TOEFL Speaking Question 3 on the New TOEFL (2019)

TOEFL Speaking Question 3 on the New TOEFL (2019) About Question ThreeHeres how TOEFL speaking question 3 works:First, you will read a short (100 words) article on an academic topic. You will have 45 seconds to read it.Next, you will hear a short lecture about the same topic. The lecture will illustrate it using either one or two examples.Finally, you will be asked to summarize the reading and lecture.You will be given 30 seconds to prepare, and 60 seconds to speak.Note that this is the same as question four on the old versionof the TOEFL.The ReadingThe reading is usually about a specific term or concept. It usually has a clear title and about five sentences that define the term and give some basic details. When I surveyed 500 students in October 2019, they said the most common topics were:Biology/Animals 60%Business/Marketing 20%Psychology/Learning 10%Art/History/Literature 10%The ListeningThe lecture is usually 1.5 minutes or 2 minutes long. It is about the same term or idea from the reading. Most of it will consist of one or two examples that demonstrate the term or idea. It could be an example from the personal life of the speaker. If there is just one example, listen for two parts (like cause/effect or before/after).The Question PromptThe question will look something like one of these:Describe what _____ is, and how the professor’s example illustrates this idea.Describe how the example of the ____ illustrates the concept of ____.Explain the concept of _____ using the examples of ____ and ____ given in the lecture.Using the examples from the lecture, explain the concept of ______.Answer TemplatesThe good news is that you can always use the same template to organize your answer to TOEFL speaking question three. Try using this one:Stating the Term or IdeaThe reading is about (TERM/CONCEPT)Give a Small Amount of Detail from the ReadingIt states thatTransitionThe professor elaborates on this by providing an example.The professor elaborates on this by providing two examples.First Example/First PartTo begi n with, he/she mentions thatSecond Example/Second PartNext, he/she says thatTips and TricksTry to use transitional phrases like “as a result,” “consequently, “moreover,” and “therefore.”Spend about 10-13 seconds summarizing the reading at most. Remember that most of your score is based on the listening summary.If you are a slow speaker, omit the small amount of detail part of the template.Use a mix of simple and compound sentences if possible.Paraphrase. Dont just copy the sources word for word.Sample Answer(this is based on a question from the official ETS practice set)State the Term or IdeaThe reading is aboutrevealing coloration.Give a Small amount of Detail from the ReadingIt states thatthis is a strategy used by certain animals to protect themselves. By suddenly revealing colorful parts of their body they can confuse predators and escape.TransitionThe professor elaborates on this by providing two examples.State the First Example or First PartTo begin with, he ment ions thatwhile the front wings of the peanut bug blend in with its environment, its back wings have very colorful spots. These back wings are usually closed, but when it is attacked by a predator it can quickly open them and reveal the colors. As a result, it is able to escape to safety.State the Second Example or Second PartNext, he says thathidden parts of the morpho butterfly’s wings are very shiny and can reflect sunlight. When a bird approaches the butterfly it suddenly flaps its wings to reflect light and confuse it. The bird can only see the light reflected from the wings, and therefore the butterfly is able to evade capture.Sign up for express essay evaluation today!Submit your practice essays for evaluation by the author of this website. Get feedback on grammar, structure, vocabulary and more. Learn how to score better on the TOEFL. Feedback in 48 hours.Sign Up Today