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OETPR

Overseas English Testing: Pedagogy and Research

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10.12677/OETPR.2021.32009

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托福口语独立题目备考指南 A Guide to TOEFL Independent Speaking Test Preparation

杜

展

₁^*

新东方国际教育培训中心，陕西西安

02062021

03026470

2014

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

托福口语是中国考生的短板。在由ETS (Educational Testing Service)发布的2019年托福网考测试和成绩数据汇总中，中国考生的口语平均成绩为20分。造成该成绩的主要原因是很多考生不了解托福口语的评分标准，以及缺乏方法论。本文针对这些问题，结合托福官方指南，过往文献以及笔者的范例答案，从答题结构，衔接，以及展开方法三个方面进行分析。避免考生在备考中走弯路。 Most of the Chinese TOEFL test takers have failed to perform well in the Speaking section. According to “TOEFL iBT® test and score data summary 2019” released by Educational Testing Service, Chinese test takers score 20 in average in the speaking section. It is believed that the reasons be-hind this are unfamiliarity regarding the scoring rubrics of TOEFL Speaking, and lack of method-ology. In regards to these problems, the article will analyze the answer structure, signposting lan-guages and linking devices, and rhetorical Strategies, as well as their usage in TOEFL independent speaking questions, based on the TOEFL Official Guide, past literature and sample response from the writer, in the hope that the test takers will take less detour in their test preparation.

托福，托福口语，独立题目, TOEFL TOEFL Speaking Independent Task

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关键词

托福，托福口语，独立题目

A Guide to TOEFL Independent Speaking Test Preparation

Zhan Du

Global Education Department in Xi’an, New Oriental Group, Xi’an Shaanxi

Received: May 1^st, 2021; accepted: May 24^th, 2021; published: May 31^st, 2021

ABSTRACT

Most of the Chinese TOEFL test takers have failed to perform well in the Speaking section. According to “TOEFL iBT® test and score data summary 2019” released by Educational Testing Service, Chinese test takers score 20 in average in the speaking section. It is believed that the reasons behind this are unfamiliarity regarding the scoring rubrics of TOEFL Speaking, and lack of methodology. In regards to these problems, the article will analyze the answer structure, signposting languages and linking devices, and rhetorical Strategies, as well as their usage in TOEFL independent speaking questions, based on the TOEFL Official Guide, past literature and sample response

from the writer, in the hope that the test takers will take less detour in their test preparation.

Keywords:TOEFL, TOEFL Speaking, Independent Task

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0).

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

1. 引言

根据教育部发布的2019年度出国留学人员情况统计，2019年，我国出国留学人员总数已达到70.35万人 [1]。而托福(TOEFL)作为已被超过150个国家的11,000所大学所接受的英语能力考试 [2]，无疑是大部分留学生申请路上的一大关卡。

托福口语考试分为2大部分，共4道题目。第一部分为独立题目，共1道，第二部分为综合题目，共3道。在独立题目中，考生会被要求就两个观点、选项或情况作出自己的选择，并用理由和细节加以解释 [3]。常见的题目问法有两种：

托福官方的一项调查研究显示，当1395名考生在被问到关于托福口语独立题目的难易程度认知时，有87.3%的考生认为托福口语独立题目有些难，难或者非常难。但是考生在综合题目备考中花费的时间却要远多于独立题目 [5]。

独立口语作为口语部分的第一题，很大程度上影响了考生整个口语部分的发挥。如果独立题能够流畅作答，可以在一定程度上帮助考生建立自信，辅助接下来的三道题的稳定发挥。因此，本文将结合官方材料以及过往文献进行分析以及理论总结，讲解独立题目的回答要点，以及如何给出一个结构清晰，语言流畅，细节充分的答案。

2. 答题结构

所谓“万变不离其宗”，无论是哪一种题目问法，考生都最好遵循清晰的总分逻辑来排布自己的答案。

所谓的总分结构，也叫做Deduction，或演绎推理。即答题的第一句话，我们应当明确的陈述出自己的选择/观点。之后给出一至两个理由来支撑自己的选择，并给这一至两个理由提供恰当的细节。最后再根据给出的理由得出结论。 [6] 因为托福在官方给出的独立题目评分标准中，满分的答案需要做到well-developed和coherent。 [3] 在答案中使用deductive approach可以帮助我们以连贯的方式扩展自己的答案。

以TPO48 Task2为例：Some people like to shop in large grocery stores and department stores. Other people prefer to shop in small specialty stores or shops. Which do you prefer? Explain why. [3]

例1：

在上述范例中，观点为在大超市购物，其次给出了两个理由：方便和经济实惠来论证自己选择超市购物的原因。并针对第一个理由：“方便”给出了细节，是因为在大超市有各种各样的产品可供选择，所以可以在一个地方买到所有的东西。针对第二个理由：“经济实惠”也给出了细节：比如我在我家附近的超市办了会员卡，每次购物都可以积分。之后就可以用积分换钱使用。

例2：

在第二个范例中，只陈述了一个理由，即在大超市购物比较方便。随后给了较多的细节来论证这个理由。先是简单的解释因为大超市物品较全，可以一站买齐。其次又举了自己上周在家里办烧烤派对的例子，并列举自己具体需要的东西都可以在大超市找到。进一步解释了在大超市购物如何方便，并且帮自己节省了时间。

以上的两种答题结构都是考生们可以采纳的。需要注意的是，独立题目非常看重考生展开细节的能力。 [3] 所以在答题时应当避免观点的罗列，如“I prefer to shop in big supermarkets because it is much more convenient and also you can save a lot of money”，而是应当详细的展开解释一至两个理由。

其次，选择题目中的哪一个观点、选项或情况并不会对分数产生影响，题目中的观点、选项或情况没有是非对错之分，只要能够详细论证自己的选择即可 [3]。

另外需要考生们注意的是，在答案中持中立态度，如“I think large grocery stores and small specialty stores are equally good”或“Sometimes I like to shop in large grocery stores while other times I prefer to shop in small specialty stores or shops”是被允许的。但是45秒的答题时间内，可能没有充足的时间详细探讨两个选项的优缺点，从而导致细节不够充分。所以一般情况下不建议考生采取这种答题结构。 [3]

3. 衔接

在排布自己答案的过程中，除了给出自己明确的观点以及细节的理由，考生还应当注意在每个部分中给出恰当的信号词。因为听者在面对各种各样的新信息的时候，会迷失方向。 [7] 而信号词在答案中起到“路标”的作用，来引导听者辨别各种信息，清晰的把握答案的架构，从而提升自己的分数。托福官方指南的独立题目评分标准中指出，满分的答案需要做到well-developed和relationships between ideas are clear (or there is a clear progression of ideas)。 [3]

以TPO48 Task2第一个范例答案为例：

For me, I normally shop in large grocery stores.

答题的第一句话，一般需要给出表达自己观点的信号词。除了For me, 还可以使用In my opinion… I think/ believe…等

This is because, firstly, it is much more convenient.

This is because, firstly表明接下来要说的是我们的第一个理由。

In the supermarket, there is a variety of products to choose from. So I can get everything I need all in one place.

So引导结果。

you know, from vegetables, fruits, snacks to even electronics and clothes and stuff.

You know作为口语当中常用的表达，经常用来填补对话或讨论中的空白。说“You know”让发言者有时间思考下一步该说些什么。根据O’Connell and Kowal [8]，引用Chafe (1980)，对话当中的迟疑并不影响口语的表达，相反，是口头表达中一种自然的，自发的行为。 [9] 在托福官方给出的独立题目评分标准中，满分的答案也允许有小的停顿。 [3] 因此，考生可以放心在自己的答案中使用fillers。常用的fillers表达还有I mean… Like…

Plus, it is more economical to shop in supermarkets.

Plus表并列，明确提示考官接下来要开始说第二个理由了。并列连词能够让我们的观点衔接更流畅，同时让听者明确的知道接下来的内容是重要的。 [10] 常用的并列连词还包括：Second (ly), What’s more, Additionally等。

For example, I usually go to a supermarket in my neighborhood, and I signed up for a membership card and collect points every time I shop there, and I can use those points as money the next time I go shopping there.

举例子的信号词，常用的还有For instance, Such as等。

4. 展开方法

在独立口语中，大部分中国考生的痛点集中在如何进行细节展开。托福官方指南的独立题目评分标准中指出，满分的答案需要做到well-developed和sufficient [3] 15秒有限的准备时间内，大部分考生可以想到1~2个理由。但是如何把想到的理由进行细节论述，需要使用不同的修辞方法，即展开方法。根据Stirling, B.，托福中常用的修辞方法有cause-and-effect, compare-and-contrast, illustration, narration, process, description, definition, classification共八种。 [6]

本文接下来将会以TPO48 Task2为例：Some people like to shop in large grocery stores and department stores. Other people prefer to shop in small specialty stores or shops. Which do you prefer? Explain why. [3] 讲解八种修辞方法在托福独立口语中的运用。

4.1. 因果Cause-and-Effect

因果即围绕给出的理由陈述前因后果。如在前面的范例答案1中，为了论证在大超市购物更加方便，可以先陈述前因：In the supermarket, there is a variety of products to choose from. 之后得出后果：So I can get everything I need all in one place.

4.2. 对比Compare and Contrast

对比可以用来描述两个或多个人，事物以及观点的不同和相同之处。 [6] 使用对比论证时，考生可以尝试针对理由先说自己选择的选项的好处，再反过来陈述一下另外一个选项有哪些缺点，这样也可以让我们的论证更加细节。如在论证shopping in a big supermarket is more convenient这个理由时，也可以采取对比论证，先说在大超市购物如何方便：

When you go to a big supermarket, you can get all the things you need in one trip as you can find literally everything in there.

再解释在小的专门店购物如何不方便：

Whereas if you shop in small specialty stores, you need to make multiple trips. Maybe to the butcher’s for some meat, and the coffeeshop for some coffee, then to the baker’s to get some bread, which can be quite troublesome, especially if these places are far away from each other.

4.3. 举例子Illustration

在举例子时，可以尝试针对大的、较为宽泛的概念进行列举。举例论证可以使观点更加有说服力，使抽象的概念更容易理解。 [11] 如In the supermarket, there is a variety of products to choose from. So I can get everything I need all in one place. 这个细节论述中，everything是一个较为宽泛的概念，所以可以尝试列举在超市可以买到的东西，you know, from vegetables, fruits, snacks to even electronics and clothes and stuff. 来细化everything这个概念。

当然，也可以围绕理由给出个人经历来进行例证。如在范例答案2中使用的烧烤的例子：For example, I held a barbecue party at my house last week with some of my friends, and I had a very long shopping list. So, I just went to the supermarket in my neighborhood and did my shopping there, and I got everything I need, from vegetables, fruits, meat, drinks and snacks and even some coals for the barbecue. It really helped save a lot time compared with running from different stores.

但是在举个人经历的时候，需要考生注意，例子一定要足够细节。可以尝试在平时练习举例时使用5W1H的方法来填充细节。即：What, Where, When, Who, Why以及How。 [12]

What was the occasion? — A barbecue party.

Where was it? — At my house.

When was it? — Last Week.

Who was there? — Some of my friends.

Why did you go shopping in a big supermarket? — Because I had a very long shopping list.

How was it convenient? — I got everything I need, from vegetables, fruits, meat, drinks and snacks and even some coals for the barbecue. It really helped save a lot time compared with running from different stores.

4.4. 叙述Narration

叙述是一种把事件按照时间先后顺序描述的修辞方法。 [6] 如在论证shopping in large grocery stores and department stores is more efficient and fast这个理由时，可以使用narration的方法进行论证：Yesterday I got up at 8AM, and then I got a call from my friends saying that they wanted to come over for lunch. So after that I quickly had my breakfast and dropped by the supermarket in my neighborhood and picked up a few things that I want to cook. Then I got back home at 10AM and started cooking. By the time they arrived, the food was already served on the table.

4.5. 过程Process

过程与叙述类似，同样描述了时间顺序。但是进程是一种把事件按照优先顺序上的先后进行描述的修辞方法。 [6] 使用在例题当中，如果想要描述shopping in small specialty stores is super inconvenient，可以使用process的修辞方法。如：Imagine you need to pick up a few things from the butcher’s and the green grocer’s. First, you will need to drive to the butcher’s. Then, find a place to park. Next, go there and pick up the things you want. Then, walk all the way back to your car and put everything in the trunk. And then drive to the green grocer’s, and do all these thing all over again. It is just so troublesome. 在此答案中，通过描述开车去肉店和蔬菜店的过程，可以论述去小商店购物有多么不方便。

4.6. 描述Description

描述的修辞方法通过使用形容词和副词在读者/听者的脑海里形成一幅画面。在使用描述时，可以描述口感，观感，触感，味道以及声音。 [6] 在例题中，如果想要描述the vegetables and fruits in the greengrocer’s is usually fresher than in the supermarket. 可以说In the supermarket, the food is usually pre-packaged. But in a greengrocer’s, you can see everything lying on the shelves, and decide whether the fruits and vegetables are fresh or not, you can pick it up and smell it, and if the shop owner is nice, you can even taste it before you buy it.

4.7. 下定义 Definition

定义是对于人，事，物或地点的详细描述。下定义的目的是为了给读者/听者可能陌生的概念进行解释说明。 [6] 针对本道例题，可以说In the supermarket, you can literally find anything that you want. For example, there was one time when I really needed a HDMI cable,which is a cable you use to transmit video and audio signals between devices, for my presentation, and I could not find it in any shop near my apartment. Then I decided tocheck out the supermarket and eventually found it there. 在以上的回答中,HDMI cable可能对于听者来说是一个陌生的概念，所以需要下定义：…I really needed a HDMI cable, which is a cable you use to transmit video and audio signals between devices…来辅助理解。

4.8. 分类Classification

分类是把人，事，物按照种类、等级或性质分别归类。 [6] 在本题中，如果想要论述You can easily find what you want in a supermarket. 可以使用classification说：because in a supermarket, they categorize everything by aisles, so you can easily find dry goods, frozen goods, cleaning products and so on. 在以上的回答中，dry goods, frozen goods, cleaning products就是把超市中常见的商品分类，并结合超市会按照通道来划分区域，来解释很容易找到自己想要的东西。

以上八种都是在独立口语答题时非常好用的细节展开的方法，考生们可以在自己平时的练习过程中尝试加以运用，锻炼自己输出细节的能力，从而在考场上能够在有限的时间内，给出详尽的细节论述。

5. 结论

本文主要结合托福官方指南对于独立口语题目的描述以及评分细则和过往文献分析了托福独立口语题目的答题要点。首先答题结构应尽量采取总分结构，使用deduction的方法进行论述。对于观点衔接，要尽量满足评分标准中coherent和relationships between ideas are clear的要求，在恰当的地方使用信号词和逻辑连词，如引出观点的信号词，并列连词等。因果论证，举例论证，对比论证等细节展开方法保证答案能够做到评分标准中well-developed和sufficient这两项。

但是，本文主要针对评分标准中Topic Development (话题发展)一项进行分析，对于Delivery (表达)和Language Use (语言使用)两项评分标准未进行详尽分析。考生在备考时，还需要综合考虑三项评分标准来进行备考。

文章引用

杜展. 托福口语独立题目备考指南A Guide to TOEFL Independent Speaking Test Preparation[J]. 国外英语考试教学与研究, 2021, 03(02): 64-70. https://doi.org/10.12677/OETPR.2021.32009

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