1. TOFEL Prep - reading
Feb. 9, 2015

2. Last Week: Reading section: 60-80 minutes 20 minutes per passage
Requires you understand
information from subjects
you are not familiar with.
tests how well you understand
college level reading material

3. Main Idea, Main Topic, Purpose
Usually the fist question
Phrased as:
What is the main idea of the passage?
The primary idea of the passage is…
Which of the following best summarized
The author’s main idea?

4. why an author wrote a passage
The main idea question asks
why an author wrote a passage

5. The answer choices usually begins with infinitives:
To define….
To discuss…
To illustrate…..
To distinguish between…..
To relate…..
To propose…..
To support the idea that
To compare ______ and _______

6. The correct answer will summarize The main points of the passage.
It will be more general than the supporting
Ideas.
Not so general that it includes details from
outside the passage.

7. Distractors: Are too specific Are too general
Are incorrect according to the passage
Are unrelated to the main idea
Save the main idea question until
you have answered the other questions

8. Tone Questions Asks you to determine the author’s
Feelings about the topic

9. Question phrased as: What tone does the author take in writing this
passage?
The tone of this passage could best be described
as….

10. Sample Answer Choices:
Positive
Negative
Favorable
Critical
Neutral
Optimistic
Unfavorable
Impersonal
Amused
Angry
Pleased
Defiant
Respectful
Worried
Humorous
outraged
Objective
impersonal

11. Authors use adjectives to create tone:
Remarkable
Brilliant
Admirable
Simplistic
uninteresting

12. Most TOFEL reading passages will have a
neutral tone.
A passage the takes a position for or against
have a different tone
BEWARE
of answers that indicate strong emotions

14. Homework Due Wednesday:
Read text book 30 minutes - minimum
Page 293 questions 1-10