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TOEFL Speaking Task 4 Sample: Using points and examples from the lecture, explain two drawbacks of planning.

Historical user samples and AI evaluation results from an older TOEFL format.

5 archived user samples

Older TOEFL Format

This task is from a previous version of the TOEFL exam. The current TOEFL has a different structure. These archived samples remain available as a reference for practice.

Task Overview

Question

Using points and examples from the lecture, explain two drawbacks of planning.

User Samples & Evaluation Results

1

User Sample #1

Score
19

Evaluation Result

1.子项得分 Delivery: 2.5 Language Use: 2.5 Topic Development: 2.5

2.预估分数

19. 3.表达

从表达方面来看,发言者的语速较快,但在某些地方存在不适当的停顿。建议发言者在练习时注意语速和停顿的控制,以便更清晰地表达自己的观点。此外,发言者在发音方面也有一些错误,需要加强发音的准确性。

4.话题发展 从话题发展方面来看,发言者对两个计划的缺点进行了解释,但在组织和连接思路方面还有待提高。建议发言者在回答问题时尝试使用更清晰的逻辑结构,并为所提到的观点提供更充分的支持或例子。这样可以使回答更具说服力和条理性。

5.语言使用

Original Answer: The lecture talks about two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback is about planning excessively. There are always too many specific yet detailed plans. The lecturer takes herself for example. She really has many goals and she really missed her goals so she felt frustrated. At the beginning, she got really organized about how much time to prepare such as for reading, for taking classes and for exercise. But every day, she didn't do all these on the list. So she did frustrated and disorganized. Another drawback is about without interruptions. In fact, it doesn't take long time. A month ago, she reviewed a paper. She thinks it will take a while and couple of hours. She found there are some similar topics. Two hours ago, she didn't She needs more time to do it.

Corrected Answer: The lecture discusses two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback involves excessive planning, which leads to overly specific and detailed plans. The lecturer uses herself as an example, stating that she had many goals but often failed to achieve them, resulting in frustration. Initially, she was highly organized in allocating time for tasks such as reading, attending classes, and exercising; however, she could not complete everything on her list daily, causing her to feel disorganized and frustrated. The second drawback concerns the assumption that tasks will proceed without interruptions when, in reality, they often take longer than expected due to unforeseen issues or disruptions. For instance, the lecturer mentioned reviewing a paper a month ago; she thought it would only take a couple of hours but encountered unfamiliar topics that required additional research and faced interruptions when her son fell ill—ultimately needing more time to finish the task. (修改了语法错误,使句子结构更清晰,同时增加了过渡词和连接词,使回答更自然流畅。)

Revised Answer (140 words): The lecture discusses two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback involves excessive planning, leading to overly specific and detailed plans. The lecturer uses herself as an example, stating that she had many goals but often failed to achieve them, causing frustration. Initially, she was highly organized in allocating time for tasks such as reading, attending classes, and exercising; however, she could not complete everything on her list daily, causing her to feel disorganized and frustrated. The second drawback concerns the assumption that tasks will proceed without interruptions when, in reality, they often take longer than expected due to unforeseen issues or disruptions. For instance, the lecturer mentioned reviewing a paper a month ago; she thought it would only take a couple of hours but encountered unfamiliar topics that required additional research and faced interruptions when her son fell ill—ultimately needing more time to finish the task.

6.思维导图


- Drawbacks of Planning
  - Excessive Planning
    - Overly specific and detailed plans
    - Lecturer's example
      - Many goals
      - Failed to achieve them
      - Frustration and disorganization
  - Assumption of No Interruptions
    - Tasks take longer than expected
    - Unforeseen issues or disruptions
    - Lecturer's example
      - Reviewing a paper
      - Thought it would take a couple of hours
      - Encountered unfamiliar topics and interruptions (son fell ill)
      - Needed more time to finish the task

7.关键词

WordsPhonetic SymbolsParts of SpeechEnglish definitionsSimplified Chinese translationsSample sentences
Excessive/ɪkˈsɛsɪv/adjectiveMore than is necessary, normal, or desirable过多的,过分的Excessive planning can lead to frustration when goals are not met.
Unforeseen/ˌʌnfɔrˈsin/adjectiveNot anticipated or predicted未预见到的,意料之外的Unforeseen issues often cause tasks to take longer than expected.
Disruption/dɪsˈrʌpʃən/nounDisturbance or problems that interrupt an event, activity, or process.中断,干扰The lecturer faced disruptions while reviewing the paper, which extended the time needed to finish it.
Frustration/frʌˈstreɪʃən/nounThe feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of the inability to change or achieve something.挫败感,沮丧The lecturer felt frustration when she could not complete all her daily tasks.
Assumption/əˈsʌmpʃən/nounA thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.假设,设想The assumption that tasks will proceed without interruptions often leads to unrealistic expectations.
2

User Sample #2

Score
20

Evaluation Result

1.子项得分

  • 交付:2

  • 语言使用:2

  • 话题发展:2

2.预估分数

  • 总分:20

3.表达 从交付方面来看,发言者的语言流利度和语速一致性有待提高。在回答中出现了一些不必要的停顿,导致标点符号问题。此外,发言者的发音也需要改进,以避免拼写错误。建议发言者多加练习,提高口语表达能力。

4.话题发展 从话题发展方面来看,发言者的回答虽然涉及了两个缺点,但在组织和连接观点方面还有待加强。例如,在提到第一个缺点时,可以更清晰地说明过于详细的计划可能导致无法完成目标和产生挫败感。在提到第二个缺点时,可以强调人们往往低估了任务可能遇到的问题和干扰。建议发言者在回答时更加注重逻辑性和条理性,以便更好地阐述观点。

5.语言使用

原文:Two example to say the drawback of making plans less helpful The first thing is to make excessively detailed or specific She used example of herself Like once he want to make the list of the day Like per every day what need to do Like for every time need to run reading, preparing of the class or even relaxing But he just find it's too detailed to finish every line So she easily got frustrated and didn't even try it after that The second part is about assuming that every task gonna go on smoothly without distraction, which is false She used another example like she was asked to review a plan Originally she wanted to do it on a weekend But eventually he found that take more time for her to finish And eventually he didn't made it

修正后:There are two examples illustrating the drawbacks of making plans less helpful. The first issue is creating excessively detailed or specific plans. The professor used her own experience as an example. Once, she wanted to make a daily list of tasks, such as allocating time for writing, preparing for classes, and even relaxing. However, she found it too detailed to complete every item on the list. As a result, she easily became frustrated and stopped trying. The second issue is about assuming that every task will proceed smoothly without distractions, which is unrealistic. She mentioned another example where she was asked to review a paper. Initially, she planned to do it over the weekend but eventually realized it would take more time than expected and couldn't finish it. (修正了语法错误,改进了句子结构和词汇使用,使回答更自然流畅。)

修正后的回答(140字):

There are two examples illustrating the drawbacks of making plans less helpful. The first issue is creating excessively detailed or specific plans. The professor used her own experience as an example, where she found it too detailed to complete every item on the list, leading to frustration and giving up. The second issue is about assuming that every task will proceed smoothly without distractions, which is unrealistic. She mentioned another example where she was asked to review a paper but couldn't finish it due to unexpected time constraints and interruptions.

6.思维导图


- Drawbacks of Planning
  - Excessively Detailed Plans
    - Professor's example
    - Frustration
    - Giving up
  - Unrealistic Assumptions
    - Smooth progress
    - Distractions
    - Professor's paper review example
    - Time constraints and interruptions

7.关键词

WordsPhonetic SymbolsParts of SpeechEnglish definitionsSimplified Chinese translationsSample sentences
Excessive/ɪkˈsɛsɪv/AdjectiveMore than is necessary, normal, or desirable过多的,过分的Excessive planning can lead to frustration when we are unable to complete all the tasks.
Frustration/frʌˈstreɪʃən/NounThe feeling of being upset or annoyed挫败感,沮丧She felt frustration when she couldn't finish her detailed plan, which affected her motivation.
Unrealistic/ˌʌnrɪˈælɪstɪk/AdjectiveNot realistic or practical不切实际的Assuming that tasks will proceed without any distractions is unrealistic and can lead to failure.
Distraction/dɪˈstrækʃən/NounSomething that prevents concentration分心的事物,干扰Distractions, such as unexpected events or interruptions, can hinder the completion of a task.
Time constraint/taɪm kənˈstreɪnt/NounA limitation or restriction on the time时间限制Due to time constraints, she couldn't finish reviewing the paper and had to ask for an extension.
3

User Sample #3

Score
23

Evaluation Result

1.子项得分

  • 交付 (Delivery): 3

  • 语言使用 (Language Use): 3

  • 话题发展 (Topic Development): 3

2.预估分数

  • 总分: 23

3.表达 从交付方面来看,发言者的语音清晰,语速基本稳定,偶尔有停顿。为了提高表达能力,可以注意以下几点:1) 在适当的地方加入适当的停顿,以便让听众更好地理解你的观点;2) 注意发音的准确性,避免因发音不准确而导致拼写错误。练习这些方面会使你的表达更加流利和自然。

4.话题发展 从话题发展方面来看,发言者提供了一个连贯且组织良好的回答,并在回答中明确地使用了讲座中的观点和例子。为了进一步提高话题发展能力,可以注意以下几点:1) 在引用讲座中的例子时,尽量详细地描述这些例子,以便更好地支持你的观点;2) 在回答中使用更多的连接词(如“然而”、“因此”等),以便更清晰地表达观点之间的关系。通过改进这些方面,你的话题发展能力将得到提高。

5.语言使用

Original Answer: Lectured professor talk us about the two problems of planning. The professor discussed two drawbacks of planning. (将“Lectured professor talk us about”修改为“The professor discussed”,使句子更自然。) The first one is planning excessively or saying too specific to complete all the tasks. The first drawback is excessively detailed planning, making it difficult to complete all tasks. (将原句重新组织,使其更清晰。) She used the example of herself to illustrate that. Last year, she wanted to make a very specific plans and plan like planning every time, spending on reading, planning class, or even exercising, but it was too detailed. She didn't even finish all the tasks every day. So eventually, she got very frustrated and did not even try it any time after that. Second problem is to always assume that everything's going to be smooth without disruptions. Well, she used another example like she was asked to review a paper, and she planned to do it on weekend, but everything jumped up, and she didn't manage to finish the reading and have to ask for extra time.

Revised Answer (140 words):

The professor discussed two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback is excessively detailed planning, making it difficult to complete all tasks. She illustrated this with a personal example: last year, she created a highly specific plan outlining her daily activities such as reading, preparing for classes, and exercising. However, the plan was too detailed and she couldn't finish all tasks each day. This led her to become frustrated and eventually stop trying. The second drawback is the assumption that everything will go smoothly without disruptions. She provided another example where she agreed to review a colleague's paper over the weekend, expecting it to take only a couple of hours. However, unforeseen issues arose, and she couldn't finish the review, ultimately needing more time.

6.思维导图


- Drawbacks of Planning
  - Excessively Detailed Planning
    - Personal Example
      - Daily Activities
      - Too Detailed
      - Frustration
  - Assuming Smooth Progress
    - Reviewing Colleague's Paper Example
      - Weekend Plan
      - Unforeseen Issues
      - Needing More Time

7.关键词

WordsPhonetic SymbolsParts of SpeechEnglish definitionsSimplified Chinese translationsSample sentences
drawback/ˈdrɔːbæk/nouna disadvantage or problem缺点,不利条件One major drawback of excessive planning is that it can lead to frustration and decreased productivity.
excessively/ɪkˈsɛsɪvli/adverbto an extreme degree过分地,过度地Planning excessively detailed schedules can make it difficult to complete all tasks.
assumption/əˈsʌm(p)ʃ(ə)n/nounsomething that is accepted as true假设,设想The assumption that everything will go smoothly can cause problems when disruptions occur.
unforeseen/ˌʌnfɔrˈsiːn/adjectivenot anticipated or predicted未预见到的,意料之外的Unforeseen issues arose during the project, causing delays in its completion.
frustration/frʌˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/nounthe feeling of being upset or annoyed沮丧,挫败感The frustration caused by not completing tasks can lead to a decrease in motivation and productivity.
4

User Sample #4

Score
23

Evaluation Result

1.子项得分

  • 交付:3

  • 语言使用:3

  • 话题发展:3

2.预估分数

  • 总分:23

3.表达 回答中的语言表达较为清晰,但仍有部分不够流畅的地方。建议在练习时注意提高语速和减少不必要的停顿。同时,注意正确发音,以避免拼写错误。

4.话题发展 回答内容基本上涵盖了听力材料中的两个缺点,但在组织结构和连接思路方面还有待加强。建议在练习时注意使用恰当的过渡词汇,使回答更加连贯。同时,尝试使用更多具体的例子来支持论点,以提高话题发展的质量。

5.语言使用

原文:The lecture talks about two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback is about planning excessively. There are always too many specific yet detailed plans. The professor sets too many goals, and she always misses goals, so she will feel frustrated. At the beginning, she always gets really organized for how much time to prepare, such as for reading, taking classes, and doing some exercise, but every day he didn't do all these on the list. It was discouraging. Another drawback is about people usually assume their programs mostly without interruption. A month ago, the professor's colleague gave her a task about reviewing a paper. She thinks it just takes a little while and little hours, but after he started, he found there are always some familiar topics, and two hours later, she still wasn't done, so he told his colleague that she needs more time.

修正后:The lecture discusses two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback involves excessive planning with too many specific and detailed plans. The professor sets numerous goals and often fails to achieve them, leading to frustration. Initially, she organizes her time for various tasks like reading, attending classes, and exercising; however, she cannot complete all of them daily. This situation is discouraging. The second drawback is that people usually assume their projects will proceed without interruptions. A month ago, the professor's colleague asked her to review a paper. She thought it would take only a short time and a few hours; however, after starting the task, she discovered unfamiliar topics that required more research. Two hours later, she still hadn't finished the review and had to request more time from her colleague.(在这个修正后的版本中,我们使用了更自然的语言表达,同时纠正了一些语法错误和不恰当的词汇。)

建议与解释:(将“talks about”改为“discusses”,使表达更准确;将“is about planning excessively”改为“involves excessive planning”,使句子结构更清晰;将“there are always too many specific yet detailed plans”改为“with too many specific and detailed plans”,使句子更简洁;将“and she always misses goals”改为“and often fails to achieve them”,使表达更自然;将“he didn't do all these on the list”改为“she cannot complete all of them daily”,纠正了代词错误并使句子更通顺;将“people usually assume their programs mostly without interruption”改为“people usually assume their projects will proceed without interruptions”,使句子结构更清晰;将“she thinks it just takes a little while and little hours”改为“She thought it would take only a short time and a few hours”,使表达更自然;将“he found there are always some familiar topics”改为“she discovered unfamiliar topics that required more research”,纠正了代词错误并使句子更通顺。)

修订版(140字):

The lecture discusses two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback involves excessive planning with too many specific and detailed plans, leading to unachieved goals and frustration. Initially, the professor organizes her time for various tasks but cannot complete them daily, which is discouraging. The second drawback is that people usually assume their projects will proceed without interruptions. A month ago, the professor's colleague asked her to review a paper, thinking it would take a short time. However, she discovered unfamiliar topics that required more research and, after two hours, still hadn't finished the review, needing more time from her colleague.

6.思维导图


- Drawbacks of Planning
    - Excessive Planning
        - Too many specific and detailed plans
        - Unachieved goals
        - Frustration
    - Assuming Projects Without Interruptions
        - Underestimating time required
        - Unfamiliar topics
        - Requesting more time from colleagues

7.关键词

WordsPhonetic SymbolsParts of SpeechEnglish definitionsSimplified Chinese translationsSample sentences
Excessive/ɪkˈsɛsɪv/AdjectiveMore than is necessary, normal, or desirable过多的,过分的Excessive planning can lead to unachieved goals and frustration.
Frustration/frʌˈstreɪʃən/NounThe feeling of being upset or annoyed沮丧,挫败感The professor experienced frustration when she couldn't complete her daily tasks.
Interruption/ˌɪntəˈrʌpʃən/NounA break in the continuity of something中断,干扰People often underestimate the impact of interruptions on their projects.
Underestimate/ˌʌndərˈɛstɪmeɪt/VerbTo judge something to be smaller than it is低估,看轻The professor underestimated the time required to review her colleague's paper.
Unfamiliar/ˌʌnfəˈmɪliər/AdjectiveNot known or recognized不熟悉的,陌生的She encountered unfamiliar topics while reviewing the paper, which required additional research.
5

User Sample #5

Score
19

Evaluation Result

1.子项得分

  • 交付 (Delivery): 2.5

  • 语言使用 (Language Use): 2.5

  • 主题发展 (Topic Development): 2.5

2.预估分数

  • 总分: 19

3.表达 从交付方面来看,发言者的语速较快,间歇较多。建议发言者在练习时尝试放慢语速,并减少不必要的停顿。此外,注意正确发音以避免拼写错误。

4.话题发展 从话题发展方面来看,发言者提到了两个计划的缺点,但在解释和举例方面略显简单。建议在解释缺点时更详细地描述原因,并在举例时提供更具体的信息以支持观点。同时,注意保持回答的连贯性和组织性。

5.语言使用

原文:Well, the lecture explains the two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback is planning excessively. People always miss their goals, so they will feel frustrated. The lecture takes the professor himself for example. He really organized his time, such as reading, taking classes, and exercising, but in this way he did not complete these things, so he felt so discouraged. Another drawback is about auto-interruption. He checked himself for example. A month ago, he read a newspaper. He always took time for a while or many hours, but after he started to read, he found some similar topics, so he didn't review, and last year he had so much time to read it.

修改后:In the lecture, the professor discusses two drawbacks of planning. The first drawback is excessive planning which often leads to people missing their goals and feeling frustrated. The professor uses her own experience as an example where she tried to organize her time for various activities like reading, preparing for classes, and exercising but failed to complete them all and felt discouraged. The second drawback is underestimating interruptions in a plan. She provides another example where she planned to review a colleague's paper over the weekend but encountered unexpected issues like unfamiliar topics and her son getting sick which prevented her from finishing the review on time. (修改了表达方式,使句子更自然流畅,同时修正了一些语法错误和词汇问题。)

修订版(140词):

In the lecture, the professor discusses two significant drawbacks of planning that can hinder one's progress. Firstly, excessive planning can lead to unattainable goals and subsequent frustration. The professor shares her personal experience of attempting to organize her daily activities, such as reading, preparing for classes, and exercising. However, she was unable to complete all tasks and felt discouraged. Secondly, people often underestimate potential interruptions in their plans. The professor provides an example of when she intended to review a colleague's paper over the weekend. She encountered unexpected issues, such as unfamiliar topics that required additional research and her son falling ill, which prevented her from completing the review on time. These examples illustrate the importance of being aware of the potential drawbacks of planning and adjusting one's approach accordingly to achieve success.

6.思维导图


- Drawbacks of Planning
  - Excessive Planning
    - Missing goals
    - Feeling frustrated
    - Professor's personal experience
  - Underestimating Interruptions
    - Unexpected issues
    - Professor's example (reviewing a paper)
    - Unfamiliar topics and son getting sick

7.关键词

WordsPhonetic SymbolsParts of SpeechEnglish definitionsSimplified Chinese translationsSample sentences
Excessive/ɪkˈsɛsɪv/adjectiveMore than is necessary, normal, or desirable过多的,过分的Excessive planning can lead to unattainable goals and frustration.
Underestimate/ˌʌndərˈɛstɪmeɪt/verbTo judge something to be smaller or less important than it actually is低估People often underestimate potential interruptions in their plans.
Interruption/ˌɪntəˈrʌpʃən/nounAn act of stopping something for a short time中断,打断The professor encountered unexpected interruptions while reviewing her colleague's paper.
Discouraged/dɪˈskʌrɪdʒd/adjectiveHaving lost confidence or enthusiasm; disheartened气馁的,泄气的The professor felt discouraged when she failed to complete all her planned tasks.
Unattainable/ˌʌnəˈteɪnəbəl/adjectiveNot able to be reached or achieved难以达到的,无法实现的Setting unattainable goals can result in frustration and a lack of progress.

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