2017-08-24 TOEFL: speaking 6, ind writing

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Homework: Finish the handout (p. 295-298). A link to the audio is in your email.
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Speaking Section: third section, after the 10-minute break
- 20 minutes total, 5.5 minutes of speaking time across 6 tasks
1 independent, open-ended - 15 seconds to prepare / 45 seconds to speak
2 independent, choice - 15/45
3 integrated reading/listening/speaking, campus announcement and conversation - 30/60
4 integrated R/L/S, academic text and lecture - 30/60
5 integrated L/S, conversation about a problem and solutions - 20/60
6 integrated L/S, academic lecture - 20/60
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Speaking task 6 - Listen to a lecture and answer the question (which usually asks you to summarize points from the lecture).
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p. 326 exercise 3.9.B - Listen to the lecture and take notes.
“Using points and examples from the lecture, explain how two features of the earth’s surface influence climate.”
Your response should have these parts:
1 Introduction: briefly describe the main topic
2 Thesis/Lead-in: tell what the professor explains (“The professor describes two features of earth’s…”)
3 Point 1: describe the first thing the professor talks about (“feature” in this case)
4 Detail/Example: give some more information about the first point
5 Point 2: describe the second thing the professor talks about
6 Detail/Example: give more information about the second point
(Sometimes there are three points, in which case 7 and 8 are as you’d expect.)
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Try to use (approximately) the American English pronunciations of names, even if it’s not how you would pronounce something in your language.
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p. 331 describes score levels for integrated speaking.
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p. 327 exercise 3.9.E - Take 5 minutes to prepare a “perfect” response to this prompt.
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Give your partner your response to ETS past tests 1-3.
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BREAK
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Record your responses to the ETS Guide practice tests
tr. 29 - Using points and examples from the talk, explain the two definitions of money presented by the professor.
tr. 60 - Using points and examples from the talk, explain how learning art can improve a child’s development.
tr. 90 - Using the examples from the talk, explain how persuasive strategies are used in advertising.
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Listen to your own responses and choose the one we can hear as a class.
Listen to the sample responses from the guide. What is good or bad about each one?
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Writing Section: final section of the test, after speaking
- two tasks, 50 minutes writing time, about 60 minutes total
1 integrated: 3 minutes to read a passage, time to listen to a lecture, 20 minutes to prepare and write a short essay about the lecture and how it relates to the reading
2 independent: read a prompt (choice question), 30 minutes to prepare and write a response
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The independent prompt is a choice question:
- some people / other people: “Some people like to…. Others prefer…. Which do you think is better?”
- agree/disagree: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?”
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“Some students prefer to study alone. Others prefer to study with a
group of students. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.”
A - brainstorm a list of reasons why it’s better to study alone
B - brainstorm a list of reason why it’s better to study with a group of students
Then compare your reasons with your partner’s, and choose (together) which option to write about.
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Make sure when you settle on your three main reasons, that they are all different enough.
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Even if you pick a third or in-between option, you still need a clear thesis statment.
- An “it depends” thesis needs to be supported by what it depends on.
	If you say it depends on the students, what kinds of students should study alone or in groups?
	If it depends on the topic, which topics should be studied alone? Which in groups?
- A “both” thesis still needs to explain clearly why both options are necessary.
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Sample possibly misunderstood prompt: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Youth is wasted on the young.”
- This would not be a typical TOEFL prompt, but imagine you get it and don’t understand what the whole idea means.