adapted for various accessibility purposes. On test day, you will receive an accessible assessment

that is consistent with any accommodations for which you have been approved.

seconds to prepare your response. Then record yourself speaking for 45 seconds.

To respond to this particular question, you should clearly state what your opinion is: Do you

think it is better to take risks or to be cautious? Then you should give reasons to support your

opinion. If you take the position that you think it is better to take risks and try new things, you

Keep in mind that there is no “correct” answer to this question. Either behavior can be supported

with examples. The important part of this task is to make sure that you state your opinion and

develop your response with examples and relevant details. It is important to use your own words

and provide an original response. Including memorized reasons and examples may result in a

lower score.

As with all speaking tasks, your response should be intelligible, should demonstrate effective use

of grammar and vocabulary, and should be well developed and coherent. This task is scored

using the Independent Speaking Rubric.

the university newspaper about the change. Give yourself 45 seconds to read the article.

University administrators announced yesterday that the sculpture program, a division of the art

department, will be eliminated. “The main reason is a lack of student interest,” reported one

administrator. “Although the number of art students has increased, fewer and fewer art majors

are taking sculpture classes.” Furthermore, the department’s only sculpture professor is retiring

Narrator Now listen to two students discussing the article.

Male student Everything alright?

Female student Yeah, I’m just upset about that article I showed you this morning …

Male student Why, what’s the big deal?

Female student Well, as an art major, I think it’s a big loss for the department. The university’s

Male student I don’t understand.

Female student See, the classes they’re eliminating are all optional. The required courses are

Male student That makes sense. But, the thing about the professor …

Female student Yeah! At least a few painting teachers are also great sculptors. I’m sure one of

record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

To respond to this particular question, you should state the woman’s opinion of the university’s

plan to discontinue the sculpture courses. In this case, the woman disagrees with the university’s

plan and she believes that it is a “big loss for the department.”

After stating the woman’s opinion, you should convey the two main reasons she gives for

holding her opinion. You will need to connect information from the conversation to the reading

in order for the response to be complete. The woman argues that the reason for the low

enrollment is because students who are art majors do not have time to take the sculpture classes,

which are optional. A fully developed response might even point out that the reason for low

enrollment is not lack of student interest as the university claims in the reading. You could also

professor as stated in the reading, and that a part-time professor or other professor (who has a

secondary field) could teach the class. You might also mention then that the concern about the

budget expressed in the reading is irrelevant.

seconds to read the passage. Begin reading now.

Many animals use coloration to protect themselves from predators. One defensive strategy

involving the use of coloration is what is known as revealing coloration. Animals employing this

strategy have an area of bright color on some part of their body; this bright color is usually

hidden from predators’ view. When approached by a predator, the animal suddenly reveals the

Professor There’s a large tropical insect called the peanut bug—yes, like the peanuts that you

record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

To respond to this particular question you should explain the concept of revealing coloration as it

was presented in the reading. Revealing coloration is a defense strategy in which an animal

surprises or confuses predators by suddenly revealing bright-colored parts of its body.

You should use the two examples given by the professor to explain the concept. You should

convey the information that the peanut bug has bright colors on its wings and that when attacked,

the bug suddenly opens the wings to reveal the bright colors. This surprises the predator. You

could add that this allows the bug to escape. You should also explain how the morpho butterfly

uses revealing coloration. You should mention that the butterfly has wings that reflect sunlight;

when the butterfly flies away to escape from a bird, the butterfly’s wings look like a flashing

As with all speaking tasks, your response should be intelligible, should demonstrate effective use

of grammar and vocabulary, and should be well developed and coherent. This task is scored

using the Integrated Speaking Rubric.

Narrator Now listen to two students discussing the article.

Male student I wish they wouldn’t do this.

Female student Really? But the place is so old…

Male student Yeah, but I like that. I think it’s a nice, historic-looking building.

Female student Hmm … well, I guess it’s kinda pretty…

Male student I don’t think it’s necessary.

Female student But it was built when the university was so much smaller.

Male student That’s true, but think about it: have you ever seen the space completely full?

Female student Well … uh, no, I guess not.

Male student Me either. There are never any events when the entire student body is there. In

Female student I see what you mean.

record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

To respond to this particular question, you should state the man’s opinion of the university’s plan

of grammar and vocabulary, and should be well developed and coherent. This task is scored

passage.

In psychology, the feeling of complete and energized focus in an activity is called flow. People

who enter a state of flow lose their sense of time and have a feeling of great satisfaction. They

become completely involved in an activity for its own sake rather than for what may result from

the activity, such as money or prestige. Contrary to expectation, flow usually happens not during

relaxing moments of leisure and entertainment, but when we are actively involved in a difficult

Narrator Listen to part of a talk in a psychology class.

Narrator Listen to part of a lecture in a biology course.

Female professor Human beings aren’t the only animals that use tools. It’s generally recognized

record yourself speaking for 60 seconds.

To respond to this particular question, you should explain the two definitions of tools given by

the professor. You should include relevant points and examples from the lecture (and not from

any other source). To begin your response, you could mention that animals use tools. Then you

could explain that there are two competing definitions of a tool.

Then you would explain the first definition. You could say that according to the narrow

definition, an object is a tool if it has been purposefully changed or shaped in order to be used for

a specific task. You would then need to include the example mentioned in the lecture. You could

explain that when chimpanzees use sticks to find insects, it fits the narrow definition of a tool

this broad definition, the object must be used for a specific task, but it does not need to be

modified to be considered a tool. Then you would need to give the example of elephants using

sticks to scratch their backs. You could explain that this fits the broad definition of a tool since

As with all speaking tasks, your response should be intelligible, should demonstrate effective use

of grammar and vocabulary, and should be well developed and coherent. This task is scored

using the Integrated Speaking Rubric.