The Writing section tests your ability to write essays in English similar to those that you would write in college courses.

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问题    The Writing section tests your ability to write essays in English similar to those that you would write in college courses.
   During the test, you will write two essays. The integrated essay asks for your response to an academic reading passage and a lecture on the same topic. You may take notes as you read and listen, but notes are not graded. You may use your notes to write the essay. The lecture will be spoken, but the directions and the questions will be written. You will have 20 minutes to plan, write, and revise your response. Typically, a good essay for the integrated topic will require that you write 150-225 words.
   The independent essay usually asks for your opinion about a familiar topic. You will have 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your response. Typically, a good essay for the indepen- dent topic will require that you write 300-350 words.
   A clock on the screen will show you how much time you have to complete each essay.
   Integrated Essay "School Organization"
   You have 20 minutes to plan, write, and revise your response to a reading passage and a lecture on the same topic. First, read the passage and take notes. Then, listen to the lecture and take notes. Finally, write your response to the writing question. Typically, a good response will require that you write 150-225 words.
   Reading Passage
   Time: 3 minutes
   Historically, schools in the United States have borrowed the European system of school organization, a system that separates students into grades by chronological age. In general, children begin formal schooling at the age of six in what is referred to as the first grade. For the most part, students progress through twelve grades; however, some students who do not meet minimum requirements for a particular grade may be asked to repeat the year.
   Graded schools are divided into primary grades, intermediate grades, and secondary grades. Primary education includes grades 1 through 5 or 6, and may also provide kindergarten as a preparation for first grade. Referred to as elementary school, these grades are usually taught by one teacher in a selfcontained classroom. Intermediate grades begin with grade 6 or 7 and offer three years of instruction. At this level, teams of teachers may collaborate to provide subject-based classes similar to those offered in high school. Viewed as a preparation for high school, intermediate education is known as junior high school. At grade 9 or 10, secondary school begins. Classes taught by subject specialists usually last about fifty minutes to allow a student ten minutes to move to the next class before it begins at the top of the hour. At the end of twelve successful grades of instruction, students are eligible for a secondary school diploma, more commonly called a high school diploma.
   Model Test 1, Writing Section, Audio-02, Track 2

   Now listen to a lecture on the same topic as the passage that you have just read.
   Question
   Summarize the main points in the lecture, explaining how they cast doubt on the ideas in the reading passage.
   Independent Essay "An Important Leader"  
INTEGRATED ESSAY "SCHOOL ORGANIZATION"
First, read the passage on page 64 and take notes.
   Model Test 1, Writing Section, Audio-02, Track 2
Narrator: Now listen to a lecture on the same topic as the passage that you have just read.
Professor:
So what are the problems associated with the graded school system? Well, for one thing, graded schools don’t take into account the.., the differences in academic readiness on the part of individual learners. And by that I mean that some six-year-olds are simply not socially, mentally, or even physically mature enough to begin school, but others are ready in all of those important ways by their fifth or even fourth birthdays. And uh...by the time that girls and boys are in their early teens, we can see that there’s a significant difference in maturity, in...in physical and social maturity but...they’re stillgrouped together in intermediate grades in a graded school system. Okay, besides the obvious differences in individual readiness and maturity, the.., the whole issue of promotion needs to be reviewed. Grade-level requirements don’t really deal with the actual learning that has occurred, uh, in a positive way. Many research studies confirm that repeating an entire year because some of the material is not learned contributes to... to boredom, poor self-concept, and... and eventually to higher drop-out rates. And since graded schools are using group expectations as measured by performance on standardized tests, this is another way to evaluate the group rather than the individual. So, what happens is that individual differences in how long it takes to learn a concept or... or the partial achievement of a grade-level curriculum.., that is never addressed by the graded school system. Students who need more time to learn have to repeat material that they already know. Students who can learn at a faster rate have to wait for the new material to be presented. So, as you can see, it’s not ideal.
   Example Answers and Checklists for Speaking and Writing
   Model Test 1, Example Answers, Audio-02, Track 3
   EXAMPLE ANSWER FOR INDEPENDENT SPEAKING QUESTION 1 "MARRIAGE PARTNER"
   In my view, three characteristics are essential for a marriage partner. Compatibility is very important because spending the rest of your life with someone is a huge commitment, and without compatibility in values and interests, and goals, it could be a struggle rather than a partnership. Um, I also think that a good marriage partner should fit into your family. Without accep!ance and affection for you as a couple, you could risk the relationships you have with family members. And attraction is another factor. Since fidelity is part of the marriage contract, the expression of love will be limited to your partner, so it should be a person you’re attracted to.
   Checklist 1
   The talk answers the topic question.
   The point of view or position is clear.
   The talk is direct and well-organized.
   The sentences are logically connected.
   Details and examples support the main idea.
   The speaker expresses complete thoughts.
   The meaning is easy to comprehend.
   A wide range of vocabulary is used.
   There are only minor errors in grammar.
   The talk is within a range of 125-150 words.
   EXAMPLE ANSWER FOR INDEPENDENT SPEAKING QUESTION 2 "NEWS"
   Although newspapers contain some information that’s limited to local interests and I like to turn to those pages, for the most part, I prefer to get my news on TV and on my computer. The problem with printed news is it takes so long to produce it that the stories could have changed or more important news could have happened minutes after the newspaper is delivered. So, I scan the local stories in the paper when I get home from work, then I watch the international news on TV at night for the most current information, and the following morning, I click on one of the web sites that offer the most recent updates of the lead stories. That way, I’m taking advantage of the best aspects of all the news media, and I stay current locally and internationally.
   Checklist 2
   The talk answers the topic question.
   The point of view or position is clear.
   The talk is direct and well-organized.
   The sentences are logically connected.
   Details and examples support the main idea.
   The speaker expresses complete thoughts.
   The meaning is easy to comprehend.
   A wide range of vocabulary is used.
   There are only minor errors in grammar.
   The talk is within a range of 125-150 words.
   EXAMPLE ANSWER FOR INTEGRATED SPEAKING QUESTION 3 "MEAL PLAN"
   The man is glad that an alternative to the seven-day meal plan is now available for students who live in the dorms. He’ll purchase the five-day meal plan, which provides three meals on weekdays and the option to buy meals on the weekends for $3 each. The new five-day meal plan is better for him because he likes to go home every other weekend, and when he’s on campus, he likes to go out with his friends. So he wasn’t taking advantage of the cafeteria on the weekends even though he was paying for it. The Student Union has fast-food as well as booths in the food court for Chinese or Mexican food or even a salad bar. Besides, if he wants to eat in the cafeteria on a weekend, he can buy a meal. He should save about $48 a month by using the new plan, and he can use that money to eat out.
   Checklist 3
   The talk summarizes the situation and opinion.
   The point of view or position is clear.
   The talk is direct and well-organized.
   The sentences are logically connected.
   Details and examples support the opinion.
   The speaker expresses complete thoughts.
   The meaning is easy to comprehend.
   A wide range of vocabulary is used.
   Errors in grammar are minor.
   The talk is within a range of 125-150 words.
   EXAMPLE ANSWER FOR INTEGRATEDSPEAKING QUESTION 4 "ABORIGINAL PEOPLE"
   The Aboriginal People are culturally and linguistically diverse, in part because the geography dictated both limitations and opportunities for their communities. So the establishment of identity as a member of the Aboriginal People because of appearance, language, culture, or geographical location is not considered accurate. The Department of Education suggests that the best means of identification is to be recognized and accepted by other members of the Aboriginal society. Um, according to the lecturer, even diverse groups have certain unifying beliefs that are passed down as oral tradition, called the "Dreaming." The stories associated with this tradition are used to teach ethical principles and spiritual lessons. It would probably be through knowledge of this shared oral history that Aborigines would identify each other.
   Checklist 4
   The talk relates an example to a concept.
   Inaccuracies in the content are minor.
   The talk is direct and well-organized.
   The sentences are logically connected.
   Details and examples support the opinion.
   The speaker expresses complete thoughts.
   The meaning is easy to comprehend.
   A wide range of vocabulary is used.
   The speaker paraphrases in his/her own words.
   The speaker credits the lecturer with wording.
   Errors in grammar are minor.
   The talk is within a range of 125-150 words.
   EXAMPLE ANSWER FOR INTEGRATED SPEAKING QUESTION 5 "SCHEDULING CONFLICT"
   The man would like to visit his family over the weekend, but his friends are leaving before his economics class on Friday. He doesn’t want to miss the class because he needs to bring his grade up. His friend suggests that he borrow the notes from the class. His roommate didn’t have a problem lending him notes from that class earlier in the semester, but he’s reluctant to do that. The other possibility that his friend mentions is for him to attend another section of the same class on Thursday night, but he isn’t sure that the professor will give the same lecture. To find out, he would have to ask the professor. In my opinion, the man should stay for his economics class and take notes. It’s hard to read someone else’s notes, and besides, if he’s in the class, he canask questions. If he wants to visit his family, he should try to find a ride on Saturday or on Friday after the class.
   Checklist 5
   The talk summarizes the problem and recommendations.
   The speaker’s point of view or position is clear.
   The talk is direct and well-organized.
   The sentences are logically connected.
   Details and examples support the opinion.
   The speaker expresses complete thoughts.
   The meaning is easy to comprehend.
   A wide range of vocabulary is used.
   Errors in grammar are minor.
   The talk is within a range of 125-150 words.
   EXAMPLE ANSWER FOR INTEGRATED SPEAKING QUESTION 6 "LABORATORY MICROSCOPE"
   The two major systems of the laboratory microscope are the illuminating system and the imaging system. The illuminating system has a light source that can be controlled to let more or less light pass through the specimen you’re viewing when you move a lever on the side of the microscope. The imaging system is actually a magnification feature, which can be calibrated by using the other lever to change powers. When you look through a higher power, the image appears to be larger, and conversely, when you look through a lower power, it appears to be smaller. What that really means is when you use a higher magnification, the image actually shows you a smaller part of the specimen because it’s enlarged. Now when you switch powers, the lenses will focus automatically, but the big knob will allow you to make a rough adjustment, and the small knob will let you make a more detailed adjustment, it you want.
   Checklist 6
   The talk summarizes a short lecture.
   Inaccuracies in the content are minor.
   The talk is direct and well-organized.
   The sentences are logically connected.
   Details and examples support the opinion.
   The speaker expresses complete thoughts.
   The meaning is easy to comprehend.
   A wide range of vocabulary is used.
   The speaker paraphrases in his/her own words.
   The speaker credits the lecturer with wording.
   Errors in grammar are minor.
   The talk is within a range of 125-150 words.
   EXAMPLE RESPONSE FOR INTEGRATED ESSAY "SCHOOL ORGANIZATION"
   Some writers begin with an outline and others begin with a map of their ideas. Only the essay will be scored.
   Outline
   Graded school system
   Disadvantages
   ?Maturity
   First grade
   6 yrs old
   Intermediate
   Boys, girls
   ?Progress
   Standardized test
   Repeat concepts
   Penalizes capable
   Dropout rate
   Repeat all
   Learned part
   Checklist for Integrated Essay
   The essay answers the topic question.
   Inaccuracies in the content are minor.
   The essay is direct and well-organized.
   The sentences are logically connected.
   Details and examples support the main idea.
   The writer expresses complete thoughts.
   The meaning is easy to comprehend.
   A wide range of vocabulary is used.
   The writer paraphrases in his/her own words.
   The writer credits the author with wording.
   Errors in grammar and idioms are minor.
   The essay is within a range of 150-225 words.
   EXAMPLE RESPONSE FOR INDEPENDENT ESSAY "AN IMPORTANT LEADER"
   Outline
   William Lyon Mackenzie King
   Offices
   Parliament
   Head Liberal Party
   Prime minister
   Longevity
   21 years P.M.
   50 years public service
   Accomplishments
   Unity French + English provinces
   Represented all Canadians

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答案 Example Essay The graded school system, which groups students by age, is usually divided into primary, intermediate, and secondary grades. However, according to the lecture, there are several disadvantages to this type of system. In the first place, maturity is not considered. All students begin the first grade at six years old; however, many children are not mature enough to go to school at that age. In contrast, some younger children are ready for school before their sixth birthdays but are denied the opportunity to begin until they reach the required age of six. In addition, the disparity in the maturity of girls and boys is marked in the intermediate grades. Nevertheless, they are still scheduled for classes according to age, not maturity. Even more concerning is the problem of grade-level standards, which rely on testing to evaluate progress by age instead of by actual mastery on the part of individuals. The grade-level system is inefficient because it requires some learners to repeat concepts that they have already learned in order to master those that they still need to know. It also penalizes students who are capable of learning more material than the grade-level curriculum allows. Furthermore, research shows a correlation between low self-esteem and drop-out rates with the requirement that students repeat a calendar year because they have not learned part of the material for their grade.

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