TOEFL TPO -1 Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Do you agree that overconsumption - buying more than we really needhas become a serious problem? why
Real user submissions with AI-powered evaluation and feedback
1 user-submitted samples available
Start Free PracticeTask Overview
Professor
We have been discussing the idea that human well-being does not necessarily improve as a result of increasing production and consumption of goods and services. Some argue that humans already consume too many goods, from clothing to electronics to food; They believe that overconsumption has brought serious problems tohuman beings and even the earth. Do you agree that overconsumption - buying more than we really needhas become a serious problem? why
Student A
I totally agree. We are buying far more than we need, and this cannot go on indefinitely. For many years, people have used shopping as a form of entertainment. Products bought on a whim fill landfills, and the energy consumed to produce them contributes to the global warming crisis. We should start to reduce our consumption gradually.
Student B
I don't agree with the idea that overconsumption is a serious problem, I agree that there is some overconsumption, but it mostly happens to the rich. I think in general, almost everyone only buys what they need. In fact, many people in the world don't even have access to everything they need.
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
I believe that overconsumption has evolved into a serious issue. Firstly, overconsumption leads to an excess of resources. Nowadays, in the pursuit of cost savings, many people tend to make bulk purchases. For example, during shopping festivals, individuals might buy a year's supply of skincare products, toilet paper, shampoo, and more. However, these items often remain unused before their expiration, resulting in significant material waste and considerable financial expenditure. Despite the initial intention to save money through bulk purchases, it proves challenging to avoid the unintended consequences of resource waste. Secondly, overconsumption results in financial burdens. To sustain their consumption desires, individuals may resort to continuous use of credit cards or loans, accumulating unnecessary debt. Elevated credit card bills and loan interest intensify personal financial instability, making it more difficult for individuals to break free from economic constraints.
Evaluation Result
1. 子项得分
Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.5 Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 4.0 Language Use and Grammar: 4.0
2. 预估分数
26. 3 任务完成度
这篇文章基本上回答了问题,但可以在以下方面进行改进:首先,可以更深入地探讨过度消费对环境和社会的影响,例如提供更多具体的例子来说明这一点。其次,在文章中引用学生A和学生B的观点可能会使文章更具说服力。
改进示例1(英文): Instead of just mentioning the financial burdens, you could also discuss the environmental impact of overconsumption, such as deforestation and pollution caused by excessive production.
改进示例2(英文): You could incorporate Student A's point about landfills and global warming, and Student B's point about the disparity between rich and poor consumers, to provide a more balanced view on the issue.
4. 文章结构与组织
文章的结构和组织方面还有待提高。虽然文章包含了引言、主体和结论,但是可以在以下方面进行改进:首先,引言部分可以更明确地陈述你的观点。其次,在主体部分,可以使用更清晰的段落划分来突出每个论点及其支持细节。最后,在结论部分,可以总结全文并重申自己的观点。
改进示例1(英文): In the introduction, you could start with a stronger statement of your viewpoint, such as "Overconsumption has become a serious problem due to its negative impacts on both the environment and individuals' financial well-being."
改进示例2(英文): For better organization, you could divide the body of the essay into separate paragraphs for each point, with clear topic sentences and supporting details. For example, one paragraph could focus on material waste, while another could discuss financial burdens.
5. 语法批改
I believe that overconsumption has evolved into a serious issue.
Firstly, overconsumption leads to an excess of resources. Nowadays, in the pursuit of cost savings, many people tend to make bulk purchases. For example, during shopping festivals, individuals might buy a year's supply of skincare products, toilet paper, shampoo, and more. However, these items often remain unused before their expiration, resulting in significant material waste and considerable financial expenditure. Despite the initial intention to save money through bulk purchases, it proves challenging to avoid the unintended consequences of resource waste.
Secondly, overconsumption results in financial burdens. To sustain their consumption desires, individuals may resort to continuous use of credit cards or loans, accumulating unnecessary debt. Elevated credit card bills and loan interest intensify personal financial instability, making it more difficult for individuals to break free from economic constraints.
Title: 6 文章修订
I firmly believe that overconsumption has indeed become a pressing concern.
Firstly, overconsumption leads to an excessive use of resources. In contemporary society, many individuals are enticed by the prospect of cost savings and engage in bulk purchases. For instance, during shopping festivals, consumers may acquire a year's supply of skincare products, toilet paper, shampoo, and other items. Regrettably, these products often remain unused before their expiration dates, resulting in substantial material waste and financial loss. Despite the initial intention to economize through bulk purchases, it is challenging to circumvent the unintended consequences of resource wastage.
Secondly, overconsumption imposes financial burdens on individuals. Driven by their insatiable desire for consumption, people may resort to incessant use of credit cards or loans to finance their purchases. This accumulation of unnecessary debt exacerbates personal financial instability as mounting credit card bills and loan interest make it increasingly difficult for individuals to extricate themselves from economic constraints.
Lastly, overconsumption contributes to environmental degradation. The constant demand for new products accelerates the depletion of natural resources and generates excessive waste that overwhelms landfills. Furthermore, the energy required for production processes exacerbates global warming and climate change issues. It is imperative that society adopts more sustainable consumption practices to mitigate these detrimental effects on our planet. (214 words)
I firmly believe that overconsumption has evolved into a serious issue. indeed become a pressing concern (revised for emphasis).
Firstly, overconsumption leads to an excess of resources. Nowadays, excessive use of resources (clarified meaning). In contemporary society (updated language), many individuals are enticed by the prospect of cost savings and engage in the pursuit of cost savings, many people tend to make bulk purchases. purchases (rephrased for clarity). For example, instance, during shopping festivals, individuals might buy consumers may acquire a year's supply of skincare products, toilet paper, shampoo, and more. However, other items. Regrettably (added transition word), these items products often remain unused before their expiration, expiration dates, resulting in significant substantial material waste and considerable financial expenditure. loss (rephrased for clarity). Despite the initial intention to save money economize through bulk purchases, it proves is challenging to avoid circumvent the unintended consequences of resource waste. wastage (rephrased for clarity).
Secondly, overconsumption results in imposes financial burdens. To sustain burdens on individuals (rephrased for clarity). Driven by their insatiable desire for consumption desires, individuals (added descriptive language), people may resort to continuous incessant use of credit cards or loans, accumulating loans to finance their purchases. This accumulation of unnecessary debt. Elevated debt exacerbates personal financial instability as mounting credit card bills and loan interest intensify personal financial instability, making make it more increasingly difficult for individuals to break free extricate themselves from economic constraints.constraints (rephrased for clarity and flow).
Lastly, overconsumption contributes to environmental degradation (added a third point). The constant demand for new products accelerates the depletion of natural resources and generates excessive waste that overwhelms landfills. Furthermore, the energy required for production processes exacerbates global warming and climate change issues. It is imperative that society adopts more sustainable consumption practices to mitigate these detrimental effects on our planet (expanded on environmental impact and added a call-to-action).
Title: 8 思维导图
I. Overconsumption as a pressing concern
A. Excessive use of resources
1. Bulk purchases
2. Material waste and financial loss
B. Financial burdens on individuals
1. Insatiable desire for consumption
2. Accumulation of unnecessary debt
C. Environmental degradation
1. Depletion of natural resources
2. Excessive waste and overwhelmed landfills
3. Global warming and climate change issues
Title: 9 关键词
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English definition | Simplified Chinese translation | Sample sentences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| overconsumption | /ˌoʊvərkənˈsʌm(p)ʃən/ | noun | the action or fact of consuming something to excess | 过度消费 | Overconsumption leads to an excessive use of resources and environmental degradation. |
| entice | /ɪnˈtaɪs/ | verb | attract or tempt by offering pleasure or advantage | 引诱 | Many individuals are enticed by the prospect of cost savings through bulk purchases. |
| economize | /ɪˈkɒnəmaɪz/ | verb | spend less; reduce one's expenses | 节省 | Despite the intention to economize, it is challenging to avoid resource wastage in bulk purchases. |
| insatiable | /ɪnˈseɪʃəb(ə)l/ | adjective | /not satiable; incapable of being satisfied or appeased | 无法满足的 | Driven by their insatiable desire for consumption, people may resort to incessant use of credit cards. |
| exacerbate | /ɪɡˈzæsərbeɪt/ | verb | make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse | 加剧 | This accumulation of unnecessary debt exacerbates personal financial instability. |
| degradation | /ˌdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/ | noun | the condition or process of degrading or being degraded | 退化,降级 | Overconsumption contributes to environmental degradation and resource depletion. |
| depletion | /dɪˈpliːʃ(ə)n/ | noun | reduction in the number or quantity of something | 耗竭 | The constant demand for new products accelerates the depletion of natural resources. |
| landfill | /ˈlan(d)fil/ | noun | /a place to dispose of refuse and other waste material by burying it and covering it over with soil | 垃圾填埋场 | Excessive waste generated by overconsumption overwhelms landfills and harms the environment. |
| imperative | /ɪmˈpɛrətɪv/ | adjective | /of vital importance; crucial | 极重要的 | It is imperative that society adopts more sustainable consumption practices to mitigate these detrimental effects. |
| mitigate | /ˈmɪtɪgeɪt/ | verb | _make less severe, serious, or painful | 减轻,缓和 | Sustainable consumption practices can help mitigate the detrimental effects of overconsumption on our planet. |
How Academic Discussion Is Scored
The TOEFL Academic Discussion task is evaluated based on the official ETS scoring rubric. AI evaluation analyzes each response across multiple dimensions.
Relevance & Contribution
Does the response address the question and contribute meaningfully to the discussion?
Language Use
Grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and sentence structure quality.
Development & Support
Are ideas well-developed with specific examples and clear reasoning?
Common Patterns Across Responses
Based on analysis of user submissions for this task, here are common patterns observed in student responses.
Many students provide clear opinions but lack specific supporting examples.
Strong responses directly reference the reading passage and other speakers' viewpoints.
Higher-scoring responses use varied sentence structures and academic vocabulary.
Time management is a key factor — responses that feel rushed tend to score lower on development.
Learning Tips
Read the prompt carefully and identify all parts of the question before writing.
Reference the reading passage and the other students' opinions in your response.
Use specific examples to support your main point — avoid generic statements.
Aim for 120-150 words. Longer responses are not always better; clarity and focus matter more.
Practice timed responses (10 minutes) to build fluency under exam conditions.
task_page_faq.title
task_page_faq.q1
task_page_faq.q2
task_page_faq.q3
task_page_faq.q4
task_page_faq.q5
task_page_faq.q6
Related TOEFL Academic Discussion Tasks
All TOEFL Writing Samples
Browse all user-submitted TOEFL writing samples with AI evaluation
TOEFL Academic Discussion Guide
Learn strategies and tips for the Academic Discussion writing task
TOEFL Writing Guide
Complete guide to all TOEFL writing task types and scoring
TOEFL Speaking Guide
Master all TOEFL speaking tasks with expert strategies
TOEFL Reading Guide
Strategies for TOEFL reading comprehension tasks
TOEFL Listening Guide
Tips and practice for TOEFL listening comprehension
Related TOEFL Academic Discussion Tasks
Consumer Behavior
426 user-submitted samples available
Write A Post Responding To The Professors Question
1646 user-submitted samples available
Economics
325 user-submitted samples available
Academic Discussion
1031 user-submitted samples available
Environmental Science
501 user-submitted samples available
Sociology
1683 user-submitted samples available
เป้าหมายคะแนน TOEFL ของคุณ อยู่ในมือแล้ว!
กับ LingoLeap ผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านการสอบภาษาอังกฤษ
ไปถึงคะแนนที่ใฝ่ฝันได้เร็วกว่าที่คิด