Should Developed Countries Provide Financial Aid to Developing Countries - TOEFL Writing Practice Test (Integrated)

The Writing section of the TOEFL tests your ability to communicate effectively in written academic English. The Integrated Writing task, which requires synthesising information from both a lecture and a passage, is a key component of this evaluation. This practice test is designed to enhance your ability to craft concise, organised, and insightful responses. Let’s get started!

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 developed countries should give financial help to developing countries is a big one, with strong points for such assistance. Financial help can play a key role in reducing poverty and boosting economic growth in developing nations. By providing money for essential services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure, developed countries can help improve the quality of life for millions of people.

One big benefit of financial help is its potential to cut poverty. Many developing countries struggle with high levels of poverty, which can lead to a range of social and economic problems. Financial help can address these issues by funding programs that provide food, clean water, and shelter to those in need. For example, aid can support farming projects that increase food production, thereby reducing hunger and malnutrition.

Another important advantage of financial help is its ability to promote economic development. Developing countries often lack the resources needed to invest in infrastructure, education, and healthcare, which are essential for economic growth. Financial help can bridge this gap by providing the necessary funds for these investments. For instance, building roads and bridges can improve transportation and trade, while investing in education can create a more skilled workforce.

Also, financial help can foster political stability and peace. Many developing countries are plagued by political instability and conflict, which can slow down economic development and make poverty worse. By providing financial support, developed countries can help stabilize these regions and promote peace. Aid can fund programs that address the root causes of conflict, such as inequality and lack of access to resources, thereby creating a more stable and prosperous environment.

Now play the audio.

Question

Summarise the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage.

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 Developed Countries Provide Financial Aid to Developing Countries 

Examine the provided pair of sample answers - one representing a mid-level and the other a high level. By studying these responses closely, you'll discover valuable lessons to enhance and polish your written responses.

High-Level Response

The reading passage argues that financial help from developed countries can significantly reduce poverty, promote economic development, and foster political stability in developing nations. It highlights how aid can fund essential services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure, thereby improving the quality of life for millions.

However, the lecture presents several counterarguments to this view. The professor points out that financial help can create dependency rather than foster self-sufficiency. When developing countries rely heavily on aid, they may not develop the necessary skills and infrastructure to sustain their own economies. This dependency can lead to a cycle where aid is continuously needed, rather than helping these countries become independent.

Additionally, the lecture emphasizes that the effectiveness of financial help is often compromised by corruption and poor management. In many developing countries, aid funds do not always reach the intended recipients due to corrupt practices. Government officials or middlemen may take funds for personal gain, leaving little to no impact on the ground. This poor allocation of resources can undermine the very goals that aid is supposed to achieve.

Furthermore, the professor argues that financial help can disrupt local economies. When large sums of money are injected into a developing country, it can lead to inflation and disrupt local markets.

Rater's Comment

This response deserves a high score because it effectively summarizes the main points from both the reading and the lecture, demonstrating a clear understanding of the material. The response is well-organized, with each paragraph addressing a specific counterargument presented in the lecture. The second body paragraph addresses corruption and poor management, which undermines the effectiveness of aid, as highlighted in the lecture. The third body paragraph discusses the potential economic disruption caused by financial help, providing a clear example of how aid can harm local farmers, as mentioned in the lecture.

The response also maintains a neutral and objective tone, avoiding personal opinions and focusing on summarizing the relationship between the reading and the lecture. The use of transitions, such as "however," "additionally," and "furthermore," helps to clearly signal the relationship between the reading and the lecture, making the response easy to follow.

Moreover, the response demonstrates strong control over grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary, with only minor errors that do not affect meaning. Overall, this response effectively presents all key information from both the reading and the lecture, making it a well-rounded and coherent essay.

Mid-Level Response

The reading passage argues that financial help from developed countries can reduce poverty, promote economic development, and foster political stability in developing nations. It says that aid can fund essential services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure, improving the quality of life for many people.

However, the lecture present several reasons to be careful about this approach. The professor points out that financial help can create dependency rather than fostering self-sufficiency. When developing countries rely heavily on aid, they may not develop the necessary skills and infrastructure to sustain their own economies. This dependency can lead to a cycle where aid are continuously needed.

Additionally, the lecture emphasizes that the effectiveness of financial help are often compromised by corruption and poor management. In many developing countries, aid funds do not always reach the intended recipients due to corrupt practices. Government officials or middlemen may take funds for personal gain, leaving little to no impact on the ground.

Furthermore, the professor argues that financial help can disrupt local economies. When large sums of money are injected into a developing country, it can lead to inflation and disrupt local markets. For example, if aid is used to import food rather than support local farming, it can harm local farmers by reducing the demand for their products.

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, which is why it falls into the mid-level category. The response is generally well-organized, but it omits some important information and examples that would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the material.

For instance, while the response mentions the issue of dependency, it does not fully explain how this dependency can lead to a cycle where aid is continuously needed, as highlighted in the lecture. Similarly, the discussion on corruption and poor management is brief and does not provide specific examples of how aid funds are misused, which would strengthen the argument.

Additionally, the response contains some grammatical errors that affect the overall clarity and coherence.

Overall, while the response captures the main points from both the reading and the lecture, it lacks the depth, detail, and grammatical accuracy needed for a higher score.

With these strategies and examples in mind, you're ready to practice and refine your writing abilities!

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