Sunday, December 13, 2020

TOEIC Speaking - Questions 1 and 2 - Read a Text

 

TOEIC Speaking -  Questions 1-2 - Read a Text



Summary: You are required to read two texts aloud with a length of between 40 and 60 words each. Content of the texts represents something that would normally be read aloud in real life (announcement, commercial, warning, reminder, etc). You will be graded on pronunciation, intonation, and stress.

Instructions: You have 45 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to respond to each text.  

Scoring Rubrics: 



Learning Objectives: Each item in the TOEIC Speaking Test was designed to assess several learning objectives connected with the ability to use English functionally in a real-world context. The chart below summarizes the learning objectives for this section of the exam.


Click to see full size version.



Strategies: The strategies presented here are focused on intonation and stress rather than pronunciation of individual phonemes. However, I suggest you visit Jonathan Acuña's pronunciation blog if you would like more detailed practice of individual English phonemes and other pronunciation aspects. CLICK HERE for access. 

Strategy 1: Distinguish Content Words from Function Words
  
English is a stress timed language. That means only certain words in the sentence receive the stress while the others are weakened and condensed. We have two kinds of words: Content Words, which are stressed, and Function Words, which are reduced and condensed to fit between the beats of the content words. The graphic below shows which kinds of words make up each category.


Example: In the following sentences, the content words are marked in bold and should receive more stress from the speaker.

I went for a walk in the country yesterday but it was really hot and I was bitten by a lot of mosquitoes. I can't stand mosquitoes!

By now, you probably do this quite well when speaking. However, many English L2 users struggle with this when reading a text aloud. They concentrate so hard on reading the words carefully and accurately that they end up giving all the words the same stress and they sound robotic, or if they stress the wrong words, they can sound unnatural. Listen to the difference between these three examples.


 



In the first reading, the speaker gives all the words the same level of stress which makes him sound monotonous and robotic. In the second reading, the speaker incorrectly stresses some function words which makes the recording sound unnatural. In the final reading, the speaker appropriately stresses the content words while reducing the function words which gives the recording a natural sound.

Strategy 2:Use Punctuation Clues to Include Appropriate Pauses

As the strategy suggests, you will want to make a brief pause each time you come to a comma or final punctuation mark.


We can combine this with Strategy 1 and read a text with appropriate word stress on the content words and include pauses on the relevant punctuation.



Strategy 3: Use Appropriate Rising and Falling Intonation

In addition to stress and pausing, you will also need to use appropriate intonation. Keep in mind the following typical intonation patterns in English.

Yes-No Questions: These questions finish with rising intonation. 

Are you looking for me (↑)? Can I help you (↑)? Do you like to travel (↑)?

Information-WH Questions: These questions finish with falling intonation.

What style of flooring tiles do you want to use in the lobby(↓)?

Lists of Three or More Items: Intonation in lists follows the pattern rising, rising, falling.

The store sells clothing (↑), equipment (↑), and memorabilia (↓).



    Practice Tasks

    Instructions: Follow these instructions in order to practice this section of the exam. 



     
    Text 1: Few spots in the city are as beloved as City Park. Over ten million visitors play, relax, or enjoy outings with their friends and families in the park every year. Each spring and summer, the park offers a wide variety of activities. This weekend there will be an outdoor jazz concert, a nature program, and special events for children. Most visitors explore the park on foot, although it can also be explored by bike or on horseback. Maps and information on park activities are available at the visitor’s center, which is open daily from nine to five o’clock.

    Text 2: May I have your attention for a moment, please? Unfortunately, the lecture originally scheduled for this time, “An Introduction to Accounting”, has been canceled for personal reasons. You may attend this lecture on Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday of next week, however. If those days are inconvenient, we will be pleased to give you a full refund. Thank you for your attention. 


    Text 3: Thank you for calling Union Motorcycles. We have the city’s largest selection of sport and cruising bikes, and also a full selection of parts, accessories, and riding wear. Visit between nine a.m. and nine p.m. on weekdays, and let our experienced staff attend to all your riding needs. Where else could you go for better riding advice? 


    Text 4: On Monday, May 7, we will start installing new telephone lines in most of our offices. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use your telephones until the work is completed later in the week. This will affect your work on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday morning. However, you can use the telephones in the main reception area during that time. 


    Text 5: All right everyone, we’ve come to the end of our tour of the downtown area, and we’re about to enter the public gardens, where we’ll take a short break. There’s a café here, where you can rest, get something to drink, and look over the schedule for the rest of the day. Let me know if you have any questions. 
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