国際教養AO入試 reference, TTIP and Ceta

Think TTIP is a threat to democracy? There’s another trade deal that’s already signed
Nick Dearden　　　The Guardian   May 30, 2016http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/30/ttip-trade-deal-agreements-ceta-eu-canada

TOEFL, iBT, Independent Writing, How would you use a large area of land? - rewrite -

Writing Topic

Imagine that you have been given a large area of land to use however you wish. How would you choose to use this land?

☆Let’s Think

This is a hypothetical question with few conditions. It requires us to think about land usage. The word “land usage” often reminds you of investment and you might think of building condominiums on it and making a fortune by renting or selling them. However, the idea could be considered slightly off the topic in that you do not tackle the core of the question: a good usage of a huge area of land, which is not just an object of investment but something that provides space, soil, ecological system, the atmosphere above it, life and joy of people, and many other good things that we can take advantage of.

To answer a hypothetical question with few specific conditions in the TOEFL independent writing section, one idea is to draw on your specialty, the thing that you have a lot to write about to meet the minimum-300-word requirement. It would be easier to come up with a good idea if you think of the area that you know well. For example, you could ask yourself such questions as follows in brainstorming for this writing topic: What do I like or what am I interested in? What is its present situation? How would you use the land to change the present situation? How would you persuade readers to accept the idea?

Note: This question does not mention the cost. Therefore, you do not have to deal with it. In other words, you do not have to worry about whether your idea is financially feasible or not.

Now answer these questions, if you like.

1.    What do you like or what are you interested in or what is your concern?  

2.    What is its present situation?     

3.    How would you use the land to change the situation?

4.    Who will benefit?

5.    What problem can you expect and how would you address it?

or

What other usage seems equally beneficial and why would you rather not choose it?

☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions

There would be many wise or innovative uses of a large tract of land, but I would make it a town which is a test case for peaceful coexistence of people and jungle crows. No other birds are so stigmatized as crows, probably in Japan, where I live, in particular. They are regarded as filthy garbage-eaters, spiteful punks, and the sign of death. Yet, if observed carefully and without prejudice, they will turn out to be as likable as dolphins. In fact, some people even call them flying dogs. They could possibly be our best friends in the sky.

Jungle crows are the big black birds often seen scattering the contents of garbage bags collected on the sidewalks in many Japanese cities. They used to live in forests and feed on dead animals on the ground. Development replaced trees with buildings and dead animals with garbage bags. They have been doing the same to survive, nesting on the power poles and eating food on the ground, but now humans are offended by their routine. People think crows are dirty and dangerous. However, crows are much cleaner than other birds like chickens. They bathe a few times a day if possible. Also,crows attack people only when they are near their young, and the worst thing they can do is to swoop from behind and kick, which they rarely actually do because they are afraid of humans. They remember the face of the person who attacked or threatened them and repeatedly retaliate, but think of their trauma and it is understandable that they do it for self-defense. The biggest stigma that crows bear is the image of death, which probably derives from their color. Surely they eat dead bodies but so do many other creatures, from bacteria to dogs. The fear of the color black is our problem, not theirs. In the eyes of humans on the ground crows on power lines are eerie dark spots in the sky, but seen from high above, they are precious pieces of life shining in purple and green.

Although loathed, crows are rather well known to be very smart, affectionate, and remarkable birds.　They store their food in hundred to several thousand places and remember them. They use their calls for their communication and use and, sometimes, make tools. Sometimes, their behavior cannot be explained by any other words but play. There are reports of crows repeatedly sliding down the slide or snow slope or hanging upside down from the power line. Also, jungle crows mimic many kinds of things such as human words or machine noises. They cherish their mates and babies. There are many reports that crows grieve the death of other crows. I myself know a jungle crow which missed its mate that suddenly disappeared for at least three years. One of the most striking things about crows is their eyes. As they can see ultraviolet like other birds, they can spot a piece of white bread on the snow field from high above. Now you might find this bird a little more interesting than before, if not wishing to make friends with it.

In my opinion, it is a shame that we do not have good relationships with jungle crows, these charming and interesting birds that happen to live closest to us, and here comes my model town for both jungle crows and humans. This town would have several parks full of tall trees to which the garbage would be sent. Since jungle crows are originally from forests and tend to live where food is abundant, it can be easily expected that they would stay in the parks most of the time. Thus, they would never litter the streets. Moreover, they would be appreciated for their role as scavengers by taking away things people do not want to see lying on the ground such as a dead mouse. Also, the cost of waste incineration would be reduced and so would CO2 emissions. Humans can enter the parks and enjoy nature anytime except for crows’ breeding season. My wildest dream is to have crows participate in rescue operations. For their ability to fly a long distance and high cognitive level, not to mention the great eyesight, they could make good rescue crows. Of course to protect animal rights, only those that are willing and having the aptitude would be given the missions.

I once saw a jungle crow perched on a power line entertaining a dog down in a garage. The dog, wagging its tail and jumping around in the small space, looked quite happy to see its friend with wings. The scene reflected their positions in this world as one is confined and the other free. Crows could have been domesticated long ago since their cleverness must have been noticed by our ancestors, but they have not. I feel, with no offence to dogs, that crows know what dignity is and keep a distance from humans. They are hated but live proudly. They are sensitive enough to feel the pain of life, yet they won't give up on life and can do without such things as hope or dream or religion. Perhaps we could learn something important from them by living more intimately to them than now.

(The information and ideas about crows included in this essay are taken from Karasu no Kyokasho by Hajime Matsubara)

Pre-TOEFL reading, the very basic of nuclear physics - rewrite -

Answer the following questions in English using any resource including the material provided in class if necessary. Write the answer in the space below the question or fill in the brackets.

1.    What are the two materials that make up the nucleus of an atom?

2.    What circles around the nucleus of an atom?

3.    What corresponds to the atomic number and the name of the element with the number?

4.    What is the atomic weight?

5.    What are atoms which have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, in other words, weigh differently?

6.    A heavy element such as uranium is unstable and naturally crumbles down to a lighter, stable element, (            ), atomic number 82. As it transforms, it emits radioactive rays and particles.

7.    What occurs when the nucleus of a heavy atom breaks down other than emission of helium nuclei or electrons?

8.    What is the time it takes half the original number of the atoms of an element to turn into something different and lose its property?

9.    What is the name of a machine that is used to meddle with the nucleus of an atom by smashing matters at a tremendous speed?

10.  (            ) atoms, which are artificial radio-isotopes, are markers used to track the whereabouts of elements in a phenomenon that cannot be directly observed like the starch production in a plant. In this case, the process is observed by using CO2 which contains radioactive carbon isotopes.

国際教養AO入試 reference, Trump phenomenon

トランプ旋風にみる民主主義の光と影―A.トクヴィル『アメリカのデモクラシー』が示すもの
六辻彰二 | 国際政治学者 2016年3月10日 22時53分配信
http://bylines.news.yahoo.co.jp/mutsujishoji/20160310-00055281/

LOSERS!
The more Trump emphasizes loss, the more voters may take a risk on him to get it back.
The New Yorker    THE FINANCIAL PAGE JUNE 6 & 13, 2016 ISSUE   By James Surowieckihttp://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/06/06/losers-for-trump

TOEFL, iBT, Independent Writing, The government should provide a national curriculum for all children up until college. - rewrite -

Writing Topic

Consider the following statement. The government should provide a national curriculum for all children up until college. Do you agree with this idea? Support your response by including specific reasons and examples.

☆Let’s Think

The word “should” is about ideal situations, so the discussion could be purely in theory as in “We should not kill even for self-defense”. The word “should” also means duty, so that the focus of the discussion can be about responsibility as in “The government should support the disadvantaged”. It also means necessity as in “We should exercise caution in changing the whole system.”

☆Hints for Points

Agree:

１．higher level of general knowledge required today

２．easier control of research areas by the government

Disagree:

1.    university autonomy and creativity

2.    problem of unified education system   e.g. emphasis on learning higher-level of kanji, Japanese version of Chinese characters

             

☆Essay Structure

♦Sample essay structure in the case that you have two or three reasons to support your argument

【Introduction = Outline】I cannot agree with the statement that the government should provide a national curriculum for all children up until college because it is authoritative and unrealistic.

【Point 1】It would be an unnecessary intervention that the government should prepare a set of curriculum for those who have the ability to decide what they need to learn and how to handle what they have learned.

【Point 2】It is also impossible for the government, or anyone, to know what university students should learn.

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】The goodness of a national curriculum in itself is questionable

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】For college autonomy and for the reality of present education, I disagree with the idea.

♦Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions

While I believe the importance of education for the prosperity of the country and that the officials in the ministry of education are conscientious and sincerely care about our children, I cannot agree with the statement that the government should provide a national curriculum for all children up until college. The idea of the ministry preparing a learning standard up until college for all children and telling universities what to teach sounds unreal and, to be honest, creepy.

It is true that almost half the children born in developed countries will go to university and most universities provide liberal arts, usually the first half of the college years being spent on the acquisition of the introductory level knowledge of a variety of disciplines prior to or in addition to major subjects, so that there might be an idea that we should have a national standard for the college learning. Also, governmental management of higher-level of education could help allocate tax money and people to really necessary areas of research instead of having them at the mercy of corporate interests. However, the idea touches the problem of how much the government should control. It would be an unnecessary intervention that the government should prepare a set of curriculum for those who have the ability to decide what they need to learn and how to handle what they have learned. Most middle school students may lack general knowledge and common sense, but college students are supposed to have them and this assumption should be respected. If there were such a government as tries to openly control the learning of the brightest people of the country, it would be the last entity that you would like to live under.

It is also impossible for the government, or anyone, to know what university students should learn. University is the place for voluntary pursuit of academic interest. It provides primordial environment for fact-finding and creativity. It ought to be chaotic and unpredictable, the opposite of being under a management. A student majoring in literature would learn higher mathematics for fun and later become a competent manager; a student majoring in French literature would spend all four years reading all kinds of novels day and night to be an award-winning science and politics journalist because he has seen the limit of the reality depicted in fiction (a true story); a medical student who happened to be fascinated by Egyptology would work out a new approach to evolutionary anthropology by analyzing DNAs of old remains such as Egyptian mammies or Neanderthals (another true story); or a future leader of an IT giant company would take a calligraphy course and later draw on the skill in creating new machines, as in the well-known case of Steve Jobs. Let smart people study as they like, and something amazing would come out. It is ridiculous for the government to try to decide what students should get out of university education.

Last but not least, the goodness of a national curriculum in itself is questionable. The interests and abilities of people vary, and the unified curriculum may have nothing to do with what many young people are trying to get out of life. What college education helps develop is only a fraction of human activities. The present national curriculums, for instance, seem to be the enemy of real learning. Each child is born with a great capacity, but most elementary school children seem to find few subjects attractive, and after toiling all the way up to high school, many people not only fail to acquire anything significant but also develop a feeling of aversion towards studying. Moreover, even those who seem to like studying will forget most of what they learn at school in twenty years. This indicates that real learning seldom, if ever, takes place under the present curriculums. Even considering other factors such as teaching methods or the overall environment of education such as the academic achievement-oriented society, bad performance may well be attributed to bad materials, the class contents. The government should not extend the system that is not working, and the concept of national curriculum itself may need reviewing.

A curriculum for all up until college under the guidance of the government is incoherent in its terms. It seems unnecessary and unrealistic, at best. For college autonomy and for the reality of present education, I disagree with the idea.

Pre-TOEFL writing, People behave differently when they wear different clothes.

Writing Topic

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People behave differently when they wear different clothes. Do you agree that different clothes influence the way people behave? Use specific examples to support your answer.

☆Let’s Think

Let us remember people dressed differently than usual and ask ourselves whether they were acting differently or not? If so, do you think the change is attributed to the clothing or are there any other elements that should be taken into account?

☆Hints for Points

Positive

1.    People act more politely than usual when they wear formal clothes and tend to act in rough manners in casual clothes.   e.g. ceremony, casual party, bedroom

2.    Uniforms and costumes are used partly to utilize the effect.  e.g. school uniform, acting in a costume

Negative

1.    It is not the clothes they wear but the situation they are in that affects how people behave.  e.g. a person in plain clothes at a funeral, fancy restaurant

2.    Personality does not change with the change of clothes.  e.g. people who cause trouble at the Coming of the Age receptions

☆Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】I basically agree with the opinion that different clothes influence the way people behave although it is not always true.

【Point 1】Intuitively, you can tell the statement hold some truth.

【Point 2】Clothing is closely related to social structure and communication.

【follow-up】Of course the fundamental nature of an individual will not change with the change of the appearance and people can change clothes and behavior intentionally, but it cannot be denied appearance is a huge factor of one’s behavior and clothes account for a large part of one’s appearance.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】Clothing could be one element of behavioral change.

♦Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3/ Follow-up】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

☆Sample Paragraph Development of Point 1 in Sample Essay Structure

【Main Idea】Intuitively, you can tell the statement holds some truth.

【Explanation】Most people seem to have the experience of change of mood and behavior corresponding to change of clothes.

【Example】It is certain that most people can remember the day they wore a uniform or a costume for the first time. You remember feeling part of you transform into a new different person when you put your arm in it and looked yourself in the mirror.

【Follow-up】You might also remember feeling that you yourself as an individual have not changed at all at the same time, but from that second on, you started acting like the character that the clothing represents, saying good-by to the earlier or usual you.

【Conclusion】Some kinds of garment have a power to make you behave differently.

国際教養AO入試 reference, global warming

Climate change puts 1.3bn people and $158tn at risk, says World Bank

The Guardian  May 16, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/16/climate-change-puts-13bn-people-and-158tn-at-risk-says-world-bank

Global warming will hit poorer countries hardest, research finds

The Guardian  May 16, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/may/17/global-warming-will-hit-poorer-countries-hardest-finds-research

Pre-TOEFL writing, the best ways of reducing stress

Writing topic

People have different ways of escaping stress and difficulties of modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their gardens. What do you think are the best ways of reducing stress? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

☆Let’s Think

The first and second sentences are talking about various ways of escaping stress by doing things you like. The expression in the question “the best ways” means that you could name more than one best ways. To come up with ideas, thinking about what causes stress may help.

☆Hints for Points

1.    to do what you like  e.g. play games, talk with your best friends

2.    to escape stressful events/people   e.g. not to procrastinate, to take a detour

3.    to build good relationships with/get on well with/be on good terms with others

4.    not to worry about small matters

5.    to stay healthy   e.g. sleep well, avoid salty/spicy foods, work out regulary

☆Sample Essay Structures

【Introduction = Outline】Each person has his or her own ways of escaping stress because stressors differ from person to person. Personally, I think exercising prudence and listening to music are the best ways to escape stress.

【Point 1】Prudence helps avoid involving in stressful events.

【Point 2】My favorite kind of music keeps my mind cool.

【Point 3】I sometimes eat sweets to feel good, but the effect wears off in a short time.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】Learning what causes stress and trying to take care of the problem may be practical.

Note: 「ストレスを解消する」release stress, relieve stress, blow off steam

♦Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

☆Sample Paragraph Development of Point 1 in Sample Essay Structure

【Main Idea】Prudence helps avoid involving in stressful events.

【Explanation】Many stressful events are actually backfires of your unwitty actions.

【Example】For example, you may not want to point out a mistake of a short-tempered person who happens to be in a bad mood since doing it may cause the person to explode and you will get stressed out.

【Follow-up】The same can be said to anyone, who has feelings and can be offended more or less if you are not attentive, and, even though not many people are spiteful, what goes around comes around and you might pay the price in the form of stress in the end.

【Conclusion】By being thoughtful, you can be free from stress in many cases.

GRE writing, interview-centered research versus observational approach

Material:

An interview-centered research showed that children in a society which an observation-centered research had concluded collectively rear children actually spend more time with their biological parents based on the fact that children talk more about their parents than other adult members in the society Tertia. Thus interview-centered research is more effective than observational approach in anthropological studies.

Analysis:

The result of the interview that children talked more about their biological parents would be weak as the evidence of the assumption that the society is not so much involved in raising children as it had been thought unless it is valid in the ways it was conducted such as exactly what questions were asked, how many samples were taken, what age range of children were interviewed, or whether other age range people were also interviewed. As interview-based approach can be arbitral, it cannot be said that it is superior to observational approach.

   First of all, how the interviews were done and exactly what questions were asked in the interview should be clear. If many specific questions were asked in the interview, examination of each question may be required. Questions that are more about the child’s preferences or feelings rather than more objective facts may reduce credibility of the results. For example, question like “Who do you like to be with most?” could induce more talk about parents, while questions like ”Who feeds you? “, “Who do you sleep with?” or “Who taught you how to kemp your hair?” could bring more reliable results. The responses concentrated more on other adults than parents may reveal the higher quantity and quality of the time spent by the child with other adults, and thereby the evidence will weaken the argument, and if the interviewees consistently mentioned their biological parents in response to these questions, probably the assumption is right.

   If interviewees were left free to talk about a vague topic like their favorite people, and the results were a lot of talk about their parents, this may not support the assumption. Basically, a child’s talk in itself is a weak evidence because children are less coherent compared to adults. A child might talk a lot about their parents one time, but at another time other adults, their pet animals, or even something that does not exist (an imaginary entity), whether they spend a lot of time with them or not. If the interviews were done in a large number, and most children talked about their parents most of the time, the argument may be a little credible. However, what age range the interviewed children were can also be a factor to doubt the argument. If they were young children, it is natural for them to talk about their biological parents, especially their mothers, who need to nurse them. Even in the case of older children, biological parents may still have more significance to them than other adult members of the society even if the society plays a great role in child-rearing. If the interviewees include grown-ups, who can find more objectively the adults who had a great influence on their development during their early days, still talk much about their parents, it could strengthen the theory. Also, if the research is about whether a specific society is involved in child-rearing as a whole, asking the adults about their child-rearing system would be necessary. Then how much other adults than parents play roles in it will be made clearer than asking just children questions. However, the research seems to focus on the child talks. Moreover, the result that children spend much more time talking about their parents than about other adults in the village shows that the spectrum of their interests includes other adult members of the society, and this is rare in societies which leave child-rearing basically to the parents. Thus, the result in itself could be the evidence that the society of Tertia actively involves in the early stages of its member’s psychological and physical development.

   In general, research results may vary depending on many factors such as number and choice of subjects and how the research is done. Interview-centered research results may also vary depending on the choice of interviewees and questions as seen above. Observation-centered research results may vary depending on the quantity and kinds of data the researcher collects. These two types of research methods are different in their choices of subjects: the former focuses on the utterances of the subjects and the latter behaviors and artifacts they produce. In this difference, the latter could be less inaccurate since the latter involves more concrete items while the latter uses nothing other than verbal evidences of the subjects. Furthermore, interview-centered researches involve more variants. In addition to the variants examined above, the situation or the interviewers’ expressions or tone of voices could affect the quality of the data. All in all, it would be difficult to say that interview-centered researches are more accurate than observation-centered researches. 

TOEFL, iBT, Independent Writing, The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide. - rewrite -

Writing Topic

Consider the following statement. The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide. Do you agree with this idea? Support your response by including specific reasons and examples.

☆Note

There are many topics in the TOEFL writing section that have the superlative―”best”. Let’s be careful of the article before the superlative. Some topics have “the” before the superlative as in this case, others have nothing before it as follows: What invention do you think is most important in the last one hundred years? “The” and superlative as in “the best” means that the thing is on top of all the others and nothing else is comparable to it. Superlative without “the” or superlative with the article “a” as in “Name a most important invention in the last 100 years” means the thing is of its utmost level in a particular quality and there are others of the same level in it.

☆Hints for Points

Agree:

1.    safer

2.    efficient…no bother for arrangements and booking, the guide knows good places to visit

3.    inexpensive in the end

Disagree:

1.    not enough freedom and flexibility

2.    unnatural…places and things set aside exclusively for tourism

3.    less interaction with the locals

☆Essay Structure

♦Sample essay structure 1

【Introduction = Outline】I cannot disagree with the idea that the best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide.

【Point 1】A guided tour ensures safety and satisfaction. 

【Point 2】A group tour is cost-effective.  e.g. popular sightseeing spots for an inexpensive tour fare

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】A group tour lead by a tour guide allows little freedom and not very dramatic, but it helps avoid a disaster.  e.g. getting lost, rip-off artists, involving in a crime

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】Considering risks associated with traveling alone without a guide, I do not have much problem in saying that the guided group tour is the best way to travel.

♦Sample essay structure 2

【Introduction = Outline】A guided tour must be a best, but may not be the best.

【Point 1】Traveling means much more to us than merely taking a sightseeing tour.

【Point 2】A guided group tour is an attraction which is a win-win product of the tour industry in the developed world.

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】Taking a solo trip is in fact very popular.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】The best way to travel varies depending on what the traveler is in search of, and I believe we like a solo trip deep in our heart.

♦Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions

The traveler in one of Dave Mason’s beautiful songs, Mystic Traveler, does not seem to join a guided group tour because the lyrics go “He is an unraveler,” and “when he takes your heart, you are not alone.” Even though this song is said to be about Jesus, it also seems to hint that there is more or less the kind of deep experience we expect in traveling, or else, the writer of this song would not have had to use this analogy as Jesus already has one, a good shepherd. Whether this traveler is Jesus or Joe in the street, he is not a consumer but the stranger the interaction with whom reveals the truth and merges the souls of those involved with him in eternity. Few travelers in guided group tours would manage to do it.

To travel is an action. People have traveled for many reasons since ancient times. We may travel to find something new, a new land, a new friend, or a new self. We may travel to see the world, to visit the places of our ancestors, or to test ourselves. We might also travel for fun. Traveling very often seems to mean much more to us than merely taking a sightseeing tour. When I hear the word traveler, I think of an explorer of reality seeking meaningful interactions with people or nature outside of the person’s daily life. The word travel seems to me to connote an action driven by a dire need for something essential in one’s inner life. Perhaps deciding how to travel could be compared to an action that is on the far end of something mental, deciding how to eat. It is a fundamental decision based on what you need from the action. Then, saying that the best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide might be like saying that the best way to eat is in a group at a full-course dinner prepared by a well-seasoned chef. It must be a best, but may not be the best.

A guided group tour is an attraction which is a win-win product of the tour industry in the developed world. Tourists who want to enjoy themselves away from home and work, experience something exotic, and make some good memories choose a guided tour for convenience and safety, and they usually go in a group because of the spirit of “The more, the merrier.” The tourism follows the rule of the economy of scale. Booking for transportation, accommodation, and attractions such as local theaters and restaurants in large numbers lowers the costs. Tour guides entertain the tourists and safely bring them home. It is probably the most popular style of travel as a leisure activity, although it is not certain that people think it the best way to travel because it usually provides no more than it promises like other mass product.

Perhaps I am too romantic, believing that people want more than a package tour out of traveling, some special experience on their own. However, taking a solo trip is in fact very popular. About half a century ago, Makoto Oda, a Japanese student from Tokyo University who was then at Harvard, traveled around the world alone with a return air ticket and 200 dollars, and wrote a travelogue, Nandemo Miteyaro, I’ll Go and See Everything, which became the best-seller in Japan. With the best-selling travel guide series, Lonely Planet, a large number of people travel without a guide across the world every year. Travel agencies have started providing various kinds of tours to meet various demands of both experienced travelers who are fed up with package tours and people who are from the beginning interested in specific destinations which happen to be out of the network of the industry. For many people, a guided group tour is not the best choice.

The word travel encompasses a broad range of activities related, either directly or indirectly, to our existence, while a guided group tour is a relatively new activity for fun. The best way to travel efficiently for sport can be in a group led by a tour guide. However, the best way to travel varies depending on what the traveler is in search of, and I believe we want to be a mystic traveler deep in our heart when we say, “I’ve got to hit the road.”

Pre-TOEFL writing, early bird or night owl

Writing Topic

Some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day’s work. Others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and example to support your choice.

☆Let’s Think

Preference is difficult to convey. You yourself sometimes do not know why you like something. Let us try to remember the moment you went, “One thing good about getting up early/getting up later is that ….” It might have been the blue sky with white clouds in the morning sunshine or the relaxing branch in a cozy room with light beams filtering through curtains.

☆Hints for Points

I am a morning person, because of

1.    health-consciousness

2.    competitive society

I am a night person because of

1.    my constitution

2.    daily exercise  (I take a quick nap early in the evening and study late at night.)

☆Sample Essay Structures

Sample 1

【Introduction = Outline】I prefer to get up early for some merits.

【Point 1】It is good for the health to keep early hours. 

【Point 2】An early bird catches the worm.  e.g. less crowded train, bargain sale

【Counterargument-treatment】Some exciting things such as festivals happen late at night and I sometimes join them, but I do not make it a rule.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】I make it a habit to keep early hours except for some special occasions to get the most out of life.

Sample 2

【Introduction = Outline】I body clock makes me keep late hours.

【Point 1】My mind works better at night.  e.g. quiet, no phone calls, concentration

【Point 2】I believe in a research result that shows young people perform better with longer sleeping hours (about 8 to 10 hours). 

【Counterargument-treatment】Night owls miss beautiful morning delight like clean air and bird songs, but you cannot have everything life offers anyway.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】I prefer not to go against my grain.

♦Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】