ITP TOEFL
STRATEGIES AND TIPS
READING SECTION
Ukrida Department of English
Ira Rasikawati
WHAT DO TEST TAKERS NEED TO KNOW?
1. General ITP TOEFL Test Taking Tips
2. Reading Section Tips
3. Types of Questions
1. GENERAL TIPS
ITP TOEFL TEST TAKING
ITP TOEFL PBT TOEFL
1. Administered in paper-based format
2. Takes about three and one-half hours
3. 3 Sections: Listening Comprehension, Structure and
Written Expression, Reading Comprehension,
4. Score on scale of 310 to 677
5. Separate writing test: TWE
TEST CONTENT
Section
Description
Time Limit
Listening
Comprehension
Measures the ability to
understand spoken English
30-40 minutes
Total
Questions
50
Structure and
Written
Expression
Measures the ability to
recognize language
appropriate for standard
written English
Measures the ability to
understand non-technical
reading material
25 minutes
40
55 minutes
50
Reading
Comprehension
Skill
Reading
Score Range
030
Listening
030
Speaking
030 score scale
Writing
030 score scale
Total Score
0120
Level
High (2230)
Intermediate (1521)
Low (014)
High (2230)
Intermediate (1521)
Low (014)
Good (2630)
Fair (1825)
Limited (1017)
Weak (09)
Good (2430)
Fair (1723)
Limited (116)
HOW TO SCORE
EXAMPLE:
No. Correct
Section 1
30
Section 2
28
Section 3
43
Converted Score
51
52
58
Overall Score:
Add 3 converted scores: 51+52+58
Devide the sum by 3: 161/3=53.7
Multiply by 10: 53.7x10= 537
PRACTICE IS KEY
Use English Every Day
Communicate only in English: Listen, read and write in
English every chance you get.
Write
Make notes, write down reminders, emails using new
words and common expressions Improve Vocabulary
and Sentence Structure
Listen
Listen to music, radio, television, movies and online
broadcasts in English Helps acquire rhythm and
stress patterns of spoken English; Listen closely to
words.
Read
Newspapers, magazines, books and websites Improve vocabulary.
Try academic reading material to prepare for communicating at
university level.
Keep Journal
Write down things you are doing - practice organizing thoughts
and writing in English.
You can track your own progress. Read it to yourself and read it out
loud.
For further information go to: Source: http://www.ets.org/toefl/pbt/prepare/tips/
2. GENERAL TIPS
ITP TOEFL READING SECTION
READING SECTION
Total time for reading section: 55 minutes
Total questions: 50
Total passages: 5
Words in each passage:
- between 250 400 words
- about 5 minutes for skimming
- 1 minute to answer each question
READING TIPS
1. Be familiar with directions
2. Do not spend much time reading passages
skim passages
go directly to questions
3. Dont worry about unfamiliar topics
4. Never leave questions blank
SUGGESTED READING PATTERN
1Read
Rapidly
2Skim
for Main Idea
Reading
3Read
Questions
4Scan
Answers
READ RAPIDLY
Good L1 reader reads at 200 to 300 words per minute (wpm)
rate 4-5 words/second
Reminder 1: Reading Speed
Time allocation for reading
- 5 passages: 5 minutes: 1 MINUTE/PASSAGE
- 50 questions: 50 minutes: 1 MINUTE PER ITEM
SKIM FOR MAIN IDEA
Find main idea and organization of passage
No need to understand every detail on first reading
Reminder 2: Topic Sentence
Read FIRST sentence of every paragraph
Check LAST sentence
READ QUESTIONS
FIND WHAT TYPES OF QUESTION
Question types tell you where to find the right answers
Reminder 3: Which sentence has right answer
- Main idea questions: first sentence of every paragraph
- Vocabulary questions: question will tell where to go
- Other questions: keyword in question anywhere in passage
SCAN ANSWERS
FIND AND READ PART THAT CONTAIN ANSWER
CAREFULLY
ELIMINATE OBVIOUSLY WRONG ANSWERS
Reminder 4: Key words and Markers
- in the same sentence of where key word found
- one sentence before or after key word
3. TYPES OF QUESTION
1. Main idea questions
2. Stated detail questions
3. Unstated detail questions
4. Implied detail questions
5. Vocabulary in context questions
6. Where questions
1. MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY
QUESTION
What is the topic of the passage?
What is the subject of this passage?
What is the main idea of this passage?
What is the authors main point in the passage?
With what is the author primarily concerned?
Which of the following would be the best title?
WHERE TO FIND
ANSWER
Look at the first sentence of each paragraph
HOW TO ANSWER
QUESTION
1. Read first line of each paragraph
2. Look for common theme or idea in the first lines
3. Pass quickly other lines to confirm topic sentence you
found
4. Eliminate obviously wrong answers, choose best
answer among remaining choices
2. STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY
QUESTION
According to the passage,
It is stated in the passage that
The passage indicates that
The author mentions that
Which of the following is true?
WHERE TO FIND ANSWER Answers are found in order in the passage
HOW TO ANSWER
QUESTION
1. Choose key word in the question
2. Skim appropriate part for key word or related
idea
3. Read sentence containing key word or idea
carefully
4. Find answer that restates an idea in passage
5. Eliminate obviously wrong answers, choose best
answer among remaining choices
3. UNSTATED DETAIL QUESTIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY
QUESTION
Which of the following is not stated?
Which of the following is not mentioned?
Which of the following is not discussed?
All of the following are true except
WHERE TO FIND
ANSWER
HOW TO ANSWER
QUESTION
Answers are found in order in the passage
1. Choose key word in the question
2. Scan appropriate place in passage for key word or related
idea
3. Read sentence containing key word or idea carefully
4. Find answers that are definitely true according to passage.
Dont choose those answers!
5. Find answer that is not true or not discussed in passage.
4. IMPLIED DETAIL QUESTIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY
QUESTION
It is implied in the passage that?
It can be inferred from the passage that?
It is most likely that
What probably happened?
WHERE TO FIND
ANSWER
HOW TO ANSWER
QUESTION
Answers are found in order in the passage
1.
2.
3.
4.
Choose key word in the question
Scan passage for key word or related idea
Read sentence containing key word or idea carefully
Look for answer that could be true according to that
sentence
5. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT QUESTIONS
HOW TO
IDENTIFY
QUESTION
What is the meaning ?
Which of the following is closest in meaning to?
could best be replaced by which of the following?
WHERE TO FIND
ANSWER
HOW TO
ANSWER
QUESTION
The question tells which line words/expression can be found
1.
2.
3.
4.
Find word/expression in passage
Read sentence containing the word carefully
Look for context clues to help understand meaning
Choose answer indicated in context
How large a vocabulary is needed?
SKILL
SIZE ESTIMATE
NOTES
Reading
8,000 - 9,000 word
families
Nation (2006)
Listening
6,000 - 7,000 word
families
Nation (2006)
20,000 word families
Goulden, Nation, &
Read (1990)
Zechmeister, Chronis,
Cull, DAnna, & Healy
(1995)
Native speaker
You can use this link to test your vocabulary size: http://my.vocabularysize.com/
6. WHERE QUESTIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY
QUESTION
Where in the passage?
WHERE TO FIND
ANSWER
HOW TO ANSWER
QUESTION
Answers can be found in any lines listed in the answer
options
1. Choose a key word or idea in the question
2. Skim lines in passage that are listed in answer options.
Skim for key word or idea
3. Choose answer that contains line numbers of a
restatement of key word or idea in question
Main Idea
1st line
Stated Detail
Key word
Unstated Detail
Key word
Implied Detail
Key word
Vocabulary in Context
Where
Context clues
Key word
REFERENCES
Grabe, William, and Stroller Fredricka L. 2002. Teaching
and Researching Reading. England: Pearson Education.
Phillips, Deborah. 2004. Longman Introductory Course for
the TOEFL Test: The Paper Test. New York: Pearson
Education, Inc.
ETS TOEFL for Test takers. Retrieved from
https://www.ets.org/toefl/pbt/about
