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TOEFL – Section Details – Reading

In this section you will read 3-5 passages and answer 12-14 questions about each passage. The section is scored based on the number of correct reading comprehension responses.

Reading Purposes

1. To locate information with speed and accuracy, such as skimming text for key facts and important information
2. To obtain basic comprehension, such as understanding the main idea, key points, passage structure, passage purpose, important facts and details, vocabulary in context, and pronoun references
3. To learn from reading, such as understanding various relationships between ideas (e.g., compare-and-contrast, cause-and-effect, agree-disagree, or steps in a process) and tracing the development of ideas throughout the passage
4. To make inferences about an author’s opinion and what is implied in a passage

Reading Section Format

Passage Types (based on the author’s objectives)

	Exposition - Explains a topic
	Argumentation – Argues a point of view about a topic with evidence
	Historical biographical/event narrative – Records a past event or a person’s life

Question Types by Format

	Questions with four choices and a single answer in traditional multiple-choice format
	Questions with four choices and a single answer that ask test takers to “insert a sentence” where it fits best in a passage
	“Reading to learn” chart or summary questions with more than four choices and more than one answer

Question Types by Content

	Main Idea questions
	Key facts questions – locate the specifics
	Paraphrase questions

	In multiple-choice format
	Could be a word, phrase or a sentence
	Test the ability to select the answer choice with most accurate meaning based on the context
	Variations include Definition questions, which ask you to trace the text which defines a word or phrase

	Reference questions – typically pronoun reference
	Structure questions

	Before/After questions – identify a likely paragraph preceding or following the passage
	Sentence insertion question - identify the best insertion position for a new sentence

	Except/Not/Least questions – look for unsupported facts or opinions
	Reading to learn questions

	Category Chart questions - sort different choices into different categories
	Summary questions - select the most important ideas about the passage

Inference questions

Find the implied message