CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
Skill is learning to carry out a task with pre-determined results often
within a given amount of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into
domain general and domain-specific skills.
There are types of human capabilities ie soft skills and hard skills
Soft skills is a sociological term relating to a person's "EQ" (Emotional
Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces,
communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that
characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills complement hard skills
(part of a person's IQ), which are the occupational requirements of a job and many
other activities.
Hard skills are any skills relating to a specific task or situation. These
skills are easily quantifiable unlike soft skills which are related to one's
personality.
Reading skill is one of hard skill. Reading is an essential part of language
instruction at every level because it supports learning in multiple ways. Reading
to learn the language: Reading material is language input. By giving students a
variety of materials to read, instructors provide multiple opportunities for students
to absorb vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and discourse structure as they
occur in authentic contexts.
Reading for cultural knowledge and awareness: Reading everyday
materials that are designed for native speakers can give students insight into the
lifestyles and worldviews of the people whose language they are studying. When
students have access to newspapers, magazines, and Web sites, they are exposed
to culture in all its variety, and monolithic cultural stereotypes begin to break
down.
When reading to learn, students need to follow four basic steps:

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 Figure out the purpose for reading. Activate background knowledge of the
topic in order to predict or anticipate content and identify appropriate reading
strategies.
Attend to the parts of the text that are relevant to the identified purpose
and ignore the rest. This selectivity enables students to focus on specific items in
the input and reduces the amount of information they have to hold in short-term
memory.
Select strategies that are appropriate to the reading task and use them
flexibly and interactively. Students' comprehension improves and their confidence
increases when they use top-down and bottom-up skills simultaneously to
construct meaning.
Check comprehension while reading and when the reading task is
completed. Monitoring comprehension helps students detect inconsistencies and
comprehension failures, helping them learn to use alternate strategies.

1.2 Formulation Of The Problem

The formulation of the issues to be discussed are as follows:
1. What is the topic of the passage?
2. What is main idea of each paragraph?
3. What the information contained in the passage?

1.3 Purpose
To evaluate reading skills a person on the academic field tests TOEFL.

1.4 Benefit
Benefits of this paper is:
1. to understand and know about reading comprehension in TOEFL.

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 CHAPTER II
LITERARY REVIEW

2.1 History of TOEFL

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test is a standard by

which English-language ability of non-native speakers evaluated. Tests required
by most colleges and some employers to make sure that students and staff capable
of handling the linguistic challenges of cultural immersion. This test was designed
by the Center for Applied Linguistics and administered by Educational Testing
Service.
Based in Washington, DC, Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is a
nonprofit organization committed to researching the relationship between
language and culture Founded in 1959, the first director was Charles A. Ferguson
(1921-1998, which has been given a similar program in the Middle East and
taught as a professor at Harvard University. Ferguson guided the center to develop
practical solutions to apply language and literacy concerns of international and
national government. Originally Ferguson One of the initial project is to develop
test which will measure the command language that ESL (English-as-a-Second-
Language) students and government employees have. Ferguson and fellow
researchers developed applied linguistics TOEFL test during the first five years of
CAL. In 1964, the first official TOEFL test is taken in pusat.Pembangunan Since
the late 1960s, the TOEFL test has been administered by the Educational Testing
Service (ETS), an organization of international testing standards. According to
ETS, between 1964 and 2008, 24 million people, mostly international students,
have taken the test. Introduced in 2005, Internet-based test has replaced the
computer-based format and paper-based, with computer-based results was ruled
no longer valid in 2006.
Since the early 1970s, the 15-member board of the TOEFL has handled
specific issues concerning the organization. This body consists of educators and
industry representatives and government agencies involved in international

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education. A board of 12 specialist language form TOEFL Committee of
Examiners, which discuss any concerns with the test content and methodology,
maintaining a valid
Since 1998, the paper tests have consisted of 30 questions based on
listening, 40 "written-expression" questions, 50 reading comprehension questions,
and 300-word essay. Internet-based test includes four sections: answering
questions on the 700 - word and questions about the 30 minutes of audio samples,
and six speaking and writing task-composition. Internet-based test has also
implemented tables and other formats to the test.
Test of Home as Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required to get admission
in U.S. Universities for International students. Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) is required to gain recognition in the U.S. University for
international students. ETS have reported average TOEFL scores for all the
countries WHERE TOEFL exam is Offered. ETS has reported an average TOEFL
score for all countries where the TOEFL exam is offered.
List Of Countries And Required Scores: From the List of Countries And Score
Required:
TOEFL scores for Chinese - On the raise: Performance of examinees
WHO store the TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) Between January and December
2007. TOEFL score to China - On the increase: The performance test taking
Internet-based TOEFL test (iBT) between January and December 2007. The report
shows That the mean score for Chinese test takers was 78, a two-point increase is
over 2006. This report shows that the average score for Chinese test takers was
78, two-point increase over 2006. The mean score for Chinese test takers now
matches the worldwide average of 78. The average score for Chinese test takers
now matches the average across the world 78.

2.2 Reading Comperehension

Reading comprehension is the ability to read text, process it, and
understand its meaning.[1] Although this definition may seem simple; it is not
necessarily simple to teach, learn or practice (K12 Publishing, LLC, 2015.) An

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individual's ability to comprehend text is influenced by their traits and skills, one
of which is the ability to make inferences. If word recognition is difficult, students
use too much of their processing capacity to read individual words, which
interferes with their ability to comprehend what is read. There are a number of
approaches to improve reading comprehension, including improving one's
vocabulary and reading strategies.

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 CHAPTER III
DISCUSSION

3.1 Reading Passage

Marbles

Marbles is a small ball made of clay, marble or glass for children's games.
The size of marbles is very diverse. Generally a half inch or 1.25 cm from tip to
tip. Marbles sometimes collected, for the purposes of nostalgia and aesthetic color.
The game of marbles is not just a game that contains elements of sheer pleasure.
But the game of marbles can train motoric abilities of children, the child's attitude,
and skills as a child. And may form a noble character.
The boys in our town often play marbles, and sometimes the girls play too.
My brother George plays marbles very well. He has won 112 marbles in two
months. He plays better than any of the other boys in our street. He shoots the
marbles very straight and hits the other boys marbles almost every time, although
he is only ten years old.
When the boys in our town play marbles, they first draw a circle on the
ground with a stick, and then one boy puts one of his marbles in it. Then the other
boy shoots at it with one of his marbles and tries to knock it out of the circle. It is
not easy, because the marbles are quite small, and the ground is never quite flat.
When I play marbles with George, my marbles ussually roll to one side or the
other, and he wins.
Playing marbles very enjoyable for George. Pleasure is what causes the
relaxation element that helps George out briefly from her daily routine to
"recharge" the battery energy. When energy is full again, certainly good
preparation for serious things, like learning. That's why my parents did not forbid
George to play marbles.
George has marbles of all colours. Some are white like milk, some are

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green, some blue, some red and some yellow ; and some have no colour like glass
in a window. George is teaching our small brother, Dick, to play marbles. Dick
will learn to play well, I think ; and then George will give him all his marbles and
stop playing.

3.2 Main Idea

Topic Passage : Marbles

Paragraph 1
Marbles is a small ball made of clay, marble or glass for children's
games. The size of marbles is very diverse. Generally a half inch or 1.25 cm
from tip to tip. Marbles sometimes collected, for the purposes of nostalgia and
aesthetic color. The game of marbles is not just a game that contains elements
of sheer pleasure. But the game of marbles can train motoric abilities of
children, the child's attitude, and skills as a child. And may form a noble
character.
Main Idea Paragraph 1 : Marbles is not just a game

Paragraph 2
The boys in our town often play marbles, and sometimes the girls play
too. My brother George plays marbles very well. He has won 112 marbles in
two months. He plays better than any of the other boys in our street. He shoots
the marbles very straight and hits the other boys marbles almost every time,
although he is only ten years old.
Main Idea Paragraph 2 : My brother George plays marbles very well.

Paragraph 3
When the boys in our town play marbles, they first draw a circle on the
ground with a stick, and then one boy puts one of his marbles in it. Then the
other boy shoots at it with one of his marbles and tries to knock it out of the

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 circle. It is not easy, because the marbles are quite small, and the ground is
never quite flat. When I play marbles with George, my marbles ussually roll to
one side or the other, and he wins.
Main Idea Paragraph 3 : The way the boys played marbles in our town.

Paragraph 4
Playing marbles very enjoyable for George. Pleasure is what causes the
relaxation element that helps George out briefly from her daily routine to
"recharge" the battery energy. When energy is full again, certainly good
preparation for serious things, like learning. That's why my parents did not
forbid George to play marbles.
Main Idea Paragraph 4 : Marbles has so many benefit for Goerge.

Paragraph 5
George has marbles of all colours. Some are white like milk, some are
green, some blue, some red and some yellow ; and some have no colour like
glass in a window. George is teaching our small brother, Dick, to play marbles.
Dick will learn to play well, I think ; and then George will give him all his
marbles and stop playing.
Main Idea Paragraph 5 : George will give Dick all his marbles and stop
playing.

3.3 Detail Question

1. According to the passage, what is often played by boys in our town ?
a. Playing Marbles
b. Riding Bicycle
c. Jump Rope
d. Games Online
That answer can be found from paragraph 2:
The boys in our town often play marbles, and sometimes the girls play
too ....

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 2. Where they played marbles ?
a. in the house
b. on the roof
c. on the ground
d. in the pool
That answer can be found from paragraph 3:
.... It is not easy, because the marbles are quite small, and the ground
is never quite flat ....

3. According to the passage, who plays marbles better than any of the other
boys in our street ?
a. George
b. Dick
c. Steve
d. James
That answer can be found from paragraph 2:
.... My brother George plays marbles very well. He has won 112 marbles
in two months. He plays better than any of the other boys in our street ....

4. Why is not easy to play marbles ?

a. Because it is difficult.
b. Because the marbles are quite small, and the ground is never quite
flat.
c. Because the marbles are big.
d. Because the ground is always flat.
That answer can be found from paragraph 2:
.... It is not easy, because the marbles are quite small, and the
ground is never quite flat .....
3.4 Reference Questions
1. He has won 112 marbles he in line 3 refers to...
a. George
b. The boys
c. The girls

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 2. They first draw a circle they in paragraph 2 line 1 refers to...
a. The girls
b. The boys
c. George
3. George will give him all his marbles him in paragraph 3 line 4
refers to...
a. George
b. Dick
c. My big brother

3.5 Context Clue

Town = City = Kota
Street = Road = Jalan
Ground = Field = Tanah
straight = Undeviating = Lurus
Draw = Illustrate = Gambaran
Circle = Rim = Lingkaran

CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION

3.1 Conclusion
Reading comprehension skills can help us to find main idea and context

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clues from the reading passage that we read.

REFERENCES

http://andreassetiadi.blogspot.com/2011/03/history-of-test-of-english-as-
foreign.html
http://mrnussbaum.com/readingpassageindex/

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