2020-02-11 TOEFL: word roots, insertion + purpose

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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ego (egocentric, egotistical, egomania) = self
endo (endotherm, endocrine) = in/inside
epi (epiphyte, epidermis, epidemic, epicenter) = on/upon
equi (equidistant, equation) = same (quantity)
erg (ergonomic, energy) = work
esth/aesth (anesthetic, kinesthesia) = sense/perceive (Many words that start with this root are related to [the perception of] beauty.)
eu (eulogy, euphemism, euphoria) = good
ex/ect (ex-husband, exit, excavate, ectotherm) = out
extra (extraordinary, extrovert, extraterrestrial) = outward/beyond
fac/fact (artifact, factory) = make
fer (transfer, ferry) = carry
flect/flex (deflect, reflection, flexible) = bend
fore (foreground, forecast) = before (fore/front/first/former/pre/proto/prim - same original root)
fract/frag (fracture, fragment) = break
fug (refugee, fugitive) = flee
funct (function, defunct) = perform
gen (generation, generate, genealogy) = make/create, but also includes many words related to families and types/kinds of things
geo (geography, geology, geocentric, geodesy, geometry) = Earth
graph (autograph, graphite, seismograph) = draw/write
grat (gratify, gratuity, grateful) = please
helio (heliocentric, heliograph) = Sun
hemo (hemophilia, hemorrhage, hemoglobin) = blood
hetero (heterogeneous, heteronym) = different
homo (homogeneous, homonym) = same (but not quantity)
hydro (hydrate, hydraulic, hydrophobia) = water (or sometimes fluid more generally)
hyper (hyperextend, hyperactive, hypertension) = over
hypo (hypodermic, hypothermia, hypotension, hypocenter) = under
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in, intra/intro
ex, extra
con, contra
re, retro
- the tra/tro ending adds a sense of “direction” to the root
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TOEFL test structure:
1 reading: 54-72 minutes, 3-4 passages, 9-10 questions each
2 listening: 40-60 minutes, 5-7 listenings (2-3 convos with 5 questions, 3-4 lectures/discussions with 6)
	(10-minute break)
3 speaking: 17 minutes, 4 tasks, 3m45s total speaking time
4 writing: 55 minutes, 2 tasks, 20+30 minutes of writing time
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Reading Question Types:
- fact
- negative fact
- purpose
- inference
- reference (maybe not on the test any more)
- vocabulary
- paraphrase
- sentence insertion
- summary
- organize/categorize
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Cambridge exercise R8 - Insert the example sentence into the correct place in the paragraph.
D - because it’s more information about the basic structure, and refers to “the lattice”, so must come after a sentence that introduces the lattice
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BREAK
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Insert the sentences in the rest of this exercise. Compare your answers with your partners and try to convince them of your answers if you disagree.
1 B - The rest of the paragraph is about specific pragmatists, and the new sentence would break the connections between those sentences.
2 D - This only makes sense after the paragraph has already introduced some specific artists.
3 C - This gives more details about the case where an animal might eat the fruit. (B would break the connection between “this” and the previous sentence.)
4 C - This gives a particular example of some Europeans who developed the technology.
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Mini-test 2
3 C - This gives specific examples of the adverse reactions people can have to the lack of sound.
6 D - “This spaciousness” means it has to be C or D, and “also” means D is better, because suitability as a barn is in addition to suitability for a family.
9 C - “In contrast” is with “well-cut”. This sentence is about what happens when a diamond isn’t well cut.
12 A - This is an estimate of “how many people have narcolepsy”. The rest of the paragraph is about causes.
15 C - “such a blast” refers to “an explosion of the combustible cargo”
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https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/abandoned-ship-the-mary-celeste-174488104/
Smithsonian is about fairly academic topics, but like TOEFL readings it’s directed at a non-expert audience.
(Newsela also has texts on a variety of topics available in different reading levels, but unfortunately this no longer includes sources like Smithsonian or National Geographic.)
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Purpose and Method questions (why and how?)
Cengage exercise 4.1 - Answer the true/false questions about each passage.
1 T
2 F
3 F - There’s no “should” implied anywhere in the passage.
4 F - Optical engineering is the applied technology aspect. Optical physics is purely scientific.
5 T - They are the example of the small group that developed into the Mongol empire.
6 T
7 F - There’s no comparison between China and other civilizations in this example. (Purpose questions are about the author of the passage you’re reading, not anyone mentioned therein.)
8 T
9 F - Toynbee influenced the author of that book, not the other way around.
10 T
11 F - The theory is no longer considered current. This means that it’s not important to the modern understanding of history.
12 F
13 T
14 F - She had “triumphant performances” in these cities.
15 T
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Homework: Do exercise 4.2 (multiple-choice questions about longer passages).
	(optional - complete exercise 4.1)