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ESL Seminars We Aim For 100% Pass Rate! We Are The Leader In Test of Spoken English® (TSE®) And IELTS® (all modules) Exam Preparation! Printed in the United States of America. Copyright 2002, 2003. All rights reserved. Copying, duplicating, or use of class materials by other “refreshers” or “reviewers” without express written authorization by ESL Seminars is strictly prohibited. ESL Seminars™ ESL Seminars™ Introduction Hello! My name is James Rarick and I relaxed and comfortable, you cannot ab- have been invited to hopefully give you sorb the material. some insight into how to pass the spoken English exam you are preparing for Again, take your regularly scheduled (TSE® or IELTS®). I hope that most of breaks. But please try to network with you have read my biographical data. If others that will be taking the TSE. Net- not, the short version is that I am a working is simply introducing yourself Graphic Communications graduate and to someone you don’t already know and have taught Graphic Communications in exchanging names and addresses, or a technical college setting. I am a pub- email addresses, etc., with them. The lished author and hope to have a second purpose of networking is so that you book out sometime within the next year. might contact each other and work to- I also worked for nearly 20 years as a gether after the seminar, preferably just supervisor and Director at one of the before your scheduled TSE exam. You world’s most secure maximum-security will need help from others! prisons. During the seminar, please call me Jim - I will just assume that those of During the live seminar some of you you say “Mr. Rarick” will be addressing were asked to stand and give a very short my father and not me. (one to two minute) verbal dissertation on a subject given by me during the At this point I would like to congratulate course of the seminar. Try to use a tape all of you for being college graduates and recorder or ask a good friend to review highly trained professionals. I believe your spoken English as we proceed that all of you have taken and passed the through this exercise. Having recorded TOEFL® exams (for the TSE® examin- or live feedback is necessary to help you ees) and have a good understanding of speak English as if you were a native the technical aspects of the English lan- speaker. guage. I would like all of you to give yourselves a figurative round of applause A very important quote is: “If You Al- for being scholars and professionals. ways Do What You Always Did, You will Always Get What You Always Got!” Some ground rules for our two-day sem- What that means is: If you have failed the inar: Most of you are health-care profes- TSE® or IELTS®, after taking sionals. I will just assume that you know “refresher” courses , it will only doom that the mind can only absorb what the you to failure if you take those same posterior can endure. That being said, if refreshers again. This seminar is a fresh any one of you feel the need to get up and look at spoken English exams, not a stretch your legs, visit the C.R., or just refresher of some tired old material. We take a break, please do so at your conve- will not dwell on the basics of the Eng- nience. I do encourage you to concen- lish language but we will include some trate on what is in this textbook and what basic exercises. We will focus primarily is in the CD’s. The information is valu- on how to speak the English language able and time is short. But if you are not concisely, precisely, and with authority. 2 ESL Seminars™ When we do have exercises on the basics York street. He noticed a $100 bill lying of the English language we will ask you on the pavement in front of him. He to verbally give answers to the questions. reached down to pick it up but then We believe there will be ample opportu- suddenly straightened up without re- nity for all of you to speak English and trieving the money. He smiled brightly be critiqued by your peers and the in- and said to himself: “Hey, this is just my structors. Make no mistake; this seminar first day in the USA. Why should I start is tailored to prepare you to pass the TSE working right away?” exam. Believe me, that is not the way it is in the Just a few words on scams you might USA or any other place. You have to encounter. There are any number of work for your money; you do not pick it “recruiters” out there willing to make up off the streets. If a recruiter promises you all kinds of promises and will give something for nothing run away as fast you visions of something for nothing. as you can! Don’t believe them! Well, that’s it for scams. If you have any Let’s dispel some myths: questions please contact our office. We can possibly assist you or give you infor- 1) Superman does not exist. mation on recruiters. 2) The streets in the USA are not paved Later on I will talk about personal re- with gold. sponsibility. It is important and it is something you need to work on. If you 3) Health care and other recruiters that fail the TSE or IELTS the failure is en- say: “you do not have to pass either tirely yours. These materials were con- IELTS® or TSE®” are lying! ceived and designed to cause you to pass spoken English proficiency exams. 4) To practice as a nurse or any other However, these materials require a time type of professional in the USA or Can- commitment from you and you must ada you must pass proficiency tests in work hard and long to improve your English. English. We show you how but we cannot do it for you. That is where personal What I am trying to say to you is to be responsibility comes in. You must make very, very careful. There are plenty of the effort. You must practice, practice, scams out there that can, at best, steal practice. That is also why, during the live your money and, at worst, can put you in seminar, you were asked to swear an physical harm. oath that you would use English only right up until exam time. A short story: Back in the early 1900’s there were many immigrants coming to Those that understand personal responsi- the USA from Germany. It has been said bility, and accept it, and then they pass that when one German fellow arrived in their respective English proficiency New York he immediately got off the exam with no problems. boat and started walking down a New 3 ESL Seminars™ What TSE® and IELTS® Are All About! The IELTS® and the TSE® both measure English language proficiency. The TSE® The objective in passing spoken English is exclusively spoken English. The exams is to speak English clearly, with IELTS® measures proficiency in a) authority, and precisely to the task assigned. For those of you with a writing; b) reading; c) listening, and; d) mathematics background you can apply speaking. What you need to pass the some of the algebraic logic you learned. spoken English exams is the ability to Make your thoughts complete and linear. tell stories nearly as well as if you were By linear I mean from the beginning of a native English-speaking person. I say the assignment directly to the end without "nearly" because the test reviewers know diverging. you are not a native speaker. That is why you are being required to take the exam. So, how do you go about changing your You have already mastered the technical spoken English to something more aspects of the English language. You “American”? The only way it can be undoubtedly know more about the expressed is this: Practice, practice, English language from a clinical stand- practice! Then practice some more. You point than your rater. Many of you have cannot master spoken English by speak- passed the TOEFL® exams with little or ing another language for most of your no problem. You have firmly demon- day. It is just that simple. Practice English strated your knowledge of English – the every single day, at least for a few hours “mechanics” of American English, that each day. is. Unfortunately most of you still speak in something other than American Eng- What else can you do? Plenty of things. lish. Watching classic American movies can help a lot. So can reading. Read in You need to be able to communicate English as much as possible. Why? The those “mechanical” English skills in a whole purpose in immersing yourself in verbal manner. That is something that English is so that your mind starts to can be difficult for those whose native “think” in English. When that happens culture has no gender usage to speak of you will reduce pauses and hesitations and where verbal "shortcuts" are com- to an absolute minimum. Your mind will mon. not need time to “translate” from your native language to English before you Recently I asked my LDW (that stands respond. for Loving Devoted Wife) where the C.R. was. What I got back from her was this Don’t spend your time trying to devise (pointing with lips, eyebrows raised). “clever” answers. That will not get you That's a shortcut and is definitely not a a passing score. What you need is to be verbal way to communicate. One other heard clearly and distinctly when you custom I have seen in the Philippines and speak English. The only way to do that elsewhere is that of taking one's hand is to immerse yourself to the greatest and extending it in front of the body to degree in the English language. Whatever demonstrate to people that the person time you can spend reading, listening or wants to pass through. You will have to speaking English will be very well spent. learn to say, for example: "Excuse me, I am trying to get to the elevator." 4 ESL Seminars™ Pitfalls You Must Avoid To Pass! This is one subject you might consider 2. Lengthening the sound of a word taking ample notes of and something to (which usually happens when you are be very aware of as you review your trying to collect your thoughts in mid- recorded voice. (Once again, I will advise sentence - collect your thoughts before you to record your voice just as I speak speaking). to you on the CD’s.) If you can emulate or imitate my speech styles so much the 3. Not using the correct (or not using better – especially my diction. I am able any) intonation. When denoting the end to pass the TSE® with flying colors. The of a sentence that has a period the voice IELTS® might be a bit more difficult for should fall away. When denoting the end me due to the written essay module. I do of a question (question mark [?]) the not write so well. However, it is the voice intonation should rise. Commas (,) subtle techniques of spoken English that should have just a short break in the voice I am trying to convey to you. Please pay intonation. Sentences with an exclama- close attention to those techniques. tion point (!) should have an animated voice. One more reminder (please excuse my repetition) – use a tape recorder to record 4. Running sentences together (if there your verbal answers to the sample exam is a period [.] the voice should clearly questions. Note any instances of the end before starting with the next sen- pitfalls I describe when you listen to your tence, etc.) recording. Work hard to overcome those pitfalls. Once you have improved your 5. Uttering unintelligible words (use only spoken English techniques to your words you can correctly pronounce and complete satisfaction pass on the tape to never use words that are above your level a friend for them to critique. There are of understanding). many traps that will cause you to fail spoken English exams. The TOEFL 6. Speaking in a creaky voice, a too-soft Monograph Series by Lazaraton-Wag- voice, or a pattern of speech that speeds ner point out many of them that you must up and slows down noticeably (speak in watch out for and avoid at all costs. To a clear tone with a measured cadence). overcome your tendencies to make these spoken English errors takes practice – 7. Wrong diction. You must learn to lots and lots of practice. If you can find pronounce words as native English an American or an English person to speakers do. practice with, that would be the best situation possible. They should be Again, I would like all of you to take prepared to severely critique your speech note of how I speak to you on the CD’s. and to help you overcome any inclination If you can emulate or imitate my speech to do the following: styles so much the better – especially my diction. It is the subtle techniques of 1. Hesitation or periods of silence in your spoken English that I am trying to convey storytelling (use complete sentences and to you. Please pay close attention to those follow the order of events as listed in the techniques. There are also some not-so- question or the picture you are interpret- subtle techniques. We will get to those ing). later. 5 ESL Seminars™ Be Advised That The TSE® Does NOT Grade You On Answer Content! Only On Your Voice And Your Use Of The English Language! Practice Your English! NOT Clever Answers! Another reminder: (and I might very well overcome those pitfalls. Once you have remind you again and again!) – use a improved your spoken English tech- tape recorder to record your verbal niques to your complete satisfaction, answers to the sample spoken English pass on the tape to a friend for them to exam questions. Note any instances of critique. Bear in mind that you are the pitfalls I just described when you perfecting your conversational English, listen to your recording. Work hard to not giving a speech. 6 ESL Seminars™ The Goals of ESL Seminars™ What are the general goals of this semi- mation here that is important, not me. nar? 1) To prod all of you to think about the exam questions in a linear and logical If you have taken a spoken English exam fashion. 2) To have you speak English in the past, and you failed, you must have clearly, without hesitation, when taking pondered why you failed. It had to do your spoken English exam. 3) To use the with preparation and your previous les- correct gender in your sentences or elim- sons, not with you. Remember that! You inate pronouns altogether. 4) To imple- are not the fault. Of course, you are the ment the correct verb usage. 5) To one that actually failed the test, but you implement the correct tense. did not formulate the correct preparation. If you were not prepared well, you could Of those five noted above, gender and not succeed. If you take "refreshers" tense usage are probably the most diffi- from the same material you should ex- cult. Because you have grown up in a pect to have the same results - FAIL- culture where gender usage is not a fac- URE. What that means is get rid of all of tor in the spoken language, it has been your old “refresher” materials. They will my observance that it is easy for all of only cause failure once again. Destroy you to unconsciously switch between them! his, hers, he, she, etc., without regard to the gender of the person you are speak- It is our belief that failure, if it happens ing about. after you take our seminar, is due to your not absorbing the material. It could also You will all need to become extremely be your trying to take our material and gender conscious. In a health-care setting fitting it to what you learned before. That it is critical (you don't want your co- will not work. Remember, we give you workers to set up a birth delivery room the tools you need to pass but we can for a man you keep referring to as "she"). give no guarantees. There are no guaran- In passing spoken English exams it is tees in life! very critical that you become aware of gender. However, for those of you from Take our material at its face value. That Asia, it is better if you avoid pronouns means you should clear your mind and totally. You will never master their use try to view the task of passing a 20-min- in your spoken English. The best tech- ute test as an adventure, not a dreaded nique is to avoid them. event. We can get you to pass the exam. Believe in us and focus on our message! I should have stated this from the start but at least it's not too late to do it now: Remember also that you are being Please take notes in your class materials instructed to, and we expect you to, to remind you of points made by the maintain contact with the American guest presenters during this two-day seminar. speaker right up until your exam time. You may also submit a cassette tape for Clear notes will serve you well in the analysis before the exam. These benefits future when the memory of my beautiful are free so make sure you use them! countenance starts to fade. It is the infor- 7 ESL Seminars™ Short Sentences, Direct To The Point, And Use Very Simple Thoughts When speaking in English, please keep 1a) I took a drive with John, who used your sentences short and concise. Devel- his older Jeepney, the one with blue paint oping compound or complex sentences and a broken headlight, and he drove in your mind while storytelling will much too fast to Ulas, which was our cause you to pause unintentionally or final destination. (Compound) otherwise mar your exam. It is just too hard to keep complex thoughts in your 1b) I took a ride with John. He used his head and speak correct English at the old blue Jeepney. The Jeepney had a same time. broken headlight. John drove much too fast for my comfort. It was 4:00 p.m. Just remember: KISS - Keep It Simple, when we arrived in Ulas. (Short sentenc- Scholar! The last "S" used to be "Stupid" es) but none of you fit that description. You are all extremely bright – you just need Another example: help to speak like an American. 2a) Bing and Joy went to the Registrar's Break your story down into short, easily office at San Pedro College to register pronounced sentences, with correct verb, for their classes at 9:30 last Tuesday gender and tense usage. It sounds com- morning and found that the office was plicated but it really is a simplification. empty and they could not register. They waited for nearly 2 hours until they real- Keep in mind that spoken English exams ized that the office was closed on Tues- take only from 12 to 20 minutes to com- days and that they might have to come plete. Twelve to 20 minutes is a very, back the next day to register for the four very, short time. A surprisingly short classes each of them wanted to take. time. That is all the more reason to use (Compound sentences) short sentences. You can actually get more information packed into those few 2b) Last Tuesday Bing and Joy walked minutes using short, concise, sentences to San Pedro College. They were going than you can by using difficult to under- to register for classes. When they stand, long, and complicated, sentences. reached the Registrar's office they found it closed. They decided to wait until it You will be expected to speak as a col- opened. After waiting two hours they lege-educated professional. You are all realized the office was closed on Tues- college graduates and you are all profes- days. Both Bing and Joy came back on sionals in your chosen field. Apply your Wednesday to the Registrar's office. knowledge and you will come across as They each then registered for four class- the professional you are. es. (Short sentences) But, back to short sentences. Please read Which sounds better for each example? out loud the following examples (yes, Avoid “and”, “or”, “but”, “because”, at you have to use that darn tape recorder all costs. again): 8 ESL Seminars™ Hot Tips – Important Stuff To Remember! Slow Down, I Can't Keep Up! 3. Without proper breath control, our Too fast a talker is usually a hyper per- voice sounds shaky and tremulous. You son - a type-A personality. Fast talkers appear nervous, tentative, or unsure. alienate people because they are so difficult to understand. Slow down, speak in 4. Finally, improper breath control can a measured pace! Normally you speak maintain, or escalate increased heart rate about 140 or more words per minute. and blood flow, which can affect the You must reduce that to 70 to 90 words overall status of your health. per minute. Record your voice for a timed one minute. Then count the words What Else Can Happen? you spoke. Keep recording your voice until you get to between 60 and 70 words If you don't breath properly the follow- per minute. ing things may happen: Aren't You Done Yet? •You may have trouble focusing and concentrating. Belaboring your points, or talking very slowly tends to make the listener "tune" •You may be perceived as sounding des- you out. Make sure you talk fast enough perate. to retain the reviewer's interest but not too fast. Don't put them to sleep! Make •You may be perceived as sounding ner- your point and be done with it. vous or tentative. The Rain In Spain Falls Mainly In The •Your heart rate may increase, thereby Plain! placing you in a more agitated state. Be articulate and pronounce words correctly. Avoid contracted words at all What Can I Do To Avoid That? costs (don’t, won’t, hasn’t, shouldn’t, The Relaxation Breathing Technique is etc.) the backbone for all other breathing techniques. Defensive Breathing When we are nervous - or, more com- There are three basic steps for relaxation monly, when we don't know how to breathing: breathe properly - several things can happen. 1. Breathe through your mouth only, sip in air for two seconds. 1. Our inability to focus and think calmly 2. Next, hold the breath of air for three is impaired. seconds without breathing. 3. Finally, exhale the breath of air 2. We begin to gasp for air because we through your mouth slowly and deliber- have difficulty catching our breath as we ately for five seconds. speak. 9 ESL Seminars™ While doing this exercise, you must •Don't talk too much. never move your upper chest when in- haling, and your shoulders must be •Limit consumption of dairy products down, not raised or hunched. All of the (Don't use any!!! They will cause nasal movement - the sipping in of air, the drainage and irritation.) holding of the air, and the release of air through exhalation - must take place in •Use throat lozenges whenever needed. the abdominal region. Why? The abdominal area is where we use our muscles to •Drink lots of water. breathe naturally. In fact, if you observe a dog, cat, or small child you will clearly •Avoid spicy foods. see that their abdominal area goes in and out as they breathe. •Swallow often (instead of clearing your throat). Vocal Health I do not want to hear you! (Annoying OK, do not forget these tips. Forget all Speech Habits) the others if you are unable to remember all of them, but make sure you remember There are certain speech habits that an- these tips! These tips help you remedy noy. Make a conscious effort to remove any speech and voice problems you these habits from your speech. might have on the day of the TSE Exam that would be caused by outside influ- •Mumbling, talking too softly. ences. •Talking too loudly. •No Smoking! (24 hours) •Monotonous, boring voice •No Drugs (except prescription and still be careful of them!!!) •Fillers "um," "like ah," "you know," etc. •No Alcohol! •Talking too fast. •Don't sleep with your mouth open the •Poor grammar, mispronouncing words. night before. •High-pitched voice. •Don't yell or scream – including Kara- oke (24 hours). •Accent and Diction. (Try to reduce your native-language influenced diction.) •Don't talk loud over the telephone (24 hours). •Do not talk too much – only what is necessary. Make your point and go on to •Don't talk loud over background noise the next task! (24 hours). •Don't clear your throat. 10