Sculpture Courses - TOEFL Speaking Integrated Practice Questions with Answer Key

In the TOEFL iBT® exam, the Speaking Section consist of the Speaking Integrated Task, as one of the questions, goes beyond the general English communication skills being assessed. This task specifically evaluates your capacity to integrate knowledge from reading and hearing passages and present it in a logical manner in your response. 

The Speaking Integrated Task evaluates various aspects of spoken English proficiency, including pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary usage, and overall coherence. We have created a Speaking Integrated practice test on "Sculpture Courses" to assist you in honing these abilities.

Let's begin your practice journey with this TOEFL Speaking Integrated Task and enhance your comprehension and communication strategies!

Instructions

• The narrator will introduce you to the question format, consisting of reading a short academic passage followed by a related lecture on a similar topic.
• Subsequently, you will be asked to respond to a question, integrating information from both the passage and the lecture.
• After hearing the question, you will have 20 seconds to prepare your response and 60 seconds to deliver it.
• Following the initial instructions, the narrator will prompt you to read the passage on “Sculpture Courses ” within 45 seconds.
• The reading passage will be displayed on the screen for your convenience.

Sculpture Courses 

Sculpture classes have always been an integral part of the fine arts curriculum. These classes are specifically organised in a way that students can experiment with a variety of sculptural materials and techniques. From traditional techniques like carving and casting to exploring modern tools like digital modelling and 3D printing, students are able to explore their creativity levels. By enrolling in these sculpture classes, individuals would be able to gain and develop enhanced critical thinking, creativity, and technical proficiency. According to the university's art department, these courses educate students for their future careers in the field of arts and also foster a broader understanding of both cultural and historical settings. Therefore, such courses on sculptures would reflect significant social, political, and philosophical ideas.

Directions: After the passage appears, a timer located at the top of your computer screen will commence counting down the time allocated for reading. Once the reading time concludes, the passage will disappear from the screen, replacing an image showing a professor.

Now, listen to this Audio and answer the question that follows.

Audio Transcript

Professor:  Good morning, Sarah. It's wonderful to see you. How has your semester been going so far?

Sarah: It's going great, Professor. Even though I'm enjoying the sculpture course, there is one part that I'm finding a little difficult. Other than that, I'm glad since there's a lot to learn, especially with the different tools and techniques we use in class.

Professor:  I do agree that sculpture can be difficult but I have no doubt that the abilities you are currently developing, including creativity and problem-solving, are extremely valuable for your future.

Sarah: Indeed, Professor! I find the amount of teamwork involved to be really fascinating. Each of us in the class has unique skills that we can contribute, and I've had an excellent chance to learn from my classmates.

Professor:  That’s great to hear. It’s a good practice for the professional world, especially on larger projects. You’ll often need to work with others to bring complex ideas to life.

Sarah:  I agree with that, Professor. I’m really interested in how sculpture reflects the cultural and historical aspects. In our class lately, we’ve been studying about ancient sculptures, and it’s so fascinating to see how they represent the values and beliefs of their time.

Professor: Absolutely! Keep exploring those connections and it will enrich your projects.

Directions: Once the lecture concludes, the picture of the professor will be replaced by a screen instructing you to prepare for answering the question. Subsequently, the following question will appear on the screen and will be read aloud by a narrator.

Question

Summarize the information from the reading and the listening, explaining how the professor's points relate to the concepts discussed in the reading passage about sculpture courses.

Hold on to those answer sheets! Before you jump into the sample response, make sure to go through our top 7 Tips for TOEFL preparation. 

Answer Key with Explanation for TOEFL Speaking Test - Sculpture Courses 

We've provided two sample responses at different proficiency levels (mid-level and high-level). By understanding the differences, you'll gain valuable insights into the key elements that contribute to achieving a top score on the TOEFL exam.

Listen to the audio recording to hear a mid-level answer to the provided question.

Rater’s Comment:

This response effectively summarises the professor's discussion on the sculpture course's challenges and its benefits. The sentences are somewhat varied; however, there are many fillers and pauses in between which is affecting the overall of the answer. The response could have been explained more clearly by elaborating the answer by providing examples. Overall, this is a mid-level answer as it reflects the information provided but could have been more explanatory. 

Listen to the audio recording to hear a high-level answer to the provided question.

Rater’s Comment:

This response effectively summarizes and integrates the information provided and also explains the reasons for the same. The emphasis has been put on the necessity of pursuing the course and also elaborating the points have made the answer coherent. The sentences are well-articulated and the coherence is appropriate. The explanation in this response clearly demonstrates a comprehensive grasp of the information. The sentence structure is appropriate and also relevant to the conversation, making this a high-level answer.

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