Opening an Old TOEIC Textbook After 20 Years — What I Learned from Part 2: “Listen to the First Word” July 15, 2026 (Wednesday) Reiwa8

## Introduction

A TOEIC textbook that had been kept in Shizuoka arrived from my husband.

The title is:

“New TOEIC Test: The Techniques for the Final Stage — 200 Questions with a Complete Practice Test”

The authors are Robert Hilke, Paul Warden, and Hiro Maeda.

This was the textbook I used about 20 years ago, when I was in my late forties and teaching TOEIC at a commercial high school.

I did not become interested in TOEIC from the beginning.

When I studied abroad, I took the TOEFL. When my son studied in New Zealand, I also experienced the IELTS.

However, TOEIC was a different kind of test for me. I only knew it as an English test related to companies and business.

Then, while I was working at a commercial high school, I was told by the principal:

“Commercial English alone is no longer enough. We need TOEIC preparation.”

Some teachers around me questioned why a high school should focus on TOEIC.

But if I was going to teach my students, I needed to understand it myself.

So I paid for my own training, went to Tokyo, and studied TOEIC teaching methods.

That was how I encountered this textbook.

Now, at the age of 68, I am opening this old book again and reflecting on what I learned then, and how TOEIC has changed since that time.

## Part 2 — Question and Response

In the TOEIC format of that time, Part 2 consisted of 30 questions.

Today, it has been reduced to 25 questions.

However, the basic format remains the same.

A question is played as audio, followed by three possible responses.

Neither the question nor the choices are printed on the test paper.

Everything must be understood by listening.

For example:

Where is the meeting room?

A.  
To meet the new director.

B.  
It’s the first floor on the right.

C.  
Yes, at 2 o’clock.

The correct answer is B.

The reason is simple: the question asks about a location.

A answers a purpose.  
C answers a time.

Only B gives information about a place.

## The Importance of the First Word

One of the important lessons in this textbook was:

“Do not miss the first word.”

Especially words such as:

Who  
Where  
When  
Why  
How

These question words determine what kind of answer is needed.

Trying to understand every single word perfectly wastes time.

TOEIC requires the ability to quickly find the information that matters.

## The Difference Between “Technique” and “Education”

This textbook contains many “techniques” for increasing TOEIC scores.

When I first studied it, I honestly felt a little uncomfortable.

I wondered:

“Is this education? Or is it simply a method for getting higher scores?”

In school education, I believe English should help students think, understand the world, and develop their own abilities.

On the other hand, TOEIC preparation requires techniques for finding correct answers within a limited amount of time.

The goals are different.

However, looking back now, I remember that some students gained confidence because of these techniques.

Their scores improved.

Some students found new opportunities for their future because of their results.

The techniques themselves may not be education.

But using those techniques to expand students’ possibilities can become part of education.

## TOEIC Then and Now

Today’s TOEIC places more emphasis on longer conversations, multiple texts, charts, emails, and the ability to process information in realistic situations.

This change is similar to the direction of Japan’s university entrance Common Test.

Simply knowing grammar rules is no longer enough.

Students need the ability to:

“Read and understand a large amount of information, then find what is necessary.”

Looking back at the Part 2 techniques from 20 years ago, I realized something:

Although the format of the test has changed, one basic skill remains the same.

That skill is:

Understanding exactly what the other person is asking.

This old textbook may no longer be completely up to date.

However, the lessons I learned from it may still provide hints for people who are studying English today.

#TOEIC  
#EnglishLearning  
#EnglishEducation  
#CommercialHighSchool  
#TeachersExperience  
#LearningAt68  
#LifelongLearning  
#RediscoveringEnglish