TOEFL® Essay Sample: Compare yourself today and yourself five years ago

[Ramiro]

Compare yourself today and yourself five years ago. In what ways are you the same or different? Use specific examples to support your response.

Five years ago I was twenty two years old, just finishing the second semester in the University, and without any experience working on a full-time job in my life. And now, I just finished the University on this year, and I have a lot of experience working on the last four years in four different kind of business.

In march of 2002 with the third semester of career starting, I started working on a six months contract at the computer lab of my University, as a junior student. That was a good start because I learned all about my career there, and I could practice what I study in the class. But the most important thing that I have learned, was to be a positive member of a team.

After this, I could get a contract with a software company, specialist on programs and project for municipalities. The job consist on write a program to automatice the work of an entire Municipality. For example, a program to take photos with a digital camera, and generate a drive card ready to print.
Among to write the programs, another part consist on implement the software on the place. So, I had to travel around the country, installing the program on every city. That was a great opportunity to know many places and make new friends for almost 2 years, and to learn a lot about about the life.

After that, in 2004 I was just starting my last year of career and the thesis, so I needed to find a job without having to travel all the months. Fortunately, I could get a job as computer consultant on a Non-Governmental Organization. That was a more relaxing work that allowed me to finish my career easily, and make the step from a student to a professional.

Finally, on this year, with my career just finished, and working on an Internet company. I think that now I am more mature than 5 years ago, and I feel myself ready to find a good future for me and my family.

TOEFL listening lectures: A lecture from an American History class

[Alan]

Hi,

Five years ago I was twenty two years old, just finishing the second semester in the University, and without any experience working IN a full-time job in my life. And now, I HAVE just finished the University this year, and I have a lot of experience working on the last four years in four different kindS of business.

In March 2002 with the third semester of MY career starting, I started working on a six month contract at the computer lab of my University, as a junior student. That was a good start because I learned all about my career there, and I could practice what I studIED in the class. But the most important thing that I have learned, was to be a positive member of a team.

After this, I could get a contract with a software company, specialistS IN programs and projectS for municipalities. The job consistS OF write a program to COMPUTERIZE the work of an entire Municipality. For example, a program to take photos with a digital camera, and generate a drive card ready to print.
APART FROM writING the programs, another part consist oF implementING the software IN the place. So, I had to travel around the country, installing the program IN every city. That was a great opportunity to GET TO know many places and make new friends for almost 2 years, and to learn a lot about about life.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Ramiro]

thanks :wink:

[Kiprida]

Dear Alan,

Many books for TOEFL preparation say that introduction of topics shouldn't be short. IT should provide some background information and interest the reader. At the same time the reader should get fist signals of what you are going to talk about in next paragraphs. Is it actual today? I've written introduction to this topic. Can I kind =ly ask for your opinion about it?

"Time flies and we change. This question made me to think about the changes that years made in my life and character. Comparing myself with person whom I was 5 years ago I see that personally I became stronger, but values that I had still stay the same. Now I’m able to make decisions independently and I’m financially independent of my family, but my love and respect to my parents and family hasn’t changes during these years. "

Thanks in advance,

~Phoebe
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