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TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Your profess is teaching a class on political science. Write a post responding to the professor's question.

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Task Overview

Professor

Today we're going to talk about the debate between economic growth and protecting the environment. Economic growth creates new jobs and gives people money they can use to improve their lives. On the other hand, if we protect the environment it can be enjoyed both by ourselves and future generations. If you had to choose between prioritizing economic growth or protecting the environment, which one would you choose. Why?

Alex

I would prioritize the environment. We only have one planet and if we don't take care of it, we won't have pleasant lives in the future. Economic growth can be important, but not at the expense of the environment. I think we need to shift towards more environmentally- friendly economic practices, such as investing in renewable energy and promoting environmentally-friendly technologies. We'll all live much healthier lives if the world around us is clean.

Maggie

While I agree with Alex that environmental sustainability is important, I think that economic growth is the only way to solve many of the social and economic problems we face. We need a strong economy to create jobs, reduce poverty, and improve standards of living. Not only that, but if companies grow stronger and more profitable, they might eventually develop new technologies that solve our environmental problems.

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

As far as I am concerned, economic growth should be the priority of the our society. First of all, both economic growth and protecting the environment can improve people’s life quality. Nevertheless, economic growth is the best way to make our life better. With everyone can have their own careers, and live one their own to achieve a good life, our society will be safer and more sustainable, Plus, economic growth can also help protect the environment. By making more money to the government, the budget of solving the environment issues would be increased. Therefore, our government and other relative companies and institutions would figure out more methods to deal with the environment problems.

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

您的文章在任务完成度方面表现良好,但仍有改进的空间。首先,您可以更具体地说明经济增长如何解决环境问题。此外,尝试引入更多相关例子来支持您的观点。

示例1(英文): Instead of simply stating that economic growth can help protect the environment, you could provide a specific example, such as "Economic growth allows for the development of cleaner technologies, like electric cars, which can reduce air pollution."

示例2(英文): To support your argument about how economic growth can improve people's lives, you could include an example like "A strong economy leads to better infrastructure, such as improved public transportation systems and access to healthcare facilities."

4. 文章结构与组织

从组织结构上看,您的文章整体结构清晰,但可以进一步优化。建议在引言部分明确提出论点,并在正文中逐一阐述。同时,在段落之间加入过渡句以提高连贯性。

示例1(英文): For a clearer introduction, you could write: "In my opinion, prioritizing economic growth is essential for our society because it not only improves people's quality of life but also contributes to environmental protection."

示例2(英文): To improve transitions between paragraphs, you could add a sentence like: "While economic growth directly impacts people's lives, it also has indirect benefits for the environment." This would help connect the two main points of your essay.

5. 语法批改

As far as I am concerned, economic growth should be the priority of the our society. First of all, both economic growth and protecting the environment can improve people's life quality.quality of life. Nevertheless, economic growth is the best way to make our lifelives better. With everyone can havehaving their own careers,careers and live one their ownliving independently to achieve a good life, our society will be safer and more sustainable, Plus,sustainable. Furthermore, economic growth can also help protect the environment. By makinggenerating more money torevenue for the government, the budget offor solving the environmentenvironmental issues would be increased.increase. Therefore, our government and other relativerelevant companies and institutions would figure out more methods to deal with the environmentenvironmental problems.

Title: 6 Article Revision

In my opinion, prioritizing economic growth is essential for our society. Both economic growth and environmental protection contribute to improving people's quality of life; however, economic growth serves as a more effective means of enhancing our lives. A thriving economy ensures that individuals have access to stable careers and the opportunity to attain a comfortable lifestyle, resulting in a safer and more sustainable society.

Moreover, economic growth can indirectly contribute to environmental protection. As governments and businesses generate more revenue, they can allocate increased funding towards addressing environmental concerns. Consequently, this enables the development and implementation of innovative solutions to tackle pressing environmental issues.

It is crucial to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental preservation, as both aspects are vital for our collective well-being. By fostering sustainable economic practices and investing in eco-friendly technologies, we can achieve progress without compromising the health of our planet. (151 words)

In my opinion, prioritizing economic growth is essential for our society (revised for clarity and natural tone). Both economic growth and environmental protection contribute to improving people's quality of life; however, economic growth serves as a more effective means of enhancing our lives (revised for clarity and natural tone). A thriving economy ensures that individuals have access to stable careers and the opportunity to attain a comfortable lifestyle, resulting in a safer and more sustainable society (revised for clarity and natural tone).

Moreover, economic growth can indirectly contribute to environmental protection (revised for clarity and natural tone). As far governments and businesses generate more revenue, they can allocate increased funding towards addressing environmental concerns (revised for clarity and natural tone). Consequently, this enables the development and implementation of innovative solutions to tackle pressing environmental issues (revised for clarity and natural tone).

It is crucial to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental preservation, as I am concerned, economic growth should be both aspects are vital for our collective well-being (revised for clarity and natural tone). By fostering sustainable economic practices and investing in eco-friendly technologies, we can achieve progress without compromising the priority of the our society. ¶ First of all, both economic growth and protecting the environment can improve people’s life quality. Nevertheless, economic growth is the best way to make our life better. With everyone can have their own careers, and live one their own to achieve a good life, our society will be safer and more sustainable, ¶ Plus, economic growth can also help protect the environment. By making more money to the government, the budget of solving the environment issues would be increased. Therefore, our government and other relative companies and institutions would figure out more methods to deal with the environment problems.health of our planet (revised for clarity and natural tone).

Title: 8 思维导图


1. 经济增长与环境保护
   1.1 两者对提高生活质量的贡献
   1.2 经济增长更有效地改善生活

2. 繁荣的经济
   2.1 稳定的职业和舒适的生活方式
   2.2 更安全和可持续的社会

3. 经济增长对环境保护的间接贡献
   3.1 政府和企业收入增加
   3.2 增加资金解决环境问题

4. 创新解决方案应对环境问题

5. 平衡经济增长与环境保护之间关系

6. 可持续经济实践与投资环保技术

Title: 9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
prioritize/praɪˈɔrəˌtaɪz/verbto arrange or deal with in order of importance优先考虑We should prioritize economic growth for a better society.
thriving/ˈθraɪvɪŋ/adjectiveflourishing; successful繁荣的A thriving economy ensures stable careers and a comfortable lifestyle.
revenue/ˈrɛvəˌnu/nounincome, especially when of an organization and of a substantial nature收入Governments can allocate increased revenue towards addressing environmental concerns.
innovative/ˈɪnəˌveɪtɪv/adjectivefeaturing new methods; advanced and original创新的Innovative solutions are needed to tackle pressing environmental issues.
preservation/ˌprɛzərˈveɪʃən/nounthe action of preserving something保护It is crucial to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental preservation.
collective/kəˈlɛktɪv/adjectivedone by people acting as a group集体的Both aspects are vital for our collective well-being.
well-being/wɛlˈbi ɪŋ/nounthe state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy幸福安康Economic growth and environmental protection contribute to improving people's well-being.
sustainable/səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l/adjectiveable to be maintained at a certain rate or level可持续的By fostering sustainable economic practices, we can achieve progress without compromising the planet's health.
eco-friendly/ˌikoʊˈfrɛndli/adjectivenot harmful to the environment环保的Investing in eco-friendly technologies is essential for a better future.

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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