Recommended TOEFL textbook “Barron’s”

I would like to introduce a very wonderful TOEFL iBT textbook titled ‘Barron’s TOEFL iBT with CD-ROM and 2 Audio CDs 13th (thirteenth) edition Text Only’. You can buy it from Amazon. There are five reasons to recommend this textbook: Audio files included; the amount of information; Computer-based TOEFL practice exams; the amount of questions included; and the price.

First, although there are many TOEFL iBT textbooks, many of them aren’t sold with audio CDs. In other words, you have to buy audio CDs, if you want to practice for listening. However, this textbook has all audio files for all questions in the textbook. Actually, it only has two audio CDs, just for first several questions. Yet, once you’ve installed software from CD-ROM attached, you can find the MP3s in the installed folder. The folder is typically “C:\Program Files (x86)\Barons\courses”. Move on to the folder, you’ll find the folders named test1 through test8. In those folders, you can find the MP3s there, and you may import into iTunes and listen to them on your iPod.

The second point is the amount of information written on this textbook. Practical tests, the advices for TOEFL iBT, tips for TOEFL iBT, academic skills, and even more, are all written on this book. Information about academic skills, especially, is very useful, not only for TOEFL iBT tests, but also for your future university lives. Especially if you are going to TOEFL iBT for the first time, you should have this textbook.

Third, Computer-based TOEFL practice exams are provided by installing software from CD-ROM. Since TOEFL exam has been varying, from PBT to iBT, pre-experiencing practice exams on computer is very helpful for examinees.  You can take tests just like you are attending a real TOEFL iBT test.

Forth reason is that this book has numerous questions. Most of other TOEFL textbooks – as far as I know – are containing only about two or three full TOEFL practice tests. In this textbook, however, totally eight full-TOEFL iBT tests are included. You can try reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

The last reason is its cost. In spite of many good points, this textbook costs only about $30.  There are similar book named the same in Amazon, but some of them don’t have audio discs or CD-ROM.

If you live in the U.S., and are studying for TOEFL, you should have this textbook. It’s worth having.

*If you want all the audio CDs included, there are ‘Barron’s TOEFL iBT Superpack’. You don’t have to use computer to extract audio files.