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A1–C2 · TOEFL iBT

TOEFL iBT Practice Test 21

AI-generated practice paper in the style of TOEFL iBT — original material, not a reproduction of any real exam paper, following the official task types. Listening audio is read aloud by your browser's voice. For Speaking you can record yourself and compare with a model answer, and Writing tasks include a model answer — neither is scored automatically, since that needs real speech and writing evaluation this site does not offer for this exam.

Reading

Complete the Words

Type the missing letters to complete the words in the paragraph.

Jazz emerged in New Orleans at the beginning of the twentieth century. The city was a crowded port where African, Caribbean, and European musical traditions met. Brass bands played at parades and fune, while pian performed in dance halls and clu. Musicians began to impro freely, changing melo and rhythms during each perfor. Recor and radio soon carried the new sound to nort cities such as Chicago and New York. Within a gener, jazz had become one of the most influential for of American music.

Read in Daily Life

Read the text and answer the questions.

Rental agreement (excerpt): SafeSpace Storage Monthly rent is due on the 1st; a $15 late fee applies after the 5th. Tenants must provide their own lock. Storing flammable, perishable, or living items is strictly prohibited. Access hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Thirty days' written notice is required before ending the rental.

1. What happens if the rent is paid on the 8th of the month?

2. What must a tenant do to end the rental?

Sign-up form: Community Choir — New Members No audition required — all voice types welcome. Rehearsals: Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m., Parish Hall. First three rehearsals are free trials; after that, a $20 monthly fee covers sheet music and hall hire. Please bring a pencil to your first rehearsal.

3. What is required to join the choir?

4. When does the monthly fee start applying?

Read an Academic Passage

Read the passage and answer the questions.

Sociologists use the term "social capital" to describe the resources individuals and communities can draw on through their networks of relationships and mutual trust, distinguishing it from financial capital or human capital such as education and skill. The political scientist Robert Putnam popularised the concept in the late twentieth century, arguing in his influential book "Bowling Alone" that civic participation in the United States—measured through indicators such as club membership, voter turnout, and even the decline of recreational bowling leagues—had fallen sharply since the 1960s, weakening the dense networks of trust that had once supported neighbourhoods and local institutions. Putnam distinguished between "bonding" social capital, formed among people who are similar to one another and often reinforcing tight, exclusive group identity, and "bridging" social capital, formed across different social groups and generally considered more valuable for a diverse, functioning society, since it connects otherwise separate networks and allows information and opportunity to flow between them. Critics of Putnam's thesis argue that civic participation did not so much disappear as change form, shifting from traditional organisations toward informal networks, online communities, and issue-specific activism that his original indicators failed to capture. Even setting aside this methodological debate, most researchers agree that communities with higher social capital tend to show measurable benefits, including lower crime rates, better public health outcomes, and greater resilience during economic or environmental crises, likely because dense networks of trust facilitate cooperation and the sharing of resources during difficult periods.

5. According to the passage, what distinguishes "bridging" social capital from "bonding" social capital?

6. As used in the passage, "resilience" most nearly means

7. What can be inferred about the critics who argue civic participation "changed form"?

8. Why does the author mention the decline of recreational bowling leagues?

9. What is the main idea of the passage?

Listening

Listen and Choose a Response

Listen to each speaker, then choose the best response.

1. Choose the best response.

2. Choose the best response.

3. Choose the best response.

4. Choose the best response.

5. Choose the best response.

6. Choose the best response.

7. Choose the best response.

8. Choose the best response.

Listen to a Conversation

Listen to the conversation, then answer the questions.

9. Why are Henry and Emma looking for a new venue?

10. What venue do they lean toward?

11. What will Emma do next?

Listen to an Announcement

Listen to the announcement, then answer the questions.

12. What are audience members asked not to do?

13. How long will the concert run?

Listen to an Academic Talk

Listen to part of a lecture, then answer the questions.

14. What is the Fed's primary monetary policy tool, according to the lecture?

15. What happens when the Fed raises interest rates?

16. What is the Fed's dual mandate?

17. What risk does the professor describe with keeping rates too low for too long?

Writing

Build a Sentence

Click the words and phrases to put them in the correct order.

1. How do you find your new colleagues?

2. How can I get to the airport?

3. The train is delayed again.

4. Could you summarise the reading?

5. How was your trip to Japan?

Write an Email

Write an email that responds to the situation.

You missed your Monday chemistry lecture because you were ill. Write an email to your professor, Dr. Patel. In your email, do the following: - Explain why you were absent. - Ask how you can catch up on what you missed. - Say when you will be able to meet with her.
Show sample answer
Model answer: Dear Dr. Patel, I am writing to apologise for missing Monday's chemistry lecture. I woke up with a high fever and my doctor advised me to stay in bed for two days. I have a medical note if you need it. I would like to know how I can catch up on the material. Could you tell me whether the slides are available online, or suggest a classmate whose notes I might borrow? I will be well enough to visit your office on Thursday afternoon, if you have any free time between two and four. Please let me know what suits you. Thank you for your understanding. Best regards, Marta Lopez

Write for an Academic Discussion

Read the discussion and write a post that contributes to it.

Dr. Fontaine: In literacy studies, we're asking whether reading on a screen is as effective for learning as reading a printed book. What does your own experience suggest, and what do you think overall? Junko: For me, print wins every time. I remember more from a paper textbook, maybe because I can flip back easily and see roughly where information was on the page. Diego: Screens work fine for me, and they're far more practical. I can search instantly, adjust the text size, and carry an entire library in my bag. Write a post that contributes to the discussion (at least 100 words).
Show sample answer
Model answer: Both Junko and Diego describe real advantages, and I think the honest answer is that it depends on the type of reading. Research on deep, reflective reading, like studying a dense textbook chapter, does tend to support Junko's experience: people often recall structure and detail better from print, possibly because of the physical cues she mentions, like page position. However, for quick reference, searching, or reading something less demanding, Diego's screen advantages are hard to beat, and I use digital text constantly for that kind of task. My personal approach has become mixed: I read important academic material in print when I can, but I happily use a tablet for lighter reading or when travelling, so I get the benefits Diego describes without losing the deeper focus Junko values.

Speaking

Listen and Repeat

Listen to each sentence and repeat it exactly.

Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
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Model answer: She jogs every morning before work.
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Model answer: Our new app update fixes several bugs.
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
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Model answer: The painting exhibition runs until the end of March.
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Model answer: My sister just adopted a puppy from the shelter downtown.
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Model answer: Double-check your booking confirmation before you leave for the airport.

Take an Interview

Answer each interview question. Speak for about 45 seconds.

Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
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Model answer: Yes, a novel called The Alchemist had a big influence on me when I read it as a teenager. It made me think seriously about what I actually wanted from life rather than what was expected of me.
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
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Model answer: I took away the idea that fear of failure often stops people from even trying, and that paying attention to small opportunities can lead somewhere meaningful if you're brave enough to follow them.
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
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Model answer: It partly influenced my decision to take a gap year before university, since I wanted to travel and gain some real-world experience rather than rushing straight from school into a degree program.
Recorded on your device only — play it back and compare with the model answer.
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Model answer: I do think so, especially at certain moments in life when someone is open to new ideas. A well-timed book can offer a perspective that a person simply hadn't considered before on their own.
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