TOEFL iBT Independent Writing, A book or a movie? -partly rewritten-

Writing Topic:

Suppose you have enough money to buy a book or watch a movie. Which would you rather spend the money on, the book or the movie?

 

 

☆Reading the question carefully.

Which would you rather spend the money on?  → This question is asking about your choice/preference. The answer can be subjective. You do not necessarily have to make an objective judgment.

 

☆Comparison (A or B? / Agree or disagree?)

1) Brainstorm good/bad points of each choice

e.g.

	buying a book	watching a movie
a	handy	not handy
b	like your best friend―you choose it carefully  and repeatedly return to it.	like friends or fashion―you enjoy their novelty but most of them just come and go.
c	your imagination	imagination of the director and the actor ―often not as good as , but sometimes much better than yours
d	academic training (vocabulary, sentence structure, etc.)	composite art  (picture, music, fashion, etc.)

                                                                                          

2) Juxtapose the differences of the two choices

e.g.   c.    your imagination                       imagination of the director and the actor

The experience you have through reading feels more real than that you have through watching a movie. When you read, you draw on your own experience to understand what is written, and it makes the story more real to you. For example, when the leading character is scolded by a strict teacher, you think of a particular teacher in your elementary school and remember the shock and embarrassment you felt when you were scolded by her. In a movie, the character of a strict teacher is presented through the interpretation of the actor and the director, which is different from your own image. Although it is always exciting and inspiring and therefore enjoyable to see the images created by great actors and directors, when it comes to reality, no other interpretation can beat your own. The world you build through reading is more real and intimate to you, and hence reading often gives you more satisfaction than watching a move.

 

 

Essay-writing Procedure

☆The following is an idea of procedure that could help you finish writing a well-developed essay before the time is up. One good point of this procedure is that you can avoid failing to write the conclusion.

 

1.    Read the writing topic carefully.

 

2.    Brainstorm, typing down the would-be points for the essay.

 

《The image of typing down the would-be points for the essay》

@@&!*&

$$$$

#`*&%#@&%

$$B

 

3.    Put the points in order. (They will make the topic sentences of the paragraphs of the body.)

 

《The image of putting the points in order》

【Point 1】#`*&%#@&%

【Point 2】@@&!*&

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】$$$$$$B

 

 4.    Write the topic sentences of the conclusion and introduction paragraphs.

For example.

1)    Write the conclusion topic sentence

 

【Point 1】#`*&%#@&%

【Point 2】@@&!*&

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】$$$$$$B

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】Because of #...and @,,,,I would buy a book.

 

2)    Write the introduction topic sentence

 

【Introduction = Outline】Reading a book is better for me than watching a movie because of # and @.

【Point 1】#`*&%#@&%

【Point 2】@@&!*&

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】$$$$$$B

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】Because of #... and @,,,,I would buy a book.

 

5.    Develop body paragraphs.

 

The image of developing the first point (The first paragraph of the body).

【Introduction = Outline】Reading a book is better for me than watching a movie because of # and @.

【Point 1】#`*&%#@&%. This means that #`****&###```&%%%%. For example, □△○. This is especially true in the case of □*△*○ because …. It cannot be denied that ■▲● happens, but □◎◎. Therefore, it can be said that #`*✿&%#@&%□☉✿.

【Point 2】@@&!*&

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】$$$$$$B

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】Because of #... and @,,,,I would buy a book.

 

 6.    Develop conclusion and introduction paragraphs.

 

7.    Go over the whole essay, focusing on one thing such as a grammatical mistake you often make.

 

 

♦Sample Essay Structure for today’s writing topic

【Introduction = Outline】Reading a book is better for me than watching a movie because of # and @.

【Point 1】A book can make you more mature more often than a movie can.

【Point 2】Reading develops language ability.

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】It is true that watching a movie takes less time to finish a story, but the effect is weaker than reading. The difference is like that between a tour and a stay.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】Because of #... and @,,,,I would buy a book.

 

 

♦Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

 

 

【Point 1】

 

 

【Point 2】

 

 

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

 

 

 

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

 

 

 

 

Paragraph development

 

☆A paragraph of the body of an essay often develops its main idea as follows:

【Main Idea】 (主張)

【Explanation】 (主張の説明)

【Detail / Example in general】 (一般的な例)

【More Specific Detail / Example】 (より具体的な例)

【Follow-up / Counterargument-treatment】 (補足または反論の処理)

【Conclusion】 (結論)

 

 

♦Sample Paragraph Development of Point 1 in the Essay Plan above

【Main Idea】 (主張)

A book can make you more mature more often than a movie can.

【Explanation】 (主張の説明)

Reading develops your thoughts and emotions more effectively than watching a movie.

【Detail / Example in general】 (一般的な例)

For example, novels tell you the characters’ thoughts and feelings in detail.

【More Specific Detail / Example】 (より具体的な例)

While watching an episode of the Harry Potter Series, for instance, you just see some troubled face of Harry when he has difficulty in mastering an important magic for defense, in the book you see precisely what is going on in his mind, that is, his mixed feelings: an urge to achieve the magic, frustration, and the secret desire to fail again and see his parent as he can see his father’s image whenever he fails.  

【Follow-up / Counterargument-treatment】 (補足または反論の処理)

Of course a movie can do some for the same purpose through expressions and narratives, but the effect is limited. You just understand or feel the same way. On the other hand, literature develops a piece of real life in you. By reading word by word and going through each single thought and feeling that are in Harry’s mind, you will actually own this orphan’s longing for his father which is stronger than the fear of death.

【Conclusion】 (結論)

You can enrich yourself in humanity by reading a good book.　

 

 

The actual paragraph:

A book can make you more mature more often than a movie can. Reading develops your thoughts and emotions more effectively than watching a movie. For example, novels tell you the characters’ thoughts and feelings in detail. While watching an episode of the Harry Potter Series, for instance, you just see some troubled face of Harry when he has difficulty in mastering an important magic for defense, in the book you see precisely what is going on in his mind, that is, his mixed feelings: an urge to achieve the magic, frustration, and the secret desire to fail again and see his parent as he can see his father’s image whenever he fails. Of course a movie can do some for the same purpose through expressions and narratives, but the effect is limited. You just understand or feel the same way. On the other hand, literature develops a piece of real life in you. By reading word by word and going through each single thought and feeling that are in Harry’s mind, you will actually own this orphan’s longing for his father which is stronger than the fear of death. You can enrich yourself in humanity by reading a good book.

 

 

 

♦Your Sample Paragraph Development

【Main Idea】 (主張)

 

 

【Explanation】 (主張の説明)

 

 

 

 【Detail / Example in general】 (一般的な例) 

 

 

 

 

【More Specific Detail / Example】 (より具体的な例)

 

 

 

 

 

【Follow-up / Counterargument-treatment】 (補足または反論の処理)

 

 

 

 

 

【Conclusion】 (結論)