Notes:

1. Both in the first question of the Speaking and in the Independent writing, think about
contrasting examples. You need to state something that clearly differentiates both things to be
able to draw a clear and easy contrast.
2. Do not focus too much on the reading on speaking, just get the point across.
3. Don’t be too over-confident. Read the paragraphs.

READING

1. Try to identify the main idea of the paragraph.

2. Do not concern yourself with the details.
a. For a factual question, the statement will tell you where to search.
b. Answer by noting the facts!
c. Do not take it for granted.

This is important for the summary question.

Types of questions

1. Vocab is easy money.

2. Passage summary: three main ideas. Always question no. 10.

1. Know the main idea of every single paragraph and save some time and understand the
structure.
2. They’re usually in the first sentence. Do not focus on context.

3. Factual/Negative Factual:

Process:
1. Rephrase Question.
2. Re-read passage.
3. Match the vocab.
4. You can demonstrate everything.
5. Pay attention to the details it will help you discard some answers.

Other Notes:
1. You must know what they are asking you. Always remember what they’re asking.
2. Go to the prompt to find the facts.
3. Match the answer to the fact, you will rephrase.
4. For the factual questions, try to group them by paragraph finding.
5. For the Factual you do not have to find the exact answer, you try to find the wrong one.
6. For the negative factual, you do process of elimination.
7. Discard the off-topic answers.

4. Sentences addition:
 1. Order matters, first general idea, then examples.
2. Pay attention to the pronouns before and after the added sentence. You cannot put
something in between that will screw up the pronouns of the other sentences.
3. Pay attention to the details of the sentence. Los conectores lógicos y el sujeto de la oración.
Si está añadiendo, refuting, etc.
4. Process of eliminations and confirm.
5. Also now what the sentence says so understand if it makes sense to add it in such context.

5. Reference Question: Ignore them. They are discontinued.

6. Inference: it does not say it explicitly, but its close. Apply time contrast, block of 4.

7. Sentence rephrasing: it must include all the elements.

8. Author’s purpose: answer is usually two lines above/below.

a. Why does the author say…?

LISTENING

1. Find and understand the main idea.

a. It usually comes in early, but sometimes it comes out really late!
2. Take good notes.
a. There’s not a lot information and lot’s of repetition.
b. Notice when new information is revealed.
c. Recognize when the speaker is giving you a new idea. You have to know when to take
notes.
i. Transition words.
ii. Pauses. Deep breaths, etc.
3. Inferring tone. How does the author feel?? Watch out for expressions of emotions. If you see
some opinion or something drastic, they’re probably going to talk about it.
4. Make inferences.
5. If you do not understand an idea, keep listening, they are probably going to keep explaining it
further.

Types of passages

3 lectures (4-6 minutes)

2 conversations (2-3 minutes)

Questions

1. Main idea.
2. Factual Questions
3. Inference
4. Listen Again
SPEAKING

Look at the rubric.

You have 4 tasks: In total you have 17 minutes.

Question 1: Independent Speaking Task:

15 seconds prep: 40-45 seconds

1. Choose a side: “In my opinion, I consider that…for two reasons.”.

2. Pick a reason.
a. Pick an example.
3. Pick a second reason.
a. Pick a second example.

Question 2: Summary of someone giving an opinion.

45 second reading + listening: 30 seconds’ prep: 60 seconds

Reading:

“In the reading passage”

1. Watch out for the change (usually the tittle):

2. Reason 1
3. Reason 2

Listening: only pay attention to the person giving their opinion.

1. You are going to hear a conversation.

2. They are giving their opinion. In most cases they disagree
3. Then each of them gives a specific reason.

“However/ Moreover, in the conversation the man/women”

1. Opinion: the girl states she does not like it.

2. Reason 1: route is out of date.
3. Detail: it only goes down the expensive neighborhoods.
4. Reason 2: not focusing on buses will result in more driving.
5. Detail 2: generating more noise around the university and result in more parking needed.

Question 3: General/Specific Academic School Topic

The question asks the test take to combine and convey important information from the reading passage
and the lecture excerpt.

50 second reading + listening: 30 seconds’ prep: 60 seconds

Reading:

“The reading introduces the idea of the…”

 1. Academic concept w/ brief definition.
2. Supporting idea 1
3. Supporting idea 2

Reading:

The reading passage introduces the idea of the establishing shot, which is the opening shot that
gives context in a movie or tv show. It really gives information about two things: the setting
about the where and when of the scene, and second about the mood or the feeling.

Listening:

“The lecturer/teacher provides an example for each one of these supporting ideas.”

 Since you identified two supporting ideas, you must keep talking about the examples
provided by the audio relative to your ideas.
 After finishing each example, you must come back to the supporting idea.

The examples you are writing must develop on the two supporting ideas. A recommendation
would be that after taking notes on the examples, you confirm the two supporting ideas that
were drafted previously.

R1. Angle: Round plate circle in front of you if shift the shape changes but you can still perceive
R2. Distance: Classroom. Depending on your position you can see objects smaller o bigger
depending.

Retrieve Point: in both examples, even when we change the angle/distance, we can still identify
the object through perpetual....

Example Notes:

MI: Actor-Observer: people perc beh diff.

S1: Other: att personality

S2: Oen: att their sit

His own exp/ case study

E1: Other: selfish

E2: Own: justified,hurry.

The contrast of both examples show how the concept comes in place.

Question 4: Summary of a lecture about a concept that subdivides.

The question asks the test take to summarize the lecture and demonstrate an understanding of the
relationship between the examples and the overall topic.

DO NOT FORGET RETRIEVING POINT AFTER EACH EXAMPLE.

20 prep: 60 seconds

“In the class of…

1. They give a class: The lecture comes from a Biology class in which the professor develops
the concept of:
2. They talk about a concept: evolution/common culture in the united states.
Small comment and tie it to the two concepts.
3. They split the concept: natural selection and artificial selection.
4. They give an example of each of them. Retrieve to the main idea of each concept at the end
of each example.

The first type is natural selection. The professor gives an example of a giraffe who has a long neck.
Explain the example and the go to the retrieve point.

Contrary, opposite
WRITING

1. Get the information from the lecture. Do not miss ideas or take from other sources.
2. Organize the ideas.
3. Good Grammar.

Integrated Essay 150-225 words: 20 minutes.

Reading:

4 paragraphs

1. Intro
a. Topic: Both the reading and the lecture discuss whether XXX or not.
b. Reading’s main idea: according to the reading…for three reasons, but the lecture
contradicts each of these points. It ALWAYS contradicts.
2. Supporting idea 1 and what happens, what’s the consequence?. How it supports the main
idea: First of all, the author contends XXX, thus…
Supporting idea 1 from the listening and then give some detail: In contrast, the lecturer
argues. Give some detail. “Moreover”.
3. Supporting idea 2 and what happens, what’s the consequence?. How it supports the main
idea.
4. Supporting idea 3 and what happens, what’s the consequence?. How it supports the main
idea.

Details are not important from the reading. You do not get the details from the reading; you get them
from the lecture.

The lecture might not have a different opinion from the reading, he might just disagree with the
reasonings. In other extreme cases, the lecturer could support the other point of view.
Independent Essay over 300 words: 30 minutes.

a. You should state whether you agree or disagree.

b. It is important that the three reasons you state, show a big contrast within the two parts.
c. You cannot show reasons that do not show the difference.

Intro

You do not have to come up with a hook or transition idea.

a. Start with the opposite idea.

“Some people claim that our grandparent’s lives were easier when they were children
because they didn’t have to stress about school or live in an ultra-competitive environment.

b. State your idea.

“However, in my opinion, I believe that life today is much easier for the following three
reasons.”

Body Paragraphs

c. Start with transition words and remind the thesis.

“First of all, life today is much simpler than in the past when our grandparent were children
because we have significantly more luxury products.

d. Give an example on luxury products.

For example, it is not in common for a child in today’s world to have an extremely
comfortable and luxurious bed that they sleep on each night.”

e. Give a counter example on what our grandparents had.

“In contrast, most of our grandparents, mine included, slept on hard concrete.”

f. State why your argument relates to the thesis.

Undoubtedly luxury items make our lives more comfortable and easier.

g. Explain it in further detail.

Why are we better now with technological development and what’s the effect?
Why did this happen and what are effects?

In the past, these luxury products were limited to only the very rich, meaning that the vast
majority of people had to go through life suffering. But today a kid can enjoy luxury items
that were not available even to kings in the past.\

Conclusion
h. In conclusion, while our grandparents enjoyed some benefits as children, the above
three reasons of X1, X2 and X3 clearly show that life today is much easier than life in the
past.