2016年10月22日托福独立口语预测及参考答案
高科技
1
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement, school should require all students to have their own laptops. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Personally, I think students should be required to own laptops. To begin with, students might need to write papers, and they can find reference on the internet easily, cuz they can just type the key words in the search engine, and the next moment they know, the answer shows up on the screen, and they basically can find reference on every topic, like technology, history, and even psychology. Also, they need to use lots of software to finish some assignments and projects, so the use of computer is inevitable. For example, I am an economics major, and I need to use statistical software to analyze data, obviously, I cannot do that without the computer.
2教育
1
Some people prefer to write many short assignments for a semester, other prefer to write one or two long assignments for a semester. Which do you prefer? Explain why.
Personally, I prefer to write several short assignments instead of one or two long assignments. To begin with, I don't want to be overly stressed out when the big assignments are about to be due, long assignments are likely to be tough to deal with, actually, as the saying goes, "Don't put all of your eggs in one basket", by writing short assignments, I can spread the risk, also I will not be worn out, since short assignments are much easier to deal with. By doing assignment this way, I can avoid serious time conflict when other big projects are due at the same time together with the big assignments.
2
Some schools require students to finish a reading list during school breaks. Talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this requirement.
Well, finishing a reading list can help students to learn different ways to express themselves, you know usually the reading list includes the classics of all times, most of the books are authored by the greatest writers, who might use different rhetoric to voice their opinions. However, the required reading list might not be suitable for every kid since kids have their likes and dislikes when it comes to the topics of these books. If they find it boring and meaningless, they might not even read the books they like in the future.
3
University education is more important now than it was in the past.
Personally, I couldn’t agree more with this statement, advanced education is more important than before. University education provides students with the tools and skills that are essential for them to be successful in their future career. In today’s competitive job market, without a decent college education one cannot find a decent job. Additionally, college educations can help to develop morality and values to live a good life and build up character to seek the truth and I think these qualities are very important to have in order to be a mature person.
4
Which of the following do you think is the most effective way of studying?
A Studying alone B Working with others in a group C Tasking assignments
Well, I think it the best way to learn is through working with others in a group. I am the kind of person who find theory based subjects are hard to learn, like math, physics and chemistry and I need to discuss with my friends in order to concentrate on the subject. They might offer some incisive approach for me to understand the material better. Additionally, it also helps to learn other subject like sociology and psychology and stuff. cuz, through discussion we can share our personal experience to shed some light on the stuff we are learning, I might have some new perspective and insights on the some psychological concepts.
5
Some people like to take less informative but interesting lectures, others like to take boring but more content rich lectures. Which do you prefer?
Well, personally I like to attend less informative but interesting lectures. Frankly, most of the lectures on campus are academic oriented and lots of topics are pretty boring, consequently one finds it hard to concentrate for a long time. However, if the lecture is interesting, I am motived to learn more about the topic. If the lecture itself is pretty boring, there will never be a chance for me to focus on the it for a long time. Eventually, even though it is very informative, however, I will not learn anything.
6
Some people make decisions depending on themselves, while others tend to refer to others for advice. Which do you prefer and why?
Actually, I prefer to refer to others for advice. First off, I can get advice from seniors, they have richer life experience than young people, including good and bad ones. By learning from their experience, we can avoid previous mistakes. Also, it teaches me to be a humble and modest person so I can hunker down and be successful. Most importantly, everybody needs assurance, or a better way to do things and someone out there is always better than you at something. For example, you can ask advice from a doctor if you have a medical condition, one can ask a professor for advice if you have a hard time to decide which topic to write about for a term paper.
7
Some people prefer to get advice from older people like their parents or grandparents. Others prefer to get advice from their peers of the same or similar age. What way do you prefer and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
Actually, I prefer to get advice from older family members. To begin with, seniors have richer life experience than young people, including good and bad ones. By learning from their experience, we can avoid previous mistakes. Also, it teaches me to be a humble and modest person so I can hunker down and be successful. Additionally, young people and their peers are struggling with their own life, study and career and they don't have the same level of maturity as old people do. So based on these reasons, I think it is better to seek advice from seniors.
8
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should be required to help with household tasks as long as they grow old enough to do so. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Personally, I definitely think that children should do household tasks as soon as they are old enough. Lots of important qualities can be developed through such activities as doing housework. Children will learn to be a responsible person, and that is a like cornerstone for them to become a better person. On top of that, children will get a sense of achievement when competing the house chores, and their parents might even give them some reward like buy them toys or offer them some pocket money. Through such activities, children will be very determined and motivated when they do bigger projects in their adulthood and be successful.
3学生、学校、学习方法
1
Describe something that you thought was negative the first time you went to school, but turned out to be positive. Please include details in your response.
When I was in junior high, I had to learn English for the first time, and it was really hard for me to pick up at first. The words, grammar and sentence patterns are just so different from Chinese. But with the help of my English teacher, I gradually learnt some basic words and useful phrases, and I started practicing English with foreigner whenever I got a chance, the more I acquire, the more I am willing to learn and I put more effort and I am determined to be really good in English. Now, after so many years, I am still a big fan of the English language, and I cannot live a single day without it.
2
Do you agree or disagree that it is a good idea for university to ask a student to leave school if he was caught cheating in exams. Explain your response in details.
Well, I don't think it is a good idea to expel the kid when he or she is found cheating in exams. First off, students who cheat are not mature enough to tell right from wrong, they just simply made a tiny mistake, and everybody deserves a second chance to be better person, it is quite relentless to deprive their right to be educated, and they might be a very brilliant kid who just made a stupid mistake. In this case, it will a big loss.
3
Do you prefer to be a leading or supporting member in a group project? Give specific reasons and details in your answer.
Well, personally I like to be a leader when doing a group project. First off, I am a responsible person and I can manage our time efficiently. I know we should set a schedule and find time slots when everyone is available. I am very good in organizing time. Additionally, I think being a leader is a very good opportunity for me to learn. As a leader, I have to focus on the whole project instead of the interest of individual members, and I can also develop a lot of valuable skills, like leadership skills, social skills and stuff like that.
4
Some people speak out in class, others prefer to listen and quietly observe. Which do you think leads to greater success in school? Explain why you think so.
Well, I prefer to speak out in class. First off, by exchange ideas with my peers, we can find different solutions to the same problem, and also one needs to contribute to the class and observing quietly is not a good option. Speaking out in class can help to boost our confidence and develop presentation skills, and speaking to a large audience is absolutely a valuable skills, and it is going to be very helpful for one's future career. Additionally, speaking out and exchanging ideas with other can help me to connect more with my peers.
5
Some students prefer to study in a library. Others prefer to study at home or in dormitories. Which way do you prefer and why? Include reasons and details in your response.
I would say I'd like to study in the library. The most obvious reason is that it is very quiet in the library, and I can fully focus on your work and nothing can distract me. There are just too much distraction to study at home, I can lay on my bed and play computer games when I feel bored, it is just not that productive compared to studying in the library. Plus, studying in the library, I feel like people around me are also studying, and that is a motivation for me to concentrate on my own work. For these reasons, I would say I like to study in the library.
6
Talk about a subject you enjoy learning in school.
Well, English is the subject that I like most. I have great motivation to learn English, to begin with, I find English not very difficult to learn, and actually it is pretty easy to pick up. Unlike other subjects like math, physics, which are pretty abstract and boring to learn. It is very cool to be able to speak a foreign language, and I can make friends with people who are from distinctive cultural backgrounds, thus I got a chance to talk to foreigners and get to know their culture, customs and way of living. By interacting with them I can broaden my horizon and have new perspective on things, and I bet I can learn from them enormously.
6
Some students like to choose university with a high reputation but no scholarship, others prefer to choose a university with scholarship but less reputable. Which one do you like to choose?
Well, personally, I would prefer to study in a less well known university with a scholarship. To begin with, the university tuition can be really expensive, and getting scholarship can help me to relieve my financial pressure. Consequently, I can concentrate on my study. Additionally, most of the time, one needs to be research assistant or teaching assistant upon receiving the scholarship. These teaching and research experience will be very helpful for my future, like when I plan to apply for a graduate school and even future jobs, and I will get a better to achieve my dreams in the future.
7
Some people think that the best way to learn is to attend lectures. Others think that it is better to learn on their own. Which do you prefer and why?
Well, personally, I prefer to attend lectures. Actually, studying alone can be boring and I am the kind of person who likes to interact with others when learning. By attending lectures, I get a chance to hear multiple points of view, although some points might not be as thought-provoking, I can learn a lot of stuff beyond the textbooks anyway, and understand how an idea works in real life when other students share their personal experiences. Additionally, the professor who holds the lecture can make difficult and abstract concepts and ideas easy to understand, one might not be able to understand some materials when studying alone.
8
Do you like to buy new books or used books. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
I would say I prefer buying used books. As a college students, professors sometimes require students to buy textbooks, and most of the time, the textbooks can be really expensive, you might easily spend over $100 on a single book. That is a lot for a college kid. Additionally, most of the time used books are not that crappy, you can use it, and take notes on it and highlight the important part, it has no impact on your study at all. So based on these reasons, I find it more reasonable to buy used books at a cheaper price.
9
Some people like to listen to audio books, others like to read paper books. Which do you prefer and why?
Well, personally, I prefer to read paper books. It is true that one can listen to audio books practically everywhere. You can listen on the bus, or in bed before you fall asleep. However, I still prefer to read book myself since I can get more involved when reading myself. What I am trying to say is that the person who reads the audio book sometimes doesn't tell the story the way that I like. I mean I might not like the tone of their voice, and sometimes I find that I zone out and miss important parts of the book when I listen to audio books.
5地点
1
When you take a trip, do you prefer to just look around, or do you prefer to take pictures and keep a journal on the trip?
Well, personally, I prefer to take pictures and keep a journal when traveling. First off, taking photographs to record the sceneries and the people you have met during the trip can be great reminisce of the past. I can write down my personal thoughts and what I learned about yourself and about the world. Having a record of your travels is going to come in handy when you’re senile and your grandkids want to know about your life. Additionally, Your journal can be a detailed itinerary, so when your friend asks for advice on a place you visited, you can pull out your journal and actually help instead of saying, “it was so long ago, I don’t remember!”
2
Between the following two places, where would you choose to live?
1. big and new place but far from your workplace and/or university
2. small and old place but near your workplace and/or university
Personally, I'd like to live in a bigger place that is far away from my workplace. Actually, a bigger place far away from my workplace is more likely to be in the suburb than otherwise, and I am the kind of person who like peace and tranquility. I want to get away from the noise and pollution, and I hate the hustle and bustle of the city. Working in the downtown areas all day along is boring, and I want to escape from these concrete jungle and live far away. You know since my workplace is located in the downtown areas, I just want to get away from that place and find somewhere that is far away.
3
Some people spend their vacation in one place. Others prefer to spend their vacation visiting several different places and spending a shorter amount of time in each of these places.
Which do you prefer and why. Personally, I would like to travel around in different place instead of just staying in one place. I am the kind of person who likes new and exciting things and exploration. If I stay in one place, I will get extremely bored, you know, the scenery of one place is just repetitive, and there is nothing new. On top of that, by traveling around to different places, I can be exposed to different cultural elements. When traveling around different places, I got a chance to talk to locals and get to know their culture, customs and way of living. By interacting with them I can broaden my horizon and have new perspective on things.
6人物
1
Which one of the following qualities do you think is the most important for a university student: highly-motivated, hard-working or intelligent?
Well, I think hard-work is the most important quality for a college student. To begin with, intelligence is mostly inherited from your parents, and we have no control over it. However, hard work is applicable to everyone, because it is not inborn. Hard work can be developed unlike intelligence. Additionally, a college student with high intelligence but lacks of hard-work might not graduate since students are overwhelmed with lots of assignment like, group project, researcher papers and exams and stuff. If they don't work hard and put things off, they won't meet the graduation requirement.
2
Describe a family member who has a different personality from you and explain why?
I would say my dad has a totally different personality from me. I am very passionate and optimistic person, and I like constantly taking challenges in my life and doing something that I have never experienced before, like studying abroad. However, my dad is a quite conservative person, he would never do something that will make him stand out, and frankly, he is kind of pessimistic and sometimes cynical about the world, specifically, he would complain about negative things in life instead of thinking on the bright side.
7休闲、艺术、音乐
1
Talk about two singers or musicians and the differences between them. Include examples and details in your response.
Well, I would like to talk about Bob Dylan and Avril. Bob Dylan can write very poetic lyrics, actually he is the Nobel Prize laureate for literature in 2016. and his songs are generally folklore, which are very peaceful and quiet. When I listen to his music, I feel like I can concentrate better and follow my heart. However, Randy Rhoad is a rock star, his songs are very catchy but they are very disturbing, Lots of his heavy metal music focuses on thrashing guitars, frantic drumming and insane lyrics.
2
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Artists and musicians are important to the society.
Personally, I would say artists and musicians play a very important role in our community. First off, people nowadays are inundated with heavy workloads, regardless what kind of job they have, actually, they need to switch off from their work and take some time to appreciate art and music, like watching a movie, or going to see a musical, and that'll will help them to relax and calm down, and even to refresh their mood. Additionally, the work by artists and musicians have enormous monetary value, like the masterpiece of Beethoven, the paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci, not only are they great assets to the country where it originated, but also are invaluable treasure for the whole human race.
3
Describe your least favorite music. Please explain the reason.
Well, actually, this is a very interesting question and I haven't really thought about it before. Frankly I am kind of into all kinds of music, but if I have to answer this question. I would say Heavy Metal is my least favorite type of music. You know, most metal music focuses on thrashing guitars, frantic drumming and insane lyrics. For me, the only reason to listen to music is to get away from my busy life and study and get a chance to switch off, unfortunately, heavy metal is just doing the opposite.
4
Some people believe that the high school should teach music and art as other basic science. Some people think that providing music and art education for high school students is not necessary. What is your opinion and why?
Personally, I think high school students should learn art and music. Actually, it can be very rewarding to learn some art, like kids will understand how to appreciate delicate artwork, such as, porcelain vase, water color painting, sculpture. Plus, art is the expression of the humanity. Without it, we would have no hope, no aspirations, no joy, just nothing meaningful and enlightening, and one can never underestimate the value of art and music, actually, If you try any form of art, you will get a break from the stresses of life, work and study!
5
Do you agree or disagree with the statement: employees should be prohibited to listen to music at work.
Well, personally, I think it's a very bad idea to prohibit music in workplace. Actually, listening to music is a very good way for people to release their negative emotions, like sadness, or sorrow, or even anger. Employees might forget about the pressure in life and thus have a higher efficiency in the workplace. Additionally, music keeps people refreshed and spurs creativity and innovation. So, that is why it is a common practice for high-tech to allow the play of music in their office, just so that they can create a relaxing environment and be more creative, and thus make more breakthroughs in their field.
6
Describe the book you like the most when you were a child.
Well, the book I like best when I was a child was the Sea And the Old Man, authored by Ernest Hemingway. It was a novel, and it is very educating and enlightening, I learned a lot from reading this book. The storyline is like this：the old man had not landed any fish in 84 days in a row, finally on the 85th day he landed marlin, unfortunately, on his way back home, he marlin was towed away by some sharks. Even though, he only got back the bones of the marlin, however, he was really the winner; never give up in face of hardships, setbacks, barriers in our lives