TOEFL, iBT, Independent Writing, preserving old, historic buildings or not / hiring an experienced worker or an inexperienced worker - rewrite -

Writing Topic 1

Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

☆Let’s think

A historic building helps us remember historic events, the era, and the related people. Every city has many old, historic buildings and people have valued them, but it often happens that they have to give them up for development. Remember seeing an old structure surrounded by modern buildings. Did you like the scene? If you did not like it, do you still think the city should keep it? Why?

☆Ideas and Expressions

♦old, historic buildings

1.    They represent our culture, history, and identity. To lose them is to lose all these intangible assets.

2.    They help us learn from the past more effectively than from textbooks.

3.    Many old buildings have their distinct beauty.

4.    They benefit tourism.

♦modern buildings

1.    They are stronger, cleaner, and more durable than old buildings.

2.    The street view will be more orderly.

☆Sample short response:

It is better not to destroy old, historic buildings because they effectively help us learn from the past. For example, the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima is a tangible proof of the horror of nuclear weapons. Its bear “dome” on top whose curved steel beams indicate that it was covered with some materials and was a real dome a second before the bomb was dropped. The river next to the building is where people whose whole bodies were engulfed by fire jumped into to escape from pain and thirst and drowned. If we lose the building, this story of horror, a strong message for disarmament, will seldom be told but in books. The city of Hiroshima is now thriving and is full of modern buildings, seemingly oblivious of the tragedy, which actually will never free the mind of the citizens, not to speak of the souls of the dead. Therefore, we need to preserve the building to preserve our history and to save our future.

Your short response:

It is better

because …

For example,

If we lose the building,

Therefore,

☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions   (Barron’s, Writing for the TOEFL iBT, p.281)

nnn

♦Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

Writing Topic 2

If you were an employer, which kind of worker would you prefer to hire: an inexperienced worker at a lower salary or an experienced worker at a higher salary? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

☆Let’s think

Paying less for an employee is more preferable for an employer for an obvious reason: He can cut costs. How about difference between an experienced worker and an inexperienced one? Is an experienced worker worth the extra money? Is lack of experience just a disadvantage?

☆Ideas and Expressions

♦Advantages of hiring an inexperienced worker at a lower salary

1.    Paying a lower salary will save you money. Loss of money caused by mistakes inexperienced workers make can be avoided by training and communication.

2.    He would be easier to train than an experienced worker because he is more ready to accept the company culture while an experienced worker often has difficulty in unlearning what he has already acquired in his previous work places.

3.    He would work harder because he wants to learn anything related to his job and wants to be noticed.

4.    Everyone is inexperienced at the beginning and even an experienced worker can make a huge mistake. Chances should be given to the young.

♦Advantages of hiring an experienced worker at a higher salary

1.    It lowers the risk of wasting the recruiting expenses. You would not know exactly how competent an inexperienced worker would be no matter how careful you are. He might be tardy or quit during the probation. Experienced workers are survivors. The fact that they have been in the industry for a long time shows that they have good work ethic, have no personality problems, and can do the job well enough.

2.    An experienced employee is valuable as an asset. Skills, knowledge, and the network of personal connections he has would be useful for your company.

3.    A worker with experience can teach less experienced workers.

4.    A well-seasoned worker can make fewer serious mistakes

☆Sample short response:

I would hire an experienced worker at a higher salary because he can start work on the day he is hired. He knows what to do with his new position and can do his job without asking other workers many questions. On the other hand, an inexperienced worker takes time to be full-fledged. He needs to be trained, which costs you time and money, and he will still need to learn on the job. It is true that paying a high salary would reduce profit, but, considering the cost for training and possible losses and damages caused by mistakes the inexperienced worker makes, I think giving the job to a person who is familiar with it would cost less in the long run.

Your short response:

I would hire …

because …

On the other hand, …

It is true that …

but

☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions     (Barron’s, Writing for the TOEFL iBT, pp. 282-283)

nnn

☆Body Paragraphs

Model A                                                         Model B

1)    about experienced workers                     1) good point of my choice 1

2)    about inexperienced workers                 2) good point of my choice 2

3)    my choice                                                3) good point of the other choice or bad point of my choice

and confirmation of my opinion

♦Your one paragraph essay

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】