 Each year, hundreds of thousands of students (mainly undergraduate students like me) take part in this test. Besides, it is a test, not an examination (such as Graduate Record Examination). Judging from the above two-- the considerable scale and the name of the test itself, it appears that we are entering a level test of no difference with the driver-license test-- with a procedure to follow and a large proportion to pass. But that is wrong. The ETS never published a book with whose help the buyer is bound to succeed. And a high score is usually based upon the long-term hard work of a student as a learner, rather than as a cramming examinee. In those months when I was preparing and pre-preparing the test, I have myself listened to a myriad of listening material ranging from VOA to BBC. What is a little different with others might be: I used a kind of excellent software to speed up those materials to 1.2 times. Overwhelming endeavor does me a lot of good. Still, I realize even now my effort on the preparation is not overwhelming in any aspect. I should have done more and gained more. 105 is a lucky number for me but never a satisfied score as to my expectation at first. And a teacher of New Channel ever said in Classroom 101 (whose photos are also put on the outside wall of that classroom) that a score of 105 can ensure you to surpass any TOEFL barrier to enter any university in the US. But that is wrong. As far as I know, say, the Journalism School of the Columbia University requires a minimum TOEFL score of 114 to enjoy their topmost postgraduate education, which suggests, even as a non-English speaker, one has to speak, read, write and listen to English at least as a native, well-educated speaker. However, it is quite natural, as long as one thinks about the brilliant future that that school is promising: after a 9-month training, you will see comes a dream job, an ideal income as well as the social status. So, that is much the same as the life view one can take when preparing the test--It is not always, but usually that the outcome depends on the effort. |