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TOEFL SPEAKING SECTION 2

1. Computer helpful or not?
We can do research much more quickly.
We can learn English online.
I definitely find computers beneficial. I have two reasons for this. First, the computer,
particularly by allowing us to access the Internet, allows us to do research more quickly. We
dont have to go to a library in person. Rather, we can gather much of the information we need
through several clicks of a mouse. What a convenience!
Second, one can learn English online. In Korea, many people are concerned about their
English language skills. With the development of computer technology, computer plays a
significant role in non-native speakers learning English.

2. Physical education (PE) necessary or not?

We can improve social skills.
Its conducive to our health.
I definitely find physical education beneficial. Physical education is conducive to students
health. In my case, I used to monitor my weight. But, after graduating from high school, I
gained more than 25 pounds. This fact implies that I benefited from physical education in high
school.
We can also improve his social skills through physical education, as activities often
involve teamwork. To take a personal example, I came to realize how important teamwork was
while getting involved in sports, such as baseball, basketball, football, and so on.

3. Art or music class necessary or not?

Engaging in a broader field is important to expand our knowledge.
We can relieve our stress.
I believe art and music education is beneficial in our lives. Engaging in broad fields of study is
important in order to expand our knowledge. I firmly believe that diverse educational
experiences are necessary to prepare one for a university education. This allows undergraduate
students to choose a major without hesitation.
On top of that, listening to music is an excellent stress reliever. In my case, whenever I
feel tired or stressed, I feel much better after listening to my favorite music. Arts generally offer
us pleasure. Case, arts can be a catalyst to help people relieve stress. The arts can also benefit
our health. These days, some doctors take advantage of arts and include them as part of
treatments for patients.

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4. Higher education should be available for all students?

Everyone should be given equal education.
Nothing should stop people from seeking knowledge.
I think education should be available to everyone. Its possible to speculate that our ability to
fulfill our potential is determined by the quality of our schooling.
Nothing should stop people from seeking knowledge. To learn something deeper is a
universal feature, shared by everyone. Many people would like to gain deeper knowledge of a
subject, even though their grades or performance are not as good as those of high-ranking
students.

5. Is college education necessary to success?

It is the place where we can broaden our knowledge.
We can meet a myriad of people from different backgrounds.
I think college education very beneficial. College is a place where we can broaden or deepen
our knowledge of a wide variety of subjects. Engaging in a broader field or in a deeper field of
studies allows us to take more possibilities to be successful.
In a university environment, we can meet a myriad of people from different
backgrounds. After graduation, we are usually exposed to diverse people. So, its a good
opportunity for us to meet many people and try to understand their ways of life. This is helpful
for our future careers.

6. Some students prefer to attend universities in big cities, while others choose small towns
for their higher education. Which do you prefer and why?
Students can be given more job opportunities.
Big cities have more entertainment.
I prefer living in a big city to a rural area. Big cities allow more job opportunities for students.
Most headquarters of major companies are situated in big cities. Cities often present students
with opportunities to attend job fairs. This is definitely beneficial for job seekers.
Big cities offer more choices for entertainment. If we are stressed, we need to have
avenues by which we relieve our stress. But, in rural areas, fewer of these opportunities exist.

7. Living alone or living with a roommate?

My roommate can give me a hand.
We can do some activities together.
I prefer having a roommate to being alone. I have two reasons for this. First, we can help each
other in an emergency. For example, last year I caught a severe cold. My roommate at the time,
Yong, gave me a hand. He bought over-the-counter medicine and gave it to me. He was so
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generous.
I also enjoy having a roommate because we can take part in activities together. I
particularly like baseball. If I live by myself, I wont be able to enjoy playing my favorite sport.
But, I can play baseball with my roommate, and at the very least, we can throw and catch a ball.

8. Travel alone or travel with a guide.

We can be much safer.
We dont have to make an itinerary by ourselves.
When I travel, I prefer to have a guide. Traveling with a guide can be much safer than traveling
alone. Its easy to get lost in an unfamiliar place. But, a guide is familiar with the area, and this
contributes to travelers safety.
Also, with a guide, we dont have to make our own itinerary. Creating an itinerary
requires a lot of effort, and can cause stress if it is not followed. For these reasons, I favor
having a guide when I take a trip.

9. Reading a book or watching TV in your free time?

Watching TV requires less energy.
We can see our favorite stars.
When I want to relax, I prefer watching television to reading. I have two reasons for this. The
first reason is that watching TV is more comfortable than reading books. When I take a rest, I lie
down on a couch and watch my favorite program. This makes me feel better.
Second, television allows me to see my favorite stars. I enjoy watching Jim Carey, who
is very famous for his comedies. Because Id like to be a comedian in the future, watching him
helps me learn how I will achieve my dream.

10. Which genre do you like the most among novel, magazine, or poem?
Its because of a sentimental value.
As a result, I would like to be a novelist.
I prefer reading novels to other genres. One reason for this is because my grandfather gave a
novel, The Old Man and the Sea, to me for my graduation. So, whenever I look at it, I can feel
my grandfathers love towards me.
Second, novels gave me an interest in American novels and also caused me to realize a
life-long dream of becoming a novelist. After getting the book from my grandfather, I used to
read it almost every day. In the end, my interest led me to enter the literature department at
Hannam University.

11. How do you spend your free time? Ex) bicycle or take for a walk.

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(Mountain)
I can automatically work out.
Trees produce much fresh air.
I spend my free time in a variety of ways. If I have time, I usually climb a mountain. I enjoy the
fresh air of the mountains. Because there are many trees in the mountains, fresh oxygen is
abundant. So, its possible that the environment improves my health.
Climbing also allows me to become more physically fit, because that slopes in the
mountains are steep and take effort to climb. Mountains function as a natural health club. For
these reasons, Id like to live in the mountains.

12. Indoor activity vs. Outdoor activity?

I would like to lose weight.
Outdoor activities are more interesting.
I prefer outdoor activities to their indoor counterparts. I have two reasons for this. First, I would
like to lose weight. I have gained more than 20 pounds since graduating from college. So,
outdoor activities may allow me to stay physically fit.
Second, I find outdoor activities to be more interesting. I am especially interested in
playing team sports, such as basketball and baseball. Whenever I play sports, I feel happy. When
my team wins a game, it is exhilarating.

13. TV good or not?

TV let family to bond.
TV offers us a lot of dialogue topics.
I find TV to be beneficial in many ways. In the case of my family, TV is a medium that allows
my family to bond. These days, we are fascinated by the drama, Sex and the City. When it
plays on TV, every member of the family gets together to watch. After watching the drama, we
usually have conversations about our daily lives. So, TV is a great way to encourage the family
to gather.

14. Which is more influential to you TV or people around you?

Friends spend the bulk of their time together.
My professor is my role model.
There are many advantages to having a diverse group of friends. First, friends spend the bulk of
their time together. Friends can share everything, and when they are in trouble, they can tell
each other their problems and try to find a solution.
My professor serves as my role model. Hes a disabled man. However, he earned his
Ph.D. despite his disability. He struggled with prejudice because people still hold biased views
against handicapped people. He pushed on, undaunted by such difficulties.
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15. Do we have to let children watch TV freely or not?

TV has a lot of violent programs.
TV is detrimental to childrens health.
Its quite dangerous to give children a green light to watch TV all by themselves. First, many
TV programs are violent and can have a negative impact on children. So, children should be
carefully monitored by their parents as to which programs they watch and they dont.
Second, TV is detrimental to childrens health, especially their eyes. In my case, I was
always glued to a TV set all the time when I was a kid. I believe thats why I am the only person
in my family who wears glasses. Childrens time watching TV should be limited.

16. Does government invest money to arts?

Arts can offer us pleasure.
Arts are helpful for our health.
I believe government spends money on art and music. I have two reasons for this. Engaging in
broad fields of study is important in order to expand our knowledge. I firmly believe that
diverse educational experiences are beneficial for ones lives.
On top of that, arts generally offer us pleasure. Arts can be a catalyst to help people
relieve stress. The arts can also benefit our health. These days, some doctors take advantage of
arts and include them as part of treatments for patients.

17. Save money or spend money if you have enough money?

Nobody predicts our future.
Saving money is more overarching/important because it can lead us to better future.
I believe saving money is more important than spending money. Nobody can predict our future,
and if an emergency should arise, we may need extra money. If we dont have enough money,
we will definitely face big problems in an emergency.
Saving money can lead us to a better future. This is the society in which the life
expectancy is increasing, and we need more money for our future. We are better off preparing
for a bright future instead of rather than focusing on immediate pleasure.

18. Work at the company or work at home?

I cant focus on work at home.
Home is the place where we relax ourselves.
I prefer working at the office to working at home. Based on personal experience, Ive found that
I cant focus on work at home. Every time I work at home, I feel very relaxed. I often watch TV
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and play computer games instead of working.

Second, I firmly believe that home is a place where we should be able to relax. If I
work at home, my wife doesnt like it. Id rather spend my time at home with my family.

19. Being a leader or being a follower?

Everyone has skills for leadership.
Lack of patience offers lots of stress.
I think being a follower is easier than being a leader. I have two reasons for this. First, not
everyone has leadership skills. Lets suppose that a captain in a ship doesnt have the ability to
lead his crew. The boat will lose its way and will likely sink.
Second, leadership requires patience and brings with it a lot of stress. It is evident that
there might be some disagreements in a group regarding the leaders decisions. When those
situations arise,, leaders should be tolerant of others, and they should take their time in order to
resolve the problem properly. But, this isnt always easy.

20. Advice important or do it by yourself?

We cant experience everything by ourselves.
Older people have plentiful experiences.
It is important to seek advice from others. We cant experience everything by ourselves, and it is
important to draw on the experiences of others. When one meets an obstacle, his friends can
give him a hand.
Older people have had more experiences and can be a good source of advice. I once
asked my father for help because I had a problem with my friend. At that time, he gave me two
options, and I just followed his advice. Then the relationship with my friend became much
better than before.

21. Some people make decisions instantly. Others only decide after thinking about their
choice for a long time. Which approach do you think is better and why?
Choosing a spouse or buying a house is the most important matters in our lives.
Hasty decisions often result in mistakes.
I think we should decide after thinking about a choice for a long time, rather than make
decisions instantly. People often make decisions where they have to choose correctly, because it
will affect the rest of their lives. For example, getting married or purchasing a house are
important matters for one to consider. These choices should be made very carefully, after a lot of
deliberation. In contrast, hasty decisions often result in mistakes. For instance, many students
make careless mistakes on their exams because of their impulsive decisions.

22. Some people try to perform several tasks at once while others prefer to concentrate on
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one specific task at a time. Which approach do you think is more effective and why?
Its easy to get track off.
Doing one at a time can create better results.
I think its better to focus on one task instead of trying to perform several tasks at once. I know
from my personal experience that it creates better results. Its easier not to get off track if I
devote all of my energy to one task. The proverb if you want a well, only dig in one place
illustrates this idea well.
When I am faced with many tasks, however, I find that it is difficult to stay focused.
Ive previously made an effort to do all my chores at once but only got confused and frustrated.

23. Some schools offer field trips to zoos and other schools offer field trips to natural
history museums. Which do you think is better for students and why?
Going a zoo is more interesting.
Children can interact with live animals.
I believe that going on a field trip to a zoo is better for students than going to a natural history
museum. The zoo provides a more exciting experience. Students spend most of their time
studying, either at school or at home. Since field trips are meant to be refreshing, going to a zoo,
which is an outdoor activity, is the perfect choice.
Another reason why I favor the zoo is because of the experience with live animals.
There, students have the chance to actually observe their behavior, and maybe even interact with
them

24. Some companies require their employees to wear formal business attire. Others allow
casual dress. Which do you prefer and why?
I cant stay focused.
Wearing a formal suit costs me a fortune.
I prefer wearing casual clothes to formal business attire in a company office. Thats because
casual clothing is much more comfortable than formal dress. Im more relaxed because I dont
need to wear an uncomfortable tie and dress shoes. And since Im less distracted by them, I
focus better on work.
On top of that, a casual dress code also aids me to save money. I can spend less on
outfits because I dont have to spend a fortune on business suits. I can just wear the casual
clothes I already have. Furthermore, they are generally much cheaper than their counterparts.

25. Some people like to eat out while others like to cook at home. Which do you think is
better and why? Include details and examples in your explanation.
We can control ingredients.
Eating at home is more economical.
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I like cooking at home instead of going out to eat. An advantage of cooking your own meals
over eating out is that you can eat healthy food. Since you are in charge of preparing the meals,
you can use fresh ingredients. In other words, you can control the calories and cholesterol in
your meal.
Unlike cooking at home, as you know, eating at restaurants costs a lot. We are asked to
pay not only for the meals, but also tax and tip for service. Whats more, unless its close, you
also have to pay for transportation.

26. Some people enjoy traveling around their own countries while others prefer traveling
abroad. Which do you prefer and why?
Students have a limited amount of money.
There are a lot of good places to see in my country.
I prefer traveling around my own country, Korea, to traveling abroad. As a student who has a
limited amount of money and time, I favor inexpensive and convenient trips. Transportation in
Korea is relatively cheap.
In addition to that, I dont need to get a visa or carry around a passport. Not only that,
there are so much to see in Korea. It has beautiful mountains, lakes, and parks that all nature
lovers can appreciate. It also has four distinct seasons, and each provides a different view of my
country.

27. Some people like to communicate face-to-face while others like to communicate
through e-mail. Which method do you prefer and why?
Face-to-face is more personal.
We can gain immediate responses.
I like a face-to-face communication more than that through email. The most important reason is
that it makes communication flow much more easily. I believe visual cues play a key role in
trading ideas. Facial expressions and hand gestures help significantly when you want to get all
kinds of messages across to your partner.
In addition, you are able to receive immediate responses when taking a face-to face
approach. Any question that arises can get answered quickly. So, its very convenient, especially
when you want to come to a decision without delay.

28. Some university students are supported financially by their parents, while others
support themselves with part-time jobs. Which do you think is more beneficial for
students and why?
They can learn about the work world.
They can help their students financially.
I think its better for students to support themselves with part-time jobs. I believe that this
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creates an opportunity to learn about the work world. Students gain job experience as they go
through the training process.
They also learn the true value of hard-earned money early on in their careers.
Conversely, I believe that those students whose parents pay for their schooling miss out on that
chance to mature.

29. Some people prefer to take public transportation to work or school. Others like to
drive their own cars. Which do you prefer? Include details and examples in your
explanation.
We dont have to worry about being stuck in jam
Taking a public transportation is much more economical.
I like taking public transportation, such as the bus or subway, more than driving my own car.
Mostly, thats for economic reasons. Taking public transportation is cheaper. So, I dont have to
worry about paying for gas. I also save a huge amount of money every month because I dont
have to pay for insurance.
Another reason why I favor public transportation is that driving can be a waste of time.
Drivers spend so much time on the roads, especially stuck in rush-hour traffic. In this sense,
driving a car can be very frustrating.