TOEFL iBT, Independent Writing, Most experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for the future. - rewrite -

Writing Topic 

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Most experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for the future. Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

☆Let’s Think

Let’s take a look at the details of the topic. It says, “MOST experiences,” so some experiences, those irreversibly damaging cases like child abuse or rare disasters are excluded. It says, “seemed difficult at the time,” and “valuable lessons for the future,” so it is talking about the tough experiences that make you learn something. I guess most people agree with this statement and can easily come up with examples ranging from your childhood piano lessons to moving to a foreign country to losing your pet. 

Examples of Harsh Experiences

going abroad,

sharing a room with someone

living by yourself

living in poverty

having trouble with your neighbor

fighting a disease

having an injury

practicing piano

taking a difficult test,

failing a crucial test

starting a project

being in charge of something important

being extremely busy

making a serious mistake,

hurting someone,

embarrassing yourself,

being rejected

being betrayed,

being misunderstood, 

being discriminated against

losing something or someone important

having a difficult relationship

When and where did you have the experience? What was tough? How did you feel then? How do you feel about the experience now? What have you learned from it?

Sample Response

When I was in my kindergarten, teachers would often take the children to a nearby shrine sitting on top of a hill, for which it would have been appropriate to be called a cliff. To reach the top, we had to walk up long and steep rock steps which were lined straight from the foot to the top. A few children ran up, followed by most of the others at a slower pace than they walk on the flat surface. As a weak child, I toiled in the small group at the end. I felt as if the steps would never end. I was also afraid of getting stuck in the middle. Over time, the labor made me stop even worrying and focus on walking up. Reaching the top gave me relief and smiles of some children noticing that I had made it. Decades later, when I was not weak anymore, I went there and did the task. It turned out to be a tough one even to an adult. I felt for a moment the same fear that I had as a child that I might get stuck in the middle. I told myself that I would reach the top if I kept moving my legs, and I realized that I had been telling the same thing to myself whenever I was doing something hard and that the activity of my kindergarten had given me the lesson that a predicament will end if you do not give in but carry on.

幼稚園の頃、先生たちはよく子供たちを近くの丘の上の神社に連れて行ったものだった。この丘は崖と呼んだ方がふさわしかった。頂上に着くには下から上まで一直線の長く急な石段を登らなくてはならなかった。数名の子たちは駆け上がり、他のほとんどの子は平地を歩くよりもゆっくりとしたスピードで彼らについていった。弱い子供だった私は最後尾の小集団の中で苦労した。石段は永遠に終わらないような気がした。また、途中で立ち往生したらどうしようと思った。そのうちにその苦役によって心配するのさえ止め、上に上がることに集中した。上に着くとほっとし、私が着いたのに気付いた子たちが微笑んだ。何十年後かにもう弱くなくなった頃そこに行きその仕事をした。大人にさえきついことが分かった。途中で立ち往生するかもしれないという子供の時感じたのと同じ恐怖を一瞬感じた。私は脚を動かし続ければ頂上に着くと自分に言い聞かせ、自分がつらい事をしている時はいつも自分に同じことを言い聞かせてきていたこと、そして私の幼稚園のその活動は苦境は屈せず前進し続ければいつか終わるという教訓を与えてくれていたのだと気付いたのだった。

Your Response

Answer the following questions.

When and Where did you experience it?

What was tough?

How did you feel?

How do you feel about the experience now?

What have you learned from the experience?

☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions   (Barron’s, Writing for the TOEFL iBT, p.280)

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☆Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】We live and learn. We grow as we go through an endless series of difficulties of various degrees. I agree with the idea that most experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for the future.

【Point 1】A tough experience teaches you that it will end if you do not give in.

【Point 2】By going through a rough experience, you learn that the world is full of unjust things and that you have to be considerate to others all the more. 

【Point 3】Even death of your beloved makes you realize that your heart had always been with the person even when you were not with him or her and that the bond is stronger than you think and will protect you.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】I think that even these three examples are enough to show that most hard experiences will be good morals in the future,

【導入＝概略】私たちは生きてゆきながら学習する。程度が様々な終わりのない困難を経験しながら成長する。当時困難に思えた経験の大部分が将来の貴重な教訓になるという考えに私は賛成する。 

【要点 1】きつい経験は屈しなければいつか終わるということを学ぶ。 

【要点 2】辛い経験をすることにより世界は不条理な事に満ちておりそれだけ一層他者を思いやらなくてはならないということを学ぶ。 

【要点 3】大切な人の死さえ、離れていた時でも心は常にその人と共にあったのであり、その絆は思っているより強くそして自分を守ってくれるのだという事に気付かせてくれる。

【結論＝まとめ】たいていの大変な経験は将来においてよい教訓になるということを示すのにこれら３つの例でさえ十分だと思う。

Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】