How to improve your Reading Skill - Identify weakness

I wasn't expecting at all. After talking to bunch of TOEFL test takers with poor score, I have realized one thing, "READING Section is one of the pit fall for low score."
So, I had to go to the root of the problem. Why do test takers are not getting good scores in reading section. Read it carefully, few of them might be yours.

Symptoms:

{I ran out of time. I understand most of the passages but I don't get enough time to finish}

(Slow reader)

{I finish way before the clock stops but my score is low}

 (Fast reader)

{I don't understand the questions even though I understand the passage

(Blind reader)

{I don't understand the passages- they are ready hard to understand}

(Lost reader)

Now if you know your problem lets cure it! 

Read carefully -

For the Reading section you will have 3 – 4 passages from academic texts; and there will be 12 -- 14 questions per passage
You will get 60 – 80 min.
and score will be between 0 – 30

So it is clear that you will get approx. 20 minutes for each passage (what ever their length is)

Remedy-  
Slow reader - GET A WATCH!
Read this Passage in 10 minutes. If you can't finish is it by 10 minute, don't worry, count how many minutes do you take. Then try another passage and always target 10 minutes. 

Fast reader - GET A WATCH!
Read this Passage TWICE  in 10 minutes. If you can't finish is it by 10 minute, don't worry, count how many minutes do you take. Then try another passage and always target 10 minutes.

Blind Reader - Get this book and Go through the READING section of this book. There are 10 Types of Questions you need to understand. 

Lost reader - Work on your vocabulary and try easier passages from Here! 

Get this book too

More exercises are coming to improve Reading skills!

TOEFL Listening Practice Test - American Colonies!

Click the PLAY Button (The conversation starts after few seconds) and Listen to this conversation once. During the conversation try to take as many notes as possible using you scratch paper. Then answer to the questions below.

12: What is the talk mainly about?

A) The three main areas colonists settled in the New World
B) The importance of the Lost Colony
C) The impact of the London company
D) The significance of the settlement of Jamestown



13: Why does the professor mention sir Walter Raleigh?

A) To Explain that he organized the new settlement in a colony
B) To explain that he was fearless
C) To provide information about the first child born in the New World belonging to English parents
D) To give an example of how he convinced the Queen to grant him the land in the New World



14: What does the professor say about Jamestown

A) it was the first successful colony in Virginia.
B) It had strong leadership to survive
C) Its settlers had to cooperate with the Native Americans to maintain their existence.
D) All of the above


15: According to the professor, what is the significance of tobacco being grown in Kamestown?

A) It developed into a cash crop that South depended on.
B) The crop was profitable to the London Company
c) it helped Jamestown prosper
D) The professor does not say



16: Why does the professor discuss the archaeological digs that have taken place in Jamestown?

A) To explain how historians learned that tobacco was grown in Jamestown
B) It demonstrates the importance of the artifacts which have been uncovered
c) It is not clear from the paragraph why the digs were discussed
D) To explain why a company on site is producing Jamestown glass


17: Why does the professor say this?

A) To make sure the students read the material
B) to have the students analyze the significance of the two types of colonies
C) To explain that the New England colonies will be different from the Virginia colonies
D) To encourage students to think creatively



More exercises:
TOEFL listening speed writing exercise








Answers: 

12: d
13: a
14: d
15: c
16: b
17: b

TOEFL Listening - Archaeology !

Click the PLAY Button (The conversation starts after few seconds) and Listen to this conversation once. During the conversation try to take as many notes as possible using you scratch paper. Then answer to the questions below.

1: What is the talk mainly about?

a) Leptis Magna
b) Ptolemais
c) Libya's archaeological sites
d) Roman and Phoenician settlements


2: In the lecture, the professor describes the findings at leptis Magna. Indicate whether each of the following is one which was mentioned

a) Cisterns
b) amphitheater
c) Mosaic tiles
d) School
e) Basilica


3: Why does the professor mention the Phoenicians?

a) To explain who founded Ptolemais
b) To explain who founded Leptis Magna
c) To explain why traders were important to North africa
d) To give a short history of North Africa


4: According to the professor, what is the importance of the cisterns?

a) They stored water for the people of Ptolemies
b) They carried water for the people of Ptolemies
c) They were used in the heating of houses
d) They were used in the baths


5: What does the professor mean when he says this...

a) To tell students that the class will mainly deal with these sites
b) To show how the discoveries wil shed new light on ancient lives
c) To point out new opportunities for employment may result for archaeologists
d) All of the above


6: Why does the professor say this...
a) To explain the cost of excavating
b) To explain there are not enough people to excavate
c) To explain how long it takes to unearth an entire site
d) To explain the extent of finished excavation


Answers are at the bottom of this page




More exercises:
TOEFL listening speed writing exercise





Answers
1: c
2: YES=b, e NO=a, c, d
3: b
4: a
5: a
6: d

TOEFL Resourses - All the Books at a Glance!

Lately, People are asking me about which is the best book to get high score on TOEFL.
Trust me there is no straight answer. One book worked for me doesn't mean that one will work for you. We have our own way to learn and practice. 
And The good news is that the books and practice materials availble in the markets have different ways to tackle this test.
So, its better you have a look at each of them and decide which one will be better for you. 
You can do one other thing, Choose a book and ask me! May be I will be able tell you its quality and maybe provide you with a sample.
Here they are! Click on the images for detail - 

Need more? Search below! 

A Must have Book for TOEFL!

If you don't own this book, then your preparation for TOEFL is incomplete.

This book is amazing. Reasons - 

{The author has tried to group words with their relative use and meaning.}

{The exercises are awesome.}

{Only 400 high frequency TOEFL words}

{After reading this book you will know what type of words you are going to have on TOEFL}

{You can use this books strategy for Other exams too like GRE, GMAT. IELTS}

There are other books. I will let you alter.

P.S - I have the Sample soft copy. please give me your email address in the comment section to avail one. But try to but the book.

Another Book you must have to score high on TOEFL!

TOEFL IELTS Vocabulary fun - Y

<--- See TOEFL Vocabulary Fun - Post 01

These words are frequently found on TOEFL tests. I have provided useful meaning and Memory tricks to memorizing them. Learn them, Above all practice!

Vocabulary Fun!

Yen

• (noun)  strong desire; longing; urge; ex. Yen for travel

Mnemonics

Yen

• (tag: ) Yen is also the currency of Japan, so you are having the strong desire of going to Japan and get some Yens from there.

Yeoman

• (noun)  man or farmer owning small estate; middle-class farmer

Mnemonics

• (tag: ) relate with Yo-man . A self satisfied middle class farmer always says yo man.

Yield

• (noun)  amount produced; crop; income on investment; profit obtained from an investment; v: produce; give in; surrender

Mnemonics

• (tag: ) yield sounds similar to field, and field is a area where crop is produced, and the amount(of crop usually ) produced is much  higher than the initial seeds.

Yoke

• (noun)  join together; unite; n: crossbar used to joining two draft animals

Mnemonics

• yoke: Replace y with j joke, you know a joke and a laugh brings, joins people together.

Yokel

• (noun) a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture

 Monemonics

• sound like LOCAL..a local person who visits foreign countries is a rustic

Yore

• (noun) time long past; ex. In the days of yore

Mnemonics

• Yore sounds like bore....and we get bored when we see an old movie..or of time long past..
  

See TOEFL Vocabulary Fun - Post 02 ---->