Identifying Key Points in a TOEFL Reading Passage

Mastering the Reading Section of the TOEFL Exam: Strategies and Question Types

In this activity, you will explore various question types found in the TOEFL Reading section. Each question type is associated with a tooltip that provides an example question.

Hover over each underlined question type to see a sample question. Focus on understanding the type of question rather than the content of the answers.

Understanding Content

Vocabulary
Question Example: What does the word "meticulous" mean in the context of the passage?
Reference
Question Example: In the sentence "This new technique revolutionized the industry," what does "this new technique" refer to?

Interpreting Information

Inference
Question Example: Based on the author's description of the protagonist's actions, what can be inferred about their feelings toward the situation?
Rhetorical/Author Purpose
Question Example: What is the primary purpose of the author in writing this passage?

Analyzing Details

Factual
Question Example: According to the passage, what year was the first airplane successfully flown?
Negative Factual
Question Example: Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a benefit of the new technology in the passage?

Organizing Information

Insert Sentence
Question Example: Where would the following sentence best fit in the passage? "This innovation marked a significant turning point in the field."
Summary
Question Example: What is the best summary of the passage?

Visual Information

Table
Question Example: Based on the information in the table provided in the passage, which country had the highest increase in GDP growth between 2000 and 2010?
Sentence Simplification
Question Example: Which of the following best simplifies the sentence: "Despite the numerous challenges encountered, the team managed to achieve their goals through perseverance and innovation"?

At first glance, these names may seem daunting and hard to remember. But don't worry! We have a system that will help you remember each question type, its purpose, and how to approach it. Our system uses a mnemonic device that groups the question types together in a logical order, making them easier to remember and understand.

We'll introduce this system to you in the next unit, where we'll go into more detail about each question type and give you practice exercises to help you master them. Our goal is to help you feel confident and prepared when you sit down to take the TOEFL Reading section.

Are you ready to start mastering the TOEFL Reading section? Let's get started!