The Influence of Television on Political Opinions - TOEFL Writing Integrated Practice Test

Many students find the TOEFL Integrated Writing task challenging because it tests multiple skills simultaneously. Today's practice session will help you develop strategies for efficient reading, active listening, and clear writing. Let's explore techniques that will help you craft well-organized responses that showcase your academic writing abilities.

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 influence of television on political opinions is a topic of a lot of debate. Supporters argue that television plays an important role in shaping public views and political attitudes.

One of the primary ways television influences political opinions is through news coverage. Television news programs provide viewers with information about political events, policies, and people running for office. This coverage helps to inform the public and shape their understanding of political issues. By presenting facts, analysis, and expert opinions, television news can influence how viewers see political matters and make decisions about voting and public participation.

Another significant impact of television is its ability to make political figures more relatable. Through interviews, debates, and documentaries, television allows viewers to see politicians in a more personal and easy-to-understand light. This exposure can help build trust and understanding between the public and political leaders. When viewers feel a personal connection to a politician, they are more likely to support their policies and leadership. Television's visual and emotional appeal can create a powerful bond between politicians and voters.

Television also plays a role in deciding what is important in politics. By choosing which stories to cover and how to present them, television networks can highlight specific issues and frame public discussion. This deciding-what-is-important function can influence what topics are considered important by the public and policymakers. For example, extensive coverage of healthcare or immigration can raise these issues in the public consciousness, causing political action and debate. Television's ability to shape the political agenda makes it a significant force in the political landscape.

Also, television can encourage political participation. Political advertisements, public messages, and campaign coverage can encourage viewers to engage in the political process. Television can inform viewers about how to register to vote, where to find polling stations, and the importance of participating in elections. By raising awareness and providing useful information, television can increase voter turnout and civic involvement. The medium's wide reach and ease of access make it an effective tool for political mobilization.

Now play the audio.

Question

Provide a concise overview of the lecture's arguments, detailing their opposition to specific claims presented in the reading passage.

Wait! Before you check out the sample answers to the Writing Integrated task, let’s learn what a good TOEFL score is!

Sample Responses for the Integrated Writing Task on the Influence of Television on Political Opinions

Review the two sample responses provided, one at a mid-level and the other at a high-level. Comparing these examples will give you useful insights to help you enhance your own writing response.

High-Level Response

The reading passage highlights the positive influence of television on political opinions, such as informing the public through news coverage, making political figures more relatable, setting the political agenda, and encouraging political participation. However, the lecture presents several counterarguments to these points.

The passage suggests that television news coverage helps inform the public and shape their understanding of political issues. The lecture counters this by arguing that television news can be biased and selective, presenting information in a way that supports the network's agenda. This bias can lead to a distorted view of political events and limit viewers' exposure to diverse perspectives.

Regarding making political figures more relatable, the passage claims that television allows viewers to see politicians in a more personal light, building trust and understanding. The lecture, however, argues that this humanization can be superficial, as politicians often use television to craft a controlled image that focuses on style over substance. This emphasis on personality can overshadow important policy discussions and lead to less informed voting decisions.

The passage also emphasizes that television plays a role in setting the political agenda by highlighting specific issues and framing public discussion. The lecture challenges this by suggesting that television networks might prioritize sensational or controversial topics to attract higher ratings, diverting attention from more important issues.

Finally, the passage highlights that television can encourage political participation by raising awareness and providing useful information. The lecture, however, argues that this encouragement effect can be limited, as viewers might feel informed and engaged while watching television but fail to take concrete steps to participate in the political process.

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 point of contention between the reading and the lecture.

Additionally, the response maintains an objective tone, focusing on summarizing the relationship between the reading and the lecture without expressing personal opinions. The use of transitions, such as "The lecture counters this by arguing" and "The lecture, however, argues," effectively highlights the opposing viewpoints, contributing to the overall coherence and flow of the essay. The language used is appropriate for a college-level response, with strong control over grammar and vocabulary, and only minor errors that do not affect the overall meaning. Overall, this response meets all 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

The reading passage argues that television influences political opinions by informing the public, making political figures more relatable, setting the political agenda, and encouraging political participation. But the lecture has some points against this idea.

The passage say television news coverage helps inform the public and shape their understanding of political issues. But the lecture argues that television news can be biased and selective, presenting information in a way that supports the network's agenda. This bias can lead to a destorted view of political events and limit viewer's' exposure to diverse perspectives.

Regarding making political figures more relatable, the reading claims that television allows viewers to see politicians in a more personal light, building trust and understanding. The lecture, however, argues that this humanization can be superficial, as politicians often use television to craft a controlled image that focuses on style over substance. This emphasis on personality can overshadow important policy discussions and lead to less informed voting decisions.

The passage also emphasize that television plays a role in setting the political agenda by highlighting specific issues and framing public discussion. The lecture challenges this by suggesting that television networks might prioritize sensational or controversial topics to attract higher ratings, diverting attention from more important issues. This biased agenda-setting can shape public discussion in ways that do not necessarily reflect the most pressing political challenges.

Rater's Comment

This response provides a summary of the main points from both the reading and the lecture, but it has some limitations that prevent it from achieving a higher score. While the response accurately identifies the key arguments from both sources, it lacks depth in its analysis and explanation.

Additionally, the response has some grammatical errors. The response also lacks a conclusion, which would help to summarize the overall relationship between the reading and the lecture. Overall, this response meets the criteria for a mid-level score, but it could be improved with more detailed analysis, better organization, and fewer grammatical errors.

Strategies for Taking the Integrated Writing Task on the Influence of Television on Political Opinions

Let's dive into the tips below and put them to the test with some sample practice problems in our next test paper. Here are some key strategies to help you approach this task with confidence.

• Focus on the instructions and how the passage relates to the lecture.
• Identify the main arguments, supporting evidence, and overall tone of the passage.
• Look for discrepancies or agreements between the viewpoints, evidence, or conclusions in the passage and the lecture.
• Outline your main points, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Ensure a clear structure.
• Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of both the reading and lecture arguments, and highlight how they align or contradict each other.

Now that you've reviewed the sample responses and learned some useful writing strategies, it's time to put your skills into practice!

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