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The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change - TOEFL Writing Integrated Practice Test

The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change - TOEFL iBT® Writing Integrated Practice Test

Akanksha Tripathi

8 min read

Updated On September 24, 2024

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"Practice the TOEFL Writing Integrated task on "The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change" to improve your skills in summarizing and comparing information from a reading passage and a lecture."

Key Highlights

The TOEFL exam assesses various skills, with a key focus on communication, particularly in the Writing Section. This section, especially the Writing Integrated task, requires you to synthesize information from both a reading passage and a lecture on topics such as 'The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change.'

This practice test is designed to help you excel in the Writing Integrated task. It will guide you through understanding instructions, structuring your responses, and refining your writing skills. Start practicing now to boost your TOEFL score!

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 Technology in Preventing Climate Change

The role of technology in preventing climate change is increasingly seen as crucial. New tech offers several promising solutions to reduce the harmful effects of climate change.

Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and water power are leading this effort. These sources generate electricity without releasing greenhouse gases, making them a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. Using renewable energy widely can significantly cut carbon emissions, thereby slowing global warming. New ways to store energy, like advanced batteries, further improve the reliability and efficiency of renewable energy systems.

Another important area where technology helps is in improving energy use. Smart grids and energy-efficient appliances help reduce energy use in homes and industries. Smart grids make the distribution of electricity better, cutting waste and ensuring that energy is used more effectively. Energy-efficient appliances use less power, which not only lowers electricity bills but also decreases the overall demand for energy, leading to fewer emissions from power plants.

Capturing and storing carbon is another innovative solution. This involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sources and storing them underground to prevent them from entering the atmosphere. This technology can be applied to existing fossil fuel power plants, making them less harmful to the environment. By capturing and storing carbon emissions, this method can help bridge the gap between current energy needs and the move to cleaner energy sources.

Also, advancements in transportation technology help fight climate change. Electric vehicles (EVs) produce zero emissions and are becoming more affordable and accessible. The development of efficient public transportation systems, such as electric buses and high-speed trains, also reduces the reliance on fossil fuels. These innovations in transportation not only decrease greenhouse gas emissions but also improve air quality in cities.

Now play the audio.

The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change - TOEFL Writing Integrated Task

Question

 

Summarize the main points of the lecture, highlighting 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 Technology in Preventing Climate Change

Professor: While technology certainly has the potential to help reduce climate change, there are several reasons to be careful about relying too much on tech solutions.

First, using renewable energy sources faces big challenges. Solar and wind power, for example, depend on weather conditions and time of day. This can lead to reliability issues, especially in areas without enough energy storage systems. Plus, making and getting rid of renewable energy equipment, like solar panels and wind turbines, have their own environmental impacts, including resource extraction and waste management.

Second, improving energy use through smart grids and appliances is not a perfect solution. The initial cost of using these technologies can be very high for many households and businesses. Also, the rebound effect, where increased efficiency leads to higher overall energy use, can undermine the benefits. People might use more energy because they see it as cheaper and more abundant, canceling out the gains from efficiency improvements.

Capturing and storing carbon, while promising, is still in its early stages and faces many technical and economic hurdles. The process of capturing and storing carbon is expensive and uses a lot of energy. There are also concerns about the long-term stability of stored carbon and the potential for leaks, which could cancel out the benefits of this method. Relying on this might also delay the move to truly sustainable energy sources by giving a false sense of security.

Finally, advancements in transportation technology, such as electric vehicles (EVs), are not without their downsides. The production of EV batteries involves mining for rare earth metals, which has significant environmental and social impacts. Plus, the electricity used to charge EVs often comes from fossil fuel power plants, which means that the overall reduction in emissions might be less than expected. Public transportation systems, while beneficial, need lots of investment and infrastructure development, which can be hard to do on a large scale.

Sample Responses for the Integrated Writing Task on The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change

Here’s a thorough breakdown of various responses, covering both mid-level and high-level insights, to help you identify areas for improvement and achieve your desired score.

Mid Level Response 

The reading talks about technology fighting climate change with renewable energy, better energy use, carbon capture, and improved transportation. The lecture argues against relying too much on technology.The reading says renewable energy can cut carbon emissions. The lecture says these sources depend on weather and time, causing reliability issues. Making and disposing of renewable energy equipment has environmental impacts.The reading mentions smart grids and energy-efficient appliances to reduce energy use. The lecture says high initial costs are a problem for many people. The rebound effect, where people use more energy because it's cheaper, can cancel out benefits.The reading sees carbon capture and storage as good for reducing emissions from fossil fuel plants. The lecture points out it's expensive and uses lots of energy. There are concerns about long-term stability of stored carbon and leaks.The reading praises electric vehicles and public transportation for reducing emissions. The lecture notes environmental impacts of mining for EV batteries and that electricity for EVs often comes from fossil fuels. Public transportation needs lots of investment and infrastructure, which is hard to do on a large scale. (185 Words )

Rater’s Comments

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. For example, the response mentions that the lecture argues against renewable energy due to reliability issues, but it does not elaborate on how these issues affect the overall effectiveness of renewable energy. Additionally, the response has some grammatical errors, such as "The reading sees carbon capture and storage as a good way to reduce emissions from fossil fuel power plants," which could be more clearly stated as "The reading views carbon capture and storage as an effective method to reduce emissions from fossil fuel power plants." The response also lacks a conclusion, which would help to summarize the overall relationship between the reading and the lecture. Furthermore, the response could benefit from more effective use of transitions to improve coherence and flow. Despite these issues, the response demonstrates a basic understanding of the material and provides a clear comparison of the opposing viewpoints. 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.

High Level Response 

 The reading highlights technology's role in fighting climate change through renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon capture, and transportation advancements. The lecture presents counterarguments to these points. Initially, the reading suggests renewable energy can reduce carbon emissions. The lecture points out reliability issues due to weather dependence and environmental impacts of manufacturing and disposing of equipment. Additionally, the reading discusses benefits of smart grids and energy-efficient appliances. The lecture argues high initial costs are a barrier for many. The rebound effect, where increased efficiency leads to higher energy use, can negate benefits. On carbon capture and storage, the reading sees it as promising for reducing emissions from fossil fuel plants. The lecture highlights technical and economic challenges, including high costs and energy use. Concerns exist about long-term stability of stored carbon and potential leaks.

Finally, the reading praises transportation advancements like electric vehicles (EVs) and efficient public transit. The lecture notes environmental impacts of mining for EV batteries and that electricity for EVs often comes from fossil fuels. Public transit requires significant investment and infrastructure, challenging to implement widely.To conclude, the lecture presents several counterpoints to the reading's optimistic view of technology's role in combating climate change. (197 Words)

Rater’s Comments

This response merits 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. For example, the first paragraph discusses the reliability issues of renewable energy sources, while the second addresses the high initial costs and rebound effect of energy-efficient technologies. The response accurately paraphrases the information from both sources, avoiding direct copying and demonstrating the ability to convey complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. 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" 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.

Strategies for Taking the Integrated Writing Task on The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change

Here are some strategies to tackle the Integrated Writing Task on 'The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change' effectively:

1.Take the time to thoroughly read the prompt to grasp the task and its requirements. 

2. During the lecture, make detailed notes that highlight the main arguments and supporting evidence.

3. Cross-reference the information from the lecture with the reading material, paying attention to any discrepancies or additional insights.

4. Organize your response with a clear introduction, well-structured body paragraphs, and a succinct conclusion.

5. Incorporate specific examples and quotes from both the reading and the lecture to bolster your analysis.

6. Ensure a smooth flow and coherence by using appropriate transitions and connections between your points.

This practice test on 'The Role of Technology in Preventing Climate Change' helps you refine your TOEFL Writing Integrated skills by summarizing and comparing key points from both a reading passage and a lecture. Use the feedback provided to enhance your writing and boost your TOEFL score.

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