I don’t like comparisons on the reading section of the TOEFL iBT. They tend to be incorrect distractions. In TOEFL Reading, a comparison is when the text discusses the similarities or differences between two or more things.
Let’s take a look at this example.
BROWN BEAR DEN SITES
Brown bears use past experience to choose den sites, and favor those that maximize their ability to conserve energy. They use these dens to hibernate to avoid seasonal scarcity of food and as refuges from extreme weather conditions. In the Arctic region, where long winters can drag on for up to eight months, this is especially important. Brown bears dig their dens on steep slopes to improve drainage and den stability. In areas with deep snow, this also improves the insulation of the den. Bears use their claws to excavate dirt, rocks, and tree roots. Bears further insulate their dens by lining the floor with vegetation such as grasses and mosses they have pulled into the den from outside. Brown bears tend to build new dens near their old dens but not in the same spot in order to minimize conflicts with other bears who may have taken over an old den.
Which of the following is true about the dens of brown bears?
A. They are more often built on rocky slopes than sandy slopes
B. They are required for shelter during the spring
C. They offer bears protection from the elements
D. They are built deeper along steep slopes than flat slopes
The answer here is C. Remember, the term “the elements” refers to weather conditions like snow, hail, wind, and rain. It is important to note that vocabulary skills and the ability to recognize something you learned from the reading is important here. ETS often does not use the exact same words.
ETS adds answer choices that contain comparisons. I mean that they use comparative adjectives such as bigger, smaller, more important, less significant, and so on. They may also make a comparison about similarities.
These answers tend to be incorrect. My personal belief is that these are easy to write. I know this from writing my own book on the reading section. Believe it or not, it’s HARD to write incorrect answer choices. This is because the answers have to BE incorrect, but LOOK or SEEM like they could be correct. Trust me, it requires a great deal of creativity and a skill with language.
However, it’s fairly easy to write a “false” comparison and put that into the test. This is why I think ETS uses them.
So, beware of comparisons. SOME are correct, but about 80% of them are NOT. Think carefully before you choose one as your final answer. As you can see in this example, both A and D have comparisons. A says “more often” and D says “deeper.” These should be red flags that these answers are probably incorrect. Be aware.
