The Benefits and Challenges of Self-Driving Cars - TOEFL Writing Practice Test (Integrated)

The key to mastering TOEFL's Integrated Writing lies in understanding its unique demands. Today's practice session will help you develop the skills needed to process academic information effectively and present it clearly. Through targeted exercises and proven strategies, you'll learn to craft responses that demonstrate both comprehension and analytical ability.

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.

Self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles, are set to change the transportation industry. One big benefit of self-driving cars is the potential to cut down on traffic accidents. Human error causes many road accidents, and self-driving cars, with their advanced sensors and instructions, can react faster and more accurately to road conditions than human drivers. This tech accuracy can make roads safer and reduce fatalities.

Another plus is the potential for better traffic flow. Self-driving cars can talk to each other to find the best routes, cut down on traffic jams, and save fuel. This connected system can lead to shorter travel times and lower emissions, helping the environment. Also, self-driving cars can run non-stop without needing breaks, making them great for long trips and cargo transport.

Self-driving cars also have big benefits for people with disabilities and the elderly. These groups often struggle with mobility, limiting their independence. Self-driving cars can offer a reliable and accessible way to get around, improving their quality of life and allowing them to take part in social and economic activities.

But moving to self-driving cars comes with challenges. One major worry is the potential job loss in the transportation sector. Truck drivers, taxi operators, and delivery workers might see their jobs shrink or disappear as self-driving cars become more common. This shift could cause economic problems and require large retraining programs for affected workers.

Another challenge is the ethical and legal issues of self-driving technology. Figuring out who is responsible for an accident involving a self-driving car is tricky. Questions about who is at fault the manufacturer, the software developer, or the owner are still unanswered. Also, ethical dilemmas come up when programming vehicles to make quick decisions in dangerous situations, like choosing the lesser of two harms.

The high cost of developing and rolling out self-driving technology is a big hurdle. The research, development, and infrastructure needed to support self-driving cars are costly, and these expenses might be passed on to consumers, making self-driving cars less affordable for the general public.

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.

Learn what a good TOEFL score is before you check out the sample answers to the Writing Integrated task!

Sample Responses for the Integrated Writing Task on the Benefits and Challenges of Self-Driving Cars

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 highlights the benefits of self-driving cars. However, the lecture presents several counterarguments.

The lecture acknowledges that self-driving cars can reduce accidents but points out that the technology is not flawless. There have been instances where self-driving cars failed to recognize obstacles or misread road signs, causing accidents. This challenges the reading's claim that self-driving cars can make roads significantly safer.

Regarding traffic efficiency, the lecture notes that while self-driving cars can communicate with each other, the current infrastructure is not ready for a fully integrated system. This could lead to more traffic and confusion during the transition period, contradicting the reading's assertion that self-driving cars will improve traffic flow.

The lecture also addresses the benefit for people with disabilities and the elderly, noting that these groups might struggle with the new technology. The control panels of self-driving cars need to be very user-friendly, which is not always the case. Additionally, the high cost of these vehicles might be prohibitive for many in these groups, challenging the reading's optimistic view.

On the topic of job loss, the lecture argues that while some jobs may disappear, new opportunities will arise in fields like engineering, online security, and data analysis. This counters the reading's concern about economic problems and the need for large retraining programs.

Lastly, the lecture acknowledges the ethical and legal challenges but suggests that these can be resolved through regulatory efforts and industry collaboration.

Rater's Comment

This response effectively summarizes the main points from both the reading and the lecture, demonstrating a clear understanding of the relationship between the two. The essay is well-organized, with each paragraph addressing a specific point from the reading and its corresponding counterargument from the lecture. The use of transitions such as "however," "regarding," and "lastly" helps to clearly signal the relationship between the reading and the lecture, making the essay coherent and easy to follow.

Additionally, the essay maintains objectivity, focusing on summarizing the relationship between the reading and the lecture without expressing personal opinions. Overall, this response meets all the criteria for a high score, including presenting all key information from both the reading and the lecture, being well-organized and coherent, and demonstrating strong control over grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary with only minor errors that do not affect meaning.

Mid-Level Response

The reading passage talks about the benefits of self-driving cars but the lecture has some opposing views.

The lecture say that self-driving cars can reduce accidents, but they are not perfect. There have been cases where self-driving cars failed to recognize obstacles or misread road signs, causing accidents. This shows that the technology are still developing and not flawless.

On traffic efficciency, the lecture notes that self-driving cars can communicate with each other, but the current infrastructure is not ready for a fully integrated system. This could lead to more traffic and confusion during the transition period, contradicting the reading's claim that self-driving cars will improve traffic flow.

The lecture also mentions that people with disabilitis and the elderly might strugle with the new technology. The control panels of self-driving cars need to be very user-friendly, which is not always the case.

On job loss, the lecture argues that while some jobs may disappear, new opportunities will arise in fields like engineering, online security, and data analysis. This counters the reading's concern about economic problems and the need for large retraining programs.

Lastly, the lecture acknowledges the ethical and legal challenges but suggests that these can be solved through regulatory efforts and industry collaboration.

Rater's Comment

This response provides a summary of the main points from both the reading and the lecture, but it lacks depth and detail in some areas. The essay is generally well-organized, with each paragraph addressing specific points from the reading and the lecture. However, the transitions between points are not as clear as they could be, making the essay somewhat less coherent.

There are also some grammatical and punctuation errors that affect the overall quality of the response. Overall, this response meets the criteria for a mid-level score. It provides a summary of the main points from both the reading and the lecture, but it lacks some detail and clarity. The organization is generally good, but the transitions could be clearer. There are also some grammatical and punctuation errors that affect the overall quality of the response.

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

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