5 reasons why you should NEVER take an unpaid internship

The purpose of an internship is to better prepare students for the working world. They serve as a way for students to apply what they have been learning in school to the real world and give them real…

独家优惠奖金 100% 高达 1 BTC + 180 免费旋转

Types of Audio Recordings on the TOEFL iBT Listening Section

The listening section is comprised of four to six audio recordings, each accompanied by six questions, along with two to three pieces of conversations, each accompanied by five questions. The listening section is perhaps one of the more nerve-wrecking sections of the TOEFL iBT test.

The entire section lasts for 60–90 minutes, depending on the length of each audio clip. Each audio mimics concepts of natural speech, and requires more preparation, because in many cases, the details provided in each audio clip recording aren’t always accurate.

While the reading section of the TOEFL iBT test uses a clean, academic type language to convey messages, the listening section of the test is more natural. This means that in conversation, the speaker would change tone, change sentences, pause, say something incorrectly, forget their train of thought and change topic abruptly. You might be asked questions related to those specific imperfections and that may be a problem for those unfamiliar with this pattern of speech.

This is why it’s important to practice each part of the listening test so you can answer questions without looking at the transcripts.

After each recording finishes, you are given five to six questions for each audio.

Usually, conversations have five questions and lectures have six. You won’t know the questions before you begin listening to the audio, and you won’t have the opportunity to listen to the full recording again to confirm your answers. You can can’t change your answer once you’ve submitted it, so it’s important that you make the right choice the first time.

However, you may have some leeway with specific questions that deal with particular details of the recording. In those cases, the test may replay some part of the audio clip for you, but this is just for certain questions, with a maximum of two per recording.

After you’ve finished all questions for the first recording, the next will begin playing automatically.

Lectures are the first and most stressful part of the listening section. Lectures usually last for five minutes. The topics are usually taken from a number of academic subjects such as architecture, biochemistry, computer science, anthropology etc. The lectures may feature a professor speaking to a classroom, or it may be an interaction between the professor and other students. In both audio clips though, the context is the same. Both conversations are focused on academic topics and are set in the lecture hall or classroom.

The lecture is accompanied by 6 questions, and may vary in concept. Each question may ask about specific details, so pay close attention to every part of the audio recording.

Conversation recordings are usually shorter than lectures and can be related to academic and non-academic content. The conversations may take place between a student and a professor, or between a student and an individual who is a supporting character at a college. Topics of conversations range from assignment deadlines, clarification on course material and conversations on upcoming assignments and projects.

Conversations with supporting characters would range from topics such as registration, housing and other aspects of university life. Students familiar with the language and culture of American college living would find this section easier to understand.

Each conversation lasts 3–5 minutes and is accompanied by 5 questions. Unlike lectures, conversations do not have detailed questions so you may expect questions regarding function and the overall attitude of the speakers.

While the best way to prepare for the listening section is by taking TOEFL online practice tests, there are still some tips that we can present to improve your practice techniques.

- Take notes while listening to the audio clip. You are allowed to take notes since there are major points that will be tested. However, do not try to note down every detail. Instead, listen carefully and focus on the more important details which you believe might help later on.

- Pay attention to the speaker’s tone. For example, focus on the speaker’s emotional range through their tone. Knowing whether the speaker is sad, confused or excited will help you note down their attitude and opinion.

- Keep track of how the lecture is organized or how the ideas spoken in the lecture are connected. Go back to your notes and find the connection throughout.

- When tackling a difficult question, if you’re unsure of the answer, figure out the choice which is most consistent with the main idea of the lecture or topic.

- Go in order. Listening questions must be answered in order otherwise you will not be able to go back to the previous questions.

Your main goal is to recognize the content of each conversation in the listening section.

Seek out the main points of each audio by recognizing the verbal cues which include word emphasis, tone of voice and pauses. Also focus on understanding the speaker’s tone and their speech pattern for supporting information. That is the best way to practice for your listening section.