TOEFL iBT Independent Writing What do you think is the one change in the twentieth century that is most important to remember? - revised -

Writing Topic

There were many changes in the twentieth century. What do you think is the one change in the twentieth century that is most important to remember? Include specific reasons to justify your choice.

 

☆Let’s Think

1.       Think of a question like this one. (Hint: Note-1)

2.       How do the following two sentences differ? (Hint: Note-2)

A      What is the most important change in the twentieth century?

B      What is most important change in the twentieth century?

3.       How would you come up with the answer to this question? (Hint: Go to the next question)

4.       Name important changes in the following categories: technology, economy, politics, medicine and culture.

5.       How would you explain that a certain change is most important to remember? Read the following paragraph and discuss how you can improve it. (Hint: Note-3)

In my opinion, the invention of the mobile phone is the one change in the twentieth century that is most important to remember. Smart phones are great. You can make a phone call anywhere. Also, they allow you to do many things such as searching on the Internet and taking a picture.

6.       What are the expressions to prove that something is a most important change? (Hint: Note-4)

 

 

Notes

 

1.       The following are TOEFL iBT Independent Writing questions of the same type as this topic.

-What invention in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your country?

-What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your country?

 

2.       Sentence A, “What is the most important change in the twentieth century?” is about the change that is more important than any other change in the last century, while Sentence B, “What is most important change in the twentieth century?” is about one of the most important changes in the last century. The article “the” does not precede the superlative, most important, in this sentence. This means that there were some most important changes in the last 100 years and that you are supposed to pick up one of them and explain why it has the highest level of importance. You do not have to decide the most important change in the 20th century to answer this question.

 

3.       The sample paragraph needs to tell how smart phones have changed life and society. One way to start explaining your opinion is to look for the answer in the question. In the case of this question, “change” and “most important” are the key. They are related to great moments in history, stories of before and after the change, so you compare and contrast the situations before and after the change in your essay. In writing supporting details, it is effective to describe how great the impact was, in other words, in what way and how much your choice has changed society and the environment.

 

4.       Words and expressions to prove something is a most important change to remember would be as follows: has had a dramatic influence on, has provided a significant change of, has made everything more efficient than before, profoundly changed our perceptions or perspectives, has caused an irreversible change, has become the infrastructure of our life, or has made the world dependent on it.

 

☆Let’s make a point

Before writing your essay, let’s write about the points you are going to make by answering the following two questions.

Question 1  What is different before and after the change?

Sample response: I think the advent of the Internet is most important to remember in the last 100 years. In the past, the information was something that was provided in limited amounts by the authorities. However, these days, because of the Internet, most information has become available to anyone. Also, it has become possible for anyone to provide information for others easily.

 

Your response

I think ………………………………………………………. is most important to remember in the last 100 years.

In the past, …………………………..……………………………………………………………………………………….

However, these days, because of …………………….…………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…

 

Question 2  How great was the impact?

Sample short response: 1) The change brought by the Internet is most important to remember in that it has become the infrastructure of the world.  2) Its impact on our society was so great that no one in our society can live absolutely independent from the Internet any more.

 

Your short response

1)     The change brought by ………………………. is most important to remember in that…………………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………

2)     Its impact on our society was so great that …………………………………………………………..…………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

☆Hints for points

The Rapid Development of Technology: Technological breakthroughs had happened before, but it was in the 20th century that the rapid development of technology happened and the lives of people changed dramatically. Nowadays, thanks to electronic appliances, people have more leisure time than they did one hundred years ago and use it to do things other than daily chores. The changes were good for the most part, but since they happened in a short time, people did not have time to adapt to it or consider the bad influences. As a result, people in the 20th century left some negative assets to coming generations, such as pollution, global warming, threat of uncontrolled nuclear power, new types of crimes and so on. The first three are especially unprecedented in that they could wipe out mankind.

 

The Shift of Hegemony: The two world wars ended imperialism by force. People learned it the hard way that peaceful coexistence is basic to the prosperity of humankind. Although they are not perfect, efforts have been made to compromise and cooperate, and now no nation can invade another country without criticism. Meanwhile, America became the most powerful country in the world after WWI, replacing England. It has played the leading role in politics, business, and culture. Its military bases, trading posts, and pop culture spread all over the world. The competition of nuclear armament caused the threat of nuclear war (the Cold War), but it ended when the Soviet Union disintegrated at the end of the century, although both countries still have around 6,000 atomic bombs. At the end of the century, China gained power, making close economic ties with the world, including America.

 

Globalization: The development of transportation and communication allowed corporations do business worldwide. They can now build their branches and factories in other countries, import cheap materials from other countries, and sell their products in other countries. As a result, people all over the world use the same kind of things, and share more information than before. The drawback of this change is world-side class war. People in developing countries are exploited at sweatshops for low wages under horrible conditions, while people in developed countries lost regular work because of outsourcing, moving factories to developing countries, as well as the loss of indigenous languages, traditions, and cultures.

 

Climate Chane and Environmental Movement: The Industrialization, which started in the 17^th century, had been causing environmental destruction. Other than pollutions, global warming and its effects were found, and the cause was identified to be burning of fossil fuels. The environmentalism, or the environmental movement to tackle these problems started in the 1960’s. The activists have made some great changes, but failed to stop climate change due to their financial relationship with the industry in which they helped greenwashing and stalled substantial change in oil digging and other harmful activities. Now the CO2 level is over the point of no return and climate crisis started in the 21^st century.

 

The Birth of the Entertainment Industry: The entertainment industry has changed our lifestyle. Before the 20^th century, even though they had fun activities, people did not have what we now call the entertainment. However, with movies, radio, and television, the entertainment industry has developed in the last century, and people started watching TV programs and enjoying related activities instead of reading books or spending time with other people. Following the trend in the entertainment industry has become the most important for many. Although this change has enriched our lives in various ways, the entertainment industry has promoted consumerism and made it easier for governments and corporations to control people’s thoughts.

 

 

☆Essay for ideas and expressions

Barron’s Writing for the TOEFL iBT, p. 338