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TOEFL TPO -1 Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Do you think there should be an environmental tax on air travel? Why or why not?

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Task Overview

Professor

This week, we'll be discussing ways to address air pollution. One idea is introducing environmental taxes on air travel. Such taxes, also referred to as ecological taxes or green taxes, are extra charges that get added to the price of airplane tickets.Money collected from these taxes could be invested in environmentally friendly technologies or in promoting other, cleaner modes of transportation. Do you think there should be an environmental tax on air travel? Why or why not?

Student AAndrew

We should impose environmental taxes on air travel. These taxes might encourage people to find cheaper, more eco-friendly ways to get places. In my country many people use planes to fly a short distance because flights are relatively cheap, when they could just as easily take a less polluting form of transportation.

Student BClaire

Additional taxes on air travel will do little to solve the problem of air pollution.Airplane tickets would become more expensive, punishing passengers without incentivizing airlines to become more environmentally friendly. The airlines should pay the price to protect the environment, not their customers

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

I concur with Andrew's opinion that imposing extra taxes on air travel is an effective way to solve air pollution to some extent. However, I dissent that the aim of the extra charges is to higher the ticket price, forcing individuals to alternate to other transportation. For instance, the ticket price is already exorbitant to some consumers in my hometown. The meager taxes added to the original price does not seem to be as effective as we thought. Most people have to choose an airplane because of the long, tedium travel way instead of wasting resources. In my opinion, I assert that the core target of this policy is to collect more substantial financial support from both individuals and airlines. Accordingly, more stable financial support, more energy we can harness in inventing new eco-friendly technology.

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

  • Estimated Score: 26

3. 任务完成度

你的文章在一定程度上回答了问题,表达了对环境税的看法。但是,你可以更详细地讨论环境税对航空公司和乘客的影响,以及这种政策如何促进环保技术的发展。此外,尝试引用更多具体的例子来支持你的观点。

示例1(改进前):In my opinion, I assert that the core target of this policy is to collect more substantial financial support from both individuals and airlines. 示例1(改进后):In my opinion, I assert that the core target of this policy is to collect more substantial financial support from both individuals and airlines, which can be used to fund research and development of eco-friendly aviation technologies.

示例2(改进前):Most people have to choose an airplane because of the long, tedium travel way instead of wasting resources. 示例2(改进后):Most people have to choose an airplane due to the time-saving benefits it offers compared to other modes of transportation, such as trains or buses.

4. 文章结构与组织

文章结构基本合理,包括引言、正文和结论。但是,可以通过增加段落间的过渡句子和连接词来提高文章的连贯性。同时,尝试在正文中更明确地阐述和支持你的观点。

示例1(改进前):For instance, the ticket price is already exorbitant to some consumers in my hometown. 示例1(改进后):For instance, the ticket price is already exorbitant to some consumers in my hometown; therefore, adding environmental taxes might not significantly affect their travel choices.

示例2(改进前):In my opinion, I assert that the core target of this policy is to collect more substantial financial support from both individuals and airlines. 示例2(改进后):In my opinion, I assert that the core target of this policy is to collect more substantial financial support from both individuals and airlines; as a result, this funding can be utilized for promoting eco-friendly technologies and alternative transportation options.

5. 语法批改

I concur with Andrew's opinion that imposing extra taxes on air travel is an effective way to solve air pollution to some extent. However, I dissent that the aim of the extra charges is to higher the ticket price, forcing individuals to alternate to other transportation. For instance, the ticket price is already exorbitant to some consumers in my hometown. The meager taxes added to the original price does not seem to be as effective as we thought. Most people have to choose an airplane because of the long, tedium travel way instead of wasting resources. In my opinion, I assert that the core target of this policy is to collect more substantial financial support from both individuals and airlines. Accordingly, more stable financial support, more energy we can harness in inventing new eco-friendly technology.

Section Title: 6 Article Revision

I agree with Andrew that implementing environmental taxes on air travel could be an effective measure to address air pollution to a certain degree. However, I disagree that the primary purpose of these additional charges is to increase ticket prices, thereby compelling individuals to opt for alternative modes of transportation. For example, in my hometown, many consumers already find airfare quite prohibitive. The minimal taxes added to the existing price may not be as impactful as anticipated. Most people choose air travel due to the lengthy and tedious nature of other transportation options rather than a desire to squander resources. In my view, the central objective of this policy should be to gather more substantial financial support from both individuals and airlines. Consequently, with increased and stable funding, we can invest more resources in developing new eco-friendly technologies. (143 words)

Revised essay: Section Title: 7 Article Revision

I concur agree with Andrew's opinion Andrew that imposing extra implementing environmental taxes on air travel is could be an effective way to solve measure to address air pollution to some extent. a certain degree (revised for clarity and natural tone). However, I dissent disagree that the aim of the extra primary purpose of these additional charges is to higher the increase ticket price, forcing prices, thereby compelling individuals to alternate to other transportation. opt for alternative modes of transportation (revised for clarity and natural tone). For instance, the ticket price is already exorbitant to some consumers example, in my hometown. hometown, many consumers already find airfare quite prohibitive (replaced "exorbitant" with "prohibitive" for a more appropriate word choice). The meager minimal taxes added to the original existing price does may not seem to be as effective impactful as we thought. anticipated (revised for clarity and natural tone). Most people have to choose an airplane because of the long, tedium air travel way instead of wasting resources. due to the lengthy and tedious nature of other transportation options rather than a desire to squander resources (revised for clarity and natural tone). In my opinion, I assert that the core target view, the central objective of this policy is to collect should be to gather more substantial financial support from both individuals and airlines. Accordingly, more airlines (revised for clarity and natural tone). Consequently, with increased and stable financial support, more energy funding, we can harness invest more resources in inventing developing new eco-friendly technology.technologies (revised for clarity and natural tone).

Title: 8 思维导图


- 环境税
  - 对空气旅行征税
    - 减少空气污染
  - 非主要目的
    - 提高机票价格
    - 促使选择其他交通方式

- 消费者观点
  - 已经昂贵的机票价格
  - 微小税收影响有限

- 空中交通选择原因
  - 其他交通方式耗时繁琐

- 政策核心目标
  - 获取更多资金支持
    - 来自个人和航空公司
  - 增加投资绿色技术发展

Title: 9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
environmental/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛntəl/adjectiverelating to the natural world and its impact on human life环境的Implementing environmental taxes on air travel could help reduce pollution.
taxes/ˈtæksɪz/nouncompulsory contributions to state revenue, levied by the government on workers' income and business profits or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions税收Environmental taxes can be an effective measure to address air pollution.
airfare/ˈɛrˌfɛr/nounthe price of a passenger's ticket for travel by aircraft机票价格Many consumers already find airfare quite prohibitive.
prohibitive/prəˈhɪbɪtɪv/adjective(of a price or cost) so high as to prevent something from being done or bought过高的,禁止性的The prohibitive cost of airfare may not be significantly impacted by minimal taxes.
transportation/ˌtrænspərˈteɪʃən/nounthe action of transporting someone or something or the process of being transported交通运输People choose air travel due to the tedious nature of other transportation options.
policy/ˈpɒləsi/nouna course or principle of action adopted or proposed by an organization or individual政策The central objective of this policy should be to gather more financial support.
financial support/faɪˈnænʃəl səˈpɔrt/noun_assistance in the form of money provided by a government, organization, or person_经济支持With increased financial support, we can invest more resources in developing eco-friendly technologies.
eco-friendly_ /ˌikoʊˈfrɛndli/_adjective_not harmful to the environment; environmentally friendly_环保的New eco-friendly technologies can help reduce pollution caused by air travel.
resources_ /rɪˈsɔrsɪz/_noun_a stock or supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively_资源Investing more resources in green technology development is essential for a sustainable future.
alternative_ /ɔlˈtɜrnətɪv/_adjective_available as another possibility or choice_替代的Alternative modes of transportation may not always be practical for long distances.

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

1

Read the prompt carefully and identify all parts of the question before writing.

2

Reference the reading passage and the other students' opinions in your response.

3

Use specific examples to support your main point — avoid generic statements.

4

Aim for 120-150 words. Longer responses are not always better; clarity and focus matter more.

5

Practice timed responses (10 minutes) to build fluency under exam conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TOEFL Academic Discussion task?
The TOEFL Academic Discussion task requires you to contribute to an online classroom discussion. You'll read a professor's question and other students' responses, then write your own post expressing and supporting your opinion in about 10 minutes.
How is the Academic Discussion task scored?
The task is scored on a scale of 0-5 based on relevance to the discussion, quality of language use (grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure), and how well you develop and support your ideas with specific examples and reasoning.
What are the user samples on this page?
These are real responses submitted by TOEFL test-takers who practiced this question on LingoLeap. Each sample has been evaluated by our AI scoring engine, which provides a score and detailed feedback on strengths and areas for improvement.
How accurate is the AI evaluation?
LingoLeap's AI evaluation engine is trained on official ETS scoring rubrics and calibrated against human rater scores. While no automated system is perfect, it provides reliable feedback for practice purposes and helps identify specific areas for improvement.
How can I practice this Academic Discussion task?
You can practice by signing up for a free LingoLeap account. Write your own response to this exact question, submit it, and receive instant AI evaluation with detailed feedback on your writing.
How long should my Academic Discussion response be?
Aim for 120-150 words. The task gives you 10 minutes to write your response. Focus on clarity, supporting your opinion with specific examples, and referencing the discussion context rather than writing a longer response.

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