TOEIC Reading Item-Writing Tasks/ p.5
About the TOEIC test
The TOEIC test, or the Test of English for International Communication, is an English language proficiency test for people whose native language is not English. It measures the everyday language skills of people working in international business, commerce and industry. TOEIC test scores indicate how well people can communicate in English with others in the global workplace. The test does not require specialized knowledge or vocabulary; it measures only the kind of English used in everyday work activities.
TOEIC test questions (“items”) are developed from samples of spoken and written language collected from various countries around the world where English is used in the workplace. They incorporate many different settings and situations, such as:
• General business—contracts, negotiations, marketing, sales, business planning, conferences
• Manufacturing—plant management, assembly lines, quality control
• Finance and budgeting—banking, investments, taxes, accounting, billing
• Corporate development—research, product development
• Offices—board meetings, committees, letters, memoranda, telephone, fax and e-mail messages, office equipment and furniture, office procedures
• Personnel—recruiting, hiring, retiring, salaries, promotions, job applications and advertisements
• Purchasing—shopping, ordering supplies, shipping, invoices
• Technical areas—electronics, technology, computers, laboratories and related equipment, technical specifications
• Housing/corporate property—construction, specifications, buying and renting, electric and gas services
• Travel—trains, airplanes, taxis, buses, ships, ferries, tickets, schedules, station and airport announcements, car rentals, hotels, reservations, delays and cancellations
• Dining out—business and informal lunches, banquets, receptions, restaurant reservations
• Entertainment—cinema, theatre, music, art, media
• Health—medical insurance, visiting doctors, dentists, clinics, hospitals
The TOEIC Reading test
Participants in the Summer Institute will be writing items for the Reading portion of the TOEIC test.
The Reading Comprehension section consists of 100 questions presented in written format in the test booklet. Candidates read a variety of materials and respond at their own pace to questions based on the item content.
You can find out more about the TOEIC test at our website: http://www.ets.org/toeic/overview.html
In the following pages, you will be asked to provide a work sample made up of three item-writing tasks. All tasks are preceded by specific directions; additionally, Tasks 1 and 2 are preceded by examples. NO example has been provided for Task 3, since it resembles Task 2 to some extent.
A glossary of terminology used in the directions follows:
Useful Terminology
Stem: The part of an item in which the task is described. It may be a question, an incomplete statement, or a complete statement that requires interpretation.
Key: The correct answer.
Options: All the choices in a multiple-choice item. There are four options in most TOEIC items.
Distracters: The incorrect options in an item. These should be attractive; that is, they should have some appeal.
Stimulus: A spoken or written text that sets up an item and options, e.g., a reading passage or a short conversation.
Illustration
stem
Because the equipment is very delicate, it must be handled with ------.
(A) care
(B) caring
(C) careful
(D) carefully
TOEIC Summer Item Writing Institute: Item-Writing Tasks
Format for submitting your work sample
Rename the document by using the following convention:
TOEIC_Reading_your last name_your first name.doc.
For example, TOEIC_Reading_Smith_Jane.doc.
Reading Section Item Type: Incomplete Sentence
In this item type, candidates are given an incomplete sentence. Four words or phrases marked (A), (B), (C), (D) are given beneath each sentence. Candidates choose the one word or phrase that best completes the sentence and mark it on their answer sheet.
Example:Because the equipment is very delicate, it must be handled with
------.
(A) comfort
(B) mind
(C) care
(D) safety
Item-Writing Task One: Incomplete Sentence option sets
Directions: Choosefrom the following sentences and create TWO grammar incomplete-sentenceitemsand TWO vocabulary incomplete-sentence items. You may use the same two sentences to create both the grammar and the vocabulary incomplete-sentences items OR use a different sentence for each item, thus using four sentences all together. Highlight the correct answers in bold. Write the item immediately under the sentence of your choice.
1. Mr. Okada has been with the firm for less thantwo years and has already been promoted to senior technical specialist.
2. Ms. Hassan will be in Singapore next week to take part in the negotiations for the acquisition of the Chen Company property.
3. Cooper Foods, Inc., announced yesterday that the advertising campaign for their new line of frozen vegetables will be created by Benton Media Group.
4. The date of the monthly sales meeting will have to be changed because the vice president isnot available to attend.
5. New desktelephones will be installed this evening, so please clear a space on your desk next to your current phone.
Reading Section Item Type: Reading Comprehension
The questions in this part of the test are based on a selection of reading materials, such as notices, letters, forms, newspaper and magazine articles, and advertisements. Candidates choose the one best answer, (A), (B), (C), (D), to each question and mark it on their answer sheet.
Example: Questions 1 and 2 refer to the following card.Welcome, Ms. Martelli , to the Star Plaza Hotel. We hope you have a pleasant stay. Please present this card when enjoying our restaurant, coffee shop, and sporting facilities and when signing charges to your room account.
Check Out Date: 10th December
Room No. 635 P. Angelo
Desk Clerk
1. When did the guest receive this card?
(A) When making a room reservation
(B) When checking into the hotel
(C) When ordering a meal at a restaurant
(D) When paying the bill
Item-Writing Task Two: Reading Comprehension items
Directions: Create TWO multiple-choice questions with answer choices based on the short article below. Highlight the correct answers in bold. Write the questions immediately under the text provided.
Local Restaurant Celebrates Grand Opening
Adamsville—Stella’s Garden Café, located in the Turtle Bay Shopping Plaza, celebrated its grand opening last Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and free samples of many of their menu items. A busy lunchtime crowd was present. The restaurant, located at the far end of the plaza, offers both indoor and outdoor seating options and serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. Stella’s menu includes freshly made soups, salads, and sandwiches and emphasizes top-quality, locally produced ingredients. A full array of bakery items and desserts, made daily on the premises, is also available. Adamsville residents may recognize owner Stella Gorman, whose other ventures include the very popular Nook restaurant on Carson Lane and Tulips at the Waterfront Inn. Call 555-9775 for hours and reservations, and visit Adamsville’s newest addition to the restaurant scene today!
Reading Section Item-Writing Task Three: Reading Comprehension composition
Directions: Complete the article below, adding between 250 and 300 words. Then, create THREE multiple-choice questions based on the article (answer choices are NOT required). Add a blank line to separate your text from the one provided.
New Designs Mark Textile Firm’s Twenty-fifth Anniversary
HUNTSVILLE (June 19)—Franort Textiles, one of the area’s largest employers, unveiled new collections of upholsteries and draperies yesterday during a reception held to mark the company’s twenty-fifth anniversary. “These two collections—Oceans Alive and Earthbound—capture the essence of Franort: sophisticated, nature-inspired designs that offer high performance and low environmental impact,” said Franort’s general manger, Selma Ortega.