Understanding the TOEFL Reading Section:

The TOEFL Reading section tests the candidate’s ability to understand academic texts similar to those they may encounter in the course of their studies at a university. The candidate may be asked to:

  • Identify the main idea or purpose of a passage,
  • Find specific information,
  • Understand the meaning of vocabulary from context,
  • Understand how ideas are connected,
  • Make logical inferences,
  • Understand why the author includes particular information,
  • Summarize important information.

It is worth noting that the candidate does not need to understand every word in the passage before answering the questions. Instead, he or she should read for meaning, find the evidence, eliminate wrong answers and choose the best answer. The goal here is not to memorize the entire passage. The goal is to understand its structure and important ideas.

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