12 More Type 1 and Type 2 Speaking Questions

Describe a hobby that you can make money from?
(for example, coin or stamp collecting)

Would you prefer to use the library or the internet for a research paper?
(I would choose the library since the knowledge gained from books is more reliable than most web sites and, actually, books are often grouped together by topic, so it can be easier to obtain all the books you need at one time.)

What personal trait do you want to be admired for?
(Honesty, being a hard-worker, a problem-solver, being compassionate...)

Would you prefer a multi-choice or essay test?
(Multi-choice requires more memorization while an essay test requires the processing of information. So you are choosing between a tedious but easy process or a more meaningful but more difficult process)

Describe a place which has great meaning for you?
(It could be personal meaning: your grandmother's house - or historical meaning: the tomb of Alexander Hamilton.)

Should you stay at home after college or move immediately?
(Do you value independence or financial security?)

Should the national anthem be played before a baseball game?
(Do you think politics should be removed completely from sports?)

Describe a situation that helped you realize you were stronger than you thought.

Other than passing the TOEFL describe a situation that would make you feel very satisfied.

Are art and music are more important than vocational (job) studies?

If you could only do one thing a day to get exercise, what would you do?

Competition is generally good or bad?

Daniel Gauss

How to answer TOEFL speaking question 3

Example of academic policy reading passage:

The Office of the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences would like to announce that starting with the current freshman class, there will be an 'African American Experience' course requirement. In order to graduate, each student will be required to take one three-credit course dealing with this topic. Various academic departments will be collaborating to design various courses to help students meet this requirement. LAS has made this decision because the African American experience has been traditionally neglected in US history text books. Furthermore, recent developments in US history reveal lingering racial tensions and conflicts and LAS feels its students should be aware of the causes of contemporary historical conflicts as well as possibilities for resolving them.

Example of a dialogue between two students concerning this new policy decision:

Joe: I'm really upset about this new African American experience class.

Maggie: Why? I think the university is right on top of things. This is definitely necessary these days with all the protests and events in the news.

Joe: Well, that's my point. This is a politically motivated class they are shoving down my throat. A few students start protesting on campus and I have to add one more class, it's ridiculous. The university is under pressure by protesters and I need to do what a bunch of trouble-makers want me to do. I should try to organize counter-protests.

Maggie: I think the protesters just brought an important and neglected issue to everyone's attention.

Joe: Also, what if Latino students start complaining? Or Asian students? Every time a different ethnic or racial group protests I need to take another course about that group? Nonsense. Let them fix the American history class so that I get the info I need, instead of tacking extra courses on. I want to know the truth so find a text book that helps me learn in the first place.

Maggie: Well, I'm looking forward to the class. 

---------------------------------

For the reading passage, it might be a good idea to simply talk about what is happening and why. ***So when you read, just read for what is happening and why.***

In this academic policy announcement from the Dean's Office, we learn that students, starting from this freshman class, will have to start taking an African American experience course. This is due to the fact that US history textbooks have neglected this topic and students need to know about what is causing current events.

Now transition into the listening section.

However, the male student in the dialogue strongly objects to this new policy initiative.

Now explain why he is upset.

First of all, he is upset because he perceives this new class to be politically motivated. He feels that the university is only trying to placate protesters. The university is not interested in providing the truth, but in making a group of trouble-makers happy. He implies that he is being forced to learn something only because of disruptive protests.

Secondly, he is concerned about the consequences of the university doing what protesters want it to do. He states that other ethnic or racial groups may also protest in order to change the curriculum. He asserts that the university should focus on the real problem instead: the US history text books. Instead of making him take another class, the school should find a history text that provides the truth.

Do you need a conclusion? Probably not (based on what I've seen elsewhere), but here's a quick one anyway:

Obviously the university is trying to address a controversial problem and this student's objection should be no surprise.

--------------

If you need to get in touch with me for any reason, you can email djg51qu@gmail.com

Recent speaking question types from the July 2013 test in Manhattan

Someone informed me that TOEFL seems to have changed it's format for Type 1 and Type 2 speaking questions.

He stated that the first question for the Type 1 question provided 3 choices.  i.e. If you were to do volunteer work, which type of work would you choose: 1) Talk to elderly people to make sure they are not lonely. 2) Visit patients in a hospital. Or, 3) (the person could not remember the third choice)

For the second question the person was asked whether he would like to work at a job in which he worked alone, or with a small group of people.

If this information is true, TOEFL does not always provide a 'descriptive' question followed by a 'choice' question.  Therefore you should be aware of that...

How to Handle The "Advantages/Disadvantages" Topic

Last month a student told me that one of the first two speaking topics was a bit different from the normal or traditional TOEFL format. 

Lately ETS has sometimes been asking a question like: What are the advantages and disadvantages of universities allowing students to park on campus?  

Or: What are the advantages and disadvantages of online learning or living on campus or getting married later in life etc.

This type of question is easy to answer. :)  Just list two advantages and two disadvantages with an example for each.  You are probably not going to have time to have a fancy intro or conclusion.  Just mention two advantages with examples (if you have enough time) and two disadvantages with examples (if you have enough time).

Here's how to do it:

Well, the first advantage of letting students drive their cars to campus is that they can stay later at school.  For example, some buses stop running at 10 or 11pm in some cities.  The second advantage is convenience. Obviously if I have a car I can get to school faster and easier at all times and in all types of weather.  A disadvantage is that everyone will want to drive to school and there might not be enough parking spaces.  A student might actually be late for class because he/she has to drive around looking for a spot.  Also, taking public transportation is better for the environment.  The university should discourage students from driving so that they can help protect the environment from the carbon emissions of so many cars.

TOEFL Speaking Topics 1 and 2

TOEFL Speaking Topics 1 and 2:

Usually they ask you to speak for 45 seconds describing something.  Then they ask you to speak for 45 seconds explaining why you like one thing over another.

Lately, however, students have been telling me that they now sometimes ask you to write about "advantages and disadvantages" of something. 

Yet, I recently met someone who took the test in Manhattan and she told me the first 45 second question was something like: Do you prefer to listen to lectures or do you prefer to self-study?   She then said the second was something like: Would it be more difficult to work in a hospital, office or police station?  So this was, basically, the traditional "preference" and "description" format.

What's the best format with which to answer these first two types of questions?

Use the Gauss method :P

Intro
Reason #1
Example #1
Reason #2
Example #2
Conclusion (beginning with the word 'although')


Question Number 1:

Example:  Which do you prefer coffee or tea?

You only have 45 seconds, so come up with brief sentences for each part of the format.

Intro: I always wake up to a good cup of green tea in the morning.  I can't live without it.  So I'd pick tea for two reasons.

Reason #1: Green tea is good for a person's health.

Example #1: For example, I read in the NY Times that if a person drinks 4 cups of green tea per day, his risk of getting a heart attack will be decreased by 45%.

Reason #2: Second of all, I like the way tea tastes.

Example #2:  For instance, coffee has a very strong and bitter taste. If I put a little honey into my green tea, however, it tastes absolutely delicious.  

Conclusion (using 'although'): Although most people wake up to coffee because it has a stronger amount of caffeine and can really wake you up fast, I usually get a good night's sleep so I am more concerned about my health and the taste of my morning drink.

Isn't that a good format?  Practice the althoughs!!!!!!  If you can give your answer a nice tight ending, you'll impress the grader.

But, what if they ask you to describe something? You can use the same format.


Question Number 2:

Example: Describe your favorite building in your hometown.

Intro:  I love older, classic architecture, and so Trinity Church on Broadway and Wall Street is my favorite building for two reasons.

Reason #1: First of all, it has an amazing cemetery surrounding it.

Example #1: The cemetery has graves and tombstones going back to the 1600s.  The tombstones are actually quite scary, with skulls and cross bones and written warnings about living a good life.  The tomb of Alexander Hamilton is also there.

Reason #2:  Second of all, the church looks beautiful in contrast to the surrounding buildings.

Example #2:  Almost every building surrounding Trinity is an office building or skyscraper and most of these buildings are gray or silver.  Trinity is a delicious brown chocolate color and with its neo-Gothic architecture it really stands out!

Conclusion: So although most people think about the Empire State Building or some other tourist attraction when they think of favorite buildings, I like Trinity for its old cemetery and architectural design and color.

Isn't this a great format!!!!!!?