Class Supplement, TOEFL iBT Independent Writing, Dorm Rooms -rewrite-

Writing Topic

Imagine that you have decided to attend college and to live in the college dormitories, and you have a choice of a small private room or a larger room that you would share with a roommate. Which would you choose, and why? Give specific reasons for your choice.

☆Let’s Think

Let’s make sure the choices you have: a SMALL, PRIVATE room or a LARGER room with A roommate, and let’s picture them what they would be like …

☆Now let’s think of the merits and demerits of each choice.

♦What are the good points of a small private dorm room?

1.    You can concentrate on your study well.

2.    You can use time and space on your own.

3.    You do not have to care about your roommate’s feelings.

4.    Your point:

♦Are there any bad points in living in a single dorm room? Are there any solutions to them?

Examples of bad points and the solutions (counterarguments & counter-counterarguments)

1.    You might feel lonely. ⇔ You can visit other rooms or go out to meet people when you feel lonely.

2.    You might become lazy living all alone. ⇔ Becoming lazy is part of college life. When else can you be lazy and be honest about your pure interest, like reading a novel all day without eating or cleaning, other than the years in college? Most people get back on track by the time they graduate anyway and I would too.

3.    Your counterargument and counter-counterargument

♦What are the good points of a larger dorm room that you would share with a roommate?

1.    You can use or do things together.

2.    You can talk about daily matters or share information.

3.    It would be safer to have someone living close to you than to live alone.

4.    If you are lucky, you would find a lifetime friend.

5.    Your point:

♦Are there any bad points about having a roommate? Are there any solutions to them?

Examples of bad points and the solutions (counterarguments & counter-counterarguments)

1.    You might not be able to concentrate on your study. ⇔You could go to the library when you want to cram or do research.

2.    Your might hit a jack-pot and get a troublemaker as your roommate. ⇔ It could be a good experience in the long run. You could learn to be patient and learn a high-level of social skills. If things get out of your hand, you could ask for an intervention from your dorm office anytime.

3.    Your counterargument and counter-counterargument:

☆Conclusion

Sample Conclusion:

I would choose a small single room because you can use time and space on your own in a single room. I have a lot of habits that I am sure would drive my roommate to her breaking point.

For example, I study after midnight. Since I cannot change this habit, I think my roommate, if she is a day person, would have difficulty in sleeping because of the light and noises I would make.

It is true that you might sometimes feel lonely to be in a single room,

but that loneliness may occur even when you have a companion. To feel that you are really not alone, something like a strong interest which you can share with others is necessary, and you cannot necessarily share it with your roommate. In terms of friendships, you can find them anywhere, in class, at the cafeteria, in your club, and in other dorm rooms. Based on the same logic, I do not care about the sizes of the rooms. I could go out any time when I get suffocated with the cell-like dorm room. To secure some personal time and space, I would choose a small private room.

Your Conclusion:

I would choose a small single room / a larger room with a roommate because …

For example,

It is true that …                             

but …