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The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture - TOEFL Writing Integrated Practice Test

The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture - TOEFL iBT® Writing Integrated Practice Test

Akanksha Tripathi

8 min read

Updated On September 24, 2024

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"Practice your TOEFL Writing with a test on 'The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture.' Get sample responses and boost your writing score!"

Key Highlights

The TOEFL Writing section is an essential component of the exam, where candidates showcase their ability to organize their ideas and deliver clear, structured responses. This practice test will concentrate on the integrated task of TOEFL Writing, using the topic 'The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture' to guide you through a typical exercise.

In this practice, you will read a passage and listen to a lecture that presents differing perspectives on organic farming. With straightforward instructions and example responses, this blog aims to help you enhance your skills and prepare for the TOEFL Writing iBT section, increasing your chances of achieving a high score on the test.

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.

Reading Time : 3 Minutes

The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture

Organic farming is often seen as a key part of sustainable agriculture because of its many environmental benefits. By avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, organic farming reduces the pollution of soil and water. This helps maintain a variety of life and encourages healthier environments. For example, organic farms often support a wider variety of plants and animals compared to conventional farms, which rely heavily on chemicals.

Additionally, organic farming practices improve soil health through natural compost and crop rotations. These methods enhance soil structure and richness, making the land more strong against wearing away. Healthier soil can better retain water. This reduces the need for watering and chemical fertilizers. This not only conserves water but also lowers the environmental impact tied to farming. Also, organic farming can help ensure long-term food security. By focusing on sustainable practices, organic farms can stay productive over time. They do this without draining natural resources. This is different from conventional farming, which often leads to soil exhaustion and lower yields over the long run. Organic farming's focus on sustainability guarantees that future generations will have fertile land and plenty of food.

Now play the audio.

The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture

Question 

 

Summarize the lecture's key points, focusing on how they relate to the claims presented in the reading passage.

Response Time: 20 Minutes

Transcript of the Audio of the Lecture on The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture

Professor: While organic farming has its benefits, it's important to look at some of the challenges it faces. For one, organic farming often produces lower output compared to conventional farming. This can be a problem. It makes it harder to meet the food needs of a growing global population. Lower output means that more land is needed to produce the same amount of food. This can lead to clearing of forests and loss of living areas.

The idea that organic farming is better for soil health also has its issues. Organic methods like composting and crop rotation are good. But they aren't always enough to keep the soil productive. Sometimes, organic farms still need supplies like animal waste. This can be hard to get and may not be available to all farmers. This can make it tough to scale organic farming to meet large farming needs.Economic factors are also significant. Organic farming is often more labor-intensive. It takes more time and effort to manage. This can lead to higher production costs. These costs are then passed on to consumers as higher prices. As a result, organic products may not be affordable for everyone, especially in lower-income communities. This economic barrier can limit the widespread acceptance of organic farming. This makes it less practical as a global solution for sustainable agriculture.

Sample Responses for the Integrated Writing Task on The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture

A detailed evaluation of different responses is outlined below, covering both mid-level and high-level viewpoints. This helps you pinpoint areas for improvement to reach your desired score.

Mid Level Response 

The lecture disagrees with the reading about the benefits of organic farming in sustainable agriculture. The professor says that organic farming often produces lower yields than conventional farming. This makes it hard to meet the food needs of a growing population and may require more land, leading to deforestation. This goes against the reading's idea that organic farming supports a variety of life and healthier environments.The professor also says that organic methods like composting and crop rotation are not always enough to keep the soil productive. Organic farms sometimes need additional inputs like animal waste, which can be hard to get. This challenges the reading's claim that organic farming improves soil health and makes the land more resilient.

Lastly, the professor talks about the economic challenges of organic farming. It is often more labor-intensive and costly, leading to higher prices for consumers. This makes organic products less affordable, especially for lower-income communities. This undermines the reading's claim that organic farming ensures long-term food security and sustainability. (167 Words )

Rater's Comment

This response is adequate but has some limitations that prevent it from receiving a higher score. While it summarizes the main points from both the reading and the lecture, it lacks depth and detail. For example, the explanation of why organic farming might not meet the food needs of a growing population is brief and could be expanded to provide a clearer understanding. Additionally, the response has some grammatical errors, such as "This makes it hard to meet the food needs of a growing population and may require more land, leading to deforestation," which could be more clearly phrased. The organization is generally good, with each paragraph addressing a specific point, but the transitions between ideas are somewhat abrupt. Phrases like "This goes against the reading's idea" and "This challenges the reading's claim" are used effectively to show the relationship between the reading and the lecture, but the overall coherence could be improved. The response also maintains an objective tone and avoids personal opinions, which is appropriate for this task. However, the grammatical errors and lack of detail indicate that the response could be more polished and comprehensive.

High Level Response 

The lecture challenges the reading's positive view on organic farming's role in sustainable agriculture. The professor argues that organic farming often produces lower yields compared to conventional farming. This lower output makes it difficult to meet the food demands of a growing global population and may require more land, leading to deforestation and habitat loss. This contradicts the reading's claim that organic farming supports a variety of life and healthier environments.

The professor also questions the effectiveness of organic methods in maintaining soil health. While composting and crop rotation are beneficial, they may not always be sufficient to keep the soil productive. Organic farms sometimes need additional inputs like animal waste, which can be hard to obtain and may not be available to all farmers. This challenges the reading's assertion that organic farming practices improve soil health and make the land more resilient.

Lastly, the professor highlights the economic challenges of organic farming. It is often more labor-intensive and costly, leading to higher production costs that are passed on to consumers as higher prices. This makes organic products less affordable, especially for lower-income communities, limiting the widespread acceptance of organic farming. This undermines the reading's claim that organic farming ensures long-term food security and sustainability. (205 Words)

Rater's Comment 

This response deserves a high score because it effectively summarizes the main points from both the reading and the lecture, clearly highlighting how the lecture challenges the reading. The response is well-organized, with each paragraph addressing a specific point of contention between the reading and the lecture. For instance, the first paragraph discusses the yield and land use, the second addresses soil health, and the third focuses on economic challenges. The language used is clear and concise, with appropriate transitions that enhance the coherence of the essay. Phrases like "This contradicts the reading's claim" and "This challenges the reading's assertion" effectively signal the relationship between the reading and the lecture. Additionally, the response avoids personal opinions and maintains an objective tone, which is crucial for this type of task. Overall, the response demonstrates strong control over grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary, with only minor errors that do not affect meaning.

Strategies for Taking the Integrated Writing Task on The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture

To excel in the Integrated Writing Task, it's essential to employ effective strategies. Here are some useful tips to tackle practice test like 'The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture' with confidence:

1. Read the Prompt Carefully: Make sure you grasp the specific question and the main points you need to cover in your essay.

2. Listen to the Lecture Closely: Pay attention to key arguments, examples, and evidence that either support or contradict the ideas presented in the reading passage. Take notes while you listen.

3. Review the Reading Passage: After the lecture, revisit the reading passage. Examine the claims regarding organic farming and note any supporting evidence.

4. Compare Both Sources: Determine where the reading and lecture align or diverge. Look for differences or new information in the lecture that may challenge the claims made in the reading.

5. Organize Your Response: Begin with an introduction that paraphrases the prompt. In the body, compare the reading and lecture, incorporating specific examples from both. Conclude with a summary of your analysis.

6. Use Examples from Both Sources: Enhance your essay by directly quoting examples from the reading passage and lecture to demonstrate your understanding of the topic.

7.Maintain Coherence: Ensure your essay flows smoothly by using transition words and keeping ideas connected for a clear and logical response.

 

We hope this practice test on 'The Role of Organic Farming in Sustainable Agriculture' was helpful in strengthening your TOEFL Writing skills. Keep practicing to reach your target score!

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