TOEFL TPO 73 Writing Task 1 Sample: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt on the specific solutions proposed in the reading passage.
Historical user samples and AI evaluation results from an older TOEFL format.
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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
The yellow crazy ant is one of the world's most destructive invasive species (species that are not native to an area but rather introduced to it).It has spread to many regions of Earth and caused great damage to native ecosystems.In recent decades, the crazy ant has invaded part of a unique palm forest on one of the Seychelles Islands off the coast of Africa.Some strategies are being considered to stop the ant from spreading farther and damaging the unique ecosystem of the palm forest. One of the strategies proposed to stop the ants is to use traps containing a low concentration of chemicals that are toxic to the ants.These ant traps have been successfully used in other locations,such as an island near Australia,where up to 99 percent of the invasive ant population has been killed by traps. Another strategy would be to cut down broad-leaved trees,which are the ants favorite habitat.Broad-leaved trees host a type of insect that provides food (a sugary substance)for the yellow crazy ants.The broad-leaved trees are not native to the palm forest;they were introduced there recently.Removing the trees would not damage the palm forest ecosystem,but it would reduce the extent of the habitat preferred by the invasive ants,which might reduce their population. Finally,it has been noted that ant populations are significantly denser near areas with human activity.Recently,a sharp increase in yellow crazy ants has been observed at one edge of the palm forest where a new visitor center was built,which suggests that more ants were transported to the area with construction material used for the center and that the ants have been eating food left behind by visitors there.Limiting human activity near the palm forest could help reduce ant populations.
Question
Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt on the specific solutions proposed in the reading passage.
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
The approaches to eliminate the yellow crazy ants are the focus of both the writer and the professor. In the reading passage, three strategies are elaborated upon, including using traps, cutting down broad-leaved trees, and limiting human activities. However, the professor challenges these methods by providing counterarguments. Contrary to the reading's suggestion that utilizing traps can prevent the ants, the professor argues that it will also causes harms for the native arms. She advances her claim by saying that although these ant traps used in Australia successfully, this is because there are no native ants on the island; In contrast, there are native ants on the Seychelles Islands that they want to protect, suggesting that this method is impractical. Furthermore, the professor challenges the claim made in the reading passage that cutting down the broad-leaved trees is helpful for eliminating the ants, by examining the fact that these ants can habit in different kinds of trees, especially interest in the open areas with sunlight. She points out that, when the broad-leaved trees are removed, there is more sunlight, which means that they can find a new place they are fond of to habit. Lastly, while both the writer and the professor think that limit human activity will work out, it is important to note that according to the professor, this tactic will just work effectively for a short time but cause a serious economical problem. She claims that the incomes of the local residents depend on the tourism. If the human activities were limited, it will significantly slow down the development of the local areas. In light of the counterarguments presented by the professsor in her lecture, it becomes evident that there are still numerous problems will be caused due to the strategies mentioned above. Therefore, more feasible approaches are urgently needed.
Evaluation Result
- Sub Scores
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Task fulfillment: 4
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Organization: 4
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Coherence and Cohesion: 4
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Language Use: 3
- Estimated Scores
- TOEFL iBT Integrated Writing Task 1 Score: 25
- Task completeness The essay adequately addresses the task requirements by summarizing the points made in the lecture and explaining how they cast doubt on the solutions proposed in the reading passage. However, there is room for improvement in terms of providing more specific details from the lecture and using a wider range of vocabulary to convey ideas more effectively.
Suggestions for improvement:
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Include more specific details from the lecture to strengthen your arguments.
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Use a wider range of vocabulary to express your ideas more clearly and effectively.
Examples:
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Instead of saying "it will also cause harms for the native arms," you could say "it will also have detrimental effects on native ant species."
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Instead of saying "the incomes of the local residents depend on tourism," you could say "the livelihoods of local residents are heavily reliant on tourism revenue."
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Essay structure and organization The essay has a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion, and each paragraph focuses on a specific point with supporting details. However, there is room for improvement in terms of using clearer transitions between ideas and paragraphs.
Suggestions for improvement:
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Use clearer transitions between ideas within paragraphs.
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Make sure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that introduces its main idea.
Examples:
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To improve transitions within paragraphs, you could use phrases like "on the other hand" or "in contrast" to show contrast between two ideas.
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To introduce main ideas in each paragraph more clearly, you could use topic sentences like "Firstly, using toxic ant traps may not be an effective solution due to their potential harm to native ant species."
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Grammar
The approaches to eliminate the yellow crazy ants are the focus of both the writer and the professor. In the reading passage, three strategies are elaborated upon, including using traps, cutting down broad-leaved trees, and limiting human activities. However, the professor challenges these methods by providing counterarguments.
Contrary to the reading's suggestion that utilizing traps can prevent the ants, the professor argues that it will also causescause(Non-infinitive verb after modal verbs) harms for the native arms. She advances her claim by saying that although these ant traps used in Australia successfully, this is because there are no native ants on the island; In contrast, there are native ants on the Seychelles Islands that they want to protect, suggesting that this method is impractical.
Furthermore, the professor challenges the claim made in the reading passage that cutting down the broad-leaved trees is helpful for eliminating the ants, by examining the fact that these ants can habit[No Replacement Word Found](missing verb after 'will/can/could/would') in different kinds of trees, especially interest in the open areas with sunlight. She points out that, when the broad-leaved trees are removed, there is more sunlight, which means that they can find a new place they are fond of tothe(Detects potentially wrong usage of "to" instead of "the") habit.
Lastly, while both the writer and the professor think that limit human activity will work out, it is important to note that according to the professor, this tactic will just work effectively for a short time but cause a serious economical problem. She claims that the incomes of the local residents depend on the tourism. If the human activities were limited, it will significantly slow down the development of the local areas.
In light of the counterarguments presented by the professsorprofessor(misspelling) in her lecture, it becomes evident that there are still numerous problems will be caused due to the strategies mentioned above. Therefore, more feasible approaches are urgently needed.
- Revised Essay
The lecture and the reading passage discuss various strategies to control the yellow crazy ant population, an invasive species causing damage to native ecosystems. The reading passage suggests three possible solutions: using toxic ant traps, cutting down broad-leaved trees, and limiting human activity near the palm forest. However, the lecturer casts doubt on these proposals by presenting counterarguments.
Firstly, while the reading passage posits that toxic ant traps can effectively reduce the ant population, the lecturer contends that this approach could inadvertently harm native ants. She explains that unlike the island near Australia where these traps were successful due to a lack of native ants, Seychelles Islands have native ant species that need protection. Thus, using toxic traps in this context would be counterproductive as it could endanger beneficial native ants.
Secondly, although the reading passage advocates for cutting down broad-leaved trees to eliminate the ants' preferred habitat, the lecturer disputes this solution by highlighting that yellow crazy ants can adapt to various environments. She points out that removing broad-leaved trees would create open areas with increased sunlight—a condition also favorable for these invasive ants. Consequently, cutting down such trees might inadvertently create a new habitat for them instead of eradicating their presence.
Lastly, both sources agree that limiting human activity could help control the ant population; however, the lecturer emphasizes that this measure may only provide short-term benefits while causing significant economic repercussions. She asserts that tourism and scientific research in the palm forest are vital income sources for local residents. Restricting human presence around this area would negatively impact their livelihoods and impede regional development.
Taking into account these counterarguments presented by the lecturer, it becomes evident that more viable solutions are needed to address yellow crazy ant infestations without causing additional problems or harming native ecosystems. (302 words)
The approaches to eliminate 7. Essay Grading
The lecture and the reading passage discuss various strategies to control the yellow crazy ants are the focus of both the writer and the professor. In the ant population, an invasive species causing damage to native ecosystems. (The original sentence was rephrased for clarity and coherence.) The reading passage, passage suggests three strategies are elaborated upon, including possible solutions: using toxic ant traps, cutting down broad-leaved trees, and limiting human activities. activity near the palm forest. However, the professor challenges lecturer casts doubt on these methods proposals by providing presenting counterarguments.
Contrary to the reading's suggestion that utilizing Firstly, while the reading passage posits that toxic ant traps can prevent the effectively reduce the ant population, the lecturer contends that this approach could inadvertently harm native ants. (The phrase "cause harms for" was replaced with "harm" for better language use.) She explains that unlike the island near Australia where these traps were successful due to a lack of native ants, the professor argues that it will also causes harms for the native arms. She advances her claim by saying that although these ant traps used in Australia successfully, this is because there are no native ants on the island; In contrast, there are native ants on the Seychelles Islands that they want to protect, suggesting that have native ant species that need protection. Thus, using toxic traps in this method is impractical. context would be counterproductive as it could endanger beneficial native ants.
Furthermore, the professor challenges the claim made in Secondly, although the reading passage that advocates for cutting down the broad-leaved trees is helpful for eliminating the ants, to eliminate the ants' preferred habitat, the lecturer disputes this solution by examining the fact that these highlighting that yellow crazy ants can habit adapt to various environments. (The phrase "habit in different kinds of trees, especially interest in the open areas with sunlight. trees" was replaced with "adapt to various environments" for improved vocabulary and clarity.) She points out that, when the that removing broad-leaved trees are removed, there is more sunlight, which means that they can find would create open areas with increased sunlight—a condition also favorable for these invasive ants. Consequently, cutting down such trees might inadvertently create a new place they are fond habitat for them instead of to habit. eradicating their presence.
Lastly, while both the writer and the professor think that limit sources agree that limiting human activity will work out, it is important to note that according to the professor, could help control the ant population; however, the lecturer emphasizes that this tactic will just work effectively for a short time but cause a serious measure may only provide short-term benefits while causing significant economic repercussions. (The phrase "serious economical problem. problem" was replaced with "significant economic repercussions" for better vocabulary use.) She claims that the incomes of the asserts that tourism and scientific research in the palm forest are vital income sources for local residents depend on the tourism. If the residents. Restricting human activities were limited, it will significantly slow presence around this area would negatively impact their livelihoods and impede regional development. (The phrase "slow down the development of the local areas. areas" was replaced with "impede regional development" for improved vocabulary and clarity.)
In light of the Taking into account these counterarguments presented by the professsor in her lecture, lecturer, it becomes evident that there more viable solutions are still numerous needed to address yellow crazy ant infestations without causing additional problems or harming native ecosystems. (The phrase "numerous problems will be caused due to the strategies mentioned above. Therefore, more feasible approaches are urgently needed.to" was replaced with "without causing additional problems or harming" for better language use and coherence.)
- Mind Map
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Introduction
- Strategies to control yellow crazy ants
- Reading passage suggestions
- Lecturer's counterarguments
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Body
- Toxic ant traps
- Reading: effective solution
- Lecture: harm native ants, not suitable for Seychelles Islands
- Cutting down broad-leaved trees
- Reading: eliminate ants' habitat
- Lecture: ants adapt to various environments, create new favorable habitat
- Limiting human activity near palm forest
- Reading and Lecture: help control ant population
- Lecture: short-term benefits, significant economic repercussions for local residents
- Toxic ant traps
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Conclusion
- Need for more viable solutions without causing additional problems or harming native ecosystems
- Key Words
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English Definition | Sample Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| invasive | /ɪnˈveɪsɪv/ | adjective | Tending to spread prolifically and undesirably or harmfully | The invasive species has caused significant damage to the native ecosystem. |
| inadvertently | /ˌɪnədˈvɜrtəntli/ | adverb | Without intention; accidentally | Inadvertently, their actions created a new problem instead of solving the existing one. |
| counterproductive | /ˌkaʊntərprəˈdʌktɪv/ | adjective | Having the opposite of the desired effect | The proposed solution turned out to be counterproductive, causing more harm than good. |
| eradicate | /ɪˈradɪkeɪt/ | verb | To destroy completely; put an end to | The government aims to eradicate poverty in the country by 2030. |
| repercussions | /ˌriːpərˈkʌʃənz/ | noun | Unintended consequences occurring some time after an event or action, especially an unwelcome one | The new policy had unforeseen repercussions on the economy. |
| livelihood | /ˈlaɪvlihʊd/ | noun | A means of securing the necessities of life | Many people rely on farming as their primary livelihood. |
| adapt | /əˈdæpt/ | verb | To adjust to new conditions | The species has adapted to its new environment by changing its feeding habits. |
| impede | /ɪmˈpiːd/ | verb | To delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing them; hinder | Heavy snowfall impeded traffic and caused delays across the city. |
| viable | /ˈvaɪəbəl/ | adjective | Capable of working successfully; feasible | We need to find a viable solution that addresses the issue without causing additional harm to the ecosystem. |
| infestation | /ˌɪnfesˈteɪʃən/ | noun | The presence of an unusually large number of insects or animals in a place, typically causing damage | The infestation of yellow crazy ants has become a major concern for local ecosystems. |
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