Toefl exam Essentials

2. Find the supporting details. Supporting details are
facts or specific examples that give proof of a speaker’s
main idea. The next question asks you to find a
supporting detail from the mini-lecture about the
immune system.
Question: The body’s immune system consists of
a. swarming bees
b. billions of cells
c. a complex organization
d. a communication network
The correct answer is b. You can easily eliminate choice a—
it’s a silly answer choice used to distract you. Choices c and
d are too general to be supporting details.
Supporting detail: a specific fact or example that supports
the main idea

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LISTENING
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3. Make inferences. Often people do not say what they
mean in explicit terms. In these cases, you need draw a
logical conclusion based on details or from what is
suggested in a conversation. In the listening test, some
questions ask you to make inferences based on a
speaker’s tone, or attitude about his or her subject.
Man 1: How about you help me fix my car today?
Man 2: Sure, Sam. Right after I go to work, go to the game,
and study!