CHAPTER 1
GETTING TO KNOW THE
TOEFL
WHAT IS THE TOEFL?
The TOEFL is a comprehensive English language examination required by more than 3,000
colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world. In addition,
foreign born professionals frequently need a TOEFL score for certification to practice their
profession in the United States or Canada.
The TOEFL is a timed test that consists of the three sections listed here.
THE TOEFL
Section 1 Listening Comprehension
50 questions
35 minutes
Part A
Statements
20 questions
Part B
Short Dialogs
15 questions
Part C
Minitalks and Extended Conversations
15 questions
Section 2
Structure and Written Expression
Structure
Written Expression
40 questions
25 minutes
15 questions
25 questions
Section 3 Vocabulary and Reading
Comprehension
Vocabulary
Reading Comprehension
60 questions
45 minutes
30 questions
30 questions
SECTION 1: LISTENING COMPREHENSION
This section of the TOEFL test your ability to understand spoken American English. You will hear
taped conversations to which you will make responses. Part A and B contain samples of informal
American English. Idiomatic expressions and two-word verbs are common in these parts.
Single Statement
In Part A you will hear a single statement made by a man or a woman. In your test booklet, there
are four sentences. You must choose the sentence that is closest in meaning to the one you heard.
YOU WILL HEAR:
To get to the post office, cross the street, go three blocks, and you'll see it right on the corner.
YOU WILL SEE:
(A) The post office is right on the corner.
(B) The post office is at the next corner.
(C) The post office has a cross near it.
(D) The post office is three blocks away.
The correct choice is, which most closely gives the same meaning as the sentence you heard. It is
important for you to know that if similar sounding words or the same words appear in an answer
choice, that answer choice is seldom correct.
Short Dialogs
Part B