MODUL

PEMBINAAN BAHASA INGGRIS

(TOEFL TRAINING PROGRAM)
UPT – Universitas Sains Al-Qur’an

Mentor

Atinia Hidayah, S.S., M.Hum.

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Listening
Comprehension
(PBT – Paper Based Test)

Listening Section is the first section in the Toefl Test. It consists of 50 questions that are
divided into three parts; Part A, Part B, and Part C. The duration for listening section is 35
minutes. In the listening sections, you will hear type of short conversation and long
conversation as well as long academic lecturers. The questions progress from easy to
difficult. Therefore, it would be important to learn the strategies for Listening
Comprehension beforehand.
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GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR LISTENING COMPREHENSION

1. Be familiar with the directions. The directions on every paper TOEFL test are
the same, so it is not necessary to spend time reading the directions carefully
when you take the test. You should be completely familiar with the directions
before the day of the test.
2. Listen carefully to the passages. You should concentrate fully on what the
speakers are saying on the recording because you will hear the recording one
time only.
3. Know where the easier and the more difficult questions are generally
found. Within each part of the Listening Comprehensions section on the paper
test, the questions generally progress from easy to difficult.
4. Be familiar with the pacing of the test. You have 12 seconds between each
question on the recording, so you must answer each question within 12 seconds
and then be prepared for the next questions on the recording.
5. Never leave any answers blank on your answer sheet. Even if you are not
sure of the correct response, you should answer each question. There is no
penalty for guessing.
6. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the questions that
follow. When you finish with one question, you may have time to look ahead at
the answers to the next question.

SHORT DIALOGUES
Short dialogues are found in Part A in the Listening Comprehension section of the paper
TOEFL test. For each of the question in this part of the test, you will hear a two-line
dialogue between two speakers followed by a multiple-choice question. After you listen to
the dialogue and the question, you must choose the best answer to the question from your
test book.

Example of the short dialogue:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) This physic course couldn’t be any harder.

(woman) I’ll say
(narrator) What does the woman mean?

In your test book, you read:

(A) She has something to say to the man.
(B) She doesn’t think the physics course is hard.
(C) She agrees with the man.
(D) She’d like to discuss the physics course.

In the dialogue, when the woman says I’ll say, she is showing that she agrees with what
the man just said. Answer (C) is therefore the best answer to this question.
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GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR LISTENING COMPREHENSION

1. As you listen to the short dialogue, focus on the second line of the
conversation.
2. Keep in mind that the correct answer is probably a restatement of a key word or
idea in the second line of the dialogue.
3. Keep in mind that these questions generally progress from easy to difficult.
4. Never leave the answers blank. Remember to answer each question even if
you are not sure of the correct response.
5. Choose the answer that contains a restatement of words or ideas from the
dialogue you heard.
6. If you do not understand anything at all in the second line of the conversation,
choose the answer that sounds the most different from what you heard.
7. Never choose an answer because it sounds like what you heard in the
dialogue.
8. Be prepared for the next question because you have only 12 seconds between
questions.

SKILL 1: FOCUS ON THE LAST LINE

The short dialogues involve conversation between two people, each followed by a
question. It is important to understand that the answer to this type of question is most
often (but not always!) found in the last line of the conversation.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Billy really made a big mistake this time.

(woman) Yes, he forgot to turn in his research paper.
(narrator) What does the woman say about Billy?

In your test book, you read:

(A) It was the first time he made a mistake.

(B) He forgot to write his paper.
(C) He turned in the paper in the wrong place.
(D) He didn’t remember to submit his assignment.

SKILL 2: CHOOSE ANSWERS WITH SYNONYMS

Often the correct answer in a short dialogue is an answer that contains synonyms (words
with similar meanings but different sounds) for key words in the conversation.

Example and practice:

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On the recording, you hear:

(woman) Why is Barbara feeling so happy?

(man) She just started working in a real estate agency.
(narrator) What does the man say about Barbara?

In your test book, you read:

(A) She always liked her work in real estate.

(B) She began a new job.
(C) She just bought some real estate.
(D) She bought a real estate agency.

SKILL 3: AVOID SIMILAR SOUNDS

Often the incorrect answers in the short dialogues are answers that contain words with
similar sounds but very different meanings from what you hear on the recording. You
should definitely avoid these answers.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Why couldn’t Mark come with us?

(woman) He was searching for a new apartment.
(narrator) What does the woman say about Mark?

In your test book, you read:

(A) He was in the department office.

(B) He was looking for a place to live.
(C) He was working on his research project.
(D) He had an appointment at church.

SKILL 4: DRAW CONCLUSION ABOUT WHO, WHAT, WHERE

In this type of question the answer is not clearly stated; instead you must draw a
conclusion based on clues given in the dialogue.

Example and practice to determine who the speaker is:

On the recording, you hear:

(woman) Can you tell me what assignments I missed when I was absent from your
class?
(man) You missed one homework assignment and a quiz.
(narrator) Who is the man?
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In your test book, you read:

(A) A newspaper editor.

(B) A police officer.
(C) A teacher.
(D) A student.
Example and practice to determine what will probably happen next:

On the recording, you hear:

(woman) Are you going to read those books here in the library?
(man) I think I’d rather check them out now and take them home.
(narrator) What will the man probably do next?

In your test book, you read:

(A) Sit down in the library.

(B) Look for some more books.
(C) Return the books to the shelves.
(D) Go to the circulation desk.

Example and practice to determine where the conversation probably takes place:

On the recording, you hear:

(woman) Are you going into the water, or are you just going to lie there on the sand?
(man) I think I need to put on some suntan lotion
(narrator) Where does this conversation probably take place?

In your test book, you read:

(A) At a beauty salon.

(B) At the beach.
(C) In a sandbox.
(D) At an outdoor restaurant.

SKILL 5: LISTEN FOR WHO AND WHAT IN PASSIVE

It is sometimes difficult to understand who or what is doing the action in a passive

sentence. The problem is often tested in the short dialogues.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Did Sally go to the bank this morning?

(woman) Yes, she did. She got a new checking account.
(narrator) What does the woman imply?
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In your test book, you read:

(A) Sally wrote several checks.

(B) Sally wanted to check up on the bank.
(C) A new checking account was opened.
(D) Sally checked on the balance in her account.

SKILL 6: LISTEN FOR WHO AND WHAT WITH MULTIPLE NOUNS

When there is more than one noun in a sentence in the short dialogues, it is common for
the answers to confuse which noun does what.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Do you know who is in the band now?

(woman) I heard that Mara replaced Robert in the band.
(narrator) What does the woman say about the band?

In your test book, you read:

(A) Robert became a new member of the band.

(B) Robert took Mara’s place in the band.
(C) Mara didn’t have a place in the band.
(D) Mara took Robert’s place in the band.

SKILL 7: LISTEN FOR NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS

Negative expressions are very common in the short dialogue, and the most common kind
of correct response to a negative statement is a positive statement containing a word with
an opposite meaning.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) How did they get to their grandmother’s house in Maine in only five hours?
(woman) They didn’t drive slowly on the trip to Maine.
(narrator) What does the woman say about the trip?

In your test book, you read:

(A) They drove rather quickly.

(B) They couldn’t have driven more slowly.
(C) They wanted to travel slowly to Maine.
(D) They didn’t drive to Maine.
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The following chart outlines the types of negative expressions that you should be careful
of:

TYPES OF NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS

Expression
Regular negative: not or n’t
Other negatives: nobody,
none, nothing, never
Negative prefixes: un-, in-,
dis-
Example Correct Answer
Tom is not sad about the
not sad = happy
results.
Nobody arrived on time. nobody … on time = late
Sal never works hard. never works = lazy
The patient was insane insane = not sane = crazy

SKILL 8: LISTEN FOR DOUBLE NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS

It is possible for two negative ideas to appear in one sentence, and the result can be quite
confusing.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) I can’t believe the news that I heard about the concert.
(woman) Well, it isn’t impossible for the concert to take place.
(narrator) What does the woman say about the concert?

In your test book, you read:

(A) There’s no possibility that the concert will take place.
(B) The concert will definitely not take place.
(C) The concert might take place.
(D) The concert can’t take place.

The following chart outlines the situations where double negatives can occur:

Situation
negative word (e.g. not,
no, none) and a negative
prefix (e.g. in-, un-, dis-)
two negatives verbs
neither or not … either
DOUBLE NEGATIVES
Example
He didn’t like the unclean office.
It isn’t snowing, so they aren’t
going to the mountains.
Sue didn’t like the movie, and
neither did Mark
Meaning
did not like unclean office =
liked clean office
implies that they would go if
it were snowing
both did not like the movie
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SKILL 9: LISTEN FOR “ALMOST NEGATIVE” EXPRESSIONS

Certain expressions in English have “almost negative” meanings. These expressions are
common in the short dialogues.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(woman) Were you able to pay the electric bill?

(man) I had barely enough money.
(narrator) What does the man imply?

In your test book, you read:

(A) He had plenty of money for the bill.

(B) He did not have enough money for the bill.
(C) He paid the bill but has no money left.
(D) He was unable to pay the bill.

COMMON ALMOST NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS

Meaning Expression Example
There is hardly any food in the
almost none hardly, barely, scarcely, only
refrigerator.
almost never rarely, seldom He rarely drives to work.

SKILL 10: LISTEN FOR NEGATIVES WITH COMPARATIVES

Negatives can be used with comparatives in the short dialogues of the TOEFL test. A
sentence with a negative and a comparative has a superlative, or very strong, meaning.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(woman) What do you think of the new student in math class?

(man) No one is more intelligent than she is.
(narrator) What does the man say about the new student?

In your test book, you read:

(A) She is not very smart.

(B) He is smarter than she is.
(C) Other students are smarter than she is.
(D) She is the smartest student in the class.
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The following chart outlines comparisons that you should be careful of when they are used
with negatives:

COMPARATIVES WITH NEGATIVES

Comparative Example Meaning
No one is more beautiful
more She is the most beautiful.
than she is.
-er He couldn’t be happier. He is extremely happy.

SKILL 11: LISTEN FOR EXPRESSIONS OF UNCERTAINTY AND SUGGESTION

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) I’ll never have time to type my paper tomorrow.

(woman) Why not do it now?
(narrator) What does the woman suggest?

In your test book, you read:

(A) Finishing the paper today.

(B) Not working on the paper now.
(C) Never typing the paper.
(D) Taking time out from the paper now.

SKILL 12: LISTEN FOR WISHES

The important idea to remember about wishes is that a wish implies that the opposite of
the wish is true.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(woman) It’s too bad that you have to stay here and work during the school break.
(man) I really wish I could go with you and the others to Palm Springs.
(narrator) What does the man mean?

In your test book, you read:

(A) Maybe he will go with the others on the trip.

(B) He is unable to go on the trip.
(C) He’s happy to be going on the trip.
(D) He’s going on the trip, but not with the others.

SKILL 13: LISTEN FOR UNTRUE CONDITIONS

Conversations containing conditions can appear in the short dialogues. The important
idea to remember about conditions is that a condition implies that the opposite of the
condition is true.
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Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Do you think that you’ll be able to go to the party?

(woman) If I had time, I would go.
(narrator) What does the woman say about the party?

In your test book, you read:

(A) Maybe she’ll go.

(B) She has time, so she’ll go.
(C) She is going even if she doesn’t have time..
(D) It’s impossible to go.

SKILL 14: LISTEN FOR EXPRESSION OF AGREEMENT

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) I think that the hypothesis is indefensible.

(woman) So do I.
(narrator) What does the woman, mean?

In your test book, you read:

(A) She is unsure about the hypothesis.

(B) The hippopotamus is behind the fence.
(C) She thinks that the hypothesis can be defended.
(D) She agrees with the man.

SKILL 15: LISTEN FOR IDIOMS

Idioms are special expressions in a language that all speakers of the language know;
these expressions describe one situation in life but are applied to many different areas of
life.

Example and practice:

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Tom is a full-time student and is holding down a full-time job.

(woman) He’s really burning the candle at both ends.
(narrator) What does the woman say about Tom?

In your test book, you read:

(A) He’s lighting a candle.
(B) He’s holding the candle at the top and the bottom.
(C) He’s doing too much.
(D) He’s working as a firefighter.
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LONG CONVERSATIONS

Procedures for the long conversations:

1. If you have time, preview the answers to the questions. While you are looking at the
answers, you should try to do the following:
 Anticipate the topics of the conversations you will hear
 Anticipate the questions for each of the groups of answers

2. Listen carefully to the first line of the conversation. The first line of the conversation
often contains the main idea, subject, or topic of the conversation, and you will be
often be asked to answer such questions.

3. As you listen to the conversation, draw conclusions about the situation of the
conversation: who is talking, where the conversation takes place, when the
conversation takes place.

4. As you listen to the conversation, follow along with the answers in your test book
and try to determine the correct answers. Detail questions are generally answered in
order in the conversation, and the answers often sound the same as what is said on
the recording.

5. You should guess even if you are not sure. Never leave any answers blank.

6. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the questions that follow.

SKILL 16: ANTICIPATE THE TOPICS

A helpful strategy is to look briefly at the answers in the test book, before you actually
hear the conversations on the recording, and try to determine the topics of the
conversations that you will hear.

1. (A) Find work on campus 4. (A) Every morning

(B) Work in the employment office (B) Afternoon and weekends
(C) Help students find jobs (C) When he’s in class
(D) Ask the woman questions (D) Weekdays

2. (A) In the library 5. (A) Fill out form

(B) In a classroom (B) Give her additional information
(C) In a campus office (C) Tell her some news
(D) In an apartment (D) Phone her

3. (A) No more than ten

(B) At least twenty
(C) Not more than twenty
(D) Up to ten

What is the topic of the conversation for questions 1 through 5?

______________________________________________________________________
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SKILL 17: ANTICIPATE THE QUESTIONS

1. Questions: _________________________________________________________
(A) In the airport
(B) In the library
(C) In the dormitory
(D) In the travel agent’s office

2. Questions: __________________________________________________________
(A) Every morning
(B) Afternoon and weekends
(C) When he’s in class
(D) Weekdays

SKILL 18: DETERMINE THE TOPIC

As you listen to each long conversation, you should be thinking about the topic (subject)
or main idea for each conversation. Since the first one or two sentences generally give the
topic, you should be asking yourself what the topic is while you’re listening carefully to the
first part of the conversation.

On the recording, you hear:

(man) You can’t believe what I just got!

(woman) I bet you got the new car you’ve always wanted.
(man) Now, how in the world did you figure that out?

You think:
The topic of the conversation is ____________________________________________

SKILL 19: DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE

As you listen to each long conversation, you should be trying to set the situation in your
mind. You should be thinking the following thoughts: Who is talking? When does the
conversation probably take place? Where does the conversation probably take place?
What is the source of information for the conversation?

Example: On the recording, you hear:

(man) Why do you have so many books?

(woman) I need them for my paper on George Washington. Do you know how
I can check them out?
(man) Yes, you should go downstairs to the circulation desk and fill out a
card for each book.
You think:
Who is probably talking? ( _________________________ )
Where are they? ( _________________________ )
What course are they discussing? ( _________________________ )
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SKILL 20: LISTEN FOR ANSWERS IN ORDER

There are two possible methods to use while you listen to a long conversation:
 You can just listen to the conversation (and ignore the answers)
 You can follow along with the answers while you listen

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Can I help you? In your test book, you read (same time):
(woman) I’m interested in opening an
account. 1. (A) A checking account
(man) Well, we have several different (B) A savings account
types of accounts: checking (C) A money market account
accounts, saving accounts, (D) A time deposit account
money market accounts, time
deposit accounts.
(woman) It’s a checking account that I
am interested in.
(man) I can help you with that. First, 2. (A) A form
you have to fill out a form, and (B) An account
then I need to see some (C) A piece of identification
identification. (D) A check
That’s about all there is to it.
(woman) That sounds easy enough.
Thanks for your help.
On the recording, you hear:

(narrator) 1. What type of account does

the woman want?
2. What does the man need
for her to show him?
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LONG TALKS

Procedures for the long talks:

1. If you have time, preview the answers to the questions. While you are looking at the
answers, you should try to do the following:
 Anticipate the topics of the talks you will hear
 Anticipate the questions for each of the groups of answers

2. Listen carefully to the first line of the talk. The first line of the talk often contains the
main idea, subject, or topic of the conversation, and you will be often be asked to
answer such questions.

3. As you listen to the talk, draw conclusions about the situation of the talk: who is
talking, where or when the talk takes place, which course this lecture might be given
in. You will often be asked to make such inferences about the talk.

4. As you listen to the talk, follow along with the answers in your test book and try to
determine the correct answers. Detail questions are generally answered in order in
the talk, and the answers often sound the same as what is said on the recording.

5. You should guess even if you are not sure. Never leave any answers blank.

6. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the questions that follow.

SKILL 21: ANTICIPATE THE TOPICS

A helpful strategy is to look briefly at the answers in the test book, before you actually
hear the talks on the recording, and try to determine the topics of the talks that you will
hear. Of course, you cannot always determine exactly what the topic is, but you often can
get a general idea.

1. (A) An artist 4. (A) The American History Museum

(B) A tour guide (B) The Smithsonian Arts Building
(C) An Indian (C) The Washington Museum
(D) Orville Wright (D) The National Air and Space
Museum
2. (A) Several
(B) Sixty thousand 5. (A) To the White House
(C) Sixteen million (B) To the Smithsonian
(D) Millions and millions (C) To the mall
(D) To various other museums
3. (A) The National Air and Space Museum
(B) The Museum of Natural History
(C) The American History Museum
(D) The Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building

What is the topic of the talk for questions 1 through 5?

______________________________________________________________________
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SKILL 22: ANTICIPATE THE QUESTIONS

1. Question: ___________________________________________________________
(A) During a biology laboratory session
(B) In a biology study group
(C) On the first day of class
(D) Just before the final exam

2. Question: ___________________________________________________________
(A) Once a week
(B) Two times a week
(C) Three times a week
(D) For fifteen hours

SKILL 23: DETERMINE THE TOPIC

As you listen to each long talk, you should be thinking about the topic (subject) or main
idea for the talk. Since the first sentence is generally give a topic sentence, you should be
asking yourself what the topic is while you’re listening carefully to the first part of the talk.

On the recording, you hear:

(man) The major earthquake that occurred east of Los Angeles in 1971 is still affecting
the economy of the area today.

You think:

The topic of the talk is _____________________________________________________

SKILL 24: DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE

As you listen to each long talk, you should be trying to set the situation in your mind. You
should be thinking the following thoughts: Who is talking? When does the conversation
probably take place? Where does the conversation probably take place? What course is
the talk concerned with? What is the source of information for the conversation?

Example: On the recording, you hear:

(woman) The next stop on tour of Atlanta will be the original home of Coca-Cola, at 107
Marietta Street. Coca-Cola was manufactured at this location until early in
September of 1888.

You think:
Who is probably talking? ( _________________________ )
Where are they? ( _________________________ )
When does the talk take place? ( _________________________ )
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SKILL 25: LISTEN FOR ANSWER IN ORDER

There are two possible methods to use while you listen to a long talk:
 You can just listen to the conversation (and ignore the answers)
 You can follow along with the answers while you listen

On the recording, you hear:

(woman) The Great Chicago Fire began
on October 8, 1871, and
according to legend began
when a cow knocked over a
lantern in Mrs. O’Leary’s barn.
No matter how it began, it was
a disastrous fire. The
preceding summer had been
exceedingly dry in the Chicago
area, and the extreme dryness
accompanied by Chicago’s
infamous winds created an
inferno that destroyed 18,000
buildings and killed more than
300 people before it was
extinguished the following day.
In your test book, you read (same time):
1. (A) In a barn
(B) In Mrs. O’Leary’s home
(C) In a cow pasture
(D) In a lantern factory
2. (A) The dry weather prior to the fire
made it worse.
(B) It happened during the summer.
(C) Chicago’s wind made it worse.
(D) It killed many people

On the recording, you hear:

(narrator) 1. According to legend, where

did the Great Chicago Fire
begin?
2. Which of the following is
not true about the Great
Chicago Fire?

* * * * *
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Structure and Written

Expressions
(PBT-Paper Based Test)

There are 40 questions that must be answered in 25 minutes. The questions are all
multiple-choice with four possible answer divided in two parts. Part A consists of 15
incomplete sentences in which you have to choose the correct choice in order to complete
the sentences. Part B consists of 25 incorrect sentences with four underlined
words/phrases marked (A), (B), (C), and (D). You have to choose one word or phrase that
must be changed to correct the sentence – meaning that you have to recognize the error
in order to answer correctly.
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SKILL 1: SENTENCES – VERBS

A verb is a word or phrase that expresses action or condition. It can be classified as

transitive (with direct object) and intransitive (no direct object) according to whether it
requires a complement. It can also be classified according to the complement it requires,
including nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, -ing forms, or infinitive.

1. North American Indian tribes used sign language _____ with tribes that spoke a
different language or dialect.
(A) to communicating
(B) for communicate
(C) to communicate
(D) for communicated

2. A barometer is a device with a sealed metal chamber designed to reading the changes
(A) (B) (C)
in the pressure of air in the atmosphere.
(D)

SKILL 2: SENTENCES – AUXILIARY VERBS

An auxiliary verb (e.g. be, have, a modal) is a verb that accompanies the main verb and
makes distinctions in the meaning of the main verb.

3. On the average, a healthy heart _____ to pump five tablespoons of blood with every
beat.
(A) must
(B) ought
(C) can
(D) should

4. Fred Astaire is said to had been the most popular dancer of his time, but he was also
(A) (B) (C)
a talented actor, singer, and choreographer.
(D)

SKILL 3: SENTENCES – NOUNS

A noun is a word that names persons, objects, and ideas. Countable nouns are nouns that
can be made plural by –s, -es, or an irregular form; and used in agreement with either
singular or plural verbs. Uncountable nouns are those that cannot be made plural in these
ways; and used in agreement with singular verbs.

5. The two main _____ are permanent magnets and electromagnets.

(A) kinds of magnets
(B) kind of magnets
(C) kind magnets
(D) kinds magnets
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6. One of the most distinctive plant found in the desert is the Saguaro cactus.
(A) (B) (C) (D)

SKILL 4: SENTENCES – PRONOUNS

A pronoun is a word that can be used instead of a noun, usually to avoid repeating the
noun. It can be singular/plural, feminine/masculine/neuter, first/second/third person to
agree with the noun to which it refers. It also used to express possessive and reflexives.

7. The crime rate has begun to decline in New York City due to efforts on the part of both
government and private citizens to curb _____.
(A) them
(B) him
(C) its
(D) it

8. Sloths spend most of its time hanging upside down from trees and feeding on leaves
(A) (B) (C)
and fruit.
(D)

SKILL 5: SENTENCES – MODIFIERS

A modifier can be an adjective or an adjectival phrase that describes a noun or an –ing

form. It can also be an adverb or an adverbial phrase that adds information about the
verb, adjective, or another verb. Adjectives do not change form to agree with the nouns or
–ing forms that they describe, but some adjectives are used only with countable nouns
and others are used only with uncountable nouns.

9. The data on the winter migration patterns of the monarch butterfly is very ______.
(A) interested
(B) interest
(C) interesting
(D) of interest

10. The conversations on the TOEFL will be spoken just one time; therefore, you must
(A)
listen very careful in order to understand what the speakers have said.
(B) (C) (D)

SKILL 6: SENTENCES – COMPARATIVES

A comparative can be a word or phrase that expresses similarity or difference. A

comparative can also be a word ending like –er or –est that expresses a degree of
comparison with adjectives and adverbs.

11. Tuition at an American university runs _____ twenty thousand dollars a semester.
(A) so high as (C) as high as
(B) as high to (D) as high than
 21

12. Benjamin Franklin was the editor of the larger newspaper in the colonies, a diplomatic
(A) (B)
representative to France and later to England, and the inventor of many useful
(C) (D)
devices.

SKILL 7: SENTENCES – CONNECTORS

A connector is a word or phrase that joins words, phrases or clauses. It expresses

relationships between the words, phrases, or clauses that it joins. Some common
relationships are cause and result, contradiction, substitution, addition, exception,
example, and purpose.

13. The tendency to develop cancer, even in high-risk individuals, can be decreased
_____ the amount of fruit and vegetables in the diet.
(A) to increase (C) for increasing
(B) for increase (D) by increasing

14. National parks include not only the most scenic places in the nation but places
(A) (B) (C)
distinguished for their historic or scientific interest.
(D)

SKILL 8: SENTENCES – SENTENCES AND CLAUSES

In some questions in the PBT Structure and Written Expression, you will be asked to
distinguish between a sentence, also called a main/independent clause, and a
subordinate/dependent clause that is attached to a sentence.

15. Paper money _____ by the Continental Congress in order to finance the American
Revolution.
(A) which was issued
(B) was issuing
(C) issued
(D) was issued

16. Ocean currents that help transfer heat from the equator to the poles, thereby creating
(A) (B) (C)
a more balanced global environment.
(D)
 22

SKILL 9: SENTENCES – POINT OF VIEW

Point of view is the relationship between the verb in the main clause of a sentence and
other verbs, or between the verbs in a sentence and the adverbs that express time.

17. Before the 1800s, when William Young made different shoes for right and left feet,
shoes _____ on either foot.
(A) can wear (C) could be worn
(B) are wearing (D) worn

18. Dew usually disappeared by seven o’clock in the morning when the sun comes up.
(A) (B) (C) (D)

SKILL 10: SENTENCES – AGREEMENT

Agreement is the relationship between a subject-verb or between a pronoun-noun, or

between a pronoun-pronoun. To agree, a subject and verb must be both singular or both
be plural. To agree, a pronoun and the noun or pronoun to which it refers must be both
singular or plural and both be masculine or feminine or neuter.

19. How many musical notes of the 11,000 tones that the human ear can distinguish
_____ in the musical scale?
(A) it is (C) there are
(B) is it (D) are there

20. In order to grow well, the Blue Spruce, like other pine trees, require a temperate
(A) (B) (C) (D)
climate.

SKILL 11: SENTENCES – INTRODUCTORY VERBAL MODIFIERS

In some questions, you will be asked to identify errors in introductory verbal modifiers and
the subjects that they modify. Introductory verbal modifiers are –ing forms, participles, and
infinitives. A phrase with an introductory verbal modifier occurs at the beginning of a
sentence and is followed by a comma. The subject modified by an introductory verbal
modifier must follow the comma.

21. One of the world’s greatest rivers, _____.

(A) one third of North America is linked by the water of the Mississippi
(B) the Mississippi links one third of North America by water
(C) North America is linked by the Mississippi in one third of the water
(D) the water is linked in North America by one third of the Mississippi

22. After reviewing the curriculum, several significant changes were made by the faculty in
(A) (B) (C) (D)
traditional business programs at Harvard University.
 23

SKILL 12: SENTENCES – PARALLEL STRUCTURE

Parallel structure is the use of the same grammatical structures for related ideas of equal
importance. Related ideas of equal importance often occur in the form of a list. Sometimes
related ideas of equal importance are connected by conjunctions, such as and, but, and
or.

23. A vacuum will neither conduct heat nor _____.

(A) transmit sound waves
(B) transmitting sound waves
(C) sound waves are transmitted
(D) the transmission of sound waves

24. To control quality and making decisions about production are among the many
(A) (B) (C) (D)
responsibilities of an industrial engineer.

SKILL 13: SENTENCES – REDUNDANCY

In some questions of structure, you will be asked to identify errors in redundancy.

Redundancy is the unnecessary repetition of words and phrases.

25. Found in and near the Mohave Desert, _____ has a limited habitat.
(A) is the Joshua tree that it
(B) it is the Joshua tree
(C) the Joshua tree
(D) the Joshua tree it

26. Some international students use a cassette recorder to make tapes of their classes
(A) (B)
so that they can repeat the lecture again.
(C) (D)

SKILL 14: SENTENCES – COMPREHENSIVE STRUCTURES

27. In simple animals, _____ reflex movement or involuntary response to stimuli.

(A) behavior mostly (C) most behavior is
(B) most is behavior (D) the most behavior

28. Although the weather in Martha’s Vineyard isn’t _____ to have a year-round tourist
season, it has become a favorite summer resort.
(A) goodly enough (C) good as enough
(B) good enough (D) enough good

29. According to the wave theory, _____ population of the America may have been the
result of a number of separate migrations.
(A) the (C) that
(B) their (D) whose
 24

30. Calculus, _____ elegant and economical symbolic system, can reduce complex
problems to simple terms.
(A) it is an (C) an
(B) that an (D) is an

31. Canada does not require that U.S. citizens obtain passports to enter the country, and
_____.
(A) Mexico does neither (C) neither Mexico does
(B) Mexico doesn’t either (D) either does Mexico

32. Fast-food restaurants have become popular because many working people want
_____.
(A) to eat quickly and cheaply (C) eat quickly and cheaply
(B) eating quickly and cheaply (D) the eat quickly and cheaply

33. The Consumer Price Index lists _____

(A) how much costs every car
(B) how much does every car cost
(C) how much every car costs
(D) how much are every car cost

34. _____, Carl Sandburg is also well-known for his multivolume biography of Lincoln.
(A) An eminent American poet
(B) He is an eminent American poet
(C) An eminent American poet who is
(D) Despite an eminent American poet

35. After seeing the movie Centennial, _____.

(A) the book was read by many people
(B) the book made many people want to read it
(C) many people wanted to read the book
(D) the reading of the book interested many people

36. A swarm of locusts is responsible the consumption of enough plant material to feed a
(A) (B) (C)
million and a half people.
(D)

37. Oyster farming has been practice in most parts of the world for many years.
(A) (B) (C) (D)

38. It was Shirley Temple Black which represented her country in the United Nations and
(A) (B) (C)
later became an ambassador.
(D)
 25

39. After a team of geologists had drawn diagrams in their notebooks and wrote
(A) (B)
explanations of the formations which they had observed, they returned to their
(C)
campsite to compare notes.
(D)

40. Some methods to prevent soil erosion are plowing parallel with the slopes of hills,
(A) (B) (C)
to plant trees on unproductive land, and rotating crops.
(D)

* * * * *
 26

Reading
(PBT – Paper Based Test)

Reading Comprehension is the third section on the paper TOEFL test. In this section,
there are five passages and fifty questions must be completed within fifty five minutes.
The passage progress from easy to difficult, and the questions are presented in the order
in which they appear in the passage.
 27

GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR READING

1. Be familiar with the directions. The directions on every paper TOEFL test
are the same, so it is not necessary to spend time reading the directions
carefully when you take the test. You should be completely familiar with the
directions before the day of the test.
2. Do not spend too much time reading the passage. You do not have time
to read each passage in depth, and it is quite possible to answer the
questions correctly without first reading the passages in depth.
3. Do not worry if a reading passage is on a topic you are unfamiliar with.
All of the information that you need to answer the questions is included in the
passages. You do not need any background knowledge to answer the
questions.
4. Do not spend too much time on a question you are unsure of. If you do
not know the answer to a question, simply guess and go on. You can return to
this question later in the section if you have time.
5. Guess to complete the section before time is up. There is no penalty for
guessing, so it can only increase your score to guess the answers to
questions that you do not have time to complete.

PROCEDURES FOR A READING PASSAGE

1. Skim the reading passage to determine the main idea and the overall
organization of ideas in the passage. You do not need to understand every
detail in each passage to answer the questions correctly. It is therefore a
waste of time to read the passage with the intent of understanding every
single detail before you try to answer the questions.
2. Look ahead at the questions to determine what language skills are
being tested in the questions. Questions related to different language skills
are answered in the different ways.
3. Find the section of the passage that deals with each question. The
language skill tells you exactly where to look in the passage to find correct
answers.
4. Read the part of the passage that contains the answer carefully. The
answer will probably be in a very predictable place in the passage.
5. Choose the best answer to each question from the four choices listed in
your test book. You can choose the best answer according to what is given
in the appropriate section of the passage, eliminate definitely wrong answers,
and mark your best guess in the answer sheet.
 28

SKILL 1: ANSWER MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

The examples of main ideas questions:

 What is the topic of the passage?

 What is the subject of the passage?
 What is the main idea of the passage?
 What is the author’s main point in the passage?
 With what is the author primarily concerned?
 Which of the following would be the best title?

Passage One:

Fort Knox, Kentucky, is the site of a U.S. army post, but it is even more renowned
for the Forth Knox Bullion Depository, the massive vault that contains the bulk of the U.S.
government’s gold deposits. Completed in 1936, the vault is housed in a two story building
constructed of granite, steel, and concrete; the vault itself is made of steel and concrete
and has a door that weighs more than twenty tons. Naturally, the most up-to-date security
devices available are in place at Fort Knox, and the army post nearby provides further
protection.

1. Which of the following best describes the topic of the passage?

(A) The city of Fort Knox, Kentucky.
(B) The federal gold depository.
(C) The U.S. army post at Fort Knox.
(D) Gold Bullion

2. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
(A) The Massive Concrete Vault
(B) Fort Knox Security
(C) Where the United States Keeps Its Gold
(D) A Visit to Kentucky

SKILL 2: RECOGNIZE THE ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS

The example of ideas questions:

 How is the information in the passage organized?

 How is the information in the second paragraph related to the information in the
first paragraph?

Passage Two:

Conflict within an organization is not always viewed as undesirable. In fact, various

managers have widely divergent ideas on the value that conflict can have.
According to the traditional view of conflict, conflict is harmful to an organization.
Managers with this traditional view of conflict see it as their role in an organization to rid
the organization of any possible sources of conflict.
The interactionist view of conflict, on the other hand, holds that conflict can serve
an important function in an organization by reducing complacency among workers and
 29

causing positive changes to occur. Managers who hold an interactionist view of conflict
may actually take steps to stimulate conflict within the organization.

3. How is the information in the passage organized?

(A) The origin of ideas about conflict is presented.
(B) Contrasting views of conflict are presented.
(C) Two theorists discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their views on conflict.
(D) Examples of conflict within organizations are presented.

SKILL 3: ANSWER STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

The examples of stated detail questions:

 According to the passage,…

 It is stated in the passage…
 The passage indicates that …
 Which of the following is true…?

Passage Three:

Ice ages, those periods when ice covered extensive areas of the Earth, are known
to have occurred at least six times. Past ice ages can be recognized from rock strata that
show evidence of foreign materials deposited by moving walls of ice or melting glaciers.
Ice ages can also be recognized from land formations that have been produced from
moving walls of ice, such as U-shaped valleys, sculptured landscapes, and polished rock
faces.

4. According to the passage, what happens during an ice age?

(A) Rock strata are recognized by geologists.
(B) Evidence of foreign materials is found.
(C) Ice covers a large portion of the Earth’s surface.
(D) Ice melts six times.

5. The passage covers how many different methods of recognizing past ice ages?
(A) One (C) Three
(B) Two (D) Four

SKILL 4: FIND “UNSTATED” DETAILS

Examples of “Unstated” details questions:

 Which of the following is not stated …?

 Which of the following is not mentioned …?
 Which of the following is not discussed …?
 All of the following are true except …?
 30

Passage Four:

Blood plasma is a clear, almost colorless liquid. It consists of blood from which the
red and white blood cells have been removed. It is often used in transfusions because a
patient generally needs the plasma portion of the blood more than the other components.

Plasma differs in several important ways from whole blood. First of all, plasma can
be mixed for all donors and does not have to be from the right blood group, whole blood
does. In addition, plasma can be dried and stored, while whole blood cannot.

6. All of the following are true about blood plasma EXCEPT that
(A) it is a deeply colored liquid
(B) blood cells have been taken out of it
(C) patients are often transfused with it
(D) it is generally more important to the patient than other parts of whole blood

7. Which of the following is NOT stated about whole blood?

(A) It is different from plasma.
(B) It cannot be dried.
(C) It is impossible to keep it in storage for a long time.
(D) It is a clear, colorless liquid.

SKILL 5: FIND PRONOUN REFERENTS

Examples of pronoun referents questions:

 The pronoun “….” in line X refers to which of the following?

Passage Five:

The full moon that occurs nearest the equinox of the Sun has become known as
the harvest moon. It is a bright moon which allows farmers to work late into the night for
several nights; they can work when the moon is at its brightest to bring in the fall harvest.
The harvest moon, of course, occurs at different times of the year in the northern and
southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere, the harvest moon occurs in September
at the time o autumnal equinox. In the southern hemisphere, the harvest moon occurs in
March at the time of the vernal equinox.

8. The pronoun “It” in line 2 refers to

(A) the equinox
(B) the Sun
(C) the harvest moon
(D) the night

SKILL 6: ANSWER IMPLIED DETAIL QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

Example of implied detail questions:

 It is implied in the passage that …

 It can be inferred from the passage that …
 It is most likely that …
 31

 What probably happened…?

Passage Six:

Eskimos need efficient and adequate means to travel across water in that the
areas where they live are surrounded by oceans, bays, and inlets and dotted with lakes
and seas. Two different types of boats have been developed by the Eskimos, each
constructed to meet specific needs.
The kayak is something like a canoe that has been covered by a deck. A kayak is
generally constructed with one opening in the deck for one rider; however, some kayaks
are made for two. Because the deck of kayak is covered over except for the hole (or
holes) for its rider (or riders), a kayak can tip over in the water and roll back up without
filling with water and sinking. One of the primary uses of the kayak is for hunting.
The umiak is not closed over as is the kayak. Instead it is an open boat that is built
to hold ten to twelve passengers. Eskimos have numerous uses for the umiak which
reflect the size of the boat, e.g. the umiak is used to haul belongings from campsite to
campsite, and it is used for hunting larger animals that are too big to be hunted in kayak.

9. It is implied in the passage that if a kayak has two holes, then

(A) it accommodates two riders
(B) it is less stable than a kayak with one hole
(C) it is as large as an umiak
(D) it cannot be used on the ocean

10. It can be inferred from the passage that an example of the animals mentioned
might be
(A) a kangaroo (C) a whale
(B) a snake (D) a salmon

SKILL 7: ANSWER TRANSITION QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

Examples of the transition questions:

 The paragraph preceding the passage probably…

 What is most likely in the paragraph following the passage?

Passage Seven:

Another program instrumental in the popularization of science was Cosmos. This

series, broadcast on public television, dealt with topics and issues from varies fields of
science. The principal writer and narrator of the program was Carl Sagan, a noted
astronomer and Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

11. The paragraph preceding this passage most probably discusses

(A) a different scientific television series
(B) Carl Sagan’s scientific achievements
(C) the Pulitzer Prize won by Carl Sagan
(D) public television
 32

12. The paragraph following this passage most likely contains information on what?
(A) The popularity of science
(B) The program Cosmos
(C) The astronomer Carl Sagan
(D) Topics and issues from various fields of science

SKILL 8: FIND DEFINITIONS FROM STRUCTURAL CLUES

Example of structural clues questions:

 What is the meaning of “X” in line Y?

 The word “X” in line Y is closest in meaning to…
 The word “X” in line Y could best be replaced by…

Passage Eight:

The teddy bear is a child’s toy, a nice soft stuffed animal suitable for
cuddling. It is, however, a toy with an interesting history behind it.
Theodore Roosevelt, or Teddy as he was commonly called, was president
of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He was an unusually active man with
Line 5 varied pastimes, one of which was hunting. One day the president was invited
to take part in a bear hunt; and inasmuch as Teddy was president, his hosts
wanted to ensure that he caught a bear. A bear was captured, clanked over
the head to knock it out, and tied to a tree; however, Teddy, who really wanted
to hunt a bear, refused to shoot the bear and, in fact, demanded that the bear
Line 10 be extricated from the ropes; that is; he demanded that the bear be set free.
The incident attracted a lot of attention among journalists. First a cartoon –
drawn by Clifford K. Berryman to make fun of this situation – appeared in the
Washington Post, and the cartoon was widely distributed and reprinted
throughout the country. Then toy manufacturers began producing a toy bear
Line 15 which they called a “teddy bear.” The teddy bear became the most widely
recognized symbol of Roosevelt’s presidency.

13. According to line 1 of the passage, what is a “teddy bear”?

(A) A ferocious animal
(B) The president of the United States
(C) A famous hunter
(D) A plaything

14. In line 11, a “cartoon” could best be described as

(A) a newspaper
(B) a type of teddy bear
(C) a drawing with a message
(D) a newspaper article
 33

SKILL 9: DETERMINE MEANINGS FROM WORD PARTS

Examples of questions:
 The word “X” in line Y is closest in meaning to…

Passage Nine:

Ring Lardner was born into a wealthy, educated, and cultured family. For
the bulk of his career, he worked as a reporter for newspapers in South Bend,
Boston, St. Louis, and Chicago. However, it is for his short stories of lower
middle-class Americans that Ring Lardner is perhaps best known. In these
Line 5 stories, Lardner vividly creates the language and the ambiance of this lower
class often using the misspelled words, grammatical errors, and incorrect
diction that typified the language of the lower middle class.

15. The word “vividly” in line 5 is closest in meaning to

(A) in a cultured way
Line 10
(B) in a correct way
(C) in a lifelike way
(D) in a brief way

Line 15
SKILL 10: USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE MEANINGS

Passage Ten (Use context to determine meanings of difficult words):

In a government election, the incumbent generally has a strong advantage

over a newcomer. A person who is already in office and thus has a certain
degree of prominence has a better chance of being elected than does
someone who is unknown to the electorate. History has shown a strong
Line 5 proclivity in elections at all levels of government to return the incumbent to
office.

16. An “incumbent” in line 1 is most likely

(A) a special type of election
(B) a political party
Line 10
(C) a beneficial comment
(D) a current office-holder

Passage Eleven (Use context to determine meanings of simple words):

Line 15 Faced with serious threats to its future, the company is taking steps to
improve its outlook. The company has brought in a new crop of trainees to
staff some of its empty positions. In addition, the company has created a new
committee to research various proposals and has appointed a key member of
Line 5 its management team to chair the committee.

17. The word “steps” in line 1 could best be replaced by

(A) stairs (C) actions
(B) walks (D) footprints
Line 10

* * * * *

Line 15
 34

References

Phillips, Deborah. Longman Complete Course for the TOEFL Test: Preparation for
the Computer and Paper Tests. 2001. New York: Addison-Wesley Longman,
Inc.

Sharpe, Pamela J. Barron’s Practice Exercises for the TOEFL, 6th Edition. 2008.
Indonesia: Binarupa Aksara Publishing, Co.