss.

Comments
The student offers good reasons to support his preferred solution. He could improve his response
by repeating some details when he says, “I like the first idea better,” in order to ensure that the
listener knows which idea that is. For example, he might have said, “I think that the better solution
is to ask his boss to change shifts.”
33
Answers and Explanations—33.6
Required Classes Conflict—Track 417
Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and her advisor.
Advisor: Nice work! It looks like you only need two more classes to graduate this spring. You can take
both of them this semester.
Female student: Wait, Russian Literature… and History of the Cold War… what time do those meet?
Advisor: Let’s check. Hmm, it looks like they’re both on Tuesdays… Tuesday mornings. The classes
overlap by an hour.
Female student: Oh, no. How am I going to graduate? Those are the only two classes I have left!
Advisor: Well, don’t panic. Here’s one possibility… maybe you could take one of the classes at another
school. Hampden University has a great Russian Literature program. You could take it as a night class there
and transfer the credits. I know that we accept transfer credits from Hampden.
Female student: The rest of my schedule is free, but, Hampden… that’s half an hour away. And I don’t
have a car. Plus, wouldn’t I have to pay more to take a class at a different college?
Advisor: Could you put off graduating until this summer? I know that the Russian Literature course is on
the summer schedule. You’d be able to take it on campus, and your tuition would cover it.

11

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 Chapter 33 Speaking Task Type 5: A

Female student: I guess I could, but my family’s already planning to come here for my graduation.
My mom already bought plane tickets. I don’t want to make everyone change their plans just because of
one class.
Advisor: We could ask whether the university will let you walk at spring graduation even though you still
have one more class to complete. That might be possible.
Female student: I suppose… [doesn’t sound completely convinced]
Narrator: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.

Sample Spoken Response—Track 425

The student is faced with a serious problem. She needs, um, two more classes… to complete two more
classes to graduate, but, unfortunately, the two classes are being given at the same time. The advisor offers
the solution that she could, um… that the student could take the class at another college. I think that the
student should choose this option. She does not have a car and, uh, this other college is relatively far away,
however, she could… uh, taking public transportation or borrowing a car. The other possible solution,
taking the class in the summer term and try still to walk at spring graduation even though not finished,
is not ideal because her family has already bought plane tickets for graduation. It won’t be same feeling if
her family knows that she has not really finished.

Comments
The student provides a very clear opinion and supports his position with several strong reasons.
33 He has a few grammatical errors, but his response is still strong enough to earn a good score.

Answers and Explanations—33.7

Late to Class—Track 418
Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and his professor.
Professor: You’ve been late to class every day this week. That’s not acceptable.
Male student: I’m sorry. I should have thought about my schedule a little harder. I have another class
right before this one, and it’s all the way across campus.
Professor: Let’s try to come up with a solution… it distracts the other students when you come in after
we’ve already started.
Male student: I’m really sorry! I just can’t get from there to here in 10 minutes.
Professor: Do you think you could leave the other class a little earlier? Maybe you could explain the
situation to the professor. He’d understand that you don’t want to be late.
Male student: I don’t want to bother the other students in that class, though. I don’t want to make a
bunch of noise putting my papers away early and leaving, you know?
Professor: What if you sat in the back of the room? Then you could leave without bothering anybody.
Male student: Maybe. Or… maybe there’s a way I could get across campus faster… does the bus route
go by there?

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 Speaking Task Type 5: A Chapter 33

Professor: I don’t think so. But actually, do you have a bicycle? I sometimes ride from my office to class,
when the weather is nice… it’s a lot faster than walking.
Male student: No, I don’t have one… I’d have to buy one. And what would I do if the weather was
really bad? But I’ll figure something out. I promise I won’t be late next week.
Professor: See you then.
Narrator: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.

Sample Spoken Response—Track 426

A professor, um, is find… is talking to her student and… about her student being late to class consistently.
The student has a very short amount of time to… travel from one class to the other. So the professor, um,
suggests the student to leave early from his previous class. Alternatively, the professor suggests the student
to get a bicycle to… travel faster between the classes. I believe the bicycle is the best solution. According to
the student, he would… disrupt the previous class if leaving early and, … although he is worried about the
weather, you can still… ride bike in the rain or even in some snow. Finally, it is not good to miss either
class and… but the bicycle would allow him to spend full time in both classes.

Comments
The student clearly chooses one of the solutions and provides several good reasons to support
her preference. She also takes advantage of pauses when she needs to gather her thoughts. She
makes a few grammatical errors, but there are not very many.
33
Answers and Explanations—33.8
Missed Chemistry Exam—Track 419
Narrator: Listen to a conversation between two students.
Male student: How was the chemistry exam?
Female student: Don’t even ask. It was a disaster.
Male student: Was it really difficult?
Female student: It’s even worse than that. I thought the exam was Thursday, not today… I didn’t think
we were doing anything in class, so I skipped class so that I could study.
Male student: Wow, that’s tough. Maybe you could tell the professor you were sick and see if she’d let
you retake it.
Female student: She’d probably ask me for a doctor’s note, though, and I don’t have one. Anyway,
I don’t like lying about stuff like that.
Male student: Yeah, you’re right. Although the last time I was sick, none of my professors even asked for
a doctor’s note… she might not ask.
Female student: Oh, I didn’t realize.
Male student: But if you don’t want to lie about it, why not just tell her the truth?

13

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 Chapter 33 Speaking Task Type 5: A

Female student: You mean, just tell her that I read my schedule wrong? That’s embarrassing.
Male student: Everybody makes silly mistakes sometimes. Maybe she’ll let you take the exam later
today.
Female student: I don’t know… maybe she won’t believe me. I already had to reschedule one exam in
that class, and it seemed like she was really annoyed about it. I don’t think she likes me very much.
Male student: You’re a really good student, though. She’ll know that you wouldn’t skip an exam on
purpose.
Female student: I do have an A in the class. I guess it might be worth a try.
Narrator: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two
solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.

Sample Spoken Response—Track 427

A woman skipped her chemistry class to study for an exam and accidentally, um, skipped the exam itself
because it was given that day in class. Her friend, uh, first suggests that she could say she was sick. Um,
that requires a doctor’s note, um, usually, but often professors don’t ask for the note. And they also discuss,
uh, another option where the student could admit that she had read her schedule incorrectly and, uh, ask
the instructor to reschedule the exam. Um, my opinion would be that she should be honest and admit to
make the, uh, mistake and ask to reschedule the exam. Honesty is better and she wouldn’t risk to have to,
uh, produce a doctor’s note if the professor asked.

Comments
33
The student clearly picks a side and offers a reason to support his opinion. He could perhaps
improve his response by learning to summarize the situation more concisely. This would allow
him more time to give additional reasons to support his opinion.

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