Should Countries Abolish Nuclear Weapons - TOEFL Writing Integrated Practice Test

In the TOEFL iBT^®exam, the test takers are evaluated on various abilities, particularly on their communication skills. With the practice test on 'Should Countries Abolish Nuclear Weapons', candidates can level up their preparation as the Writing Section is one of the significant ones.

This Writing Integrated practice test aims to enhance your writing abilities. It aims to assist you in understanding task instructions, structuring responses effectively, and enhancing your performance in the TOEFL Writing segment. So, let's start your journey towards attaining your desired TOEFL score!

Writing Instructions:

• You'll read a passage and listen to a lecture on an academic topic.
• You may take notes while listening to aid comprehension.
• Then you will write a response to a question that asks you about the lecture you heard.
• Answer the question comprehensively using information from the lecture. Avoid expressing personal opinions in the response.
• There is no strict word limit. However, an effective response is considered to be within 150 to 225 words.
• Your response will be assessed based on writing quality, content accuracy, and completeness.

The debate over whether countries should get rid of nuclear weapons is a big issue in international relations. Supporters of getting rid of them say that nuclear weapons are a huge threat to humanity. Their destructive power is unmatched, and using them could cause massive loss of life and environmental damage. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II show just how terrible nuclear warfare can be. Also, having nuclear weapons makes the world less stable and increases the risk of accidental launches. Keeping and updating nuclear stockpiles costs a lot of money, which could be better spent on social programs, healthcare, and education. By getting rid of nuclear weapons, countries could use these funds to improve life for their citizens.

Another reason for getting rid of them is the moral and ethical issues with having such weapons. The potential for widespread killing and long-term environmental harm makes nuclear weapons fundamentally against human values. Many international treaties, like the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), show a global agreement on the need to move towards getting rid of these weapons. Finally, getting rid of nuclear weapons could lead to better international cooperation and trust. Without the threat of nuclear conflict, countries might be more willing to solve disputes peacefully. This could create a more stable and secure world, where resources are used for development rather than destruction.

Now play the audio.

Question

Provide a brief summary on the lecture's arguments and also highlight their relevance on the claims provided in the reading passage. 

Transcript of the Audio of the Lecture on Should Countries Abolish Nuclear Weapons

Curious about what a good TOEFL score looks like? Check it out first, then explore the Integrated Writing sample answers!

Sample Responses for the Integrated Writing Task on Should Countries Abolish Nuclear Weapons

A comprehensive analysis of various responses is provided below, enabling you to identify areas requiring improvement to achieve your target score.

High-Level Response

Rater's Comment

This response effectively captures the main points from both the reading and the lecture, demonstrating a clear understanding of the material. The essay is well-organized, with each paragraph addressing a specific counterargument from the lecture that challenges a point made in the reading. For example, the response accurately summarizes the lecture's argument about nuclear weapons preventing large-scale wars and how this contradicts the reading's claim about instability. The response also highlights the difficulty of ensuring complete disarmament, the role of nuclear weapons in maintaining a balance of power, and the persistent risk of future development, all of which are key points from the lecture that challenge the reading's assertions.

The language used is clear and concise, with appropriate transitions that help to maintain coherence and flow. The response avoids personal opinions and focuses on summarizing the relationship between the reading and the lecture, which is a crucial aspect of the task. Additionally, the response demonstrates strong control over grammar and vocabulary, with only minor errors that do not affect the overall meaning. Overall, this response meets the criteria for a high score, effectively presenting the key information from both the reading and the lecture in a well-organized and coherent manner.

Mid Level Response

Rater's Comment

This response provides a summary of the main points from both the reading and the lecture, but it lacks some depth and detail. The essay is generally well-organized, with each paragraph addressing a specific counterargument from the lecture. However, some key points from the lecture are not fully developed. For example, the response mentions the difficulty of ensuring complete disarmament but does not elaborate on the challenges of achieving high levels of openness and trust among nations. Similarly, the discussion on the role of nuclear weapons in maintaining balance could be more detailed.

There are also some grammatical and punctuation errors that affect the clarity of the response. For instance, the sentence "It needs high levels of openness and trust, which are hard to achieve" could be clearer with better punctuation. Additionally, the phrase "This challenges the reading's idea that disarmament would lead to better international cooperation" is somewhat vague and could be more specific about how the difficulty of ensuring complete disarmament impacts international cooperation.

Despite these issues, the response does capture the main points from both the reading and the lecture and demonstrates a basic understanding of the material. The language used is generally clear, but there are noticeable errors that affect the overall coherence. Overall, this response meets the criteria for a mid-level score, providing a summary of the key information but lacking in depth and detail, with some grammatical and punctuation errors.

Strategies for Taking the Integrated Writing Task on Should Countries Abolish Nuclear Weapons

Here are the strategies for taking the Integrated Writing Task on Should Countries Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

• Read the passage carefully, taking concise notes on key points.
• Listen actively to the lecture, noting its relationship to the reading.
• Begin your response by clearly stating how the lecture relates to the reading.
• Explain any contradictions or connections between the reading and lecture.
• Integrate information from both sources throughout your essay.
• Use clear transitions and attributions for information from each source.

Prepared to enhance your TOEFL writing skills? Our collection of example responses and professional tips is here to support you in your journey. It's time to put your abilities to the test with some hands-on practice!

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