TOEFL 3
"The human brain now holds the key to our future. We have to recall the
image of the planet from outer space: a single entity in which air, water,
and continents are interconnected. That is our home." “Time is the coin of your
life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be
spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” “Half our life is spent
trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life
trying to save.” Independent TaskE Speaking Activity: topInstructions: Read the following question. On a piece of paper, take notes on the main points of a response. Then respond to the question. ----- Preparation Time: 15 seconds ----- Response Time: 45 seconds ----- Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
“Conserving natural resources is the responsibility of the individual not
the government.” Note to instructor: For a variation on this activity, assign the students 10 minutes to formulate their answer to this question on a piece of paper. Have the students share their responses with the rest of the class/group. As a follow-up, select two students to write their responses on the board for peer/instructor editing. Integrated Task Part 1Instructions: Read the following notice posted in a university student lounge. On a piece of paper, take notes on the main points of the reading passage. ----- Reading Time: 2 minutes ----- As you are well aware, March 21st, Earth Day, marks the coming of spring and the vernal equinox. Once again, we at Fraser Robinson University are pleased to celebrate Earth day by hosting a series of guest lectures from notable environmentalists and by involving the student body in a number of ‘green’ activities around the campus. We would also like to remind you that there are many things that you can do to help combat global warming. For instance, if you must drive to campus, why not carpool? It saves on the high price of fuel and reduces deadly greenhouse gas emissions. Even better, why not walk or bike to campus one day a week? While on campus, minimize the garbage you produce by purchasing products which are sold with minimal packaging and remember to use the recycling bins provided throughout the campus. Whenever we use electricity, we contribute to global warming; so, turn off the lights when you leave your dorm, set your computer to an energy-saving mode, and purchase appliances with the Energy Star® label. NOTES: ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________ Integrated Task Part 2Instructions: Listen to the following lecture on Daylight Savings Time. On a piece of paper, take notes on the main points of the lecture. NOTES: ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ¤ Now answer the following question: ----- Writing Time 20 minutes ----- How does the information presented in the listening passage add to the ideas presented in the reading passage?
Follow-up Task$ Reading Activity top Instructions: Read the text and answer the questions which follow. [1] “Spring forward, fall back” is engrained in our mind like that simple spelling rule that we learned in elementary school: i before e, except after c. Daylight Savings time is defined as a change in the standard time of each time zone. In 1883, railroads began standardizing their schedules which in turn led to the establishment of set regional time zones. Daylight time was first enacted in Germany in 1915. Later, Britain, much of Europe and Canada quickly followed suit. It was a simple concept which capitalized on the idea that the sun shone for part of the time when people were asleep; so, why not set the clocks ahead in the spring in order for people to take advantage of that sunlight? When the days started to get shorter in the fall, clocks could be set back in order to get more light in the morning. [2] Although first adopted in 1915, the notion of daylight savings time had been debated for more than a century. Benjamin Franklin first proposed the idea in the 1770s while he was Minister to France. The initial reaction was less than enthusiastic as most thought Benjamin’s proposal was ludicrous to say the least. During the First World War, parts of Europe, Canada and the United States adopted daylight savings but because the law proved to be so unpopular, it ended with the armistice. With the Second World War, the law was reinstated as a means to save much needed energy for the war effort. From 1945 to the early part of 1966, there was no official United States policy regarding Daylight Savings Time and thus states were free to observe it or not. As you can imagine, the result was chaotic especially for the broadcasting industry and those responsible for transportation scheduling. In 1966, the American Congress passed The Uniform Time Act which established daylight time throughout most of the United States. With the exception of a few jurisdictions, most U.S. states and Canadian provinces move their clocks ahead by one hour on the first Sunday of April and move them back on the last Sunday of October. It is interesting to note that China, Japan, India and much of Africa do not observe daylight savings time. In Australia, daylight savings time follows a slightly different pattern because their seasons are opposite to those of the Northern Hemisphere. Subsequently, when daylight savings time commences in Canada, it terminates in Australia. [3] With the soaring cost of fuel as a result of increased usage, political instability and environmental disasters, there has been a renewed interest in extending daylight savings time. As I stated previously, daylight savings time promotes national energy conservation. On average, a quarter of all the electricity we use is spent on lighting and running small appliances such as TVs, computers and home stereos. It goes without saying that extending the daylight hours into the evening helps cut this energy consumption because families spend more time outdoors and turn on the lights a little later in the evening. Studies done in 1970 by the US Department of Transportation reported that electricity usage is reduced by one percent each day during daylight savings time. [4] On August 8, 2005, The U.S. Congress passed The Energy Policy Act which will extend daylight savings time by four weeks. Beginning in March 2007, clocks will be set ahead 3 weeks earlier and daylight savings time will be extended by one week until the first Sunday in November. Although on the surface this may look like a no-brainer in terms of energy savings, the policy is not without its detractors. The airline industry is up in arms over the potential scheduling conflicts with international connections. Moreover, some religious observances and calendars are based on sunrise and sunset times. Several Jewish groups in the United States expressed that extending daylight savings time would impede observant Jews’ ability to pray at sunrise and still make it to work by 9 a.m. Many parent groups point to potential safety issues due to the increased danger of children travelling to school in the dark. 1. The phrase “subsequently” (in paragraph two) is used to: (a) introduce an example (b) establish a chronology of events (c) restate an opinion (d) contradict an opinion 2. The word “jurisdictions” (in paragraph two) is closest in meaning to: (a) powers (b) influences (c) regions (d) commands 3. The word “energy” (in paragraph three) is: (a) a noun (b) a verb (c) an adjective (d) an adverb 4. Based on the context of this passage, the phrase “this may look like a no-brainer” (in paragraph four) most probably means: (a) This concept should be obvious. (b) This idea lacks credibility. (c) This policy will not cut energy consumption. (d) U.S. legislators are inept. 5. Provide your own synonym for the word “soaring” (in paragraph 3) _________________. Can you provide an antonym? ______________________ 6. Use the word “detractors” (in paragraph four) in your own sentence. _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 7. According to the article, what are the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of daylight savings time? Present your answer using sentence format and try to incorporate transition words to connect your ideas. _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
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Independent Writing Task? TWE (Test of Written English) top ----- Writing Time 30 minutes ----- Ecotourism is becoming an important industry for many countries. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of exploiting this source of revenue.
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