toeicreading – The Arsenio Buck Show

TOEIC | Grammar | Part V | Practice Test Questions 1-10

January 20, 2021January 19, 2021thearseniobuckshow

Welcome to a short podcast/video! Today I’m going to break down some grammar/vocabulary questions that you would see on a test — let alone this practice test! Again, if you’re interested in coaching or membership services, please reach out to me!

Ms. Walters _______ to another branch, so your new financial advisor will be Mr. Merenda.

transfer
transferring
has transferred
transferable

2. The restaurant on Main Street offers a wide selection of gourmet desserts ____ several regions of the world.

with
by
from
until

3. ________ interested in viewing an apartment should contact the property manager to arrange an appointment.

these
those
this
that

4. A growing _____ in the cosmetics industry is the use of natural and organic ingredients.

product
scent
sale
trend

5. Because of its _____ melodies and upbeat rhythms, Toby Nathan’s music has broad appeal.

simple
patient
kind
blank

6. The park service asks visitors to behave _______ and show respect for wildlife.

responsibly
responsible
responsibility
responsibilities

7. It is not the company’s policy to grant sick leave ______ overtime pay to part-time employees.

8. The ______ of the Board of Directors is scheduled for Monday.

election
elected
elects
electable

9. Last year, the number of new university-level textbooks _____ by American publishers dropped for the second year in a row.

priced
sold
marked
instructed

10. Traffic congestion is ______ than usual because of road construction, so it will take us at least an hour to get to the meeting.

badly
bad
worse
worst

Answers on next page

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TOEIC | Reading | New Muscles Gym Opening in Collingwood

December 18, 2020December 18, 2020thearseniobuckshow

We have a special today! I had a wonderful Tunisian student reach out to me recently and said she was having difficulty with reading. She said “I read the passage,” so in this podcast/video, I teach you guys to STOP reading questions and how to locate the answers! This will be very useful for most of you out there who have these problems.

TOEIC | Listening | Part III | Paraphrasing & Context

December 9, 2020thearseniobuckshow

Boom! I do believe this could be the first PART III TOEIC Listening on my podcast. If it is, welcome to the party. In today’s podcast/video, we’re going to discuss how to paraphrase and predict in context so that you have an idea of what to listen for. Now, this technique may not work for everyone, but that’s why we’re going to try it and either thumb it up or down.

Language Building

Match the statements 1-4 with those with a similar meaning a-d. (1-7 is in the video/podcast down below)

You can run it with an AC adapter
Look to see if they have the item
The part wasn’t included
Purchase an adapter

a. The adapter is missing

b. buy the part

c. check the parts stock

d. you can plug it into a socket

e. provide a replacement

f. the label is incorrect

g. it’s an expensive model

Follow up: now listen to three more statements in my podcast down below (5-7), and match them with the remaining three phrases with a similar meaning in e-g. Try underlining the words beforehand so that it could be a guide for you.

Test tactic: Pick out key words to predict the context

What does the woman want to do?

buy batteries for her CD player
Purchase an adapter
have a missing part replaced
check the part is in stock

2. What does the man tell her?

it doesn’t run on batteries
the label is incorrect
the adapter isn’t included
she should buy another model

3. What does the man offer to do?

order the item
check the box label
give her a new model
include the adapter

Podcast

TOEIC Live Coaching | S1: E2 | Reading Comprehension | Mini-test Follow-Up

September 14, 2020September 14, 2020thearseniobuckshow

Welcome back to another TOEIC live coaching session! In today’s episode we’re picking up right where we left off last week. Here are the notes for tomorrow! By the way, HUGE announcement for those of you who want to learn TOEIC on a monthly budget (planning on taking the test after October 15th). Patreon will be going LIVE as of tomorrow and I’ll be sharing the link in the comments, along with my calendar in case you want to get on a video call for a consultation in regards to what content it will have!

With that being said, I will cover Questions 1-6 here on this video and I will cover 7-12 on Patreon. That will be in a word doc/PDF form, too.

For those of you reading this, make sure you tune into my video down below (or podcast) to hear what I’m talking about.

Question 1: Who would NOT be a potential customer for this company?

The heading says “printing for your personal small business needs.” It goes on to say “graduation and wedding announcements, invitations, MENUS (relates to a restaurant).

The answers are: couple planning a wedding, major corporation, local real estate agent, a restaurant in need of new menus.

Now, because it says “your personal and SMALL business needs,”….

Question 2: What could customers who spend $150 get?

Look for the numbers, which are located at the bottom. There are two prices: 100 and 250. For prices over 100, you receive 2 business cards or invitations for the price of 1. For 250, you will get a voucher worth 10% off your next order.

Answers: 10% discount, double the number of invitations, discount on envelopes, two free sets of business cards.

Question 3: What will happen after July 1st?

Above the box, it reads “June-only special offers”. So, after July 1st, what happens to those offers?

Answers: Time the shop opens will change, fax orders not allowed, discount vouchers will become invalid, no bonus given for large letterhead orders.

Question 4: Who would be most interested in this notice?

The first sentence reads: “we would like to invite all Groveland resident to become members of the public library system.”

Answers: members of public library, staff at desk, people who want to borrow books, all residents of Groveland.

Question 5: What will NOT be possible two working days after submitting the application?

– You will receive a library barcode number via e-mail (enabling you to place reservations and access online databases before collecting your card). Note: You will require a PIN to place reservations and to access your record online. Please note that the default PIN number is the last four digits of your telephone number. If you would prefer to specify a different number, please do so on the application form.
– You card will be available for collection at the branch library you have nominated.
tactics for toeic

Question 6: According to the notice, what special condition applies to children?

“If you are under the age of 18, we require a parent or guardian’s signature on a permission letter (Form 103) which will need to be brought into the library when you are collecting your card.

Answers:……..watch the video!

TOEIC Live Coaching | S1: E1 | Reading Comprehension | Reading Techniques to Follow + Passages

September 7, 2020September 9, 2020thearseniobuckshow

Hello, all! Whether you’re in Thailand or in another country, welcome to the first live coaching session — kicking off season 1/episode 1. I’m excited to debut this season not only for a lot of the Thai students who are following me from within these borders, but also the huge French contingent who have viewed my blogs, podcasts and have subscribed to my emails. Today, I’ll be debuting with the reading comprehension aspect of TOEIC because that was the first choice. Next week will either be a follow-up, or I’ll go into Part V/VI, but be sure to rate my following post (for those of you reading on Facebook) and choose.

Basics — Question Finding

As I’ve taught a lot of my students in both TOEFL and IELTS learning, PLEASE do the easier questions first in this order!

Vocabulary questions
Specific information (positive)
Specific information (negative)
Main idea/inference questions

Just like TOEFL, the doing the easier questions first will give you an idea of what the Main Idea will be in the end. After doing all the easy questions, the main idea should be 3x easier than doing it from the beginning, from my own experience.

Test Tip: Picking out the key words. Anytime they ask about price or anything relative to a number, that’s a huge keyword that sticks out like a sore thumb.

A. Look at the specific information questions below. You can try underlining the key words, but I love locating the key words. I want to full utilize all the time that is given.

Summer Program Refund Policy

The effective date of the withdrawal/cancellation is the date the withdrawal notice is received by the center, regardless of the date the participant stopped attending class.
Withdrawal requests from all registered courses must be made before the second class is held. If the request is received 5 business days prior to the first class, the amount refunded will be the full amount, less the refund administration fee ($25.00). If the request will be the full amount, less the cost of the first class and less the admin fee ($25.00). From the second lesson onwards, no refunds/credits will be issued.
If there is a medical reason for the request, it must be received prior to the mid-point of the program. Refunds for sports and fitness programs will NOT be processed until ALL gym and pool passes have been returned.
Please note that advising an instructor or not attending a program will not constitute a notice of withdrawal.
Cash/check remittances will be refunded by check. Please allow our office 4 to 6 weeks to process your refund. Credit card refunds will go back on the original card.
tactics for toeic

When is the latest the notice can be given in order to get the maximum refund?

a. Five days before the first lesson

b. After the first lesson but before the second

c. Before the second lesson but after the first

d. Just after the second lesson

2. What must people who want a refund on a fitness program do?

a. Give their instructor notice that they can not attend

b. Provide a medical reason for the request

c. Give back their gym and pool passes

d. Give notice prior to the mid-point of the program

Notes

For the first question, look for “maximum” refund. Another phrase for maximum refund is “full amount” in line two of the second paragraph. There lies your answer.
Specific details galore in the second paragraph. It could be confusing, but remember the second sentence is the first mention of “refund,” and regardless of a possible medial reason, instructors, programs, ALL REFUNDS will NOT be given until after something is returned.

Podcast

YouTube

Arsenio’s ESL Podcast | Season 5 Episode 149 | Study Skills | Checking your Reading Speed

June 16, 2020June 16, 2020thearseniobuckshow

Welcome back to another podcast and today we’re going to talk about reading speed. Now, I do think this is completely irrelevant because if you don’t pick up what you’re actually reading, the speed doesn’t matter. However, smart reading is more like it. So let’s go over some techniques that can help you.

Find something familiar to read.
Set the alarm for ten minutes.
Read for ten minutes at a speed that allows you to understand what you ready.
Count how many words you read.
Divide this number by ten, to find out how many words you read in one minute.
Do this using different texts. If you read fewer than 200-250 words per minute, even with material that is clear and interesting, it is worth trying to increase your speed.

Tips for improving your reading speed.

Keep your eyes moving forward to avoid re-reading parts of the text
Avoid moving your mouth or using your fingers to follow the lines.
Read with a clear purpose to keep you motivated and on track.
Practice reading academic material more often.
Actively improve your reading speed through practice.
Change your reading speed according to what you are reading. Slow down for sections with unknown technical words and speed up for sections with more familiar language.

Podcast

Study Skills – Reading Speed

ARSENIO’S ESL PODCAST | SEASON 5 EPISODE 142 | Grammar | Adding Emphasis

June 4, 2020June 3, 2020thearseniobuckshow

We’re diving into “adding emphasis” in a very deep way, so you guys better get ready for this extra-long explanation!

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ARSENIO’S ESL PODCAST | SEASON 5 EPISODE 132 | Life Skills | How to negotiate

May 21, 2020May 13, 2020thearseniobuckshow

We’re here with a life-skills segment! Today’s objective is to become aware of different approaches with negotiation, but of course, a lot of it involves personal development. Also, recognize the value and purpose of compromise, because we’re all going to need it at some point in our life. First, you must know that no one ever wins an argument. They might they they do, but it’s only pampering their ego. As a non-NES, you will probably engage with buffoonery overseas with bullies making fun of you or trying to invoke a reaction from you. There’s no need to negotiate here, but understand where that person is coming form and the position they’re in — in life. Every negotiation must be a win-win for both parties. So, let’s dive into this.

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ARSENIO’S ESL PODCAST | SEASON 5 EPISODE 131 | Developing Vocabulary | Word Formation – Prefixes & Suffixes (TOEIC)

May 20, 2020May 13, 2020thearseniobuckshow

Welcome back to another developing vocabulary, people! This one is going to be about prefixes and suffixes — everything we’ve achieved over these last two years summed up in this chapter. Also, there will be some difficult questions and great things for you to work on. So, without further ado, let’s get into this.

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ARSENIO’S ESL PODCAST | SEASON 5 EPISODE 130 | Reading | Nature vs. Nurture

May 19, 2020May 13, 2020thearseniobuckshow

Welcome back to another podcast/reading for you guys. We’re talking nature vs. nurture today, but before we do, thinking about how the attitude of bringing up children might have changed in your country over the last 20 years.

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