TOEFL ESAYS 071-080

Making an Argument 71

Which would you choose – a high-paying job with long hours that would give you little time with family and friends or a lower-paying job with shorter hours that would give you more time with family and friends? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.

At this time in my life I would definitely choose a higher-paying job even if I had to work long hours. If I want a good future, first I have to gain experience, move up in my company, and save a lot of money. I will have plenty of time for friends and family later, after I get a good start on my career.
When I finish school, I will have a lot of knowledge. I won’t have experience, however. I can get experience only by working. I want a lot of experience so that I can be among the best in my career. The only way to get experience is to work a lot of hours.
I want to have a high position in my company. I don’t want to be just an employee, I want to be a supervisor, and someday, director or president. I can’t do this if I work only forty hours a week. The only way to move up is to work long hours.
Living a comfortable life is important to me. I want to have a nice house, fashionable clothes, and a couple of cars. When I get married, I want my family to have nice things too. This takes money. The best time to save money is now, before I have a family. The only way to save a lot of money is to work hard and earn a high salary.
A high-paying job with long hours will give me the experience, opportunities, and money that I want. After I reach a high position in my company and have a big bank account, I can take all the free time I want to relax with friends and family.
(285 words)




Agreeing or Disagreeing 72

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Grades (marks) encourage students to learn. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Grades are very important for students. Without grades, students don’t know how well they are doing in class. They don’t have a goal to study for. They don’t have anything to show their parents. Students need grades to help them be motivated to learn.
Grades show students their progress in class. A student might work very hard to write a report. Without a grade, how does the student know if the report is good or bad? Without a grade, how can a student know if she is improving?
Grades give students a goal. A good grade is like a reward. If a student receives 100% on a test, he feels like all his hard work was worthwhile. If a student gets a bad grade, he will study harder next time so he can improve his grade.
Grades give students something to show their parents. They want to work hard so they can show them good grades. When parents see good grades, they know their children are studying and learning. If the grades aren’t good, the parents know they have to give their children extra help and support.
Grades are an important part of education. All students want to get good grades, so they will study hard to get them. Grades show students their progress, present them with a goal, and give them something to show their parents. Grades motivate students to learn.
(232 words)








Making an Argument 73

Some people say that computers have made life easier and more convenient. Other people say that computers have made life more complex and stressful. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Almost everything these days is done with the help of a computer. Computers make communication much more convenient. They make many tasks of daily life easier. They help many people do their jobs better. Overall, computers have made life easier and more convenient for everybody.
Through the Internet, computers make communication much more convenient. E-mail makes it possible to communicate with people instantly at any time of day. This is important for both our work and our personal lives. The Internet makes it possible to find out the latest news right away – even if it is news that happens someplace far away. The Internet makes it possible to get almost any kind of information from anyplace quickly, right in your own home or office.
Although we may not realize it, computers make many daily tasks easier. Checkout lines at stores move faster because a computer scans the prices. The bank manages your account more easily because of computers. The weatherman reports the weather more accurately with the help of computers. A computer is involved in almost everything we do, or that is done for us.
Most people these days do their jobs with the help of a computer. Architects use computer