TOEFL 2026 Speaking Practice — Level Easy (for score 80+) #35

Listen to each question and give a spoken response. Aim to speak for 20–30 seconds per answer.

Score 100 — Perfect

I recall a time when I finished reading ‘The Little Prince’ for the first time. I was actually sitting in a small, quiet café in Seoul, and honestly, the ending just caught me off guard. It’s a simple story, right? But the way the author writes about friendship and loss is just so profound. I remember feeling a bit overwhelmed because it made me realize how much I’d been neglecting my childhood friends in favor of my busy work life. It really resonated with me on a personal level. Because of this, I ended up calling my best friend immediately after I closed the book. It was a pivotal moment for me because it shifted my perspective on what truly matters in life. That book definitely left a lasting impression on my heart.

133 words

Score 80 — Good

I recall a time when I finished reading this book called ‘Wonder.’ It’s about a boy who looks a little different, so he has a hard time at school. Honestly, when I finished the last page, I was just crying. It was such a sad but happy story because he finally makes friends and everyone accepts him for who he is. It really changed the way I think about people. Before reading it, I didn’t think much about how hard it is for someone to be different, but this book made me feel more kind. It’s a great story, and I still think about it a lot when I meet new people.

112 words

Score 100 — Perfect

In my daily life, I actually struggle to read as much as I want to. I’m a student, so I’m constantly buried in textbooks and lecture notes. Because of this, I’ve developed a habit of only reading for pleasure on weekends. For instance, last Saturday, I finally picked up a mystery novel I’d been meaning to start for months. I sat in a local cafe near my house and just got completely lost in the story for two hours. It was honestly a **compelling** escape from my stressful schoolwork. I think I have this habit because my schedule is so packed during the week that I’m just too drained to focus on a book at night. Reading has become a **pivotal** way for me to recharge, which is why I save it for my time off.

136 words

Score 80 — Good

In my daily life, I usually only read when I’m on vacation or traveling. I know some people love reading every night, but for me, it’s just hard to find the time. During the week, I’m so busy with my work and my classes, so by the time I get home, I’m just too tired to focus on a book. I usually just watch some TV or scroll through my phone instead. But when I’m on vacation, it’s totally different. I have a lot of free time and I’m away from all my daily stress. So, I always pack a couple of novels in my bag because reading then makes me feel really relaxed.

114 words

Score 100 — Perfect

Personally, I definitely prefer reading physical, printed books. Don’t get me wrong, digital devices are fine, but for me, there’s nothing like the smell of paper and the feeling of turning actual pages. It’s just more immersive. For instance, last summer I bought a copy of ‘The Great Gatsby’ for my vacation. Because I had the physical book, I found it much easier to focus on the story without getting distracted by notifications or the urge to check my email. It was a profoundly relaxing experience. Not only that, but I love building my own little library at home; it’s like a collection of my memories. So, even though e-books are super convenient, I’ll always choose a real book because it makes the whole reading process feel so much more meaningful.

131 words

Score 80 — Good

Personally, I definitely prefer reading physical books. I know e-books are very convenient, but for me, nothing beats holding a real book in my hands. I just love the feeling of turning the pages and the smell of the paper, you know? It makes reading feel more like a special hobby rather than just staring at another screen. Also, when I read a printed book, I feel like I can focus much better because I’m not getting notifications from my phone or tablet all the time. It’s just a much more relaxing experience for me, and I can really get lost in the story, so I’ll always choose paper books.

110 words

Score 100 — Perfect

I think it would be a fantastic idea for companies to set aside an hour for reading. Honestly, most people are just glued to their screens all day, and I think it’s pretty draining. If we had a dedicated hour for books, it would be a **pivotal** moment to actually decompress and clear our heads. For instance, when I was working at my last internship in Seoul, the office was so high-pressure that nobody ever took a real break. If we had just one hour a week to read something non-work related, like a novel or a biography, I think the whole office culture would have been more relaxed. Not only that, but it would **profoundly** improve our focus once we got back to our tasks. So yeah, I’m a huge fan of making time for pleasure reading.

138 words

Score 80 — Good

I think it would be a really good idea for workplaces to have a reading hour. Um, honestly, I think it’s hard for people to find time to read because we’re always so busy with work and things like that. So, if a company gave us an hour to just sit and read, it would help us relax a lot. I mean, reading is a great way to take a break from staring at a computer screen all day. It’s also a nice way to clear your head and reduce stress. If everyone did it together, it could even be a cool way to share new ideas, so yeah, I’m definitely in favor of that.

115 words