2019-11-06 TOEFL: reading summary, listening function

Greg Malivuk
gmalivuk@staffordhouse.com
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-close-are-we-to-uploading-our-minds-michael-s-a-graziano
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Homework: Cambridge exercise R23 - Choose the three most important ideas from the answer choices.
Take a few minutes to compare your answers and try to convince your partners.
1 B D F
2 B C F (These are steps 1, 2&3, and 4.)
3 A C D (B is a minor detail from paragrph 1, and A and C already tell us the important information from that paragraph. E and F, about diagnosis, are minor details.)
4 C E F (These are the three “ways of dealing with the economic problem of running their empire” that the Roman government tried.)
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Cengage exercise 8.1 - In your own words, what is the topic of each paragraph? Skim quickly to find out.
passage 1
1 definition of economic resources
2 land = natural resources, capital = things that help produce goods and services
3 labor = human talent to produce things
4 all economic resources are limited
The introductory sentence summarizes paragraph 1.
E summarizes paragraph 2.
F summarizes paragraph 3.
B summarizes paragraph 4.
passage 3
1 human babies are born with open eyes, but vision takes time to develop
2 development is fast in the first year, continues to adolescence; eyes, brain, and muscles need to develop
3 the appearance and colors of the (parts of the) eye change as it develops
4 seeing motion, colors, and brightess develops in the first month
5 by four months, visual abilities work together and babies can see farther than newborns and have favorite colors
The introductory sentence summarizes paragraph 1.
B summarizes paragraph 2 (and kind of 3, though doesn’t mention colors of the parts of the eye).
D summarizes paragraph 4.
E summarizes paragraph 5.
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Even if your initial skimming doesn’t give you all the important information in a paragraph, it should be enough to tell you where to check the answer choices for the summary question.
If you don’t remember something at all from skimming, there’s a good chance it’s a minor detail.
If an answer choice doesn’t mention the main topic at all, it’s probably not correct.
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skim = look through a text quickly to identify the order of topics (possibly paragraph-by-paragraph)
scan = look quickly through a text for a particular word or piece of information
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BREAK
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Listening Question Types:
- main idea
- prediction
- detail
- purpose
- function/replay
- inference
- complete a chart or table
- attitude
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Delta p. 247 - What are some phrases and signals people use to perform these functions (in the second box) politely or indirectly?
“Speaking of ____, [new topic related to ____]”
“That isn’t right, is it?”
“Sorry, did you mean ____?”
“Are you sure about that?” - to disagree or point out a possible mistake
“I’m not following.” = I don’t understand what you’re saying. I need explanation or clarification.
“I’m not sure about that.” or “I’m not sure I would agree with that.”
- Important information in a lecture should probably be written down in students’ notes. Therefore, signalling about importance often includes references to writing (such as “write this down”, “unerline this”, and spellings of key words)
- Digressions and personal stories are often not important, so professors might say things like, “you don’t have to take notes about this.”
“So what does this all mean?” - The professor is probably going to give a summary or conclusion.
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rhetorical question = a question that a speaker (or writer) asks, which the listener (or reader) is not expected to answer
	- maybe because the listener should already have the answer
	- maybe because there are many possible answers and the points is just to think about the topic
	- maybe because the speaker or writer is going to give the answer
It’s very common for replay questions on the TOEFL to include speakers’ rhetorical questions.
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Cengage exercise 12.1 - Is each statement true or false?
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Longman p. 143 - Listen only to the replay questions (not the full conversation). Answer in your own words.
1 He is willing to help. (He’s answering “yes” to her question.)
2 He really does need that information. (He’s answering “yes” to her question.)
3 She knows she made a mistake.
4 To welcome her to come again for help.
p. 144
5 He’s open to answer the question.
6 He can answer her question.
7 She thinks it’s very easy (and is a bit surprised that it’s so easy).
8 He doesn’t think she’ll get what she wants. (“Don’t count on it.” = You shouldn’t expect it.)
9 She needs to do it quickly.
10 She doesn’t know what that is.
11 Her answer was wrong.
12 She is correct.
13 He is reconsidering his answer.
14 She would prefer a more certain response.
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Homework: Delta 2.5.A and B