TOEFL® interview questions: Reading outside class

I recently read a book of short stories about families living near a railway station. My cousin lent it to me during the holiday. I liked the small details, such as neighbours sharing food and children waiting for a late train. The language was not difficult, so I could read one story before bed. I usually stop reading books when I become busy, but this one was easy to continue because each story felt complete on its own.

• lent it to me · Uses ‘lend something to someone’ to say exactly where the book came from.
• on its own · ‘On its own’ shows each story was complete, which explains why the book was easy to continue.

My cousin lent me a collection of stories about a railway station, and I ended up carrying it around for two weeks. I normally lose patience with long descriptions, but these stories made ordinary details feel important: a shopkeeper waiting for a late train, or a family saving a seat at dinner. Each story was short enough to finish between classes, yet I kept thinking about the characters afterwards. That balance made me return to it. I wasn't reading to collect useful facts or improve a grade. I simply wanted more time in a place that felt both unfamiliar and recognizable.

• short enough to finish between classes · ‘Enough to’ shows exactly how the story length fit the speaker's schedule.
• kept thinking about the characters afterwards · ‘Keep doing’ describes the lasting effect the stories had after reading.

I prefer a printed book when I am reading for pleasure. I already use my laptop for lectures and assignments, so paper gives my eyes a different kind of break. I also like seeing how far I have read. Last month, I carried a small novel on the bus and found it easier to stay with the story. On earlier bus rides, phone messages often interrupted my reading. Printed books are heavier, but for a short journey I do not mind that.

• stay with the story · ‘Stay with’ describes staying focused on what you are reading.
• I do not mind that · The negative of ‘mind’ admits a drawback of paper books and accepts it.

For pleasure, I'd usually choose paper. Most of my coursework involves a screen, and opening a physical book marks a change in the kind of attention I'm giving something. Leaving my phone in my bag matters more than any feature of paper. When I read a novel on my phone, a message often pulls me away just as the story becomes interesting. I do appreciate digital books when I'm traveling with limited luggage or need to enlarge the text. But if I'm sitting by a window without practical restrictions, I'd rather have one object that only does what I came to do.

• marks a change · ‘Mark a change’ presents the physical book as a signal that attention is shifting.
• pulls me away · ‘Pull away’ gives a vivid picture of messages dragging attention away from the book.

I disagree because not every useful activity needs to teach a direct skill. Reading fiction helps me relax, and it sometimes makes me think about other people's choices. I read a story about a student hiding a failure from his parents, and I understood why he felt afraid. That did not teach me how to use a machine, but it gave me something to discuss with friends. I still read practical books, but I do not think fiction is wasted time.

• not every useful activity · ‘Not every’ is a partial negation that directly answers the narrow standard.
• other people's choices · Grounds the value of fiction in one concrete benefit: understanding why people act as they do.

I disagree with the assumption behind it. Practical skills matter, but I don't judge all my free time by whether it produces an immediately usable result. I recently read a story about a student who concealed an exam failure from his family. I didn't approve of every decision he made, but following his thoughts made the situation less simple than it first appeared. That isn't a skill I can put on a certificate, yet it changed a conversation I later had with a friend. I'd still make room for practical reading; I just wouldn't use it as the only standard.

• the assumption behind it · Names the assumption behind the claim first, which makes the rebuttal more focused.
• less simple than it first appeared · A comparative structure shows how reading made the speaker's understanding more nuanced.

I think they should keep a small budget for this. Free online material is useful, but it can be hard to choose something good from so many options. A library shelf with novels, biographies, and staff suggestions would make starting easier. I found my last book because it was displayed near the entrance. Students should also be allowed to suggest titles. The university does not need every popular book, but a changing collection could encourage us to read beyond our subjects.

• keep a small budget · ‘Keep a budget’ expresses setting money aside for leisure reading.
• read beyond our subjects · ‘Beyond’ shows reading that goes past students' own fields of study.

Yes, if the collection is chosen and refreshed thoughtfully. A small display near our library entrance introduced me to a biography I would never have searched for on my own. That kind of guidance is part of the value. I'd rather see a varied, changing collection with student recommendations than shelves full of books nobody notices. The budget could also include digital loans for students who commute or need larger text. It wouldn't have to compete with essential academic resources on a huge scale; a modest service could make leisure reading feel like a normal part of university life.

• chosen and refreshed thoughtfully · Two paired past participles show that both buying and updating books need judgement.
• make leisure reading feel like a normal part · ‘Make’ with an object and complement shows how a shared collection affects the reading culture.