2017-08-04 TOEFL: writing and speaking

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Warmup Wikipedia Race: TOEFL to Britney Spears
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nic_Read to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemiglaea (maybe not possible?)
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Look at the sample independent writing responses. What is good and bad about each one?
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Writing Section: last section of the test, after speaking
- Two tasks
1 integrated: read a text, listen to a lecture about the same topic, write about how they’re related
2 independent: read a prompt (a choice question) and write about your opinion
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DELTA p. 497 - Take 3 minutes to read the text and note the main ideas.
R0: It’s good for children to be in same-age groups.
R1: builds tolerance and decreases conflict
R2: competition is healthy and reduces conflict and builds teamwork
R3: cooperation comes naturally to same-age groups
Now listen to the lecture.
L0: Being in same-age peer groups isn’t always good.
L1: Dividing into groups caused negative attitudes and conflict
L2: Contests increase conflict between groups, but cooperative tasks reduce it.
L3: In groups, competition comes more naturally than cooperation, especially if there aren’t adults.
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Response structure:
Introduction: main topic and R0/L0
Body 1: L1/R1
Body 2: L2/R2
Body 3: L3/R3
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Citation language: Be sure to say where each point comes from.
According to the reading / The author says / The text argues / The writer believes
The professor says / The speaker argues / According to the lecture / Based on the listening
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Comparison/Contrast language (what we talked about yesterday)
This contradicts/challenges/casts doubt on/refutes the point from the reading…
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Illustration language:
This demonstrates the point from the reading that…
The lecture illustrates this point by…
___ exemplifies the points in the reading
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BREAK
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What if you don’t catch everything from the lecture for integrated writing?
- Do your best to guess what points the lecture might have made, which relate to the reading in the way the prompt implies.
(If you paraphrase (not copy) the text but don’t mention points from the listening, you get 1.)
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Indepdent writing: read a choice question prompt, take 30 minutes to type a response
The prompt could be either
- agree/disagree: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? … Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.”
- some people/other people: “Some people believe…. Others prefer…. Which do you think is better? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.”
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Structure of your response: 5-paragraph essay
1 Introduction: summarize/paraphrase the choice you’re making and state your opinion
2 Body 1: First supporting point, details and examples
3 Body 2: Second supporting point, details and examples
4 Body 3: Third supporting point, details and examples
5 Conclusion: (re)state your opinion and summarize the reasons, prediction or recommendation
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Details and examples should accomplish (at least) two things:
1 Convince the reader that your supporting point is true
2 Explain how that point supports your thesis
(For the purpose of the TOEFL, assume the reader always needs to be convinced of even the most obvious things.)
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https://typing.com/ - Improve your typing speed.
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Speaking Section (third section, after the break)
1-2 read and hear a prompt, get 15 seconds to prepare, speak for 45 seconds
3-4 read a text (45s), listen to audio, read and hear the prompt, 30 to prepare, 60 to speak
5-6 listen to audio, read and hear the prompt, 20 to prepare, 60 to speak
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ETS 1 Test 2 - In pairs, take turns telling each other your speaking responses for each question.
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Homework: write responses to both writing tasks from ETS practice test 1 and email me at [email protected]