In the year 1964, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) introduced the TOEFL. It is an English exam that tests the language reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. More than 2.3 million people worldwide prepare for this test. However, most of them face several challenges in the TOEFL listening section. So, they take regular sessions from the finest trainers. They guide them to take the TOEFL listening practice test papers for their practice.
Now, you might be thinking, Why do they advise doing so? Well, this article can answer all your questions, as it discusses the challenges in the listening section and how a practice test can help to overcome them.
Common Challenges in TOEFL Listening
Answering questions in the listening section is the most challenging part of the TOEFL exam. In this part, test-takers receive three lectures and two conversations, along with 28 questions (six from lectures and five from conversations). They have 36 minutes to answer all the questions. However, it is not easy to prepare for this section. Test takers face several challenges. Thus, let us know some of them below. It will help you know what makes the TOEFL listening section a challenging part of the exam.
Struggling to Understand Accents and Natural Speech
There are 160+ estimated distinct English accents worldwide. The first challenge commonly faced by test takers is understanding the accents and audio pace. Most of the aspirants get confused and find it difficult to catch the words. Due to this, they fail to get the right answer to some questions.
Difficulty Identifying Key Information
Test takers need to focus on the audio recordings to get the main idea and gather some information to answer some questions. However, it is not easy for many aspirants. They get lost in listening to the lecture or conversation. Due to this, they fail to understand the main idea and identify key information. Aspirants can take TOEFL listening practice test to avoid poor performance.
Poor Time Management
The listening section is a 36-minute task. Many test takers struggle to manage the time accordingly. Due to this, they fail to answer all the questions and get a low score on the exam. Poor time management is one of the most common challenges faced by TOEFL aspirants.
Poor Note-Taking
Note-taking is a lifesaver skill for the TOEFL listening section. In this test, take note of some important points or information such as dates, names, places, and more. It helps them to provide the correct answer to some questions asked in the exam. However, some test takers get distracted and ignore the details. Due to this, they fail to achieve their dream scores on the exam.
These were some common challenges faced by many test takers in the listening section of the TOEFL exam. The finest trainers advise using a practice test paper to overcome these challenges. Well, let us move to the next part and understand why experts advise doing so.
How A Practice Test Can Help to Prepare for TOEFL Listening
A practice test is the best source to prepare for the TOEFL listening section. Applicants who use them get a lot of benefits on the exam day. Thus, let us highlight some of the best benefits below.
Understanding the Exam Pattern
Firstly, a practice test helps the aspirants understand the toefl exam pattern. Experts use previously asked questions and their experience to prepare a practice test paper. Moreover, they take the test at the same exam timings. It helps aspirants to simulate real test conditions and know the difficulty level. Due to this, they can make strong strategies to prepare for the test.
Track Mistakes
Secondly, experts provide instant answers to the TOEFL listening practice test papers. Moreover, they provide suggestions for improvement in performance. Thus, it helps the test takers to build confidence and overcome their mistakes.
Skill Development
Thirdly, test takers need several skills such as time management, note-taking making and active listening. A regular practice with mock tests can help them to work on developing and polishing these skills and improve their scores.
Reduce Anxiety
Many test takers face exam anxiety while preparing for the listening section. Due to this, they feel unconfident and stressed. However, a mock test is the solution to this problem. It helps the aspirants to prepare for every type of question, reduce anxiety, and boost their confidence to get a high score.
Conclusion
To sum up, the listening section of the TOEFL exam is a challenging part. Many test takers face several challenges while preparing for it. So, they take regular sessions from the finest trainers in the market. However, it is the best way to prepare for the exam. Experts assist them to clear all the doubts regarding the TOEFL registration, exam pattern, and more. Additionally, they take regular practice tests to track the readiness of aspirants for each section. Thus, this practice helps the test takers to build confidence for their exam and achieve their dream scores.
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