Customer Reviews

Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL® Test: iBT Student Book with CD-ROM and Answer Key (Audio CDs required) (2nd Edition)

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I am a teacher who has used the CD-ROM from this course as well as the CD-ROM for the Cambridge TOEFL course, and have used the ones for Barrons and Kaplan as well. I haven't used any of the books from these four, so this review is for the CD-ROM only. By the way, it is standard practice in English as a Second Language texts, including TOEFL texts, that the audio CDs for the book must be purchased separately, and for a high price, so this is not something unique to this set.

Of the four CD-ROM TOEFL practice texts I've used (Longman, Cambridge, Barrons, and Kaplan), I like the Longman CD-ROM the best, with Cambridge as a close second. First of all, I like the CD-ROM as a TOEFL practice format to begin with because it most closely resembles the real test. So my reviewing of this comes from the assumption that this is the best way to practice.

The Longman CD-ROM has two sections, a skills section and a practice test section. The skills section has all the parts of the test, but without timing, and with helpful hints you can view when needed. This is ideal for becoming familiar with the nature of the test--what it looks like, what the questions are like, and how to navigate through the test. After you are finished answering the questions, you can check your answers, and there are explanations to help you understand why the correct answer is correct. For the writing portion of the skills section, it takes more of an instructional nature than writing practice. You are given sample essays and asked questions to identify the different parts of the essays as ways to help you understand what is required for the essays on the test.

After you have gone through the skills section, there are practice tests you can try. They are set up as mini-tests so that you can work on them in pieces, as you have time. (The actual TOEFL lasts 4 to 4 1/2 hours, so being able to break it up for practicing is convenient.) The mini-tests, unlike the skills practice, are timed, just like the regular TOEFL, so you'll know how much time you have. There are 8 mini-tests for each of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. You can record your speaking and listen to the recording, and use a checklist to evaluate how you think you did. For the writing, you are given a screen to type on just like what's found on the actual test. Afterward, you use a checklist to review how you think you did on the writing.

Finally, there are two complete, timed practice tests that you can practice with.

Of the four companies' CD-ROMs (Longman, Cambridge, Barrons, and Kaplan), the Longman CD-ROM is the easiest to navigate through. I also think it has the most flexibility for practice and has the most helpful instruction. The material does seem to be a little easier than Cambridge, for example, but especially for someone new to the TOEFL iBT, Longman is a better place to start to become familiar with how the test works. For example, the Cambridge doesn't really have a skills practice section; it's all just timed practice tests, so it has less flexibility for learning, and it's not as easy to navigate for checking your answers. I have found the Barrons and Kaplan CD-ROMs to be totally unacceptable.

So, for someone who has never taken the TOEFL iBT, I definitely recommend the Longman CD-ROM. For someone who has but wants more practice, I think the Longman and Cambridge are both good, but the Longman software is easier to get around in, and the instruction is more helpful.

i got this book in time. but there were not CDs with the book while the item was described as audio CDs required.

This book has lots of instructions of practical testing skills and practices. I can become more familiar with the process and question types of the TOEFL Test. For me, I think that it's one of the best books for preparing the TOEFL Test.

This is a well done book IF you are teaching a class and can afford to invest an additional 86 dollars to get the audio CDs. It is well done and has a separate teacher's guide (lesson planner) and a separate workbook, which makes for an overall easy book to teach from.

I WOULD NOT recommend this for self study though, because you have to spend so much extra money for the CDs.

I reviewed the CD-ROM from this package at ISBN #0132056909, which has the same title as this one. The only difference between these two ISBNs, which Amazon doesn't make clear on this page, is that this ISBN does NOT have an answer key; 0132056909 includes an answer key. So if you want to have the answers, be sure to get 0132056909. It's about the same price.

For my full review, see this title at 0132056909, "Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL(R) Test: iBT Student Book with CD-ROM and Answer Key (Audio CDs required) (2nd Edition) (Longman Preparation Course for the Toefl) (Paperback)."

Hello everyone.

First I want to clarify that this is not a review, is actually a question please help me!!

I am about to buy this book, I took the TOEFL IBT Test 3 months ago and I got a good score, but I need a really high score at the speaking section, and a friend of mine recommended me this book. I read the reviews and I understand that this book doesn't have the CD from the listening part which it think I can live with it, but before I buy it, I want to make sure, Does this book include the speaking part?. Because when I checked the content inside through Amazon, I only found the listening, reading and writing parts, but no the speaking. Please I will appreciate a lot if any one of you can get me out of doubt.
Thank you

Although it explains all sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing), has a lot of tasks and offers a CD containing enough tests, its only serious problem is that it doesn't have such difficult tasks as the ones, which were in the real test. It's level of difficulty is too low, so I spent about seven months preparing for my test day and payed $185 to take TOEFL and then realize that I wasted my time and money, and now I need to spend more time and money to re-take it.

This book was very good but I was waiting for this book for two weeks. In this situation, I think the Amazon didn't do well their job.

The book was in terrible condition and seller who was private seller cheated me.
Do not trust to his advertise and he did not send the whole money i paid for book.
By the way, the amazon's customer service did a good job.

I AM VERY DISAPOINTED WITH THE BOOK , THE BOOK WAS IN TERRIBLE CONDITION AND THE BOOK CD WAS MISSING SO OVER ALL THIS SELLER IS NOT A GOOD SOURSE TO BUY FROM . JUST TO LET YOU KNOW GUYS