Kaplan's English/TOEFL Edge

In this issue: TOEFL Tips TOEFL Practice Study in the U.S. TOEFL Vocabulary		Sponsored by www.kaplanenglish.com. The TOEFL* iBT is here. Are you ready for the new test? The TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) includes a new Speaking Section, twice the number of essays, integrated skills testing, and is one hour longer. Prepare with Kaplan for the TOEFL. Enroll in a TOEFL iBT course today! Learn more about the TOEFL iBT. For more information, call 1-800-818-9128, or 1-213-452-5800 outside the U.S. and Canada, or request information online. TOEFL Tips The TOEFL iBT Writing Section There are two kinds of writing tasks on the TOEFL iBT. One kind is very similar to the kind of writing you were asked to do on the previous TOEFL. This is called the "independent" writing task. The independent writing task includes a short, written prompt that asks you to express and support your opinion on a topic of general knowledge. A loose form of the familiar essay format—introduction, body, conclusion—is expected in the response to this prompt. A completely new kind of writing task, called the "integrated" writing task, appears on the TOEFL iBT. This task requires that you first read a short, academic passage and then listen to part of an academic lecture on the same topic. You are permitted to take notes—and actually, you SHOULD take notes, especially on the lecture you listen to. The writing prompt asks you to synthesize the information that you have just read and heard. For example, the prompt may have you explain how the information in the lecture contrasts with that in the reading passage. This kind of writing does NOT ask for your opinion on a general topic; it requires that you learn new information about an academic topic. With the information you have just processed, you must write a response that fulfills the task that the response requires, whether it is summarizing, analyzing, describing, comparing and contrasting, or any other type of written organization asked for. In other words, the format for this task is usually NOT expected to follow the typical formal essay structure. Back to Top Sequential Quandary Let's pretend that you were asked to do the following writing task. First, read a short passage that explains the generally accepted theory about bird migration. Then listen to a lecture by a professor who discusses her newly developed theory on bird migration. The prompt says: Give a brief summary of the passage you read about bird migration. Then explain how the lecture casts doubt on the ideas expressed in the reading. Question: How would you expect the response to be organized? (A) introduction, body, conclusion (B) description, summary (C) summary, compare and contrast (D) summary, analysis Study in the U.S. Finding the Right School With more than 3,300 accredited colleges, universities, and graduate institutions in the United States to choose from, you may think that it will be difficult to decide on the best school for you. It is important to find a school that fits your particular needs. Regardless of the prestigious name of an institution, if it doesn't fit your needs, it is not the best school for you. Most published rankings of institutions are subjective value judgments of what constitutes quality. These rankings may be more important, especially for international students, at the graduate school level than at the undergraduate level. Below are some questions to ask yourself as you begin to think about choosing schools to apply to. Is your field of study (or major) available at the school you are interested in? Are there any restrictions on the admission of international students to the program of study you are interested in? What courses are offered within the program of study at the school? Do the course requirements and any other requirements for the program of study sound appropriate for you? How many faculty members are connected to the program of study you are interested in? What are their backgrounds? Back to Top synthesize (noun) To combine in order to make a new product. Artists today can synthesize elements of music, graphic arts, and even dance to create a new form of art.   Back to Top The Correct Answer to the Question above is: (C) The prompt gives you the information you need to know in order to organize your response. This prompt tells you directly that a summary of information is expected in the first part of the response; the second part of the response requires that you show how the lecture casts doubt on the reading. This implies that you will contrast information in the lecture with that in the reading. (A) is incorrect because in the integrated writing you should focus on answering the prompt rather than writing a formal essay. (B) is incorrect because the prompt asks you to summarize information, not describe something. (D) is incorrect because the prompt does not ask you to give an analysis of either the reading passage or the lecture. Back to Top Live and Study Abroad! Language PLUS is working with Kaplan to offer you the opportunity to live and study abroad in some of the most exciting locations in the world. Find out more!   Back to Top Making Subscription Changes: You are receiving this email newsletter from Kaplan because you are currently a subscriber. To modify or cancel your subscription to the Kaplan Edge, go to http://www.kaptest.com/edge_modify.jhtml. If you need additional help, please visit kaptest.com/contactus.
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