| TOEFL - Speaking Question 3 |
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Directions: In this question, you will read a short announcement and then
listen to a dialogue on the same topic. You will then answer a question
about them. After you hear the question, you will have 30 seconds to prepare
your response and 60 seconds to speak.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Question
Narrator: The Foreign Language Lab of Northern State University is upgrading its computer lab. Read the notice about the new lab. You will have 45 seconds to read the notice. Begin reading now.
|
Attention All Foreign Language Students
Starting this semester, all students wishing
to use the Foreign Language Lab are required
to purchase an access card. No students will
be allowed entry to the lab without first
purchasing this card. The card is $10 and
can be purchased at the school bookstore.
The proceeds from this card are being used
to supplement the student technology fee,
which was used to renovate the lab over the
summer. New computers and software, as well
as new language tutors, were all part of the
renovation. |
Narrator:
Listen to two students as they discuss the announcement.
Student 1(male):
Well it’s about time they upgraded the lab.
Student 2(female):
I agree, but I think they went about it wrong, and what’s this about a new
card?
Student 1:
What do you mean?
Student 2:
Well, I don’t think the problem was with the computers before. In fact, I
thought the computers were all fine. They never gave me any problems. The
problem I had was with the space in the lab. It was often crowded. And when
there was a class in there, you had to wait in line to use a computer.
Student 1:
Well, they still have the same number of computers…but now the computers
really are the latest and greatest. We also have more tutors, and all the
new language learning software on there is great.
Student 2:
Yeah, if you’re learning Spanish or German or French. They only added
software and tutors for the most popular languages. What about Portuguese,
Chinese, Korean, and Arabic? And, I still don’t see why we have to pay to
use the computers now. What was our technology fee being used for before?
Narrator:
Now get ready to answer the question.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Answer
The woman is happy that the school finally upgraded the language learning lab, but she thinks the school upgraded it in the wrong way. So she isn’t satisfied. The university upgraded all the computers in the lab, but the woman thinks that the computers were all fine before and it wasn’t necessary to do this. The woman also thinks that the school added tutors and learning software for the computers for the wrong languages. For the few most common languages, there are now lots of new learning resources and help, but for the more uncommon languages, Chinese, Arabic, Korean, the school didn’t do enough. The woman wishes that the school expanded the lab to have more room. She says that before the renovation, the lab was often crowded; but, after the renovation, there are the same number of computers and the same amount of space. The woman also wonders why the students still have to pay money for the renovations because she says they were already paying a technology fee before.