Topic #9 Sports or Library?

Questions for Discussion:

1. Should the universities invest more money on sports or on their libraries?

2. How about in your university, which of the two was given more importance?

3. Has your university produced a successful or famous athlete?

4. Where do you think students should concentrate more? on their studies or on sports?

5. What kind of sports equipment or facilities does your university have?

6. Describe the library in your university.

7. Where did you spend most of your time when you were a student? At the gym or at the library?

Topic #8 Luck vs. Hard Work

Questions for Discussion:

1. How would you define "luck"?

2. How would you define "hard work"?

3. Is it luck or hard work that brings success?

4. Do you believe in your fate?

5. Has there been a time that you felt lucky?

6. When was the time when you worked so hard and it paid off?

7. Was there ever a time that you have worked so hard but you did not get what you have expected?

8. What do you say to people who believes in luck?

9. Do you ever buy a lottery ticket?

10. How do you plan to achieve success in your life?

Topic #7 City VS. Country

Questions for Discussion:

1. Why do you like living in the city?

2. Would you like to live in the country?

3. What are some of the advantages of living in a city?

4. What are the advantages of living in the country?

5. What are some of the disadvantages of living in a city?

6. What are the disadvantages of living in the country?

7. Do you know the neighbors who live near you?

8. What's your favorite city? Why?

9. What city do you live in?

10. What part of this city do you like the best?

11. Can you describe the city?

12. What aspects of life in the city would you complain about?

13. What do you think should be done to improve living condition in cities?

14. What are some differences between living in the city and living in the country?

15. What size city is best to live in? Why?

Topic #6 How Do Movies and TV Affect People's Lives?

Question for Discussion: TV

1. Are you going to watch TV tonight?

2. If so, what will you watch?

3. What did you watch on TV yesterday?

4. What is one of your favorite TV shows?

5. Why do you like it?

6. When is it on?

7. Does you father like it, too?

8. Do you prefer listening to the radio or watching TV?

9. Do you think it is good for children to watch TV?

10. Do you think TV is educational?

11. Do you think that there is too much violence on TV?

12. Do you think that TV is a good thing?

13. If you could design a new television show to boost ratings, what kind of show would it be?

14. How often do you watch TV.

15. What are the advantages of watching TV?

16. What are the disadvantages of watching TV?

17. What do you usually watch on TV?

18. What kind of TV shows do you not like? Why?

19. What TV commercials do you like? Which ones do you hate?

20. Do you think that TV makes people lazy?

21. Does TV make a person passive? Does TV take away a person's ability to think for himself or herself?

22. Do you think that TV prevents people from communicating?

Topic #6 How Do Movies and TV Affect People's Lives?

Question for Discussion: Movies

1. What is your all-time favorite movie?

2. Are there any kinds of movies you dislike? If so, what kinds? Why do you dislike them?

3. Do you like to watch horror movies?

4. Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction books? How about movies?

5. Do you usually watch movies at home or at a movie theater?

6. Have you ever seen the same movie more than once? If yes, name it (or them).

7. How often do you go to movies?

8. How often do you rent videos?

9. If a book has been made into a movie, which do you prefer to do first, see the movie or read the book? Why?

10. What do you think of people who talk during movies at a movie theater?

11. What is the best movie you have ever seen?

12. Who was in it?

13. Why did you like it?

14. Who was the director?

15. What is the scariest movies you have ever seen?

16. What's the funniest?

17. What's the most romantic?

18. What is the worst movie you've ever seen?

19. What was the last movie you saw?

20. Was it good?

21. Who did you see it with?

22. Which do you like better, action movies or comedy movies?

23. Which movie star would you most like to meet?

24. Who is your favorite actor or actress?

25. What do you think of reality shows?

26. Do you think that films can be educational?

27. Is there a movie you could watch over and over again?

28. Who's your favorite director?

29. How much does it cost to see a movie in your country?

30. Do you usually rent DVD's or videos when you rent movies?

Topic # 5 Should a factory be built in your community?

Questions for Discussion:

1. Are there any factories or industrial areas where you live?

2. Is there a lot of pollution?

3. How has the world changed since you were a child? (technology, values, environment, health)

4. What is the most important issue facing the environment today?

5. Do you support or oppose the factory? Explain your position.

6. What kind of factories are there in your city?

7. What are the benefits of having a factory in your community?

8. What are the disadvantages of building a factory in your community?

9. If you are in favor of having a factory built in your community, what kind of factory is safe?

10. If you are opposed to this, what kind of factory is dangerous?

11. What kind of jobs do people in your community have?

12. What other improvements can you recommend for your community to have?

13. Is your local government doing its best to improve your area?

14. Have you ever been inside a factory?

15. How do you think factories can improve their technology more?

Topic # 4 Are books more important than experience?

Questions for Discussion:

1. Which is more important, the essential skills in life you've learned to develop on your own or the artificial structure in college about the "real" life?

2. What kind of world do you think this would be if people never went to school?

3. Does education guarantee a good job?

4. Do you know anyone who does not know how to read or write?

5. Does your country provide a good public school system?

6. Do parents home-school their children in your country?

7. What do you think of home-schooling?

8. Do you know anyone who was home-schooled?

9. Once you graduate from a university should you stop learning?

10. What are some ways a person can continue to learn?

11. How many books do you read per year?

12. What sort of books do you enjoy reading?

13. Which book have you read recently?

14. Some people don't read books or read very rarely, Why?

15. Do you know any famous person who didn't have a university degree?

Topic # 3 Has the ease of cooking improved life?

Vocabulary and Expressions:

1. advancement noun [U]

meaning: improvement/development

ex. All she was interested in was the advancement of her own career.

2. radically adverb

meaning: complete or extreme

ex. Barker introduced some radically new ideas.

3. errand noun [C]

meaning: a short journey either to take a message or to deliver or collect something

ex. I'll meet you at six, I've got some errands to do/run first.

4. does not come without a price.

meaning: if you can get something at a price, you have to accept something unpleasant in order to get it

ex. Progress has been achieved, but at a price. Many who worked on farms and in factories are now without jobs.

5. nutrition noun [U]

meaning: the food that you eat and the way that it affects your health

ex. Some snacks have little nutritional value.

6. minerals FOOD

meaning: a chemical that your body needs to stay healthy

ex. calcium and iron

7. preservatives noun [C,U]

meaning: a substance used to prevent decay in food or in wood

8. artificial adjective

meaning: NOT NATURAL not natural, but made by people

ex. an artificial flower/lake /an artificial heart

9. tasty adjective

meaning: Food which is tasty has a good flavour and is nice to eat.

ex. They do a really tasty chicken and mushroom soup.

10. devoted adjective

meaning: loving or caring very much about someone or something

ex. She's absolutely devoted to her grandchildren.

11. illustrations noun [c/u]

meaning: EXAMPLE an example that explains or proves something

ex. This is another illustration of the power of the media.

12. neglect verb [T]

meaning: to not give enough care or attention to something or someone

ex. Some of these kids have been badly neglected in the past.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Can you cook?

2. Do you like cooking?

3. Do you like fast food?

4. What is your favourite food?

5. What is your favourite dessert?

6. Which foods are good for you?

7. Is obesity a problem in your country?

8. Which foods make you fat?

9. What foods are traditionally eaten at: births / weddings / funerals in your country?

10. Which food could you NEVER give up?

11. What is the best meal you have ever eaten and where was it?

12. What is the worst meal you have ever eaten and where was it?

13. What's your favourite cuisine (Chinese/Thai etc...)?

Topic # 2 Are parents the best teachers?

Useful Expressions:

1. Obviously,

2. Almost for sure...

3. In addition...

4. ...for instance

5. On the other hand...

6. Thus,

Vocabulary:

1. corresponds verb [I]

meaning: to match or be similar or equal

ex. The money I've saved corresponds roughly to the amount I need for my course.

2. committed adjective

meaning: loyal and willing to give your time and energy to something that you believe in

ex. a committed socialist/Christian/teacher

3. instinct noun [C or U]

meaning: the way people or animals naturally react or behave, without having to think or learn about it

ex. Her first instinct was to run.

4. implicit adjective

meaning: suggested but not communicated directly

ex. Implicit in the poem's closing lines are the poet's own religious doubts.

5. unconsciously adverb

meaning: An unconscious thought or feeling is one that you do not know you have

ex. my unconscious desire to impress him

6. notorious adjective

meaning: famous for something bad

ex. one of Britain's most notorious criminals

7. rebellious adjective

meaning: If someone is rebellious, they are difficult to control and do not behave in the way they are expected to

ex. Her teachers regard her as a rebellious, trouble-making girl.

8. intrude verb [I]

meaning: to go into a place or situation in which you are not wanted or not expected to be

ex. I didn't realise your husband was here, Dr Jones - I hope I'm not intruding.

9. biased adjective

meaning: showing an unreasonable like or dislike for a person based on personal opinions

ex. I think she's beautiful but then I'm biased since she's my daughter.

10. maturation noun [U]

meaning: MAINLY APPROVING the process of becoming completely developed mentally or emotionally

ex. He matured a lot while he was at college.

11. well-rounded adjective

meaning: involving or having experience in a wide range of ideas or activities

ex. She describes herself as a "well-rounded person" who works hard but has a varied social life.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Do you think teenagers today should show more respect for adults? (teachers, parents etc)

2. What do you think about teenagers who dye their hair blue, green, or another crazy colour?

3. What type of punishment did your parents use when you were a teenager?

4. What would you do if your teenage son or daughter got a tattoo?

5. What would you do if your teenage son or daughter shaved his or her head?

6. How do you feel about swearing? Does it matter if teenagers sometimes use bad language?

7. What do you think parents can do to help teenagers avoid depression?

8. Do you think teenagers today have it 'too easy'?

9. Did you have a good relationship with your parents? Why or why not?

10. Do you think it's a good idea to give teenagers a lot of freedom? (example: come home when you like)

11. Do teenagers in your former country have problems with drugs or alcohol?

12. Is teenage suicide a problem?

13. Why do you think some teenagers do good things and others (in the same family often) do bad things?

14. What can society do to help teenagers who have problems at home?

15. Do you think that advertising plays an important role in how teenagers think?

Topic #1 Why go to the university?

Useful Expressions:

1. I strongly believe that...

2. I will try to examine below the specific reasons for... (topic)

3. First, let us look at...

4. Another important reason is that...

5. Apart from the points I made above...

6. Finally, I cannot oversee the fact that...

7. In contrast...

8.One thing is for sure though,

9. Last but not least, ...

Vocabulary:

1. promising - adjective.

Something which is promising shows signs that it is going to be successful or enjoyable

ex. A: "How's your new venture going?"

B:"It's looking quite promising."

2. accompanied - verb [T]

To go with someone or to be provided or exist at the same time as something

ex. The course books are accompanied by four cassettes.

3. distinction - noun [C or U]

A difference between two similar things

ex. There's a clear distinction between the dialects spoken in the two regions.

4. diversity - noun [S or U]

When many different types of things or people are included in something

ex. Does television adequately reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the country?

5. spectrum - noun [C] plural spectra or spectrums

A range of opinions, feelings, etc

ex. A wide spectrum of opinion was represented at the meeting.

6. diploma - noun [C]

A document given by a college or university to show that you have passed a particular examination or completed a course

ex. a high school diploma

7. crave - noun [C]

A strong or uncontrollable desire

ex. I have a craving for chocolate.

8. in-depth - adjective [before noun]

Done carefully and in great detail, or discovering the real reasons which cause something

ex. an in-depth report/interview/analysis

9. imperative - adjective

Extremely important or urgent; needing to be done or given attention immediately

ex. It's imperative to act now before the problem gets really serious.

10. drawbacks - noun [C]

A disadvantage or the negative part of a situation

ex. One of the drawbacks of living with someone is having to share a bathroom.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Are college tuitions reasonable?

2. Are women encouraged to pursue education?

3. Do you have difficulty with school work?

4. Do you think your school is a good one? Why/why not?

5. How long must you go to college to get a degree?

6. Is it difficult for people without a college education to get good jobs where you live?

7. What are some important factors in determining which college to attend?

8. What are the qualities of a good student?

9. What are the qualities of a good teacher?

10. What is your favorite class?

11. What was (or is) your favorite subject? Why do you like it?

12. Who selects the college you will attend -- you or your parents?

13. Once you graduate from a university should you stop learning?

14. Does education guarantee a good job?

15. Which is more important, the essential skills in life you've learned to develop on your own or the artificial structure in college about the "real" life?

READING: Homicide Rate Up 27.6% for Year in L.A. - by Sarah Hale, Times Staff Writer

Los Angeles saw an alarming 27.6% upturn in homicides last year, with more than 75% of them occurring in south and central communities, authorities said Tuesday.

A total of 545 people were slain, according to the Los Angles Police Department's year-end crime statistics. And violent crime in aggregate was up 10% citywide.

"These statistics should be a real cause for concern for the mayor, the City Council, the City Attorney, everyone in the city," said Erwin Chemerinsky, a professor of law at USC.

"But it is important that we resist the temptation to find a single cause; undoubtedly, this is a product of many factors," he said. "They may include an increase in gang warfare, demographic shifts causing a rise in the number of males of a certain age group, low police morale and less effective policing."

The year's homicide victims were almost exclusively black or Latino males between 17 and 32, and most of the killers--many of them believed to be gang members, were between 14 and 24.

Several LAPD officials cited drug sales, high-powered weapons, and a decline in the number of youth programs in poverty-stricken pockets of the city as additional possible explanations, as well as attrition within the department. There are now 9,200 sworn officers, about 800 fewer than there were three years ago.

The department has begun to analyze the year-end totals to develop strategies this year and to increase enforcement of existing laws, such as curfews.

"The department and the chief plan to do everything possible to curb this climb," said a spokesman, Officer Jason Lee.

The 77th Division, which had one of the highest murder rates in the city, is reassigning many of its 400 officers to street patrols.

Some of the division's narcotics officers have been redeployed, Sgt. Kiyong Ma said. "The bike unit here was canceled 2-3 weeks ago," he said, "and those officers were put in cars."

The division is examining every patrol officer's arrest records, citations and court appearances in search of patterns that might reflect a less aggressive approach by some officers.
If an officer is found lacking in certain crucial areas, "we will approach each one individually to find out what's going on," Ma said. "Then, the problem will be addressed."

Citywide, rape increased 11.5%; aggravated assault 10% and robbery 8.8%,

Less serious crimes increased as well. Motor vehicle theft and burglary each increased 13%, Lee said.

But Sgt. John Pasquariello pointed out that crime--gang-related homicides in particular--remain significantly lower than they were in the early 1990s, when gang warfare fueled by turf killings and drugs escalated to unprecedented levels.

Between 1991 and 1993, there were more than 3,000 homicides, he said. After that, the homicide rate crept downward, until now.

Pasquariello suggested that the recent spikes in crimes across the board reflect a cyclical pattern of violence. The crime rate, he said, had decreased for so long that it was only a matter of time before it hit bottom and started to climb.

"What goes down, must go up; what goes up, must come down," he said. "But that's just one theory."

QUESTION 1
According to this article, although there are various factors involved in the recent surge of violent crimes, the increase in murder cases has primarily been related to gang activities. Thus, reducing gang activities could reduce the murder rate. What can be done to deter young people from joining gangs? Consider what kinds of problems gangs and gang members have to face every day, and what needs of a young person are met by membership in a gang. Be specific and explain your position clearly.

QUESTION 2
The article also mentions that the increase in murder could be attributed to different factors, such as the increase in the availability of high-powered weapons or the decrease in youth programs in poverty stricken areas. In your opinion, what factors contribute to an increase in murder and how could we eliminate them? Be specific and explain your position clearly.

READING: Back, but not Home (Article 1): By Maria L. Muniz

Maria L Muniz was born in 1958. She and her family came to the United States in 1963. In 1978 she graduated from New York University. She has written and edited many articles and books. In this 1979 essay, “Back, but Not Home” Muniz describes her feelings about returning to Cuba.

With all the talk about resuming diplomatic relations with Cuba, and with the increasing number of Cuban exiles returning to visit friends and relatives, I am constantly being asked, "Would you ever go back?" In turn, I have asked myself, “Is there any reason for me to go?” I have had to think long and hard before finding my answer. Yes.

I came to the United States with my parents when I was almost five years old. We left behind grandparents, aunts, uncles and several cousins. I grew up in a very middle-class neighborhood in Brooklyn. With one exception, all my friends were Americans. Outside of my family, I do not know many Cubans. I often feel awkward visiting relatives in Miami because it is such a different world. The way of life in Cuban Miami seems very strange to me and I am accused of being too “Americanized.” Yet, although I am now an American citizen, whenever anyone has asked me my nationality, I have always and unhesitatingly replied “Cuban.”

Outside American, inside Cuban

I recently had a conversation with a man who generally sympathizes with the Castro regime. We talked of Cuban politics and although the discussion was very casual, I felt an old anger welling inside. After 16 years of living an “American” life, I am still unable to view the revolution with detachment or objectivity. I cannot interpret its results in social, political or economic terms. Too many memories stand in my way.

And as I listened to this man talk of the Cuban situation, I began to remember how as a little girl I would wake up crying because I had dreamed of my aunts and grandmothers and I missed them. I remembered my mother’s trembling voice and the sad look on her face whenever she spoke to her mother over the phone. I thought of the many letters and photographs that somehow were always lost in transit. And as the conversation continued, I began to remember how difficult it often was to grow up Latina in an American world.

It meant going to kindergarten knowing little English. I’d been in this country only a few months and although I understood a good deal of what was said to me, I could not express myself very well. On the first day of school I remember one little girl’s saying to the teacher: “But how can we play with her? She’s so stupid she can’t even talk!” I felt so helpless because inside I was crying, “Don’t you know I can understand everything you’re saying?” But I did not have words for my thoughts and my inability to communicate terrified me.

As I grew a little older, Latina meant being automatically relegated to the slowest reading classes in school. By now my English was fluent, but the teachers would always assume I was somewhat illiterate or slow. I recall one teacher’s amazement at discovering I could read and write just as well as her American pupils. Her incredulity astounded me. As a child, I began to realize that Latina would always mean proving I was as good as the others. As I grew older, it became a matter of pride to prove I was better than the others.

As an adult I have come to terms with these memories and they don’t hurt as much. I don’t look or sound very Cuban. I don’t speak with an accent and my English is far better than my Spanish. I am beginning my career and look forward to the many possibilities ahead of me.

But a persistent little voice is constantly saying, “There’s something missing. It’s not enough.” And this is why when I am now asked, “Do you want to go back?” I say “yes” with conviction.

I do not say to Cubans, “It is time to lay aside the hurt and forgive and forget.” It is impossible to forget an event that has altered and scarred all our lives so profoundly. But I find I am beginning to care less and less about politics. And I am beginning to remember and care more about the child (and many others like her) who left her grandma behind. I have to return to Cuba one day because I want to know that little girl better.

When I try to review my life during the past 16 years, I almost feel as if I’ve walked into a theater right in the middle of a movie. And I’m afraid I won’t fully understand or enjoy the rest of the movie unless I can see and understand the beginning. And for me. the beginning is Cuba. I don’t want to go “home” again; the life and home we all left behind are long gone. My home is here and I am happy. But I need to talk to my family still in Cuba.

Like all immigrants, my family and I have had to build a new life from almost nothing. It was often difficult, but I believe the struggle made us strong. Most of my memories are good ones.

But I want to preserve and renew my cultural heritage. I want to keep “la Cubana” within me alive. I want to return because the journey back will also mean a journey within. Only then will I see the missing piece.

QUESTION 1
Some people think of the past as “the good old days” and dream of going back. However, as Maria Muniz, the author of Back, but Not Home, says “the life and home we all left behind are long gone.” Even if we could physically go back — to that life, that country, that relationship — we would not be back. Do you think it is possible to go back to the way things were?

QUESTION 2
Individuals need to know their ethnic backgrounds and be familiar with their cultural heritage in order for them to feel complete and to develop a strong sense of self. Write an essay describing your opinion on this issue.

TIPS: How to write a response essay

When writing a response essay, you must describe your position on one of the issues in the article that you have read. Therefore, it is essential that you have understood all the words and ideas in the article, and that you formulate your opinion and adequately support it.

There are a few simple steps to follow in writing a response essay.

1. Understanding the article

First, read the article to get a general understanding.

Look at the headlines and captions, graphs and pictures to get the main idea of the article. Skim the article to confirm your predictions. Try to state what the article is about. (In the article, "Title",Writer's Name argues/describes/states that ....)

Make sure you understand the language of the article.

Look up any words you don't understand. Talk to other people about the article. Discuss it in class, with friends or with family. Clarify any confusion you may have about any part of the article.

Identify the issues in the article

Ask yourself, "What is the conflict here? What are the two sides to the conflict?" Notice the content-area your article pertains to. If you are studying criminology or criminal justice, the article might raise some legal issue. If you have been studying sociology, the article might focus on a sociological theme.

Frame the issues of the article in the form of questions as they might appear on the exam.

This stage is only necessary if you receive the text several days before you get the questions. (This might happen if you write the response essay as part of your final exam.) Doing this will not only test your understanding of the article, but will also allow you to write a practice essay before the exam.

2. Formulating and supporting your position

Write down your position

Make sure that your opinion is clear and specific.

Write an outline of a possible response to the article

List at least 2 arguments/reasons that you can use to support that point of view. Include some supporting details under each subtopic.

Note any relevant quotes or sections in the article that relate to the issue.

Make a note where to find them so that you can easily find them when you write your essay.

Write a practice essay

Time yourself. Don't spend more than 40 minutes on the essay once you begin writing.You will need the remaining time for planning before you write, and for proofreading after you've finished.

Get feedback

Give your essay to someone to read and get their opinion on the clarity of language and ideas.

TIPS: How to score high marks on the TOEFL test?

This is a question millions of test candidates seek an answer to every year. Now you are one of those people. Congratulations! You have made the decision to take the most widely used English language exam for academic purposes. Your TOEFL score will be an indicator of your linguistic proficiency as well as your capability of setting and achieving goals. Doing well in the TOEFL test you can accomplish various objectives: You will boost your self-confidence, your friends, family and colleagues will look up to you and of course your career chances will increase. Research shows that your professional success — no matter what industry you work in — largely depends on your command of the English language. That's why your employer or university, your study grant organization or any other potential partner requires you to take the TOEFL test and have your language and communication skills assessed.

So, how do you get prepared for the TOEFL test? Let's examine this question and find the answers together. First of all, you should be aware of the fact that there is no short cut to a high TOEFL score — you have to earn it. Also, it's important for you to focus on the bigger picture when you prepare for the TOEFL test — you shouldn't just learn for the sake of the exam. Instead, make it your goal to gain a higher command of the English language because this is an asset you will benefit from throughout your life. When you aim at improving your communication skills on a regular basis you will be ready to take an English language test any time. As a matter of fact, every time you use your knowledge of English (listening to an audio tape, reading a newspaper article, writing an email or speaking English to another person) you pass a «mini-test» of the English language. Before you take the TOEFL or any other English language exam you have to prove to yourself that you are capable of learning English and that you know how to use the language effectively. There a lots of ways you can assess and improve your English yourself. Learning a language is a bit like practising a sport: The more you practise and train the better are your chances to gain a top position in a competition. Before we go into the details of your individual TOEFL test preparation program we should establish some fundamentals — some basic facts that are essential to your success. Let's be honest — most people don't like examinations or tests. You probably remember how you used to feel when your teacher announced yet another English test paper and you had to cram all those grammar rules into head knowing that most the information was rather useless for your future career anyway. Getting poor grades in English at school reduced your level of self-confidence. You thought that English was very complicated language to learn and that because of your test paper results you came to the conclusion that you «probably have no talent in learning languages anyway». Now, you want to study medicine, law, architecture, computer engineering or any other subject at a university in an English speaking country. Chances are your parents are supporting you financially but they also want you to «do your homework» — part of which is your preparation for the TOEFL test. When you approach this task properly you will benefit in various ways. Here is an important piece of advice for you: No matter what your grades were in English at school — you have everything you need to excel in the language. You see, your school grades were not very objective to say the least. You might have been the best English student in your class and still, if you took the TOEFL test right now your score could be way below average. On the other hand, your English grades might always have been rather MEDIOCRE but with a concentrated systematic training you can do brilliantly at the TOEFL exam. Forget about the notion that you must have «a talent for languages» to attain a high command of the English language. Do you speak your mother tongue fluently? If your answer is yes then you already know the basic principles of learning a language. All you have to do now is PUT them into practice in a more goal-oriented way. What does that mean in regards to the TOEFL test? As you know the TOEFL assesses and evaluates your ability to use English in an academic context. Here is another of the fundamental facts you have to understand when you want to prepare successfully for the TOEFL test: There is no such thing as «TOEFL vocabulary». When you search the Internet or browse your local book store you will come across hundreds of websites and at least a dozen books claiming they would teach you «essential TOEFL words» or «TOEFL phrases» etc. Be careful when you encounter such products because they might trick you into thinking that is possible to learn the «TOEFL vocabulary» by heart. This is nonsense. As we've just established, «TOEFL vocabulary» doesn't exist. Do you remember the purpose of the TOEFL test? Exactly, the TOEFL assesses and evaluates your ability to use English in an academic context. The TOEFL doesn't assess and evaluate your ability to understand or memorize TOEFL vocabulary. Once you have grasped this basic concept it will be much easier for you to score high in the actual TOEFL test. If you agree I will remind you over and over again throughout our entire course that the idea of the TOEFL test is completely different from other tests such as the one you have to pass when you want to obtain your driver's licence. With a language exam there is an unlimited number of possible test questions so it doesn't make much sense to learn certain sentences by heart. Instead, we will analyse together which language items to focus on in our TOEFL preparation program and how to learn the appropriate vocabulary and information in the most effective way.

Let's take a look at what areas of the English language are covered in the TOEFL test. As you know the TOEFL is used as an entrance exam for people who want to study at a university in an English speaking country. So, when you enrol in an academic study course your English must be sufficient to follow the program, take notes and express the main ideas. As the TOEFL test is not intended for students of a particular subject or major we have to learn the basic vocabulary of a wide range of possible topics. The following is an overview of the sciences including a brief description. When you read through text you shouldn't translate any new words in a bi-lingual dictionary. Instead, you can focus on the words you already know and guess the meaning of any new vocabulary. If you find that are a too many new words for you to understand the general meaning of the text you should use an English-English dictionary to look up some of the main key words. When you are finished reading the definitions of the sciences we'll examine some techniques that help you absorb, comprehend and memorize new vocabulary. You can then apply those methods in your further TOEFL test preparation program.

Your first step toward acquiring a general academic English vocabulary is to define the term «Science». When you search reference books and dictionaries you will find various definitions for this word — the following is taken from the Cambridge Online Dictionaries:

1. Knowledge obtained from the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical world, especially by observing, measuring and experimenting, and the development of theories to describe the results of these activities:

- Pure/applied science
- Recent developments in science and technology
- [Space travel is one of the marvels/wonders of modern science.]

2. A particular subject that is studied using scientific methods:

- Physical sciences
-Economics is not an exact science
-Advances in medical science

3. The study of science:

- a science graduate/teacher
- a science course/lesson

According to Napoleon Hill, «science is the art of classifying facts into categories». Now, what are these categories the facts can be classified into? Here is a concise structure of some of the sciences you can study at a modern university:

Category 1:Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Category 2:Applied Arts and Sciences

Category 3:Social Sciences and Philosophy

As you can see there are four main categories all the sciences can be divided into. Which of them is your favourite one? Maybe, we should take a closer look to see what particular sciences there are in the main categories? Here is a more detailed view: [based on Wikipedia]

Category 1 — Mathematical and Natural Sciences:

Astronomy
Biology
Chemistry
Computer science
Earth science
Ecology
Health science
Mathematics
Physics
Statistics

Category 2 — Applied Arts and Sciences:

Agriculture
Architecture
Business
Communication
Education
Engineering
Family and consumer science
Government
Law
Library and information science
Medicine
Politics
Public affairs
Software engineering
Technology
Transport

Category 3 — Social Sciences and Philosophy:

Anthropology
Archaeology
Economics
Geography
History
History of science and technology
Language
Linguistics
Mythology
Philosophy
Political science
Psychology
Sociology

So, what do you think now? How many of the topics above do you know? Is your favourite subject on the list? If you want to prepare for the TOEFL it is vital that you take a keen interest in the themes you are familiarizing yourself with. Also, getting ready for taking the TOEFL test you can kill at least two birds with one stone: You improve your command of the English language and on top of that you obtain valuable knowledge for your further study at university or college. That's why we'll have a third go on the sciences — this time you will read the definitions we mentioned earlier. Try to take in the vocabulary because this is good TOEFL practice. Maybe, you should read one definition at a time — no need to rush yourself through these texts. Follow the «How-do-you-eat-an-elephant» principle absorbing and digesting the information and vocabulary in many small instalments rather than trying to «swallow» the entire chunk at once.

Author: Torsten Daerr