23.07.2024

 https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-video-lessons/listening-comprehension/basic-listening-focus-on-hearing/actions/sheldon-convincing-mom-to-believe-in-god/1013513

16.07.2024

 https://www.mometrix.com/academy/toefl/toefl-speaking/?nab=0

Look at this e-mail that Sophie has written to her friend in Australia. She has made some mistakes with modal verbs - where are they?

Hi Cynthia,

I've decided to come to Australia to visit you. You've invited me so many times and now, with my studies finished, I finally should.

I want to start in Sydney, where you live. Do you know if it's cheaper to fly direct from Europe or if I must get a cheaper flight via another city? I can go to the travel agent and ask, but maybe you know something.

My parents are very worried about me traveling alone. We talked last night about it. For three hours! They said I don't have to talk to strangers and I have to stay only in nice hotels. Oh, and my father told me I shouldn't catch trains because they're dangerous. What do you think about that?

I'm so happy I can do some of the things I've always wanted to do. I can go diving on the Great Barrier Reef and I may see some kangaroos and koala bears too. When I was young, I dreamed about seeing real koala bears. I can't believe it's going to happen!

Must you give me some advice about traveling in Australia. I know everyone can speak English, but what about the money? Do I have to change my Euros before I leave or can I wait until I arrive?

I have so many questions. I can't sleep until I leave! That's only three weeks away.

Tell me what you think about my plan and what other preparations I should make before my departure.

Big hug

Sophie

https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-video-lessons/listening-comprehension/basic-listening-focus-on-hearing/ability/how-limits-can-boost-your-creativity/1011369

https://www.englishclub.com/esl-exams/ets-toefl-practice-listening.php

Multiple Choice Cloze Worksheet 1

For each question, choose which of the four possible answers fits the space best. Also think about why the other three answers are not possible.

1. Lance is ___________ knowledgeable on this subject.
a) smartly
b) powerfully
c) firmly
d) highly

2. I need a good explanation of all the costs ___________ in buying a new car.
a) affected
b) involved
c) concerned
d) implied

3. There was a ___________ debate about the Middle East, then they moved to a vote.
a) lively
b) flexible
c) main
d) nimble

4. The doctor told him to lose weight quickly or pay the ___________ later in life.
a) fee
b) fine
c) price
d) cost

5. Jet lag causes problems with our ___________ clock.
a) biological
b) botanical
c) natural
d) rhythmical

6. This species of seagull is not a ___________ of the island, but will sometimes rest here a while.
a) neighbour
b) national
c) citizen
d) resident

7. Doesn't it ___________ you as strange that it's the middle of May and it's snowing?
a) hit
b) occur
c) strike
d) touch

8. I didn't stay behind because I wanted to, I did so because it was my ___________.
a) work
b) duty
c) shift
d) chore

  

Tilting Tower Of Pisa

A
One of the world's most famous buildings, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, has recently reopened after ten years of closure, and later in the year, tourists will once again be allowed to climb the ancient monument. The free-standing bell tower of Pisa cathedral started leaning to the south as soon as building started. As it was completed in stages over nearly 200 years, the builders compensated for the tilt by bending the tower as it went up. The problem was that the soft sand and clay under its foundations were compressed by the tower's weight. Over the centuries it leaned more and more, and in 1990 it had to be closed to tourists. Professor John Burland of Imperial College, London, who supervised the stabilisation work, says it was near to collapse: "We can't say when it would have gone, because that would have been a random event like an earthquake or a storm, but we knew we hadn't got long; we knew we had to do something very quickly."

B
Previous efforts to slow the progress of the tilt had failed to help; in fact some had even accelerated it. The committee appointed by the city of Pisa to plan a rescue considered several options, including pumping water out of the sand, and weighing down the ground on the northern side, opposite the lean. But tests on a concrete model of the Leaning Tower suggested that the best method would be to dig out small amounts of earth from boreholes drilled at an angle under the northern side. Instruments measured the results to the millimetre, as Professor Burland guided the operation by fax from his London office: "We had 41 drill holes going in under the tower over its full width. On any one day we would perhaps operate from four of them at the most, and each day we extracted a maximum of 100 litres, which is really just a few bucketfuls."

C
Professor Burland and the team were well aware that, while allowing the tower to collapse would have been a disaster, straightening it too far would have done Pisa's tourist industry no good either; few visitors would come to see a Vertical Tower of Pisa. But he's satisfied that the drilling has gone just far enough: "We've reduced the lean by about 10%; the tower was leaning about four-and-a-half metres near the top. It's now leaning just a little bit over four metres, which is enough to stabilise the tower, but not enough for a tourist to look at it and say, "Ah! They've reduced the lean". It's not visible." The Leaning Tower is now stable; even if it were to return to its former rate of tilt, it should survive another 300 years before more action is needed and from November onwards, tourists will once again be allowed to look down from its overhanging eighth storey.

Source: bbc.co.uk

The reading passage has three paragraphs. Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-C from the list of headings. Write the correct number.

1. Paragraph A _______
2. Paragraph B _______
3. Paragraph C _______

1. Random Tests
2. Tilt Compensation
3. Repeating History
4. Lean Reduction
5. Model Method

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

Choose either True, False or Not Stated if there is no information on this in the reading passage.

1. The tower's closure has been expensive for the city of Pisa.
2. By 1990, the tower could have collapsed at any time.
3. Some of the previous attempts at slowing the lean rate had had the opposite effect.
4. The tower leans towards the north.
5. Professor Burland's job was at risk if they had straightened the tower too much.

https://www.grammarbank.com/toefl-practice-tests.html

18,06,2024

   

1. What was Claudia upset about?

1. The status of a group project for her philosophy class
2. A difficult project designing a bridge for her engineering class
3. She was having trouble understanding Aristotle’s philosophies and influences
4. Receiving a poor grade on her midterm exams

2. What were the components of the group project assignment? (There are two correct choices.)

1. A 10-page paper
2. A 20-page paper
3. A 20-minute presentation
4. A 10-minute presentation

3. In Claudia’s sentence, “Thanks for commiserating with me Miguel,” the word commiserating most nearly means which of the following?

1. Communicating
2. Correcting
3. Agreeing
4. Sympathizing

4. Why does Claudia think her group is not taking the project seriously? (There are two correct choices.)

1. Because one student does not enjoy philosophy class
2. Because one student did a poor job covering his material
3. Because two group members have not yet started on the project
4. Because they know the project will not impact their grade

In the sentence below, what does the male student mean when he says he “had to carry the weight of the whole group”?

Male student: “I had to carry the weight of the whole group since no one held up their end.”

1. His bridge design had to hold the entire load dictated by the assignment.
2. He needed to manage everyone in his group and assign them various roles in the project.
3. He had to take on the bulk of the group work by himself.
4. He had to demonstrate how much weight the bridge could hold before it collapsed.

6. Why does the female student say: “Before this, I always loved group projects, but now, my opinion has shifted”?

1. She used to enjoy group projects, but after the current negative experience, she no longer likes them.
2. She didn’t used to like group projects, but after the current negative experience, she now enjoys them.
3. She has changed her views of things after learning about the ideals of notable philosophers.
4. She didn’t used to like philosophy class, but after this project, she now enjoys it.

Mometrix Test Preparation · TOEFL Listening Practice Question 1  

  

 1. I have seen businesses moving out of the country ---- avoid paying taxes.

A) in case
B) in view of
C) so as to
D) although
E) however

2. We shall take an umbrella with us ---- we don't get wet.

A) in case
B) in order to
C) so that
D) despite
E) because of

3. I couldn't drive there ---- so I told my dad to come along.

A) me
B) each other
C) myself
D) one another's
E) us

4. Before asking ---- people to share their secrets with you, share some of ---- with them.

A) other / yours
B) the other / you
C) some others / yours
D) others / yours
E) the others / you

5. By the time you ---- to the party, we ---- for several hours.

A) have come / had been drinking
B) come / will be drinking
C) come / have been drinking
D) came / had been drinking
E) came / were drinking

6. Alan ---- all his money when we got to the casino, he didn't even say hi to us.

A) ought to lose
B) should lose
C) needn't have lost
D) can't have lost
E) must have lost

7. The store ---- by hundreds of people everyday, I don't understand why my favorite book ---- yet.

A) visited / hasn't been bought
B) is visited / hasn't been bought
C) was visited / hadn't bought
D) is visited / hadn't been bought
E) had visited / hasn't been bought

8. The new movie performed very poorly ---- the low ratings it has received by the viewers.

A) due to
B) since
C) despite
D) however
E) because

9. I can see the rainbow clearly now that the rain ----.

A) stopped
B) had stopped
C) stop
D) has stopped
E) will stop

10. Several guests complained about ---- cold food last night.

A) to be served
B) being served
C) served
D) having served
E) to have been served

11. I cannot think of anything ---- I would love more than a car right now.

A) where
B) who
C) when
D) whom
E) that

12. I am excited to see all the historical structures ---- by the Roman Empire.

A) building
B) to build
C) built
D) to have built
E) having built

  

The following text was reported by the University administrators to all students and their parents.

Announcement

The University Public Safety and Parking Services Department has decided that, effective at the start of the upcoming academic year, only juniors and seniors will be eligible to purchase campus parking permits. While there have been a limited number of available permits for underclassmen over the past few years, the Public Services department and University administration agree that reverting back to the junior- and senior-only policy is in the best interest of our campus community. This decision comes with considerable deliberation and a majority vote. It was determined that the limitation of available spaces and resultant permit fee posed a prohibitive cost for many of our students. Additionally, we believe that reserving the privilege of on-campus vehicles for just juniors and seniors will eliminate the need for the extensive application and lottery process. All interested upperclassmen will now simply register their vehicle online and pay a nominal parking permit fee. Lastly, we hope this decision will strengthen our campus community by encouraging freshmen to stay on campus and engage in any of the many wonderful campus activities and social functions offered here and eliminate the safety issues associated with alcohol consumption and driving.

Listen to the following conversation, in which a male student expresses his opinion of the University’s new parking permit policy:

Mometrix Test Preparation · TOEFL Speaking Practice Question 1  

In 60 seconds, state and explain the male student’s opinion and compare it with the University’s Public Service Department’s opinion.

 

06.06.2024

 

  

  

04.05.2024