The Complete Guide To The TOEFL Test

384 Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension

Mini-lesson 3.17

salary, pay, earnings wander v. roam, travel, range wane v. shrink, decrease, decline ware n. good, merchandise warp v. deform, bend, twist wary ad}. careful, cautious, alert

weary ad}. tired, exhausted, fatigued well-to-do ad}. rich, wealthy, affluent

wholesome ad}. healthy, nutritious, beneficial wicked ad}. evil, corrupt, immoral

widespread ad}. extensive, prevalent, sweeping wily ad}. crafty, cunning, shrewd

wise ad}. astute, prudent, intelligent withdraw v. retreat, pull out, remove wither v. dry, shrivel, wilt

withhold v. reserve, retain, hold back witty ad}. comic, clever, amusing woe n. trouble, distress, sorrow

wonder v. think about, speculate, ponder

n.marvel, miracle

injure, hurt

n.injury

yearn lJ. desire, crave, want yield v. (1) give up, surrender

(2)produce, supply

n. production, output, crop

zealous ad}. enthusiastic, eager zenith n. peak, tip, apex

zone n. area, vicinity, region

Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension 385

Exercise: Complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks with vocabulary item (A), (B), or (C) according to the context of the sentences.

6.Congress sets the minimum ____ • which is the lowest amount of money workers may be paid per hour.

388 Guide to the Test of Written English (TWE)

About the Test of Written English

Introduction

The TWE (Test of Written English) is designed to measure your ability to write an academic essay. The TWE is NOT given with Institutional TOEFL tests. However, it is ALWAYS given with paperbased tests that are administered by ETS. It is administered before the other three sections of TOEFL. There is no additional fee required to take the TWE.

TWE differs from the rest ofTOEFL in that it is productive. Instead of choosing one of four answer choices, you must write your own short essay. TWE consists of a single essay topic called a prompt; there is no choice as to what to write about. You have thirty minutes in which to write an essay based on the prompt. A typical TWE answer is about 200 to 300 words long and is divided into four or five paragraphs.

The most common type ofTWE prompt asks you to write a contrast/opinion essay. In this type of essay, you must contrast two points of view, then defend one of those positions. Another type of essay asks you to select some development, invention, or phenomenon and explain its importance. Prompts are carefully chosen to avoid anything controversial, upsetting, or unfair to a particular group.

At ETS, your essay is read by at least two trained readers who score it "holistically." In other words, the essay is not judged according to individual errors you might make but by the overall organization, development, clarity, and effectiveness of your writing. The score is based on a scale of 1 to 6; halfpoint scores (5.5, 4.5, and so on) are also given. The scoring system ETS uses is similar to the one that follows. (You can use this chart to estimate yourTWE score when you take theTWE Practice Tests.)

Score Explanation of Score

6Strongly indicates the ability to write a well-organized, well-developed, and logical essay. Specific examples and details support the main ideas. All the elements of the essay are unified and cohesive. A variety of sentence structures are used successfully, and sophisticated vocabulary is employed. Grammatical errors are infrequent, but a few minor mistakes may occur.

5Indicates the ability to write an organized, developed, and logical essay. The main ideas are adequately supported by examples and details. Sentence structure may be less varied than that of a level 6 essay, and vocabulary less sophisticated. Some grammatical errors will appear.

4Indicates a moderate ability to write an acceptable essay. Although main ideas may be adequately supported, weaknesses in organization and development will be apparent. Sentence structure and vocabulary may lack sophistication or be used inappropriately. Grammatical errors may be frequent.

3Indicates some minimal ability in writing an acceptable essay, but involves serious weaknesses in organization and development. Significant sentence-structure and vocabulary problems occur, and there are frequent grammatical errors that sometimes make the writer's ideas difficult to comprehend.

2Indicates the inability to write an acceptable essay. Organization and development are very weak or nonexistent. Lacks unity and cohesion. Few if any specific details may be given in support of the writer's ideas. If details are given, they may seem inappropriate. Significant and frequent errors in grammar occur throughout the essay. Writer may not have fully understood the essay topic.

1Strongly indicates the inability to write an acceptable essay. No apparent development or organization. Sentences may be brief and fragmentary and unrelated to one another. Significant grammatical errors occur throughout the essay and make it difficult to

The average scoreTWE score is between 3.5 and 4.0. TWE is scored separately from the rest of the test and has no effect on your overall TOEFL score.

Following are two sample TWE prompts and essays that respond to those prompts. (Note: These essays are based on composite student essays. They have been edited to correct errors in grammar and mechanics.)

Sample TWE Prompt A

Some people believe that money spent on space research benefits all of humanity. Others take the opposite view and say that money for this type of research is wasted. Discuss these two positions, using examples. Tell which view you agree with and explain why.

Notes

Intra: Space research + 50 years: expensive-$ well spent or wasted?

Conclu: As shown, many benefits-also, human race needs challenge just as individuals do-therefore, space research is worth all the money spent

390 Guide to the Test of Written English (TWE)

For over fifty years, a numl7er of nations have l7een involved in the exploration of outer

space. This research has l7een very costly, of course. Has this money l7een well-spent or

wasted?

Some people l7elieve that all or most space research should l7e eliminated because of its incredible expense, not only in terms of money, but also in terms of scientific and human resources. These people point out the fact that it cost billions of dollars to send astronauts to the Moon, but all they brought back were some worthless rocks. These people say that the money and effort now being wasted in outer space could be spent on more important projects right here on Earth, such as providing housing for homeless people, improving the education system, saving the environment, and finding cures for diseases.

However, other people believe that space research has provided many benefits to humanity. They point out that hundreds of useful products, from personal computers

to heart pacemakers to freeze-dried foods, are the direct or indirect results of space research. They say that weather and communication satellites, which are also products

of space programs, have benefited people all over the globe. In addition to these practical benefits, supporters of the space program point to the scientific knowledge

that has been acquired about the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and even our own Earth as a result of space research.

I agree with those people who support space research and want it to continue. Space research, as shown, has already brought many benefits to humanity. Perhaps it will bring even more benefits in the future, ones that we can'teven imagine now. Moreover, just as individual people need challenges to make their lives more interesting, I believe the human race itself needs a challenge, and I think that the peaceful exploration of outer space provides just such a challenge.

392 Guide to the Test of Written English (TWE)

Sample TWE Prompt B

Developments in transportation such as the invention of the automobile have had an enormous impact on modern society. Choose another development in transportation that you think is of great importance. Give reasons for your selection.

Notes

Intra: One of most important develop is internat'ljet transport-since '50's- because of speed & reI. low costs, has changed way people think

Speed: 100 yrs ago, took weeks to cross ocean: today, few hrs-this has changed people'sconcept of space-world smaller

Low costs: In past, only wealthy could travel comfortably; poor people had to save for years-today, more and more people can travel: businessmen

students tourists

Conclusion: countries no longer so isolated; people think of world as they used to think of their own hometowns

Guide to the Test of Written English (TWE) 393

I believe that one of the m05t important development5 in tran5portation ha5 been the

development of international jet tran5port. Since thi5 5tyle of tran5portation appeared

in the 1950'5, it ha5 had 50me revolutionary effect5. BecaU5e of the high 5peed5 and the

relatively low C05t of thi5 type of travel, it ha5 changed the way people look at the world. The m05t obvioU51y important characteri5tic of jet travel i5 the high 5peed involved. A

hundred year5 ago, it took week5 to cr055 the Atlantic or Pacific ocean5 by 5hip. Today, tho5e 5ame trip5 can be completed in a matter of hour5. One can attend a meeting in Pari5 and have dinner in New York the 5ame day. The5e amazing 5peed5 have changed people'5 concept5 of 5pace. Today the world i5 much 5maller than it wa5 in the pa5t.

Another important a5pect of jet travel i5 it5 relatively low C05t. An international journey one hundred year5 ago wa5 extremely expen5ive. Only wealthy people could afford to travel comfortably, in fir5t cla55. Poor people had to 5ave for year5 to purcha5e a ticket, and the condition5 in which they traveled were not very good. Today it i5 P055ible for more and more people in every country to travel in comfort. Thu5 it i5 P055ible for bU5ine55peopie to do bU5ine55 all over the world, for 5tudent5 to attend univer5itie5 in other countrie5, and for touri5t5 to take vacation5 anywhere in the world.

In conclu5ion, the 5peed and low C05t of international jet travel have changed the world. Individual nation5 are not a5 i50lated a5 they were in the pa5t, and people now think of the whole planet a5 they once thought of their own hometown5.

394 Guide to the Test of Written English (TWE)

Notice that the writer organized the second sample essay as follows:

1. Introduction

I

,I

I

I

I

I

2. 1st benefit (speed)

I

,I

I

I

I

I

3. 2nd benefit (cost)

I

,I

I

I

I

I

4. Conclusion