今天跟大家来谈一谈托福口语task 1的思路问题。很多同学准备托福口语考试的时候容易忽视这个题型，觉得答题好坏全靠考场上的感觉和状态。可真正到了考场上，却经常苦于没有思路，无法开口，有时候甚至用中文都不知怎样回答。
先来看一个task 1的考题，Describe the famous person you admire most. Explain why you admire this person. Include details and examples to support your response. (TOFEL ibt 08.06.22) 这是一个people类的考题，我们拿到一个题目后，脑海中应该立刻浮现出最基本的答题框架: topic sentence + supporting ideas. Topic sentence是比较容易想的，甚至是可以虚构的，所以问题就落在supporting ideas的思路上。描述一个人，最容易的角度便是这个人内在的qualities. 如：humorous, open-minded, easy-going, warm-hearted, community-minded, high driven, visionary, knowledgeable… 有了这些点之后，我们要想办法把点变成线，也就是把一个观点扩充成一到两个句子。我们可以用描述的方法去讲这个观点同意转换，如‘he’s a very open-minded person and he’s always flexible to changes. 同时我们还可以用举例的方法来进行扩展，如 ‘He’s a high-driven guy and he worked so hard on his Toefl test, study almost 24/7.’
再来看一类task 1 的考题：Choose an object you like and explain why it is of special value to you. Please include specific examples and details in your explanation. (TOFEL ibt 08.02.24)，这道题属于物品题，物品的题目也是一个常考点，但是准备的面比较广，可能会出成：a type of pet (Longman p.52)，a kind of game (Longman p.72)，your important gift (Longman p.64)，咱们可以从两个角度去答题：对物品本身的简单描述 + 物品的来源或是重要意义，如描述宠物可以说: ‘ coz he keeps me company, when I was sad, he was always by my side.’ 又如描述礼物可以说: ‘ The psp was a gift from my Grandpa, it was a credit to my hard work on the SAT test.’
再来看一类task1 的考题，If you could live abroad, where would you go? Explain why you would go there. (Longman p.42)。 地方题目也是常考题型，变换方式相对较少，比如有：the city you live (Longman p.31)，a city you have always wanted to go (TOFEL ibt 08.02.02)，your favorite place when you were a child (TOFEL ibt 08.03.08)等等。地点题的答题思路为：景色，饮食，高雅休闲场所，教育，就业机会。如果说美国，景色可以描述national park, the beauty of nature well preserved, 饮食可以说dessert, I’ve got a sweet tooth, 如说高雅休闲场所，可以说Broadway, or NBA games，教育可以谈美国的大学，就业机会可以谈美国的500 fortunes. 再比如如果讲苏州，景色可以说gardens，well preserved ancient building, 就业机会可以讲讲苏州工业园，SIP，provides a lot of job and internship opportunities for graduates…
第四类常考的题目是event类，来看一个例题：What is the most memorable event you experienced in your life? Explain why it is memorable. (Longman p.50)，类似的事件题的关键形容词可以换为：embarrassing (Longman p.70)， challenging (TOFEL ibt 07.03.03)，disappointing (TOFEL ibt 08.03.30)，hard (TOFEL ibt 08.06.17)等等。较难的题可以出成：Describe a time when you needed help from others, how he or she helped you and what was the result? Please include details and examples to support your answer. (TOFEL ibt 07.04.29)，这类题目跟个人亲身经历有关，考场上容易一时没有思路，也很难去杜撰，所以应在考前多去回忆童年往事，同时尝试着用英文表达出来，假如实在无法勾起美好的回忆，那就去杜撰吧, 注意是考前练习时杜撰，千万别到了考场上再去杜撰。
以上四类是托福口语task 1考察频率最高的四大类，当然还有其他类别的一些考题，如工作职业类（这类主要是关于人生的目标，职业的选择，工作的兴趣等等），学校教育类，new skill you would like to learn (TOFEL ibt 08.01.19)，文化娱乐类，这类题目涉及到文化、艺术、娱乐等生活中常见的题材。比如：a book that you want to read again (Longman p.58)，an important composition, example: essay, poem, letter (TOFEL ibt 08.05.17)，a TV program that you really like to watch (Longman p.54)，a type of music you like most (Longman p.56)等等，需要考生在考前花大量的时间去整理思路，只有做到有备无患，在能在考场上胸有成竹，口若悬河。