Type 1 Questions TOEFL (Independent) :

Directions: For this task, you will be asked to speak about a topic that is familiar to you. You will hear a
question. You will then have 15 seconds to prepare your response and 45 seconds to speak.

1. Who is your best friend? Describe this person and say why he/she is
your best friend.
2. What is your favorite place to visit on weekends? Describe it and explain
why it is your favorite place to go.
3. What is your happiest childhood memory? Describe it and give reasons to
explain why it is your happiest memory.
4. Talk about an important national holiday in your home country. Describe it
and explain why it is important.
5. Who is an important person in your country? Describe this person and
explain why he/she is important.
6. Talk about an interesting tourist attraction you have been to. Describe it
and say why it was interesting.
7. Talk about a time when you experienced success. Describe the experience
and say why it was a success for you.
8. What is your favorite style of clothing? Describe it and explain why it is your
favorite.
9. Name a person whom you truly admire. Describe the person and say why
you admire him/her.
10. Talk about a difficulty you have overcome in your life. Describe the
experience and say why it was difficult to overcome.
11. Talk about a teacher who had a positive influence on you. Describe this
person and explain why he/she was so influential to you.
12. Talk about a positive experience with learning or using English. Describe the
experience and say why it was a positive one.
13. What is your favorite kind of food? Describe it and explain why it is your
favorite.
14. Describe a person from your countrys history. Why do you think this
person was important?
15. Talk about something you and your family enjoys doing together. Describe it
and explain why you all enjoy it.
32. What is your favorite recreational activity? Describe it and say why you enjoy
doing it.
33. Who is the most intelligent person you know? Describe the person and say why
you think he/she is intelligent.
34. Where would you most like to live? Describe this place and explain why you
would like to live there.
35. What is your favorite season of the year? Describe the season and explain why
you like it so much.
36. What custom from your home country are you most fond of? Describe the
custom and explain why you are fond of it.
37. Which person are you most likely to go to with a personal problem? Describe
this person and say why you would go to him/her in particular.
38. Name a place in your country you would recommend others to visit. Describe
this place and explain why you would recommend it.
39. Talk about an event from the past that you would like to relive. Describe the
original event and say why you would like to relive it.
40. What is your favorite way of getting around? Describe it and explain why it is
your favorite means of transportation.

Type 2 Questions TOEFL (Independent) :

Directions: In this question, you will be asked to give your opinion about a familiar
topic. After you hear the question, you will have 15 seconds to prepare your
response and 45 seconds to speak.

1. When faced with an emergency, some people take on the role of leader and others prefer to take
on the role of followers. Which role do you prefer? Give details and examples to support your
response.

2. Some people say that when a child moves to a new country, he should only be taught in the native
language of his new country. Others think that it is better to teach in a bilingual method to help the
children adjust. Which method do you think is better? Use details and examples to support your
opinion.

3. Some students prefer to study in a group or with a friend or two. Others prefer to study by
themselves. Which method you think is better and why? Use details and examples to support your
choice.

4. Some people like to always have people around them. Others would rather spend time alone.
Which way do you prefer to spend your free time and why? Use details and examples in your
choice.

5. Some people treat their parents as friends rather than as parents. Others prefer to stay set in the
traditional roles of parents and children. Which do you prefer and why? Use details and examples
in your decision.
 6. Some people think that books and other methods of print are slowly being replaced by the Internet,
TV, and other media. Others think that there will always be a need for printed material. What do
you think and why? Give examples and details in your response.

7. Some universities have a strict policy that freshman must live on campus in dorms for their first
year. Other universities have no policy like this and allow students to decide where they would
like live. Which policy do you think is better for the first-year students and why? Use details and
examples in your response.

8. Some people think that to keep animals in zoos is cruel and animals should only live in their
natural habitat. Others think that zoos serve the purpose of educating people about animals that
they would not normally have seen. Which argument do you favor and why? Use details and
examples in your explanation.

9. Some students prefer to study for an exam alone. Others prefer to study for an exam with
classmates. Which method do you prefer and why? Give details and examples in your response.

10. Some college students like to take courses in a variety of subjects in order to have a broader
education. Others only take courses in a central subject so they have a stronger understanding of
their specific subject. Which method do you think is better and why? Use details and examples in
your explanation.

11. Some people believe that you should always tell the truth. Others think that it is OK to lie
sometimes if they have good intentions. Which approach to honesty do you think is better? Give
details and examples to support your opinion.

12. Some students would prefer to have more independent study classes that allow for student-driven
research. Other students think that classroom time with professor-led lessons and research are
more valuable. Which method do you think is more valuable and why? Give details and examples
in your response.

13. Some professors give final grades based on numerous small quizzes, homework, and mid-term and
final exams. Other professors only give final grades based on one or two examinations. Which
method do you think gives a better representation of a students abilities and why? Give details
and examples in your opinion.

14. Some people think that teaching art to schoolchildren is a waste of time. Young children should
concentrate on important subjects like math, science, and language. Others think that teaching
children about art enriches their lives. Which opinion do you agree with and why? Use details and
examples to support your choice

15. Some people think the government should spend money on exploring outer space. Others think
that money could be better spent solving problems on Earth. What is your opinion and why? Give
details and examples to support your choice.

Type 4 Questions
Directions: In this question, you will read a short passage and then listen to a talk on the same academic
topic. You will then answer a question about them. After you hear the question, you will have 30 seconds
to prepare your response and 60 seconds to speak. You have 45 seconds to read the passage.

Erik Erikson
In 1956, German psychologist Erikson used the term identity crisis, as being an important conflict human
beings face in life. Erikson describes the identity crisis as first happening during ages 13 to 19. Overcoming
the crisis in those teen years will help overcome identity crises later in their life. Today, the complexities of
modern life create many stressful situations. People may experience identity crises more often now than in
the time of Erikson.

Narrator: Now listen to part of a talk in a psychology class.

Professor: Todays discussion will be about the human stages of identity crisis, developed by psychiatrist
Erik Erikson. Lets look at those stages, beginning with infancy. Up to 18 months of age, with the mothers
loving care and contact, an infant will learn to trust. The second stage is from 18 months to 3 years, when
the child learns to master skills. Children learn to walk, talk and feed themselves, and become more
independent. During the ages of 3 to 5 years old, children experience a desire to copy the adults around
them. They also begin to use that wonderful word for exploring the world"WHY? During the fourth
stage, 6 to 12 years of age, children are capable of learning, creating, and accomplishing many new skills
and knowledge. This is the stage when human beings develop confidence and self-esteem. According to
Erikson, during the fifth stage is when we establish a philosophy of life. During this time, teenagers begin
to struggle with the question, Who am I? A teenager is neither a child nor an adult, and life is definitely
getting more complex as we attempt to find our own identity. During the stages of adulthood, the issues of
crisis are intimacy, raising children, being successful in a career, and finding wisdom from our experiences.
From here to late adulthood, development depends primarily upon what we do.

Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.

Narrator: How is the identity crisis reflected in the life stages defined by Erikson?

The Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow developed the theory of the human beings Hierarchy of Needs. He created a pyramid
of basic human needs. At the lowest level are basic survival needs such as food and shelter. If a person
satisfies that level, then the individual can climb to the next level of safety, love/belonging, esteem and the
highest level of self-actualization. An individual will feel anxious if they do not meet the needs of a lower
level, and cannot climb to the next level. According to Maslow, we strive to reach the top of the pyramid,
self-actualization, in living our lives. Maslow states that no one has really reached self-actualization. When
the body has reached its maximum potential, there is no reason to continue living.

Narrator: Now listen to part of a talk in a psychology class.

Professor: As a humanistic psychologist, Maslow developed the theory that as humans meet basic needs,
they seek to satisfy successively higher needs that occupy a set hierarchy. Maslow took this idea that some
needs take precedence over others, and created his now famous hierarchy of needs. Beyond the details of
air, water, food, and sex, he laid out five broader layersthe physiological needs, the needs for safety and
security, the needs for love and belonging, the needs for esteem, and the need to actualize the self, in that
order. Others, such as Freud and Hull, have developed motivational theories; however, people find
Maslows theory more appealing. Maslow's theory is a common sense approach to human behavior. His
research shows there is a motivator for each need, and it is these motivators that push one through the
hierarchy of needs pyramid. For example, the hierarchy can be applied in the advertising of a product by
creating an ad that compels consumers to buy their products. Maslows hierarchy can be applied to many
professions in business, education, retail sales, advertising, and entertainment.

Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.

Narrator: Combine points from the reading and the talk to explain the general appeal of Maslows theory.

Hacking: Crime or Service to Society?

In the world of computers, the term hacker gets two different responses.
One hacker can be productively designing games, programs, and ways to
improve security of information, while the other hacker tries to break into
systems in a way that causes individuals and companies to loose, distort or
release information without permission.
How do we define a hacker? A hacker can improve programs in business
so that the business or individual will be protected from unwanted
tampering. This hacker explores the limits of the program. Or, is a hacker
the term for activity that is unlawful? A hacker in this case is one who
deliberately invades programs and causes computer problems. Some do
this for fun; however, this can cause great hardship for businesses and
individuals.
People who play around with computers would say hackers are exercising
their skills. Others may say hackers are criminals. Which definition is it?

Narrator: Now listen to part of a talk in a computer science class.

Professor: Hacking is becoming a more prevalent problem in the field of

technology. If you are hacking, you are breaking the law, as it is a
felony here in the U.S. Only if a company or individual hires a hacker to
test their systems, is hacking alright and ethical.
In the academic hacker culture, a computer hacker is a person who
enjoys designing software and building programs with a sense for
aesthetics and playful cleverness. In computer security, a hacker is
someone who focuses on security mechanisms. In common use, which
was popularized by the mass media, hacker refers to someone who
illegally breaks into computer and network systems.
Compare a bunch of kids breaking into a computer system with another
bunch of kids hot-wiring a car for a joyride. The latter would probably
argue, with complete sincerity, that they were doing no harm, because
the owner of the car recovered his property afterward. They didn't keep
or sell it. It's a bad prank to borrow someone's property in that way, but
not really serious. These hypothetical car thieves versus the car
owner Dont you think the car owner would win this argument?

Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.

Narrator: Two opinions on computer hacking are given in the reading.

Explain which of these views the professor holds and how she supports
her opinion.

Animal Domestication
Humans have been domesticating, or taming, animals for thousands of
years. The cow, pig, horse and other animals that once lived in the wild
are now used by humans. These large domesticated mammals are used
for a variety of jobs in fields such as agriculture and transportation.
Attempts have been made to domesticate many different types of animals,
but not all attempts were successful.
Animals that were not able to be successfully domesticated generally share
certain characteristics. An animal that is non-territorial, or an animal that
doesnt think it has its own area, has a much better chance of being
domesticated. Animals that live in herds and have a specific leader are
also easier to domesticate because the master, or human, can function as
this leader.

Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture from an ecology class.

Professor: In this chapter we are discussing the aptness of certain types of animals
for domestication and the characteristics that make them this way. Animals that
live in herds, such as the horse, yesthe horse is a perfect example, are much easier
to domesticate than animals that dont live in herds. These herds generally consist
of an alpha male horse, who is the boss, several female horses, and a few foals. The
females and young foals follow the alpha male around and listen to him. When the
herd moves to a different location, all of the horses of the herd follow the male.
This willingness to follow others makes horses perfect in pulling objects or when
several are harnessed together: all following the first. Horses also have overlapping
territories, and they dont fight with the other herds.
But with a large mammal like the bear, well, how often do you see a large group of
bears all sitting around with each other? You dont, because they are not animals
that live in herds, and they dont follow any other bear in particular. If bears cant
get along with each other, how can they get along with a human who is telling them
what they can or cannot do? Bears are also highly territorial and mark their
territory in the wild. If you are walking through the woods and see some large
scratch marks above eye-level, that means you are walking around some marked
territory. Itd probably be best to leave, unless you want to fight with the bear over
his territory.

Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.

Narrator: The professor describes the behavior of horses and bears.

Explain how their behavior is related to their aptness for domestication.

Type 6 questions:
Directions: For this task, you will hear a short academic talk. You will hear a
question about it.
You will then have 20 seconds to prepare your response and 60 seconds to speak.

1. Narrator: Listen to part of a talk in a United States history class.

Professor: The end of the 19th century was known as the Gilded Age in the U.S. Every person had the
chance to earn a fortune, and those who did celebrated it extravagantly. For example, in New York, the
wealthy spent a great deal of time throwing grand parties and visiting the theater and opera house. The
elites spent money in a way that had never been seen before. While they did this, othersthe working
classstruggled in rags. At the turn of the century, the average national income was a meager $380 a
month, and most of the nations families earned less than $1200 per year, far below the poverty line. Newly
arrived immigrants and Americans who once lived in rural areas rushed to find jobs in urban areas of
overcrowded squalor. Cheaply made and poorly run tenements filled the city with crime and filth. While
Americans had phonographs, sewing machines, electric lights, and even skyscrapers, most worked and
lived in extreme poverty and could not take advantage of these things. In response to the disparity, many
laborers in mills, factories, and sweatshops began to express unrest. Violent strikes became commonplace,
and many people turned to political machines. During the early 20th century, many politicians helped the
poor in exchange for their votes. Corruption began to reach up through high levels of the U.S. government.
Some reports even implicated Ulysses S. Grants administration in political schemes like the Gold
Conspiracy and the Salary Grab. In response to this, many Europeans expressed shock and felt that despite
Americas money and factories, the country remained without a sophisticated culture.

Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.

Narrator: Explain the role poverty played in the development of U.S. culture during the Gilded Age. Use
details and examples from the lecture to support your explanation.

2. Narrator: Now listen to part of a talk in a political science class

Professor: Political cartoons are a blend of pictorial, editorial, and social
commentary. The medium of political cartoons combines the politics
and artistry of journals and provides people with opportunities to
creatively express their social concerns and political viewpoints.
Although political cartoons often utilize strategic writing, their
commentary extends beyond the written word alone. Most political
cartoons aim to inform readers of current politics and influence them as
well. Political cartoonists have been trying to affect public opinion since
the mid-19th century, and the earlier cartoons serve as a glimpse into the
controversy of past political situations. Because they rely on symbolism,
caricature, and stylized imagery, political cartoons help people to think
about politics in ways different from traditional news reporting. While it
is impossible to know how or in what ways political cartoons will affect
the public, successful political cartoons share four common
characteristics: eye-catching artistry, genuine sentiment, uncomplicated
imagery, and an importance that will last over time. While political
cartoons display messages of truth, critics argue that they do not
change minds but reflect a level of social opinion and cultural values
through familiar symbols. Whether fighting the status quo, raising social
concern, or promoting broad political change, it is clear that political
cartoons have changed the face of modern journalism and U.S. history.
Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.
Narrator: Using details from the talk, describe the function of political
cartoons and the components of their success.

3. Narrator: Now listen to a talk in a biology class.

Professor: Extinction of a species is always tragic. It is our job as
humans to protect animals and keep them from all dying out. When the
last animal of a species dies, valuable information is lost. It is the fault
of humans that so many animals have become endangered, or scarce,
and then completely extinct. There are several reasons why animals
become endangered and then shortly afterward extinct, and we, as
humans, almost always have something to do with it.
Lets take a look at the extinct bird, the Dodo. The Dodo lived on an
island off the eastern coast of Africa several hundred years ago, but it
has become the most famous recently extinct species. This flightless
bird, that resembled a chicken, stood at about three feet tall. It lived on
its island with virtually no predators until humans started coming
regularly. Humans brought with them cats, dogs, pigs, and other
species that the Dodo had never seen before. It is most likely that these
new animals that traveled with humans plundered the Dodos nests and
ate their eggs and young. A slow-witted bird that does not fear animals
which it hasnt seen before doesnt stand much of a chance against a
human. The humans, on their new island, which was mostly forests
when they got there, began chopping down the trees for various
purposes. The Dodos lived in these forests, and the food of the Dodo
was in these forests. If the habitat of the animal is destroyed, where will
it live? What will it eat? Destruction of the natural habitat of a species is
a really quick way to end its existence.
Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.
Narrator: The professor talks about endangered animals and animal
extinction. Describe this and the relationship humans have with animal
extinction. Use examples from the talk to support your answer.

4. Narrator: Listen to part of a talk in an economics class.

Professor: The term elasticity has a different meaning in economics. In
economics, we dont use this term for how far something will stretch, not
exactly. We use elasticity to describe how much one variable will
change as a response to changing another variable. The ratio of the
proportional change of one variable to proportional change of another
variable. Its commonly used in reference to prices. Price elasticity of
demand, simply put, represents the relationship between change in
demand and change in price. If the price goes down, how many more
people will want this product?
Lets take toilet paper, for instance. Toilet paper is one of those items
that people use on a daily basis, and there isnt a really good substitute,
well, not an affordable substitute. And, in addition, it is a product that is
a necessity. If you dont have toilet paper, what do you do? Toilet paper
is a basic inelastic good. If the price goes up, the demand will stay
about the same. People arent going to stop buying toilet paper because
it gets more expensive. It is inelastic because as the price changes, the
demand will stay about the same.
A product, or good, that is very elastic is, lets say, apples. Apples are
not something that people have to have. If the price of apples increases,
then fewer people will buy them. When apples get too expensive,
people will stop buying them or switch to another product. Maybe
people will buy pears, or oranges, or some other kind of fruit. If the price
of apples drops, people will buy more apples. Apples are an elastic
good because when one variable changes, like price, the demand
changes drastically.
Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.
Narrator: Using points and examples from the talk, explain how a good is
inelastic and explain the relationship between demand and price of a
good in terms of elasticity.

5. Narrator: Now listen to part of a lecture in a United States history class.

Professor: Because America is such a large country, it took a while before
everyone in all areas could really share a common culture. When
America was first being settled, people traveled thousands of miles to
settle new areas. There was little communication between everyone in
their remote areas. Americans in their different places spoke different
English, had different customs, wore different clothes, and lived different
and separate lives. There were two important inventions that helped link
Americans to each other and thus helped us all to have more of a
common culture.
Thanks to the automobile being produced in mass in the 1920s, people
were able to travel more easily to visit other towns and cities. Now,
people who lived in small cities and towns, with the help of their
automobile, were able to quickly travel to big cities and other locations.
By being exposed to other Americans so frequently, goods were
exchanged easier, as well as culture, speech, and other behaviors.
People could also take vacations to distant places that they had not
been before and take with them their culture, as well as bring back that
of Americans living in distant areas.
Another important invention that helped keep our language more
homogeneous through time was the radio. As the purchasing of cars
increased, so did that of radios. People listened to nationally syndicated
radio programs all over America. There were radio dramas, radio
musicals, and public addresses by presidents. By all listening to the
same programs, speech and culture were shared by people all over the
nation.
Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.
Narrator: Explain how the automobile and radio helped contribute to a
common culture in America. Use examples and details from the lecture
in your answer.