TOEFL TPO -1 Writing Task 1 Sample: We have recently read in our textbook that local or regional governments often need to reduce the amount of money budgeted in some areas in response to economic short falls. For instance, a city council may make the difficult decision to spend less on a certain public service for its residents. In your view, in what one or two areas should local or regional governments reduce spending when budget cuts are necessary? Why? My city has a lot of parks that require a lot of upkeep. If there's a need to reduce expenses, the city could make changes to the parks that make them less expensive to maintain. For example, grass lawns, which need to be cut weekly, could be replaced with other plant species that do not need to be cut frequently. Last time I went to City Hall to take care of some business. I saw a lot of employees standing around and doing nothing. I think the local government may be employing too many workers. It was just an impression I had, but l wonder if this is something that should be reviewed. • LingoLeap