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PTS · 06-21-2008, 08:43 PM

I completed my exam just before 2 hrs. This was my 4th attempt. It was a terrible experience. I gave this test at Indiana, perdue university. I am living in chicago and I commute till there, but that test center is just like a vegetable market. around 30 people in one class and 20 on same table ! They put computers in cabin of glass so thats why the person sitting besides u can't see. We have to look at computers in cabin such a way as we r looking in microscope or telescope. Also they r not providing enough papers. when I asked for others, they just told they can issue only 3 papers. Kind of weired ! And in speaking when I tested my head phone it was working but during test I was not able to hear my own sound (which facility was there in that head phones) sometimes I was able to hear my own voice in head phone and sometimes not. It was giving disturbances. I was really distracted and worried about my responses. Whether they have been recorded or not. I was really positive this time as last time I got 27 in speaking but they gave me 22 in writing.In all previous attempts I was able to score well on writing. But it all spoils due to the tet center.

Speaking:
1. I am not able to remeber my first speaking question.

If anyone has idea pleases post it.

2. some students prefer to review their notes regularly, while others review at the time of examiniation. What do u prefer?

Essay: Do u agree or disagree? - A person can achieve success by personal looks and dressing style than by good ideas.

Any 21st June taker please post que no. 1 of speaking. I am trying to recollect it but not able to remeber it. plz...

wbizreh · 06-21-2008, 09:54 PM

I felt that the writing question was somehow difficult. This my 4th attempt to the TOEFl too and I need 24 in the writing. I just couldn't come up with any ideas to write about in the essay it is really hard after you have spent almost 4 hours behind the computer you get the writing question. This is just not fair.

PTS · 06-21-2008, 10:07 PM

hey wbizreh,
do u remember the first speaking question? Actually I didn't like integrated writing as it was based on Egypt history and its Old kingdom.

T-TOTO08 · 06-22-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PTS

hey wbizreh,
do u remember the first speaking question? Actually I didn't like integrated writing as it was based on Egypt history and its Old kingdom.

Hi PT, how do you feel about your exam? what is the chance in percentage overall?so, how's the speaking the speaking section? did you answer all Q's nicely with nice ideas?...problem in the toefl ibt speaking was you have a very small margin of error. It is hard to come up with brilliant ideas for just 15 sec. preparation. So, how did you manage your integrated writing? did you get all the task needed for writing? ....thanks

quatro11 · 06-22-2008, 01:37 AM

Question # 1 was
what do you do to improve your community?

muaxuanve · 06-22-2008, 07:55 AM

Thank you very much for posting your experience here guys.

@PTS: I'm so sorry for what you faced during the exam. Good luck with your result anyway.

corymz · 06-22-2008, 10:05 AM

I took the iBT yesterday, too...in Paris.

I had the most difficulty with the reading section b/c there were still people coming into the room to begin their test as I got started on mine and the computers were set really loud at first. So, basically, for the first 20 minutes or so, I could hear computers shouting off directions...It was impossible to concentrate on the passage.

Listening and writing were the easiest for me...I think we might have gotten an experimental section on the listening b/c there were too many...but I might be wrong.

On the speaking, I think I sounded like an idiot...Especially on the first one about community improvement. I spoke way too fast. But what can I do about it now?

I have some questions for you guys:

Does anyone know how the reading/listening sections are scored? ETS seems to be secretive about it... Are all questions worth the same? And how is the raw score converted to the 0-30 scale?

Do you remember the answer to the summary question (where you must choose 3 statements to go below the sentence summing up the passage) to the plan/fungi passage? I wasn't sure whether the statement about the Frank guy should go in or not...

Oh, and one last thought: this test is a total rip-off! I can't believe serious schools play ETS's game by making ALL international students take a test that's ridiculously expensive and that's not strictly testing language ability, because even Americans who take it for experimental purposes don't get perfect scores. I mean, come on, anyone who's scored over a 600 on the verbal part of the SAT has already done better than most native speakers! I got a 710 verbal/720 writing back when I took the SAT...And they're telling me they need PROOF of my ability to work in English? I lived in the US for 5 years and studied at an American school overseas for 2. I always took AP/IB higher level English...And my GPA was a 3.75! Maybe they should also ask all those Americans who get Cs and Ds in English class all through their high schools years to pay 185 bucks to take the TOEFL to test for THEIR ability to work in English.

toefltaker · 07-01-2008, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corymz

I took the iBT yesterday, too...in Paris.

I had the most difficulty with the reading section b/c there were still people coming into the room to begin their test as I got started on mine and the computers were set really loud at first. So, basically, for the first 20 minutes or so, I could hear computers shouting off directions...It was impossible to concentrate on the passage.

Listening and writing were the easiest for me...I think we might have gotten an experimental section on the listening b/c there were too many...but I might be wrong.

On the speaking, I think I sounded like an idiot...Especially on the first one about community improvement. I spoke way too fast. But what can I do about it now?

I have some questions for you guys:

Does anyone know how the reading/listening sections are scored? ETS seems to be secretive about it... Are all questions worth the same? And how is the raw score converted to the 0-30 scale?

Do you remember the answer to the summary question (where you must choose 3 statements to go below the sentence summing up the passage) to the plan/fungi passage? I wasn't sure whether the statement about the Frank guy should go in or not...

Oh, and one last thought: this test is a total rip-off! I can't believe serious schools play ETS's game by making ALL international students take a test that's ridiculously expensive and that's not strictly testing language ability, because even Americans who take it for experimental purposes don't get perfect scores. I mean, come on, anyone who's scored over a 600 on the verbal part of the SAT has already done better than most native speakers! I got a 710 verbal/720 writing back when I took the SAT...And they're telling me they need PROOF of my ability to work in English? I lived in the US for 5 years and studied at an American school overseas for 2. I always took AP/IB higher level English...And my GPA was a 3.75! Maybe they should also ask all those Americans who get Cs and Ds in English class all through their high schools years to pay 185 bucks to take the TOEFL to test for THEIR ability to work in English.

I couldn't agree with you more. Even tough TOEFL stands for Test of English as a FOREIGN Language, it really stands for Test of English as a FIRST language. I took the test on Saturday, June 28 and the reading section was just unbelievable! I don't believe this format (ibt) gives proper assessment of an applicants true language ability/capability.

hather · 07-09-2008, 12:40 AM

Hey Guys,

when your result will come? How much time it will take? I am going to apply for TOEFL. Thanks and all the best to all.

06-21-2008, 08:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
PTS Within my grasp! Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 165	June 21st exam experience - one more victim I completed my exam just before 2 hrs. This was my 4th attempt. It was a terrible experience. I gave this test at Indiana, perdue university. I am living in chicago and I commute till there, but that test center is just like a vegetable market. around 30 people in one class and 20 on same table ! They put computers in cabin of glass so thats why the person sitting besides u can't see. We have to look at computers in cabin such a way as we r looking in microscope or telescope. Also they r not providing enough papers. when I asked for others, they just told they can issue only 3 papers. Kind of weired ! And in speaking when I tested my head phone it was working but during test I was not able to hear my own sound (which facility was there in that head phones) sometimes I was able to hear my own voice in head phone and sometimes not. It was giving disturbances. I was really distracted and worried about my responses. Whether they have been recorded or not. I was really positive this time as last time I got 27 in speaking but they gave me 22 in writing.In all previous attempts I was able to score well on writing. But it all spoils due to the tet center. Speaking: 1. I am not able to remeber my first speaking question. If anyone has idea pleases post it. 2. some students prefer to review their notes regularly, while others review at the time of examiniation. What do u prefer? Essay: Do u agree or disagree? - A person can achieve success by personal looks and dressing style than by good ideas. Any 21st June taker please post que no. 1 of speaking. I am trying to recollect it but not able to remeber it. plz...

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06-21-2008, 09:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
wbizreh Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2	I felt that the writing question was somehow difficult. This my 4th attempt to the TOEFl too and I need 24 in the writing. I just couldn't come up with any ideas to write about in the essay it is really hard after you have spent almost 4 hours behind the computer you get the writing question. This is just not fair.

06-21-2008, 10:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
PTS Within my grasp! Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 165	hey wbizreh, do u remember the first speaking question? Actually I didn't like integrated writing as it was based on Egypt history and its Old kingdom.

06-22-2008, 01:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
quatro11 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7	Question # 1 was what do you do to improve your community?

06-22-2008, 07:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
muaxuanve Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 26	Thank you very much for posting your experience here guys. @PTS: I'm so sorry for what you faced during the exam. Good luck with your result anyway.

06-22-2008, 10:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
corymz Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2	I took the iBT yesterday, too...in Paris. I had the most difficulty with the reading section b/c there were still people coming into the room to begin their test as I got started on mine and the computers were set really loud at first. So, basically, for the first 20 minutes or so, I could hear computers shouting off directions...It was impossible to concentrate on the passage. Listening and writing were the easiest for me...I think we might have gotten an experimental section on the listening b/c there were too many...but I might be wrong. On the speaking, I think I sounded like an idiot...Especially on the first one about community improvement. I spoke way too fast. But what can I do about it now? I have some questions for you guys: Does anyone know how the reading/listening sections are scored? ETS seems to be secretive about it... Are all questions worth the same? And how is the raw score converted to the 0-30 scale? Do you remember the answer to the summary question (where you must choose 3 statements to go below the sentence summing up the passage) to the plan/fungi passage? I wasn't sure whether the statement about the Frank guy should go in or not... Oh, and one last thought: this test is a total rip-off! I can't believe serious schools play ETS's game by making ALL international students take a test that's ridiculously expensive and that's not strictly testing language ability, because even Americans who take it for experimental purposes don't get perfect scores. I mean, come on, anyone who's scored over a 600 on the verbal part of the SAT has already done better than most native speakers! I got a 710 verbal/720 writing back when I took the SAT...And they're telling me they need PROOF of my ability to work in English? I lived in the US for 5 years and studied at an American school overseas for 2. I always took AP/IB higher level English...And my GPA was a 3.75! Maybe they should also ask all those Americans who get Cs and Ds in English class all through their high schools years to pay 185 bucks to take the TOEFL to test for THEIR ability to work in English.

07-09-2008, 12:40 AM	#9 (permalink)
hather Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 18	Hey Guys, when your result will come? How much time it will take? I am going to apply for TOEFL. Thanks and all the best to all.

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