The following is a brief description of the contents of the TOP SCORE CD-ROM:

About TOEIC

Quicktime-Video tutorials in both English and Japanese explain the format and structure of each part of the test and give tips and strategies on time management. After viewing each part you can then go on to samples of questions.

Test Setup

The test setup screen offers choices of various modes designed to improve the students time management skills and of course gain experience in taking the test. The tests can be taken several times as they are created at random from a questions database. In-depth information about the various modes can be found on the CD.

The Tests

The tests screen allows the user to decide whether to take the full test (which takes 2 hours or more) or a single test, which is often more practical.

Results

The results screen pops up at the end of the test to give a percentage and TOEIC point score. This is a quick visual indication of the student's strengths and weaknesses in each of the seven parts so that you can identify weak spots and focus attention on them.

The Test Screen (Part1)

This is the screen that students will see throughout the test. Along with the various controls is a pause button which allows the user to answer the phone, feed the cat or deal with other interruptions during a test. The watch on the right hand side gives a clear indication of how much time is allowed for each question and how much time is left for the whole test. Used in either the Gold ,Silver or Bronze test modes a visual alert is given when the student should (ideally) be pre-reading the next question. Used in Learner mode the watch disappears so that there is no time limit. Also, the student can go through the TOEIC test and get used to the format and nature of each part of it. This mode is best used with a teacher and acts as a 'live probe'. In this way the teacher can check the student's awareness of various problems the TOEIC poses.

Analysis

The results of each test are displayed with the percentages for each type of question and advice on how to improve in these areas. All of the results section can be printed for further study.

Rather than listing the errors, the analyzer looks for trends. A student can get a question wrong for a variety of reasons i.e.: misunderstanding, mishearing, misreading or just selecting the wrong answer button /answer sheet error. The analyzer looks for trends and points out (through a percentage mark) which kinds of question are being answered incorrectly, (a trend being more indicative of a problem area than a single error) and gives relevant advice for improvement in those areas.

Expert Tips! - Quicktime Video interviews with TOEIC veterans

Expert Tips is a collection of interviews (in both English and Japanese) with students who have taken the TOEIC test several times. Their answers help explain the different ways they studied for the test and what problems they found.
They also relate their various reasons for taking the test and what it means to them. This section hopes to share valuable experience and also give a sense of 'virtual camaraderie'. This is often missing when company employees, for example, do not have time for regular lessons, and study becomes quite a lonely task. The veterans answer in both English and Japanese.

World Famous Speeches

World Famous Speeches is a collection of speeches by the great and famous from J.F Kennedy to Mae West! These interesting video clips provide the basis of a listening quiz. They also add historical and cultural interest.

MAZE 3-D adventure game using linguistic puzzles.

On MAZE Island you must search for the six keys that lead to the exit! In order to find the keys, search around the island making your way past obstacles by answering various synonym , antonym and grammar questions. Once all the questions are answered correctly the obstacle disappears and the search can continue. When all the keys are collected you can exit and find the secret message from MAZE island!