TOEFL TPO -1 Writing Task 1 Sample: Spartacus, the rebel leader who fought against the Romans with an army of fellow escaped slaves, is one of the most famous figures in ancient Roman history. Spartacus led his men against their Roman oppressors and managed to defeat the Roman army in several battles. Eventually Spartacus and his army were defeated and put to death. To this day, Spartacus fascinates both historians and the general public. Several aspects about his story have made him a particularly appealing hero.First, Spartacus’ original goal in his conflict against Rome is one everyone can empathize with—he wanted to return home. Spartacus and his men had been taken by the Romans from faraway lands. In fighting the Romans, Spartacus and his men initially sought to return to the homelands from which they had been uprooted. Spartacus and his men’s desire to return home is one we can all appreciate.Second, Spartacus’ initial success in fighting against the powerful Roman army has earned him the admiration people feel when someone who is overmatched triumphs through sheer skill. Spartacus and his men formed a relatively small, ill-equipped army; the Roman army, in contrast, was large, well-financed, and highly trained. Spartacus’ ability to seriously trouble the Romans on the battlefield testifies to his military brilliance, making him a hero in most people’s eyes.Third, in fighting against Rome, Spartacus sought to liberate all Roman slaves and thus commanded respect as an early human rights advocate. Before his final battle with the Romans, Spartacus was sent an offer by a Roman general: if Spartacus would stop fighting, he would be made a Roman senator, a member of Rome’s powerful elite, and his men would be freed. However, Spartacus rejected this offer because it would have left the institution of slavery in place.
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Task Overview
Reading Passage
Spartacus, the rebel leader who fought against the Romans with an army of fellow escaped slaves, is one of the most famous figures in ancient Roman history. Spartacus led his men against their Roman oppressors and managed to defeat the Roman army in several battles. Eventually Spartacus and his army were defeated and put to death. To this day, Spartacus fascinates both historians and the general public. Several aspects about his story have made him a particularly appealing hero.First, Spartacus’ original goal in his conflict against Rome is one everyone can empathize with—he wanted to return home. Spartacus and his men had been taken by the Romans from faraway lands. In fighting the Romans, Spartacus and his men initially sought to return to the homelands from which they had been uprooted. Spartacus and his men’s desire to return home is one we can all appreciate.Second, Spartacus’ initial success in fighting against the powerful Roman army has earned him the admiration people feel when someone who is overmatched triumphs through sheer skill. Spartacus and his men formed a relatively small, ill-equipped army; the Roman army, in contrast, was large, well-financed, and highly trained. Spartacus’ ability to seriously trouble the Romans on the battlefield testifies to his military brilliance, making him a hero in most people’s eyes.Third, in fighting against Rome, Spartacus sought to liberate all Roman slaves and thus commanded respect as an early human rights advocate. Before his final battle with the Romans, Spartacus was sent an offer by a Roman general: if Spartacus would stop fighting, he would be made a Roman senator, a member of Rome’s powerful elite, and his men would be freed. However, Spartacus rejected this offer because it would have left the institution of slavery in place.
Question
Spartacus, the rebel leader who fought against the Romans with an army of fellow escaped slaves, is one of the most famous figures in ancient Roman history. Spartacus led his men against their Roman oppressors and managed to defeat the Roman army in several battles. Eventually Spartacus and his army were defeated and put to death. To this day, Spartacus fascinates both historians and the general public. Several aspects about his story have made him a particularly appealing hero.First, Spartacus’ original goal in his conflict against Rome is one everyone can empathize with—he wanted to return home. Spartacus and his men had been taken by the Romans from faraway lands. In fighting the Romans, Spartacus and his men initially sought to return to the homelands from which they had been uprooted. Spartacus and his men’s desire to return home is one we can all appreciate.Second, Spartacus’ initial success in fighting against the powerful Roman army has earned him the admiration people feel when someone who is overmatched triumphs through sheer skill. Spartacus and his men formed a relatively small, ill-equipped army; the Roman army, in contrast, was large, well-financed, and highly trained. Spartacus’ ability to seriously trouble the Romans on the battlefield testifies to his military brilliance, making him a hero in most people’s eyes.Third, in fighting against Rome, Spartacus sought to liberate all Roman slaves and thus commanded respect as an early human rights advocate. Before his final battle with the Romans, Spartacus was sent an offer by a Roman general: if Spartacus would stop fighting, he would be made a Roman senator, a member of Rome’s powerful elite, and his men would be freed. However, Spartacus rejected this offer because it would have left the institution of slavery in place.
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
The lecture seems to contradict the argument made in the reading material. According to the passage, Spartacus is portrayed as a highly appealing hero. However, the professor asserts that many stories about Spartacus' life are not historically accurate. The information presented in the reading is based on these inaccurate stories. Firstly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus and his men were solely focused on returning to their homes. On the other hand, the professor in the lecture argues that Spartacus and his men had goals beyond just going back home. The initial battles, in which Spartacus' army defeated the Roman army, provided an opportunity for them to escape Roman territory. However, they did not take advantage of this chance. Instead, Spartacus' men chose to march towards Rome. It is likely that they aimed to conquer the city and seize valuable possessions from the Romans. This indicates that Spartacus was not solely driven by the desire to return home; he was also motivated by revenge and wealth, which are considered less admirable goals. Secondly, the reading passage asserts that Spartacus possessed exceptional military skills. Conversely, the professor argues that Spartacus may not have been a military genius despite winning a few battles. The reason for this is that initially, the Romans did not take Spartacus and his army seriously, sending poorly trained and ill-equipped units to suppress the revolt. It was these weak units that Spartacus defeated. When the Roman army eventually sent their best soldiers, Spartacus was swiftly defeated, suggesting that he was not a brilliant military leader. Lastly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus fought to emancipate all Roman slaves. However, the professor disagrees and points out that this story lacks historical evidence. The origins of this narrative can be traced back to eighteenth-century Europe, a time when slavery was widely practiced but also faced opposition from the anti-slavery movement. Members of this movement sought an inspirational hero from ancient times and believed Spartacus fit the role. Consequently, an eighteenth-century playwright wrote a play depicting Spartacus as a champion of slave liberation. However, this story was merely a fictional creation for artistic inspiration, not a historical truth.
Evaluation Result
1.子项得分 任务完成度:5 组织:4 连贯与衔接:4 语言使用:4
2.预估分数
27. 3.任务完成度
整体来说,你的文章很好地完成了任务要求。你成功地总结了阅读材料和听力材料中的主要观点,并指出了它们之间的矛盾。然而,为了更好地完成任务,你可以尝试在引用听力材料时使用更多的具体细节和例子来支持你的论点。
示例1: 原文:“Instead, Spartacus' men chose to march towards Rome.” 改进:“Instead, Spartacus' men chose to march towards Rome, indicating that they were more interested in conquering the city and seizing valuable possessions from the Romans.”
示例2: 原文:“However, this story was merely a fictional creation for artistic inspiration, not a historical truth.” 改进:“However, this story was merely a fictional creation for artistic inspiration by the playwright, not a historical truth supported by evidence.”
4.文章结构与组织 你的文章结构清晰,包括引言、正文和结论。每个段落都集中讨论一个特定的观点,并提供支持细节。然而,在段落之间加入更明确的过渡词或短语可以使文章更连贯。
建议1: 在不同段落之间使用过渡词或短语,如“首先”,“其次”,“最后”,以帮助引导读者理解你的论点顺序。
示例1: 原文:“Firstly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus and his men were solely focused on returning to their homes.” 改进:“首先,阅读材料暗示斯巴达克和他的士兵们只关注回家。”
建议2: 在正文段落之间使用衔接词,如“然而”或“相反”,以突出阅读和听力材料之间的对比。
示例2: 原文:“Secondly, the reading passage asserts that Spartacus possessed exceptional military skills.” 改进:“然而,阅读材料声称斯巴达克具有非凡的军事技能。”
5. 语法批改
The lecture seems to contradict the argument made in the reading material. According to the passage, Spartacus is portrayed as a highly appealing hero. However, the professor asserts that many stories about Spartacus' life are not historically accurate. The information presented in the reading is based on these inaccurate stories.
Firstly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus and his men were solely focused on returning to their homes. On the other hand, the professor in the lecture argues that Spartacus and his men had goals beyond just going back home. The initial battles, in which Spartacus' army defeated the Roman army, provided an opportunity for them to escape Roman territory. However, they did not take advantage of this chance. Instead, Spartacus' men chose to march towards Rome. It is likely that they aimed to conquer the city and seize valuable possessions from the Romans. This indicates that Spartacus was not solely driven by the desire to return home; he was also motivated by revenge and wealth, which are considered less admirable goals.
Secondly, the reading passage asserts that Spartacus possessed exceptional military skills. Conversely, the professor argues that Spartacus may not have been a military genius despite winning a few battles. The reason for this is that initially, the Romans did not take Spartacus and his army seriously, sending poorly trained and ill-equipped units to suppress the revolt. It was these weak units that Spartacus defeated. When the Roman army eventually sent their best soldiers, Spartacus was swiftly defeated, suggesting that he was not a brilliant military leader.
Lastly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus fought to emancipate all Roman slaves. However, the professor disagrees and points out that this story lacks historical evidence. The origins of this narrative can be traced back to eighteenth-century Europe, a time when slavery was widely practiced but also faced opposition from the anti-slavery movement. Members of this movement sought an inspirational hero from ancient times and believed Spartacus fit the role. Consequently, an eighteenth-century playwright wrote a play depicting Spartacus as a champion of slave liberation. However, this story was merely a fictional creation for artistic inspiration, not a historical truth.
Section Title: 6.文章修订
The lecture seems to contradict the argument made in the reading material. According to the passage, Spartacus is portrayed as a highly appealing hero. However, the professor asserts that many stories about Spartacus' life are not historically accurate. The information presented in the reading is based on these inaccurate stories.
Firstly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus and his men were solely focused on returning to their homes. On the other hand, the professor in the lecture argues that Spartacus and his men had goals beyond just going back home. The initial battles, in which Spartacus' army defeated the Roman army, provided an opportunity for them to escape Roman territory. However, they did not take advantage of this chance. Instead, Spartacus' men chose to march towards Rome. It is likely that they aimed to conquer the city and seize valuable possessions from the Romans. This indicates that Spartacus was not solely driven by the desire to return home; he was also motivated by revenge and wealth, which are considered less admirable goals.
Secondly, the reading passage asserts that Spartacus possessed exceptional military skills. Conversely, the professor argues that Spartacus may not have been a military genius despite winning a few battles. The reason for this is that initially, the Romans did not take Spartacus and his army seriously, sending poorly trained and ill-equipped units to suppress the revolt. It was these weak units that Spartacus defeated. When the Roman army eventually sent their best soldiers, Spartacus was swiftly defeated, suggesting that he was not a brilliant military leader.
Lastly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus fought to emancipate all Roman slaves. However, the professor disagrees and points out that this story lacks historical evidence. The origins of this narrative can be traced back to eighteenth-century Europe, a time when slavery was widely practiced but also faced opposition from anti-slavery movements. Members of this movement sought an inspirational hero from ancient times and believed Spartacus fit the role. Consequently, an eighteenth-century playwright wrote a play depicting Spartacus as a champion of slave liberation. However, this story was merely a fictional creation for artistic inspiration, not a historical truth. (360 words)
Revised essay: Section Title: 7. Essay Revision
The lecture seems to contradict the argument made in the reading material. According to the passage, Spartacus is portrayed as a highly appealing hero. However, the professor asserts that many stories about Spartacus' life are not historically accurate. The information presented in the reading is based on these inaccurate stories.
Firstly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus and his men were solely focused on returning to their homes. On the other hand, the professor in the lecture argues that Spartacus and his men had goals beyond just going back home. home (clarifying that their goals were not limited to returning home). The initial battles, in which Spartacus' army defeated the Roman army, provided an opportunity for them to escape Roman territory. However, they did not take advantage of this chance. chance (emphasizing their decision not to leave). Instead, Spartacus' men chose to march towards Rome. It is likely that they aimed to conquer the city and seize valuable possessions from the Romans. Romans (providing a possible motivation for their actions). This indicates that Spartacus was not solely driven by the desire to return home; he was also motivated by revenge and wealth, which are considered less admirable goals.
Secondly, the reading passage asserts that Spartacus possessed exceptional military skills. Conversely, the professor argues that Spartacus may not have been a military genius despite winning a few battles. battles (presenting an alternative perspective on his abilities). The reason for this is that initially, the Romans did not take Spartacus and his army seriously, sending poorly trained and ill-equipped units to suppress the revolt. revolt (explaining why they were able to win some battles). It was these weak units that Spartacus defeated. When the Roman army eventually sent their best soldiers, Spartacus was swiftly defeated, defeated (highlighting his limitations as a military leader), suggesting that he was not a brilliant military leader.
Lastly, the reading passage suggests that Spartacus fought to emancipate all Roman slaves. However, the professor disagrees and points out that this story lacks historical evidence. evidence (challenging the accuracy of this claim). The origins of this narrative can be traced back to eighteenth-century Europe, a time when slavery was widely practiced but also faced opposition from the anti-slavery movement. movements (providing context for the development of this story). Members of this movement sought an inspirational hero from ancient times and believed Spartacus fit the role. role (explaining their motivation for choosing him). Consequently, an eighteenth-century playwright wrote a play depicting Spartacus as a champion of slave liberation. liberation (showing how the story became popularized). However, this story was merely a fictional creation for artistic inspiration, not a historical truth.truth (emphasizing its lack of factual basis).
8. Mind Map
1. Introduction
- Contradiction between reading and lecture
2. Returning Home vs. Revenge and Wealth
- Reading: Spartacus' goal was to return home
- Lecture: Spartacus had other goals, such as revenge and wealth
3. Military Skills
- Reading: Spartacus was a military genius
- Lecture: Spartacus may not have been as skilled as portrayed, defeated weak Roman units initially
4. Emancipation of Slaves
- Reading: Spartacus fought for slave liberation
- Lecture: No historical evidence, story originated in 18th-century Europe for artistic inspiration
5. Conclusion
- Discrepancies between reading and lecture regarding Spartacus' motives, skills, and goals.
9. Keywords
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English Definition | Simplified Chinese Translation | Sample Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contradict | /kənˈtrædɪkt/ | Verb | To assert the opposite of a statement or idea | 矛盾 | The professor's lecture contradicts the information presented in the reading material. |
| Emancipate | /ɪˈmænsɪpeɪt/ | Verb | To free from restraint or control | 解放 | The reading passage suggests that Spartacus fought to emancipate all Roman slaves. |
| Exceptional | /ɪkˈsɛpʃənəl/ | Adjective | Unusually excellent or superior | 杰出的 | The reading passage asserts that Spartacus possessed exceptional military skills. |
| Ill-equipped | /ˌɪl ɪˈkwɪpt/ | Adjective | Poorly prepared or supplied for a situation | 装备不良的 | The Romans initially sent ill-equipped units to suppress the revolt. |
| Motive | /ˈmoʊtɪv/ | Noun | A reason for doing something | 动机 | The discrepancies between the reading and lecture regarding Spartacus' motives are significant. |
| Narrative | /ˈnærətɪv/ | Noun | A story or account of events or experiences | 叙述 | The origins of this narrative can be traced back to eighteenth-century Europe. |
| Revenge | /rɪˈvɛndʒ/ | Noun | Retaliation for an injury or wrong | 复仇 | Spartacus was motivated by revenge and wealth, which are considered less admirable goals. |
| Suppress | /səˈprɛs/ | Verb | /To put an end to forcibly; subdue | /镇压 | /The Roman army attempted to suppress the revolt led by Spartacus. |
| Swiftly | /ˈswɪftli/ | /Adverb | /Quickly; with speed | /迅速地 | /When the Roman army eventually sent their best soldiers, Spartacus was swiftly defeated. |
| Eighteenth-century | /ˌeɪˈti:nθ ˈsɛnʧəri/ | /Adjective | /Relating to the period from 1701 to 1800 | /18世纪的 | /The story of Spartacus as a champion of slave liberation can be traced back to eighteenth-century Europe. |
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