English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study
Guide
Main Index
Tips and Practice Drills
Practice Questions
Essay Writing
Welcome to the computer-based TOEFL Study Guide
with study tips, exercise drills and practice questions!
We strongly recommend that you start with the "Tips
and Practice Drills" from the index above and then go
on to the practice questions. Just follow the directions
on each page.
If you have any questions, please contact one of our
TOEFL instructors.
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English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
The menu selection below has five sections:
● Part I - Orientation
● Part II - Listening Comprehension
● Part III - Structure and Written Expression
● Part IV - Reading Comprehension
● Part V - Writing Section (Essay Question)
● Final Test Tips
Read the "TIPS" first before you try the drills and then follow the
directions on the screen for each drill.
Part I - Orientation
Test-Taking Strategies for Computer-Based TOEFL
Registration Tips 1 - 2
Tutorials Tip 3

● Reading Passage Example Questions
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Part V - Writing Section (Essay Question)
Essay Writing Tips 67 - 70
● Intensive 15-Session Essay Program
Test Tips
Final Test Tips
Back to Top of Page
Main Index
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English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
Welcome, students, to the TOEFL Study Guide!
Read the tips carefully and then try to apply them to the drill questions.
Test-Taking Strategies for Computer-Based TOEFL
How Computer-adaptive testing is different from traditional paper
testing
You see one question at a time.
You cannot skip questions in the adaptive portions of the test
(Listening and Structure)
You cannot change answers to previously answered questions in the
adaptive portions of the test (Listening and Structure)
Can't skip/can't change. An examinee cannot go back to a
previous question because his or her answer to the question
helps determine the difficulty level of the next question
given. A simpler way of explaining this is to say that the test
scores are being built as you go through the test, so going
back would destroy what has already been built. (However,
the Reading section is linear, and you can skip/change
answers in that portion of the test.)

Be sure to order the free TOEFL Bulletin directly from ETS at
or check out our website for this information
under />Be sure to order a free TOEFL Sampler (a practice CD Rom) from
ETS at .
Tip 2 - Overview of Computer-based TOEFL test
The length of the test session is approximately four (4) hours.
There is a tutorial section which on average takes 40 minutes to
complete but is untimed.
There is a Listening Section which takes 40-60 minutes and has 30-
50 questions.
There is a Structure Section which takes 15-20 minutes and has 20-
25 questions.
There is then a 10 minute break.
There is a Reading Section which takes 70-90 minutes and has 44-60
questions.
There is the Writing Section which takes 30 minutes and has 1 essay
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question.
Back to Program Menu
Tutorials Tip 3
There are seven (7) tutorial lessons.
Basic computer skill tutorial:
1. Using a mouse
2. Scrolling (moving text up and down)
3. Using testing tools (icons for displaying the time clock, for
getting help, etc.)
Section Tutorials
4. How to answer Listening
5. How to answer Structure

of questions that come up most often and what a right answer looks
like, use your time effectively.
Tip 6
Identify your strengths and weaknesses so we can work on them
together….practice, practice, practice.
Tip 7
Expressions and idioms used in England and other English-speaking
countries will not be tested only American English (page 3).
Tip 8
Practice and prepare for the test. Don't just try to "wing it". The more
you know about the test, the better you will perform. If the test is
familiar to you, you will have less stress dealing with it.
Tip 9
Don't try to study everything just before the exam. Work at it often
over a period of time (i.e. 4 weeks).
Tip 10
Be sure to review the TOEFL sampler for more samples of
questions.
Tip 11
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English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
This exam is like a competitive sport; practice and be prepared.
Back to Program Menu
Basic Tips 12 - 17
Tip 12 PART I - Orientation
The computer-based TOEFL exam is made up of four (4) sections:
1. Listening comprehension,
2. Structure & Written Expression,
3. Reading Comprehension, and
4. an Essay portion.

Test Design Features
Length: 40-60 minutes (15-25 minutes are actually for response
time; the time spent listening to the stimuli is not counted).
Number of Questions: 30-50 questions
❍ Dialogues: 11 - 17 with 1 item each
❍ Short conversations: 2 - 3 sets with 2-3 questions per set
❍ Mini-lectures/academic discussions: up to 2.5 minutes in
length, 4 -6 sets with 3 - 6 questions per set.
Headphones with adjustable volume control
Examinees will both see and hear the questions before the answer
choices appear.
This section is computer-adaptive.
Types of Listening Material
Dialogues and short conversations (traditional multiple-choice
questions only)
Segments of classroom lectures on academic topics (traditional and
new question types)
Segments of academic discussions on academic topics involving
multiple speakers (traditional and new question types)
Types of Listening Questions
Mostly traditional multiple-choice questions (1 stem and 4 options)
Some new question types that are not single-selection multiple
choice:
❍ Clicking on a picture or parts of a picture: not very different
from traditional multiple-choice
❍ Clicking on two choices: testing main reasons or supporting
details; similar to traditional multiple choice but with two
correct answers (usually four options total)
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Notetaking
You are not allowed to take notes or have any notes at their
computer. (NOTE: Research we have conducted indicates that you
do not perform any better when allowed to take notes. In fact, some
may perform worse because they may focus on taking notes or
specific details rather than listening for an overall understanding of
the stimulus.)
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English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
Listening Section Tips 18 - 25
Listening Section Tip 18
In the Listening Section of the computer-based exam, it is important
NOT to GUESS the answers! Do not try to fill in the answers if you
run out of time. It will not make a difference in your score if you
guess on the other sections of the exam.
Tip 19
For Listening, you must answer and confirm each question before
going on. In these sections they should use effective guessing
strategies:
1. If you get stuck on a difficult question, you should eliminate
as many answer choices as possible and then select and
confirm the answer you think is best.
2. If you find that they are running out of time at the end of a
section, you should NOT randomly guess, because it can
lower your score.
Listening Section Tip 20
Pace yourself - answer as many questions as you can.
The question types in the Listening section include:
❍ Main ideas (including the order of a process and categorizing
topics/objects)

Back to Program Menu
Conversational English Tips 26 - 31
Conversational English Tip 26
Practice speaking and listening to English (radio, TV, internet sites
like Dave's ESL Café ( )
Conversational English Tip 27
Voice emphasis can change the meaning of a statement. In spoken English,
people place stress on certain words in a given sentence to convey
additional meaning beyond the dictionary definitions of the words. The
pitch or volume of one's voice to make the word stand out from the rest of
the sentence. One fo the things that vocal emphasis can tell you is which
information in the sentence the speaker considers to be the most important.
Conversational English Tip 28
Emphasized expressions: What's Important
When the following sentence is written on paper
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English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
"Susan took the red purse?"
every word is stressed equally. However, when emphasis is placed on
specific words in the sentence, the intention of the speaker changes slightly.
For example:
"Susan took the red purse?"
If you emphasize "Susan" one is surprised that Susan took the purse, and
not someone else.
"Susan took the red purse?"
If you emphasize "took" one is surprised that Susan "took" the purse and
not perhaps borrowed it.
"Susan took the red purse?"
If you emphasize "red" one is surprised that it was it was not the blue purse
that was taken.

❍ I don't think so.
❍ Dont' be too sure.
❍ Never.
❍ No way.
Meaning: "Don't do it!"
❍ I wouldn't if I were you.
❍ Oh no you don't!
❍ Cut it out!
❍ Not here you don't.
❍ Better leave well enough alone.
❍ Forget it!
❍ Don't bother.
Meaning: Agreement
❍ To say the least.
❍ That's putting it mildly.
❍ You can say that again.
❍ That's for sure.
❍ Now, That's an idea.
❍ There you go! Now youve said something I agree with,
whereas you didn't before.
❍ I'll say.
❍ I couldn't agree with you more.
❍ Count me in.
❍ Why not!
❍ Won't I!
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❍ Don't I!
❍ Aren't I!
Meaning: "Thank you!"

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Conversational English Tip 30
Homonyms are like sound-alikes; Keep this list to review now and
again.
❍ new: not used
"I bought this new book today".
❍ knew: past tense of "know"
"I knew you bought that book".
❍ flour: ingredient in baking
"I need two cups of flour for the cake".
❍ flower: daisy, tulip, rose
"I love to grow flowers in my garden".
❍ sew: use a needle and thread
"I need to sew the hem on this skirt."
❍ so: who cares?
"So what? I don't have a skirt".
❍ won: defeated an opponent
"We won the game by 2 to 1."
❍ one: the number 1, or alone
"One at a time, that's how you do it".
❍ plain: simple, unadorned
"This dress is too plain ther are no designs on it."
❍ plane: airplane, for flying
"We flew in that new plane."
❍ sea: ocean
"We swam in the sea."
❍ see: to view, use your eyes
"I see how beiautiful the ocean is."
❍ wood: material from a tree

"I go by the baker's on my way home."
❍ buy: to purchase
"I will buy bread on my way home."
❍ sail: on a boat
"The sail flapped in the breeze".
❍ sale: a discount, bragain
"I bought this on sale and saved a lot of money".
❍ sense: as in common sense
"That makes good sense."
❍ cents: pennies, money
"It cost me twenty cents to take the subway."
❍ reflex: unconscious movement
"My leg jerked in reflex to the pain".
❍ reflects: casts back an image
"The water reflects the moon when it is full".
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English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
❍ soul: spirit
"The Buddhists believe the soul is reincarnated".
❍ sole: only
"He was the sole heir to the fortune".
❍ son: male child
"My son is called after his father".
❍ sun: the earth revolves around it
"The sun is hot today!"
❍ I: me, myself
"I bought a new dress".
❍ eye: what you see with
"I have something in my eye and it hurts".
❍ banned: not allowed

❍ scene: where something takes place
"The crime scene was roped off with police tape."
❍ seen: past tense of "see"
"I have seen too much."
❍ fair: festival, carnival
"The summer fair starts tomorrow."
❍ fare: cost
"The taxi fare was $20."
❍ here: this place
"Come here to me."
❍ hear: listen
"I can hear you clearly".
❍ principal: the head of a school
"I was sent to the principal's office".
❍ principle: belief
"She stood by her principles and refused to answer."
❍ weather: what it's like outside
"The weather is nice and sunny today."
❍ whether: if
"I need to know whether you are coming to dinner on Friday
or Saturday."
❍ die: to become dead or cease to live
"We will all die someday".
❍ dye: to color things or what is used to color things
"I used to dye my hair when I was younger".
Conversational English Tip 31
Idioms are words or phrases that do not translate literally. Do the 3
Idiom Drills that follow and then keep a list of those you have
trouble with to review now and again.
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English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
● Idiom Drill #1
Read the short conversation between the man and woman
and the question that follows; then choose the answer that
best answers each question.
1. Woman: I heard that the award ceremony was wonderful.
Man: Yes, John broke down when he won the humanitarian
award.
What does the man mean?
(A) John's award was broken.
(B) John got emotional when he won.
(C) John only received one award.
(D) The award was humanitarian.
2. Man: Will you help me clean the kitchen?
Woman: Sure. You clear away the dishes and I'll wash the
pots.
What does the woman want the man to do?
(A) Wipe off the dishes.
(B) Take the dishes off the table.
(C) Take the pots away.
(D) Put the dishes away.
3. Man: It's so sad that Harvey isn't feeling well.
Woman: What a bad time for him to come down with the
chicken pox!
What does the woman mean?
(A) Harvey was coming with chicken.
(B) Harvey has chicken pox.
(C) Harvey fell down.
(D) Harvey is having a bad time.
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(D) She hasn't seen John's haircut.
8. Woman: What time do you want to wake up?
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English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide - Idiom Drill 1
Man: Well I'll set the alarm to go off at eight in the morning.
What does the man want to do?
(A) Put off the alarm.
(B) Eat in the morning.
(C) Wake up at eight in the morning.
(D) Get a new alarm.
9. Man: Did you hear about the new vaccine?
Woman: What a breakthrough for people with that sickness!
What does the woman mean?
(A) It's good news for people with that sickness.
(B) People with that sickness will get sicker.
(C) The vaccine is broken.
(D) Scientists are not through with their study.
10. Man: What do you want to do today?
Woman: It's hot - let's just hang around.
What does the woman suggest?
(A) That they do nothing.
(B) That they go home.
(C) That they walk around.
(D) That they hang pictures.
Answers:
1. B
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. D