TOEFL iBT Independent Writing 1) What might a foreigner learn about your country from the TV programs that are made in your country? 2) Reading is only beneficial when you read books that concern real people, actual events, and factual information? - revised -

 

Writing Topic A

TV programs can tell us a lot about the culture in which they were produced. What might a foreigner learn about your country from the TV programs that are made in your country?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.      Think of nouns or adjectives that relate to your home country.

 

e.g. Nouns: anime, sushi, Toyota, Emperor Hirohito, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Fukushima

Adjectives: workaholic, group-oriented, polite, clean, cute-loving, misogynistic, xenophobic

 

2.      Are there any television programs that suit the nous or adjectives that you have come up with in response to the first question?

 

List of Television Programs

news programs, animated series, dramas, sitcoms, soap operas, comedies, samurai dramas/period dramas, talk shows/chat shows, satirical news programs, children's television shows, cooking shows, game shows, reality programs (historical re-creation, science, dating, law enforcement/military, makeover, lifestyle change, fantasies fulfilled, docusoaps starring celebrities, hidden camera, reality game shows, talent searches, spoofs/parodies) From Wikipedia

 

3.      TV programs exist in your country but not in other countries may also tell something about your country. What aspect of your country do those programs indicate?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.       There are many food programs. Therefore, the Japanese people are obsessed with eating.

 

2.       Japan is the country of anime. There is a joke that one thing that overseas students coming to Japan look forward to is watching original anime shows on TV all day every day. This shows that Japan is the birthplace of anime and manga. In fact, the origin of manga is Ukiyoe wood print, a pop-culture in the Edo era.

 

3.       News shows are boring. Neither the anchors nor the commentators criticize the government. They do not clearly explain what is going on in the Japanese politics.

 

4.       Women are treated as second-class citizens. Female anchors who do nothing but sit and smile while male anchors talk in Japanese news shows show that Japan is still a male-oriented society.

 

5.       Family dramas and anime depict the typical family structure and life style in Japan.

 

6.       In most popular dramas, main characters wear nice clothing, live in cool condominiums houses, and enjoy exciting lives. This is a sign of materialistic entertainment-pursuing culture.

 

7.       The popularity of long-running home makeover programs means that most Japanese are interested in housing. It also shows that many of them are wealthy enough to be able to renovate their houses while most of them are not. In addition, it shows that the Japanese are family-oriented, and they like to be moved by dramatic events that happen in a family.

 

8.       There are many kinds of quiz shows from trivia to entrance examination questions for famous junior high schools in Japan. This shows that Japanese like being diligent and the society is academic background-oriented.

 

9.       There are shopping channels. This is an obvious proof of consumerism.

 

10.    Insensitivity about racial or minority issues is often seen and criticisms that follow are not taken very seriously.

 

11.    Focus on sports, gossip and psychotic homicide and less focus on politics and social issues suggests that people are not very keen on politics and social reform.

 

 

☆Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction】The fact that there are many samurai dramas and anime shows on Japanese TV might show people in other countries that Japanese culture is really a kawaii (cute)-loving, samurai culture.

【Point 1】Many samurai dramas show our living traditional culture.

【Point 2】Abundant anime shows show our traditional subculture.

【Counterargument-treatment】There are programs, mainly news shows, that show that Japanese are not just day-dreaming, conservative tech-lovers but are alert to current issues. However, the absence of political satire radically dealing with controversial issues such as Daily Show in the US indicates that there is some obstruction for such shows in this culture.

【Conclusion】Not only what are on but also what are not on Japanese TV hint that we Japanese can be a group of neat and traditional boys and girls who will never take responsibility.

 

Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

 

 

☆Speech Time

Make a one-minute speech on this topic.

 

 

☆Sample Paragraph development

【Main Idea】Many samurai dramas show our living traditional culture.

【Explanation】By seeing them broadcast almost every day, visitors to Japan can easily see that Japanese still live by the samurai spirit.

【Example in General】There are long-running samurai sequences and shows dedicated to famous warlords and soldiers.

【More Specific Example】The national public broadcasting organization, NHK, has a more than half-a century old one-year Sunday prime time sequence that features historical Japanese figures, most of whom are samurais. Commercial TV stations also make historical plays and there is a channel dedicated to period films. Quiz shows often take up legendary characters in the feudal era.

【Follow-up】Termination of some famous samurai sequences might show the erosion of the culture, but we see news about Samurai Japan, the national succor team, every night.

【Wrap-up】 Samurai culture and spirit is one feature of our culture that manifests in our TV programs.

 

 

Your test paragraph development

【Main Idea】

【Explanation】

【Detail / Example in general】

【More Specific Detail / Example】

【Follow-up】

【Wrap-up】

 

 

 

Writing Topic B

Do you agree or disagree with the idea that reading is only beneficial when you read books that concern real people, actual events, and factual information?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.       Which of the two opinions sounds more natural or realistic?

a.     Reading is beneficial when you read books that concern actual events.

b.     Reading is only beneficial when you read books that concern actual events.

 

Note: Most things have exceptions.

 

2.       Have you ever benefitted from reading fiction? How did it benefit you?

 

 

☆Hints for points

Agree

1.       Fiction exaggerates reality or it is a lie. It prevents us from understanding the real world. For example, there is no Neverland or a man who flies or goes through a wall.

 

2.       Fiction makes us escape from the real world by making us daydream.

 

3.       Fiction is not free from the writer’s world, which is narrower than the real world.

 

Disagree

1.       Reading fiction is a great pleasure. Reading a novel, which is sad, serious, or of whatever kind, makes your mind rich and your soul will be fulfilled.

 

2.       Fiction teaches reality in a refined way. Fiction is a form of truth in disguise. Most stories are actually based on real people and actual events. They are reconstructed by authors for their message or artistic expressions.

 

3.       Fiction can tell us what is going to happen.

 

4.       Novels tell us exactly what other people are feeling or thinking.

 

5.       You can experience what you cannot experience such as different times, different lives, or unusual or fantastic events.

 

6.       Fiction conveys great thinker’s minds to us. We can be more thoughtful, better people through good novels. It also develops our power of imagination and creativity.

 

7.       A piece of fiction is in itself a set of a raw data of a great author and his time.

 

8.       If reading fiction is useless, it would not be used in textbooks and Nobel Prize of fiction would not exist.

 

 

☆Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction】I totally disagree with the idea that reading is only beneficial when you read books that concern real people, actual events, and factual information.

【Point 1】Through novel, we can learn about the world and people.

【Point 2】Science fiction contributes to building a new world.

【Counterargument-treatment】For some, fiction is not practical in daily life, but someday they will find themselves wanting something to fill the void in their souls and many of them will realize that fiction is of great use for the purpose.

【Conclusion】Fiction is as beneficial as or more beneficial than non-fiction.

 

 

Sample A

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

Sample B

【Introduction = Outline】

【Comparison 1】

【Comparison 2】

【Comparison 3】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

 

Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【             】

【             】

【             】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

 

 

☆Speech Time   Make a one-minute speech on this topic.

 

 

☆Sample Paragraph development

【Main Idea】Science fiction contributes to building a new world.

【Explanation】Since the mid-19th century, erudite and insightful people have written science fiction and affected the readers,

【Example in General】It is well known that many scientists and engineers attribute their passion for science to their childhood experience of reading science fiction novels or manga.

【More Specific Example】Sci-fi tells us what problems we are going to have in the future. For example, Fillip K. Dick predicted humans indulging themselves in the virtual world; the world controlled by singularity, AI which has evolved to be smarter than humans; and humanoids which are so similar to humans that it is difficult for humans to tell if they are real humans or not. All of them are now becoming real now.

【Follow-up】Of course not all sci-fi predictions have come true. It did not predict the Internet, for instance. However, it has always made us think about the right direction our society should take.

【Wrap-up】Good works of fiction give visions to realize and directions to follow.

 

Your Sample Paragraph development

【Main Idea】

【Explanation】

【Detail / Example in general】

【More Specific Detail / Example】

【Follow-up】

【Wrap-up】

 

 

☆Sample Counterargument-Treatment

【Counter-Argument】It is true that fiction distorts or exaggerates reality.

【Explanation】The world in fiction is limited by the author’s values and world view.

【Confirmation of Your Argument】However, no one is the same, the reader can still benefit from reading what is in another person’s mind.

【Wrap-up】By avoiding fiction just because it is not real, you may miss deep understanding of the world.

 

Your Sample Counterargument-Treatment

【Counter-Argument】

【Explanation】

【Confirmation of Your Argument】

【Wrap-up】