據教育部通知，為防控新冠疫情，決定取消5月份所有托福考試，所交考試費均退還至學生賬戶。考生可再次預約后續日期的TOEFL考試。從整體趨勢來看，ETS增加接下來幾個月的考試場次，例如6月13、14、20日考試；7月已設4、5、11日考試。此種情況下，在大學申請截止日期前，選報時間靠后的TOEFL比較穩妥。在轉考期間，除了繼續備考托福，做題練手，考生還可以完善個人申請材料，確認是否有遺漏。
說到托福考試，它常與雅思并稱，作為申請國外留學必要提交的語言成績證明。TOEFL考試包括閱讀、聽力、口語、寫作四個部分：閱讀——測試考生對英文學術資料及教學文本的理解能力；聽力——測試考生對英文教學環境適應力；口語——考察學生在全英場合中運用英文交談的能力；寫作——測試考生學術英文寫作能力。每部分的題量設置及考試時長如下圖所示：
托福考試在去年8月份經歷一次考題更新：總考試時長由3.5h縮短為3h，閱讀及聽力的文章對話題量減少，但考試難度整體不變，寫作部分未變，TOEFL滿分仍為120分。相當于在托福閱讀及聽力兩部分，考生的單位做題時間有所增加。本文將針對托福閱讀備考技巧提出建議，此為優朗托福考試培訓老師據教學經驗總結所得，希望能夠幫助考生穩定軍心，迎戰遲來的TOEFL！
1、托福考試閱讀部分備考技巧
根據托福考試培訓的實際教學經驗，優朗老師發現在四大版塊中，閱讀部分是比較容易拿分的一項。TOEFL官方也作出說明：“若考生發現閱讀篇章涉及到自己不熟悉的主題，也不必擔心，因為文后問題答案的關鍵信息都可以在文中找到。”因此，第一個托福閱讀備考技巧是“先調整好心態”，不要看到陌生的主旨就心態崩壞，打退堂鼓。在開始介紹后續托福閱讀備考技巧之前，我們先了解下TOEFL閱讀所考察內容及文后題目常考偏向？
縱觀TOEFL托福閱讀部分，優朗托福考試培訓老師認為試卷所引用的文本材料大致分為“exposition、argumentation、historical”三種基本類型。第一類解釋說明型即對某現象或事物進行闡述，介紹其特點或造成的后果及形成原因；第二類立論型全篇采用議論文形式，針對主論點從正反多方角度進行闡述，也可能站在正方或反方立場去駁斥對方；第三類歷史題材型文本往往涉及特殊人物或歷史事件。其次，關于托福閱讀文后題目，約有8種常考題型：①文本詞匯；②插入一句話；③將文句簡化；④提問目的；⑤圖標題；⑥推斷、預測；⑦提問細節信息；⑧提問文章主旨（通常是最后一題、6選3），考察學生是否能把握全局，總結文章主題。
托福閱讀備考技巧二：邊讀邊答，文段與題目相對應。與其他閱讀考試不同，由于托福閱讀部分每篇后附10道題目，據優朗托福考試培訓老師總結，幾乎大部分題目都可在文中找到對應的某一段，因此，考生在讀到重點段落時便可翻到文后答題。這種“邊讀邊答”方法，既節省了考生閱讀文本時間，又有利于提升答題正確率。
托福閱讀備考技巧三：詞匯量達標，結合語境巧猜單詞。優朗托福考試培訓老師提醒大家考試詞匯達標通常可以解決大部分問題，TOEFL要求的詞匯量為8000-10000，要想達標，不是易事，需要制定單詞背誦目標，堅持打卡。對于詞匯量足夠的考生來講，托福閱讀詞匯題不在話下，用幾秒鐘選出答案，為其他題目爭取更多的答題時間。若遇到不認識的單詞，就需要發動“猜詞大法”，結合上下文語境推導最接近的詞義。無論是“直接選答案”還是“巧妙猜詞”，都需要詞匯量做基底。因此，優朗老師往往會在課程初期便要求考生嚴格執行“記憶單詞”計劃，定時定量抽查單詞，檢測是否達成小目標。
托福閱讀備考技巧四：不腦補，回歸原文本確定答案。在TOEFL閱讀中，會出現單項、多項兩種選擇題，作答時，“排除法”是一大利器。如何運用排除法，發揮出它的最大效果？優朗托福考試培訓老師建議大家“用原文本說話”，不添加個人感情色彩。通常，排除法的干擾選項為“95%與文本相同，5%為主觀編造”，考生首先要根據題目確定答案范圍，可能會涉及2-3段，隨后根據選項找文本，“有相似之處但出現意義相反的詞，不選”，不過有的選項會對原文進行總結，并非完全一致，這樣的答案可以保留，若無更合適的，可選這一項。
托福閱讀備考技巧五：研讀文本，學會分析長難句。“長難句”是近年來英語語言考試中避不開的一部分，尤其出現在各類閱讀題中。托福閱讀備考時學會解讀長難句，更有助于讀懂文義，有的題目也會問道長難句中某個詞匯的含義，若理解句意，可以便于猜詞。針對長難句分析解讀，優朗托福考試培訓老師建議大家從閱讀真題入手。說到底，英語長難句考察學生能否準確拆分句子結構及邏輯，雖然會花費不少時間，但是在練習備考階段，對此付出的時間成本是值得的，熟練掌握句型后，正式參加考試時便可從容不迫。除了長難句邏輯理清外，大家還可以注意一下文段之間的邏輯關系，是遞進、并列還是轉折，掌握這些內容，文章主旨題小菜一碟！
2、免費TOEFL真題下載
下面是一篇TOEFL真題閱讀文本，大家可以嘗試做一下，文后附有真題答案可核對。
Read the passage. Give yourself 20 minutes to complete this practice set.
The Rise of Teotihuacán
1、The city of Teotihuacán, which lay about 50 kilometers northeast of modern-day Mexico City, began its growth by 200 –100 B.C. At its height, between about A.D. 150 and 700, it probably had a population of more than 125,000 people and covered at least 20 square kilometers. It had over 2,000 apartment complexes, a great market, a large number of industrial workshops, an administrative center, a number of massive religious edifices, and a regular grid pattern of streets and buildings. Clearly, much planning and central control were involved in the expansion and ordering of this great metropolis. Moreover, the city had economic and perhaps religious contacts with most parts of Mesoamerica (modern Central America and Mexico).
2、How did this tremendous development take place, and why did it happen in the Teotihuacán Valley? Among the main factors are Teotihuacán's geographic location on a natural trade route to the south and east of the Valley of Mexico, the obsidian1 resources in the Teotihuacán Valley itself, and the valley's potential for extensive irrigation. The exact role of other factors is much more difficult to pinpoint —for instance, Teotihuacán's religious significance as a shrine, the historical situation in and around the Valley of Mexico toward the end of the first millennium B.C., the ingenuity and foresightedness of Teotihuacán's elite, and, finally, the impact of natural disasters, such as the volcanic eruptions of the late first millennium B.C.
3、This last factor is at least circumstantially implicated in Teotihuacán's rise. Prior to 200 B.C., a number of relatively small centers coexisted in and near the Valley of Mexico. Around this time, the largest of these centers, Cuicuilco, was seriously affected by a volcanic eruption, with much of its agricultural land covered by lava. With Cuicuilco eliminated as a potential rival, any one of a number of relatively modest towns might have emerged as a leading economic and political power in Central Mexico. The archaeological evidence clearly indicates, though, that Teotihuacán was the center that did arise as the predominant force in the area by the first century A.D.
4、It seems likely that Teotihuacán's natural resources—along with the city elite's ability to recognize their potential — gave the city a competitive edge over its neighbors. The valley, like many other places in Mexican and Guatemalan highlands, was rich in obsidian. The hard volcanic stone was a resource that had been in great demand for many years, at least since the rise of the Olmecs (a people who flourished between 1200 and 400 B.C.), and it apparently had a secure market. Moreover, recent research on obsidian tools found at Olmec sites has shown that some of the obsidian obtained by the Olmecs originated near Teotihuacán. Teotihuacán obsidian must have been recognized as a valuable commodity for many centuries before the great city arose.
5、Long-distance trade in obsidian probably gave the elite residents of Teotihuacán access to a wide variety of exotic goods, as well as a relatively prosperous life. Such success may have attracted immigrants to Teotihuacán. In addition, Teotihuacán's elite may have consciously attempted to attract new inhabitants. It is also probable that as early as 200 B.C. Teotihuacán may have achieved some religious significance and its shrine (or shrines) may have served as an additional population magnet. Finally, the growing population was probably fed by increasing the number and size of irrigated fields.
6、The picture of Teotihuacán that emerges is a classic picture of positive feedback among obsidian mining and working, trade, population growth, irrigation, and religious tourism. The thriving obsidian operation, for example, would necessitate more miners, additional manufacturers of obsidian tools, and additional traders to carry the goods to new markets. All this led to increased wealth, which in turn would attract more immigrants to Teotihuacán. The growing power of the elite, who controlled the economy, would give them the means to physically coerce people to move to Teotihuacán and serve as additions to the labor force. More irrigation works would have to be built to feed the growing population, and this resulted in more power and wealth for the elite.
說明： obsidian: a type of volcanic glasslike rock used for manufacturing tools and ceremonial objects
Directions: Answer the questions.
1、In paragraph 1, each of the following is mentioned as a feature of the city of Teotihuacán between A.D. 150 and 700 EXCEPT:
A.regularly arranged streets
B.several administrative centers spread across the city
C.many manufacturing workshops
D.apartment complexes
2、The word "ingenuity" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:
A.ambition
B.sincerity
C.faith
D.cleverness
3、Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as a main factor in the development of Teotihuacán?
A.The presence of obsidian in the Teotihuacán Valley
B.The potential for extensive irrigation of Teotihuacán Valley lands
C.A long period of volcanic inactivity in the Teotihuacán Valley
D.Teotihuacán's location on a natural trade route
4、What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about Cuicuilco prior to 200 B.C.?
A.It was a fairly small city until that date.
B.It was located outside the Valley of Mexico.
C.It emerged rapidly as an economical and political center.
D.Its economy relied heavily on agriculture.
5、Which of the following allowed Teotihuacán to have "a competitive edge over its neighbors"?
A.A well-exploited and readily available commodity
B.The presence of a highly stable elite class
C.Knowledge derived directly from the Olmecs about the art of toolmaking
D.Scarce natural resources in nearby areas such as those located in what are now the Guatemalan and Mexican highlands
6、According to paragraph 4, what has recent research on obsidian tools found at Olmecsites shown?
A.Obsidian's value was understood only when Teotihuacán became an important city.
B.The residents of Teotihuacán were sophisticated toolmakers.
C.The residents of Teotihuacán traded obsidian with the Olmecs as early as 400 B.C.
D.Some of the obsidian used by the Olmecs came from the area around Teotihuacán.
7、Select the TWO answer choices that are mentioned in paragraph 5 as being features of Teotihuacán that may have attracted immigrants to the city. To receive credit, you must select TWO answers.
A.The prosperity of the elite
B.Plenty of available housing
C.Opportunities for well-paid agricultural employment
D.The presence of one or more religious shrines
8、In paragraph 6, the author discusses "The thriving obsidian operation," in order to:
A.explain why manufacturing was the main industry of Teotihuacán
B.give an example of an industry that took very little time to develop in Teotihuacán
C.illustrate how several factors influenced each other to make Teotihuacán a powerful and wealthy city
D.explain how a successful industry can be a source of wealth and a source of conflict at the same time
9、In paragraph 1 of the passage, there is a missing sentence. The paragraph is repeated below and shows four letters (A, B, C, and D) that indicate where the following sentence could be added.
In fact, artifacts and pottery from Teotihuacán have been discovered in sites as faraway as the Mayan lowlands, the Guatemalan highlands, northern Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of Mexico.
Where would the sentence best fit?
A.Option A
B.Option B
C.Option C
D.Option D
10、Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
A.The number and sophistication of the architectural, administrative, commercial, and religious features of Teotihuacán indicate the existence of centralized planning and control.
B.Teotihuacán may have developed its own specific local religion as a result of the cultural advances made possible by the city's great prosperity.
C.Several factors may account for Teotihuacán's extraordinary development, including its location, rich natural resources, irrigation potential, intelligent elite, and the misfortune of rival communities.
D.As a result of its large number of religious shrines, by the first century A.D., Teotihuacán became the most influential religious center in all of Mesoamerica.
E.In many important areas, from the obsidian industry to religious tourism, Teotihuacán's success and prosperity typified the classic positive feedback cycle.
F.Although many immigrants settled in Teotihuacán between A.D. 150 and 700, the increasing threat of coerced labor discouraged further settlement and limited Teotihuacán's population growth.
TOEFL閱讀真題參考答案：1.B； 2.D；3.C； 4.D； 5.A； 6.D； 7.A、D；8.C；9.D；10.A、C、E；
通過真題測驗，你對托福閱讀考試是否已有初印象？最后，優朗托福考試培訓老師還要提出最后一條閱讀備考技巧——“分析錯題，做好反思與總結“。要做到這一點，需要大家在練習TOEFL真題后，想想，在這篇閱讀中，我做錯了哪道題？是不是因為沒讀懂題目 or 沒讀懂選項？這道題涉及長難句嗎，是因為不會拆分句子邏輯導致無法理解句意嗎？或者本來可以選對，結果想當然，多慮了一步反而選錯？這些問題是常見的錯選原因。經過反思之后，將經驗用在下一次練習中，腳踏實地查漏補缺。如需要專業英語老師輔導，大家可以聯系優朗托福考試培訓課程顧問老師，了解詳細的時間及模式安排，還可以獲取更多TOEFL真題！
