2018-02-06 TOEFL: word roots, reading summary

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Word Roots - list 6 - With your partner, try to think of a word or two to explain the meaning of each root.
re (recycle, rebound, reuse, recline) = again/back
reg (regulation, regent, regime) = rule
retro (retrograde, retroactive, retrospect) = backward (direction)
	(the “tro” in “retro”, “intro”, and “extro/extra” gives a meaning like movement away from something)
rupt (disrupt, rupture) = break/burst
scend (ascend, descend, crescendo) = climb
scope/skep/spec (microscope, spectacle, speculate) = see/sight
scrib/script (transcript, scripture, inscribe) = write (or sometimes draw)
sect/seg (section, bisect, sector, segment) = cut/divide
semi (semicircle, semiannual) = half (This is the Latin root. The Greek root is “hemi”.)
sol (solitude, desolate) = single/alone
sol (solar, solarium) = sun
soph (philosophy, sophisticated) = knowledge/wisdom
struct (construct, structure) = build
sub (subterranean, submerge, substandard) = under
super (superstructure, supersonic) = over
tele (telephone, telescope, telepathy) = far
term (determine, terminate) = end/limit
terra/terri (territory, terrain) = Earth/land
therm (thermometer, thermal) = heat
trans (transport, transaction, transverse) = across
ultra (ultraviolet, ultrasound) = over
uni (universe, unique, unilateral) = one
vac (vacuum, vacate, evacuate) = empty
veri (verify, veracity) = truth
viv/vit (vital, vivacious) = life
vol (benevolent, volunteer, volition) = will
xeno (xenophobia, xenophile) = strange/foreign
zoo (zoology, zooplankton) = animal
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supersonic = faster than sound
ultrasonic = higher (frequency) than (audible) sound
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TOEFL: four sections, 30 points for each section
1 reading: 60-80 minutes, 3 or 4 passages, about 15 questions for each passage
2 listening: 60-90 minutes, 6 or 9 listenings in 2 or 3 sets of three, about 17 questions in each set
	(10-minute break)
3 speaking: 20 minutes total, 5m30s speaking in 6 tasks
4 writing: about 1 hour total, 50 minutes of writing in 2 tasks
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Reading Question Types:
- fact/detail
- negative fact
- vocabulary
- reference/pronoun
- inference
- purpose
- paraphrase
- sentence insertion
- summarize
- categorize/organize/chart completion
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Summary Questions: They will give you an introductory sentence for a short summary of the text, and you have to choose the three answer choices that give the most important ideas from the passage. Some wrong answers are minor details, and you can often identify these without reading the passage.
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DELTA p. 151 - Which answer choice(s) look like minor details?
- The first and last ones are not about the beginning of the history of the piano.
- If you read (or skim) the passage, you’ll find that “Composers were slow to accept…” is not mentioned.
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Handout (Cambridge) p. 217-218 exercise R22 - Read the paragraphs and then decide if each following sentence is a correct summary (S), a minor detail (D), or not mentioned in the passage (N).
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BREAK
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Take a few more minutes to finish the handout.
Then compare your answers with your partner and justify your own choices. Try to convince your partner if you disagree.
1 N S D
2 N D S (The main idea is genetic modification for high-yield varieties. One consequence of these new varieties is preventing people from going hungry.)
3 S
  N (“Cigarettes without any of this chemical” implies that NOT all cigarettes contain nicotine.)
  D (The paragraph describes other methods than those providing nicotine without smoking.)
4 D N S
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DELTA p. 152 - Take 3 minutes to quickly read the passage about Winslow Homer and decide which three answer choices express the most important ideas. Then check with your partner. Why are the other answers wrong? (Are they minor details or are they not mentioned in the passage?)
1 A C F
p. 153 - Do the same thing for this passage.
2 B E F
p. 154-156 - Take 9 minutes to complete 1.8.A
3 B D E (The text says nothing about the speed of change compared to the speed other species can adapt.)
4 A B E (D and F are details)
5 A C E
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If you randomly guess, you’ll get an average of 0.55 points on this question.
If you can (correctly) eliminate one answer, you’ll get an average of 0.8 points.
If you can eliminate two answers, you’ll get an average of 1.25 points.
(If you can eliminate three answers, then you get everything correct for 2 points.)
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Handout (Cambridge) p. 219 - Take 3 minutes to answer the question.
B D F
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Homework: Finish the handout AND do DELTA p. 157-160 exercise 1.8.B