2018-12-20 TOEFL: writing practice

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
---
Homework: answer the Test Questions on p. 168 (3L8), 170 (3L12), and 172-3 (3L14)
3L8 - d
3L12 - d
3L14
1 b
2 - 2 3 1
3 a
4 d
5 a c
6 b c
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment
---
Writing Section: fourth and final part of the test, 2 tasks, about 1 hour total
1 Integrated: read a passage, listen to a lecture about the topic, write about how they relate
2 Independent: read a choice question prompt, 30 minutes to write about and support your answer
---
There are two types of choice question for independent writing:
- agree/disagree: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? _____”
- some people / other people: “Some people believe…. Others think…. Which do you agree with?”
The prompt always ends with something like: “Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.”
---
DELTA p. 396: “Some people like to spend their leisure time doing activities with a lot of people. Others prefer to spend their leisure in quiet ways by themselves or with one other person. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.”
---
1 Brainstorm possible reasons for both sides and some examples you could use to support those reasons
2 Choose a side that has two or three reasons you know how to support with examples
	(“It depends” requires you to give some support for both sides, and explain what it depends on.)
3 Outline your response by deciding the order you’ll write your reasons and what examples or details you’ll use to support them.
4 Write the thesis statement, then spend 5 minutes on each body paragraph, then write one sentence of the conclusion, then come back and finish your other paragraphs.
5 Proofread for mistakes you might have made, make sure all of your connections make sense, check that edits haven’t broken any sentences or connections, etc.
---
Your finished response can be a typical five-paragraph essay (or 4, sometimes):
Introduction: introduce the topic (maybe with some background), explain the positions you’re choosing between, state your opinion (and a lead-in about the reasons you’ll give for it)
Body Paragraphs: state your reason, give examples or details that show the reason is true, be sure it’s clear how the reason supports your opinion
Conclusion: restate your opinion and review the reasons you gave, give readers a takeaway, such as a suggestion or prediction about the future
---
Agree/Disagree example:
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
The things we learn from our friends are more important than what we learn from our family.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
---
You should quickly recognize that there are at least two ways to disagree with this statement:
1 The things we learn from our family are more important.
2 We learn equally important things from friends and family.
---
agree/disagree: The best things in life do not cost money.
- Your “reasons” can be the two or three “best things in life”, with details to show (1) they do/don’t cost money and (2) they really are the best things in life.
---
BREAK
---
Writing Practice: ETS 1 test 3 - integrated and independent
When you’re finished, email your responses to me.