| TOEFL - Speaking Question 5 |
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Directions: For this task, you will listen to a dialogue. You will hear a
question about it. You will then have 20 seconds to prepare your response
and 60 seconds to speak.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Question
Narrator:
Listen to a conversation between two students.
Student 1(female):
Ryan, I’m thinking about dropping our Chinese class and going back to Spanish.
Student 2(male):
What? Why? I thought you really enjoyed taking Chinese?
Student 1:
Well, I do. It’s really fun; it just takes so much extra time to study. I feel
like I have to neglect my other classes so I can keep up with the work in
Chinese, and I think my grades are starting to slip.
Student 2:
That’s really horrible. You’ve already taken two semesters of Chinese. It seems
like a waste if you just quit now. Couldn’t you drop one of your other classes
so that you’d have more time to study?
Student 1:
Maybe, but I also hoped that someday I could be able to get a job where I could
speak Chinese. I don’t know if I’ll ever be good enough for that.
Student 2:
Well, you’re fairly fluent in Spanish, aren’t you? Didn’t you even work at a
Mexican restaurant?
Student 1:
Yes, I studied Spanish for four years and got a job where I could speak Spanish.
Student 2:
Have you considered studying abroad or taking some courses over the summer?
Maybe working at a Chinese restaurant would help you too?
Student 1:
Studying abroad can be expensive, and have you ever seen a white person working
at a Chinese restaurant? I don’t know…
Narrator:
Now get ready to answer the question.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Answer
The problem is that the woman, wants to drop her Chinese class after she has already been studying Chinese for two years. She wants to get a job where she could use her Chinese professionally one day, but she doesn’t know if she will ever be good enough now. The man gives the woman several solutions: working at a Chinese restaurant, studying abroad, or dropping one of her other classes. I think the best idea is to try to study abroad in China. The woman says it can be expensive to do this, but college is expensive also. Maybe she can get a scholarship. Studying in another country is the best way to learn a new language. You are forced to learn the language because you use it everyday. I think that is definitely the best way.