TOEFL TPO 47 Writing Task 1 Sample: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose the specific points made in the reading passage.
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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
Reading Passage
Pterosaurs were an ancient group of winged reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs. Many pterosaurs were very large, some as large as a giraffe and with a wingspan of over 12 meters. Paleontologists have long wondered whether large pterosaurs were capable of powered flight (flying by flapping their wings) or whether they were able only to glide. Several arguments have been made against powered flight.Doubters point out that since modern reptiles are cold-blooded, ancient reptiles such as pterosaurs were probably cold-blooded as well. Cold-blooded animals typically have a slow metabolism and are unable to produce a lot of energy. Powered flight is an activity requiring a lot of energy, which is why all modern vertebrates that fly are warm-blooded, not cold-blooded. It seemed unlikely that pterosaurs would have been able to generate the energy needed to fly.Second, there is a limit to the weight of animals that can be kept airborne by powered flight. Pterosaurs that were as large as a giraffe were probably so heavy that they would not have been able to flap their wings fast enough to stay aloft for any length of time.Third, all animals with powered flight are able to take off from the ground. For example, birds take off by jumping from their legs or running to gain speed and then jumping. But these methods would not have worked for large pterosaurs. Large pterosaurs would have needed big, powerful muscles in their back legs to launch themselves into the air, and we know from fossilized bones that their back leg muscles were too small and weak to allow the pterosaurs to run fast enough or jump high enough to launch themselves into the air.
Question
Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose the specific points made in the reading passage.
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
In the reading material, the author cites three points to support that Pterosuars are not capable of powered flight. Nevertheless, the lecture in the listening material argues that Pterosuars can power flight and opposes the points in the reading material. First and foremost, the author argues that Pterosuars were probably cold-blooded that they could not able to produce enough energy to fly. However, there has fossil evidence illustrates that Pterosuars have dense hair-like covering which can help them retain body temperature. This evidence means Pterosuars may be warm-blooded. Therefore they have the ability to generate enough energy to power flight. Additionally, the writer contends that Pterosuars were so heavy that they would not have been able to fly in the air for a long time. The professor challenges this opinion, explaining that the bones of Pterosuars were hollow instead of solid. Although they have a large body frame, their weight is low enough for them to flap their wings to stay aloft for a long time. Lastly, the reading passage asserts that the back leg muscles of Pterosuars were too weak and small to support them to gain enough height and speed to launch themselves into the air. The lecture refuses this idea by pointing out that unlike birds who use two hind legs to walk, Pterosuars use four legs. Pterosuars can use four limbs to push off the ground which allows them to launch into the air.
Evaluation Result
1.子项得分 任务完成度:4 组织:4 连贯性和衔接:4 语言使用:3
2.预估分数
25. 3.任务完成度
总体来说,你的文章在完成任务方面做得很好。你成功地总结了听力材料中的观点,并解释了它们是如何反驳阅读材料中的观点的。然而,为了更好地完成任务,你可以尝试在引入听力材料中的观点时更加详细地描述它们。这将有助于使你的论证更加具有说服力。
示例1: 原文:However, there has fossil evidence illustrates that Pterosuars have dense hair-like covering which can help them retain body temperature. 改进后:However, the lecturer mentions that recent fossil evidence shows that Pterosaurs had a dense, hair-like covering, which is typical of warm-blooded animals as it helps them maintain a high body temperature in cold conditions.
示例2: 原文:The professor challenges this opinion, explaining that the bones of Pterosuars were hollow instead of solid. 改进后:The professor challenges this opinion by stating that recent research has revealed that Pterosaurs had anatomical features such as hollow bones instead of solid ones, making them unusually light for their size.
4.文章结构与组织 你的文章结构清晰,包括引言、主体和结论。每个段落都集中讨论了一个特定的观点和支持细节。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加连贯。
建议1:在引言部分,可以使用一些过渡词,如“首先”、“其次”和“最后”,以更清晰地指出你将讨论的三个主要观点。
示例: 原文:Nevertheless, the lecture in the listening material argues that Pterosuars can power flight and opposes the points in the reading material. 改进后:Nevertheless, the lecture in the listening material argues that Pterosaurs were capable of powered flight and opposes the points in the reading material by addressing three main aspects: metabolism, weight, and takeoff.
建议2:在主体段落中,可以使用一些过渡词或短语,如“此外”、“相反地”和“然而”,以使不同观点之间的衔接更加自然。
示例: 原文:The professor challenges this opinion, explaining that the bones of Pterosuars were hollow instead of solid. 改进后:In contrast, the professor challenges this opinion by explaining that the bones of Pterosaurs were hollow instead of solid.
5. Grammar
In the reading material, the author cites three points to support that PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) are not capable of powered flight. Nevertheless, the lecture in the listening material argues that PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) can power flight and opposes the points in the reading material.
First and foremost, the author argues that PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) were probably cold-blooded that they could not able to produce enough energy to fly. However, there has fossil evidence illustrates that PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) have dense hair-like covering which can help them retain body temperature. This evidence means PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) may be warm-blooded. ThereforeTherefore,(Commas after conjunctive/linking adverbs in front of a new sentence.) they have the ability to generate enough energy to power flight.
Additionally, the writer contends that PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) were so heavy that they would not have been able to fly in the air for a long time. The professor challenges this opinion, explaining that the bones of PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) were hollow instead of solid. Although they have a large body frame, their weight is low enough for them to flap their wings to stay aloft for a long time.
Lastly, the reading passage asserts that the back leg muscles of PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) were too weak and small to support them to gain enough height and speed to launch themselves into the air. The lecture refuses this idea by pointing out that unlike birds who use two hind legs to walk, PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) use four legs. PterosuarsPterosaurs(misspelling) can use four limbs to push off the ground which allows them to launch into the air.
Section Title: 6.文章修订
In the reading material, the author cites three points to support the notion that Pterosaurs were incapable of powered flight. Nevertheless, the lecture in the listening material argues that Pterosaurs could indeed achieve powered flight and opposes the points made in the reading material.
First and foremost, the author argues that Pterosaurs were probably cold-blooded, which would prevent them from producing enough energy to fly. However, recent fossil evidence illustrates that Pterosaurs had a dense hair-like covering which could help them retain body temperature. This evidence suggests that Pterosaurs may have been warm-blooded, thus possessing the ability to generate sufficient energy for powered flight.
Additionally, the writer contends that Pterosaurs were so heavy that they would not have been able to sustain flight for extended periods. The professor challenges this opinion by explaining that Pterosaur bones were hollow instead of solid. Although they had large body frames, their weight was low enough for them to flap their wings and stay aloft for a considerable duration.
Lastly, the reading passage asserts that the back leg muscles of Pterosaurs were too weak and small to support them in gaining enough height and speed to launch themselves into the air. The lecture refutes this idea by pointing out that unlike birds who use two hind legs to walk, Pterosaurs utilized all four limbs. Consequently, Pterosaurs could use all four limbs to push off from the ground, allowing them to successfully launch into the air. (244 words)
In the reading material, the author cites three points to support that Pterosuars are not capable the notion that Pterosaurs were incapable of powered flight. flight (changed "not capable" to "incapable" for a more natural tone). Nevertheless, the lecture in the listening material argues that Pterosuars can Pterosaurs could indeed achieve powered flight (rephrased "can power flight flight" to "could indeed achieve powered flight" for clarity) and opposes the points made in the reading material.
First and foremost, the author argues that Pterosuars Pterosaurs were probably cold-blooded that cold-blooded, which would prevent them from producing enough energy to fly (rephrased "that they could not able to produce enough energy to fly. fly" for better sentence structure). However, there has recent fossil evidence illustrates that Pterosuars have Pterosaurs had a dense hair-like covering which can could help them retain body temperature. This evidence means Pterosuars suggests that Pterosaurs may have been warm-blooded (changed "may be warm-blooded. Therefore they warm-blooded" to "may have been warm-blooded" for consistency), thus possessing the ability to generate enough sufficient energy to power for powered flight.
Additionally, the writer contends that Pterosuars Pterosaurs were so heavy that they would not have been able to fly sustain flight for extended periods (rephrased "fly in the air for a long time. time" for clarity). The professor challenges this opinion, opinion by explaining that the Pterosaur bones of Pterosuars were hollow instead of solid. Although they have a had large body frame, frames, their weight is was low enough for them to flap their wings to and stay aloft for a considerable duration (rephrased "stay aloft for a long time. time" for better word choice).
Lastly, the reading passage asserts that the back leg muscles of Pterosuars Pterosaurs were too weak and small to support them to gain in gaining enough height and speed to launch themselves into the air. air (rephrased "to support them to gain enough height and speed"). The lecture refuses refutes this idea by pointing out that unlike birds who use two hind legs to walk, Pterosuars use four legs. Pterosuars can use Pterosaurs utilized all four limbs (changed "use" to "utilized" for consistency). Consequently, Pterosaurs could use all four limbs to push off the ground which allows them to from the ground, allowing them to successfully launch into the air.air (rephrased "which allows them to launch into the air" for better sentence structure).
8. Mind Map
1. Introduction
- Reading material's argument
- Lecture's counterargument
2. Warm-blooded vs Cold-blooded
- Reading: Pterosaurs were cold-blooded, couldn't produce enough energy for flight
- Lecture: Fossil evidence of hair-like covering, possibly warm-blooded
3. Weight and Flight
- Reading: Pterosaurs were too heavy to sustain flight
- Lecture: Hollow bones, lightweight for extended flight
4. Leg Muscles and Launching
- Reading: Weak back leg muscles, couldn't gain enough height or speed for flight
- Lecture: Used all four limbs for launching, successful takeoff
5. Conclusion
- Summarize lecture's counterarguments against reading material's points
9. Keywords
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English Definition | Simplified Chinese Translation | Sample Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pterosaur | /tɛrəˌsɔr/ | Noun | An extinct flying reptile from the Mesozoic era | 翼龙 | The fossil remains of a pterosaur were discovered in the desert. |
| Powered flight | /ˈpaʊərd flaɪt/ | Noun | Flight sustained by the flapping of wings | 有动力飞行 | Birds and bats are examples of animals capable of powered flight. |
| Warm-blooded | /wɔrmˈblʌdɪd/ | Adjective | Having a relatively constant body temperature | 恒温的 | Mammals are warm-blooded animals that can maintain their body temperature in different environments. |
| Hollow | /ˈhɒloʊ/ | Adjective | Having a cavity or space inside | 空心的 | The bird's hollow bones allow it to fly with ease. |
| Aloft | /əˈlɔft/ | Adverb | In the air, especially at a high altitude | 在空中 | The eagle soared aloft, scanning the ground for prey. |
| Hind | /haɪnd/ | Adjective | At the back; rear | 后面的 | The dog injured its hind leg while playing in the park. |
| Limb | /lɪm/ | Noun | An arm, leg, or wing of an animal | 肢体 | The monkey used its limbs to swing from tree to tree. |
| Launch | /lɔntʃ/ | Verb | To propel with force | 发射 | The rocket was launched into space successfully. |
| Retain | /rɪˈteɪn/ | Verb | To keep or hold | 保持 | The thermos is designed to retain heat and keep beverages warm for hours. |
| Fossil evidence | /ˈfɒsəl ˈɛvədəns/ | Noun | The remains of prehistoric organisms preserved in rock | 化石证据 | Fossil evidence has provided valuable insights into the lives of dinosaurs. |
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