TOEFL, iBT, Independent Writing, Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? / 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? - rewrites -

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. In many cases, they themselves are part of the tradition and culture of the city and country. 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. Some people may not want to see the landscape of an old building among new ones, others may think about the benefits or profits that replacing it with a new one will make.

☆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 are beautiful in their own distinctive ways.

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.

3.    The city can increase its revenue by demolishing the old building and using the site for making-money.

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

xxx

Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

☆Sample paragraph development

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. First of all, the fact that the reason that this building is preserved is not only it symbolized the horror of the nuclear bomb but also because no other old buildings are left in the city shows the destructive power of the nuclear weapon. The charred stone walls and bear “dome” on top with curved steel beams evokes the devastation caused by the bombing. 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 to death. If we lose the building, the story of Hiroshima, a strong message for disarmament, will seldom be told but in books. The city 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. The same can be said about other historic building in other cities, even though they might not be as famous as this building designated as a world heritage site. Therefore, we need to preserve the building to preserve our history and to save our future.

Your sample paragraph development

It is better

because …

For example,

If we lose the building,

Therefore,

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.    It would be easier to train an inexperienced worker 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

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

xxx

☆Sample Body Structures

Sample Body Structure A              

1)    about experienced workers      

2)    about inexperienced workers  

3)    my choice                                 

Sample Body Structure B

1) good point of my choice 1

2) good point of my choice 2

3) why the good point of the other choice or the bad point of my choice does not matter

Your Sample Body Structure

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3】

☆Sample Paragraph Development

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 profits, 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 Sample Paragraph Development

I would hire …

because …

On the other hand, …

It is true that …

but