How to Score a Perfect 30/30 on the TOEFL Speaking Section

Sample Question

"Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Money and power define success."

Note-Taking Strategy for Question 2

1. As you read: Write down the main idea of the text and the two sub-ideas.

   Example: "University renovating library - 1) too old, 2) overcrowded"

2. As you listen: Write down the active speaker's opinion (use "A" if they agree and "D" if they disagree).
3. Also write down: The most important keywords for both reasons supporting their opinion.

This way, you'll know exactly what information you're looking for and what you should include in your answer.

Reading Passage (Announcement)

"The university plans to match freshman students with their dorm roommates based on similar interests, believing this will help them get along better and reduce the number of students who want to switch rooms mid-year."

Conversation Summary

Two students discuss the announcement. The female student disagrees with the university's plan. She argues that:

1. Students don't necessarily need to have similar interests to become good friends. She mentions that she gets along well with her roommate despite having different majors and interests.
2. Students don't choose to switch rooms simply because of different interests. They usually move due to different schedules or wanting a better location.

Sample Response

"The university plans to match freshman students with their dorm roommates based on similar interests, believing this will help them get along better and reduce the number of students who want to switch rooms mid-year. However, the speaker disagrees with this idea. First, she argues that students don't necessarily need to have similar interests to become good friends. She mentions that she gets along really well with her roommate even though they don't have much in common—she's studying biochemistry while her friend is majoring in French; she's not very sporty while her roommate is really into sports. Second, she believes that no one chooses to switch rooms simply because they have different interests. Most of the time, students decide to move because their schedules are very different or because they want a better location. Since there are various reasons why people end up switching dorms, matching them based on interests won't solve the problem."

Reading Passage Summary

The reading passage is about "goal displacement," which happens when people in an organization focus too much on rules and procedures meant to achieve a goal. As a result, the organization's ability to reach its objectives is hindered.

Lecture Summary

The professor provides an example of how goal displacement occurs in schools:

• Teachers are hired to educate kids and must follow requirements to facilitate learning
• Sometimes these requirements adversely affect education rather than help
• Example: A policy requiring students to show up on time might lead to students missing the entire class if they're late
• Placing too much emphasis on the seemingly positive requirement might ultimately get in the way of education

Sample Response

"The reading passage is about goal displacement, which happens when people in an organization focus too much on rules and procedures meant to achieve a goal. As a result, the organization's ability to reach its objectives is hindered. In the lecture, the professor provides an example of how goal displacement occurs in schools. He explains that teachers are hired to educate kids, and they must follow many requirements to facilitate the learning process, such as arriving to class on time. However, sometimes these requirements adversely affect kids' education rather than help. For example, if a school policy requires students to show up on time, a teacher might insist that latecomers cannot enter the classroom. While this policy might seem beneficial, ensuring students have the full learning time, it can lead to students missing the entire class if they're late for any reason. So, placing too much emphasis on the seemingly positive requirement might ultimately get in the way of their education."

Lecture Summary

The lecture discusses two strategies predators use to target and capture a single animal when prey animals are traveling in groups for protection:

1. Identify an animal that is different: Predators look for prey that stands out from the group. Example: When predators target minnow fish that look similar, they spot the one fish with a different color, making it easier to focus on and catch.
2. Physically break up the group: Predators separate the target animal from the rest. Example: Sharks swim into a school of fish, thrashing their tails forcefully to scatter the fish, causing one fish to become isolated and easily tracked.

Sample Response

"The lecture is about two strategies predators use to target and capture a single animal when prey animals are traveling in groups for protection. The first strategy is to identify an animal that is different and thus stands out from the others. For example, when predators are targeting minnow fish that look very similar to each other, they will try to spot the one fish that has a different color. In this case, it becomes easier for the predator to focus on the distinct animal and catch it. The second strategy involves physically breaking up the group so the target animal becomes separated from the rest. Sharks, for example, often swim directly into a large school of fish, thrashing their tails forcefully and quickly to cause the fish to scatter. As a result, one fish becomes isolated, and the shark can easily track it down."