新托福的口语考试大约30分钟，共有6道题目，一般称作Speaking Tasks 1-6。如果把它们进行分组的话，正好两两每组：Speaking Task 1 and Speaking Task 2为一组，解题关键词是characteristics（特性、特质）；Speaking Task 3 and Speaking Task 5为一组，解题关键词是campus（校园）；而Speaking Task 4 and Speaking Task 6归入最后一组，解题关键词是class（课堂）。
Characteristics: Speaking Task 1
第一题和第二题除了都是关于一些familiar topics以外，它们另一个共通之处就是涉及到人或事物的characteristics。比如在Speaking Task 1里面，you will be asked to describe an important book. 具体题目见下：
Talk about a book you have read that was important to you for some reason.
Explain why the book was important to you. Give specific details and examples to explain your answer.
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Preparation Time: 15 seconds
Response Time: 45 seconds
针对这样的题目，你谈什么样的书其实并不重要。关键在于你说出了这本书之后，给出怎样的合理解释，即题目要求中的specific details and examples，而这些东西就是我们所说的characteristics。换言之，你把这本书的三大特性描述出来，就等于给出了相应的细节和例证。请看下面的列表：
The reasons why the book was important
Reason 1 = Characteristic 1: It gave me a lot of practical guidance
Reason 2 = Characteristic 2: It had a lot of illustrations to help me understand
Reason 3 = Characteristic 3: There was an interesting theoretical framework in the book
在三大理由（或三大特性）中，我们分别给其中的核心要点加了斜体和下划线，这就是考生们必须在15秒钟的准备时间内记下的最简单的笔记。没有这三点，想要在后面的45秒钟回答时间内进行良好的发挥，是一件异常困难的事情。
09年中国大陆地区的第一场考试发生在2009年1月10日。其中第一题的大意是：When it comes to choosing friends, which characteristic do you think is the most important: honesty, loyalty or sense of humor? 回答这个问题有两种策略：一个是老实人的办法，一个是聪明人的招数。我们先看题目在问什么，很明显，题目要求我们从三种特性中选出一种，是在择友过程中最重要的。老实人的办法就是老老实实地选一个，比如honesty（诚实），然后根据honesty再来展开三个论据（或举例或抽象描述）：
Plan A
Honesty is the most important characteristic in choosing friends
Reason 1: True friends should never lie to each other
Reason 2: Being honest to your friends is the best way to maintain a long-term relationship
Reason 3: A dishonest person will eventually hurt you and your family
显然，此类针对honesty而扩展的抽象论证并非每一个考生力所能及的事情，因为这种老实人的办法往往难度较高，只适合那些语言功底扎实和思路敏捷的人。虽然这种策略比较容易拿高分，其风险也是较大的。
那么聪明人的招数是什么呢？聪明人通常不按常理出牌，他们会寻觅一种捷径，以非常讨巧的方式来满足题目的要求。聪明人看到题目本身就含有三大特性，他们一见机遇就赶紧抓住：
Plan B
These three characteristics are equally important when choosing friends
Characteristic 1: Honesty Only people who are honest to one another can become real friends.
Characteristic 2: Loyalty A faithful friend can lend you a helping hand when you are in trouble.
Characteristic 3: Humor A person with a great sense of humor is often friendly and easy-going.
明眼人一看就知道，后一种策略的难度大大地降低了，因为每一个特性只要展开一个论据就行了，是一种取巧的方法。可能有人会问，这算不算off topic呢？考官会不会认为你没有回答到位呢？答案是否定的，因为三大特性同样重要的情况当然会存在，所以依次展开也无可厚非。其实从另一个角度看，聪明人有时也会碰到麻烦，比如其中讲某个特性的单词不认识（比如loyalty），导致无法在这上面展开，这时候只有退而求其次，讲其中的两大特性很重要（honesty and sense of humor are both very important）。
综上所述，Speaking Task 1的特性描述是极为关键的一种训练方法。朗阁海外考试研究中心建议大家备考时，特别针对Person, Place, Thing, Event这四种出题的可能性来列出一些常见的characteristics，其中关于人的特性尤其重要，因为在新托福口语考试中不止一次地考到Describe a good parent, Describe a good leader, Describe a good teacher之类的题目，要求都是描述人物的各种特性，希望考生们多多准备。
最后我给出三道Speaking Task 1的模拟题，大家可以列一个简要的回答提纲。
Choose one of your favorite methods of relaxing and explain why you like it best.
Please include specific details in your explanation.
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Preparation Time: 15 seconds
Response Time: 45 seconds
What is the most important quality that a good neighbor should have?
Please give specific reasons to support your idea.
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Preparation Time: 15 seconds
Response Time: 45 seconds
What is the best way for you to make friends?
Please give specific reasons to support your idea.
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Preparation Time: 15 seconds
Response Time: 45 seconds