iBT TOEFL Speaking Topic 1.1: Best friend..

Dear Jason,

Thanks a ton for creating this fabulous place. My TOEFL test is on Saturday Feb 14. So, I don't have much time left for practice. What a pity! I wish I had known this forum earlier.

I have just uploaded my first response to the topic "Best Friend" on Chinswing. I hope to get your grading and comments very soon.

Thank you so much again for your laudable efforts in helping TOEFL test takers!

Hello everyone this site is great!
I'm gonna retake the toefl test the 3rd of April. In March I had a nice score of 105 out of 120 but in the speaking part I've only got a 24 and I need a 26. I'm practising a lot with this site and following Jason's tips that are very useful. Thank you!
I'm currently practising with the first question of the speaking. I'm going to post these questions here so that other people can practise with them and record their responses so that we can compare our answers.

1) Name a hobby you have and explain why it is important to you. Include details and examples to support your explanation.

2) Describe a class you have taken and explain why that class was important to you. Include details and examples to support your explanation.

3) Name a skill you have learned and explain why it is important to you. Include details and examples to support your explanation.

My best friend is Jane. She is a tall, dark-completioned lady in her mid thirties. I consider her a good friend because of her kindness. For example, when i was discharged from the hospital, Jane helped to foot part of my hospital bill without asking me for a refund. Moreover, she is quite admirable to me due to her humorous nature.For instance, she has a spirit of cheer and always like to make people around her happy. Most times, when i close from work, i go to her house knowing full well that she will crack jokes with me and that way i will let out some stress from work. For all these reasons, i consider Jane a great friend.

Hello Jason.First of all thanks for sharing your great knowledge and experiences with us.It is a very good portal.I am asking that when will you update the scores?

I took the test several times looking for the score of 26 in the speaking part, from my experience
the questions in the speaking part are not difficult if

1. you follow Jason's tips

2.practice a LOT

2.BE VERY CALM IN THE EXAM

My best friend is my aunt, she is younger sister of my mother. After my parents sepration, my aunt and mother have done great job of bringing me up.
My aunt is simplae, honest, and cheerish women. she has always been a support and guide in ups and downs of life.  I could share all my dark secrets with her with out any hesitations and no worries for thier being disclosed. for example,  my husband and i have gone throught diffecult phase of marriage. In this hard period of nervouseness and worries my aunt have advised me for patiencae and staying away from hasty decisions. Now i can clearly see the results of her advice, and  relation ship with my husband is getting better. she is one of God's blessing on this earth for me.

my best friend is kate wattson she was so great help when i was in the u.s.a. becasue she fills my good grades on math and when i take the SAT practice test, i got a best scores on math section
she's my greatful person of I ever met while i was prepare for math contest

hi  jason
my name  is nana  from france  .......
 
i wnna  tell  u about  my  best  friend . my bet friend  is  my  dearest  mother .my mother  is a beautiful and  a very  kind woman .she  is  my best  friend  for  two resons: she  is  my closest  person  to my heart ;and   she  is  my inspirer .
 
First , my mothe  is  the closest  person  to  my heart . she  is  the only one  that  I can share  with her  evrything  even  the most  secret  things  in my life ,fo  example, I remember  when i was  in  high school  and  i got  B in  math  i couldn't  tell  anybody  else  that , becaus  i was  afraid  that  people  will laugh  at  me  because  i used  to  get   A in math  .when i told  my mother  she  helped  me  to overcome this  feeling.
 
secondly , my  mother  is my  inspirer because  she  always  encourages me  to  follow  my dream and  my ambitions  in life  ,for  example, she  once told  me  to  not  give up in my dreams  and  because  of  her  strong personaity  and  her  way  of listening  and transforming  the  ideas  to  me  i became   a better  person  in life . so  these  are  the  reasons  why  i see  my mother  as  my  best  friend.
 
 
plz   gimmme  feedback

hi  jason ,

this  nana  again  .....can  u plz  gimme  some  feedback  for  my answering  ....plzzzzzzzzz

Talk about a person who has inspired you. Describe the person and explain why you found him/her inspirational.

The  person who  had  inspired  me  is  my  closest  friend  Anna who is  a very  sentimental ,lovely ,and very strong  young  lady. She  was  suffering  from  Cancer  and  she  was  struggling  with that  horrible disease  but, despite  her  suffering  and  her  sickness  she  continued  her  education  and  got  her  degree in literature. Iam  inspired  by  her  for  two reasons : she  was  a strong  lady; and  she  got  an extraordinary power.

First , Anna  was  a strong  and  powerful  lady .she  was  suffering  from that  disease but  never let  the  disease  to overcome  her  mind  ,soul and  body .I remember  when  we  were  in  our  final  year  that  she  was  very  sick  in that  day  and  we  transformed  her  to the  hospital  .After  the  doctor  gave  her  the  injection that  she  needed  she  left  the  hospital  and  back  to the  college  in order  to take  the  final  test .I didn't  believe  my eyes  that  a person  like  her  have  this  much  fighting  soul .

Secondly, she  has  an extraordinary  power  that makes  you feel  that  there  is  nothing in life  which  can  destroy  your fighting  soul, your  dreams, and  more  importantly  your  ambitions .for  example , I  still  remember when Anna  once  told me  that   "it is  we  who destroy  ourselves  not  a disease" she  advices me  to  be  strong  and  have  faith  in myself  and  in God  and I was  able  to  succeed .These  were  her  words  for  me  and  because  of  Anna  I  overcome  my fears  and  got  my  degree ,not  only  that  but  also  she  thought  me   how  to deal  with  different  kinds  of  pain  in life ,such as, disease and  despair . so  these  are  the  two reasons  that  why  I see  this  person  as my  inspirer .

 
 
 
 
hey  jason  ....this is  nana  again
 
 
Name a place in your country you would recommend others to visit. Describe this place and explain why you would recommend it.
 
 
 

The   place  that  I  recommend  people  to  visit it  in my country is Eifel   tower  for  two  reasons : it is  a sentimental  and  romantic  place ; and  it  is  the  most  famous  tower  in the  world .

First ,  Eifel  tower  is  a very  sentimental  and  a romantic  place .it is  the  suitable  place  for  those  lovers  who  are seeking  a  romantic  place  to spend their  times  and  also enjoy  in the  atmosphere  and  the  wonderful  romantic  view . for  example , my  brother  and  his  wife  went  to Eifel  tower   when  they  were  in their  honey moon  and  also invited  their  friends  from Spain  to join them  and  spend   their  honey moon  in Paris .

Secondly , Eifel  tower  is  the  most  famous  tower  in the world  which  attract  people's  attentions  around  the  world  to  it .so  I think  that  everybody  must  visit  this  incredible   place  which  has  many  restaurants  that  serve  international  food particularly   very  testy French   food ,  delicious  drinks  and  an  excellent  service  that  makes  you  want   to spend  your  whole   life  in Paris  beside  the  good  behavior  and  wonderful  nature  of  the   French people  .so these  are  the  two  reasons   for  why  I want  to invite  people  to this  place.

plz  jason  gimme  feedback

Which person are you most likely to go to with a personal problem? Describe this person and say why you would go to him/her in particular.

 The  person that  I mostly  go  to him  and  consult  him  is  my  father  who is  a university  professor in  Paris .He  teaches  humanity .he is  a very handsome  guy .he  has  a blue  eyes with blonde  hair .i like  to  go to him while I have  a personal  problem  for  two reasons : he  is   a very understanding people ; and   I  trust  him  very much .

First ,my father  is  a very understanding  person  because  he  is  able  to understand  me  and  my  situation  without  telling  him  further  details  for  my  problem, for  example, when  I fought  with  my elder  brother  once  I went  to him  and  he  helped  me to see and  understand  my mistakes  and  made  me  to say  sorry  to  my elder  brother  .I felt  happy  because  I knew  that  I hurt  my brother's  feeling  by  my  attitude  and  behavior .

Secondly, I  totally  trust  my  father's  decision  and  judgment  on the  issue  and  that  is  why  I always  go  to  him  in order  to get  his  opinion  in variety   of  things. So these  are  the  two  reasons  for  consulting him  in my personal  problems .

dear na na,
the first response is nice one and i feel sorry for ur friend, I think there is no way u can finish this in the 45 sec time allowed, u used very long description and too much details and also the second reason is kind of the same as the first one. its better if u find different one like for example she always encourages me, and I think u repeated yourself more than once, like the in the description there is some info reappeared in the first reason.
but good job. hope the best 4 all
haider