The Impact of Free Trade Agreements on Local Industries - TOEFL Writing Integrated Practice Test

TOEFL's Integrated Writing task represents a unique challenge in academic assessment. Today's practice targets your ability to synthesize information from multiple sources while maintaining clarity and organization. Together, we'll explore strategies that will help you tackle this task effectively and boost your overall writing performance. Are you ready to elevate your skills?

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.

Free trade agreements (FTAs) have been widely adopted to promote economic growth and international cooperation. One of the main benefits of FTAs is the removal of taxes on imports and trade obstacles, which can lead to lower costs for consumers and businesses. By lowering the cost of imported goods, FTAs can boost consumer purchasing power and provide access to more products.

Another big advantage is the possible expansion of local markets. FTAs open up new opportunities for businesses to export their products to foreign markets without facing high taxes on imports. This can lead to increased sales, higher income, and the creation of jobs. For example, many small and medium-sized businesses have been able to grow and thrive by entering international markets through FTAs.

FTAs also encourage competition and new ideas. By exposing local industries to international competition, FTAs can push companies to improve their products and services, adopt new technologies, and become more efficient. This can lead to higher quality goods and services for consumers and a more dynamic and competitive economy.

Also, FTAs can attract foreign investment. The steadiness and reliability provided by these agreements make countries more attractive to foreign investors. Increased investment can lead to the development of new industries, better infrastructure, and overall economic growth. This flow of capital can be particularly beneficial for developing countries looking to modernize their economies.

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 Impact of Free Trade Agreements on Local Industries

Review the two provided sample responses, one at a mid-level and the other at a high-level. Comparing these examples will offer you helpful insights that can assist you in enhancing and polishing your writing response.

High-Level Response

The reading passage highlights the benefits of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), such as lower costs for consumers, market expansion, increased competition, and foreign investment. However, the lecture presents several counterarguments that challenge these points.

The lecture argues that FTAs can negatively impact local industries that cannot compete with cheaper imported goods. When import taxes are removed, local manufacturers may struggle against foreign companies that produce goods at lower costs, leading to factory closures and job losses. This contradicts the reading's claim that FTAs boost local markets and job creation.

Regarding income inequality, the lecture points out that the benefits of FTAs are not evenly distributed. This can worsen economic disparities and lead to social and political tensions, countering the reading's assertion that FTAs promote economic growth for all.

The lecture also highlights the potential loss of national control. FTAs often include rules that limit a country's ability to regulate its industries and protect workers and the environment. This opposes the reading's view that FTAs encourage international cooperation.

Lastly, the lecture addresses the environmental impact of increased trade. The production and transportation of goods across long distances contribute to pollution and environmental damage. The focus on economic growth can lead to the exploitation of natural resources and weaker environmental protections, challenging the reading's claim that FTAs lead to overall economic growth.

Rater's Comment

This response deserves a high score as it effectively summarizes 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 point of contention between the reading and the lecture.

The response also maintains objectivity, focusing on summarizing the relationship between the reading and the lecture without expressing personal opinions. The use of transitions such as "The lecture argues," "Regarding income inequality," and "Lastly, the lecture addresses" helps to clearly signal the relationship between the two sources, enhancing the coherence and flow of the essay.

Moreover, the language used is appropriate for a college-level response, with strong control over grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary. The essay is concise, staying within the word limit while effectively conveying all necessary information. Overall, the response demonstrates a high level of proficiency in summarizing and synthesizing information from multiple sources, which is a key requirement for this task.

Mid-Level Response

The reading passage highlights the benefits of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), such as lower costs for consumers, market expansion, increased competition, and foreign investment. However, the lecture presents several counterarguements that challenge these points.

The lecture argue that FTAs can negatively impact local industries that cannot compete with cheaper imported goods. When import taxes are removed, local manufacturers may struggle against foreign companies that produce goods at lower costs, leading to factory closures and job losses. This contradict the passages claim that FTAs boost local markets and job creation.

Regarding income inequality, the lecture points out that the benefits of FTAs are not evenly distributed. Large multinational corporations and wealthy individuals often gain the most, while small businesses and low-skilled workers struggle to compete. This can worsen economic disparitis and lead to social and political tensions, countering the passages assertion that FTAs promote economic growth for all.

The lecture also highlights the potential loss of national control. FTAs often include rules that limit a country's ability to regulate its industries and protect workers and the environment. Dispute systems can allow foreign corporations to challenge domestic laws, weakening a nation's ability to govern in the public interest. This opposes the reading's view that FTAs encourage international cooperation.

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 essay is generally well-organized, with each paragraph addressing a specific point of contention between the reading and the lecture. However, it omits some important details and examples that would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the material. The response also contains a few grammatical errors and awkward phrasings.

Overall, while the response demonstrates a basic understanding of the material and is generally coherent, it lacks the depth, detail, and language control required for a higher score.

Strategies for Taking the Integrated Writing Task on the Impact of Free Trade Agreements on Local Industries

Here are strategies for writing the question on the impact of free trade agreements on local industries.

• Note specific examples or case studies mentioned in both sources.
• Begin your response by clearly stating the relationship between the reading and lecture.
• Organize your essay to address main points from both sources systematically.
• Use clear attributions when referencing information from each source.
• Integrate and compare information from both the reading and lecture.
• Focus on key aspects like job markets, competition, consumer prices, and economic growth.

Now that you’ve reviewed strategies and sample responses, it’s time to practice and refine your skills further!

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