TOEFL Speaking Type 3

Integrated Type 3: Campus Situation – Fit and Explain

Time to prepare: 30 seconds
Time to respond: 60 seconds
Reading Section: Yes (45 seconds to read)
Listening Section: Yes (listen 1x)
Opinion: NO


OBJECTIVE

The announcement gives information relating to campus life, while the listening consists of two people discussing that announcement. Synthesize the information from the announcement and the listening, making sure to directly answer the question. Use information from both the reading and the listening.


STRUCTURE

1) State person’s opinion within the context of the announcement
2) Briefly focus on the content of the announcement
3) State the reasons why the person has their opinion
A. Acknowledge the other person’s point of view
B. **Keep focus on person’s opinion that is asked for in the question**
4) Conclude by restating opinion in regards to the announcement


SAMPLE QUESTION

Reading Passage

Friday Lunchtime Lecture Series

This fall, the Political Science Department is pleased to announce a series of lunchtime lectures by our visiting scholars. This Friday, Professor Davis of Western University will be discussing his current research on the future of labor activism in North America. The lecture series is open to graduate students and faculty in the Political Science, History, English, and Economics Departments. The lectures will be held in Walker Hall, room 202. The discussions will begin at 12. Please bring a brown bag lunch with you. Contact Nancy McKnowles at the Department of Political Science by Thursday afternoon if you are planning to attend.


Narrator

Now listen to two students as they discuss the announcement:

Listening Passage

Man: Did you hear about the new lecture series? I can’t believe Prof. Davis is going to be speaking. His work is so famous! Want to go together?

Woman: Yeah, I saw the announcement. I would love the chance to hear Prof. Davis speak. But I don’t think I’ll be going.

Man: Why not? It’s a great chance to meet him and spend some time with some of the other students and professors, too.

Woman: I know it’s a good opportunity and Prof. Davis’s work on unions is really groundbreaking. But I just don’t have time. I have 3 papers due this month, and I am still doing research for one of them. I just found out this morning that one of my coworkers is sick, so I’ll need to work a couple of extra shifts at my part-time job this week.

Man: Well, it is only an hour a week and you have to eat anyways. I think you should come along.

Woman: I’d love to, but I just don’t have time. Maybe I’ll be able to fit it in next semester. This term I want to focus on getting all my work finished before I have to start studying for exams. Hopefully next term I will have more spare time.


Question: The woman expresses her opinion about the announcement by the Political Science Department. State the woman’s opinion and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.


SAMPLE RESPONSE

The woman is disappointed that she will not be able to attend Professor Davis’s lecture (WOMAN’S OPINION).

The announcement states that the Political Science Department is offering a series of lunchtime lectures, and Professor Davis will be lecturing at 12 o’clock on labor activism in North America (BRIEF BREAKDOWN OF ANNOUNCEMENT).

Though the man asks the woman to see the lecture together (ACKNOWLEDGE OTHER PERSON’S POINT), and the woman is aware of Davis’s important work, she simply does not have enough time (FOCUS REMAINS ON WOMAN’S OPINION). She has three papers due this month, and must also work extra shifts at her job because her co-worker is sick. While the man points out that it is only an hour a week (ACKNOWLEDGE OTHER PERSON’S POINT), the woman says that she must focus on finishing her work before she begins studying for exams (FOCUS REMAINS ON WOMAN’S OPINION). She will try to watch the lectures next semester.

In short, the woman would like to attend Davis’s lecture, but she must finish other work first and does not have enough time this semester (CONCLUSION).


Remember, the reading section DISAPPEARS after 45 seconds, so you must rely only on your notes to give information about the reading passage. Be sure to clearly state the person's opinion and the reasons for that opinion. If possible, acknowledge the other person's point of view, but FOCUS on the main person's arguments.