TOEFL the Official Test

SHORT CONVERSATIONS

1. DETAILS
EXAMPLE. Front desk how may I help you?
I’d like to arrange a wake-up call for tomorrow morning at seven o’clock, please.
Question. When does the woman want to get up tomorrow?

2. IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
EXAMPLE. I’m single. In fact, I’ve never been married.
No kidding!
Question. What does the woman mean?

3. SUGGESTIONS
EXAMPLE. Do you know if there is a lost and found on campus? I left my book bag in this room earlier, and its gone.
Too bad. Look, why don’t you check with your teacher first? maybe someone in your class turned it in.
Question. What does the man suggest that the woman do?

4. ASSUMPTIONS
EXAMPLE. Let’s just e-mail our response to Larry instead of calling.
Larry has an e-mail address?
Question. What we had the man assumed about Larry?

5. PREDICTIONS
EXAMPLE. Could you please book me on the next flight out to Los Angeles?
I am sorry, sir. Continental doesn’t fly into Los Angeles. Why don’t you try Northern or Worldwide?
Question. What will the man probably do?

6. IMPLICATIONS
EXAMPLE. Where is Anita? We were supposed to go to the library to study.
Well, here is her coat. And her books are over there on the chair.
Question. What does the woman imply about Anita?

7. PROBLEMS
EXAMPLE. It only take two hours to get to New York, but you will have a six-hour layover between flights.
Maybe you could try routing me through Philadelphia or Boston Instead.
Question. What is the man’s problem?

8. TOPICS
EXAMPLE. Tell me about your trip to New York.
It was great! We saw the statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building and all of the tourist attractions the first day, then we saw the museums the second day and spent the rest of the time shopping and seeing shows.
Question. What are the man and woman talking about?

9. INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS
EXAMPLE. Are you Mrs. Williams?
Why, yes!
I’ m Ted Parker. I talked with you on the telephone earlier today.
Oh, good.
Let me show you what we have in anew Oldsmobile Cutlass.
I want to look at last year’s model, too, if you have any.
I have one. A red Delta 88, with 2000 miles on it. It was a demonstrator.
A demonstrator?
That mean that only the sales staff have driven it.
Oh, well, let’s just look at the new ones then.
Okay. Everything on this side of the lot is the Cutlass model. You said on the phone that you are looking for automatic. Did you have any idea of other options that you’d like to have on the car? Air conditioning, powers windows, maybe cruise control?
Just air conditioning…. And an FM radio
Then I suggest that you just spend some time looking at the cars in the last row there. Those six. They have the options and the prices on the sticker on the window, and if you have any questions, I’ll be glad to help you.
Thank you.
Let me just say that the best way to know whether you want a car is to drive it. So, when you find something you think you may be interested in, we can take it our for a test drive and let you get the feel of it.
Okay. That sounds like a good idea.
Question. Who is the man?
What is the woman looking for?
Besides automatic shift, what options does the woman want?
What will the women probably do?

10. ACADEMICS CONVERSATIONS
EXAMPLE. Do you have a minute, Dr. Peterson?
Sure. Come on in, Marcy. What’s the problem?
Well, I’m not sure. I got this letter, and I don’t understand it very well.
Let’s see it
It’s from the Financial Aid Office. Are they going to cancel my student aid?
I would hope not. Hmmmn. Oh I see. Here’s what happened. You are only registered for three hours next semester.
That’s true, but I plan to register for another class during open registration. I heard about a new environmental science course, and I’m waiting for it to be assigned a sequence number.
Well, then, you don’t have a problem. You see, the terms of your grant require that you take at least six hours per semester.
I know, but I have never gotten a letter before.
I think it’s a new procedure. Don’t worry about it. Just be sure to sign up for at least three more hours before the beginning of the semester.
Thanks, Dr. Peterson. I’m really glad you were in your office today.
Question. What is Marcy’s problem?
Why did Marcy receive a letter?
What had Marcy planned to do?
How does Marcy feel when she leaves Dr. Peterson’s office?

11. CLASS DISCUSSIONS
EXAMPLE. Good morning. My name is Miss Richards, and I’ll be your instructor for career Education 100. Before we get started, I’d appreciate it if you would introduce your selves and tell us a little bit about why you decided to take this class. Let’s start here……
I’m Bill Jensen, and I’m sophomore this term, but I still haven’t decided what to major in. I hope that this class will help me.
Good, I hope so, too. Next.
I’m Patty Davis, and I’m majoring in foreign languages, but I’m not sure what kind of job I can get after I graduate.
Are you sophomore, too, patty?
No. I’m a senior. I wish I’d taken this class sooner, but I didn’t know about it until this term.
Didn’t your advisor tell you about it?
No. a friend of mine took it last year, and it helped her a lot.
How did you find out about the course, Bill?
The same way Patty did. A friend of mine told me about it.
Question. In what class does this discussion take place?
What are two students talking about?
Why is the woman taking the course?
How did the students find out about the course?