TOEIC PREPARATION

SYLLABUS AND COURSEBOOK

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PGE TOEIC Preparation Syllabus 2020-2021

OBJECTIVES

 Familiarize students with the content, format, and scoring of the TOEIC test.
 Assist students in acquiring the necessary grammatical and lexical structures as well as the everyday
and professional vocabulary required for the TOEIC.
 Provide students with efficient tactics and strategies to improve their listening and reading
comprehension, enhance their test-taking performance, and maximize their score on the official
TOEIC.
 Offer students realistic practice tests to improve time management skills and their readiness to sit
for the official TOEIC test.
 Provide students with coaching sessions for further practice; individual assistance and
feedback/advice on how to improve their individual performance.

COURSE OUTLINE

I. TOEIC Introduction and Overview

A. Public vs Institutional Programmes
B. TOEIC Language Related Content
C. TOEIC Test Format
D. TOEIC Requirements
E. TOEIC Scores

II. TOEIC Listening – Overview, Strategies, Practice

A. Part 1 – Pictures
B. Part 2 – Questions/Statements/Answers
C. Part 3 – Conversations
D. Part 4 – Talks

III. TOEIC Reading – Overview, Strategies, Practice

A. Part 5 – Use of English
B. Part 6 – Use of English in Context
C. Part 7 – Reading Comprehension

IV. Conclusion/Additional Resources

I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

This guide and coursebook aims to provide students with all of the necessary information to effectively
prepare, register for, and successfully take the Official TOEIC Test. Should you have any questions or
require additional information, please contact Kedge Pole Langues or your Intercountry English coach for
assistance.

The TOEIC is the registered trademark of the Education Testing Service (ETS). The TOEIC is an internationally
recognized exam that was originally designed to assess a foreigner’s ability to come, live and work in the USA.

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As such, the test evaluates your ability to communicate effectively in both everyday English and business-
related professional situations.

A. TOEIC Public Programme versus TOEIC Institutional Programme

There are two identical versions of the TOEIC.

TOEIC Public Programme is a TOEIC that is offered at a selected number of certified test centers in each country.
The TOEIC Public Programme is the only reliable and verifiable test recognized and accepted throughout the
world. There is enhance security and the candidate’s picture is taken before the test.

You should opt for this test, if you need to justify your TOEIC score to a third party other than KEDGE Business
School (future employer or institution). For a list of duly authorized Public Programme TOEIC Test Centers as
well as exam locations, dates, and test times, please consult ETS’s official website:
[Link]

TOEIC Institutional Programme is an identical version of the public programme TOEIC Test. However, the
results are used to fulfill the requirements of a particular institution (degree requirements for an institution of
higher education, or recruitment/promotion/overseas assignment for an employer). The results are only valid
for the institution that administered the test. TOEIC Institutional Programme Sessions will be administered by
Kedge Business School throughout the course of the year. Please contact Pole Langues for exam dates.

B. TOEIC Language Related Content

As the TOEIC tests a candidate’s ability to effectively communicate in everyday and professional English, it is
essential to familiarize yourself with the vocabulary associated with the following topics in order to successfully
prepare for the TOEIC exam:

Everyday Situations

- Health – Can you go to the doctor’s or the hospital and communicate on your health?
- Transport and Traveling – Can you effectively use public transport (trains, planes, buses)?
- Sports/Leisure Activities – Can you participate in sports/leisure activities (sports clubs, cinema…)?
- Housing/Accommodations/Everyday Objects – Can you rent/buy and maintain your house and
garden?
- Shopping/Customer Service – Can you place an order, complain effectively, ask for a refund, negotiate the
terms of delivery/cost)?
- Banking/Insurance – Can you open a bank account and purchase insurance for your car or home?
- Food/Restaurants – Can you go grocery shopping or order something in a restaurant?
- Utilities/Invoices – Can you pay your electrical, cable, Internet, water, cell phone bills?
- Safety – Can you understand basic safety announcements?
- Instructions – Can you understand elementary instructions (to troubleshoot a problem with a printer
or other device)
- Telephoning/Making Arrangements – Can you make an effective telephone call to ask a question,
make an arrangement, schedule an appointment?
- Weather – Can you understand a weather forecast and make appropriate decisions?
- Schools/Clubs – Can you enroll your children in school or enable them to participate in activities?

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 Business-related Professional Subjects

- General Corporate Structure – Do you understand the basic structure and functioning of a
company?
- Accounting – Do you understand simple concepts of profit, loss, income and expense forms?
- Human Resources – Can you participate in a job interview and understand the requirements of a
job?
- Production – Do you understand manufacturing and terms of delivery?
- Business Meetings – Can you understand and effectively participate in business meetings and
understand the objectives or decisions made?
- Sales/Marketing – Are you able to understand the features, advantages, and disadvantages of a
product as well as the basics of sales-related situations like discounts and promotions?
- Finance – Can you understand a general assembly meeting or a report to shareholders?
- Corporate Strategy – Would you be able to understand and implement a development or expansion
plan.
- Office Environment/Objects – Are you familiar with the everyday office-related vocabulary (filing
cabinet, stapler, monitor, paper clip, stationery…)

These topics should be kept in mind when choosing which language materials to work on. Make vocabulary
lists for each theme and review them often. The only way to improve your TOEIC score, is to improve your
overall level in English. The only way to improve your overall level in English is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE,
PRACTICE.

C. TOEIC Test Format:

Duration:
 2-hours and there are NO breaks. However, plan on a total of 3 hours to take into account
registration, instructions, administration, and identity verification.
 Listening – 45 minutes - each recording is played in order and only ONCE!
 Reading – 1 hour and 15 minutes. You may manage your time as you see fit.

Format:

The TOEIC test is a 200 multiple choice question exam. It is generally administered in a paper and pencil
format at an authorized TOEIC Test Center.
The TOEIC test is divided into two parts: Listening Comprehension and Reading Comprehension.
In the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test, there are no speaking, nor writing components. There are a total
of 100 Listening Comprehension Questions and 100 Reading questions. Each component is worth 495
points for a maximum TOEIC score of 990 points.

Listening Comprehension (100 multiple choice questions). Maximum score - 495 points

Part 1 – a series of 6 pictures and a choice of 4 possible answers. Choose the answer that corresponds to the
picture you see.

Part 2 – 25 statements/questions – choice of 3 possible answers. You will hear a question or a statement and
three possible responses to what you heard. There is no visual support. Choose the answer that would be
an appropriate response to the statement or question you heard.

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 Part 3 –13 conversations between 2 or more speakers – 3 questions for each conversation and choice of 4
possible answers for each (39 questions in all).

Part 4 – 10 talks, speeches or announcements given by a single speaker – 3 questions for each talk and
choice of 4 possible answers for each (30 questions in all).

Reading Comprehension (100 multiple choice questions). Maximum - 495 points

Part 5 – 30 multiple choice questions on grammar, syntax, lexical structures, word families, and vocabulary -
choice of 4 possible answers.

Part 6 – 16 fill in the blank multiple-choice questions in context– choice of 4 possible answers.

Part 7 - 54 multiple choice questions on reading comprehension of both single (28 questions in all) and
multiple passages (20 questions in all) – choice of 4 possible answers.

D. TOEIC REQUIREMENTS

You must register in advance and have an acceptable and valid Identity card with you on the day of the exam
(Passport, National ID or Driver’s license for French nationals; Passport or National ID for Schengen Nationals;
Passport only for other nationalities – WARNING the French titre de séjour is not an acceptable proof of identity.)

You are only allowed to enter the testing room with the following items:

1. Standard pencils (TYPE HB) and classic erasers. You are not allowed to use mechanical pencils, nor a pen.
2. Your Identification Card
3. Your Admissions Form (for Public Programme only)
4. Medicine with a doctor’s prescription
5. Kleenex (to be kept in your pocket)

All of your personal belongings including (mobile phones and other electronic devices such as watches, laptops etc.,
pencil sharpeners, eyeglass cases, pencil cases, food, and water) will be stored in a designated area outside the test
center room.

E. TOEIC SCORE

Depending on the results of your test, you will be awarded a total overall score of between 0 and 990
points.

Your TOEIC Score is the result of a very complex algorithm which analyses the relationship between ALL of
your answers and is not simply a certain number of points for each correct answer.

In fact, the algorithm can detect when and if you guessed at a particular question that was too difficult for
you and whether or not you simply got lucky. Likewise, the computer can detect if you got an answer
wrong simply because you did not have time to finish the test or if you were temporarily distracted.

In each case, the algorithm will neither reward you, nor penalize you. Do not waste time with questions
that are too difficult.
Therefore, the only way to maximize your TOEIC score is to:
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 1. Effectively manage your time to finish the test within the allotted time.
2. Correctly answer all of the questions that you are capable of answering correctly

You may get a rough estimate of your TOEIC Score if you multiple total number of correct answers by 4.95.
Example, 160 correct answers out of 200 = 160*4.95 = roughly 790 points.
CECRL Equivalents:

Your overall TOEIC Score certifies one of the following CECRL levels. Because the TOEIC does not include a
speaking and writing component, the TOEIC cannot validate your C2 level in English.

Minimum Score
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1
TOEIC Listening 60 points 110 points 275 points 400 points 490 points
TOEIC Reading 60 points 115 points 275 points 385 points 455 points
Total TOEIC Score 120 points 225 points 550 points 785 points 945 points

To validate your Master’s Degree requirement at Kedge Business School, you must validate a B2 level in
English and obtain a minimum score of 785 points on the TOEIC.

II. LISTENING COMPREHENSION

In the Listening Comprehension component of the TOEIC, you will hear a variety of audio recordings
spoken by both men and women from various English-speaking countries. Generally speaking, roughly 65%
of the recordings represent the North-American accent (USA/Canada) while the other 35% represent more
British-styled accents (UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa). The accents are always very neutral and
easily understood, even if you are not familiar with the distinct accent of that particular country.

A. PART 1 – PICTURES

This part of the TOEIC test consists of a series of 6 black and white photographs of everyday or professional
situations (at home, in a shop, at a restaurant, at the office, in a warehouse, at a factory, in a meeting…).

Directions: For each question in this part, you will hear four statements about a picture in your test book.
When you hear the statements, you must select the one statement that best describes what you see in the
picture. Then find the number of the question on your answer sheet and mark your answer. The
statements will not be printed in your test book and will be spoken ONLY ONE time.

There is a short pause between each picture, but no pauses between the answers for each picture.

Test-taking Strategies

It is useful to start by holding your pencil over answer A. If you think A might be a correct answer keep
your pencil over A as you listen to the other responses. If you think A is incorrect, move your pencil over
answer B and listen. Repeat this strategy so that your pencil is over the correct answer when the recording
ends.

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ALWAYS mark an answer for each question on your answer sheet as you are listening, even if you are not
sure of the correct answer. It is forbidden to write on or make notes in your test booklet. You will NOT
have time at the end to recopy your answers to your answer sheet.
If by chance you do not know the answer to question 3 and wait, you risk entering the answer to question 4
in the spot reserved for question three on your answer sheet. All of your subsequent answers will then be
incorrect.
To enhance your performance on this section of the TOEIC, you should anticipate the type of information
you will hear. Ask yourself:

1. Where was this picture taken (park, bus station, office, house, shop, restaurant, etc.)?
2. What is happening (reading, waiting, working, gardening, purchasing, eating…)?
3. Who are the people and what is their relationship (ticket clerk/passenger, receptionist/guest,
manager/employee)
4. How do they feel (tired, stressed, interested, relaxed, happy…)?
5. Identify all of the significant objects you see. What are they? Where are they located compared
with the other objects or people in the photograph?
6. Listen carefully, because each statement will contain some true information about the picture, but
three of the answers will be incorrect for one of the following reasons:

Similar-sounding words – Statements sometimes include a word or phrase that sounds similar to
something(s) that you can see in the photograph. For example, you see the following picture:

You will hear:

A. The ducks are swimming in the water. (a dock, not a duck)

B. The lake is bordered by bees. (trees, not bees)
C. The boat is tied to the dock. (Correct)
D. There are stairs leading to the boat (stones, not stairs)

Examples of similar-sounding words

table cable
park dark
plane plan
meat meet
shore store
smaller caller
commuter computer

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Partially true Statements – Statements sometimes include just one piece of incorrect information. For
example, a subject, verb, adjective, noun or preposition may be incorrect.
For example, you see the following picture:

You will hear:

A. The woman is holding a briefcase. (A man, not a woman)

B. The man is opening a briefcase (holding, not opening)
C. The man is carrying a suitcase (a briefcase, not a suitcase)
D. The man is holding a briefcase (correct)

Or in this case:

A. The clothes are under the shelf. (Incorrect)

B. The pants are on the floor. (Incorrect)
C. The shirts are next to the pants. (Correct)
D. The pants are on top of the shirts. (Incorrect)

Incorrect Interpretations
Some statements attempt to mislead you by including one or two words of things that you see or expect to
see in a particular photograph or situation, but incorrectly describe the context or give a false
interpretation.

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For example, you see the following picture:

You will hear:

A. The passengers are waiting to board the plane. (A subway station, not airport)
B. The train is leaving the station. (The train is not leaving)
C. The plane is taking off. (There is no plane)
D. The passengers are on the platform. (Correct)

Practice – Now practice on a series of 10 pictures (Listening Comprehension Audio Tracks Practice 1 – 1-
10)

Question Picture Answer

1.

2.

3.

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4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10
10.

Practice 2 – Additional Practice on a series of 10 pictures (Listening Comprehension Audio Tracks Practice
2 – 1-10)

Question Picture Audio Track

1.

2.

3.

4.

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5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

B. PART 2 – QUESTIONS/STATEMENTS/ANSWERS

This part of the TOEIC test consists of 25 short questions or statements each followed by three possible
responses.

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Directions: You will hear a question or statement and three responses spoken in English. They will not be
printed in your test book and will be spoken ONLY ONE time. Select the best response to the question or
statement and mark the letter (A), (B) or (C) on your answer sheet.

There is a short pause between questions, but no pause between the answers to each question.

For example, you will hear:

7. Did you check the price was correct?

Then, you will hear:

A. The check is right here. (Incorrect)

B. The rice costs 5 dollars. (Incorrect)
C. I didn’t have the time. (Correct)

Test-taking Strategies

As for Part I, it is useful to start by holding your pencil over answer A. If you think A might be a correct
answer keep your pencil over A as you listen to the other responses. If you think A is incorrect, move your
pencil over answer B and listen. Repeat this strategy so that your pencil is over the correct answer when
the recording ends.

In this part of the test, you should listen carefully to what was said and to the intonation used.

1. Was it a question or a statement?

2. If it was question, was it a closed-ended question or an open-ended question
3. What question words were used? (who, what, why, when, where, how, how far, how much…)
4. Think about possible answers.
5. Eliminate answers you know are wrong to increase your chances of choosing the right answer.
6. Choose an answer before the next question begins even if you are not sure of the response so that
you are fully concentrated on the next question before the recording begins.
7. If you have no idea, always choose the same letter A, B, C, or D. You statistically have a better
chance of getting an answer right from time to time if you choose the same letter than if you
randomly choose a letter for each question you are unsure of.

If it is a question, ask yourself if it is a closed-ended (requiring yes or no answer) or open-ended question

(Who, What, Why, When, Where, How, How far, How long, How much, How many….).

The correct response may be simple and direct or it might be more subtle and implied. Just because you
hear the word “Why” doesn’t necessarily mean that the correct answer will contain the word “Because.”

Study the following examples:

Type of Question Examples Possible Answers

Yes, I am.
Are you working late tonight? I’ve got a lot of work to do.
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 I plan on finishing around 8pm.
Could you help me translate this No problem, can you send it to me
text? by e-mail?
No, I’m sorry, I don’t speak French.
My pleasure.
Closed-ended Questions Is there enough space in the trunk There should be enough.
for our bags? No, we should take my car.
We’re taking the shuttle.
Do you want me to order lunch at No, I’ve already eaten.
the restaurant across the street? What a great idea!
I’m going there myself in a minute.
Who edits the company’s Bill Rodgers took over that job.
newsletter now? The new head of communications.
The newsletter’s
When will we receive the minutes On Monday.
of the meeting? The meeting was cancelled.
Open-ended Questions Before the end of the day.
Where did you put the stationery? It’s in the filing cabinet.
I left it on the desk.
We don’t have any left.
Why was my credit card charged Because you made two purchases.
twice? Sorry, let me check your account.
There must be an error.

Practice – Now practice on a series of 25 questions/statements (Listening Part 2 – Audio Tracks

Questions Directions + 7-31)

Question Answer
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
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28.
29.
30.
31.

C. PART 3 – CONVERSATIONS

In this part of the TOEIC, you will listen to 13 conversations and will have to answer 3 questions about what
the speakers say in each conversation. 2 or 3 of the conversations will also contain a question regarding a
written graphic or diagram relating to the conversation.

Directions: You will hear some conversations between two or more people. You will be asked to answer
three questions about what the speakers say in each conversation. Select the best response to each
question and mark the letter (A), (B) or (C) on your answer sheet. The conversations will not be printed in
your test book and will be spoken only one time.

There is a short pause between conversations, and you will have 8 seconds to respond to each question.
Test-taking Strategies

At the beginning of Part 3, you will hear the above directions being read. While the recording is being
played, you should familiarize yourself with the first 3 questions that pertain to the conversation that you
are about to hear.

1. Read the questions before the conversation begins.

2. Try to anticipate the situation, dialogue or language that will be used.
3. Try to answer all three questions as you listen to the conversation.
4. If are not sure of an answer – try to eliminate ones you know are wrong.
5. Be sure to have answered all three questions before the next conversation begins so you don’t shift
your answers on your answer sheet.
6. If you have no idea which answer is correct, always choose the same letter A, B, C, or D. You
statistically have a better chance of getting an answer right from time to time if you choose the
same letter than if you randomly choose a letter for each question you are unsure of.

Once the conversation ends, each of the three questions will be read. You will then have 8 seconds to
answer each question. If you are able to answer all three questions while listening to the conversation, you
can ignore this part of the recording and familiarize yourself with the next set of questions and
conversation.

Generally, there are three different types of questions.

Type of Question Examples

Where most likely are the speakers?
Gist/General Information Who most likely is the man?
Where does the woman likely work?
(Who, What, Where…)
What is the conversation mainly about?
Where does this conversation most likely take place?
Detail-oriented Questions Why is the woman working late tonight?
What will the man most likely do next?

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(Time, Reasons, Feelings, What does the woman offer to do?
Requests, Offers, Advice, What is the problem?
Opinions)
What does the woman mean when she says “I’ve been meaning to
Inference Questions contact them”?
What does the man mean when he says “If you wouldn’t mind”?
Why does the man say “How’s your afternoon”?
What does the man imply when he says “That’s not a bad idea”?

You will need to listen carefully as you will not necessarily hear the exact words as they are provided in the
answers, but rather synonyms or equivalent expressions that have the same or similar meaning.

For example, for the following question.

You will see You might hear

32. What does the woman say she must do? (A) To shut down the production plant
(A) Close a facility early ahead of schedule
(B) Verify an address (B) To make sure the delivery location is
(C) Get a supervisor’s signature correct
(D) Distribute a handout (C) To have my boss give me his written
approval
(D) To give everyone a brochure

Finally, identify whether the man or the woman will provide the information needed. In the above
example, you know you will hear the answer to this question when the woman is speaking. You can
therefor look at the other questions in the set when the man is talking and look at this question each time
the woman speaks.

Practice – Now, practice a series of 13 conversations (Listening Part 3 – Audio Tracks 1-27)

32. Where most likely is the conversation taking place?

(A) In a clothing store
(B) In a furniture factory
(C) In a restaurant
(D) In a dry-cleaning shop

33. What is the problem?

(A) Some merchandise has been lost.
(B) Some clothing is the wrong size.
(C) An item is damaged.
(D)An order has not arrived.

34. What does the man offer to do?

(A) Issue a refund
(B) Reduce a price
(C) Speak to a manager
(D) Check the inventory

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35. Where most likely does the woman work?
(A) At an airport
(B) At a bicycle shop
(C) At a train station
(D) At a taxi stand

36. Why is the man calling?

(A) To find out the hours of operation
(B) To schedule a service
(C) To reserve a ticket?
(D) To inquire about a delay?

37. What does the woman say will cost extra?

(A) Transporting a bicycle
(B) Traveling during rush hour
(C) Changing a reservation
(D) Upgrading a business class

38. What does the man want to do?

(A) Sign up for a membership
(B) Use a computer
(C) Make a telephone call
(D) Borrow some materials

39. Who most likely is the woman?

(A) A librarian
(B) A security guard
(C) A software developer
(D) A salesperson

40. What does the woman say she will give the man?
(A) An application form
(B) An Internet address
(C) A business card
(D) A temporary password

41. What does the woman mention about the Selwin 6?

(A) It is easy to use
(B) It is an earlier model
(C) It is well designed
(D) It is very popular

42. What does the man request?

(A) A warranty
(B) A reimbursement
(C) A replacement part
(D) An instruction manual

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43. What does the woman offer to do?
(A) Reset a password
(B) Explain a policy
(C) Check part of an order
(D) Send a link to a website

44. What are the speakers discussing?

(A) A real estate loan
(B) A ride-sharing initiative
(C) A company budget
(D) A hiring plan

45. What does the man say about the office space?
(A) It has become too small.
(B) It is in a good location.
(C) The rent has gone up.
(D) The lobby is outdated.

46. What would the speakers like employees to do?

(A) Help pay for parking
(B) Work a weekend shift
(C) Vote on a policy change
(D) Create training materials

47. Why does the woman talk to the man?

(A) To offer him a ride
(B) To invite him to an event
(C) To discuss a work assignment
(D)To ask for his assistance

48. What does the woman say is important

(A) Reviewing a schedule
(B) Arriving by a certain time
(C) Parking nearby
(D) Checking a ticket

49. What does the man agree to do?

(A) Join a group
(B) Help with some work
(C) Calculate a cost
(D) Reserve some seats

50. What type of service does the woman’s company provide?

(A) Career Counselling
(B) Home improvement
(C) Garden Landscaping
(D) Website Design

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51. What does the man say he wants to do tomorrow?
(A) Make a payment
(B) Review a document
(C) Redecorate an office
(D) Meet with a consultant

52. What information does the woman request?

(A) The size of the room
(B) The name of a man’s friend
(C) The number of people in a group
(D) The start date of renovations

53. Why did the man come to Miami?

(A) To see some relatives
(B) To open a business
(C) To do some sightseeing
(D) To take cooking classes

54. What does the woman mean when she says, “we could use some help in the kitchen”?
(A) She enjoys he work in the kitchen.
(B) She may have work to offer the man.
(C) The restaurant is undergoing changes.
(D) Some staff need further training.

55. What will the woman do next?

(A) Make a reservation
(B) Look for an employee
(C) Show the man a menu
(D) Take a customer’s order

56. Where do the speakers most likely work?

(A) At a research laboratory
(B) At a construction company
(C) At a nature park
(D) At a real estate agency
57. What does the man mean when he says, “I’ve been meaning to contact them”?
(A) He is looking forward to a discussing a project.
(B) He needs to clarify a statement
(C) He is aware he needs to do something
(D) He has forgotten to contact a client

58. What will the woman include in her e-mail?

(A) An updated list of assignments
(B) Results from a recent customer survey
(C) An estimate of additional costs
(D) An explanation for a delay in setting a date

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59. What are the speakers mainly discussing?
(A) Ways to reduce a travel budget
(B) Places to visit in Vancouver
(C) Possible locations for a conference
(D) Plans for an upcoming business trip

60. What problem do the speakers have?

(A) Their business cards have not arrived.
(B) Their reservations are for the wrong dates.
(C) Their transportation arrangements are not complete.
(D) Their client in Vancouver is unavailable.

61. What does the woman suggest they do?

(A) Cancel an order
(B) Contact a hotel
(C) Prepare a speech
(D) Postpone a decision

62. What problem does the woman

mention?
(A) An item she purchased is defective.
(B) She cannot locate a product.
(C) A sale price seems incorrect.
(D) An expiration date has passed.

63. What does the man say recently

happened?
(A) Merchandise was rearranged.
(B) Flyers were distributed.
(C) An order was delayed.
(D) A service was discontinued.

64. Look at the graphic. What discount will

the woman most likely receive?
(A) $2
(B) $5
(C) $7
(D) $10

65. Who most likely are the speakers?

(A) Carpet installers
(B) Interior designers
(C) Cleaning Staff
(D) Office receptionists

66. Look at the graphic. Where is the man

currently working?
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(A) On the first floor
(B) On the second floor
(C) On the third floor
(D) On the fourth floor

67. What are the speakers probably going to do

next?
(A) Move a table
(B) Fix a machine
(C) Look at some plans
(D) Make a conference call

68. Where do the speakers most likely work?

(A) At a shipping company
(B) At an engineering firm
(C) At a taxi company
(D) At a railway station

69. Look at the graphic. Which customer are

the speakers discussing?
(A) Carol Lee
(B) Jean Harvey
(C) Eun-Jung Choi
(D) Kinu Iizuka

70. What will the speakers do next?

(A) Look at fuel prices
(B) Review customer complaints
(C) Update staffing schedules
(D) Organize training programs

D. PART 4 – TALKS

In this part of the TOEIC, you will listen to 10 talks by a single speaker and will have to answer 3 questions
about what the speakers say in each conversation. 2 or 3 of the talks will also contain a question regarding
a written graphic or diagram relating to the conversation.

Directions: You will hear some talks given by a single speaker. You will be asked to answer three questions
about what the speakers say in each talk. Select the best response to each question and mark the letter
(A), (B) or (C) on your answer sheet. The talks will not be printed in your test book and will be spoken only
one time.

There is a short pause between talks and you will have 8 seconds to respond to each question.

21
Test-taking Strategies

At the beginning of Part 4, you will hear the above directions being read. While the recording is being
played, you should familiarize yourself with the first 3 questions that pertain to the conversation that you
are about to hear.

1. Read the questions before the talk begins.

2. Try to anticipate the situation, dialogue or language that will be used.
3. Try to answer all three questions as you listen to the talk.
4. If are not sure of an answer – try to eliminate ones you know are wrong.
5. Be sure to have answered all three questions before the next talk begins so you don’t shift your
answers on your answer sheet.
6. If you have no idea which answer is correct, always choose the same letter A, B, C, or D. You
statistically have a better chance of getting an answer right from time to time if you choose the
same letter than if you randomly choose a letter for each question you are unsure of.

Once the talk ends, each of the three questions will be read. You will then have 8 seconds to answer each
question. If you are able to answer all three questions while listening to the talk, you can ignore this part
of the recording and familiarize yourself with the next set of questions and talk. Generally, the topics
covered in this section of the TOEIC include:

 Business Talks – speeches, presentations, lectures and other talks made in a business setting…
 Recorded Announcements – telephone menus, recorded messages, voicemail messages…
 Advertisements – commercial messages promoting products and services on radio and television.
 Public Announcements – announcements made in department stores, airports, bus stations, as well
as at conferences and public events including safety announcements.
 News, Weather, and Traffic Reports – news bulletins, weather forecasts…

There are three different types of questions:

Type of Question Examples

Gist/General Information What type of service does the speaker provide?
(The speaker, the topic, the What is the purpose of the announcement?
audience, the location, the What does Hamson College specialize in?
Why is the woman calling?
purpose…) Who most likely are the listeners?
Detail-oriented Questions What information does the speaker need from the listener?
(Numbers, Dates, Times, Reasons, When should the listener return the call?
Requests, People, Places, Problems, Why is the listening going overseas?
Suggestions, Plans, and Sequences) According to the announcement, what do students like about Hamson
College?
What does the woman mean when she says, “And why wouldn’t we”?
What does the woman imply when she says, “You have got to tell me
where you found the recipe”?
Inference Questions
What does the speaker mean when he says, “From the look of it,
you’d think they were giving the phones away”?
Why does the speaker say, “I couldn’t have done it without my
team”?

22
As with Part 3, you will need to listen carefully as you will not necessarily hear the exact words as they are
provided in the answers, but rather synonyms or equivalent expressions that have the same or similar
meaning.

Practice – Now practice 10 talks under exam conditions (Listening Part 4 – Audio Tracks 1-21)

71. What type of service does the speaker provide?

(A) Food preparation
(B) Cooking lessons
(C) Grocery delivery
(D) Nutritional counseling

72. What information does the speaker need from the listener?
(A) The time of a lunch
(B) The location of a delivery
(C) The size of an order
(D) The theme of a banquet

73. When should the listener return the call?

(A) Later today
(B) Tomorrow
(C) Next week
(D) In one month

74. Why is the listener going overseas?

(A) To attend a sales conference
(B) To manage an office
(C) To meet some clients
(D) To go on a tour

75. What does the speaker plan to do first?

(A) Organize a business dinner
(B) Reserve airline seats
(C) Purchase some merchandise
(D) Contact a moving company

76. What does the speaker have to confirm?

(A) Travel dates
(B) Account information
(C) A passport number
(D) Vaccination requirements

77. What is the main purpose of the event?

(A) To celebrate successful sales
(B) To exhibit course projects
(C) To advertise a clothing store
(D) To recruit new teachers

23
78. According to the speaker, what can be found in the leaflet?
(A) Dates of future shows
(B) Names of event organizers
(C) Information about materials
(D) Instructions for enrollment

79. What is scheduled to happen at the end of the event?

(A) A celebrity will appear on stage.
(B) Some creations will be sold at auction.
(C) A reception will be held in a different room.
(D) Students will answer questions about their work.

80. What is the purpose of the announcement?

(A) To review a budget proposal
(B) To discuss an upcoming merger
(C) To explain some survey results
(D) To introduce new staff members

81. What does the woman mean when she says, “And why wouldn’t we”?
(A) She supports a decision.
(B) She hopes to relocate.
(C) She wants listeners to share their opinion.
(D) She feels concerned about a shipment.

82. What does the woman ask listeners to do?

(A) Attend a training
(B) Sign some paperwork
(C) Gather a list of questions
(D) Review some information online

83. What does Hamson College Specialize in?

(A) Teacher training
(B) Industrial design
(C) Computer programming
(D) Business management

84. According to the advertisement, what do students like about Hamson College?
(A) The quality of the instruction
(B) The flexible scheduling
(C) The low tuition costs
(D) The work experience opportunities

85. What will happen on August 17?

(A) A reading group will meet.
(B) Students will graduate.
(C) An information session will be held.
(D) The registration period will end.

24
86. Why is the woman calling?
(A) To express her gratitude
(B) To ask for a favor
(C) To discuss an assignment
(D) To report some good news

87. What does the woman imply when she says, “You have got to tell me where you found the recipe”?
(A) She wonders if some ingredients are local.
(B) She would like to make the dish herself.
(C) She needs a restaurant recommendation.
(D) She cannot find a recipe in a cookbook.

88. Why is the woman looking forward to Monday?

(A) She is going to see a play.
(B) She is taking a friend to lunch.
(C) Some results will be available.
(D) A new project will start.

89. According to the speaker, what is happening today?

(A) An ad campaign is being launched.
(B) A store is opening a new branch.
(C) A product is being released in stores.
(D) A clearance sale is beginning.

90. What does the speaker mean when he says, “From the look of it, you'd think they were giving the
phones away.
(A) The store's advertising is misleading.
(B) Some products are no longer in stock.
(C) There are a lot of customers waiting at the store.
(D) There are many good bargains at the store.

91. According to the speaker, what feature of the Aria 7D is most attractive?
(A) Its water resistance
(B) Its affordable price
(C) Its colorful patterns
(D) Its slim design

92. What does the speaker want to focus on this year?

(A) Increasing staff numbers
(B) Targeting smaller businesses
(C) Reducing operating costs
(D) Attracting new clients

93. What does the speaker request help with?

(A) Greeting clients
(B) Collecting payments
(C) Gathering data
(D) Locating resumes
25
94. What will the listeners receive by email?
(A) A work schedule
(B) A confirmation number
(C) A sample report
(D) An employee roster

95. Who most likely are the listeners?

(A) Maintenance workers
(B) Bus drivers
(C) Tourists
(D) Park Rangers

96. Look at the graphic. Where will the

listeners be unable to go today?
(A) The North Lake
(B) The Picnic Area
(C) The Butterfly Garden
(D) The Visitor Center

97. What does the woman encourage the

listeners to do?
(A) Bring a map
(B) Check the weather forecast
(C) Store their belongings
(D) Use sun protection

98. Look at the graphic. Which Department

filled out the order form?
(A) Maintenance
(B) Accounting
(C) Human Resources
(D) Public Relations

99. What does the speaker anticipate may

happen?
(A) A project may not be completed on time.
(B) Some measurements may be incorrect.
(C) An order may be too small.
(D) There may not be enough available items

100. What is the listener asked to do if she

finds an error?
(A) Contact her manager
(B) Submit a form
(C) Make a correction
(D) Keep a record

26
III. READING COMPREHENSION

The Reading paper is composed of 100 multiple choice questions and is divided into the following 3 Parts:

Part 5 – Use of English - 30 questions

Part 6 – Use of English in Context – 16 questions
Part 7 – Reading Comprehension – 54 questions

On an average, candidates statistically perform about 60 points lower on the Reading component than they
do on the Listening component and candidates who obtain more than 800 points on the TOEIC often have
Reading scores around or greater than 400 points.

Therefore, it is absolutely essential to diligently prepare for the Reading component if you want to
maximize your overall TOEIC score.

Test-taking Strategies

You should spend around 15 minutes on the Use of English questions in Part 5 and Part 6 (approximately 20
seconds per question). If you spend more time, you might not have enough time left to finish the 54
reading comprehension questions.

As the questions are not incrementally more difficult as you go along, it is crucial for you to manage your
time so that you are able to finish the test within the 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Again, the only way to maximize your score, is to finish the test and to correctly respond to each question
you are capable of answering correctly. Do not waste time on questions that are too difficult for you or
answers you are not able to find in a text.

Lastly, trust your instinct. There are no “traps” on the TOEIC. If the answer “sounds” right to you, there is
a good chance that it is the right answer. More often than not, when candidates change their initial
answer, they had the right answer and end up choosing a wrong answer.

A. PART 5 – USE OF ENGLISH

In this part of the TOEIC, you will be required to choose the correct answer based on linguistic aspects:

 Grammatical Rules and Syntax (countable and uncountable nouns, tenses, quantifiers, comparisons,
phrasal verbs, dependent prepositions, modal verbs, passive voice, conditionals, relative clauses…)

 Appropriate Word Choice – choose between words with similar meanings (e.g. the difference
between greater, bigger, higher and larger; or part, piece, portion, ration…)
 Word Families – choose between the verb, past participle, noun, adjective, adverb of a particular
word family (e.g. space, spaced, spacing, spacious)

This course will help you to identify which grammatical and/or linguistic points you need to improve on.

You will be given a series of 10 TOEIC-styled questions on a particular grammatical theme. You should
complete the 10 questions in no more than 3 minutes and 20 seconds. If you make more than 2 errors in
27
the series of 10 questions, you know you need to brush up on this particular grammatical point. You can
then consult the additional resources provided to reinforce these aspects before you take the official
TOEIC.

Word Choice

1. Two days before his business trip to 6. Mike was _____able to move the metal
China, Tony was worried because he filing cabinet because it was full of large
________had not received his travel files and heavy books.
documents. (A) just
(A) yet (B) hardly
(B) still (C) almost
(C) already (D) already
(D) just

2. It is widely acknowledged that 7. Fortunately the problems that used to

Huntington International has been at the exist ______Dr. Wilson and me have all
forefront of the shipbuilding industry been resolved, and we are now friends
_________ 2003. (A) among
(A) for (B) along
(B) in (C) between
(C) since (D) over
(D) ever
8. Should we wait until ______ the award
3. I have only been sitting at this desk for ceremony before we issue a statement to
20 minutes and I can _______feel my back the press?
beginning to ache. (A) after
(A) just (B) since
(B) between (C) later
(C) later (D) afterward
(D) already
9. Do you remember how you felt the first
4. Despite not having ________tools, the time you _______gave a presentation at a
construction team was able to complete the conference?
project on time and under budget. (A) never
(A) enough (B) ever
(B) all (C) yet
(C) much (D) still
(D) too
10. City officials last night called for a cap
5. The cruise ship had to turn back less than on the number of taxis in Brooklyn after
an hour after leaving port, as the storm was complaints of ______many taxis on the
______ severe the captain was concerned city’s streets.
for the safety of the passengers and crew. (A) such
(A) such (B) how
(B) still (C) too
(C) so (D) so
(D) ever
28
Modal Verbs

1. Mr. Chang ______agreed to the deal 6. Sorry I'm late, but there was an accident
without checking with the head office first. so I ______take a detour
(A) might have been (A) have two
(B) did not have to (B) had to
(C) had better not (C) have had two
(D) should not have (D) did not have to

2. There's not much time left, so we 7. The sales figures for the last quarter
______hurry if we want to complete the were appalling, so the CEO ______been
project as scheduled. disappointed
(A) had better (A) was not to have
(B) might have (B) must have
(C) must have (C) had not to have
(D) have had to (D) did not have to

3. The cables for the projector ______be in 8. If you hurry, you ______ be able to catch
the car because I have looked everywhere the 5:15 train to Osaka.
else. (A) must
(A) can (B) can
(B) must (C) might
(C) cannot (D) have to
(D) should not

4. Vicky said I ______to go to the monthly 9. When we arrived at the convention, we

review meeting. found that we ______not get in because
(A) did not have nobody had remembered to bring our
(B) had not have passes.
(C) could not have (A) would
(D) must not have (B) could
(C) should
(D) might

5. We _____offer delivery times that we 10. Mr. Burton called to say he ______visit
cannot guarantee to keep. this afternoon to discuss the contract if he
(A) should have has time.
(B) should not have (A) must
(C) should not (B) may
(D) should (C) had to
(D) won’t

29
Relative Clauses

1. All the technical staff ______we employ 6. The training with ______ you will be
are fully trained professionals. working is inexperienced, but very
(A) where enthusiastic.
(B) who (A) that
(C) whose (B) who
(D) which (C) whom
(D) whose

2. The processing factory, ______we visited 7. We were rather surprised to find the
only last month, has temporarily shut down report ______ we received from the
due to a mechanical fault. supplier was full of criticism.
(A) where (A) that
(B) what (B) where
(C) which (C) whose
(D) whose (D) what

3. The shift supervisor ______spoke to you 8. The accountant ______ figures you
is called Mr. Hughes. queried has replied by e-mail, giving a full
(A) that explanation.
(B) which (A) who
(C) whose (B) whom
(D) what (C) whose
(D) what

4. The customer soup ______ was cold was 9. The investigators were surprised by
offered a discount of 10%. ______ they found during the inspection.
(A) which (A) what
(B) who (B) that
(C) that (C) which
(D) whose (D) where

5. Nobody could remember the name of 10. The complex merger finally went
the restaurant ______ we had dined the through, ______was a greatly relief to both
previous evening. companies.
(A) when (A) what
(B) what (B) which
(C) which (C) that
(D) where (D) where

30
Conditionals

1. If there ______an unforeseen delay, we 6. Our insurance company _______the

will finish this project by the end of the damage done during the storm if we had
month. renewed our policy on time.
(A) will not be (A) will cover
(B) does not (B) are covering
(C) was not (C) would have covered
(D) is not (D) will be covering

2. I'm afraid we cannot agree to this 7. If I ______you, I would get as much

proposal ______ the offer is substantially experience in the hospitality industry as
improved. possible before opening my own hotel.
(A) if (A) am
(B) when (B) were
(C) unless (C) will be
(D) even (D) would be

3. According to the doctor, you will feel 8. If we _______enough money in advance,

better within a week if you ______this we would not have been able to expand the
medication as prescribed. business when we needed to.
(A) will take (A) have not saved
(B) take (B) did not save
(C) had taken (C) had not saved
(D) taking (D) were not saving

4. Where ______choose to go, if you could 9. If you see Mr. Hawkins this afternoon,
get a job in any city in the world? ______tell him about the new
(A) will you manufacturing project?
(B) did you (A) will you
(C) can you (B) do you
(D) would you (C) might you
(D) are you

5. If Keiji ______ to the tradeshow, he will 10. Nobody would have known about the
not be able to attend the monthly meeting. leak in the supply room, if Dan ______ it by
(A) goes chance one day.
(B) had gone (A) had not discovered
(C) was going (B) was not discovering
(D) will go (C) does not discover
(D) could not discover

31
Pronouns and Determiners

1. Josh is going to try to repair the window 6. Brenda was very relieved when the
______ rather than get a carpenter to do it. doctor told her that ______of her children
(A) him had been injured in the car accident.
(B) himself (A) neither
(C) his (B) either
(D) he (C) both
(D) any

2. We had ______own business for six 7. After the fire at the manufacturing plant,
years before we were bought out by a the police interviewed ______temporary
larger company. employees who were working at the
(A) our company.
(B) ours (A) every
(C) us (B) each
(D) ourselves (C) all of
(D) some

3. Can I please take this opportunity to 8. Ms. Howe decided to tell ______ boss
thank ______ of you for coming to this she wanted to leave the company.
special celebration. (A) she
(A) every (B) her
(B) someone (C) hers
(C) any (D) herself
(D) all

4. There is ______ I would like to save you 9. The plot of the movie was so
privately, so see me in my office in 10 complicated with so many twists that in the
minutes. end I could not understand ______ of it.
(A) anything (A) none
(B) everything (B) any
(C) something (C) neither
(D) nothing (D) little
10. I'm sorry about the mix-up, but I cannot
5. It was a good thing that I was able to find find that report you emailed ______, so I
a driving instructor to give me think I must have deleted it by mistake.
______lessons before I took the test. (A) nowhere
(A) little (B) anywhere
(B) any (C) somewhere
(C) few (D) everywhere
(D) a few

32
Verb Forms and Tenses

1. Did you know that Tyso Chemicals 6. When do you think we ______ whether
_______exhibiting at next year's trade fair or not they want to accept our proposal?
in Seattle? (A) will hear
(A) will have (B) are hearing
(B) is going to (C) hear
(C) will be (D) have heard
(D) will

2. Which of your former coworkers ______ 7. The results of the inquiry showed that
at the reunion last night? management ______the decision to close
(A) have you seen the facility two months before informing
(B) did you see the workers.
(C) were you seeing (A) has made
(D) had you seen (B) had made
(C) was making
(D) had been making

3. The guys in the marketing department 8. When you visit Mr Usami's home, do not
______later this afternoon to discuss how forget it is customary to take off your shoes
many flyers we need to get printed for the before you ______ into the house
next bulk mailing. (A) go
(A) have met (B) will go
(B) met (C) are going
(C) are meeting (D) will be going
(D) have been meeting

4. As far as I know, Mr. Dupont ______ his 9. Although Encar ______ Japanese for
office yet, so if you hurry you will be able to long, she is already able to hold a
catch him before he goes. conversation and can even read and write.
(A) was not leaving (A) does not learn
(B) did not leave (B) is not learning
(C) has not left (C) has not been learning
(D) is not leaving (D) will learn
10. One month from now, Mr. Oakley
5. Gary ______ notes in the lecture when ______chairman for 25 years, so we're
he started to feel sick and had to leave. having a party in his honor to celebrate.
(A) will take (A) will have been
(B) takes (B) will be
(C) took (C) is going to be
(D) was taking (D) is being

33
Passive Voice

1. Beginning next month, every laboratory 6. Did you remember to ask the architect
worker in our research facility what building materials the interior walls
______required to wear an ID badge at ______ made of?
work. (A) had
(A) Is being (B) were
(B) has been (C) did
(C) will be (D) be
(D) be

2. It seems that news of our plans to 7. The company's stock price has been
withdraw from the Asian market have significantly affected ______ the poor
______ to the press by someone within the figures announced in today's emergency
company. shareholder meeting.
(A) been leaking (A) In
(B) be leaked (B) with
(C) leaking (C) by
(D) been leaked (D) from

3. Does anyone remember when exactly 8. Although they were done only a week
this air conditioning system ______, ago, these windows already need ______
because it is not working properly. again because of all of the dust.
(A) was installed (A) cleaned
(B) has been installed (B) cleaning
(C) is being installed (C) to be clean
(D) be installed (D) have cleaned

4. The new digital scanner has stopped 9. Unfortunately, the company was forced
working again, even though we only ______ to pay compensation for the expensive vase
a week ago. that was ______during the company outing.
(A) had been repaired (A) disappeared
(B) had it repaired (B) broken
(C) have been repairing it (C) collapsed
(D) were repairing it (D) fallen over

5. The latest report compiled by the 10. If you see any customers who look as if
overseas marketing division found that they are not ______ then it is your
many errors of judgment ______ by senior responsibility to go and ask them if they
management. need any assistance.
(A) had made (A) be served
(B) be made (B) been served
(C) we're making (C) have been served
(D) had been made (D) being served

34
Dependent Prepositions

1. Scientists decided to conduct further 6. The preparation of the meal was very
experiments to increase their good, and everyone was impressed ______
understanding ______the drug’s benefits. the efficient yet unobtrusive service.
(A) on (A) in
(B) in (B) by
(C) to (C) for
(D) of (D) on

2. The design of this line of jewelry is 7. Mr. Saito warned us not to interfere
inspired ______ancient artifacts found in ______ the negotiations, as matters were at
the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs. a very delicate stage.
(A) in (A) for
(B) by (B) by
(C) for (C) with
(D) at (D) from

3. We need someone we know we can 8. The full participation of all industrialized

count ______to supervise our overseas nations is absolutely essential ______ the
operations. success of the discussions on climate
(A) with change.
(B) to (A) at
(C) on (B) to
(D) for (C) with
(D) by
4. Please make sure that you are all familiar
______the location of the emergency exits 9. We decided to take a somewhat
in case there is a fire. unorthodox approach ______ the parking
(A) in problem by forbidding employees from
(B) for arriving by car.
(C) to (A) with
(D) with (B) to
(C) for
5. Kevin knew he had to voice reservations (D) by
over the shortfall in the pension funds,
regardless ______ the consequences to his 10. The company is highly specialized
career. ______ the field of chemical and
(A) of biochemical fingerprint analysis.
(B) about (A) in
(C) over (B) for
(D) with (C) at
(D) over

35
Transitional Words and Phrases

1. The ink cartridges for the new office 6. This seminar on group dynamics should
printer are more expensive and ______our start promptly at 9:00 o'clock, ______all the
printing costs are now higher. participants have already arrived.
(A) as (A) unless
(B) due to (B) since
(C) consequently (C) yet
(D) now that (D) whether

2. ______leasing to independent 7. You will be promoted to pay grade 7 at

operators, we also have a large range of the end of the year, ______you have
trucks and trailers for sale. fulfilled all the criteria and met your
(A) In spite of objectives.
(B) Besides (A) provided that
(C) Moreover (B) whether
(D) However (C) also
(D) similarly
3. Mr Garcia is ______ in an important
meeting with a client and will not be able to 8. The chairman does not _____address
see you for another hour or so, I'm afraid. new trainees at the start of each year, but
(A) recently this time is an exception.
(B) subsequently (A) especially
(C) currently (B) ordinarily
(D) before long (C) namely
(D) conversely
4. The weather forecast for the week was
terrible, but we _______decided to go 9. There are a few points in your estimate
ahead with our planned trip to the beach. that I would like to query, ______the
(A) likewise distribution costs and delivery times.
(B) even so (A) in particular
(C) nevertheless (B) as a rule
(D) alternatively (C) in any case
(D) even so
5. ______ we appreciate all your hard work
over recent months, we cannot 10. Sean was worried about finding a
unfortunately extend your contract beyond parking place at the stadium, but ______ it
the end of July. was not a problem as the event was not
(A) While very well attended.
(B) After all (A) on the other hand
(C) Despite (B) as a result
(D) Likewise (C) at last
(D) in the end

36
Phrasal Verbs
6. As profits grew, the company was finally
1. The board decided to ______its decision able to ______ its debt and move into the
to close the plant, and instead announced black.
an ambitious plan for expansion. (A) put off
(A) get back to (B) pay off
(B) get along with (C) pack up
(C) go back on (D) pass out
(D) go out of
7. The schedule is very tight so we will have
2. Production has increased nearly 8% since to ______our responsibilities efficiently,
Sarah ______the role of shift supervisor. which means on time and within budget.
(A) cut back (A) carry out
(B) held up (B) bring out
(C) took over (C) get out
(D) worked out (D) hand out

8. Redevelopment of the industrial site was

3. On completion of the survey, plans will delayed when property developers ______
be ______ for your approval before any strong objections from the local
work begins. community.
(A) broken up (A) looked out for
(B) held up (B) headed for
(C) called upon (C) got out of
(D) drawn up (D) came up against

4. In order to ______ the power failure 9. The new wind turbines will provide
during the show, the entire audience was enough power for the entire factory, and
offered complimentary tickets for another should ______our reliance on coal and gas.
performance. (A) run out of
(A) make up for (B) do away with
(B) put up with (C) go up against
(C) come around to (D) stand up for
(D) drop out of

5. Why is it that when politicians make a 10. The team played well, but was
bad decision they try to ______ it by ______by a number of poor refereeing
blaming everyone around them? decisions toward the end of the game.
(A) get on with (A) let down
(B) get up to (B) taken up
(C) get around to (C) built up
(D) get away with (D) called of

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B. PART 6 – USE OF ENGLISH IN CONTEXT

Again, you should complete both parts 5 and 6 in approximately 15 minutes. You will need to
read quickly and work efficiently to not waste precious time.

Part 6 consists in the same exercise as Part 5, but the grammatical, lexical, or syntaxial
questions are embedded in short documents with a bit more context (e.g. an e-mail, letter,
extract from an article etc…)

In addition, there may be one question which includes a choice of 4 sentences which can be
inserted into a particular location in the document. You must choose which sentence is the
most logical given the information that is provided in the previous or following sentence(s).

For example, you will read:

New Head at Balmer Industries

Balmer Industries, one of the__132__pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland, yesterday

announced the appointment of Li Qiao as its newest CEO. The announcement __133__nearly
two months after Edon Durian, the current head of Balmer, made public that he will retire at
the end of the year.___134___. Qiao is well known in the industry for successfully heading
several small pharmaceutical companies. The job at Balmer will be the first position she has
held at the helm of an international firm of this size. Qiao, __135___ currently resides in Basel,
begins working in Zurich on November 28th.

132. (A) leading

(B) determined
(C) hopeful
(D) mutual

133. (A) come

(B) comes
(C) will come
(D) will have come

134. (A) The company is currently interviewing for the position.

(B) The new CEO will be announced in November.
(C) Balmer then plans to move its headquarters to Basel.
(D) Durian has led the company for seven years.

135. (A) whose

(B) her
(C) who
(D) herself
PART 7 – READING COMPREHENSION

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Part 7 of the TOEIC test assesses your ability to comprehend and locate information in written texts.

Content

In this final part of the TOEIC test, you will have 15 sets of either single or multiple passage texts to read
and there will be between 2 and 5 questions for each set of documents. There are a total of 54
questions for this part of the test.

 10 Single Passage Texts – Between 2-4 questions per document

 2 – Dual Passage Texts – Between 2-4 questions per set of documents
 3 – Triple Passage Texts – 5 questions per set of documents

The documents may be letters, e-mails, text messages, advertisements, notices, memorandums, price
lists, invoices, articles etc…

Test-taking Strategies

If you spend 15-20 minutes on Parts 5 and 6, you will have 55-60 minutes to answer all 54 questions,
which means you will have a little more than ONE minute per question.

For example, if a long text has 5 questions, you should be able to deal with the set of documents and
answer the 5 questions in about 7-8 minutes.

You probably will not have the time to completely read and fully understand all the documents. Instead,
you should:

1. Familiarize yourself with the document

a. Look at the title, what type of document is it?
b. Look at the date, when was it written?
c. Who wrote it, and who is it addressed to?
d. Read the first sentence of each paragraph.

2. Read the first question and scan the document from the beginning to end until you find
the answer. Read the second question and then rescan the document from the
beginning if you remember already seeing that information or continue reading from
where you left off. The questions often are in the order the answers appear in the text.

3. Know where to look for information in documents. For example:

a. Why did Ms. Jones write this e-mail?
Probably located in the first sentence.

4. Be careful of words in capital letters. For example:

a. Where can the staff NOT park?
Where it is forbidden and not where it is allowed.

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 5. Information might change in multiple texts or you might be required to make simple
calculations. For example,
a. In one document it might mention that the price is $50.00. However, in a later
e-mail response, the sales representative might offer to give the client a 10%
discount which means the price is now $45.00. Or they might schedule a
meeting for Wednesday at 9am and in another document mention that the
meeting will take place “the day before” at the same time. So the meeting is
actually now on Tuesday, not Wednesday.

Example: Single passage text

Eazy chairs is pleased to announce their annual sale!

- Three weeks of crazy deals and insane incentives to buy and super savings
- Markdowns 30% or more.
- Buy all your office furniture needs before prices go back up.
RUN, don't walk to Eazy chairs sale ends May 1st.

147. Which reduction will you NOT find in the sale?

(A) 20% off
(B) 30% off
(C) 40% off
(D) 50% off

148. What period does the sale cover?

(A) The first three weeks of May
(B) The last three weeks of April
(C) The last two weeks of April and the 1st week of May
(D) The last three weeks of April and the 1st week of May

Example: Double Passage Texts

Questions 49-53 refer to the following schedule and e-mail

IT Department Training Day

Thursday 17th April
8:30 to 9:00 Welcome coffee and program for the day with IT department head
9:00 to 10:45 Choosing the right software for your client Jack Staub
coffee break
11:00 to 12:30 Workshop understanding the client specifications Allison Mumraz
lunch in staff canteen
02:00-04:00 Workshop practical programming Romano Vargas
04:00-05:00 Feedback and questions Meg Cherwell
From: Meg Cherwell
To: IT department staff

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Dear all,
As you know, our quarterly training day takes place tomorrow. There have however been a few
modifications made to the schedule that was circulated recently.
The start of day coffee will still be hosted by myself as planned. It will however start 15 minutes later
and the whole morning will be affected by this delay. Afternoon events will be back on schedule again
after the end of lunch.
As Ramona Vargas wife has just given birth to their first child (congratulations, Romano!) Jack Staub will
take on his workshop in addition to his own presentation.
Have a good evening and see you all tomorrow, bright and early!
Meg

149. Who is the head of the IT Department? 152. Who will give the afternoon workshop?
(A) Jack Staub (A) Jack Staub
(B) Alison Mumoz (B) Alison Mumraz
(C) Romano Vargas (C) Romano Vargas
(D) Meg Cherwell (D) Meg Cherwell

150. How many training days per year does the 153. In document 2, second paragraph, the
company provide? expression “on schedule” is closest in meaning
(A) 1 to:
(B) 2 (A) delayed
(C) 3 (B) scheduled
(D) 4 (C) as planned
(D) estimated
151. What activity will be shorter than planned?
(A) Jack Staub’s presentation
(B) Lunch
(C) The programming workshop
(D) The Feedback session

Example : Triple Passage Texts

- Hi. I'm Anita. How can I help you today?

- Hi, I was using my Brewster coffee machine and it stopped working.
- Can you tell me exactly what happened?
- I put the coffee in, then poured in the water. When I tried to turn it on, the light
didn't come on.
- Did you check if the machine is plugged in?
- Yes, it is. And you put the coffee in before the water?
- Yes.
- Did you clean the filter? It needs cleaning out periodically.
- No, I didn't know you were supposed to do that. It doesn't say so in the manual.
- I'm sorry we had a batch which had the wrong instructions included. You must have
bought one of those. If you can scan and send us a copy of your warranty by email,
we will issue a full refund of your money.

41
 - I prefer a replacement.
- If you send us a registered letter requesting a replacement, it is possible.
- OK, thanks for your help. My pleasure.

Brewster coffee maker manual

How to make a great cup of coffee.
1) place the correct amount of coffee in the recipient.
2) add the appropriate quantity of water. Do not exceed the red line
3) push the button.
Four wait 4 minutes and enjoy your great Cup of Brewster coffee!
Safety Instructions
To clean, wipe gently with a soft cloth.
Do not submerge in water. Do not use if cord is damaged. Do not attempt to open base. Us e in
a well-ventilated area
. Two-year warranty will automatically become void if these safety instructions are not
followed.

****Stars
I gave the Brewster aftersales service four stars out of five the after-sales service staff member
who helped me was polite and efficient. She found a solution almost immediately. I took one
star off simply because I found it strange that the company proposes a refund rather than a
replacement period. If you want a replacement for a faulty article, you have to specify that in a
registered letter, which of course costs money . But I chose that option because I was very
satisfied with the product. Still waiting for it to arrive.

154. What caused the problem?

(A) The client put the water in first.
(B) The client put too much water in.
(C) The client didn't clean part of the machine.
(D) The client didn't plug in the machine.

155. Which of the following actions will not cancel the warranty?
(A) Trying to open the machine.
(B) Using the machine when it's damaged.
(C) Using the machine in an enclosed space.
(D) Wiping the machine.

156. Why did the client give a less than perfect score?
(A) The helpdesk staff member was rude.
(B) He didn't want to spend money.
(C) He was not happy with the coffee maker.
(D) He found the process too long.

157. What will probably happen next?

(A) The client will receive a package.
(B) The client will receive a refund.

42
(C) The client will receive a registered letter.
(D) The client will scan a warranty card.

158. In the review, the word “faulty” is closest in meaning to:

(A) guilty
(B) expensive
(C) defective
(D) undelivered

IV. CONCLUSION/ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Again, it is extremely important to practice the TOEIC in exam conditions so that you not only
enhance your language skills, but also improve your time management skills.

In addition to the TOEIC practice tests on Global Exam and GoFluent, you will find numerous
mock TOEIC tests on YouTube.

Once you believe you are ready to take the official TOEIC, [Link] You will
not get an official score, but only your CECRL rating. So, if you obtain a B2 rating, you can feel relatively
confident that you will score between 785-940 points when you take the official TOEIC.

The only way to improve your TOEIC score is to improve you overall level of English. Watch as many
DVD’s, TV series or TED talks in English, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES. You can also watch YouTube videos
and activate the subtitles; however, as the subtitles are generated using voice-recognition technology,
they are far from accurate. You will certainly find the following websites useful:

[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]

Grammar

If you need to brush up on your grammar, check out some of these websites!

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 [Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]

Newspapers and Magazines

Again, the more you read, the faster you read and the better you understand. You should actively read
several articles per week from one or several of the following websites!

CNN - [Link]
BBC - [Link]
The New York Times - [Link]
AFP - [Link]
New Zealand - [Link]
Otago Daily Times – New Zealand - [Link]
The Sunday Times - [Link]
The Financial Times - [Link]
The Times Educational Supplement - [Link]
The Daily Telegraph - [Link]
The Economist - [Link]
The International New York Times - [Link]
The Washington Post - [Link]
The Boston Globe - [Link]
The San Francisco Examiner - [Link]
The Spectator - [Link]
The Spectator - [Link]
Bloomberg Business - [Link]
The New Yorker - [Link]
The Nation - [Link]
The Village Voice - [Link]
TIME Magazine - [Link]
USA Today - [Link]
ABC News - [Link]
Popular Science - [Link]
Popular Mechanics - [Link]

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