2019-06-11 TOEFL: word roots, reading paraphrase

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Word Roots (list 4) - With your partner, try to think of one or two words to explain the meaning of each root.
icon (iconography, iconoclast, iconic) = image
idio (idiomatic, idiosyncrasy, idiot) = unique/one’s own
il/im/in/ir (illegal, impossible, inconsiderate, irresponsible) = not
il/im/in/ir (illuminate, impress, inhale, irradiate) = in
	il before L
	ir before R
	im before P, B, M (imbalance, imbibe, immobile)
	in before everything else (inaction, incalculable, indebted, ineffective, infer, etc.)
infra (infrastructure, infrared) = under
inter (interview, international, intercept) = between or among
intra/intro (intravenous, introvert) = inside/inward
	(“tra” or “tro” is the same in “intra”, “extra”, “contra”, and “retro”; it usually adds directionality)
ject (interject, eject, inject) = throw/push
junct (junction, conjunction, adjunct) = join
kine (kinetic, kinesthetic, telekinesis) = movement (The Latin spelling in “cine”.)
lab (labor, collaborate, elaborate) = work
lex/lect (lexical, dyslexia, lecture, dialect) = word/read
loc (location, dislocation, relocate) = place
luc (translucent, elucidate) = light
lum (illuminate, lumen) = light
macro (macroeconomics, macroevolution) = big
magni (magnify, magnificent, magnate) = great (in size or quality)
mal (malpractice, malaria, malicious) = bad
man/mani/manu (manual, maneuver, manuscript) = hand
mar (marine, maritime) = sea
mega (megabyte, megastructure, megalith) = huge (also 1,000,000)
meta (metamorphosis, metastasis, metabolism) = change
meta (metaphysics, metacognition, metadata) = beyond/about (metacognition is thinking about thoughts)
micro (microscope, microphone, microbe) = small/tiny (also 1/1,000,000)
migr (immigrate, migrant) = move (from one place to another)
mis (misbehave, misnomer) = incorrect/wrong
miss/mit (dismiss, transmit, missile) = send
mono (monochromatic, monotonous, monologue) = one (This is the Greek root.)
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TOEFL (until July 31): 4 parts, 30 points each, 4 hours
1 reading: 3 or 4 passages, 60-80 minutes, 12-14 questions about each one
2 listening: 6 or 9 listenings, 60-90 minutes, in 2 or 3 sets (each set has 3 listenings [1 conversation, 1 lecture, 1 discussion], 17 questions, 10 minutes to choose answers)
	(10-minute break)
3 speaking: 20 minutes, 6 tasks, 5.5 minutes of speaking time
4 writing: about 55 minutes, 2 tasks, 20+30 minutes of writing time.
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After August 1: https://www.ets.org/toefl/better_test_experience
reading: 10 questions about each passage, 54-72 minutes total
listening: 5-7 listenings (3-4 lectures, 2-3 conversations), 41-57 minutes total (i.e. 40-60)
speaking: 4 tasks (1 ind, 3 int), 17 minutes total
(writing will stay the same)
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BREAK
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Reading Paraphrase Questions (p. 134)
“Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.”
1 read the sentence (obviously)
2 check references: What do pronouns in the sentence refer to? If it starts with “This theory explains…”, make sure you know which theory it’s talking about.
3 break into clauses or parts: The highlighted sentence usually has two or sometimes three clauses. The correct answer must include each piece of information.
- who does what?: identify the agents and objects of the verbs in the sentence. The correct answer choice may switch the order of this information (e.g. by switching between active and passive voice)
4 paraphrase in your mind: restate the sentence in your own way to make sure you understand it
5 note essential information: which information in the sentence is most important? minor details or examples may not be in the correct answer choice
6 eliminate wrong answers: If an answer choice leaves out a major clause or changes the agent-action relationship, it’s definitely wrong.
7 choose your answer: If you can’t eliminate three choices, guess among the ones remaining
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A simple paraphrase eliminates adjectives and examples: “Andy Goldsworthy is a sculptor who works with physical elements to create art that reflects the processes of nature.”
(Sometimes adjective information is important, but removing it helps us understand the structure.)
(You can also eliminate adjectives in the answer choices to check the structure.)
A: Components of nature reflect processes and create artwork that is Andy Goldsworthy’s claim to fame.
	WRONG: components of nature cannot create art
B: A.G. has established a reputation as an environmentalist and sculptor who combines art with nature to reveal processes.
	WRONG: the original sentence doesn’t say he’s an environmentalist. (Also, the reputation could be a paraphrase of “highly regarded”, but the original doesn’t say “international”.)
C: A.G. regards sculptures highly because they combine elements into masterpieces that mimic the order.
	WRONG: The original sentence doesn’t include any “because” clause. Also, this sentence says AG regards something highly, but the original said he is regarded highly (by other people).
D: Creating sculptures from natural materials that highlight the life cycle has brought A.G. respect.
	RIGHT: This doesn’t add any new information or leave out any important information. (The basic paraphrase of the original sentence took out “highly regarded”, which is paraphrased here as having “much respect”.)
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Cengage exercise 5.1 - Decide if the second sentence correctly paraphrases the essential information of the first sentence. If it doesn’t, is it incomplete or inaccurate?
1 No - incomplete (It doesn’t include the clause about no flying reptiles today.)
2 Yes
3 No - inaccurate (The town was Muncie, not Middleton.)
4 No - inaccurate
5 (Yes/No) - It includes basically all the information, but it’s true that “most important” is not a synonym for “mainly covered by”.
6 No - inaccurate
7 Yes
8 No - incomplete (The original sentence is primarily about checkers, not chess. “as there is for chess” means “there is an official international board governing the rules for playing chess”)
9 No - inaccurate (Handel wrote long before the 19th century. He wasn’t the reason the clarinet became popular later.)
10 Yes
11 Yes
12 No - inaccurate (“G rivaled R in talent but not success” = They were equally talented, but R was more successful. If I can’t match you or rival you, it means I’m not very good.)
13 No - inaccurate (“no exception to the rule” means it follows the rule)
14 No - inaccurate (he learned about dunes, not glaciers)
15 No - incomplete (The new sentence omits information about visual spectacles.)
16 No - inaccurate (“There is no validity” means it doesn’t happen.)
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Homework: 3R14 (148) and 3R20 (152) about the readings on p. 146 and 150