Rollins - The Complete Idiots Guide to the TOEFL

Dear Reader,

When it comes to getting information, you have more options than ever. Many of them are online, which is great when you need a little information right away. But when you want detail and depth, a successful outcome, or a rich learning experience, you turn to the source youre holding nowa book. And not just any book: a Complete Idiots Guide.

We designed this Complete Idiots Guide for you, because youre the kind of information seeker we understand and value. Youre smart, competent, and willing to tackle something new no matter how daunting it seemseven when the learning curve is high and you feel like a complete idiot. After all, todays complete idiot is tomorrows expert.

So dive right in and let us guide you past the pain of beginner brain and on to the pleasure of discovery and achievement. Youll get the results you want because our authors are credentialed experts who stick with you every step of the way. Youll enjoy the process because our editors know what makes learning easy and what just gets in the way. And if we ever fall short, well count on you to let us know so we can fix the problem.

And the next time you need information right away, check in with our online experts at idiotsguides.com. Our commitment to intelligent, accurate information carries through everything we doin print or online.

Happy learning!

Mike Sanders
Publisher, Alpha Books

ALPHA BOOKS

Published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore, Auckland 1311, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Copyright 2013 by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. For information, address Alpha Books, 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240.

THE COMPLETE IDIOTS GUIDE TO and Design are registered trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

ISBN: 978-1-61564-364-6
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2013933132

15 14 13 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of numbers is the year of the books printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the books printing. For example, a printing code of 13-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2013.

Printed in the United States of America

Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted.

The author and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

Most Alpha books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book excerpts, can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write: Special Markets, Alpha Books, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014.

Publisher:Mike Sanders

Executive Managing Editor:Billy Fields

Executive Acquisitions Editor:Lori Cates Hand

Development Editor:Kayla Dugger

Production Editor:Jana M. Stefanciosa

Cover Designer:William Thomas

Book Designers:William Thomas, Rebecca Batchelor

Indexer:Tonya Heard

Layout:Ayanna Lacey

Proofreader:Laura Caddell

Introduction

Are you ready to take the TOEFL? If youre planning to apply to an academic program that requires the TOEFL, this book is the place to start. The TOEFL is a standardized test, which means everyone who takes it is scored by the same criteria, no matter how long they have studied English or how much experience they have speaking, reading, listening, and writing it. This gives the programs to which you apply the amount of information they need to assess your ability to do well in an academic or university setting.

The TOEFL can be challenging, even for people who are fluent in everyday English. Because of the way the test is written and scored, you need to understand exactly how to approach listening, reading, speaking, and writing on the test to score your best. Whether youre confident in your ability to study and pass the testor if you think you may need more preparation before you take the examthis book explains exactly what skills you need to have and how to use them to do your best on the test, without spending time on anything you dont need for the exam.

This book is written to take you calmly and logically through the basics of the TOEFL and to show you how to conquer each of the sections of the exam. There are no shortcuts or secret tricks to taking the TOEFL, but this book will lead you through the best ways to use what you already know to score as high as possible. This book contains practice sections and full-length tests modeled after the TOEFL so you will be able to practice what youve learned and be ready to take the TOEFL with confidence. The Complete Idiots Guide to the TOEFL is the first step in conquering the exam.

How This Book Is Organized

To use this book, start at the beginning and work your way through. You may know some of the things outlined in the first part already, especially if youve already registered for or taken the TOEFL. You also may be stronger in some sections of the test than others. While it may be tempting to read through the how-to chapters of the book and not do the practice questions, or focus only on the sections you struggle in, dont skip any portion of the book. You will get the maximum benefit from this book only if you work through each section in order, paying special attention to the practice sections and the answer keys and explanations. For ease of use, this book is divided into seven parts: