TOEFL 1

TASK 1

PART 1 (challenge question)

Tips

1. Scan the passage and make notes of the main view and the three points, ideas, or theories.  paraphrase

2. Listen to the lecture and take notes; focus on the points that are related to the three points from the reading. paraphrase

Paraphrasing. 

1. Change the order of clauses or phrases within a sentence. 

2. Change the grammatical form of words in the original. 

3. Using synonyms. 

Reading We read a great deal these days about a crisis in American education, and statistics do show that American students are often no better than average at things like reading, ability to use technology, and knowledge of science and mathematics. A reason often given for this is that low pay for teachers means the quality of many teachers is not as good as it could be. One way to solve this crisis would be to pay teachers based on their ability and performance.  The current system of experience-based pay means that teachers know they will get paid the same whether they put in a lot of work or a little work in any given year. This leads to a situation where some teachers do the minimum amount of work. performance - based pay would lead to enhanced effort and performance by teachers.  Further, there is a direct and measurable link between the quality of instruction that students receive and their results as measured by how much they have learned. If teachers work harder and teach better because doing so will improve their pay, students are going to learn more and show improved levels of performance and achievement.  Another issue is that many smart people do not choose to become teachers because pay and conditions for teachers are not very good. Offering teachers higher pay for better performance would undoubtedly attract higher numbers of good quality, smart people into the profession, and this would improve student results, too.

Script lecture People claim there’s an education crisis these days and that giving teachers higher pay for better performance will solve it. But a closer look suggests that performance-based pay may not be such a good idea.  Think back to the reading. The writer says that teachers would work harder under a system of merit based pay. It's possible this is true, but impossible to be sure since no studies have been done to prove it. However, numerous studies have shown that offering more money is generally a poor way to motivate people to work harder.  The writer also argues that performance based pay for teachers will lead to better student results. Students might perform better, but not necessarily die to better teaching. Why? Well, offering workers more money for better results makes some people cheat the system and find ways to get better results without doing better work. There’s every reason to think the teaching progression would be the same.  Finally, studies have shown that many people become teachers to help others and be creative, not for monetary gain. So performance-based pay is likely to mean that many people who care more about money than about inspiring students decide to become teachers. But teachers like that are unlikely to solve the education crisis.

Model example

1. Both sources discuss. 

(this piece of writing will summarize how the points that the writer discusses are challenged by the speaker. 

2. The writer first claims that…

The speaker states that…

She goes on to state that…

This is another way that the lecture challenges the reading.  

3. The writer next says that…

The speaker argues that…

She continues by arguing that

This is another way that the lecture casts doubt on the reading. 

4. The writer then asserts that…

The speaker makes the pint that …

She then points out that 

Thai is the final way that the lecture contradicts the reading. 

Example:

Both sources discuss the issue of giving performance-based pay to teachers. This piece of writing will summarize how the points that the writer discusses are challenged by the speaker. 

The writer first claims that teachers would work harder if they received performance-based pay. The speaker states that no academic studies prove that this is true. He goes on to state that other studies show that paying people more money is often not a good way to motivate them to work. This is one way that the lecture challenges the reading. 

The writer next says that student results would improve if teachers got merit based pay because teachers would teach better. The speaker argues that results would not improve because of better teaching. He continues by arguing that some teachers may find ways to cheat. This is another way that the lecture casts doubt on the reading. 

The writer then asserts that more smart people will become teachers if they receive performance-based pay. The speaker makes the point that few people become teachers because they want a high salary. He then says that performance-based pay might cause people who love money to become teachers. This is the final way that the lecture contradicts the reading. 

Test challenge

Reading Although there are relatively few of them on the roads currently, electric cats offer a range of benefits both for individuals and for society. As a result, it would make sense for governments to offer subsidies to automakers to produce electric vehicles, and for automakers to prioritize the manufacture of these vehicles.  A key benefit of electric vehicles is their low cost of operation. The average journey by car in the United States is about ten miles. According to one study, the cost to drive a gasoline-powered car that distance is around 1.60, but the cost of a ten mile trip in an electric car is under 50 cents. An average driver would save hundreds of dollars a year with an electric car.  Another benefit for individuals is the convenience offered by electric cars. All types of cars need to be refueled, but electric cars can easily be refueled simply by plugging them in and recharging their batteries. This can be done at home. Refueling a gasoline-power car, on the other hand, requires going to the gas station, a trip which itself burns fuel.  And the environmentally friendly nature of electric vehicles is well known. Unlike gasoline powered vehicles, electric ones don't burn fossil fuels for energy, and release no harmful gases like carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These gases have been linked to climate change and health issues, so electric cars are both cleaner and safer.

Lecture script The article I asked you to read about electric cars makes some interesting arguments. And while I agree that automakers should prioritize the manufacture of these vehicles, I cannot agree that they offer a range of benefits yet. The benefits will come in time, I believe, but for now, a close analysis shows there are more disadvantages than advantages to owning an electric car.  Take the argument that electric cars are cheaper to operate than gasoline-power vehicles. Sadly that's not true if you include the cost of purchasing the vehicle. Electric cars currently cost thousands of dollars more, on average, than gasoline-powered car, so even with lower daily operational costs, over the lifetime of their vehicle most owners of electric cars will actually spend more in total.  The point about the convenience of electric vehicles doesn't stand up, either. They're convenient if you only ever need to recharge the battery at home, but for trips away from home, locations where you can charge up an electric vehicle are few and far between. This puts drastic limits on where and how far owners can travel. For owners of traditional cars, however, gas stations are, almost literally, everywhere.  And although it’s true that electric cars don't release harmful or polluting exhaust gases, sadly it’s not true that they are environmentally friendly. In many countries, the owner of an electric car cannot recharge that car without using electricity mainly produced by burning fossil fuels like coal or natural gas. So, indirectly, recharging an electric car leads to the release of the same kinds of gases that gasoline-powered cars produce.

Task 1. Challenge questions

1 We read a great deal these days about a crisis in American education, and statistics do show that American students are often no better than average at things like reading, ability to use technology, and knowledge of science and mathematics. A reason often given for this is that low pay for teachers means the quality of many teachers is not as good as it could be. One way to solve this crisis would be to pay teachers based on their ability and performance.  The current system of experience based pay means that teachers know they will get paid the same whether they put in a lot of work in any given year. This lead to a situation where some teachers do the minimum amount of work, performance based pay would lead to enhanced effort and performance by teachers.  Further, here is a direct and measurable link between the quality of instruction that students receive and their results as measured by how much they have learned. If teachers work harder and teach better because doing so will improve their pay, students are going to learn more and show improved levels of performance and achievement.  Another issue is that many smart people do ot choose to become teachers because pay and conditions for teachers are not very good. Offering teachers higher pay for better performance would undoubtedly attract higher number of good quality, smart people into the profession, and this would improve students' results, too.  Lecture track 385, and 386 Model example Both sources discuss.  (this piece of writing will summarize how the points that the writer discusses are challenged by the speaker.  The writer first claims that… The speaker states that… She goes on to state that… This is another way that the lecture challenges the reading.   The writer next says that… The speaker argues that… She continues by arguing that This is another way that the lecture casts doubt on the reading.  The writer then asserts that… The speaker makes the pint that … She then points out that  Thai is the final way that the lecture contradicts the reading.  Example: Both sources discuss the issue of giving performance-based pay to teachers. This piece of writing will summarize how the points that the writer discusses are challenged by the speaker.  The writer first claims that teachers would work harder if they received performance-based pay. The speaker states that no academic studies prove that this is true. He goes on to state that other studies show that paying people more money is often not a good way to motivate them to work. This is one way that the lecture challenges the reading.  The writer next says that student results would improve if teachers got merit based pay because teachers would teach better. The speaker argues that results would not improve because of better teaching. He continues by arguing that some teachers may find ways to cheat. This is another way that the lecture casts doubt on the reading.  The writer then asserts that more smart people will become teachers if they receive performance-based pay. The speaker makes the point that few people become teachers because they want a high salary. He then says that performance-based pay might cause people who love money to become teachers. This is the final way that the lecture contradicts the reading.  2 Poverty is a global issue, and some have argued that a financial transaction tax -often called a Robin Hood tax- is the answer. Such a tax would involve levying a small fee of about 0.05% on all transactions between financial institutions. It is claimed that this tax might raise billions of dollars in revenue each year that could be used to fight poverty around the world. Reducing poverty is a worthwhile goal, to be sure, but a financial transaction tax is not the way to achieve it.  First, a financial transaction tax would reduce profits of pension and other retirement funds, so retired people who rely on these funds would see a reduction in their income. In other words, a tax intended to reduce poverty would make some of society's most vulnerable people poorer.  It is also argued that a financial transaction tax would only affect financial institutions, not consumers. However, history shows that businesses usually pass on higher costs to customers. So if such a tax were introduced, customers would see price increases for bank services, which again would lead to financial hardship for many.  Finally, a financial transaction tax would probably lead to job losses in the financial industry. Cities like New York where finance is a major source of employment could also see job losses in industries that support the financial sector. A recent study suggests 1% of all private sector jobs might be lost. So again, a Robin Hood tax would contribute to poverty, not reduce it.  Lecture. Track 387 Model example Both sources discuss.  (this piece of writing will summarize how the points that the writer discusses are challenged by the speaker.  The writer first claims that… The speaker states that… She goes on to state that… This is another way that the lecture challenges the reading.   The writer next says that… The speaker argues that… She continues by arguing that This is another way that the lecture casts doubt on the reading.  The writer then asserts that… The speaker makes the point that … She then points out that  Thai is the final way that the lecture contradicts the reading.

Exercise Although there are relatively few of them on the roads currently, electric cars offer a range of benefits both for individuals and for society. As a result, it would make sense for governments to offer subsidies to automakers to produce electric vehicles, and for automakers to prioritize the manufacture of these vehicles.  A key benefit of electric vehicles is their low cost of operation. The average journey by car in the United States is about ten miles. According to one study, the cost to drive a gasoline-powered car that distance is around 1.60, but the cost of a ten mile trip in an electric car is under 50 cents. An average driver would save hundreds of dollars a year with an electric car.  Another benefit for individuals is the convenience offered by electric cars. All types of cars need to be refueled, but electric cars can easily be refueled simply by plugging them in and recharging their batteries. This can be done at home. Refueling a gasoline-power car, on the other hand, requires going to the gas station, a trip which itself burns fuel.  And the environmentally friendly nature of electric vehicles is well known. Unlike gasoline powered vehicles, electric ones don't burn fossil fuels for energy, and release no harmful gases like carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These gases have been linked to climate change and health issues, so electric cars are both cleaner and safer.  Lecture track 388 Summarize the points made in the lecture you just read, being sure to specifically explain how they cast doubt on points made in the reading passage.