TOEFL TPO -1 Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Doctor Achebe:Today, we're exploring the enduring impact of traditional media in our modern society. Despite the emergence of digital platforms, traditional media such as television and books continue to wield significant influence. Now, considering their impact on shaping perspectives and opinions, I'd like your insights. In your view, do you believe television holds greater importance, or do books exert a stronger impact on individuals in today's society? Explain the reasons behind your perspective, considering their respective reach and engagement.
Real user submissions with AI-powered evaluation and feedback
1 user-submitted samples available
Start Free PracticeTask Overview
Professor
Today, we're exploring the enduring impact of traditional media in our modern society. Despite the emergence of digital platforms, traditional media such as television and books continue to wield significant influence. Now, considering their impact on shaping perspectives and opinions, I'd like your insights. In your view, do you believe television holds greater importance, or do books exert a stronger impact on individuals in today's society? Explain the reasons behind your perspective, considering their respective reach and engagement.
Andrew
Unlike books that require literacy skills and resources, television offers information readily available to a vast audience. Its audio-visual nature captivates diverse demographics, reaching individuals regardless of literacy levels. For instance, television news broadcasts reach millions instantly, shaping collective perspectives. Its immediacy and visual storytelling also create lasting impressions, influencing opinions and societal views more directly compared to the slower, more introspective impact of books.
Claire
Books wield greater influence in modern society owing to their ability to convey specialized and in-depth knowledge. Unlike television, which often presents condensed or generalized information, books delve profoundly into various subjects, providing comprehensive insights and expertise. This depth allows readers to explore diverse perspectives, fostering critical thinking and nuanced opinions based on substantial information.
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
In my opinion, I concur with Claire’s opinion that books have a more significant impact on modern society. Apart from her idea that books are able to convey in-depth and specialized information, I would like to emphasize on their convenience and accessibility which provide individuals with numerous benefits. Compared with televisions, books are obviously smaller and cheaper, thus it is easier for people to access. Especially in today’s era, fueled by cutting-edge technologies, almost everyone possesses digital devices such as smartphones and tablets, which gives individuals convenience to access to digital version books. In this case, people can read books anywhere and anytime they want. However, television would seem less convenient. As researchers have investigated that fewer and fewer people watch TV, because it cannot fulfill people’s increasingly need for flexibility. Also, considering how widely used they are in educational system, books have an impact on a sizable population. It is clear that textbooks are used in practically every nation on the planet to teach subjects from kindergartens to universities. So it is safe to say that books are shaped and documented all kinds of humankind’s wisdom.
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
27. 3 任务完成度
这篇文章在回答问题方面做得相当不错,但还有一些改进的空间。首先,可以更多地引用阅读材料中的观点,以便更好地支持自己的论点。其次,在论述电视和书籍的影响时,可以加入更多具体的例子和细节,使论证更加有说服力。
示例1:在论述书籍对现代社会影响较大时,可以引用Claire提到的“书籍能够传达专业化和深入的知识”这一观点,并结合自己的观点进行阐述。 示例2:在讨论电视对现代社会影响较小时,可以举出具体的例子来说明电视在某些方面已经被其他媒体取代,如在线视频平台等。
4. 文章结构与组织
文章整体结构清晰,包括引言、正文和结尾。然而,在组织上仍有改进空间。首先,在正文部分可以考虑使用更明确的主题句来引导每个段落。其次,在段落之间可以使用更明确的过渡词或短语,以帮助读者更好地理解文章的逻辑关系。
示例1:在讨论书籍便利性和可及性时,可以使用一个主题句来引导段落,如“书籍之所以对现代社会产生更大影响,很大程度上是因为它们具有较高的便利性和可及性。” 示例2:在正文段落之间加入过渡词或短语,如在讨论书籍在教育系统中的广泛应用之前加入“此外”或“另一方面”。
5. 语法批改
In my opinion, I concur with Claire’s opinion that books have a more significant impact on modern society. Apart from her idea that books are able to convey in-depth and specialized information, I would like to emphasize on their convenience and accessibility which provide individuals with numerous benefits.
Compared with televisions, books are obviously smaller and cheaper, thus it is easier for people to access. Especially in today’s era, fueled by cutting-edge technologies, almost everyone possesses digital devices such as smartphones and tablets, which gives individuals convenience to access to digital version books. In this case, people can read books anywhere and anytime they want. However, television would seem less convenient. As researchers have investigated thatthat,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) fewer and fewer people watch TV, because it cannot fulfill people’s increasingly need for flexibility.
Also, considering how widely used they are in educationalthe educational(This rule identifies whether the article 'the' is missing in a sentence.) system, books have an impact on a sizable population. It is clear that textbooks are used in practically every nation on the planet to teach subjects from kindergartens to universities. So it is safe to say that books are shaped and documented all kinds of humankind’s wisdom.
Title: 6 文章修订
In my opinion, I concur with Claire's assertion that books exert a more significant impact on modern society. In addition to her argument that books convey in-depth and specialized information, I would like to emphasize their convenience and accessibility, which provide individuals with numerous benefits.
Compared to televisions, books are undeniably smaller and more affordable, making them easily accessible for people. Particularly in today's era, driven by advanced technologies, almost everyone possesses digital devices such as smartphones and tablets. These devices enable individuals to access digital versions of books conveniently. Consequently, people can read books anywhere and anytime they desire. In contrast, television appears less convenient due to its lack of flexibility, as evidenced by research indicating a decline in television viewership.
Furthermore, considering the extensive use of books within educational systems worldwide, their impact on a substantial population is undeniable. Textbooks are utilized globally across various educational levels - from kindergartens to universities - to teach an array of subjects. Thus, it is safe to assert that books have shaped and documented the vast spectrum of human knowledge and wisdom. (184 words)
In my opinion, I concur with Claire’s opinion Claire's assertion (revised for clarity) that books have exert a more significant impact on modern society. Apart from In addition to her idea argument (revised for conciseness) that books are able to convey in-depth and specialized information, I would like to emphasize on their convenience and accessibility accessibility, which provide individuals with numerous benefits.
Compared with televisions, to televisions (revised for consistency), books are obviously undeniably smaller and cheaper, thus it is easier for people to access. Especially more affordable (revised for clarity), making them easily accessible for people. Particularly in today’s today's era, fueled driven by cutting-edge technologies, advanced technologies (revised for better word choice), almost everyone possesses digital devices such as smartphones and tablets, which gives tablets. These devices enable individuals convenience to access to digital version books. In this case, versions of books conveniently (revised for clarity). Consequently, people can read books anywhere and anytime they want. However, desire (revised for conciseness). In contrast, television would seem appears less convenient. As researchers have investigated that fewer and fewer people watch TV, because it cannot fulfill people’s increasingly need for flexibility. convenient due to its lack of flexibility, as evidenced by research indicating a decline in television viewership (revised for better word choice).
Also, Furthermore, considering how widely used they are in the extensive use of books within educational system, books have an systems worldwide (revised for clarity), their impact on a sizable population. It substantial population is clear that textbooks undeniable. Textbooks are used in practically every nation on the planet to teach subjects utilized globally across various educational levels - from kindergartens to universities. So universities - to teach an array of subjects (revised for better word choice). Thus, it is safe to say assert that books are have shaped and documented all kinds of humankind’s wisdom.the vast spectrum of human knowledge and wisdom (revised for better word choice).
8 思维导图
1. Introduction
- Agree with Claire's assertion
- Books' impact on modern society
2. Convenience and Accessibility
- Smaller and more affordable than TVs
- Digital devices for easy access
3. Digital Versions of Books
- Read anywhere, anytime
- Decline in television viewership
4. Educational Systems Worldwide
- Extensive use of books in education
5. Textbooks for Various Levels and Subjects
- Kindergartens to universities
6. Human Knowledge and Wisdom
- Shaped and documented by books
7. Conclusion
- Books' significant impact on society
9 关键词
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English Definition | Simplified Chinese Translation | Sample Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| concur | /kənˈkɜr/ | verb | agree; be of the same opinion | 同意 | I concur with Claire's assertion about books' impact. |
| exert | /ɪɡˈzɜrt/ | verb | apply or bring to bear (a force) | 施加 | Books exert a more significant impact on modern society. |
| in-depth | /ˌɪnˈdɛpθ/ | adjective | thorough, complete, comprehensive | 深入的 | Books convey in-depth information. |
| accessibility | /əkˌsɛsəˈbɪləti/ | noun | the quality of being easy to obtain | 易接近性,可达性 | Books provide individuals with accessibility to information. |
| decline | /dɪˈklaɪn/ | verb | become smaller, fewer, or less | 减少 | Research indicates a decline in television viewership. |
| extensive | /ɪkˈstɛnsɪv/ | adjective | large in amount or scale | 广泛的 | Books have extensive use within educational systems. |
| array | /əˈreɪ/ | noun | an impressive display or range | 一系列,大量 | Textbooks teach an array of subjects. |
| spectrum | /ˈspɛktrəm/ | noun | a wide range of variations | 范围,光谱 | Books have documented the vast spectrum of human knowledge. |
| wisdom | /ˈwɪzdəm/ | noun | the quality of having experience and good judgment | 智慧 | Books have shaped human wisdom throughout history. |
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TOEFL Academic Discussion task?
How is the Academic Discussion task scored?
What are the user samples on this page?
How accurate is the AI evaluation?
How can I practice this Academic Discussion task?
How long should my Academic Discussion response be?
Related TOEFL Academic Discussion Tasks
All TOEFL Writing Samples
Browse all user-submitted TOEFL writing samples with AI evaluation
TOEFL Academic Discussion Guide
Learn strategies and tips for the Academic Discussion writing task
TOEFL Writing Guide
Complete guide to all TOEFL writing task types and scoring
TOEFL Speaking Guide
Master all TOEFL speaking tasks with expert strategies
TOEFL Reading Guide
Strategies for TOEFL reading comprehension tasks
TOEFL Listening Guide
Tips and practice for TOEFL listening comprehension
Related TOEFL Academic Discussion Tasks
Consumer Behavior
426 user-submitted samples available
Write A Post Responding To The Professors Question
1646 user-submitted samples available
Economics
325 user-submitted samples available
Academic Discussion
1031 user-submitted samples available
Environmental Science
501 user-submitted samples available
Sociology
1683 user-submitted samples available
Rooting for Your Goal Score Today!
With LingoLeap, an expert in English exams
Get to Your Dream Score Faster