2017-01-20 TOEFL: int writing

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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http://ed.ted.com/lessons/would-you-sacrifice-one-person-to-save-five-eleanor-nelsen
Why is it unethical to kill the single man in the hospital version of the problem?
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Writing section: last part of the test
- integrated writing: 3 minutes to read / time to listen / 20 minutes to write
- independent writing: 30 minutes to write
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integrated writing - The prompt us usually something like:
“Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they challenge specific points made in the reading passage.”
Instead of “challenge” it might be “cast doubt on”, “refute”, “contradict”, “support”, “illustrate”, or “relate to” (in the last case you need to make sure you understand whether it supports or contradicts the text).
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DELTA p. 362 - Take three minutes to read the text and make note of the important points.
What is the reading about? - Visual-spatial intelligence.
What are the three main characteristics of people with high v-s intelligence?
- able to perceive and recognize patterns
- able to create and transform images in their minds
- good visual memory and the ability to predict and plan ahead
(The main goal of your notes about the text is so you know what points to listen for during the lecture.)
Notice that the text doesn’t take a specific position that you could be for or against. You should recognize that this probably means the lecture will illustrate these points instead of challenging them.
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Listen to the lecture and take notes, specifically make sure you can identify which points of the reading the lecture is addressing.
How does the lecture illustrate the points from the reading?
The lecture is about chess players and their v-s intelligence.
- good visual memory, to remember positions of pieces in multiple games
- ability to plan by drawing a picture in their mind of the next move and manipulating and rotating the board
- recognize whether a board layout is meaningful or random, and memorize it if it is meaningful (meaningful = the layout can be the result of permitted chess moves)
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Handout (ETS past tests 1-4 integrated writing) p. 58 - Read the text and take notes
Main point - dinosaurs were endotherms
- fossils in polar regions suggest they could maintain their temperature
- dinosaur legs were underneath the body, which allows running, which is typical of endotherms (other reptiles have their legs to the side)
- haversian canals in the bones mean the animal can grow quickly, and fast growth is typical for endotherms. (Dinosaur bones have Haversian canals.)
Listen to the lecture and take notes. Identify which points from the reading each part of the lecture relates to.
Main point - evidence for endothermy in the reading is not convincing
- polar regions used to be warmer, and dinosaurs could have hibernated or migrated for cold seasons
- legs under the body may have functioned to support weight (rather than to support running)
- bones also had growth rings (which suggest periods of slow and fast growth), which are not typical of endotherms (which usually grow at a constant rate)
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Response:
1 Introduction: summarize the main ideas of each and state whether the lecture supports or contradicts the reading
2 First point: briefly explain what the reading says, then summarize the corresponding point from the lecture and explain how it relates to that point from the reading
3 Second point: briefly explain what the reading says, then summarize the corresponding point from the lecture and explain how it relates to that point from the reading
4 Third point: briefly explain what the reading says, then summarize the corresponding point from the lecture and explain how it relates to that point from the reading
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Introduction:
	The reading and the lecture are about endothermy in dinosaurs. The reading presents three arguments to support the idea that dinosaurs were endotherms. The lecture challenges each of these arguments and states that evidence for endothermy is unconvincing because there are other explanations for each piece of evidence besides endothermy.
First point:
	The first argument from the reading is that dinosaur fossils in polar regions mean dinosaurs were probably endotherms that could maintain their body temperature. The speaker challenges this argument by pointing out that the temperature in polar regions was warmer when dinosaurs lived than it is today. Furthermore, dinosaurs could have migrated or hibernated instead of remaining active during cold seasons. This contradicts the point in the reading that fossils in polar regions indicate endothermy.
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If your essay simply repeats exact sentences from the reading, you will get 0.
If your essay talks about only the reading and not the lecture, you will get 1.
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Types of signal words you must use to get a high score:
citation language (where does the information come from?)
reading: according to the reading/author/article/text, the reading/author says/states/argues, the author/writer believes
listening: according to the listening/professor/speaker/lecturer/lecture, the lecture/professor says/states/argues, the lecturer/professor believes
comparison/support language (for listenings that support readings)
	The lecture illustrates this with an example of…, Similarly, the lecture says…, Likewise, Supporting this point, the lecture states…,
contrast language (for listenings that contradict readings - this is more common)
	On the other hand, Although, In contrast, The lecture contradicts/challenges/refutes this point, However, On the contrary, The lecture casts doubt on this point
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Handout p. 124 - Take three minutes to read the article and take notes.
- Notice that the three points are three competing theories, rather than three points supporting one position.
Then listen to a lecture about the same topic and take notes on the main points.
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With a partner, take 5 minutes to write an outline for your response.
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Do the same for p. 184
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Homework: take your time and write a good complete response to the task that starts on p. 248 of the handout.
The text (pdf) and listening can both be found at https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzQTAtJHmfaIczBwMms5a3BqcUk
“Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they challenge specific points made in the reading passage.”
Email me the response at [email protected]