Mastering the Computer-Based

TOEFL®

User’s Guide for the CDROM

• System Requirements……………………………………………………………….2
• Installing and Launching the Software……………………………………………...2
• Using the Application……………………………………………………………….3

If you are worried about taking the computer-based TOEFL® (the TOEFL CBT), you are
in luck! Kaplan’s Mastering the Computer-Based TOEFL® Test CDROM will give you
the edge you need to conquer both your fears and the TOEFL. The CDROM is the result
of months of research, development, and testing by Kaplan’s expert International
Programs and Technology divisions.

NOTE: Before you install the CDROM, read the User’s Guide provided here. Also, if
you have any previous versions of Kaplan’s TOEFL software installed on your computer,
be sure to uninstall before getting started. For further technical assistance, please visit the
“Customer Service” area of our website at www.kaptest.com/support.


TOEFL is a registered trademark of the Educational Testing Service, which neither sponsors nor
endorses this product.
System Requirements

Windows
Windows 98/98SE/NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 6)/ME/2000/XP
Pentium II 300MHz PC or faster
15 MB free hard disk space minimum
128 MB of memory (RAM) minimum
16-bit color minimum
SoundBlaster-compatible sound card
CD-ROM (12-speed minimum)

Macintosh running OS X
Mac OS X 10.1.5
Mac OS X 10.2.3 or later
400 MHz PowerPC G3 or faster
15 MB free hard disk space minimum
128 MB of memory (RAM) minimum
16-bit color (thousands of colors) minimum
CD-ROM (12-speed minimum)

Macintosh running OS 8.6 to 9.x

Mac OS 8.6 to 9.2.2
200 MHz PowerPC G3 or faster
15 MB free hard disk space minimum
64 MB of memory (RAM) minimum
16-bit color (thousands of colors) minimum
CD-ROM (12-speed minimum)

Installing and Launching the Software

This application requires QuickTime™ software, which has been included on the
CDROM. If you do not have QuickTime installed, or are not sure if you do or not, choose
to install QuickTime.

Windows 98 or Higher
(1) Exit out of all open applications; make sure you have no applications running.
(2) Insert the Mastering the Computer-Based TOEFL Test CDROM into your CDROM
drive.
(3) From the Start Menu, choose Run and type (or browse for) d:\Kapsetup.exe (where
d: is your CDROM drive).
(4) Press OK and follow the prompts.
(5) You are now ready to use the software. You must have the CDROM in your computer
when using the software, even though you have installed information on your hard

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 drive. To run the program, go to the Start Menu, choose Programs, then Kaplan,
then Mastering the Computer-Based TOEFL Test.
(6) At the title screen, click the mouse once anywhere on the screen to go on. Use the
right-facing arrow on the next few screens to go through the introduction and get to
the Main Menu.

Macintosh
(1) Quit out of all open applications; make sure you have no applications running.
(2) Insert the Mastering the Computer-Based TOEFL Test CDROM into your CDROM
drive.
(3) Double-click the Kaplan Mastering TOEFL Install icon.
(4) Follow the prompts.
(5) When Kaplan files are done installing, the installer will determine if you need to
install QuickTime. If so, you will be prompted to do so.
(6) When QuickTime installation is complete, you will be forced to restart your
computer.
(7) You are now ready to use the software. You must have the CDROM in your computer
when using the software, even though you have installed information on your hard
drive. To launch the program, double-click the Mastering the Test icon in the
“Kaplan’s Mastering the TOEFL” folder (installation default name).
(8) At the title screen, click the mouse once anywhere on the screen to go on. Use the
right-facing arrow on the next few screens to go through the introduction and get to
the Main Menu.

Using The Application—Major Sections of the Software

At the Main Menu, you will have three options:

• Familiarize yourself with the different types of questions and strategies for answering
these questions
• Learn more about the English language programs provided by Kaplan, Inc. and about
computer-based testing
• Take a full-length practice TOEFL CBT test

Strategies and Practice

Listening Comprehension

Structure

Reading Comprehension

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 Writing

Kaplan Strategies for Listening, Structure, Reading, and Writing will walk you through
strategies for approaching each section and answering its questions, and will provide a
short set of practice questions. You will get feedback on your performance and the
correct answers to the practice questions. For more information on the format of the test,
you can contact ETS to receive a free copy of their CDROM Sampler, which includes
information on question types found on the computer-based TOEFL test. Write to
TOEFL Order Services, P.O. Box 6161, Princeton, NJ 08541-6161. You can also order
the CDROM or download the tutorial from the Web at www.toefl.org.

These button descriptions will help you navigate through the strategies and practice
questions.

Tutorial Screens:

Left arrow, right Navigates forward and backward through the screens.
arrow
Quit Exits Kaplan’s Mastering the Computer-Based TOEFL Test.
Main Menu Returns to the Main Menu screen.

Question Screens:

Next Available in all test areas. Click this to go on the next question.
In the Listening Comprehension, Structure, and Writing sections,
you can change your response after clicking Next, but you must
confirm your response to go on to the next question.
Confirm Available in the Listening Comprehension and Structure practice
test sections. You must click this after clicking Next in order to
go on to the next question. In Writing, click this when you’ve
completed your essay. You cannot change your answer or return
to the item after clicking on Confirm. Confirm saves your
response, and sends you to the next item.
Prev Available only in the Reading Comprehension section. Goes
back to the previous question.

Review Screens:
You must complete the practice questions before you can access these screens.

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 Strategies Available from the Feedback and Answers areas. Goes to the
beginning of the strategies for that section.
Feedback Shows analysis of your performance for the section of the
practice questions you are reviewing.
Answers Shows the questions, your responses to them, and the correct
answers in the section you are reviewing.

Typing Test

This typing test goes with the Writing section of Kaplan’s Mastering the Computer-Based
TOEFL Test CDROM. Type the essay below as quickly and accurately as you can. After
5 minutes have passed, your essay will be checked for its accuracy, and your typing
speed will be calculated by the CDROM. This information will help you decide whether
you should hand write the essay portion of the TOEFL or type it directly onto the
computer.

It is important for all TOEFL test-takers to be able to use the computer. Not only are
computers used for the actual TOEFL test, they are an important part of everyday life for
a student. From typing papers to finding out in which building your class is being held,
computers are indispensable for today’s university student.

Whether you are studying art history or zoology, business or medicine, the laws of man
or the laws of nature, your professor will require you to turn in assignments that have
been typed on a computer. Gone are the days of handwritten essays on notebook paper.
Be sure to practice using an American keyboard whenever you can. The keys may be laid
out differently from keyboards in your own country, so pay close attention. Also, word-
processing programs vary from one to another. The TOEFL word-processing program is
probably very different from any you have seen before. Make sure you use the “help”
button on your screen if you do not know how to perform a particular function.

Many institutions disseminate a great deal of important information via the internet. You
will be given an e-mail account when you begin your studies and will use it often to
communicate with fellow students, professors and university administrators. Most
universities also maintain a web page; that is, a particular site on the internet where you
can find information ranging from a class syllabus to recreational activities on campus.
For more information on many universities, you can check out Kaplan’s web site at
http://www.kaptest.com.

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More about U.S. University Entrance Exams and Admissions

More Information

If you are considering studying or attending school in the United States, this section will
give you valuable information about the U.S. educational system. It also contains
information about Kaplan programs, and additional details about and strategies for taking
computer-based exams.

These button descriptions will help you navigate through information in this section.

Topic Shows a list of all topics available to review.

Video 1 In subsections with video and text, plays the video.
Text In subsections with video and text, displays the text.

Full-Length Practice Tests

Once you’ve worked through the strategies and practice questions and feel comfortable
with the interface and mechanics of taking the test on the computer, you can take four
full-length tests that follow the format of the actual computer-based TOEFL exam. Each
test will consist of all four sections and be timed in the same way the real exam is.

At the end of a test, your test will be scored and you will receive an analysis of your test
performance in several key areas. Use this feedback to adjust your test-taking strategies
and zero in on your weaker areas. The feedback is broken down as follows:

Overall
Shows the breakdown of correct, incorrect, not reached, and omitted items for each
section. Test scoring and essay ratings are also provided.

Content
Shows the percentage of correct responses you received in key content areas. This can be
a highly effective guide for further study; concentrate more on those areas in which you
did not score well.

Timing
The pace of this test is the same as what you can expect on test day. If you’re having
trouble finishing the test, see whether your time investment is paying off. We’ll identify
the 5 questions on which you spent the most and the least time. How did you do on these
questions? If you tend to miss these despite spending a large amount of time on them,
consider a change in test-taking strategy.

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To take a full-length test:

(1) Click the Full-Length Test button on the Main Menu.

Full-Length Test

(2) Login window will appear. Click the button Add New User. Type in any 8-digit
number (the number cannot begin with a zero) and click OK. You need to add yourself
only once. To review, resume, or reset your test, select your ID from the list, click Select
User, and enter your name.

(3) At the next window, enter your name (remember exactly what you type; you will need
it to access your test results at a later time). Click OK.

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(4) You can now click Continue to begin a full-length test, or you can click Main Menu
to take it at some other time. Follow all on-screen instructions.

(5) Since stamina is a big part of taking the computer-based TOEFL test, you are
encouraged to complete the test at one sitting with one short break in the middle, as you
would if taking the actual test. However, we allow you to exit the test early and resume at
a later time. There are two ways to exit early:

• Between sections, click the Exit button at the end of a section instead of
Continue. All of your work will be saved and you can resume taking the test at a
later time. You will be returned to the Main Menu of the software.

• From the middle of a section, click the Quit button. Your answers to that section
will not be saved. All completed sections will be saved. You will quit out of the
Mastering the Computer-Based TOEFL Test software completely. (This option is
not recommended.)

(6) To resume taking the test, go to the login screen and click the 8-digit number you
already entered, click Select User, and enter your name. A test will resume until it is
completed, at which point the other test will become available.

These button descriptions will help you navigate through the full-length practice tests.

Question Screens:

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 Dismiss After reading the directions, click this to begin the section.
Proceed Available in the Reading Comprehension section only. Click this
after scrolling through the passage to get to the first question.
Next Available in all test areas. Click this to go on the next question.
In the Listening Comprehension, Structure, and Writing sections,
you can change your response after clicking Next, but you must
Confirm your response to go on to the next question.

Confirm Available in Listening Comprehension, Structure, and Writing

test areas. You must click this after clicking Next in order to go
on to the next question. In Writing, click this when you’ve
completed your essay. You cannot change your answer or return
to the item after clicking on Confirm. Confirm saves your
response, and sends you to the next item.
Prev Available only in the Reading Comprehension section. Goes
back to the previous question.

Review Screens:
You must complete an entire test before you can use these buttons.

Feedback Available after completing a full-length test. Brings you to the

Overall Feedback screen.
Answers Shows the questions, your responses to them, and the correct
answers in each section of the full-length test you took.
Analysis Shows an analysis of your content mastery and test-taking skills
for each section of the full-length test.
Overall Shows general feedback (number of correct, incorrect, not
reached, and omitted questions) for all sections of the full-length
test. Test scoring and essay ratings are also available.
Audio Available in Listening Analysis only. Replays the audio so you
can read the transcript for each question while listening to it.