3. Apa yang harus anda ketahui tentang TOEFL sebelum mengikuti tes TOEFL ?
Sebelum anda memutuskan untuk mengikuti tes TOEFL, perlu kiranya menyadari
bahwa tes TOEFL memiliki cirri khusus, antara lain :
Pertama, penulis tes TOEFL ini seringkali menggunakan pengecoh (distractor) yang
membuat jawaban salah kelihatannya benar padahal salah.
Kedua, sebagian topic pembicaraan dalam soal tes TOEFL didasarkan pada sejarah
Amerika Serikat dan lingkungan sosialnya.
Ketiga, masalah-masalah controversial yang berkaitan dengan soal agama, kematian,
perbedaan politik, perselisihan sejarah, kejahatan dan topik-topik yang berhubungan
dengan masalah etnis tidak akan muncul dalam soal tes TOEFL.
4. Struktur TOEFL
TOEFL mengetes keterampilan bahasa yang disesuaikan dengan bidang akademik
dan profesi.
Kebanyakan tes TOEFL mengetes 3 (tiga) bagian (section) dengan 150 pertanyaan.
Setiap tes dimulai dengan Listening Comprehension yang terdiri dari Part (bagian) A,B
dan C, kemudian dilanjutkan dengan Structure and Written Expression yang terdiri dari
Part A dan B, dan yang terakhir adalah Reading Comprehension.
8. Kelengkapan alat tulis apa yang harus anda bawa ketika mengikuti tes TOEFL
a. Formulir perndaftaran dan kuitansi pendaftaran
b. Kartu identitas, missal : KTP, SIM atau Passport
c. Pensil 2B dan karet penghapus
d. Jam
Gunakan tabel di atas untuk menghitung skor TOEFL anda, misalnya sebagai berikut :
Text atau passage adalah segala bentuk tulisan yang ada pada sebuah buku, artikel dan
sebagainya, misalnya : brosur, label, formulir, diagram, leaflet, jadwal, narasi,
deskripsi, exposisi, argumentasi, instruksi, dokumen dll.
Paragraf adalah bagian dari sebuah text yang terdiri dari sebuah kalimat atau
sekumpulan kalimat yang mengembangkan sebuah main idea/main topik atau pokok
pikiran.
Sebuah paragraf yang baik hanya membahas satu subyek. Subyek ini biasa disebut
dengan istilah topik noun atau pokok bahasan. Topik dari sebuah paragraf atau text
adalah subyek dari tulisan itu. Topik atau tema dari sebuah paragraf atau text adalah
subyek dari tulisan itu yang bisa berupa : inti isi tulisan (the text is about) atau judul
tulisan (title). Jika pertanyaan tentang topik, maka jawabannya bisa berupa satu kata
atau bentuk frase (kelompok kata).
Examples :
1. The circus was ready to begin. First the band struck a tune. Ten horses burst into
the ring. The elephants followed, trunks hooked the tails.
Topic : Circus
2. Driving a car is not easy as it seems. First, you must have central of the steering
wheel. You must be able to put on the brakes quickly, without even thinking about
it. Many cars requires you to shift gears. Also, you must know many laws. Finally,
you have to think quickly and remain calm to prevent accident and injury.
Topic : Driving a car
Main idea (ide utama) adalah pokok pikiran dari sebuah paragraf yang memuat
keterangan, penjelasan, uraian atau pendapat dari si penulis (writer) tentang topic
(pokok bahasan).
Main idea atau pokok pikiran dari sebuah paragraf dituangkan dalam kalimat lengkap
(complete sentence) yaitu terdiri dari subyek dan predikat.
Main idea biasanya terletak di awal, akhir, atau bahkan di tengah sebuah paragraf.
There are three (3) important parts to remember about the main idea or topic
sentence :
1. A main idea is a complete sentence; that is, it contains a SUBJECT (subyek), a
VERB (kata kerja) and usually a COMPLEMENT (pelengkap)
The following sentences are not complete sentences (ie. not main idea)
a. The important of gold
b. How to be a good writer
2. A main idea contains a topic and controlling idea. It names the topic and limits the
topic to specific area to be discussed in the space of a single paragraph.
The following sentences show how a main idea states both the topic and
controlling idea in a complete sentence :
a. Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics
b. Being a good writer needs a lot of practice
c. Driving on freeways requires skills and alertness
3. A main idea is the most general statement in the paragraph. It does not give us any
specific details.
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 passage. 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 passage 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 questions. There is no penalty
for guessing.
Practise test
Text 1
People manage to count even when they do not have names for number. Early
men demonstrated numbers to each other by counting on their finger, and some
primitive tribes still do this. In fact, some tribes have names for only the numbers
one and two and can only indicate higher numbers by pointing to a particular
finger. In other tribes, the numbers do have names, but the names are directly
connected with finger counting.
1. The text tells us about ......
A. Early demonstrations of number
B. The use of fingers in counting
C.. The importance of number
D. Primitive tribes
E. Various names of number
Text 2
Alternative energy sources are becoming increasingly attractive as the energy
crisis become more severe. Solar heating systems, which use the suns radiation as a
source of energy, are a promising alternative energy source. Nuclear power plants are
already in operation in several part of the country. Government and private industry
are even investigating the possibility of capturing the power of ocean waves and tides
for conversion into usable energy. Coal is once again becoming an acceptable fuel as
the nation searches for solution to the energy shotage. Even garbage is seen as a
potential source of energy.
3. The main information of the text is about........
A. The interest in alternative energy sources
B. Potential solar energy heating systems
C.. The operation of nuclear power plant
D. The search for energy from the sea
E. The use of coal to replace oil
Text 3
There are many different causes of car accidents in the United States. Sometimes
accidents are caused by bad weather. Ice or snow can make roads very dangerous.
Accidents also can result from problems with the car. Even a small problem like a flat
tire can be serious. Bad roads are another cause of accidents. Some accidents are
caused by drinking too much alcohol. In fact, this is one of the most important causes
of accidents.
4. What is the paragraph about ?
A. Problems with car engines
B. Results of car accidents
C.. The frequency of car accidents
D. Weather condition in the US
E. Car accidents and their causes