TOEFL ITP Reading Section

1. READING

2. Time
Number of Questions
Section
35 minutes
50 multiple choice
questions
Listening Comprehension
25 Minutes
40 multiple choice
questions
Structure and Written Expression
55 Minutes
50 multiple choice
questions
Reading Comprehension

3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
01.
READING TIPS
02.
READING QUESTIONS AND
TIPS

4. READING TIPS
1. You Need to Read for the TOEFL
The best way to prepare for the TOEFL reading exam is to read! It might sound
obvious, but the best way to practice for TOEFL reading test is to read as much as
possible beforehand on as wide a variety of topics as possible. Current affairs,
health, sports, it doesn’t matter. Also, cover all the media in your reading materials
like books, online texts, and magazines. This is really a great long term strategy. If
you think you might take the TOEFL someday, start reading in English a little bit every
day, right now!
2. Keep a Vocabulary Notebook
As you read to study for the TOEFL, keep a notebook and a dictionary by your side.
Every time you discover a new word, write it in your notebook to study later. This will
help you develop a strong vocabulary that should be a great help to you when you sit
TOEFL’s reading test.
3. Practice Past Tests
You need to always remember that TOEFL is a standardized test. This means it
always follows the same format. Take TOEFL reading practice tests to help prepare.
You’ll be much more comfortable with the test this way.

5. When you take practice tests,
set a timer so that you can be
sure you’re doing each part
within the 20 minutes you
normally get during the test.
Remember that in TOEFL iBT
the software will cut you off
when you reach the time limit
so it is critical you learn to work
within it. The first few times,
you may not able to do this, but
with practice it should become
easy.
4. Practice Staying
Within The Time Limit
Skimming involves reading a passage quickly
and understanding a text by extracting the
important details at a glance. This is a crucial
skill for the TOEFL reading test. Practice doing
this with passages as you get closer to taking
the exam.
5. Learn to Skim In
English,
Never presume you know the meaning of a text
while you are reading it. Always stop at the end
of each paragraph and try to summarize what
you have just read
(even if it have to whisper it to yourself).
6. Practice
Summarizing

6. Highlighting important
data like vocabulary,
dates and places might
help you relax and order
your thoughts. Go ahead
and do this while you are
reading if it helps.
7. Highlight
(if you need to)
9. Learn To Pick
Out Pronouns
When you are faced with
a new word what do you
do? Panic? Consult a
dictionary? Neither of
these responses will help
you in your exam. Learn
to guess the meaning of
new words from the
context of a passage or
the words and
paragraphs which
surround it. Reading will
help with this.
8. Learn To Guess
Unfamiliar Words
When you speak, you know there
is a big difference between the
pronouns he, she and it. It is the
same when you are reading.
Learn to pay attention to the
pronouns in a text so you know to
whom or what it is referring,
especially if there are multiple
characters in the text. This could
be the difference between you
answering a question correctly
and incorrectly.

7. AND THE TIPS TO ANSWER IT
READING QUESTIONS
02.

8. You will see a short passage with a word
selected. You must choose from four
options the one that is closest in meaning.
Tip: Try to understand the context (the
situation) and deduce the meaning of the
selected word if you are not familiar with
it. Then choose the most likely answer
from the options.
Vocabulary in context Vocabulary referent
Reference questions focus on a word (usually
a pronoun) within a short passage of text. You
need to choose from four options what the
word is referring to. For example, we might use
the pronoun “it” or “them” or “this” to replace a
noun or a noun phrase. This tests your ability
to follow an idea through a short passage.
Tip:
Look at the grammar of the word
– is it singular or plural? If it’s singular you will
be looking for a single concept or a person, if
it’s plural the original idea must also be plural.
Look in the previous sentences
– you may need to look all the way back to the
first line of the passage. Remember:
A single concept might be contained within a
lengthy noun phrase

9. Vocabulary in Context Sample Question

10. Vocabulary Referent Sample Question

11. This question type asks you to
identify explicitly stated specific
information in a short passage.
This question type will not ask
about general themes but rather
facts which are included in the
passage. You have four possible
answers and must select one.
Tip: Identify key words in the
question to enable you to locate
the correct part of the text to find
the answer
Detail
This question type includes the word
“except” or “not” in the stem.
The task is to select which of
the four answer options is not
mentioned in the text.
Tip: when looking through the answer
options, which one do you not recall
reading information
on?
Detail ‘not’ or ‘except’

12. Detail Sample Question

13. Detail ‘Not’ or ‘Except’ Sample Question

14. If you encounter this question
type, you will see an entire
sentence highlighted in the
short passage of text. You
must choose from the four
answer options the one that is
closest in meaning to the
highlighted sentence.
Tip: Your ability to identify
similar ideas will be useful here,
and the wider your vocabulary,
the better you will be able to
tackle this question type.
Author meaning -
paraphrasing In this question type, you are
asked to identify the
purpose of a writer in
including a detail, concept
or argument in a text. There
are four answer options,
from which you must
choose one.
Tip: Try to eliminate options
which you are sure are
incorrect, then choose the
correct answer
from the remaining choices.
Author meaning -
function

15. Author Meaning – Paraphrasing
Sample Question

16. Author Meaning – Function
Sample Question

17. The definition of “inference” is a conclusion which
is based on evidence and reasoning. An inference
question does not ask you to locate specific
information, but rather to deduce what the writer
is suggesting in a short passage of text. Inference
questions will always have the verb “infer”,
“suggest” or “imply” in the question stem.
Tip: Identify the topic of the question. Locate
information in the passage based on that topic.
Eliminate any clearly incorrect answers and only
select an answer if you find evidence
Inference

18. Inference Sample Question

19. In this question type you will be presented with a
text and a question asking you to link possible
ideas between a given paragraph and the
paragraph preceding or succeeding it. You must
choose what the preceding or succeeding
paragraph most probably discusses. This tests
your understanding of coherence and cohesion
and how paragraphs are sequenced. Tip: Identify
the most logical topic preceding or succeeding
the given paragraph. Is it an introduction to the
topic discussed in the given paragraph, or does it
talk about it in more detail? Eliminate options that
you know are incorrect, and then choose the most
likely answer.
Coherence

20. Coherence Sample Question

21. The main idea covers most of what a paragraph
or passage is about; it may answer who, what,
where, when, why, or how. It includes a topic
and something specific about that topic. In the
answers, look for one or two sentences that are
mini-summaries of the whole paragraph or
passage.
Main Idea

22. Main Idea Sample Question

23. Questions?