The TOEFL ibt review outline

Our TOEFL ibt review contains four parts:

1. ORIENTATION
2. CORE CONCEPTS- The basic skills necessary to
complete the exam.
3. CRACKING- The appropriate strategies to crack
each question type in the exam.
4. DRILLS AND FULL LENGTH PRACTICE TEST- After
working on your strategies and drills, you will get
the chance to practice under real testing
conditions.
WHAT IS THE TOEFL?

The TOEFL is a test that assess your proficiency in

the type of English used in an Academic
environment .
The test is administered on the internet. The exam
takes about four hours to complete.
After finishing the TOEFL ibt you will receive a
score from 0 to 30 for each of the four sections.
You will also receive a total score on a 0 to 120.
Each score corresponds to a percentile ranking.
WHAT IS THE TOEFL?

The Writing and Speaking sections are scored

somewhat differently. Each writing sample
receives a score between 0 to 5. These raw
scores are then converted to the 0 to 30 scale.
Similarly, each speaking test receives a score
from 0 to 4. The score from all six speaking
tasks are averaged and converted to the 0 to
30 scale.
 WHAT IS THE TOEFL?

TOEFL IBT Training Objective

The TOEFL is an integrated exam, which means that

each task may measure more than one skill, but
the TOEFL is a STANDARDIZED TEST. Which
means that it consists of definite patterns.

Your goal when preparing for the TOEFL is to make

sure your responses conforms to the patterns
present on the test
• The Listening Section of the TOEFL ibt

Review coverage

Structure of the Listening Test

Understanding predictable patterns

Note taking skills in the TOEFL

Using process of elimination

General test taking strategy

THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL

The tasks in the Listening section requires you to

sort through lectures and conversations that are
filled with distracting pauses and brief
digressions. ( an off topic comment )

Let’s take a closer at the structure of these lectures

and conversations.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL

In a conversation you can expect to hear the

following and must pay attention to the details
contained in each.
Greetings: The two people talking will first exchange greetings.
Statement of the problem/ issue: Conversations usually revolve
around a problem or an issue faced by one of the speakers.
Response: After the problem is raised one of the speakers will
respond usually by making a suggestion to the other.
Resolution: The conversation will end with some sort of closing or
resolution to the problem.
THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL

The challenge!
When you are listening to a conversation in the Toefl ibt you
need to focus your note taking skills to do the following:

• What is the student’s problem?

• What does the professor suggest?
• Any item/ vocabulary being introduced.
• Any important place and date mentioned during the conversation.
• Idioms, colloquial expressions and slangs mentioned.
Since you are allowed to take notes in the listening test, one common mistake is trying to
write too much. Keep your note taking to a minimum and focus only on major points.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
TYPES OF CONVERSATION STRUCTURES: Conversations on the
TOEFL ibt fall into some predictable pattern. Try to identify the
Pattern when listening to the people speak.

1. Problem/Solution: Usually the first question in the TOEFL ibt

involves one student who has a problem and another student offers
a solution. Listen for what the problem is and what the steps or
solutions the speaker may take to solve it.

2. Service Encounter: In this situation, a student will discuss a problem

with a professional– usually a professor, a librarian or an office
worker. The problem will be introduced in the same way as in the
conversation type , but the response may differ. The service
professional will usually explain exactly what the students need to
do to solve the problem. The solution may involve several parts
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns

3. Significant Event: Some conversations on the TOEFL revolve around a

significant event. This could be a meeting , an announcement or a
social event or a social event. Don’t forget to note what the speaker’s
plans are concerning the event.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
QUESTION TYPES IN THE CONVERSATION PART: In the conversation part
of the TOEFL , questions can be put into one of four main categories .
The questions are listed in order of frequency.

1. Meaning questions: “ What does the man/ woman mean”? The first
speaker sets up the conversation with a direct or indirect question or
a general statement to which the second speaker responds . The
second speaker holds the answer to the question. Example:
Ana: Have you heard about the new periodical wing that the
administration wants to add on the to the south side of the library?
Jim: Yeah, I can barely wait until it is finished
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
Question:

WHAT DOES THE MAN MEAN?

a. The library just opened a new section
b. He is eager to take advantage of the new library wing
c. The new library will be extra crowded
d. The administration wants to close the library

For meaning question on the TOEFL ibt, ask yourself what did the
second speaker say? Concentrate on how the second speaker
responds to what the first speaker said.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
2. Infer / Imply questions: these questions are easy to recognize because you
will read the word infer/ imply in the question.
What can be inferred about the woman?
What does the woman imply?
What can be inferred about the conversation

Basically to imply something is to express it indirectly, and to infer

something is to draw conclusion from given facts. Example:

Jim: I have to stop at the bank before dinner. I’m down to my last few dollars.
Ana: why bother? I thought we’d use the gift certificate I got from my
graduation present
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
Question:

WHAT DOES THE WOMAN IMPLY ?

a. Dinner has been cancelled
b. The man will not be able to afford dinner
c. Dinner will be free of charge
d. The bank is too far away.

The best answer correctly paraphrases “ Why bother? I’d thought we’d
use the gift certificates I got for my graduation present.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
3. Action questions: Some typical action questions are:

What does the man suggest the woman do?

What will the woman probably do?

These are questions that center on the “Action word” in the conversation.
Again listen closely to the speakers for clues as to what will happen next.
Example

Jim: I’m just about sick of all this chemistry homework. I don’t even have a
spare minute to cook.

Woman: Well, if it would help at all, I could run to the cafeteria and pick
something up for you.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
Question:

WHAT WILL THE WOMAN PROBABLY DO ?

a. Help the man with his homework.
b. Get some food for the man.
c. Find out where the man can exercise.
d. Buy some medicine for the man.

Action questions are either about what the second speaker will do or
what the second speaker recommends.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
4. Detail Questions: Detail questions may appear in several forms, yet it
is easy to recognize them because they refer to specific items
mentioned in the conversation. Some typical detail questions are:

What does the man want to know? What do the speakers say about?
What happened to the…….? What is the man’s problem?

Detail questions are those that center on a particular item mentioned in

the conversation.
Ana: Jim have you stopped by the registrar to drop off your reservation
voucher for a seat at next week’s graduation?
Jim: You know what my schedule has been like recently, so I just got
Jennifer to do it yesterday.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
Question:

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RESERVATION VOUCHER ?

a. The woman forgot to give it to Jennifer.
b. Jennifer took it to the registrar.
c. It was lost at graduation.
d. John traded it for a seat.

Action questions are either about what the second speaker will do or
what the second speaker recommends.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
FOUR POE (PROCESS OF ELIMINATION TECHNIQUES)

Let’s say you are taking the TOEFL ibt and you are experiencing a lot of
trouble understanding the words on the recording and hears
something like this..
Woman: Will Mary bbebebebbblalaa Sunday?
Man: Sunday blalal bebebeb blah Mary’s
Now look at the answer choices. Remember, the only words you
understood were Sunday and Mary.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
THREE POE (PROCESS OF ELIMINATION TECHNIQUES)

Question:
WHAT DOES THE MAN MEAN?
a. Sunday is a day Mary often works.
b. Mary rarely works on Sunday
c. Some days Mary’s work is awful.
d. Mary has had a terrible cough last Sunday.

Opposites: TOEFL often tries to trap test takers by giving one wrong
answer choice which look pretty similar to the correct answer but
will mean the opposite.
In the TOEFL if there is pair of OPPOSITES in the answer choice one of
them is likely the correct answer!
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
THREE POE (PROCESS OF ELIMINATION TECHNIQUES)

Extremes: Always remember that the TOEFL ibt talks will not contain anything controversial, violent
passionate or silly.
Question:

WHAT DOES THE MAN MEAN?

a. Sunday is a day Mary often works.

b. Mary rarely works on Sunday
c. Some days Mary’s work is awful.
d. Mary has had a terrible cough last Sunday.

Use common sense and process of elimination to eliminate any answer choice that are too extreme.
The answer choice containing the word AWFUL is too extreme. Any answer choice that might contain
negative connotations and extreme words are automatically wrong.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
THREE POE (PROCESS OF ELIMINATION TECHNIQUES)

3. Literal meanings of idioms: idiomatic expressions: idiomatic

expressions in English mean something different from their apparent
meaning. They are a group of words known individually but together,
the words makes no sense.

I n this case you can eliminate any answer choice that gives a literal
translation
Ana: How did rob perform in the production of Romeo and Juliet last
night?
Jim: You wouldn’t believe it! He performed head and shoulders above
the rest of the cast.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
Question:

WHAT DOES THE MAN MEAN?

a. Rob is too tall to be an actor.
b. Rob’s performance was excellent.
c. Rob was suspended above the stage.
d. No one believed how terrible it was.

Now, let us use the POE techniques we learned from our previous
discussions and make your choice of answer.
THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
Understanding predictable test patterns
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL

Answers:

Question 1: C
Question 2: A
Question 3: B
Question 4: D
Question 5: D
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture

In the academic Lecture part of the listening section , your task is

to listen to long conversation and lectures

During the conversations a picture will appear on the computer

screen of a professor talking in a type of university setting.

The professor will lead a discussion on an undetermined

academic subject.

Although the professor will do majority of the speaking, two or

three students at most will participate in the discussion.

Each lecture is followed by six questions.

 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture

Picture flips: Due to the new question types introduced on the

TOEFL ibt, occasionally the picture of the lecturing professor
disappears, and a word, diagram, graph or picture appears on
the computer screen.

These picture flips occur during the lectures. You must pay close
attention and take notes to what is being said about the word,
diagram, graph or picture that appears on the screen.
100% sure that TOEFL will ask you a question about that word,
diagram or picture.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture

GENERAL STRATEGY
TOEFL will only ask 4 to 6 questions about each long conversation
or lecture; therefore you only need to remember 4 to 6 pieces of
information. Your short term memory plus your systematic note
taking will be most helpful here.

The trick is to figure out which pieces of information you need to

remember and write. The TOEFL ibt has some recognizable
patterns that you cal look for.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture
GENERAL STRATEGY

INTRODUCTION: In the first part of the lecture the narrator will say
several introductory sentences. Listen for any key words that gives
you clues as to the main topic. For example, you might hear:

Narrator: Listen to a professor discuss the side effects of an experimental drug being
tested on cancer patients
The question type associated in the Introductory part of the lecture
Is the Main idea question. Main idea questions test how well you
understand and interpret the general content of the talk. This type of
question are usually asked in the following forms:
What is the purpose of the talk?
What is the main purpose of the talk?
What is the professor mainly discussing?
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture
GENERAL STRATEGY
Questions/ Definitions: If at any time during the conversations or lectures the students
pose rhetorical questions listen closely for the answer of the professor. Also, if the
professor at any time define vocabulary words or if a word appears on the screen listen
closely and take notes!

The question type associated in the Question/ Definition part of the lecture is the Detail
question. Detail questions ask for specific facts mentioned in the lectures. These
question types do not involve pictures. Detail questions will appear on the test as
follows:

What does the professor say about the way steamer ships sail?
According to the speaker, why do ants live in colonies?
How does the students manage to take so many courses?
According to the professor , what is a monologue?

Note:
The answer choices in a detail question on the Academic lecture part; three of the four
answer choices simply were not mentioned in the passage or were mentioned in
association with a topic other than the one asked about.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture
GENERAL STRATEGY
List and Examples: The speakers will frequently give list of items to
illustrate or clearly provide details about what they are discussing.
They also provide examples to support their claims. If you hear lists
or words or examples; listen for and take notes of specific details or
unusual details that surround them.

The question type associated in the List and example part of the lecture
is the Clicking on One of four letters and Multiple answer
questions.
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture
Clicking on One of four letters may come in two different forms; Clicking on one of four
letters in a picture or clicking on one of four pictures. These question types always refer to
a picture, map or diagram.

Click on the letter that indicates the location of the first site where
West Point is located
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture
GENERAL STRATEGY
Multiple answer questions: Multiple answer questions asks for specific facts
mentioned in the conversation or lectures. However they ask you to click on
two choices rather than ovals. These questions do not involve pictures.
Multiple questions may appear in the exam as follows.
What security procedures does the librarian tell the man he must follow?

Click on two answers

a. Show her his note cards before leaving.
b. Allow his ID card to be copied
c. Submit a deposit of five dollars
d. Sign in and out of the archives room
note: One simple strategy when answering this type of question is to not click on
opposite answer choices. If two statements contradict each other it is impossible for
them both to be correct
 THE LISTENING SECTION ON THE TOEFL
The Academic Lecture
GENERAL STRATEGY
Comparisons: From time to time the speakers will compare two or more
objects. Listen closely for the similarities and differences among the
objects being compared. TOEFL might use these comparisons for
matching questions.

The question type associated with Comparisons is Matching question:

Matching questions ask that you match items in one category with
items in another category
 The professor categorizes joints by how they are held together. Indicate whether
each sentence below describes a synovial joint or cartilaginous joint.

Click on the correct box for each phrase

Synovial Cartilaginous

A special liquid lubricates

and nourishes the joint

There is no cavity between

the joints

The joint is covered with a

membrane lined sac
Only lining of smooth
tissues protects the bones
The joint has limited
movement
 • The Reading Section of the TOEFL ibt

Review coverage

Structure of the reading Test

Understanding predictable patterns

Reading skills in the TOEFL ibt

Using process of elimination

General test taking strategy

Play reading video start at 07:45

 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
In the TOEFL reading test there are three to five passages each
approximately 700 words long.

Each passage is followed by about 12 to 14 questions.

You will have 60 to 100 minutes to complete the entire test.

As mentioned in the introduction, many of the questions are Multiple

choice and worth one point each, but some questions are worth two
or more points. Typically questions that are worth more appear at the
end of the section
THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

Here you can see how the screen will look like in the exam. You’ll notice that some words
Appear in gray boxes . These words have a special type of question associated with
them. Remember if you prefer you are free to skip questions within this section.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

On the TOEFL reading section, you are not expected to

give your interpretation of what you’ve read. You
are not required to analyze what you’ve read.

All you’re asked to do is simply find the answer to the

question in the passage or in some cases infer what must
be true based on the information provided in the passage
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
The TOEF ibt reading passages are not designed to be read
from top to bottom! If you try to read the entire passages
as the test makers suggest you will not be able to finish the
test. This is the first trap you must learn to avoid!
The passages are about science, history, social studies, and
the arts.
Here are the three main reasons as to why you must not
spend so much time reading the passages, which is the
initial formula for you to fail!
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

TOEFL IBT reading materials are carefully edited by test

personnel who make sure that all of the reading passages
are:
1. Boring and difficult to concentrate.

2. Dense, containing many unimportant details. The answers

to the questions are hidden among all the complicated
details and hard vocabulary.

3. Poorly constructed, lacking transitional phrases that make

the passages clear and easy to understand
 WHAT IS THE TOEFL?

Reading Strategy

SAVING TIME = 1-1-1-L

Read the first sentence of the first paragraph

The first sentence of the second paragraph
The first sentence of each remaining paragraph
The last sentence of the last paragraph.

Let’s try it!!

Despite the fact that too much fat can be
harmful a moderate fat intake is essentially
normal for the maintenance of good health.
Some of the symptoms of fat deficiency include ;
flaking skin, emaciation, reduced functioning of
the immune system and fertility problems.
Recent studies have not only linked fat free diets
to an increase in stress and aggression, but also to
a dramatic rise in eating disorders such as
anorexia and bulimia. The consumption of fat
indirectly decreases the total amount of food
intake by producing a feeling of satiety that lasts
much longer than the sensation of fullness
produced by protein or carbohydrates
Nutritionally fat is valued as a source of energy
it contains much less oxygen than other
nutrients and subsequently releases an
enormous amount of energy due to rapid
oxidation. Medical experts recommend that at
least two teaspoons of fat per day be consumed.
Any less serious inhibits the digestive system
from absorbing fat soluble vitamins such as A, D,
E. and K all of which play an essential role for
having a healthy hair, skin teeth and eyes.
Children and adults both
require these fat soluble vitamins, without which
physical development disorders and infertility occur
respectively.
There are several theories to explain the
method of fat absorption. One such theory that
holds the ephithelial cells in the lining of the
small intestine directly absorb fat. Once the fat
is broken down into glycerol, the fat is then
absorbed into the lymphatic system or directly
into the blood stream. Medical research indicates
the possibility that saturated fats, like those found
in red meat, dairy products and tropical oils,
actually raise the level of cholesterol that builds as
plaque on the arterial walls and eventually
contributes to the incidence of arteriosclerosis,
however some types of fat actually help to reduce
harmful cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fats
such as corn, soybeans and sesame oil, and
mono- saturated fats like chicken fats and olive
oil contribute to lower blood cholesterol count.
After using this technique you did
not only save valuable time. You
also have some idea as to what the
main idea of the passage is about
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

The reading section is LINEAR. This means that the questions do not
disappear once you have answered them. You can skip the hard
questions and answer them later.

For every passage there are eight to twelve questions that follows, the
first skill you need to learn is to how to distinguish the easy questions
from the hard ones.

There are nine different types of questions in the Reading section of the
TOEFL ibt. These questions are categorized as FIRST PASS (EASY)
SECOND PASS (MEDIUM) THIRD PASS (HARD)
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
Pass means to systematically work through or pass through
the passage. As the various question types are introduced,

The general rule is to pass all questions that are hard and to answer all
easy questions first! Through practice you will be able to work more
confidently and the correct answers will be easier to anticipate.
First- Pass questions Second-Pass questions Third-Pass questions
Vocabulary in context Main idea questions Essential information
Reference questions Paraphrase questions Except/not questions
Detail questions Black square sentence Summary Questions
insertion questions a. Prose summary
questions
b. Fill in table questions
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

One essential strategy for the TOEFL ibt is learning to analyze the
biggest and most obvious test pattern in the exam.

The TOEFl reading passage in both the Computer based and internet
based test arranges the questions in the order in which they appear
in the test.
Always remember where you found the answer to the previous question
to help you locate the next question . In other words the answer to
question 5 will be found in the text after the line where you found
the answer to question 4!
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

PACING
Pacing is crucial in the reading test. You want to avoid going too fast or
too slow. TOEFL arranges the passages in loose order of progressive
difficulty. Always expect the last passage to be more difficult than
the first.
Due to this progression, it is logical to start at the beginning of the
reading section answer the easy questions first, the second pass
second, and third pas questions third.

If at any time a question is too difficult, skip it and come back at the very
end of the test.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

FIRST-PASS QUESTIONS: First pass questions are considered the easiest

questions on the TOEFL . They are easy to locate and take the least
amount of time to answer. More than half of the question will be
first pass!

Vocabulary in Context: For VIC questions, you have to select the best
synonym in the passage. In other words, a VIC question is about the
definition of a word. Look at the example on the following page
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
All animal life on the planet earth
depends on a sufficient supply of
oxygen for its day to day survival.
The trees that now just
sporadically dot our landscape ,
but once heavily blanketed the
earth’s surface, still are able to
provide a large portion of the
oxygen supply.
look at the word highlighted in
the text. Click on the answer
choice that is closest in meaning
to the word blanketed
decorated
hid
warmed
covered
For VIC question such as this one,
you’ll need to two sentences: the one
in which the word is contained and the
other one that comes before it. Then
eliminate any choice that doesn’t
mean the same.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

Vocabulary in context 2

TOEFL has another method of testing, VIC words. On the left side of the
computer screen, you will see several sentences in bold text with the
VIC word being tested highlighted. Look at the example on the
following page.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
passage. Click on the word or
Lighting, fire, volcanoes and phrase in the bold text that has
earthquakes occur without the same meaning
warning and not only rapidly
destroy many square miles of old
growth forest in a matter of
hours, but may also permanently
prevent new trees from growing.
Likewise disease causing fungi
and insect pests can either
eradicate certain types of
Rather than clicking on one of the
four answer choices that TOEFL has
provided you must click on the word
that greedy is synonymous or
antonymous
Look at the word eradicate in the
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

Reference questions : in the TOEFL, reference questions ask you to

determine what a noun or pronoun refers to.

On the left side of the computer screen, you will see several sentences
in bold text with the VIC reference word being tested highlighted.

Reference questions are easy to spot. Simply look for the questions that
use the word refer . Look at the following example on the next page.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

All species of trees have evolved look at the word highlighted word
from plants that flourished many in the passage. Click on the word
centuries ago in warm and wet or phrase in the bold text that it
tropical regions of the planet . As refers to.
the distribution of trees has spread
to other regions, the differing
climates of these regions have
effectively limited the type of trees
For reference questions , First read
that can live there. The greater the range the sentences in bold and find
whether the noun being tested is
of temperature and rainfall that a certain
singular or plural . In this case it is a
specie of tree can withstand, the more singular pronoun. Search for other
singular nouns in the bold text.
adaptable it is and therefore the wider the
range of distribution.
• James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins are the Nobel prize-
winning molecular biologists credited with the discovery of the double
helix shape of DNA. DNA, the enzymes that make up the chromosomes
and therefore the cells of the body, are linked together in two parallel
strands of billions of enzymes which coil around the one another. This
pattern resembles curled train rails intertwined and twisted around
each other to form an overlapping and spiraled strand of genetic
information. This discovery is one of the most significant in the entire
field of molecular biology.

• Some recent investigations have uncovered evidence that Watson,

Crick, and Wilkins were not the sole specialists researching the
properties of DNA. A British scientist, Rosalind Franklin, may have
contributed to crucial experimental work which led to the discovery of
the DNA strand. Franklin spent the first half of her professional career in
England where she researched how rodents responded to
interbreeding. She later relocated to France soon after the Second
World War. Under the guidance of French crystallographer Jacques
Mering, who is credited with the first mapping of crystal scaffolding, she
learned to design complex models of various chemical compositions. In Question 6 of 9
addition, she perfected a technique for diffracting X-rays. After
returning to England in 1951, she began conducting experiments in Look at the highlighted word in the passage. Click on
molecular genetics at King’s College Cambridge under the critical the word or phrase in the bold text that it refers to
supervision of James Randal.

• At Cambridge, Franklin ingeniously combined her knowledge of X-ray

diffraction with chemical and crystal mapping to successfully
photograph a rough image of a single strand of DNA. Unfortunately,
the equipment she used was substandard and it exposed her to
dangerous X-rays. In 1956, Franklin learned she had cancer and died
two years later. Some scientists now speculate that the overexposure to
dangerous X-rays during the course of her work was actually the cause
of her cancer. Subsequently, Franklin’s compiled notes were given over
the Watson, Crick, and Wilkins who then went on to perfect nucleic acid
research. When the three scientists finally did receive the Nobel prize,
they gave no credit to Franklin for the crucial work she performed which
led to the discovery of the double helix shape of DNA.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

Detail questions : Ask for specific facts contained in the passage. You’ll
need to see what information is required , then go to the passage to
find it.

There are at least two detail questions for each passage. The strategy to
finding the answer is the same: use chronological order and lead
words.

Now let’s put everything we learned about first pass questions in

practice

Use 307 to 314 for exercises

• James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins are the Nobel prize-
winning molecular biologists credited with the discovery of the double
helix shape of DNA. DNA, the enzymes that make up the chromosomes
and therefore the cells of the body, are linked together in two parallel
strands of billions of enzymes which coil around the one another. This
pattern resembles curled train rails intertwined and twisted around
Question 7 of 9
each other to form an overlapping and spiraled strand of genetic
information. This discovery is one of the most significant in the entire According to the passage to what do scientist
field of molecular biology. attribute Franklin’s cancer?

• Some recent investigations have uncovered evidence that Watson, Radiation from world war II
Crick, and Wilkins were not the sole specialists researching the
properties of DNA. A British scientist, Rosalind Franklin, may have Faulty and inadequate equipment
contributed to crucial experimental work which led to the discovery of
the DNA strand. Franklin spent the first half of her professional career in Genetic Inheritance
England where she researched how rodents responded to
interbreeding. She later relocated to France soon after the Second Overexposure to dangerous chemicals
World War. Under the guidance of French crystallographer Jacques
Mering, who is credited with the first mapping of crystal scaffolding, she
learned to design complex models of various chemical compositions. In
addition, she perfected a technique for diffracting X-rays. After
returning to England in 1951, she began conducting experiments in
molecular genetics at King’s College Cambridge under the critical
supervision of James Randal.

• At Cambridge, Franklin ingeniously combined her knowledge of X-ray

diffraction with chemical and crystal mapping to successfully
photograph a rough image of a single strand of DNA. Unfortunately, the
equipment she used was substandard and it exposed her to dangerous
X-rays. In 1956, Franklin learned she had cancer and died two years
later. Some scientists now speculate that the overexposure to
dangerous X-rays during the course of her work was actually the cause
of her cancer. Subsequently, Franklin’s compiled notes were given over
the Watson, Crick, and Wilkins who then went on to perfect nucleic acid
research. When the three scientists finally did receive the Nobel prize,
they gave no credit to Franklin for the crucial work she performed which USE CHRONOLGY AND LEAD WORD
led to the discovery of the double helix shape of DNA.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

SECOND PASS QUESTIONS: While you were answering the first-pass

questions, you indirectly read the passage you actually took in more
information than you might think! Use that information to answer the
second pass questions .

Main idea questions: Main idea questions almost always appear first!
This is a trap that TOEFL uses to force you to read the entire passage.
If you answer this question first, not only you will lose an incredible
amount of time reading and re-reading the whole passage, but you
will also most likely to answer incorrectly!
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

Main idea questions are as follows:

Which of the following statements best express the main

idea of the passage?

What does the passage mainly discuss?

With which of the following subjects is the passage mainly

concerned?
• James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins are the Nobel prize-
winning molecular biologists credited with the discovery of the double
helix shape of DNA. DNA, the enzymes that make up the chromosomes
and therefore the cells of the body, are linked together in two parallel
strands of billions of enzymes which coil around the one another. This
pattern resembles curled train rails intertwined and twisted around
each other to form an overlapping and spiraled strand of genetic Question 1 of 9
information. This discovery is one of the most significant in the entire
field of molecular biology. What is the main idea of the passage?

• Some recent investigations have uncovered evidence that Watson, How Rosalind franklin was instrumental in the
Crick, and Wilkins were not the sole specialists researching the discovery of the shape of DNA
properties of DNA. A British scientist, Rosalind Franklin, may have
contributed to crucial experimental work which led to the discovery of Whether Watson, Crick and Wilkins were
the DNA strand. Franklin spent the first half of her professional career in students of the physicist Rosalind Franklin
England where she researched how rodents responded to
interbreeding. She later relocated to France soon after the Second How the double Helix shape of the DNA
World War. Under the guidance of French crystallographer Jacques molecule radically altered genetics
Mering, who is credited with the first mapping of crystal scaffolding, she
learned to design complex models of various chemical compositions. In
The dangers of using potentially substandard x-
addition, she perfected a technique for diffracting X-rays. After
ray equipment
returning to England in 1951, she began conducting experiments in
molecular genetics at King’s College Cambridge under the critical
supervision of James Randal. USE

• At Cambridge, Franklin ingeniously combined her knowledge of X-ray

diffraction with chemical and crystal mapping to successfully
photograph a rough image of a single strand of DNA. Unfortunately, the
equipment she used was substandard and it exposed her to dangerous
X-rays. In 1956, Franklin learned she had cancer and died two years
later. Some scientists now speculate that the overexposure to
dangerous X-rays during the course of her work was actually the cause
of her cancer. Subsequently, Franklin’s compiled notes were given over
the Watson, Crick, and Wilkins who then went on to perfect nucleic acid
research. When the three scientists finally did receive the Nobel prize,
they gave no credit to Franklin for the crucial work she performed which USE 1-1-L AND POE TO GET THE
led to the discovery of the double helix shape of DNA.
CORRECT ANSWER
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

Paraphrase questions: Our next group of questions deals with

the passage and its structure.

The objective is to find which among the four choices best

paraphrases the highlighted sentence in the passage
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
Which of the following choice best express the
But until it hardens, the new coat is tender
and easily penetrated. Accordingly the
arthropod must remain in hiding.
Otherwise, it risks being snapped up by a
predator clever enough to take
advantage of its lowered
defenses .
If you’re having trouble paraphrasing
the sentence in question the easiest
way is to eliminate answer choices that
introduces new information POE.
Eliminate answer choices that contains
a different subject in the sentence.
essential meaning of the highlighted
sentences in paragraph 7?
Arthropods are only vulnerable to predators
during the period in which their shell is tender
and easily penetrated.
Predators typically prefer to eat arthropods that
are waiting for their new coats to harden.
While the arthropod’s shell is hardening, the
arthropod can not rely on its shell to protect it
from predators.
When the Arthropod defenses are lowered it will
use many different strategies to avoid predators.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT

Black square questions: TOEFL introduces a question type called Black

square insertion questions. In the passage on the left side of the
computer screen, anywhere from 4 to 10 boxes will appear. On the
right side of the screen, a sentence will appear followed by the
question ,

Where would the sentence best fit in the passage? Click on the
square to add the sentence to the passage. When you point and
click the mouse on a black square, the designated sentence will
appear in place of it.
• Part of a passage: Their demise also
resulted in the extinction of a half-dozen
Look at the four squares that
species of forest insects and the severe
indicate where the following
crippling of other animal populations such
sentence could be added to the
as the wild turkey: these all relied on the
passage.
American Chestnut as a source of habitat
and food. Affected wildlife attempted to
adapt to their disrupted environment by
looking to other species of trees, such as In fact, is it widely believed that the
the A corn, and seed-bearing plants for scope of its devastation far eclipses
food. This placed great ecological even that of the fungal disease, also
pressure on those species, as none could accidentally introduced, that
equal the American Chestnut in its ability to ravaged Dutch Elm trees across
provide a consistently abundant crop of Europe and North America, from
nuts. The problems the American 1910 to 1928.
Chestnut blight engendered thus show the
ripple effects that can occur within any
ecosystem when new elements are
introduced in an unsound manner. The easiest way to answer black square
questions is to use Chronology
technique. Then after inserting read he
sentences before and after you just
inserted
• Use l long man drills / inferences passage 3 question 8 as example
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
Third pass questions: Third pass questions should be left until last
because they almost always use paraphrases and synonyms. They
take longer to answer and can’t be answered by reading only one or
two sentences.

Except/ not questions: Except not questions are the easiest of the
third pass questions, but they can require a lot of time. The correct
answer to an except / not is always the choice that does not answer
the question.
 Their demise also resulted in the
Question: According to paragraph 3, all of the
extinction of a half-dozen species of forest following were results of the wide disappearance of
American Chestnut trees EXCEPT:
insects and the severe crippling of other
animal populations such as the wild A. The loss of creatures who required the
tree's resources for their survival.
turkey: these all relied on the American
Chestnut as a source of habitat and food. B. Overuse of other types of trees by wildlife
Affected wildlife attempted to adapt to attempting to compensate for the change.

their disrupted environment by looking to C. A reduction in the total output of

other species of trees, such as the Acorn, harvested nut crops within many major
American forests.
and seed-bearing plants for food. This
placed great ecological pressure on those D. Macro-changes to the environment in
which the trees previously flourished.
species, as none could equal the American
Chestnut in its ability to provide a
consistently abundant crop of nuts. The
problems the American Chestnut blight The easiest way to answer except/not
engendered thus show the ripple effects questions is to use Chronology
that can occur within any ecosystem when technique, go backward to narrow
new elements are introduced in an down the area that you need to search.
unsound manner. Then use lead words to find where they
appear in the passage. Usually the three
Answer is c// use long man drills I skills// inferences question # 9 as an example choices appear as a list in the passage
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
• TOEFL Reading Question Type: Essential Information

If you see an entire sentence highlighted in the reading

passage, then it must be this type. The question will ask you
to choose which of the 4 answer option sentences is equal to
the highlighted sentence. The correct sentence will be simpler
than the highlighted one, but still convey all the important
information. Incorrect sentences will leave out an important
detail, or represent a detail or concept inaccurately, or change
the original meaning of the sentence.
Men are more likely to manifest recessive
biological traits than women are, because
some traits are what scientists call X-
linked. This means that the genes
responsible for expressing the recessive
trait are found only on the X
chromosome. Men are much more likely
to express these recessive traits, because
the male genome consists of an X and a Y
chromosome, whereas the female
genome consists of two X
chromosomes. If the male X chromosome
contains any genes capable of expressing
recessive traits, those genes will therefore
be free to manifest themselves, as there
will be no corresponding genes to interfere
with them.
When answering this question make sure that you do not
choose a sentence that is slightly incorrect. All of the
important information from the sentence must be in the
simplified sentence. Use POE technique
Question: Which of the following best expresses
the essential information in the highlighted
sentence? Incorrect choices change the meaning
in important ways or leave out essential
information.
A. The two X chromosomes in the female
genome makes women more likely to express
recessive traits than men because the male
genome has two different chromosomes.
B. The two different chromosomes in the male's
genetic make-up, instead of the same two
chromosomes in the female genome, makes men
likely to have more dominant traits than women.
C. Women are less likely than men to have
recessive traits due to the differences between
their genes.
D. The male genome is comprised of an X and a Y
chromosome which allows recessive traits to be
more readily found in men than in women as the
female genome has two X chromosomes.
Answer: D
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
• Prose Summary Questions
• These questions are also ‘drag and drop’ style questions
that will ask you to provide with a main idea from the
presented passage, and asks you to pick 3 sentences (out of
a given 6) that express the most important ideas in the
passage. You must choose at least 2 of the 3 correct
sentences to be awarded any points for this question.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
• How to deal:
• 1. Treat the thesis provided as your guide. Choose answers that
support this thesis.
•
2. Prepare for paraphrasing - the key ideas are important in
these questions, not the specific vocabulary used.
•
3. Eliminate the overly specific options, or points that offer
minor details. Remember, the focus of these questions is to test
your ability to recognize a summary, which usually means a
collection of important, but general points.
•
4. Make note of the key idea of each paragraph, and look for a
combination of one paragraph or more in the offered summary
sentence.
 THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
• Watch out for:

• * Choices offering information that was never mentioned in

the passage

* Choices offering information similar to what was in the

passage, but that has been altered or distorted in some day.
Meteorite Impact and Dinosaur Extinction

There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had important effects on
Earth, particularly in the field of biological evolution. Such impacts continue to pose a
natural hazard to life on Earth. Twice in the twentieth century, large meteorite objects are
known to have collided with Earth.

If an impact is large enough, it can disturb the environment of the entire Earth and cause
an ecological catastrophe. The best-documented such impact took place 65 million years
ago at the end of the Cretaceous period of geological history. This break in Earth’s
history is marked by a mass extinction, when as many as half the species on the planet became
extinct. While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the geological
record, the Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued paleontologists because it
marks the end of the age of the dinosaurs. For tens of millions of years, those great
creatures had flourished. Then, suddenly, they disappeared.

The body that impacted Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period was a meteorite with a mass
of more than a trillion tons and a diameter of at least 10 kilometers. Scientists first identified this
impact in 1980 from the worldwide layer of sediment deposited from the
dust cloud that enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment layer is enriched in
the rare metal iridium and other elements that are relatively abundant in a meteorite but
very rare in the crust of Earth.

Even diluted by the terrestrial material excavated from the crater,

this component of meteorites is easily identified. By 1990 geologists had located
the impact site itself in the Yucatán region of Mexico. The crater, now deeply buried in sediment,
was originally about 200 kilometers in diameter.

This impact released an enormous amount of energy, excavating a crater about twice as
large as the lunar crater Tycho. The explosion lifted about 100 trillion tons of dust into
the atmosphere, as can be determined by measuring the thickness of the sediment layer
formed when this dust settled to the surface. Such a quantity of material would have
blocked the sunlight completely from reaching the surface, plunging Earth into a period
of cold and darkness that lasted at least several months. The explosion is also calculated
to have produced vast quantities of nitric acid and melted rock that sprayed out over
much of Earth, starting widespread fires that must have consumed most terrestrial forests
and grassland. Presumably, those environmental disasters could have been responsible for
the mass extinction, including the death of the dinosaurs.
THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
Several other mass extinctions in the geological record have been tentatively identified
with large impacts, but none is so dramatic as the Cretaceous event. But even without
such specific documentation, it is clear that impacts of this size do occur and that their
results can be catastrophic.

What is a catastrophe for one group of living things, however, may create opportunities
for another group. Following each mass extinction, there is a sudden evolutionary burst
as new species develop to fill the ecological niches opened by the event.Impacts by
meteorites represent one mechanism that could cause global catastrophes and
seriously influence the evolution of life all over the planet.

According to some estimates, the majority of all extinctions of species may be due to
such impacts. Such a perspective fundamentally changes our view of biological
evolution. The standard criterion for the survival of a species is its success in competing
with other species and adapting to slowly changing environments. Yet an equally
important criterion is the ability of a species to survive random global ecological
catastrophes due to impacts.

Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random violent events that were
unsuspected a few decades ago. In 1991 the United States Congress asked NASA to
investigate the hazard posed today by large impacts on Earth. The group conducting the
study concluded from a detailed analysis that impacts from meteorites can indeed be
hazardous. Although there is always some risk that a large impact could occur, careful
study shows that this risk is quite small.
An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the
summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the
passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not
presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

Scientists have linked the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous with a
meteorite impact on Earth.

Answer choices
(1) Scientists had believed for centuries that meteorite activity (5) Large meteorite impacts, such as one at the end of the Cretaceous
influenced evolution on Earth. period, can seriously affect climate, ecological niches, plants, and
animals.
(2) The site of the large meteorite impact at the end of the
Cretaceous period was identified in 1990 (6) Meteorite impacts can be advantageous for some species, which
thrive, and disastrous for other species, which become extinct.
(3) There have also been large meteorite impacts on the surface of
the Moon, leaving craters like Tycho.

(4) An iridium-enriched sediment layer and a large impact crater in

the Yucatán provide evidence that a large meteorite struck Earth
about 65 million years ago

Answer :4,5,6
THE READING SECTION ON THE TOEFL IBT
The Speaking Section of the
TOEFL IBT
Two independent Tasks, with one question asking
about a personal preference and another asking you
to choose an option. Here’s the time breakdown to
complete these tasks.

•15 seconds preparation time

•45 seconds speaking time
Two Integrated Tasks that require you to
read a passage, listen to a conversation or
lecture, and respond. Here’s the time
breakdown for these tasks.
•45 seconds reading time
•60- to 90-second conversation/lecture
•30 seconds preparation time
•60 seconds speaking time
Two Integrated Tasks that require you to
listen to a conversation or lecture, and
respond. Here’s the time breakdown for these
tasks.
•1- to 2-minute conversation/lecture
•20 seconds preparation time
•60 seconds speaking time
You will have 20 minutes to complete the
entire section
 HOW THE SPEAKING SECTION IS
SCORED
• Each of your spoken responses will be graded
on a scale of 0 to 4. the graders consider three
major areas when judging the quality of your
response—let’s look at each in detail.
1. Delivery: On the TOEFL, delivery refers to
both the flow and clarity of your speech. A
higher-scoring response will be well paced
and free of long pauses and unnecessary
interjections.
2. Language use: The scorers are looking for
effective use of grammar and vocabulary:
Complexity of sentence structure will also be
considered. A higher-scoring response
generally contains a variety of sentence
structures, a range of vocabulary, and few
grammatical errors.
3. Topic development: This includes how well
your response addresses the task as well as
the development of your ideas. Thus, the
graders are judging you not only on how you
speak, but also on what you say.
 THE SPEAKING SECTION: BASIS
PRINCIPLES
Speaking section requires you to be aware of the
following:
•How you sound. When speaking, you must try to
avoid unnecessary pauses and try to speak at an
even pace.
•What you say. Good responses have a clear flow
of ideas and use appropriate transitions to link
topics.
•Your command of English grammar and
vocabulary. A top-scoring response uses a variety
of words and contains some complex sentence
structures.
BASIC PRINCIPLE#1 How You Sound
As mentioned earlier, this doesn’t mean you have
to sound like a native speaker. It means that you
should speak confidently and clearly. The two
biggest problems are:
•Pausing often and breaking up the flow of your
speech with unnecessary words such as um and
uh
•Delivering your speech in a mechanical “robot”
voice, as if you were reading the response from a
page
BASIC PRINCIPLE#2 What You Say

One key to scoring well on the Speaking

section is to make sure the ideas about which
you are talking are clearly connected to one
another. You should use transitions to relate
the parts of your speech together.
 Here are some of the common transition
words you will need to use on the TOEFL.

Words that indicate a sequence or progression

First Second Third Next After Lastly
Then Previously Before Following Finally

Words that indicate a connection between ideas

Because Therefore Thus And
Also Furthermore Additionally So
 Words that indicate a contradiction between ideas
However Despite Yet Although
But In contrast to On the other hand

Now practice using these transitions in the

exercise that follows.
 Practice: Using Transitions

Read the following sentences aloud, connecting

them with the appropriate transition word or
words.
1. Jane would like to go home during the holiday
break,__________________________ she
doesn’t have enough money.
2. Sasha intends to major in
mathematics_______________ it is her
favorite subject.
3. First, you must mix the two chemicals
together.______________ wait for the reaction
to occur.
4. One of the main reasons Jose tool the job was
the salary; ____________________ the location
was a factor.
5. __________________________Ming had never
met Anna before, they acted like old friends.
6. The professor is known for his harsh grading
scale; ______________, students says that he is
one of the best teacher at the school.
7. The class requires students to write a 20-
page research paper. ______________; the
students to have to complete a group
project.
8. Macro had ___________________ believed
that he wanted to go to business school, but
now he plans to attend law school.
9. It is very difficult to do well on this class
without doing the required reading.
10.Neela was sure that she had failed the exam
_____________________________ she
received a passing grade.
BASIC PRINCIPLE #3 Your Command of
English Grammar and Vocabulary
Improving and building your vocabulary: As
for the vocabulary aspect, certain words are
more suitable for certain tasks. Basically, the
Speaking section asks to you do the following
tasks:
• Describe
• Summarize
• Contrast
 Let’s look at each task and the types of phrases
that are appropriate.
Descriptions Some tasks ask you to describe a
problem , an opinion, or a personal preference. If
you are describing details, try using the following
phrases:
• One aspect of…
• One characteristic of…
• One issue (for describing a problem)…
• One feature…
• One attribute…
• One element…
• One thing…
For example, you may be asked to do the following
on the TOEFL:
Describe a friend of yours and explain why you
consider this person a friend. Use details and
examples to support your view.
For this task we are asked to describe our friend. Our response may look like the
.
sample below

One of my best friends is Joel He is my friend for

many reasons. One characteristic of Joel’s that I
really admire is his honesty. He always tells the truth
to me . Another quality of Joel’s that I like is his
optimistic attitude. Joel always has a positive word
for everyone. Joel’s sense of humor is a final aspect
of his personality that I admire. He is always able to
make me laugh. For these reasons, I consider Joel a
great friend.
As you can see, each of the words listed above
can be used when describing a specific detail.
Now it’s your turn to try answering the above
question, using as many of the above phrases
as possible.
Summaries Another common task on the TOEFL
Speaking section involves summarizing a reading or
lecture.

When summarizing, try using some of the following

phrases:

•According to the reading/lecture/speaker…

•The reading/lecture/speaker states that…
•The reading/lecture/speaker argues that…
•The reading/lecture/speaker holds that…
•The reading/lecture/speaker asserts that…
•One reason/explanation presented by the
reading/lecture/speaker…
•The reading/lecture/speaker claims that…
•The reading/lecture/speaker expresses the
Here’s an example of a summary.
Read the following passage and then summarize the
points made by author.
New research in the field of neuroscience is leading
some researchers to change their beliefs about how the
brain forms. An early view of the brain held that
intelligence was primarily determined by genes.
Now, however, a new study casts doubt on that view.
Researchers have discovered that the neurons on the
brain develop in the early stages of infancy. The more
stimulation these neurons receive, the more
connections the neurons make with other neurons.
Cognitive scientists believe that intelligence is partly
based on the connections between neurons in the brain.
Now we have to summarize the important
parts of the passage . Our response might look
like the following.

According to the reading, some scientists

have to change their views about the
brain. The reading states that the early
view of the brain is wrong. One reason
given, according to the reading, is that
there is a new study. The reading claims
that the new study shows that brain
development occurs during childhood. It
Contrast The final type of speaking task asks you
to contrast ideas. Here are some helpful phrases
to use when contrasting ideas.

•In contrast to…

•One difference between…
•Unlike…
•One distinction between…
•Dissimilarity…
•One disagreement between…
•One consistency between…
•One point at issue is…
Let’s look at a task that requires us to contrast
things.

Read the following passage:

For more than three hundred years, the world

understood physics as a predictable system.
Isaac Newton’s three laws of motion allowed
physicists to predict the motion of not just
failing apples and thrown balls, but comets,
planets, and stars as well. The amazing
degree of accuracy these predictions had
convinced scientists that the universe obeyed
precise laws, a belief that in many ways was
Now read the following lecture on the same
topic:
What would you guys think if I told you I
could walk right through that wall over
there? You probably wouldn’t believe me.
As you all know from, uh, basic physics,
two solid objects cannot occupy the same
space. But the truth is that… neither I nor
the wall is really solid. That’s right… I am
mostly made up of atoms, and atoms are
mostly empty space. And it was in the
early um, early twentieth century when the
discovery was made the atoms can pass
Contrast The final type of speaking task asks you
to contrast ideas. Here are some helpful phrases
to use when contrasting ideas.

•In contrast to…

•One difference between…
•Unlike…
•One distinction between…
•Dissimilarity…
•One disagreement between…
•One consistency between…
•One point at issue is…
If you shoot a number of atoms…I think it
was Neils Bohr who did this
experiment…at a sheet of metal, some of
them will pass right through it. And through
the probability is extremely
unlikely…because I have so many atoms
in my body…if I walked into that wall an
infinite number of times, at some point I
would pass right through it. So our world
isn’t as nice and predictable as we may
believe
Explain how the lecture casts doubt on or
This asks us to contrast the information
presented in both selections.

One difference between the two is the

predictable nature of physics. The reading
states that the universe is predictable. In
contrast to this idea, the lecture gives some
information on how atoms can be
unpredictable. This is inconsistent with the
reading, which talks about larger objects,
such as planets, However, the biggest point
at issue between the two is whether or not