250 MODEL TEST 1: PRETEST

WRITING SECTION
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 wr:ite two essays.

The Integrated Essay. First you will read an academic passage·and then you will listen to
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 reading passage will disappear while
you are listening to the lecture, but the passage will return to the screen for reference when you
begin to write your essay. 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. You will read a question on the screen. It usually asks for your opin­
ion about a familiar topic. You will have 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your response.
Typically, a good essay for the independent topic will require that you write 300-350 words.

A clock on the screen will show you how much time you have left to complete each essay.
 WRITING SECTION 251

Integrated Essay "Online Graduate Programs"

You have 20 minutes to plan, write, and revise your response to a reading passage and a lec­
ture 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

Online graduate degree programs are being offered worldwide. In

many respects, the programs are like the same degree programs avail­
able in a traditional campus environment, but in several key aspects, they
are very different.
First, online degree programs do not offer one-on-one time with the
professors. On campus, professors hold regular office hours and expect
to have conferences with their graduate students. In addition, many
opportunities present themselves for informal interactions before and
after class or in chance meetings on campus. Some professors invite
their graduate students to their homes or otherwise make themselves
available in semi-social settings. In contrast, online professors are unable
to see their graduate students in person and, consequently, do not know
them very wel I.
Second, many online graduate programs are not as challenging or as
high quality as their on-campus counterparts. In fact, some courses are
so easy that students are able to complete them online in one weekend.
For the most part, senior faculty members refuse to teach the online
courses, contributing to the difference in quality of the online and on­
campus courses with the same titles. Many excellent professors view the
huge numbers in the online classes as an impediment. Technology allows
for more �tudents to take the same course, and junior faculty or grad­
ers provide feedback on assignments that are graded by senior faculty
teaching on campus.
Third, top schools do not offer online degree programs. Although
non-credit courses or even a handful of credit courses may be available,
the best schools still require that graduate students complete a more
conventional program with most of their time spent in residence on cam­
pus. For students who want a graduate degree from a prestigious univer­
sity, online options are not open to them.
252 MODEL TEST 1: PRETEST

0 Model Test 1, Writing Section, CD 2, Track 3

TOEFL® Writing
® � C:v

() 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 and then explain how they cast doubt on the ideas
in the reading passage.

Independent Essay "An Important Leader"

Question
Leaders like John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King have made important contributions
to the people of the United States. Name another world leader you think is important. Give
specific reasons for your choice.

This is the end of Model Test 1.

To check your answers, refer to "Explanatory or Example Answers and
Audio Scripts for Model Tests: Model Test 1," Chapter 5, pages 580-613.