VOA慢速英語(yǔ): 開(kāi)始準(zhǔn)備托福（雙語(yǔ)）

Getting Started with TOEFL

開(kāi)始準(zhǔn)備托福

If you are interested in studying at an American university, you have probably heard about the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The test is widely known as the TOEFL. It is the most widely used language assessment exam for American universities.

倘若你對(duì)去美國(guó)上大學(xué)感興趣，那你也許聽(tīng)說(shuō)過(guò)檢定非英語(yǔ)為母語(yǔ)者的英語(yǔ)能力考試，這種考試就是托福。這是申請(qǐng)去美國(guó)大學(xué)最廣泛的語(yǔ)言測(cè)試考試。

Many foreign students are frightened of the TOEFL because it is risky. Good test results on the TOEFL will open many doors. But a low TOEFL score will limit your choices for financial aid and admission totop schools. The most competitive universities generally expect an Internet-based test score of 90 or above. Others accept lower scores, and some donot require a TOEFL score at all. Most universities do not publicize an actual cutoff score, but a high score will always help.

許多外國(guó)學(xué)生都害怕托 ?？荚嚕?yàn)榭荚囷L(fēng)險(xiǎn)大。優(yōu)秀的托福測(cè)試結(jié)果能打開(kāi)多扇美國(guó)大學(xué)的大門(mén)。但是托福分?jǐn)?shù)低的話(huà)就會(huì)限制你申請(qǐng)獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金，以及限制你進(jìn)入頂尖的大學(xué)。最具競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力 的大學(xué)通常要求托福網(wǎng)考分?jǐn)?shù)在90分或者更高。其他大學(xué)則可以接受托福分?jǐn)?shù)稍低的學(xué)生，甚至有些大學(xué)根本不要求托福分?jǐn)?shù)。大多數(shù)大學(xué)不會(huì)公布錄取的分?jǐn)?shù) 線(xiàn)，但是取得高分確實(shí)會(huì)有很大幫助。

There are two major versions of the TOEFL test. The first is the iBT, orInternet-based Test. It is offered in most of the world and accepted by nearly every university and scholarship program in the United States.

托福考試有兩大類(lèi)型。第一種是托福網(wǎng)考，世界大多數(shù)地區(qū)都提供這種考試，美國(guó)幾乎所有大學(xué)和獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金項(xiàng)目都認(rèn)可這種形式的考試。

The other version of the test is called the Paper-based Test or PBT. It is still used in some developing countries. Scholarship programs provide money for a student to continue his or her education. Many scholarship programs will accept the PBT results when a student first asks for financial aid. However, they may require students to take the iBT before official admission. The PBT is less costly to take and does not require use of the Internet. Some businesses and government offices use the PBT to test the English language skills of their employees.

而另一種考試形式是 紙考。一些發(fā)展中國(guó)家仍使用這種方式。獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金項(xiàng)目為學(xué)生提供資金，幫助他/她繼續(xù)接受教育。許多學(xué)校獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金項(xiàng)目會(huì)根據(jù)紙考結(jié)果，錄取首先申請(qǐng)?jiān)撔＊?jiǎng)學(xué)金的 學(xué)生。但是，正式錄取前，他們也許會(huì)要求學(xué)生參加托福網(wǎng)考。托福紙考成本更低，不需要使用因特網(wǎng)，一些企業(yè)和政府機(jī)關(guān)運(yùn)用紙考來(lái)測(cè)試他們雇員的英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)言能 力。

The iBT and PBT have very different structures. The main difference is that the iBT is completely online and includes questions to measure the person’s ability to speak in English. The iBT also has integrated tasks. For example, listening, reading, and speaking are mixed together. The Paper-based Test does not mix the different sections. The PBT has an area to test grammar, the rules governing the use of words and phrases. The Internet-based Test does not.

托福網(wǎng)考和紙考的體系不一樣。主要區(qū)別是網(wǎng)考完全是在線(xiàn)考試，包括檢測(cè)學(xué)生說(shuō)英語(yǔ)的能力的一些問(wèn)題。網(wǎng)考還有綜合的考試項(xiàng)目，比如：聽(tīng)、說(shuō)和讀都混合在一起。紙考測(cè)試并沒(méi)有把這些部分混合在一起。紙考有一部分是檢測(cè)語(yǔ)法——組詞造句的規(guī)則，而網(wǎng)考則沒(méi)有這一項(xiàng)。

If you have a choice, take the iBT if it is not too pricey. The Paper-based test is being phased out. It will eventually disappear.

如果有機(jī)會(huì)，參加托福網(wǎng)考，考試費(fèi)用并不昂貴。紙考正逐漸淘汰，最終會(huì)消失。

Here are some tips for getting started with TOEFL:

這里給一些建議給開(kāi)始準(zhǔn)備托福的人：

1. Plan ahead – It takes a long time to improve your TOEFL score. Manystudents study just before the test. Raising your score will takes months of intensive work. Do not expect a big lift in your test results after two weeks. There is no easy way to improve your score quickly. You will have to spend alot of time and energy.

1.提前計(jì)劃——要提高托福分?jǐn)?shù)需要很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間，很多學(xué)生只是考試前學(xué)習(xí)。提升分?jǐn)?shù)需要花費(fèi)數(shù)月的深入的練習(xí)。別指望經(jīng)過(guò)兩周的學(xué)習(xí)就能有個(gè)好的考試結(jié)果。沒(méi)有什么簡(jiǎn)捷的辦法迅速提高分?jǐn)?shù)。你需要花費(fèi)大量的時(shí)間和精力。

2. Master the basics first – Many students study for the TOEFL before theyare ready. You should have at least an upper-intermediate English level beforeyou attempt the test. If you score below 500 on the PBT or 70 on the iBT,study the fundamentals for a few months and come back to the TOEFL later.

2.首先掌握一些基本要點(diǎn)——許多學(xué)生還沒(méi)有準(zhǔn)備好就開(kāi)始學(xué)習(xí)托福。參加考試至少得接近這個(gè)英語(yǔ)水平。如果你的分?jǐn)?shù)紙考低于500分或者網(wǎng)考分?jǐn)?shù)70分，你需要再學(xué)幾個(gè)月基礎(chǔ)知識(shí)，然后再來(lái)考托福。

3. Get a study guide – It is easy to find study guides for the iBT. Pearson, Barron’s, ETS, and Kaplan all produce quality materials. Take a practice test once or twice a month. The best study guides will have explanations in the answer key. PBT study guides are difficult to find because the test is being phased out.

3.制定一份學(xué)習(xí)指導(dǎo)——托福網(wǎng)考的學(xué)習(xí)指導(dǎo)很容易找到，皮 爾森（Pearson）、巴倫（Barron’s）、美國(guó)教育考試服務(wù)中心（ETS）還有卡普蘭（Kaplan）都提供高品質(zhì)的學(xué)習(xí)材料。一個(gè)月做一兩次 練習(xí)測(cè)驗(yàn)。每次測(cè)驗(yàn)的結(jié)果就是最好的學(xué)習(xí)指導(dǎo)。紙考的指導(dǎo)較難找到，因?yàn)檫@種測(cè)試正逐漸淘汰。

4. Use outside resources – Using TOEFL practice materials all the time willmake you crazy. Remember, you are learning a language, not a test. You can improve your TOEFL score by making English part of your daily life. Some simple ways are listening to podcasts, informal conversation with Englishspeakers, watching movies and reading newspapers. Some others are reading English textbooks, sending and reading text messages in English, and writing online comments in English.

4.運(yùn)用外部資源——總用托福的材料 練習(xí)會(huì)讓你抓狂的，記住一點(diǎn)：你是在學(xué)習(xí)一門(mén)語(yǔ)言，不是學(xué)習(xí)一門(mén)考試。通過(guò)讓英語(yǔ)成為日常生活中的一部分，可以提高托福分?jǐn)?shù)。一些簡(jiǎn)單的方式是聽(tīng)播客、與 講英語(yǔ)的人進(jìn)行交談、看電影還有讀報(bào)紙。還有一些人會(huì)閱讀英語(yǔ)教科書(shū)，發(fā)送英語(yǔ)信息、閱讀英語(yǔ)信息，還有人上網(wǎng)用英語(yǔ)寫(xiě)評(píng)論。

The bottom line is, the best way to do well on the TOEFL is to know English well. Do not depend on informal advice or tricks. Do not try to outwit the test maker. Think of reading, listening, speaking, writing, and grammar as a single connected concept–communication. The real goal of the test is to measure how well a student can communicate in English-speaking classroom. Immerse yourself in English on a daily basis and improvement is sure to follow.

最重要的一點(diǎn)是，要想托福取得好成績(jī)，必須很好地了解英語(yǔ)。不要 依靠那些建議和竅門(mén)；不要試圖蒙騙測(cè)試機(jī)構(gòu)。把讀、聽(tīng)、寫(xiě)和語(yǔ)法看成是交流中的彼此相關(guān)的概念。測(cè)試的真正目的是檢測(cè)學(xué)生在英語(yǔ)課堂上到底能多流暢的交 流。自己每天一步一個(gè)腳印的學(xué)習(xí)英語(yǔ)，肯定會(huì)不斷的取得進(jìn)步。

I’m Adam Brock

我是亞當(dāng)·布洛克