Study Abroad Office Location - TOEFL Speaking Practice Test with Answers (Integrated)

The TOEFL Speaking Section's Integrated Task represents a sophisticated assessment of language abilities. It tests your capacity to understand complex information from multiple sources and present it in a clear, organized manner.

This challenging task requires excellence in various linguistic aspects: precise pronunciation, natural fluency, appropriate vocabulary, and coherent expression. We've created this targeted practice test on "Study Abroad Office Location" to help you develop these essential capabilities.

Prepare to strengthen your integrated speaking skills! Let's begin this practice session and develop your expertise in handling this complex task.

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 is considering relocating the Study Abroad Office to a more central location on campus.

Study Abroad Office Location

The university administration has announced a proposal to relocate the Study Abroad Office from its current location in the East Wing to a more central position in the Student Union Building. This change aims to increase accessibility for students and enhance collaboration with other student services. The administration believes that the new location will encourage more students to explore study abroad opportunities and make it easier for them to access related resources and support.

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 proposed relocation of the Study Abroad Office 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 - Study Abroad Office Location

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 demonstrates significant language errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues: "Speaker A and Speaker B talks about" and "the benefits outweighs the drawbacks." Filler words like "Um," "uh," and "But, um," are prevalent, indicating hesitations and affecting fluency. The delivery is choppy, with unnatural pauses, particularly at the beginning of sentences, which disrupts the flow and clarity of speech. Content development is weak, with repeated phrases like "Speaker B thinks it's a good idea" and missing support points, such as the specific reasons Speaker B believes the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Transitions between ideas are weak, and there are no self-corrections to improve clarity. This response earned a score of 1 due to its limited content, coherence, and delivery issues. To score higher, the speaker should focus on reducing filler words, improving grammatical accuracy, and providing more detailed content with clear transitions.

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, demonstrating a clear understanding of the speakers' opinions and reasons. The language use is strong, with advanced grammar structures such as "Speaker B supports the move, arguing that..." and sophisticated vocabulary like "sceptical" and "mitigate." The response features complex sentence constructions, for instance, "Despite these concerns, Speaker B remains optimistic, suggesting that proper planning could mitigate these issues." The word usage is precise, effectively conveying the nuances of the speakers' arguments. Delivery is excellent, with a natural flow and smooth transitions between ideas, such as "On the other hand, Speaker A is sceptical..." Content development is robust, with a well-organised structure and clear progression of ideas, supported by effective examples from the conversation. The response's notable strengths include its coherent discourse and precise articulation of the speakers' perspectives.

How did you do on this practice test? Whether you're satisfied or see room for improvement, we've got you covered! Our extensive collection of practice materials is designed to help you strengthen your speaking abilities and excel in the TOEFL exam.

Remember, consistent practice is the key to success!

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