Introduction

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1. 1.Information on the TOEFL iBT

AThe Format of the TOEFL iBT

B What Is New about the TOEFLiBT?

• The TOEFLiBT is delivered through the Internet in secure test centers around the world at the same time.
• It tests all four language skills and is taken in the order of Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.
• The test is about 2 hours long, and all of the four test sections will be completed in one day.
• Note taking is allowed throughout the entire test, including the Reading section. At the end of the test, all notes are collected and destroyed at the test center.
• In the Listening section, one lecture may be spoken with a British or Australian accent.
• There are integrated tasks requiring test takers to combine more than one language skill in the Speaking and Writing sections.
• In the Speaking section, test takers wear headphones and speak into a microphone when they respond.The responses are recorded and transmitted to ETSs Online Scoring Network.
• In the Writing section, test takers must type their responses. Handwriting is not possible.
• Test scores will be reported online. Test takers can see their scores online 48 business days after the test and can also receive a copy of their score report by mail.

2. 2.Information on the Reading Section

The Reading section of the TOEFL iBT measures test takersability to understand university-level academic texts. This section has 2 passages, and the length of each passage is about 700 words. Some passages may have underlined words or phrases in blue. Test takers can click on them to see a definition or explanation. Test takers have to answer 10 questions per passage. 35 minutes are given to complete this section, including the time spent reading the passages and answering the questions.

A Types of Reading Passages

• Exposition: Material that provides an explanation of a topic
• Argumentation: Material that presents a point of view about a topic and provides evidence to support it
• Historical narrative: An account of a past event or of a persons life, narrated or written by someone else

B Types of Reading Questions

• Basic Comprehension Questions

Vocabulary Question (12 questions per passage): This type of question asks you to identify the meanings of words and phrases in the reading passage.

Reference Question (01 question per passage): This type of question asks you to identify the referential relationship between the words in the passage.

Factual Information Question (25 questions per passage): This type of question asks you to identify specific information that is explicitly stated in the passage.

Negative Factual Information Question (02 questions per passage): This type of question asks you to check what information is NOT mentioned in the passage.

Sentence Simplification Question (01 question per passage): This type of question asks you to choose the sentence that best paraphrases the essential information in the highlighted sentence.

• Inference Questions

Inference Question (12 questions per passage): This type of question asks you to identify an idea that is not explicitly stated in the passage.

Rhetorical Purpose Question (12 questions per passage): This type of question asks you why the author uses particular words, phrases, or sentences.

Insert Text Question (1 question per passage): This type of question provides an example sentence and asks you to decide where the best place for that sentence would be in the passage.

• Reading to Learn Questions

Prose Summary Questions (1 question per passage): This type of question asks you to complete a summary chart with major ideas from the passage. It is worth up to 2 points, and partial credit is given.

C Question Formats

There are four question formats in the Reading section: Four-choice questions with a single answer in traditional multiple-choice format, multiple-choice questions with more than one answer, four-choice questions with a single answer that ask test takers to insert a sentence where it fits best in a passage, and Reading to Learn questions with more than four choices and more than one answer.