句子结构复杂是托福阅读的障碍之一。面对难句，必须迅速把握其主干和重点，因为考试时涉及答案的主要是句子的主干和重点。要把握难句的主干和重点，首先要弄清它们的类型。简而言之，托福中的难句主要包括下列类型：
1. 定语（包含后置定语与定语从句）
2. 同位语
3. 并列结构
4. that引导的各种从句
5. 插入结构
6. 独立主格
7. 倒装句
8. 强调句
9. 虚拟语气
对于不同类型的难句，把握主干的方法也不一样。以倒装句为例，主要有下列情况：
1. 方位副词放在句首
Herein lay the beginning of what ultimately turned from ignorance to denial of the value of nutritional therapies in medicine.
2. 介词放在句首
Among the species of seabirds that use the windswept cliffs of the Atlantic coast of Canada in the summer to mate, lay eggs, and rear their young are common murres, Atlantic puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, and northern gannets.
3. 形容词放在句首
Implicit in it is an aesthetic principle as well: that the medium has certain qualities of beauty and expressiveness with which sculptors must bring own aesthetic sensibilities into harmony.
4. 过去分词放在句首
Accustomed though we are to speaking of the films made before 1927 as “silent”, the film has never been, in the full sense of the word, silent.
5. 现在分词放在句首
Missing until recently were fossils clearly intermediate, or transitional, between land mammals and cetaceans.
句子倒装的目的主要有两个：
l 首先是被提前的部分被强调，如上述的第四句：Accustomed though we are to speaking of the films made before 1927 as “silent”, 其中的accustomed按照正常语序应该放在are之后：Though we are accustomed to speaking of the films made before 1927 as “silent”. 之所以将accustomed提前，是为了强调它。
l 其次是为了句子的平衡，否则将导致头重脚轻的效果，如上述的第一句、第三句和第五句。以第五句为例，按照正常语序应该是：Fossils clearly intermediate, or transitional, between land mammals and cetaceans were missing until recently. 但是这种句子结构比较糟糕，因为主语及其修饰语过长（从句首直到cetaceans），而谓语部分were missing until recently较短，容易造成头重脚轻的效果。第五句将missing提前，避免了这一现象。
为了考试时能迅速把握句子的主干，需要较多的阅读和分析。朗阁海外考试研究中心建议考生们把托福考试中已经出现过的经典难句进行分类，弄懂它们的结构和意思，反复分析，考试时就能做到驾轻就熟了
Ø 托福新学期备考之：听力笔记技巧
新托福听力的六大特点：
1. 听力材料长度增加，每类文章的长度都在600字以上
2. 总题目数量减少，老托福听力题目为50道，新托福为34道
3. 听力题型简化为两大类：长对话（2个），课堂讲座（4个）
4. 出现三种新的考试题目类型：表格题、重复题、多选题
5. 听完之后才可以看题目
6. 考生可以做笔记
通过对新托福听力特点的分析，我们不难看出记笔记是听力高分突破的关键。
IBT听力笔记技巧：
1. 确定记录核心话题
IBT听力正式开始之前会有一个简短的内容介绍，之后屏幕上会出现一些和听力内容相关的图片，这些可以帮助我们确定下面所要听的部分的核心话题。例如，listen to a conversation between a professor and student in a biology class. 从这个介绍中我们可以知道下面对话内容的场景：biology class, 接下来会出现一幅图片，里面文字为：Friends of the Earth, Biology class.通过这些文字和图片，我们可以推断这个对话的主题为与人类地球有关的一个机构，这个机构主要负责环保事宜。确定主题可以让考生悬着的心慢慢落地。
2. 记录细节
确定核心话题之后，我们需要做的就是记录与其相关的细节，主要的细节为what, when, where, who, why和how等。注意记录对话和演讲中的信息引导词和信息引导句后面的信息，例如，First ..., let's look at the ..., Now, Let's move on to ..., next I would like to talk about ...
3. 具体的记录方法
l 主要记录实词：名词，动词，形容词。这些词语所包含的信息量大，也是重读和重复的核心词汇。
l 为减少记笔记对听力理解的影响，采用简写、符号和缩写的速记方法来记录，或用一些只有自己熟悉的速记符号来记录重要信息，以缩短记录时间。
Ø 托福新学期备考之：口语高分答案要素
新托福口语与雅思不同，采用的是机考的形式，具有一定的难度，让很多同学感到陌生和不适应。综合口语任务的难点主要在于理解、记录听力内容，并用自己的话做口语复述。朗阁海外考试研究中心分析认为优秀的口语回答需要具备以下七大要素：
要素1
Practice wherever you can and whenever you can. Any practice is good, whether you speak to someone who is a native English speaker or not.
随时随地练习口语。
要素2
It's important to build your confidence. If possible, use simple English sentence structure that you know is correct, so that you can concentrate on getting your message across.
以表达清晰为主，句型多样化为次。
要素3
Try to experiment with the English you know. Use words and phrases you know in new situations. Native English speakers are more likely to correct you if you use the wrong word than if you use the wrong grammar. Experimenting with vocabulary is a really good way of getting feedback.
大胆运用所掌握的词汇，不要过分拘泥于语法。
要素4
Try not to translate from or into your own language. This takes too much time and will make you more hesitant.
尽量避免翻译。
要素5
If you forget a word, do what native English speakers do all the time, and say things that “fill” the conversation. This is better than being completely silent. Try using um or er, if you forget the word.
遇到不知该如何表达的时候，用一些常用词表示自己正在思考。
要素6
Don't speak too fast. It's important to use a natural rhythm when speaking English. But if you speak too fast, it will be difficult for people to understand you.
语速不要过快。
要素7
Try to relax when you speak. When you speak English at a normal speed, you will discover that most of the pronunciation skills, such as linking between words, will happen automatically.
说话时尽量放松，让发音流利顺畅。