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MICHAEL: Hi. I'm Michael from ETS. Today on Inside the TOEFL test, we're going inside the Toefl IBT reading section, specifically the prose summary questions.
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Text, Question Structure, Prose Summary.
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The prose summary questions are designed to show that you recognize the major ideas and the relative importance of information in a reading passage. In a prose summary question, there are six answer choices. And you will need to select the three correct choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. The incorrect answer choices will misrepresent information in the passage, or we'll discuss minor points.
In the real test, you will drag and drop your answers into the box.
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Prose summary questions are worth two points towards your raw score. You get two points if you choose all three correct answers. You get one point if you choose two correct answers, and you get 0 points for one or no correct answers.
Note that your answers don't have to be in any particular order. And you can change your answers at any point during the allotted time for the reading section. Each reading passage will have one prose summary question.
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Logo ETS TOEFL, Text, Reading, Prose Summary Sample Questions.
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Let's look at a sample prose summary question. This type of question covers the whole reading passage, not just a single sentence or paragraph. Here's the passage about meteorites and dinosaur extinction.
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Text, There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had important effects on Earth, text continues.
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And here's the question.
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Asks to select 3 of 6 choices.
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Now let's look at each of the answer choices to see which three are correct. Answer number one isn't supported by any of the information in the passage. So we know that this one is not correct.
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Answer number two is a factually correct statement, but identifying the specific date when something happened, generally, doesn't qualify as one of the most important ideas. So this one is probably not correct. But let's look at the others to make sure.
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For answer number three, the reference to the crater Tycho is used to give a sense of the size of the crater that struck the Yucatan. However, the topic of meteorite activity on the moon is not a focus of this passage.
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Answer number four combines several facts that together provide a summary of an important idea from the passage. This is supported by information given in paragraphs two and three.
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Answer number five is about the effects of meteorite impacts, which is an important idea of the passage. We can see this in paragraph four, where it talks about the mass destruction from the cold, darkness, and fires
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and in paragraph five where it talks about the catastrophic results.
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The other relevant passage, implicating impacts in extinctions, is also highlighted.
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Answer number six is another important idea that is stated in a similar sentence in paragraph five. What is a catastrophe for one group of living things however may create opportunities for another group.
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Green check, relevant sentence highlighted.
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So for this question, answers four, five, and six are the correct three choices.
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Logo, ETS TOEFL, Inside the TOEFL TEST, Text, Reading, Skill building Tips, Creating Outlines.
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You can work to improve your reading skills by creating your own outlines or charts when you read a passage. Pick a chart format that's helpful for you like one of these. And as you read, identify the main ideas and supporting details. As you practice more, you will be able to take fewer notes to outline the points.
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Graphic organizer main idea chart.
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There are lots of ways to improve your English skills. Whatever you do, keep practicing, and good luck on your TOEFL test.
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For more information about the TOEFL i-B-T test and to register, visit the TOEFL website at ets.org/toefl, Logo ETS TOEFL, text continues
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