Universitas PGRI Semarang

TOEFL Module
Unit Sertifikasi Bahasa
UPT LSP Universitas PGRI Semarang
UNIVERSITAS PGRI SEMARANG
TOEFL MODULE
SECTION 1
LISTENING COMPREHENSION

The first section of the TOEFL test is the Listening Comprehension section.
This section consists of fifty questions (some tests maybe longer). You will
listen to the recorded materials and respond to questions about the material.
You must listen carefully, because you will hear the recording one time only,
and the material on the recording is not written on screen.

There are three parts in the Listening Comprehension section of the TOEFL
test:

1. Part A: Consists of thirty short conversations, each followed by a

question. You must choose the best answer to each question from the
four choices in your screen.
2. Part B: Consists of two long conversations, each followed by a number
of questions. You must choose the best answer to each question from
the four choices in your screen.
3. Part C: consists of three talks, each by a number of questions. You
must choose the best answer to each question from the four choices in
your screen.

GENERAL STRATEGIES
1. Be familiar with the directions. The directions on every TOEFL test
are the same, so it is not necessary to listen carefully to them each
time. You should be completely familiar with the directions before the
day of the test.

2. Listen carefully to the conversations and talks. You should

concentrate fully on what the speakers are saying in the recording
program, because you will hear it one time only.
3. Know where the easier and more difficult questions are generally
found. Within each part of the Listening Comprehension section, the
questions generally progress from easy to difficult.
4. Never leave any answers blank on your answer sheet. Even if you
are unsure of the correct response, you should answer each question.
There is no penalty for guessing.
5. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the
questions that follow. When you finish with one question, you may
have time to look ahead at the answers to the next question.
LISTENING PART A

For each of the thirty questions in Part A of the Listening Comprehension

section of the TOEFL test, you will hear a short conversation between two
speakers followed by a question. After you listen to the conversation and
question, you must choose the best answer to the question from your test
book.

Example

On the recording, you hear:

(man) I've always wanted to visit Hawaii with you.
(woman) Why not next month?
(narrator) What does the wom an mean?

In your test book, you read:

(A) Next month isn't a good time for the trip.
(B) She doesn’t want to go to Hawaii.
(C) She suggests taking the trip next month.
(D) She’s curious about why he doesn't want to go.

Answer (C) is the best answer to the question. Why not next month? is a
suggestion that they take the trip next month.

STRATEGIES
Skill I: FOCUS ON THE SECOND LINE

The following chart outlines the most important strategy for listening part A:

Strategy 1: Focus on the second line

1 The second line of the conversation probably contains the answer to
the question.
2 Listen to the first line of the conversation. If you understand it, that’s
good. If you don’t understand it, don’t worry because it probably
does not contain the answer.
3 Be ready to focus on the second line of the conversation because it
probably contains the answer. Repeat the second line in your mind
as you read through the answers in the text.

In Listening Part A you will hear a short conversation involving two people;
this conversation is followed by a question. It is important to understand that
the answer to this type of question is most often (but not always!) found in the
second line of the conversation.

Example

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Billy really made a big mistake this time.
(woman) Yes, he forgot to turn in his research paper.
(narrator) What does the woman say about Billy?

In your test book, you read:

(A) It was the first time he made a mistake.
(B) He forgot to write his paper.
(C) He turned in the paper in the wrong place.
(D) He didn’t remember to submit his assignment.

The second line of this conversation indicates that Billy forgot to turn in his
paper, and this means that he did not remember to submit it. The best answer
is therefore answer (D).

Skill 2: CHOOSE ANSWERS WITH SYNONYMS

The following chart outlines a very important strategy for Listening Part A:

Strategy 2: Choose answers with synonyms

1. As you listen to the second line of the conversation, focus on key
words in that line.
2. If you see any synonyms for key words in a particular answer,
then you have probably found
the correct answer.

Often the correct answer in Listening Part A is an answer that contains

synonyms (words with similar meanings but different sounds) for key words
in the conversation.

Example
On the recording, you hear:
(woman) Why is Barbara feeling so happy?
(man) She just started working in a real estate agency.
(narrator) What does the man say about Barbara?
In your test book, you read:
(A) She always liked her work in real estate.
(B) She began a new job.
(C) She just bought some real estate.
(D) She bought a real estate agency.

In this conversation, the key word started means began, and the key word
working refers to job. The best answer to this question is therefore answer (B).

Skill 3: AVOID SIMILAR SOUNDS

The following chart outlines a very important strategy for Listening Part A:

Strategy 3: Avoid similar sounds

1. Identify key words in the second line of the conversation.
2. Identify words in the answers that contain similar sounds, and do
not choose these answers.

Often the incorrect answers in Listening Part A are answers that contain
words with similar sounds but very different meanings from what you hear in
the recording program. You should definitely avoid these answers.

Example

On the recording, you hear:

(man) Why couldn't Mark come with us?

(woman) He was searching for a new apartment.
(narrator) What does the woman say about Mark?

In your test book, you read:

(A) He was in the department office.

(B) He was looking for a place to live.
(C) He was working on his research project.
(D) He had an appointment at church.

The key words in the second line of the conversation are searching and
apartment. In answers (C) and (D) the words research and church sound like
search, so these answers are incorrect. In answers (A) and (D), the words
department and appointment sound like apartment, so these answers are
incorrect. The best answer is therefore answer (B).

LISTENING PART B

STRATEGIES FOR THE LISTENING PART B QUESTIONS

1. If you have time, preview the answers to the Listening Part B
questions. While you are looking at the answers, you should try to
do the following:
•Anticipate the topics of the conversations you will hear.
•Anticipate the questions for each of the groups of answers.
2. Listen carefully to the first line of the conversation. The first line of
the conversation often contains the main idea, subject, or topic of
the conversation, and you will often be asked to answer such
questions.
3. As you listen to the conversation, draw conclusions about the
situation of the conversation: who is talking, here the conversation
takes place, or when it takes place. You will often be asked to make
such inferences about the conversation.
4. As you listen to the conversation, follow along with the answers in
your test book and try to determine the correct answers. Detail
questions are generally answered In order in the conversation, and
the answers often sound the same as what is said in the recording
program.
5. You should guess even if you are not sure. Never leave any
answers blank.
6. Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the
questions that follow.

Part B of the Listening Comprehension section of the TOEFL test consists of

two long conversations, each followed by a number of questions. You will
hear the conversations and the questions on the recording; they are not
written in your screen. You must choose the best answer to each question
from the four choices that are written in your screen.

The conversations are often about some aspects of school life (how difficult a
class is, how to write a research paper, how to register for a course). the
conversations can also be about topics currently in the news in the United
States (desalination of water supply, recycling of used products, damage from
a storm or some other type of natural phenomenon).

Example
On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): Questions I through 4. Listen to a conversation

between a professor and a student.
(man) : Hello, Professor Denton. Are you free for a moment?
Could I have a word with you?
(woman) : Come on in, Michael. Of course I have some time.
These are my office hours, and this b the right time for
you to come and ask questions. Now, how can I help
you?
(man) : Well, I have a quick question for you about the
homework assignment for tomorrow. I thought the
assignment was to answer the first three questions at
the top o f page 67 in the text, but when I looked, there
weren't any questions there. I'm confused.
(woman): The assignment was to answer the first three questions
at the top of page 76, not 67.
(man): Oh, now I understand. I ’m glad I came in to check.
Thanks for your help.
(woman): No problem. See you tomorrow.

Questions:

1. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): Who is the man?
In your screen, you read:
(A) A professor.
(B) An office worker.
(C) Professor Denton’s assistant.
(D) A student.

2. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): When does the man come to see Professor Denton?
In your test book, you read:
(A) During regular class hours.
(B) Just before class time.
 (C) As soon as class is finished.
(D) During office hours.

3. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): Why does the man come to see Professor Denton?
In your test book, you read:
(A) To turn in an assignment.
(B) To ask a question.
(C) To pick up a completed test.
(D) To explain why he did not attend class.

4. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): What incorrect information did the man have?
In your test book, you read:
(A) The date the assignment was due.
(B) The page number of the assignment.
(C) The length of the assignment.
(D) The numbers of the assignment questions.

The first question asks you to determine who the man is. Since the man opens
the conversation with Professor Denton and he asks about the page number
of an assignment for tomorrow, he is probably a student. The best answer to
this question is therefore answer (D). The second question asks about when
the man comes to see the professor. The professor says that these are my office
hours, so the best answer to this question is answer (D). The third question
asks why the man comes to see the professor. Since the man says I have a
quick question for you, the best answer to this question is answer (B). The last
question asks what incorrect information the man has. The man thought that
the assignment was on page 67 and not page 76, so he has mistaken about the
page number of the assignment. The best answer to this question is answer
(B)

LISTENING PART C

STRATEGIES FOR THE LISTENING PART C QUESTIONS

1. If you have time, preview the answers to the Listening Part C
questions. While you are looking at the answers, you should try to do the
following:
•Anticipate the topics of the talks you will hear.
•Anticipate the questions for each of the groups of answers.
 2 Listen carefully to the first line of the talk. The first line of the talk often
contains the main idea, subject, or topic of the talk, and you will often be
asked this type of question.
3 As you listen to the talk, draw conclusions about the situation of the
talk: who is talking, where or when the talk takes place, which course this
lecture might be given in. You will often be asked to make such inferences
about the talk.
4 As you listen to the talk, follow along with the answers in your test book
and try to determine the correct answers. Detail questions are generally
answered in order in the talk, and the answers often sound the same as
what Is said on the recording.
5 You should guess even if you are not sure. Never leave any answers
blank.
6 Use any remaining time to look ahead at the answers to the questions
that follow.

Part C of the Listening Comprehension section of the TOEFL test consists of

three talks, each followed by a number of questions. You will hear the talks
and the questions on a recording; they are not written in your text book. You
must choose the best answer to each question from the four choices that are
written in your text book. Like the conversations in listening part B, the talks
are often about some aspects of school life or topics currently in the news. It
is also very common for the talks to be shortened versions of lectures from
courses taught in American colleges and universities.

Example
On the recording, you hear:
(narrator): Questions 1 through 4. Listen to a talk about the settlement of
America.
(woman): The settling of the vast farmlands in central North America was
delayed at least partly because of an error by one man. In the
early nineteenth century, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike of the U.S.
Army was sent out to explore and chart the huge expanses of
land in the center of the continent. When he returned from his
explorations, he wrote a report in which he erroneously stated
that the vast plains in the central part of the continent were
desertlike, comparable to the Sahara in Africa. In reality,
however, these vast plains contained some of the most fertile
farmland in the world. Because of Pike’s mistake, the maps of
the day depicted the central part of what is today the United
States as a vast desert rather than the excellent and available
 farmland that it was. This mistaken belief about the nature o f
those lands caused settlers to avoid the central plains for years.

Questions:
1. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): What is the topic of this talk?

In your test book, you read:
(A) Zebulon Pike’s career.
(B) A mistake that influenced the settlement of America.
(C) A report for the army.
(D) The farmlands.

2. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): How did Pike describe the area that he

explored?
In your test book, you read:
(A) As a desert.
(B) As usable for army purposes.
(C) As located in the Sahara.
(D) As available for farmland.

3. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): What was this area really like?

In your test book, you read:
(A) It was a vast desert.
(B) It was covered with farms.
(C) It was excellent farmland.
(D) It was similar to the Sahara.

4. On the recording, you hear:

(narrator): This talk would probably be given in which of the following

courses?
In your test book, you read:
(A) Agricultural Science.
(B) American History.
(C) Geology of the United States.
(D) Military Science.
The first question asks about the topic of the talk. The topic of the talk is found
in the first sentence of the talk: The settling of the vast farmlands in central
North America was delayed at least partly because of an error by one man.
Therefore, the best answer to the question is (B).
The second question is a detail question that asks how Pike described this
area. It is stated in the talk that Pike wrote a report in which he errenously
stated that the vast plains in the central part on the continent were desert like
. . . Therefore, the best answer to this question is (A)
The third question is an additional detail question that asks what the area was
really like. Because the talk indicates that in reality . . . these vast plains
contained some of the most fertile farmland in the world, the best answer to
this question is (C)
The fourth question is an interference question. It asks in which course this
course would probably be given. The word probably indicates to you that the
question is not answered directly in the talk. You must draw a conclusion
from the information in the talk to answer this question. Because this talk
refers to the early nineteenth century and discusses the settling of the vast
farmlands in central North America. It would probably given in an American
History course. The best answer to this question is (B).
SECTION 2
STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION
The second section of the TOEFL test is the Structure and Written Expression
section. This section consists of forty questions (some tests may be longer).
You have twenty-five minutes to complete the forty questions in this section.
there are two types of questions in the Structure and Written expression
section of the TOEFL test:

Part 1: Structure (Questions 1-15). It consists of fifteen sentences in which part

of the sentence has been replaced with a blank. Each sentence is followed by
four answer choices. You must choose the answer that completes the sentence
in a grammatically correct way.

Part 2: Written expression (questions 16-40). It consists of twenty-five

sentences in which four words or groups of words have been underlined. You
must choose the underlined word or group of words that is not correct.

GENERAL STRATEGIES
1. Be familiar with the directions. The directions on every TOEFL
test are the same, so it is not necessary to spend time reading the
directions carefully when you take the test. You should be
completely familiar with the directions before the day of the test.
2. Begin with questions 1 through 15. Anticipate that questions I
through 5 will be the easiest. Anticipate that questions 11 through
15 will be the most difficult. Do not spend too much time on
questions 11 through 15. There will be easier questions that come
later.
3. Continue with questions 16 through 40. Anticipate that questions
16 through 20 will be the easiest. Anticipate that questions 36
through 40 will be the most difficult. Do not spend too much time
on questions 36 through 40.
4. If you have time, return to questions 11 through 15. You should
spend extra time on questions 11 through 15 only after you spend
all the time that you want on the easier questions.
5. Never leave any answers blank on your answer sheet. Even if you
are not sure of the correct response, you should answer each
question. There is no penalty for guessing.
 THE STRUCTURE QUESTIONS

STRATEGIES FOR THE STRUCTURE QUESTIONS

1. First study the sentence. Your purpose is to determine what is
needed to complete the sentence correctly
2. Then study each answer based on how well it completes the
sentence. Eliminate answers that do not complete the sentence
correctly.
3. Do not try to eliminate incorrect answers by looking only at the
answers. The incorrect answers are generally correct by themselves.
The incorrect answers are generally incorrect only when used to
complete the sentence.
4. Never leave any answers blank. Be sure to answer each question
even if you are unsure of the correct response.
5. Do not spend too much time on the Structure questions. Be sure to
leave adequate time for the Written Expression questions.

In the TOEFL test, questions 1 through 15 of the Structure and Written

Expression section test your knowledge of the correct structure of English
sentences. The questions in this section are multiple-choice questions in
which you must choose the letter of the answer that best completes the
sentence.

Example

_______ is taking a trip to New York.

(A) They
(B) When
(C) The woman
(D) Her

In this example, you should notice immediately that the sentence has a verb
(is taking) and that the verb needs a subject. Answers (B) and (D) are incorrect
because when and her are not subjects. In answer (A), they is a subject, but
they is plural and the verb is taking is singular. The correct answer is answer
(C); the woman is a singular subject. You should therefore choose answer (C).
The following are TOEFL structure questions for you to exercise:

1. Vegetables are an excellent source ________ vitamins.

A. have
B. of
C. where
D. contain

2.Microscopes make small things appear larger than ________.

A. really are
B. are really
C. are they really
D. they really are

3. The city of Montreal ________ on an island in the Saint Lawrence River.

A. was built
B. has built
C. that built
D. built

4. A singer's struggle to succeed in popular music is the kind of story

________ a fascinating film could be made.
A. with
B. by
C. for whom
D. about which

5. In the past, lions _______ common in many parts of the world.

A. were
B. once
C. when
D. only

THE WRITTEN EXPRESSION QUESTIONS

STRATEGIES FOR THE WRITTEN EXPRESSION QUESTIONS

1. First look at the underlined words or groups of words. You want
to see if you can spot which of the four answer choices is not correct.
2. If you have been unable to find the error by looking only at the
four underlined expressions, then read the complete sentence.
 Often underlined expression is incorrect because of something in
another part of the sentence.
3. Never leave any answers blank. Be sure to answer each question
even if you are unsure of the correct response.

Questions 16 through 40 in the Structure and Written Expression section of

the TOEFL test examine your knowledge of the correct way to express
yourself in English writing. Each question in this section consists of one
sentence in which four words or groups of words have been underlined. You
must choose the letter of the word or group of words that is not correct.

Example I

The final delivery of the day is the importantest.

A B C D

If you look at the underlined words in this example, you should notice
immediately that importantest is not correct. The correct superlative form of
important is the most important. Therefore, you should choose answer (D)
because (D) is not correct.

Example II

The books that I read was interesting.

A B C D

If you look at the underlined words in this example, each words by itself
appears to be correct. However, the singular verb was is incorrect because it
does not agree with the plural subject books, the verb should be were instead.
Therefore, you should choose answer (C) because (C) is not correct.

The following are TOEFL structure questions for you to exercise:

1. Segregation in public schools was declare unconstitutional by the supreme

A B C
court in 1954.
D
2. Sirius, the Dog Star, is the most brightest star in the sky with an absolute
A B
magnitude about twenty-three times that of the sun
C D
3. Killer whales tend to wander in family clusters that hunt, play, and
A B C
resting together.
D
4. Some of the most useful resistor material are carbon, metals, and
A B C
metallic alloys.
D
5. The community of Bethesda, Maryland was previous known as Darcy’s
A B C D
Store.
SECTION 3
READING COMPREHENSION
GENERAL STRATEGIES
1. Be familiar with the directions. The directions on every TOEFL
test are the same, so it is not necessary to spend time reading the
directions carefully when you take the test. You should be
completely familiar with the directions before the day of the test.
2. Do not spend too much time reading the passages! You do not
have time to read each reading passage in depth, and it is quite
possible to answer the questions correctly without first reading the
passages in depth. Some students prefer to spend a minute or two
on each passage reading for the main idea before starting on the
questions. Other students prefer to move directly to the questions
without reading the passages first.
3. Do not worry if a reading passage is on a topic that you are
unfamiliar with. All of the information that you need to answer
the questions is Included in the passages. You do not need any
background knowledge to answer the questions.
4. Never leave any answers blank on your answer sheet. Even If
you are unsure of the correct response, you should answer each
question. There is no penalty for guessing.

The third section of the TOEFL test is the Reading Comprehension section.
this section consists of fifty questions (some tests may be longer). You have
fifty-five minutes to complete the fifty questions in this section.

In this part of the test, you will be given reading passages, and you will be
asked two questions about the reading passages.

1. Reading Comprehension: this type of questions asks you to answer

questions about the information given in the reading passages. There will be
a variety of questions about each reading passage, including main idea
questions, directly answered detail questions, and implied detail questions.

2. Vocabulary questions: this type of questions ask you to identify the

meanings of vocabulary words in the reading passages. To answer these
questions, you may have to know the meanings of some of the words by
understanding the context surrounding the words, by using structural clues
to identify the meanings of the words, or by breaking down the unknown
word parts in order to identify them.

The following are TOEFL reading comprehension questions for you to

exercise. Read the reading passage below and try answer the questions:

The Alaska pipeline starts at the frozen edge of the Arctic Ocean. It
stretches southward across the largest and northernmost state in the
United States, ending at a remote ice-free seaport village nearly 800 miles
from where it begins. It is massive in size and extremely complicated to
operate.

The steel pipe crosses windswept plains and endless miles of delicate
tundra that tops the frozen ground. It weaves through crooked canyons,
climbs sheer mountains, plunges over rocky crags, makes its way through
thick forests, and passes over or under hundreds of rivers and streams.
The pipe is 4 feet in diameter, and up to 2 million barrels (or 84 million
gallons) of crude oil can be pumped through it daily.

Resting on H-shaped steel racks called "bents," long sections of the

pipeline follow a zigzag course high above the frozen earth. Other long
sections drop out of sight beneath spongy or rocky ground and return to
the surface later on. The pattern of the pipeline's up-and-down route is
determined by the often-harsh demands of the arctic and subarctic
climate, the tortuous lay of the land, and the varied compositions of soil,
rock, or permafrost (permanently frozen ground). A little more than half
of the pipeline is elevated above the ground. The remainder is buried
anywhere from 3 to 12 feet, depending largely upon the type of terrain
and the properties of the soil.

One of the largest in the world, the pipeline cost approximately $8 billion
and is by far the biggest and most expensive construction project ever
undertaken by private industry. In fact, no single business could raise
that much money, so eight major oil companies formed a consortium in
order to share the costs. Each company controlled oil rights to particular
shares of land in the oil fields and paid into the pipeline-construction fund
according to the size of its holdings. Today, despite enormous problems
of climate, supply shortages, equipment breakdowns, labor
disagreements, treacherous terrain, a certain amount of mismanagement,
and even theft, the Alaska pipeline has been completed and is operating.
1. The passage primarily discusses the pipeline's
A. operating costs
B. employees
C. consumers
D. construction
2. The word "it" in paragraph 1 refers to the
A. pipeline
B. ocean
C. state
D. village
3. According to the second paragraph, 84 million gallons of oil can travel
through the pipeline each
A. day
B. week
C. month
D. year
4. The phrase "Resting on" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
A. Consisting of
B. Supported by
C. Passing under
D. Protected with
5. The author mentions all of the following in the third paragraph as
important in determining the pipeline's route EXCEPT the
A. climate
B. lay of the land itself
C. local vegetation
D. kind of soil and rock
6. The word "undertaken" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. removed
B. selected
C. transported
D. attempted
7. According to the last paragraph, how many companies shared the costs
of constructing the pipeline?
A. three
B. four
 C. eight
D. twelve
8. The word "particular" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. peculiar
B. specific
C. exceptional
D. equal
9. According to the last paragraph, which of the following determined
what percentage of the construction costs each member of the consortium
would pay?
A. How much oil field land each company owned
B. How long each company had owned land in the oil fields
C. How many people worked for each company
D. How many oil wells were located on the company's land
10. Where in the passage does the author provide a term for a layer of soil
that always remains frozen?
A. Paragraph 1
B. Paragraph 2
C. Paragraph 3
D. Paragraph 4
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gear, J., & Gear, R. (2002). Cambridge Preparation for the TOEFL® Test Book
with CD-ROM (Vol. 1). Cambridge University Press.

Phillips, D. (2001). Longman introductory course for the TOEFL test. Longman.

Educational Testing Service. (2012). The official guide to the TOEFL test.
McGraw Hill Professional.

Matthiesen, S. J. (2017). Essential Words for the TOEFL. Simon and Schuster.

Kaplan, M. (2020). English Grammar for University Students: A Useful Grammar

Book for TOEFL, IELTS, and Other English Exams (Vol. 1). Murat Kaplan.

Shanks, J. (2004). TOEFL Paper-and-Pencil. Simon and Schuster.

Riyanto, S., & Handhini, A. C. (2023). THE BEST BOOK OF TOEFL

PREPARATION: Raih Skor TOEFL Minimal 500. Penerbit Andi.