Jumat, 10 Mei 2013

TOEFL

 
Test of English as a Foreign Language TOEFL is abbreviated test the English language skills needed to enroll into schools in the United States and other countries that use English as a primary language. This exam is required registrants who use English as a second language (second language). In contrast to the IELTS score between 0-9, then TOEFL score until 700. Score that it indicates the ability of the test taker language. For those who will be studying abroad, so expected TOEFL score over 500. The following interpretation of TOEFL scores with the ability of participants. Non User category with values ​​<400 is considered not being able to use English in every context / situation / topic. While Extremely Limited User (grades 400-449) just enough to communicate a very basic one, and even then with the help of the other person.

User Marginal category with a score between 450-489 is called user language is mediocre can only use short sentences and in the field / context / situation / topic that we've learned. While Modest User (grades 490-529) that the message is quite understandable in general, specifically less clear because a lot of mistakes made. Competent User (values ​​530-559) can be assessed using the English language in oral and written boldly in various contexts / situations / topics, although here and there, seen a lot of mistakes. Categories Good User (values ​​560-609) can be skilled in written and spoken English is effective in almost all contexts / situations / topics with few errors.

Perfect User (grades 610-644) were able to use English both oral and written perfectly be effective in the context / situation / topic whatsoever. Users like Native Speaker (grades 645-670) that is able to use the English language as native speakers of English. From the description above, you can understand why TOEFL scores can be so high as 450-600 to enroll in school. That's because for the good that you also have no difficulty in completing education.

History of TOEFL
In 1962, a national council made up of representatives of thirty government and private organizations was formed to address the problem of ensuring English language proficiency for non-native speakers wishing to study at U.S. universities. This council recommended the development and administration of the TOEFL exam for the 1963-1964 time frame.
The test was originally developed at the Center for Applied Linguistics under the direction of Stanford University applied linguistics professor Dr. Charles A. Ferguson.
The TOEFL test was first administered in 1964 by the Modern Language Association financed by grants from the Ford Foundation and Danforth Foundation.
In 1965, The College Board and ETS jointly assumed responsibility for the continuation of the TOEFL testing program.
In 1973, a cooperative arrangement was made between ETS, The College Board, and the Graduate Record Examinations board of advisers to oversee and run the program. ETS was to administer the exam with the guidance of the TOEFL board
Formats and contents

Internet-based Test

  1. Reading
The Reading section consists of 3–5 passages, each approximately 700 words in length and questions about the passages. The passages are on academic topics; they are the kind of material that might be found in an undergraduate university textbook. Passages require understanding of rhetorical functions such as cause-effect, compare-contrast and argumentation. Students answer questions about main ideas, details, inferences, essential information, sentence insertion, vocabulary, rhetorical purpose and overall ideas. New types of questions in the TOEFL iBT test require filling out tables or completing summaries. Prior knowledge of the subject under discussion is not necessary to come to the correct answer.
  1. Listening
The Listening section consists of six passages 3–5 minutes in length and questions about the passages. These passages include two student conversations and four academic lectures or discussions. A conversation involves two speakers, a student and either a professor or a campus service provider. A lecture is a self-contained portion of an academic lecture, which may involve student participation and does not assume specialized background knowledge in the subject area. Each conversation and lecture stimulus is heard only once. Test-takers may take notes while they listen and they may refer to their notes when they answer the questions. Each conversation is associated with five questions and each lecture with six. The questions are meant to measure the ability to understand main ideas, important details, implications, relationships between ideas, organization of information, speaker purpose and speaker attitude.
  1. Speaking
The Speaking section consists of six tasks: two independent tasks and four integrated tasks. In the two independent tasks, test-takers answer opinion questions on familiar topics. They are evaluated on their ability to speak spontaneously and convey their ideas clearly and coherently. In two of the integrated tasks, test-takers read a short passage, listen to an academic course lecture or a conversation about campus life and answer a question by combining appropriate information from the text and the talk. In the two remaining integrated tasks, test-takers listen to an academic course lecture or a conversation about campus life and then respond to a question about what they heard. In the integrated tasks, test-takers are evaluated on their ability to appropriately synthesize and effectively convey information from the reading and listening material. Test-takers may take notes as they read and listen and may use their notes to help prepare their responses. Test-takers are given a short preparation time before they have to begin speaking. The responses are digitally recorded, sent to ETS’s Online Scoring Network (OSN) and evaluated by three to six raters.
  1. Writing
The Writing section measures a test taker's ability to write in an academic setting and consists of two tasks: one integrated task and one independent task. In the integrated task, test-takers read a passage on an academic topic and then listen to a speaker discuss the same topic. The test-taker will then write a summary about the important points in the listening passage and explain how these relate to the key points of the reading passage. In the independent task, the test-taker must write an essay that states, explains, and supports their opinion on an issue, supporting their opinions or choices, rather than simply listing personal preferences or choices. Responses are sent to the ETS OSN and evaluated by four raters.

Paper-based Test

  1. Listening (30 – 40 minutes)
The Listening section consists of 3 parts. The first one contains 30 questions about short conversations. The second part has 8 questions about longer conversations. The last part asks 12 questions about lectures or talks.
  1. Structure and Written Expression (25 minutes)
The Structure and Written Expression section has 15 exercises of completing sentences correctly and 25 exercises of identifying errors.
  1. Reading Comprehension (55 minutes)
The Reading Comprehension section has 50 questions about reading passages.
  1. Writing (30 minutes)
The Writing section is one essay with 250–300 words in average.


Example :

1. The French Quarter is the most famous and the most old section of New Orleans.
                                       A              B                       C                             D
Answer : C (most old)
 The superlative form of a one-syllable adjective (old) is formed with the suffix -est: oldest.


2. Liquids take the shape of any container which in they are placed.
                              A           B                     C                        D
Answer : C (which)
 in The preposition must precede the relative pronoun: in which.

3. Many communities are dependent on
groundwater __________ from wells for
their water supply.
(A) that obtained
(B) obtained
(C) is obtained
(D) obtain it
Answer : B (obtained)
 The only correct way to complete this sentence is with a participle (obtained really means which is obtained).

4. Physical therapists help patients relearn how to use their bodies after disease or injure.
                                                           A              B                         C                       D
Answer : D (injure)
 A noun (injury), not a verb (injure), is required.

5. Not only ____________________ places of
beauty, but they also serve scientific and
educational purposes as well.
(A) are botanical gardens
(B) botanical gardens to be
(C) botanical gardens are
(D) to be botanical gardens
Answer : A (are botanical gardens)
 A main verb, such as are, is required to complete the clause (to be is not a main verb), and the subject and verb must be inverted because the clause begins with the negative phrase not only.

Source :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TOEFL

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