TOEIC Test Prep_05 ppsx

12. ready, hope _____________________________________ _____________________________________ 13. about to, suitcase _____________________________________ _____________________________________ 14. so, buy _____________________________________ _____________________________________ 15. finished, because _____________________________________ _____________________________________ 16. as soon as, delicious _____________________________________ _____________________________________ – WRITING REVIEW– 159 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 159 For these questions, you will show how well you can write a response to an e-mail. Use a clock or stopwatch, and allow ten minutes to read and answer each e-mail. Read the e-mail. To: All Staff From: Una Harvey, Training and Staffing Re: Training and Professional Development Calendar Sent: November 8, 2009 Hello, Staff, We are trying to put together our training and professional development calendar for the coming year, and we would like your input. Please write back to me and let me know which of your professional skills you would like to improve on in the coming year. I hope to incorporate some of your ideas into a training and professional development calendar that responds to your needs and will help you do your job better. Thanks, Una Harvey Training and Staffing Reply to the request as if you were an employee with this company. Respond with at least TWO ideas about how you could improve your skills. 17. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ To: All Staff From: Tina Mitchell, Administrative Assistant Re: Bulletin Board Sent: February 22 Hi, Everyone! I have a great idea for a bulletin board in the break room. I want to post some success stories from the year on the wall, to remind us of what a great team we have! I would like everyone to send in two or three success stories from this year. They don’t need to be long, just a sentence or two to tell about something good that has happened in the last year. Thanks, Tina Read the e-mail. Imagine that you received this e-mail at your current or most recent job and respond to the request with at least TWO short statements about good things that have happened at your job this year. 18. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ – WRITING REVIEW– 160 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 160 To: New Client From: Endway Realty Re: Basic Information about Home Sent: August 12, 2007 Hello, Thank you for contacting us to help with your upcoming move. We hope we will be able to help you find a home that meets all your needs. Based on the information you provide us now, we will assign a Realtor to your job who has specialized knowledge of the areas of the city and types of homes that best meet your needs. First we need some basic information from you about what you are looking for in a home. Please let us know what kind of home and what kind of neighborhood you are looking for. Read the e-mail. Imagine that you have contacted a home locator to help you find a home in a new city. Please respond to the e-mail with at least THREE qualities you are looking for in a home. 19. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ To: Department Staff From: Department Supervisor Re: Reports Due Monday Sent: March 18, 2008 Dear Staff, As you know, your quarterly reports are due Monday. I will be out of town from Wednesday to Friday, so if you have any questions about the formatting or content of your reports, please e-mail them to me before 5:00 tomor- row. I will be happy to answer any questions you might have, and I look forward to seeing your work. Thanks, Department Supervisor Read the e-mail. Imagine that you have received this e-mail from your department supervisor. Please re- spond to the e-mail with at least TWO questions about his expectations for the report. 20. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ – WRITING REVIEW– 161 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 161 To: Administrator at Kline and Associates From: Janet Langly Re: Directions to Meeting Sent: June 5, 2008 Dear Administrator at Kline and Associates, I have a meeting at your office tomorrow and need driving directions. Your boss said I should contact you for them. I will be stopping by the central post of- fice on my way to the office, so it would be perfect if you could give me directions from there. Thanks, Janet Langly Read the e-mail. Imagine that someone has e-mailed you to ask for directions about how to get from the central post office in your town to your place of busi- ness. Please write back with driving directions. Please include at least THREE details about the drive. 21. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ To: Recent Hire From: Human Resources at Ethercorp Re: Welcome! Sent: March 2, 2008 Hello, and welcome to the Ethercorp staff! We are pleased that you have accepted the job offer. I am sure you have many questions about your new job, from details about our benefits package, to advice about where to send your children to school in Madison. Please feel free to contact our Human Resources department with any questions that arise for you in the next few weeks. We look forward to having you on our team. Read the e-mail. Imagine that you have just been hired by Ethercorp, and have received this message from the human resources department. Please write back to the department with at least TWO questions about your new job. 22. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ – WRITING REVIEW– 162 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 162 To: you@youremailaddress.com From: Marcia Todd Re: Advice on Interview Sent: May 19, 2009 Hi! I have very good news! I just got a job interview with a small software company in Austin! I am a little nervous because I have never been on a real job interview before. Do you have any advice for me? I would really appreciate any advice you can offer about interviewing for a job. Talk to you later, Marcia Read the e-mail. Imagine that you have just received this e-mail from a younger friend. Give her at least THREE pieces of advice about what to do and say when interviewing for a job. 23. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ For this set of questions, you will write an essay in re- sponse to a question that asks you to state, explain, and support your opinion. Generally, an effective essay will contain at least 300 words. Read each question below. Then, allow yourself 30 minutes to plan, write, and re- vise each essay. 24. Many people like to do all their work in the office and focus on home life when they are at home. Others are happy working from home, and don’t mind, or even prefer, to bring some work home with them. Do you think that bringing work home is a good idea? Why or why not? 25. Modern life can be stressful. Even the best jobs often require long hours and strict deadlines. Balancing work and family can also be difficult. There are many ways people manage stress, both healthy and unhealthy. What do you think is the best way to manage stress? – WRITING REVIEW– 163 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 163 Answers 1. Sample response: The man needs to get all the new inventory on the shelves before the end of the day. 2. Sample response: The women like to eat at this restaurant because it uses fresh ingredients and has excellent service. 3. Sample response: The coworkers are looking over the report together so that they can plan their presentation. 4. Sample response: She is putting her airline ticket in the briefcase pocket, where it will be easy to find. 5. Sample response: When the men are finished making the new road, people will be able to travel more easily between the two towns. 6. Sample response: Some of the people at the park jog for exercise, while others walk. 7. Sample response: She is explaining how the sales figures have increased, using a graph on her laptop. 8. Sample response: The scientists are reading the results of their experiments and writing them down for later analysis. 9. Sample response: The young man doesn’t know which box he should put the letter into. 10. Sample response: The construction workers have been working hard this morning, and now they are enjoying their break with a cup of coffee. 11. Sample response: Big machines can be useful when the harvest has to be done quickly. 12. Sample response: He hopes that the paint will dry quickly, so that the apartment will be ready for the new tenants. 13. Sample response: The receptionist is about to call the bellman to take the lady’s suitcase to her hotel room. 14. Sample response: She is withdrawing cash at an ATM so she can buy a birthday present for her husband. 15. Sample response: His coworkers applauded when John finished his presentation, because it was very inspiring. 16. Sample response: As soon as she finishes preparing the vegetables for the salad, she will be ready to serve a delicious meal. 17. Sample response: Dear Ms. Harvey, Thank you for valuing my ideas and for working to make a good professional development schedule. One of my personal goals for the coming year is to learn more about how to use slide show software. I think that using slide shows would improve my presentations of the departmental reports. I would also like to explore new ways to improve communication and morale among the workers in my department. So, any profes- sional development opportunities that involve management training would be fantastic for me. Again, I appreciate for your hard work in making a training calendar that responds to our needs. Sincerely, Jane Longman – WRITING REVIEW– 164 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 164 18. Sample response: Hi, Tina, What a wonderful idea! I think that will be a great thing for us to look at when we are getting our coffee! I have several success stories from the year, but I am just writing the first ones that come to mind. This year my sales team met all our goals. We had our best year for sales ever! I am proud of everyone’s hard work. We also added two new clients this year. My department has had to work very hard to meet the demands of the new workload that this created, with everyone taking on extra duties. And now that work is going to pay off, because it looks like we will be able to hire two new staff to help with the additional work. Thanks for taking the time to make our break room inspiring. Best, Sam 19. Sample response: Dear Endway Realty Representative, Thanks for responding so quickly to my inquiry. I will be moving to Dallas in November, and am hoping to find a short lease on a downtown apartment. I want to get settled into the new city and new job before I commit to anything more permanent than a six- or nine-month lease on a one- or two- bedroom apartment. I don’t like to drive, so I am looking for a location that is near a public transit stop, and preferably within walking distance to bars, restaurants, and stores. I also don’t want to spend more than $1,000 in rent per month. Please put me in contact with a Realtor who can help me with this. Thanks, Sri Patel 20. Sample response: Dear Robert, Thank you for the notice that you are not going to be in the office. I have a few questions about the reports that are due Monday. The first is this: Would you like them turned in electronically, in hard copy, or both? I was also curious as to whether you prefer that the reports include a lot of graphs and images or you prefer straightforward text. Finally, will it be alright if my report exceeds the specified length by a page or two? I am having a little trouble cutting it down any further. Thanks and enjoy your trip! Sincerely, John Meadows 21. Sample response: Dear Ms. Langly, I am happy to help. Our office is located on the south side of town, about two miles past the Interstate on Highway 123. The address of the building is 4677 Highway 123, and we are in Suite 14. To get here from the downtown post office, you take Union Street south to the Interstate access road. Turn left at the access road, and get over into the left lane. Take an immediate left onto 123. You will pass several apartment complexes on the right and a small grocery store on the left. After you pass the grocery store, turn into the second driveway on the right. That is our building. If you reach the Airline Street stoplight, then you have gone too far. Feel free to call the office or me if you need any further help. Sincerely, Leon Graves – WRITING REVIEW– 165 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 165 22. Sample response: Dear Human Resources Department, Thank you for contacting me. I do, in fact, have many questions about the job. Most of them, I am sure, will be answered in good time, but there are a couple of pressing questions that I would like to ask. First, how soon will I be eligible for the insurance coverage through the company’s insurance provider? My wife is pregnant and I am wondering how the transition in health insurance will work with our July due date. Second, will I receive weekly, biweekly, or monthly paychecks? Knowing this will help me organize my budget. Thanks again for your concern. I look forward to working with you, too. Sincerely, Andres Alamillo 23. Sample response: Great news, Marcia! I am so happy for you. The job sounds perfect, and I think you’ll do great. I have been on quite a few job interviews before (maybe too many!), and I do have many suggestions. Here are the most important things that come to mind. First off, I think it is always a good idea to wear a suit, even if the work environment seems casual. Suits make you look and feel more professional. Besides, it is better to be overdressed than underdressed. You should also speak confidently and positively. Your answers should always focus on the things that you are competent and successful with. Try to steer the conversation back to your skills and successes whenever possible. And follow up with telling your interviewer how you think those skills will translate to the new job. Last but not least, sit up straight and look your interviewer in the eye. Body language is very important. You will do great! Call me if you want talk more about it or even set up a practice interview. Congratulations, Liping 24. Sample response: As with most things in life, there are stages and times when bringing work home from the office is a good idea, and stages and times in life when this is very dangerous. Young people should do everything that they can at the beginning of their careers to develop the skills that they need to make the years of work that they have ahead easy. For them, bringing work home is a good idea. However, once they have started a family, their work should stay at the office so that they can create a proper balance between work and family life. Many young people don’t want to bring work home with them. They would rather meet with coworkers at the bar after work or go out on the town. This is foolish. The beginning of a career is the perfect time to focus on developing the skills and tools that will make the years ahead smooth and easy. If someone puts in long hours and works hard at the beginning of his career, then by the time he is starting a family, work will be second nature. It is much more difficult to build a career or put in the extra time to prove oneself once life is complicated with such things as spouses and children. I have known several young people who really got ahead in their careers by showing great dedication early on. Once a person starts a family, it becomes more difficult to work at home. Trying to work at home with the obligations and interruptions of a family can create stress for the worker and – WRITING REVIEW– 166 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 166 the family. Balancing home life and work life can be hard as it is, and bringing home work can make it almost impossible to either work or attend to domestic life. I have known many workers who found working at home very stressful in this situation. Especially during the childrearing years, it is good to designate spaces and times for things. When at work, work; when at home, be domestic. This relieves stress and helps establish the balance that is necessary for both good work and a good home life. The final stage of life, after the children are out of the house, is still a mystery to me personally. I hope that at this point in life, a worker is in the position to decide what he wants to be the focus of his life, and do that when he clocks out. If he is very dedicated to work, and wants to work from home, he should. If he wants to take his wife to dinner, play racquetball, or tend his garden, he should have the time and space for that. Looking at three stages of a worker’s life and career, it is clear that taking work home from the office can be a good or a bad idea for a worker, depending on his circumstances, priorities, and age. Taking work home is only a good idea if does not create stress or disrupt life. It is a bad idea if it does. 25. Sample response: Nothing in the world can completely rid someone’s life of stress, but healthy lifestyle choices can help people manage and control their stress levels. Many people get trapped in a cycle of overeating and lounging in front of the television to escape their stress, but what they do not realize is that unhealthy lifestyles can create more stress than they had to begin with. Eating well, spending time outdoors, and exercising create a healthy body and a healthy mind. A healthy lifestyle is the only real way to moderate stress. When I was younger, I had a friend who was a single mother. She took care of three children, worked a full-time job, kept a clean home, put a home-cooked dinner on the table every night, and started each morning with yoga. She amazed me. At the time, I could hardly manage my job and my husband, much less the clean house, home-cooked dinner, and exercise. I asked her how she managed to balance it all. She explained to me that the clean house, dinner, and yoga were not extra work for her, but rather the foundation that made everything else possible. I have seen the opposite extreme as well. My brother creates stress for himself, while he thinks that he is escaping it. He doesn’t have time for a healthy meal because he is too busy at work, so he grabs a fast food hamburger for lunch instead of preparing something healthy. He goes home from work and needs to “blow off some steam” or “de-stress” in front of the TV. This has created a cycle of unhealthy living. Now he is getting overweight, which creates even more stress for him. His body is not well- nourished, so he can’t think or work as well as he could if he took a little time to care for his body. His stress builds on itself. I have also seen a few people in my life switch from high-stress unhealthy living to low-stress healthy living. The transition is amazing. My friend Gina started exercising and eating well in her 40s, after she had a health scare. She was upset at first about her strict doctor’s orders. But after a few months of healthy living, she started to notice changes in all aspects of her life. She was happier, had more energy, and was less stressed. These three examples together have shown me that the best way to fight stress is with sanity. Healthy living is the best defense against stress. – WRITING REVIEW– 167 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 167 TOEIC_04_125-168.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:55 AM Page 168 [...]...C H A P T E R TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8 8:56 AM Page 169 PRACTICE EXAM 1 B y taking this first practice exam, you will get an idea of how much you already know and how much you need to learn This exam consists of questions modeled after the official TOEIC Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing sections 169 TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 170 TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout... directions are given for each part Mark your answers— choice a, b, c, or d—on the answer sheet that begins on page 171 When directed by the icon, listen to the audio file at http://www.learnatest.com/SpeakingGuides/ TOEIC_ Test_ Prep Or, if you do not have access to a computer, the complete transcripts are included in the appendix of this book In that case, ask someone who speaks English fluently to read the... to Track 190 173 TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 174 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– 2 4 Now, listen to Track 193 5 Now, listen to Track 191 Now, listen to Track 194 3 Now, listen to Track 192 174 TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 175 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– 6 8 Now, listen to Track 195 7 Now, listen to Track 197 9 Now, listen to Track 196 Now, listen to Track 198 175 TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout... Track 286 181 TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 182 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– 83 Now, listen to Track 287 Who would most likely hear this message? a a person with a question about an invoice b a person with software problems c a person looking to register a software product d A person wanting to buy software 84 Now, listen to Track 288 What should the listener have available? a the latest statement... easier _ ever before a as b than c of d more 109 Some argue that the driving test for a California license is too easy, while others find it _ a obstacle b challenging c private d fascinating 110 Ms Sousa _ this many employees before a has never managed b hasn’t never managed c is never managing d wasn’t never managing TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 185 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– 111... 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 173 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– Listening 1 You will now begin the listening section You will be asked to demonstrate how well you understand spoken English The... sheet 24 Now, listen to track 213 Mark your answer on the answer sheet 25 Now, listen to track 214 Mark your answer on the answer sheet 26 Now, listen to track 215 Mark your answer on the answer sheet TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 177 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– 27 Now, listen to track 216 Mark your answer on the answer sheet 28 Now, listen to track 217 Mark your answer on the answer sheet... after checking on the backorder d in March Now, listen to Track 234 39 Now, listen to track 228 Mark your answer on the answer sheet 40 Now, listen to track 229 Mark your answer on the answer sheet 177 TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 178 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– 44 Now, listen to Track 235 How does the man feel about the company hiring a new worker? a excited b nervous c resentful d proud... Now, listen to Track 248 Why can’t they go to lunch today? a The man brought his lunch from home b The man has plans already c It is not a nice day to walk d The restaurant won’t be open until tomorrow TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 179 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– 55 Now, listen to Track 249 Who will invite Kristin? a the man who is speaking b the woman who is speaking c Luke d Sandra Now,... 64 Now, listen to Track 261 Where can he look to find out what else the company needs to order? a the warehouse b online c the inventory spreadsheet d the list on his desk Now, listen to Track 262 179 TOEIC_ 05_169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 180 –PRACTICE EXAM 1– 65 Now, listen to Track 263 Who did Pat call to try to resolve the problem? a the technical support line b the director c the administrative . questions modeled after the official TOEIC Listening, Read- ing, Speaking, and Writing sections. TOEIC_ 05_ 169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 169 TOEIC_ 05_ 169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56. 171. When directed by the icon, listen to the audio file at http://www.learnatest.com/SpeakingGuides/ TOEIC_ Test_ Prep. Or, if you do not have access to a computer, the complete transcripts are. d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d TOEIC_ 05_ 169-228.qxd:Layout 1 6/17/10 8:56 AM Page 171 – LEARNINGEXPRESS ANSWER SHEET– 172 a b c d a