Scientific lectures, how to deal with them

[Xiaozhu]

Hi there,

I'm taking the TOEFL this Saturday and I would appreciate some advice. This is my first time taking the test.

I have been practicing with the Cambridge CD (the 7 tests).

Now, I have to say I'm a teacher myself but definitely NOT a scientist... last time I studied maths/ physic/ biology I was probably about 8 years old

My point is, I find all the scientific texts extremely confusing, whether they are lectures or readings. Anything mentioning isotopes, electrons, sinkholes, glaciation eras etc. (found in the tests I practiced this afternoon!) is very challenging for me. It's not so much the vocabulary (similar to my mother tongue) or the sentences structure (I live in an English speaking country). It's the subject.

These texts are a nightmare in the reading section. In the listening one, I can still deal with them... and when I have to summarize a scientific lecture during the speaking section, my mind goes blank.

Anyone like me? Do you have any advice?

Thanks!

[Tseprep]

Going to a library and read the older edition textbooks. You don't need to buy it, it is too expensive and usually it is free to read or to borrow from the library.