TOEFL, iBT, Independent Writing, television and communication - rewrite -

Writing Topic

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. Television has taken away opportunities to communicate with friends and family.

☆Let’s think

What did families use to do in the evening before television was invented? They could have talked about their day or had a chat, while doing some small household work like spinning threads together. Sometimes they might have used the time to pass down the history of the family and community, telling their children the tales of old times which often have morals and important information about the community. Others might have read a book together, one reading while the others listening.

Has television deprived family of time to do those things? Clearly they have. Few modern families talk about their history or read together every night. Surely they could be using television as a tool to pick up conversation pieces although at the same time they could be using it to escape from direct communication. One thing is clear. We cannot go hours without communicating in the presence of others. Then it can be said that, without television, we would do something else, whether it is mingling or conflicting.

We may have to consider the characteristics of television as a medium. It can be a medium between individuals to share information and ideas. What is on television could induce communication. You can communicate watching television together or use what you picked up from the content to start communication later. On the other hand, television can be a medium to brainwash people. Many programs and advertisements may have bewitched people and made them mute. In addition, the spread of television sets may have separated people. Before, television was a thing people use together. First a community had one set, and then each family got one. But now many individuals have their own television. With increasing variety of television channels, personal televisions might be making people speak different languages.

We might also have to consider what communication is. As we all know that communication consists of not only language but also many other factors like expressions or choice of clothing. Having a lot of conversation does not always mean communication; you could still feel isolated in it. Also, the quality of communication over television might be very low, mainly because of the low quality of the contents, and some people might not call it communication. Interactions during some other activity with your family or friends would be totally different in quality from the interactions during television watching. Television might be making us have less virtual communication. Just walking down the street may reward you more than sitting motionless with others in front of the television because real people are there in the street while none on the screen.

☆Making the framework of the full essay

Here is one idea of making the framework of an English essay. You do not actually have to start with the introduction, proceed to make the body, and finish with conclusion. Often we do not know the answer before fully discussing the points, so we could begin with the body, examining each point. Then we make a conclusion, and put the introduction which matches the conclusion. The diagram of the procedure is as follows. （The signs and symbols in the diagram are not gabled characters! I have intended them to represent images of a variety of thoughts.）

Step 1 Working on the body (making each point thinking about the topic)

【Point 1】#`*&%#@&% 

【Point 2】@@&!*&

【Point 3】$$$$$

⇓

Step 2 Making a conclusion

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】G!!!

⇓

Step 3 Writing the introduction

【Introduction = Outline】G

The actual structure of the essay made up of the ideas above is as follows.

【Introduction = Outline】G

【Point 1】#`*&%#@&% 

【Point 2】@@&!*&

【Point 3】$$$$$

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】G!!!

Here is a sample which follows the procedure above.

Step 1 Working on the body (making each point thinking about the topic)

【Point 1】Television reduces time to do activities that involve communication.

【Point 2】The contents of television do not connect people so much as isolate them.

【Point 3】It is true that factors other than television affect how much people communicate, but in general TV-watching occupies too much of our lives.

⇓

Step 2 Making a conclusion.

【Conclusion】Generally, television has lessened time to communicate because people can spend time without communicating or having real communication because of television.

⇓

Step 3 Writing the introduction.

【Introduction】I agree with the statement that television has taken away opportunities to communicate with friends and family considering people had less distraction before.

Sample framework notes 1 (This one is the ideas above put in order for an essay.)

【Introduction】I agree with the statement that television has taken away opportunities to communicate with friends and family considering people had less distraction before.

【Point 1】Television reduces time to do activities that involve communication.

【Point 2】The contents of television do not connect people so much as isolate them.

【Point 3】It is true that factors other than television affect how much people communicate, but in general TV-watching occupies too much of our lives.

【Conclusion】Generally, television has lessened time to communicate because people can spend time without communicating or having real communication because of television.

Sample framework notes 2

【Introduction】I almost agree with the statement that television has taken away opportunities to communicate with friends and family.

【Point 1】Many spend most of their time watching television without interacting with others.

【Point 2】However, television can provide catalysts for communication.

【Point 3】Also, television can be used to share information and ideas.

【Conclusion】I think the way television is used has prevented us from communicating with each other.

Your framework notes:

If you like, follow the procedure above while you don’t have to do so at all, of course.

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】