Speaking Task Six - 289
ETS recycles the same testing methods throughout thespeakingand
writing sections. Because ETS recycles the same testing methods,
they are predictable. Because they are predictable, you can apply
G+3TiC=C
and its variations (G+TiC, G+TiC=C, G+2TiC=C) to all six
speaking tasks and to both writing tasks. By doing so, you will
demonstrate OPDUL=C
for all eight tasks.
When developing and delivering a response for this task, use G+3TiC=C andthe
following five steps to demonstrate OPDUL=C
in your response.
First, the narrator will give instructions.
As the narrator gives instructions, make a note map. Because time is limited,
simply number each body paragraph instead of writing TiC
.
Use transitions of addition when connecting each body paragraph
when you speak.
G
1 first
2 next
3 also
C
Narrator: For this task, you will listen to a lecture on an
academic topic. After you listen to the lecture, you
will summarize the main points. You will have 20
seconds to prepare your response and 60 seconds
to speak.
Remember!
Developing a Response: Step-by-Step
Make a G+3TiC=C note map.
Step #1
Remember!
290 - Speaking Task Six x
When the narrator is finished, you will listen to the lecture.
Read along as you listen to a sample lecture.
Animal behavior can be classified according to the time of day an
animal is active. Animals, such as horses, elephants and most birds,
are said to be diurnal because they are active during the day and rest at
night. Those animals active at dawn and dusk are said to be crepuscular.
Beetles, skunks and rabbits fall into this category. The third group are those
animals that sleep during the day and are active at night. They are called
nocturnal. A good example is the bat. Bats have highly developed eyesight,
hearing and smell. This helps them avoid predators and locate food. Being
nocturnal also helps them avoid high temperatures during the day,
especially in deserts where temperatures can reach well over one hundred
degrees Fahrenheit.
There are two types of bat: micro bats, or true bats,
and mega bats, also called fruit bats. Let’s start with mega bats.
Size wise, mega bats range from two to sixteen inches in length. Mega bats
have extremely sensitive sight and smell. This helps them locate the flowers
and fruit upon which they feed. It is while eating that mega bats play an
important role in the distribution of plants. Like bees, mega bats serve as
pollinators. When they lick nectar or eat flowers, their bodies become
covered in pollen which they, in turn, carry to other trees and plants
thereby acting as pollinators. In fact, many of the fruits and vegetables on
our tables, such as bananas and peaches, would not be there if mega bats
did not pollinate plants and trees.
Next are micro bats. As the name implies, micro bats are quite small, about
the size of a mouse. To find food, micro bats use echolocation, high
frequency sounds they bounce off insects. The most common micro bat is
the vesper or evening bat. Like mega bats, micro bats play an important
role in the environment. The average vesper bat, for example, can eat one
thousand mosquitoes in one night. By doing so, they control the mosquito
population.
CD
Track
31
Listen to the lecture (2-3 minutes).
Step #2
Speaking Task Six - 291
Identifying and summarizing the premise is your first task. The premise will be
stated in the topic sentence. The premise will be expressed using a rhetorical
strategy. For example, a date in the premise will signal the rhetorical strategy of
narration. Narration, in turn, will signal the start of a general description of an
historical person or event, for example:
In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin and revolutionized the cotton
industry in the American south.
The premise might also employ the rhetorical strategy of process.
Extracting DNA from old bones is a complicated and time-consuming
process. First, you must…
The premise might also employ the rhetorical strategy of description.
The biggest great white shark ever caught was 21.3 feet long and
weighed over 7,000 pounds.
The premise might also employ the rhetorical strategy of cause-and-effect.
Exercising reduces stress.
The premise might also employ the rhetorical strategy of compare-and-contrast.
In the mid-nineteenth century, two diametrically opposite art movements
emerged: Impressionism in France andthe Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in
England.
The premise might also employ the rhetorical strategy of definition.
TheTOEFLiBT is an English language proficiency test.
The premise might also employ the rhetorical strategy of classification, as does
the premise in the topic sentence in the sample lecture.
After you identify the main topic, summarize it on your note map. To summarize
means to identify and generally describe the main points. The main points are the
premise and, in this example, a general description of each animal classification.
Animal behavior can be classified according to the time
of day an animal is active. Animals, such as horses,
elephants and most birds, are said to be diurnal because…
Identifying the Main Topic
292 - Speaking Task Six x
The premise (general) will be followed by supporting illustrations (specific)
identified by transitional signal words or topic nouns
.
transition
G animal behavior classified according to time of day
day is diurnal – eat during day, sleep at night, humans
horses, elephants
twilight is crepuscular – active dawn and dusk, beetles,
rabbits, skunks
night is nocturnal – sleep during day, active at night
Animal behavior can be classified according to the time of
day an animal is active. Animals, such as horses, elephants
and most birds, are said to be diurnal because they are
active during the day and rest at night. Those animals
active at dawn and dusk are said to be crepuscular. Beetles,
skunks and rabbits fall into this category. The third group
are those animals that sleep during the day and are active
at night. They are called nocturnal. A good example is the
bat. Bats have highly developed eyesight, hearing and
smell. This helps them avoid predators and locate food.
Being nocturnal also helps them avoid high temperatures
during the day, especially in deserts where temperatures
can reach well over one hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
There are two types of bat: micro bats, or true bats,
and mega bats, also called fruit bats. Let’s start with
mega bats.
Size wise, mega bats range from two to sixteen inches in
length. Mega bats have extremely sensitive sight and smell.
This helps them locate the flowers and fruit upon which
they feed. It is while eating that mega bats play a
important role in the distribution of plants. Like bees, mega
bats serve as pollinators. When they lick nectar or eat
flowers, their bodies become covered in pollen which they,
in turn, carry to other trees and plants thereby acting as
pollinators. In fact, many of the fruits and vegetables on
our tables, such as bananas and peaches, would not be
there if mega bats did not pollinate plants and trees.
(continued on the next page)
General to Specific
Speaking Task Six - 293
In this lecture, notice how the general “nocturnal animal” transitions into the
specific “the bat”, which is divided (classified) into two specific sub groups. The sub
groups are the supporting illustrations (2TiC). They, in turn, develop the topic
“nocturnal animal.” This demonstrates organization (O
PDUL=C), progression
(OP
DUL=C), topical unity-synthesis (OPDUL=C), and coherence (OPDUL=C).
Next, summarize the supporting illustrations and conclusion. Notice the transitions
of contrast (T
iC) andthe cause-and-effect relationship (TiC) in each body
paragraph.
1 first mega bats, 2 - 16 inches
good eyesight and smell, helps bat find food = flowers
and fruit
like bees mega bats pollinate plants + tree good for
environment, we get peaches, bananas
2 next micro bats, size of mouse
use echolocation to find food = insects
micro bats eat 1,000 mosquitoes a night good for
controlling mosquitoes
3 also
C These examples add to and support the reading
nocturnal animal
micro bat
the bat
mega bat
Next are micro bats. As the name implies, micro bats are quite
small, about the size of a mouse. To find food, micro bats use
echolocation, high frequency sounds they bounce off insects.
The most common micro bat is the vesper or evening bat. Like
mega bats, micro bats play an important role in the
environment. The average vesper bat, for example, can eat
one thousand mosquitoes in one night. By doing so, they
control the mosquito population.
294 - Speaking Task Six x
Does the lecture always develop the premise with two supporting
illustrations?
The number of supporting illustrations depends on the premise of the lecture,
and the rhetorical strategy used to define and develop the premise. That said,
there could be one, two, or three supporting illustrations. A lecture that might
use three examples might define the premise using the rhetorical strategy of
description, for example:
Early in his career, Picasso moved through three stylistic periods: Blue,
Rose, and African.
In this example, each of Picasso’s three artistic periods can be developed into
a body paragraph.
A lecture that uses process to define the premise could also give three
supporting examples (3TiC), for example:
The traditional way to write an essay is a three-step process:
brainstorming, writing, revising.
In this example, each step in thewriting process would be a supporting
illustration.
In the next example, the premise is defined by the rhetorical strategies of
classification, illustration, process, and cause-and-effect.
The psychologist Abraham Maslow believed that humans are motivated
by unsatisfied needs. According to Maslow, we all have general needs,
such as physiological, survival and love. As we satisfy each need,
Maslow claims we are moving toward greater self-actualization.
In this example, you might be asked to summarize how each need
(classification-illustration) helps us move (process) “toward greater self-
actualization” (cause-effect).
The structure of the lecture progresses from general to specific
regardless of the topic or the number of supporting illustrations.
add to + support
Q
A
Remember!
general = premise
specific = examples
Speaking Task Six - 295
When the lecture ends, it will leave your screen. You cannot replay it. The lecture
will be replaced by the prompt. The narrator will read it.
The prompt for this task can be phrased many different ways, for
example:
Translated, these three prompts all mean:
After the narrator reads the prompt, you will have 20 seconds to prepare your
response. The countdown clock will countdown (20, 19, 18…).
Prompt The lecture illustrates how animal behavior is
classified. Show how the information in the lecture
supports this classification.
Prompt According to the lecture, bats are a critical part of
the environment. How do the examples in the lecture
develop and illustrate this point?
Prompt Identify and summarize the main topic in the lecture
and show how that topic is developed and supported
by specific examples.
Read the prompt; prepare your response (20 seconds).
Step #3
Remember!
Prompt Summarize the main points in the lecture and show
how bats are an important part of the environment.
Prepare your response (20 seconds).
Step #4
296 - Speaking Task Six x
When the countdown clock reaches zero, you will hear a “Beep!” Look at your note
map. Start speaking.
general
summary
transition
specific
summary
specific
summary
conclusion
The reading classifies animal behavior three ways. Diurnal
animals are active during the day and sleep at night.
Crepuscular animals are active at dawn and dusk. Nocturnal
animals hunt at night and rest during the day. An example of a
nocturnal animal is the bat.
The lecture says there are two kinds of bats: mega bats and
micro bats.
First are mega bats. They eat fruit and flowers. As they eat,
seeds fall to the forest floor. This is good forthe environment
because new trees grow. Mega bats also pollinate. When they
eat, their bodies get covered with pollen which they carry to
other flowers. The lecture says without mega bats pollinating,
we would not have peaches or bananas.
Next are micro bats. They use echolocation to find insects. A
micro bat can eat 1,000 mosquitoes a night. This controls
mosquitoes and is good forthe environment.
These examples illustrate how bats are an important part of
the environment.
Speak (60 seconds).
Step #5
Prompt Summarize the main points in the lecture and show
how bats are an important part of the environment.
Speaking Task Six - 297
Mapped out, you can see how G+2TiC=C gives thespeaking raters what they are
trained to listen for: a coherent integrated spoken response that demonstrates
OPDUL=C
. Note: Transitions (T) are in bold, the supporting illustration (i) in italics,
the premise (G) andthe conclusions (C) underlined
.
G = general = The reading classifies animal behavior three ways.
Diurnal animals are active during the day and sleep
at night. Crepuscular animals are active at dawn and
dusk. Nocturnal animals hunt at night and rest
during the day. An example of a nocturnal animal is
the bat.
general = The lecture says there are two kinds of bats:
mega bats and micro bats.
TiC = specific = First are mega bats. They eat fruit and flowers. As
they eat, seeds fall to the forest floor. This is good forthe environment because new trees grow. Mega bats
also pollinate. When they eat, their bodies get covered
with pollen which they carry to other flowers. The
lecture says without mega bats pollinating, we would
not have peaches or bananas.
TiC = specific = Next are micro bats. They use echolocation to find
insects. A micro bat can eat 1,000 mosquitoes a night.
This controls mosquitoes and is good forthe
environment.
C = general = These examples illustrate how bats are an
important part of the environment.
The following map illustrates approximate time divisions for each step of this task.
Remember: You are reading the example. On test day, you will pause and hesitate
when you speak thus use more time.
G 15 seconds The reading classifies animal behavior three
ways. Diurnal animals are active during the day
and sleep at night. Crepuscular animals are
active at dawn and dusk. Nocturnal animals
hunt at night and rest during the day. An
example of a nocturnal animal is the bat. The
lecture says there are two kinds of bats: mega
bats and micro bats.
How Long Should My Response Be?
298 - Speaking Task Six x
TiC 40 seconds First are mega bats. They eat fruit and flowers.
As they eat, seeds fall to the forest floor. This is
good forthe environment because new trees
grow. Mega bats also pollinate. When they eat,
their bodies get covered with pollen which they
carry to other flowers. The lecture says without
mega bats pollinating, we would not have
peaches or bananas.
TiC Next are micro bats. They use echolocation to
find insects. A micro bat can eat 1,000
mosquitoes a night. This controls mosquitoes
and is good forthe environment.
C 5 seconds These examples illustrate how bats are an
important part of the environment.
Next, check the sample response for OPDUL=C.
Does the response demonstrate organization?
The speaker uses deduction as a method of summarizing the main points
in the lecture. This demonstrates organization. Yes √ No _
Does the response demonstrate progression?
Because the speaker is using deduction, the response progresses from
general to specific. This demonstrates progression. Yes √ No _
a. Does the introduction demonstrate development-summarization?
The speaker has summarized the general classification of animal behavior,
and under which classifications bats fall. This demonstrates introduction
development-summarization. Yes
√ No _
b. Does the body demonstrate development-summarization?
The speaker has summarized two specific types of bat and illustrated how they
are good forthe environment. This demonstrates body development-
summarization. Yes √ No _
c. Does the conclusion demonstrate development-summarization?
The speaker concludes by summarizing how bats are good forthe environment.
Yes √ No _
a. Does the response demonstrate topical unity-synthesis?
The speaker focuses on animal classification in general and two types of
bat in specific with no topic digressions. This demonstrates topical unity-
synthesis. Yes
√ No _
O
P
D
U
. mega bats and
micro bats.
First are mega bats. They eat fruit and flowers. As they eat,
seeds fall to the forest floor. This is good for the environment. Speaking Task Six - 289
ETS recycles the same testing methods throughout the speaking and
writing sections. Because ETS recycles the same testing