1.Sentences About Photographs

Format
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The first part of TOEIC consists of twenty numbered photographs that are in your test book. For each photograph, you will hear on the audio¹ program four sentences that refer to it. You must decide which of the sentences best describes something you can see in each photograph.

The photographs are pictures of ordinary situations. Around two-thirds of the photographs involve a person or people; around one-third involve an object or a scene without people.

The sentences are short and grammatically² simple. They generally deal with the most important aspects of the photographs, but some focus on small details or on objects or people in the background.

Each item is introduced by a statement that tells you to look at the next numbered photograph. The pacing for this part is fast: There is only a five-second pause between items, and there is no pause between sentences (A), (B), (C), and (D).

Tactics
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1. Always complete each item as quickly as possible so that you can preview the photograph for the next item. Don't wait for the statement that says, "Now look at photograph number __. "

2. If you are previewing a photograph that involves a person or people, look for aspects of the photographs that are often mentioned in the sentences:

* What are the people doing?
* Where are they?
* Who are they? (Is there a uniform or piece of equipment or anything else that indicates their profession or role?)
* What distinguishes³ them? (Is there a hat, a mustache, a puree, a pair of glasses, a tie, or anything else that differentiates⁴ the people?)
* What do the people's expressions tell you? (Do they look happy? Unhappy? Excited? Bored? Upset?)

3. If you are previewing a photograph of an object, focus on these aspects:

* What is it?
* What is it made of?
* What -- if anything -- is it doing?
* Where is it?

4. If you are previewing a photograph of a scene, focus on these aspects:

* Where is it?
* What is in the foreground (the "front" of the picture)?
* What -- if anything -- is happening?
* What is in the background (the "distant" part of the picture)?

5. Don't mark an answer until you have heard all four choices. When you hear a choice that you think is correct, rest your pencil on that oval⁵ on your answer sheet. If you change your mind and hear a sentence that you think is better, move your pencil to that choice. Once you have heard all four sentences, mark the oval that your pencil is resting on. (This technique helps you remember which choice you think is best.)

6. Try to eliminate⁶ choices with problems in meaning, sound, and sound + meaning.

7. Most correct answers involve verbs in the simple present ("The furniture looks new.") or present progressive⁷ tense ("The woman is riding a bicycle."). Be suspicious⁸ of answer choices involving any other tenses.

8. Never leave any blanks. Always guess before going on to the next item.

9. As soon as you have finished marking the answer, stop looking at and thinking about that photograph and move on to the next item.

* Testing Points and Skill-Building Exercises
A. Sentences with Meaning Problems
B. Sentences with Sound Problems
C. Sentences with Sound and Meaning Problems