 #1 (permalink) Sat Mar 31, 2007 14:48 pm TOEFL Intergated writing : Topic_1 |
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Hello!
You know than the TOEFL iBT writing section consists of 2 different tasks:Free writing (our usual essays) and integrated writing : you have to read passage than listen to a small lecture and finally answer on the question. Now I've started to prepare for such exam's part and I will publish examples of questions and my responses. Please, check up them.
To download files from www.rapidshare.com click My_Link-->Free -->Download via Cogent #2(or any other).
Reading part:
Considerable research has been done on how people behave in groups. Within this research, certain aspects of group behavior that have been described are (1) the deindividualization that takes place in groups and (2) the polarization that takes place in groups.
Researchers have noted that, when people are working in groups, the process of deindividualization often takes place. When people are in large groups, they tend to lose their individuality and self-awareness, and they may engage in behavior within the group that they would never do individually as a result of the anonymity that they feel as a member of the group rather than as an individual. Antisocial behavior can occur in this type of situation when a normally well-behaved individual becomes part of the group and takes part in activities such as rowdiness or vandalism. The violence by fans that occurs during and after sporting events is often fueled by deindividualistic behavior by groups of fans.
Another phenomenon that occurs when people get together in groups is polarization. When people who are fairly like-minded are together in a group, they tend to arrive at decisions that are far more extreme than any individual in the group might have come up with alone. One example of group polarization might be a jury of citizens who are fed up with petty crime and decides to throw the book at a criminal charged with only a minor crime. Another example of group polarization might be a town council made up of members who are fed up with littering and who pass a law mandating jail time for people who litter.
Listening part:
http://rapidshare.com/files/23660569/AMW03.MP3
Question:
What does the information in the listening passage add to what is presented in the reading passage?
Answer:
According to the lecture certain aspects of group behavior like the deindividualization and the polarization could provide prosocial effects. At the same time the reading material mentions on the examples only about antisocial effects. Thus the lecturer describes the reverse of the medal of the group behavior and provides some examples of such conduct.
The first aspect of group behavior is deindividualization. Whereas the reading passage depicts the tremendous doings of people, who lost their individuality, like vandalism, the lecture provides two positive examples. During the period of pain after any disaster people gather in large group to maintain each other and make the acts of kindness, which they have never done alone. The consequences of the actions after the victory of the beloved team in the contest are often the same.
Polarization effect could also have a place in groups of people and it means that the group decision sometimes may be more extreme than decision of a separate person. There was a group of employees whose boss was a tyrant. But after they gathered together they could make a right decision and deal with the bad employer. This is example from lecture which confirms the prosocial effect of the polarization. |
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Konstantin
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 11 Nov 2006
Posts: 118
Location: Saratov, Russia
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