TORFL Pt. 2 - Success! I think.

Today was the second half of the TORFL. Since I took the reading, listening, and grammar sections yesterday, I took the writing and conversation parts of the exam today. I wasn't too worried about the writing section, but the conversation section had me pretty darn worried - though I later learned that it wouldn't be administered by the unknown lady who took care of the first three parts of the test.

Anyway, first was writing. To prepare for this part of the test, Zoya had given us various prompts (like 3 or 4 over the course of the year) on both formal and informal topics. For example, in the case of a formal letter, we might have to write a short explanatory letter to our professor or to the head of the program explaining why we missed/will miss class. Or for a formal letter we might just have to tell our friend about our home and invite them to visit during the summer or something. Turns out the prep was sort of useful - we wound up having both (or some variant of both) of those topics in the real test.

One of the two sections was a 20-25 sentence letter to our friend talking about where we are vacationing, what we're doing there and whether I would advise said friend to vacation there as well. I talked about being in the mountains or something and meeting some businessman hiking or something. It was a stupid letter.

The second letter (the formal one) required me to write letter explaining to my professor why I would not be able to come to class the next day. The problem with this kind of letter is that Zoya explained to us the general format that such a letter should take (in terms of where stuff should actually be written) but I never got an actually physical copy of the instructions, so I was kind of sitting there trying to remember the form from memory. It was not fun and I think it didn't come out well.

Later I learned that I was right in my disappointment with the results - I got a 73% for that part of the test (I'm pretty sure that's still a passing grade; you need to do pretty darn poorly to fail a section).

Anyway, after that we had to go take care of the most terrifying part of the exam - conversation. Even though it was with two of the nice ladies who teach in our program, I was incredibly nervous. I stuttered over my words, looked all over the place, and generally gave the impression that I was about to crap my pants. They found it amusing though, and I answered relatively well. I get nervous right before any test, but at least with written tests I can focus on what's in front of me and lose the nervousness quickly. I can't really do that with an oral test

Anyway, we started off with simple questions about random situations - it was more to make sure that we understood what they asked/what we read more than anything. After that we had to read a story about the Russian painter Isaac Levitan and retell the important parts to the testers. Finally, we had to present a tour/trip to some place of our choice as a travel agent. Of course I picked Florida, came up with pretty crazy low prices and said that we would take them to Gatorland and stuff. It went over fairly well.

What I liked most is that, even though I was super nervous, I didn't lose my self-correcting MO. In everyday conversation I correct my own grammar mistakes as they happen or just after as I replay the conversation in my head. And I can do it, too! I got a 94% on the grammar section!

From what I saw on Natasha's computer, (this is before the conversation part was graded - I guess I'll find out about that tomorrow) these were my scores on the various parts of the test.

Grammar - 94%

Writing - 73%

Reading - 89%

Listening - 83%

Conversation - 87%

I passed