托福综合口语的部分，在听力能力能够基本支撑听力音频时，考生往往觉得task 4是比task 6更难回答的大boss。主要是由于task 4的阅读部分是关于某一个学科术语的解释，这就需要考生有较强的的信息的提取和总结能力，且对于从句的运用要求也较高。
下面就针对task 4的reading部分做一个解题方法和技巧的分析。
首先，在50秒的阅读时间里，需要关注一下几个重点：
1. 标题
标题是需要考生下定义的学科术语。一般情况下建议考生不用花时间记下标题，因为听力结束后标题会嵌入最后的task 4的题目，显示在电脑屏幕上。but~ 如果这个标题对学生是生词，那么就需要考生记下，并在后面的listening部分的音频和问题的音频重点记住标题的发音。
2. 定义的提示表达
task 4常见的表示定义的提示词有： .. is called.., .. known as.. , .. refer to.., mention ..
3. 核心句（定义句）出现的位置：
一般是在标题再现并且提示表达同时出现的位置以后。
最常见的如：（标题）is a method/technique/phenomena..which means ...,
（标题）refers to/means ..
4. 转述时整合定义句的方法：
1> 引用：如果定义句比较集中，文中也是一句话展现出，转述时可直接引用。
eg. 2011.4.9托福口语考试 task 4
overconfidence effect
the overconfidence effect ia s well-established bias which means someone's subjective confidence in their judgement is reliably greater than their objective accuracy. to be overconfidence is to be excessively confident or presumptuous, or to believe that only one is suitable for a certain rask or job. overconfidence is not necessarily a good thing, but there is some good that can come of it for one may overestimate his or her ability and work hard in order ti be rewarded, thus leading to top performance of both studies and work.
笔记提示：
- 标题（不是生词可不写）
overcon effect
- 定义
well-esta bias, sub con judge > ob accuracy.
参考回答：
the professor introduces a term called "overconfidence effect", which is a well-established bias that someons's subjective confidence is greater than their objective accuracy.
2>概括： 定义句信息分散，不集中，转述时需要将分散的信息提取整合，再概括转述。
eg. 2010.11.21 托福口语考试 task 4
prenatal learning
prenatal learning is the education of the young before birth. many observations have been made of animals in the wild which prepare their young for the difficulties that they may face once they have reached adulthood. howevem there are certain instances where mothers of young animals begin this education even before their young have even been born. this is called prenatal learning, and for some species of animals, it is a way for them to get a head start on their young's survival education, in order to increase the young's chance of survival.
笔记提示：
- 标题（prenatal对于大多考生是生词，注意在音频中记住发音）
prenatal learning
- 定义
edu, young ,birth（, 代表之前），prepare diff face, ↑survival
参考回答：
the professor mainly talks about prenatal learning, which is an education taken before the birth of the young to prepare them for the difficulties they will face and to increase the young's chance of survival.
