TOEFL TPO -1 Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Your professor is teaching a class on sociology. Write a post responding to the professor’s question. In your response you should: express and support your opinion make a contribution to the discussion An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
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Start Free PracticeTask Overview
Professor
Over the next few weeks, we are going to look at lots of different materials about the role of television programs and television watching in people's lives. But first, I want to know what you think about this topic. So here's a question for the class discussion board: What do you think is the most significant effect that watching television has on people? Why do you think television has this effect?
Student A
I know that one way that television influences people's behavior is that when you are watching television, you are not moving around or exercising. This is especially true for children. When children spend a lot of time watching television, they have a greater tendency to be overweight.
Student B
I think the main effect that television has on people is to broaden their experience. There are so many programs devoted to nature and travel. Think of all the different places in the world you can experience through television! Last night I watched a program about life in Antarctica, and it was fascinating.
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
It is undoubtful that television programs and television watching exert profound effects on the commons. One of the most significant effects is the rise of public political awareness. The prevalence of television makes it possible to bring political news to the public, thus preparing them to engage in political activities, which is impossible in past. For example, citizens in distant counties in China can grasp the latest news and recent activities of the main leaders in the regime, making them better appreciate their political rights. Moreover, the public speech for political purposes, like persuading voters, also help the public cultivate basic knowledge of the political regime and the current landscape of politics. One example is that a manual worker can have a basic understanding of the political framework of her country with the help of television, which can make them better engage in the political activities in daily life, like monitoring the government and voting for ideal candidates.
Evaluation Result
1. 子项得分
Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.5 Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 4.0 Language Use and Grammar: 4.0
2. 预估分数
26. 3 任务完成度
这篇文章基本上满足了任务要求,表达了作者对电视对人们产生的最重要影响的看法,并举例支持观点。但是,文章可以在以下方面进行改进:首先,在引入观点时,可以更明确地表达自己的立场;其次,在论述过程中,可以增加更多具体的例子和细节来支持观点。
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示例1:在引入观点时,可以使用更明确的表达方式,如:“In my opinion, the most significant effect that watching television has on people is the rise of public political awareness.”
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示例2:在论述过程中,可以增加具体的例子来支持观点,如:“For instance, during election campaigns, television provides a platform for candidates to share their ideas and plans, allowing viewers to make informed decisions when voting.”
4. 文章结构与组织
文章的结构和组织方面基本合理,包括引言、主体和结论。然而,在以下方面仍有改进空间:首先,在段落之间加入过渡句以使文章更连贯;其次,在主体部分中将每个论点进行详细阐述,并确保每个段落都有明确的中心思想。
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示例1:在段落之间加入过渡句,如:“In addition to increasing political awareness, television also plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion on various issues.”
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示例2:在主体部分中将每个论点进行详细阐述,如:“Television programs, such as documentaries and news broadcasts, provide valuable insights into current events and global issues, allowing viewers to form their own opinions based on the information presented.”
5. 语法批改
It is undoubtfuldoubtful(misspelling) that television programs and television watching exert profound effects on the commons. One of the most significant effects is the rise of public political awareness. The prevalence of television makes it possible to bring political news to the public, thus preparing them to engage in political activities, which is impossible in pastin the past(Missing definite article referring to a time period). For example, citizens in distant counties in China can grasp the latest news and recent activities of the main leaders in the regime, making them better appreciate their political rights.
Moreover, the public speech for political purposes, like persuading voters, also help the public cultivate basic knowledge of the political regime and the current landscape of politics. One example is that a manual worker can have a basic understanding of the political framework of her country with the help of television, which can make them better engage in the political activities in daily life, like monitoring the government and voting for ideal candidates.
Section Title: 6 Article Revision
Undoubtedly, television programs and watching habits have a profound impact on society. One of the most significant effects is the increase in public political awareness. The widespread availability of television enables the dissemination of political news to the masses, fostering their engagement in political activities, which was once unattainable. For instance, citizens in remote areas of China can now stay informed about the latest news and activities of their leaders, allowing them to better exercise their political rights.
Furthermore, public speeches for political purposes, such as persuading voters, contribute to the development of a basic understanding of the political system and current affairs among viewers. A prime example is that a manual laborer can gain insight into her country's political framework through television exposure. This knowledge empowers her to actively participate in daily political activities such as monitoring government actions and voting for ideal candidates. (150 words)
It is undoubtful that Undoubtedly (revised for a more natural tone), television programs and television watching exert habits have a profound effects impact on the commons. society. One of the most significant effects is the rise of increase (changed "rise" to "increase" for clarity) in public political awareness. The prevalence widespread availability of television makes it possible to bring enables the dissemination (replaced "bring" with "dissemination" for better word choice) of political news to the public, thus preparing them to engage masses, fostering their engagement in political activities, which is impossible was once unattainable (changed "impossible in past. past" to "once unattainable" for better phrasing). For example, instance, citizens in distant counties in remote areas of China can grasp now stay informed about the latest news and recent activities of the main leaders in the regime, making their leaders, allowing them to better appreciate exercise their political rights.
Moreover, the Furthermore, public speech speeches for political purposes, like such as persuading voters, also help contribute to the public cultivate basic knowledge development (changed "cultivate" to "development" for a more appropriate word choice) of the political regime and the current landscape of politics. One example is that a manual worker can have a basic understanding of the political system and current affairs among viewers. A prime example is that a manual laborer can gain insight into her country's political framework of through television exposure. This knowledge empowers her country with the help of television, which can make them better engage to actively participate in the daily political activities in daily life, like such as monitoring the government actions and voting for ideal candidates.
Display title: 8 思维导图
1. Television programs and watching habits
1.1 Impact on society
2. Increase in public political awareness
2.1 Dissemination of political news
2.1.1 Engagement in political activities
2.2 Remote areas of China
2.2.1 Staying informed about leaders
2.2.2 Exercising political rights
3. Public speeches for political purposes
3.1 Persuading voters
3.2 Development of basic understanding of the political system and current affairs
4. Example: manual laborer gaining insight through television exposure
4.1 Actively participating in daily political activities
4.1.1 Monitoring government actions
4.1.2 Voting for ideal candidates
Display title: 9 关键词
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English definition | Simplified Chinese translation | Sample sentences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| profound | /prəˈfaʊnd/ | adjective | very great or intense | 深远的 | The impact of television on society is profound and far-reaching. |
| dissemination | /dɪˌsɛmɪˈneɪʃən/ | noun | the act of spreading something, especially information, widely | 散布,传播 | The widespread availability of television enables the dissemination of political news to the masses. |
| engagement | /ɪnˈgeɪdʒmənt/ | noun | involvement or participation | 参与,参加 | Television fosters engagement in political activities among citizens. |
| remote | /rɪˈmoʊt/ | adjective | far away in distance | 偏远的 | Citizens in remote areas of China can now stay informed about the latest news. |
| political rights | /pəˈlɪtɪkəl raɪts/ | noun | the rights that involve participation in the establishment or administration of a government | 政治权利 | Access to television allows people to better exercise their political rights. |
| persuade | /pərˈsweɪd/ | verb | to cause someone to do something through reasoning or argument | 说服 | Public speeches for political purposes aim to persuade voters. |
| framework | /ˈfreɪmwərk/ | noun | a basic structure underlying a system, concept, or text | 框架 | A manual laborer can gain insight into her country's political framework through television exposure. |
| empower | /ɛmˈpaʊər/ | verb | give someone the authority or power to do something | 赋予权力,使有能力 | This knowledge empowers her to actively participate in daily political activities. |
| ideal candidate | /aɪˈdiəl ˌkændɪdət/ | noun | a person who is perfectly suited for a particular position or role | 理想候选人 | Television exposure helps people make informed decisions when voting for ideal candidates. |
How Academic Discussion Is Scored
The TOEFL Academic Discussion task is evaluated based on the official ETS scoring rubric. AI evaluation analyzes each response across multiple dimensions.
Relevance & Contribution
Does the response address the question and contribute meaningfully to the discussion?
Language Use
Grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and sentence structure quality.
Development & Support
Are ideas well-developed with specific examples and clear reasoning?
Common Patterns Across Responses
Based on analysis of user submissions for this task, here are common patterns observed in student responses.
Many students provide clear opinions but lack specific supporting examples.
Strong responses directly reference the reading passage and other speakers' viewpoints.
Higher-scoring responses use varied sentence structures and academic vocabulary.
Time management is a key factor — responses that feel rushed tend to score lower on development.
Learning Tips
Read the prompt carefully and identify all parts of the question before writing.
Reference the reading passage and the other students' opinions in your response.
Use specific examples to support your main point — avoid generic statements.
Aim for 120-150 words. Longer responses are not always better; clarity and focus matter more.
Practice timed responses (10 minutes) to build fluency under exam conditions.
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