Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment - TOEFL Writing for Academic Discussion

The TOEFL Writing section evaluates your ability to produce academic-level English essays. It comprises two distinct tasks: Integrated Writing and Academic Discussion.

In the Academic Discussion, a professor would give a lecture on a certain topic after which you'll need to evaluate the information and engage in a discussion. Following that, you'll have to express your opinions and present relevant evidence to support the reasons and ideas mentioned.

Practicing on sample tests designed according to the Academic Discussion format is the most effective way to prepare for this section of the exam. Let's begin your practice with our TOEFL Academic Discussion sample test on "Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment".

Writing Instructions

• You will read a discussion related to an academic topic in class where your classmates have written their opinions on the said topic.
• You have 10 minutes to prepare and write your personal opinion on the academic topic.
• Try to answer the question based on the discussion. You can also take ideas from the opinions posted by your classmates.
• There is no maximum word limit. However, an effective response should be a minimum of 100 words.
• Your response will be judged on the quality and clarity of your writing with well-supported reasons.

Instructions: Your professor is teaching a class on environmental science. Write a post responding to the professor's question. In your response, you should -

1. express and support your personal opinion,
2. make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.

An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Professor: Today, we're going to discuss the impact of fast fashion on the environment. Fast fashion refers to the rapid production of cheap clothing to meet the latest trends. While it makes fashion accessible to many, it also has significant environmental consequences. Agree or disagree: The environmental impact of fast fashion outweighs its benefits. Why or why not?

Emily: I agree that the environmental impact of fast fashion outweighs its benefits. The industry uses a lot of water, causes pollution, and creates textile waste. For example, the dyeing process alone pollutes water sources. This affects both human health and aquatic life. And, the short life of fast fashion items leads to huge amounts of waste in landfills. These environmental costs are too high to justify the convenience and low cost of fast fashion.

Michael: While I see the environmental issues with fast fashion, I believe its benefits cannot be ignored. Fast fashion makes trendy clothing available to people who might not otherwise afford it, promoting inclusiveness and self-expression. And, it creates jobs and boosts economic growth in developing countries. Instead of criticizing fast fashion entirely, we should focus on making the industry more eco-friendly through better rules and new technologies.

Wait! Let's learn more about the TOEFL Exam Pattern and Syllabus before checking out the sample answers to the Academic Discussion Writing task!

Sample Response for the Academic Discussion Writing Task on - Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment

We’ve included two sample responses for the Writing Academic Discussion Task—one demonstrating a high-level response and the other a mid-level response. Reviewing these examples will help you understand the scoring criteria for each level and enhance your writing skills as a result.

High-level Response

While Michael raises valid points about the accessibility and economic benefits of fast fashion, I strongly agree with Emily that the environmental impact outweighs its benefits. The fast fashion industry is one of the largest polluters in the world, consuming vast amounts of water and generating significant textile waste. The dyeing process alone contaminates water sources, affecting both human health and aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, the short lifespan of fast fashion items leads to enormous amounts of waste in landfills, contributing to environmental degradation.

Moreover, the economic benefits of fast fashion often come at the cost of poor working conditions and low wages in developing countries. Instead of promoting inclusiveness and self-expression through unsustainable practices, we should focus on creating a more sustainable fashion industry. This can be achieved through stricter regulations, innovative technologies, and promoting consumer awareness about the environmental impact of their choices. In essence, while fast fashion offers certain benefits, its environmental and social costs are too high to justify its continued prevalence.

Rater’s Comment

This response merits a high score due to its clear and well-structured argument. The student effectively counters Michael's points by emphasizing the severe environmental and social costs of fast fashion. The response is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the discussion. The first paragraph aligns with Emily's concerns about environmental pollution and waste, while the second paragraph addresses the economic and social implications. The language is formal and appropriate for an academic discussion, and the response is free from grammatical errors. Overall, the student demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic and contributes meaningfully to the discussion.

Mid-level Response

I agree with Emily that the environmental impact of fast fashion outweighs its benefits. The industry uses a lot of water and causes pollution. For example, the dyeing process pollutes water sources, which affects human health and aquatic life. Also, the short life of fast fashion items leads to a lot of waste in landfills.

However, I also see Michael's point about the benefits of fast fashion. It makes trendy clothing available to more people and creates jobs in developing countries. But I think we need to focus on making the industry more eco-friendly. By using better rules and new technologies, we can reduce the environmental impact while keeping the benefits.

Rater’s Comment

This response is adequate but lacks the depth and clarity of a higher-scoring response. The student addresses both the environmental impact and the benefits of fast fashion, aligning with points made by Emily and Michael. However, the argument is not as well-developed or nuanced. The response contains some grammatical errors, such as "the dyeing process pollutes water sources" instead of "the dyeing process alone contaminates water sources," and "leads to a lot of waste in landfills" instead of "leads to enormous amounts of waste in landfills." Additionally, the language is somewhat informal for an academic discussion, with phrases like "a lot of waste" and "better rules." While the student makes a valid contribution to the discussion, the response could benefit from more detailed reasoning and a more formal tone.

Strategies for Taking the Academic Discussion Writing Task on - Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment

It's time to examine the tips our experts have developed and put them to work as we practice with TOEFL Writing mock tests. Check the following strategies for taking an academic discussion task.

• Start your preparation by reading opinion articles from newspapers or online platforms, and actively respond to them by expressing your agreement or disagreement.
• To improve your skills, create multiple reasons to support your stance on a topic, backing them up with detailed points and examples.
• While practicing, identify common grammatical mistakes and focus on correcting them.
• Strengthen your ability to fix errors, and reserve time at the end of your writing sessions to review and apply these corrections.

Feeling confident after exploring the sample response and writing strategies? Put your knowledge into practice! All the best!

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