Student Support Services - TOEFL Speaking Practice Test with Answers (Integrated)

The TOEFL Speaking Section tests a candidate's overall English communication skills, however, the Speaking Integrated Task takes it a step further. 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. To help you refine these skills, we have prepared a dedicated Speaking Integrated practice test centered on the topic "Student Support Services."

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

Instructions:

• You will first read a short passage about a campus-related announcement or proposed change. You will have 45 seconds to read the passage.
• Then you will listen to a conversation between two speakers discussing their opinions about the announcement or change.
• After the conversation ends, you will be asked to respond to a question about what you read and heard.
• You will have 30 seconds to prepare your response.
• You will have 60 seconds to speak about the speaker's opinion and the reasons they give for holding that opinion.

The university has announced a new initiative to enhance student support services on campus.

Student Support Services

The university is pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative aimed at enhancing student support services. This initiative will include the introduction of a 24/7 online counselling service, providing students with access to mental health support at any time. Additionally, the university will expand its academic advising hours to accommodate students' diverse schedules. These changes are part of our ongoing commitment to improving student well-being and academic success. We believe that by offering more flexible and accessible support, we can better meet the needs of our student community.

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 student.

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

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

Question

State the speakers' opinions about the new student support services initiative and explain their reasons for agreeing or disagreeing.

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 - Student Support Services

We've provided two sample responses at different proficiency levels (mid-level and high-level). By comparing 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:

The response earns a Score 1 due to significant language errors and limited content development. Language errors include subject-verb agreement issues, such as "They say it help students," and incorrect article usage, like "a step in right direction." Pronoun reference is unclear in "Speaker A is worried about resources. They, um, both think," causing confusion. Delivery is hindered by frequent filler words, such as "Um," "uh," and "but, um," leading to choppy speech and unnatural pauses. Content development is weak, with repeated phrases like "Speaker B, they think it's a good idea," and missing key points, such as Speaker A's concern about the effectiveness of online counselling. The response lacks coherence and depth, preventing a higher score. To improve, the speaker should focus on reducing filler words, ensuring grammatical accuracy, and providing more detailed content.

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

Rater’s Comment:

This response earns a score of 4 due to its comprehensive fulfilment of the task's demands, with only minor lapses. The language use is strong, featuring advanced grammar such as "Speaker B is very supportive of the initiative, particularly praising the 24/7 online counselling service," and sophisticated vocabulary like "scepticism" and "optimistic." The response demonstrates complex sentence constructions, as seen in "Despite this, Speaker A acknowledges the potential benefits of expanded academic advising hours." Delivery is excellent, with a natural flow and effective pacing, ensuring high intelligibility. The content is well-organised, with clear idea progression and coherent arguments, such as the contrast between Speaker A's cautious hopefulness and Speaker B's optimism. The response's mastery is evident in its precise word usage and strong organisation, which are notable strengths to maintain.

Did you nail the practice test? Fantastic! Let's keep that momentum rolling. We offer a wealth of personalized practice tests specifically designed to address your weaknesses and boost your TOEFL Speaking skills.

The more you practice, the more confident you'll become!

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