Ep.6 TOEFL Ready

英語 × 英文 × 樂詞不疲

Intro
Tests don’t have to be scary. It seems like a lot can go wrong, but as long as you prepare and stay calm, you’ll be OK. And it’s no secret that being well-prepared helps you stay calm.
American students lose sleep over the SAT, which determines what colleges you can get into. People who live in other countries and want to study in the US have to do well on the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or the TOEFL.
When you study for a test, it becomes a big part of your life. You think about it a lot and you might even dream about it. It’s on your mind so much that when you talk about the test to other people, you forget that they may not have taken a test in years.
Amanda’s Chinese cousin is studying for the TOEFL, but she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Watch as Jason fills her in.
Dialogue
Amanda: So I got a call from my cousin, Jeff Wong, and I haven’t heard from him in months, but he was super stressed out because he’s practicing and cramming and studying for this toy-full exam…
Jason: Oh, the TOEFL?
Amanda: Yeah!
Jason: The Test of English as a Foreign Language?
Amanda: Yeah.
Jason: Where does he live?
Amanda: Exactly. He lives in China. He lives in Shanghai. And he’s just super-stressed about it but I don’t know if it’s like a one time you fail and you’re done, or if you just keep taking it. How’s it work?
Jason: Well, you can take it again but it’s kind of expensive and stuff, so the best thing to do is probably take the practice TOEFL, which you can get online from English, baby! now. And it’s sweet because it’s pretty much exactly the TOEFL except it’s just pretend, you know? So if you get your score from that, you’ll know exactly how well you’re going to do.
Amanda: So is it an online thing? You don’t go to a room with a bunch of other students…
Jason: Yeah, exactly. You take it online and then you can, like, take breaks and pause it and eat dinner…
Amanda: So you don’t have a maximum amount of time, like four hours, you have to be done…
Jason: You do, but you can, like, hit pause on it, or whatever.
Amanda: Oh that’s cool. So it’s pretty laid back.
Jason: Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Amanda: I mean, if you study enough, you should be able to get a pretty high mark, I would think.
Jason: Yeah, and it seems like if you sort of go through the motions on the practice test it will make it less stressful when you take the real test.
Amanda: Cool.
Discussion
Amanda’s cousin Jeff Wong, who lives in China, called her the other day. He was really worried about a test he has to take, but Amanda can’t remember the name exactly.
Jason asks if it’s the TOEFL, and Amanda says it is. She asks him how the test works. Can you take it again if you don’t do well?
Jason says you can, but that it’s probably easier to take the practice TOEFL online. It gives you a good idea of what your score will be, and it helps lower your stress level because you can take breaks whenever you want. When test day comes, there will be no surprises. You’ll remember how mellow taking the test at home was and you’ll do a lot better.
Have you ever had to prepare for a big test? How did you do? Remember, if you’re planning on taking the TOEFL soon, you can buy a practice test right here on Ebaby!
Grammar Point
First Conditional
Jason says that if you get your practice TOEFL score, you’ll know how well you’re going to do on the real test. This is an example of the first conditional.
The first conditional is formed with two clauses. One clause uses if + simple present verb, as in, “If you pass the TOEFL.” The other clause uses a simple future verb, as in, “you will be able to study in the US.” So altogether, the sentence goes: “If you pass the TOEFL, you will be able to study in the US.”
We use the first conditional to talk about future events that are likely to happen. If you take the practice TOEFL, it is likely that you will know how well you’re going to do on the real test.
Which is correct, “If you’ll study, you’ll improve your score” or “If you study, you’ll improve your score”?
Quiz
❶　Where is Amanda’s cousin from?

• China　✓
• USA
• California
• The lesson doesn’t say.

❷　What does Jason like about the practice TOEFL?

• You can take it with other people.
• You take it on paper instead of online.
• You can take breaks and get your score.　✓

❸　Which of these does not belong?

• stress　✓
• laid back
• mellow
• break

❹　If you __ one more drink you’ll be too drunk to drive.

• will have
• ‘ll have
• will having
• have　✓

❺　What will happen if Georgia _ school?

• quit
• will quit
• quits　✓
• quitted

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