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TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) - Datasheet
#1

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) - Datasheet

Given the global pandemic of the feminist disease and other degeneracy, it is not surprising at all that the forum is receiving an ever greater share of newcomers from countries outside the Anglosphere. I have thus decided to help out people by introducing them to one of the most common certificates that they will encounter in any international process: the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL for short.

1. What is TOEFL?

TOEFL is a standardized test of English language ability for non-native speakers. It is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a fairly influential educational non-profit based in New Jersey, USA. In simple terms, it tests your ability to navigate complicated academic or social issues, understand them and express yourself accurately.

It is similar to (but also significantly different from) International English Language Testing System (IELTS), which is administered by the British Council based at Cambridge, UK. Both tests are widely accepted.

2. What is TOEFL good for?

- job placements and applications
- job performance and assignments
- immigration and travel

For non-native English speakers, TOEFL represents both a useful tool and a matter of prestige.

3. How much does TOEFL cost?

The fee varies depending on the country, but you can expect it to be between $US 200 and 250. Additional charges of $US 20 to 40 are possible for extras such as training materials, late registration, delivery of test scores to multiple recipients, etc.

Check out the exact availability and price here.

4. How is TOEFL administered?

The most common form of TOEFL is the "iBT" ("Internet-based test"). This means that you will take the test through a computer at a designated testing center, with a living person present only for the purpose of guidance and control (this is a significant difference from IELTS, where you write the exam on paper and are then examined by a board of native speakers in person).

The test takes place in a closed Java-runtime environment, which means that the test is the only thing present on the screen and it's not possible to open other applications, browse the internet and so on. A microphone, set of headphones, graphite pen and several papers are provided as tools and aids.

I probably don't need to emphasize this, but don't even think about cheating or having someone do the test for you. Security is tight and includes signing and filling out forms in cursive handwriting, photographing yourself holding your ID and removal of everything from your pockets. The test controller patrols the room the whole time and observes you as you fill out the test. You will not be able to access anything during a short break either.

5. The components of TOEFL and how to prepare

TOEFL is assembled from four different sections that automatically follow one another with no input from you:

A) Reading

During the reading part, which lasts one hour, you will be given a set of three academic essays to read and analyze, with 20 minutes for each. They are the standard text that you might find in a thesis or a textbook, not very complicated but not simple either. Their aim is to test your understanding of the material you've read (this is where the test differs from IELTS, which focuses more on grammar).

I recommend thoroughly reading the text, investing at least 5 minutes, and then going through all the questions at once. The test will provide you with the relevant paragraphs as you proceed through the questions.

For example, if the text was about the evolution and extinction of dinosaurs, you could be asked which argument from the text supports the belief that T-Rex was a scavenger, why did the authors feel the need to emphasize the poor condition of fossils found, and what do feathered dinosaurs imply about birds. You will also be asked about the exact meaning (synonyms, antonyms, semantics...) of some words or sentences used in the text and to replace or insert them where they would make the most sense. At the end, you will face a final question that requires you to choose several main claims from the article in order to summarize what the authors wanted to say, throwing away and disregarding the fluff or less relevant thoughts.

You can get a good understanding of this part by completing the free TOEFL sampler before the test.

B) Listening

The listening part was, in my opinion, the most brutal part of the test. It is fiendishly long (9 listening sections + questions about each, grouped in clusters of 3), and the fact that you don't have access to notepad or a similar program means that you will have to take notes (in order to accurately answer the questions) either.

Each time, you will listen to a conversation that is 5-10 minutes long, typically an academic lecture, academic consultation, or some sort of everyday conversation or issue. Then you will have to answer the questions. The clock will only tick while you're thinking about the answers, not while you're listening, but watch it: there's only 10 minutes to answer all 24-30 questions in the cluster (6-8 questions per each section). That means that, unlike the reading part, you have no time to thoroughly analyze stuff and have to think on your feet. Also, there is little time to sift through all of your notes to find some important detail. This will be especially worrisome in the final cluster, when you might already be exhausted from the barrage of lectures and conversations during the past hour and a half.

Regarding notes, I have a feeling that trying to take them only sabotaged me instead of helping me. While I was able to write accurate cliffs, concentrating on writing them caused me to miss some segments or recall them poorly, and it was not always easy to pinpoint the note relevant to the question in such limited time. It also accelerated my exhaustion. If I were to take the test again, I would just listen attentively and forget all about writing notes.

Don't be fooled by the easy listening section found in the above-mentioned sampler - it's fairly simple and it's just one out of nine. You will be surprised by how quickly fatigue can set in at the actual exam.

After completing the listening part, there is a 15 minute break where you can drink, eat, go to the toilet or just relax.

C) Speaking

Regardless of your speaking abilities, the speaking section should be easier than listening. It is significantly shorter (1 freeform speaking segment and 3-4 smaller listen/read+summarize segments, 20 minutes total).

In freeform tasks, you will be given a topic or question and be asked to speak about it. For example, "is it better to be lucky than skilled?", or "what attributes would you desire in a boss? list and explain three". In the summarization segments, you will either listen to a conversation and then repeat the most important points and your opinion about them, or both read about a topic and then listen to a conversation about it before answering. Pay special attention to these double sections - sometimes they contradict each other and you will have to explain how and why.

The main error people make in the speaking section is concentrating on pretending to be someone they're not (I know, I know [Image: biggrin.gif] ) instead of actually doing what the task is instructing them to do. The reviewers who will listen to and grade your speeches will not grade your accent, bass or heritage. They will grade the content (whether you provided the information requested or not), grammar (spelling, conjugation...), clarity (whether you pronounced words understandably or not) and flow (ooomphs and aaaaahhhs, breaking off sentences, backpedaling - basically don't be like !Yeb [Image: wink.gif] ).

The time you have for providing answers is short. You only have 15-30 seconds to prepare and 40-60 seconds to answer. Keep it short and simple. Ramble for the sake of flow, but never forget about the requested information.

You can't test yourself beforehand for this section, but the Sampler does contain accurate examples of what is considered bad, average and good speaking. You will probably be blown away by how little you have to do in order to be considered "good", but don't be fooled. It's easy to make mistakes or get carried away.

Same advice about (not) taking notes applies as in the listening section.

D) Writing

The final section of the test is set for an hour or more, but it can be as short or long as you desire. You will again be asked to summarize two listening/reading combos (again, be careful about where they contradict each other and be ready to explain how, why, and which is correct) in a short essay. Finally, there is a freeform writing task, where you are expected to write a general essay about a topic (for example, "what diet leads to a long life", or "is love more important than money").

In both cases, remember to structure the text so that it has a head and tail (entry, hypothesis or claim, discussion, conclusion). Space it nicely in several paragraphs. You will generally not hit the upper word limit, but without the word count function it is hard to be sure and it is something you need to pay attention to. You can get a rough estimate by multiplying your number of words per line with the number lines.

Pay special attention to spelling! If you're not sure how to correctly say or spell something, reword the sentence to bypass that word or phrase. As in the speaking section, cover materials, make it easily readable (but not simple to the point of being dumb) and just do what is asked of you. Don't experiment, even if there is plenty of time to edit and rewrite.

6. Scoring

Each section will receive a score of 0-30, for a combined score of 0-120.

Roughly two weeks after the exam, you will receive your results in your account, and also by mail (if you so requested) shortly afterwards. As you've seen in the previous sections, the beauty of TOEFL (and why it is so popular and respected) is in the fact that, unlike IELTS, it places the most emphasis on understanding complex topics and on using the language while under pressure. While grammar is also important, there is less emphasis on it. This encourages problem-solving and depth as opposed to rote memorization.

Why am I noting this? Mostly because it explains the scoring distribution and detailed statistics of TOEFL, which you can find here. You might be expecting native English speakers to ace the test easily but, surprisingly, the mean TOEFL score for English-speaking countries is only 91/120, better but not much better than for non-English countries.

Score requirements vary - immigration offices and employers will generally rank the applicants by scores or score categories, while educational institutions are more likely to just set a minimum score and assign you a plain pass/fail based on that. The highest requirement I know of is Harvard's 110. Your scores are officially valid for only two years (damn robbery), but unless an institution is incredibly nitpicky (a vast majority of employers won't be), you can use them forever.

p.s. since I know people will ask "HCE, how much did you score?" in the same way that the first question on travel datasheets is "Did you bang?" - I scored 116 [Image: tongue.gif]

I wish all of you pleasant testing and many benefits from this certificate! If you have any questions, just post them here.

Disclaimer: I have zero financial interest in TOEFL and receive no benefit whatsoever from people choosing to undertake the test.

"Imagine" by HCE | Hitler reacts to Battle of Montreal | An alternative use for squid that has never crossed your mind before
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#2

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) - Datasheet

some extra tips for people that are going to present it in the near future:

1.arrive early, try to be the first in line. This will give an advantage so that in the "speaking" section you can talk alone, and avoid the other 100 people talking next to you.

2.Bring a small snack, that way you will save time during the break and get back to work.

3. Bring your ID (sounds dumb but there are people that actually forget to bring it.

4. In the reading section, lurk for the keywords if you have an advanced level of english. This will save you time.

5. Be sure to type your name EXACTLY like it appears in you ID.

I got 104 btw... just enough to get into any decent university, although the university i chose didnt have this exam as a valid proof.
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