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Feedback on the test: - listening: harder than PP, the short ones are really longer, it was hard for me to stay focus till the end - structure: almost the same than PP - reading: I don't understand why I got 26, this part was really easy (as PP), and I read twice my answers. - essay: see my previous post, if someone has others comments, it would be nice. To prepare for the Toefl, don't forget to practice essay, 30min: it is really short!

I've a problem, I did the TOEFL yesterday, and I don't know, maybe the stress :( I didn't organize well me essay. I had to compare new experiences against usual habits and choose which one I prefer. My structure was : - new experiences --> more aware --> could do better choice - new experiences --> life more enjoyable - usual habits --> more secure but you encounter less people so new experiences --> more friendships So in fact just in one paragraph I suggest a good point of usual habits, but I attack it right after. In fact my essay was more a thesis for the new experiences but just with one counter fact for the usual habits (more secure) I think the form was Ok. Do you think I can reach more than 4 ??? I need it to pass 250. Thanks for the answers.

I've a problem, I did the TOEFL yesterday, and I don't know, maybe the stress :( I didn't organize well me essay. I had to compare new experiences against usual habits and choose which one I prefer. My structure was : - new experiences --> more aware --> could do better choice - new experiences --> life more enjoyable - usual habits --> more secure but you encounter less people so new experiences --> more friendships So in fact just in one paragraph I suggest a good point of usual habits, but I attack it right after. In fact my essay was a thesis for the new experiences but just with one counter fact for the usual habits (more secure) I think the form is Ok. Do you think I can reach more than 4 ??? I need it to pass 250. Thanks for the answers.

There are usually two ways of teaching; on one hand the teacher does all the talking and on the other hand he allows the students to participate orally. I prefer the last approach because in this kind of class I usually learn better the course, don't sleep during the class and create some friendships. Firstly, in the class where I participated, I retained the lesson not just for the exams but for a longer time. This participation is a practice of the concept; therefore I developed a form of control on the subject and would be able to reapply it. Moreover to be active in class makes you retain better the materials, thus it allows you to study less for the exam. Furthermore, when the students do some of the talking, the class becomes more stimulating. For instance, I remember a boring course where the professor just did a monologue, as I was not interested in the subject the time has passed very slowly. Thus, even if you don't like the subject, participating in class makes you avoid sleeping during it. Finally, the allowance of interactions with the others students creates a class spirit. For example, the discussion with the students makes you know them better and thus could create some friendships. In conclusion, I would rather prefer a class where the students participate at the talking in order to absorb totally the academic concepts, to attend an enjoyable class and to encounter the others students. (246 words)

If you could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history, what person would you like to meet? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice. If I could travel back in time, I would like to meet Jesus. I would be able to realize if what is written in the Bible is true, to talk with him about his opinion on our society, and to ask him how the life in paradise is. Firstly, this meeting would enable me to verify if all the teaching I had in my religion courses are true. Even if I know that in the Christian way you must believe and not demonstrate, the possible encounter with Jesus would influence me on my spiritual position. Moreover, I would ask him how exactly the facts have happened, because the history comes from the facts that people have told but this could be exaggerated or misrepresented. For instance, I would like to know how the last supper has occurred. Furthermore, I would relate him our contemporary world is, if he isn't already aware of the situation, in order to determine his opinion on several political subjects. I would ask him some advices on how the society should evolve and what can be done, for example, would he agree for the marriage of the priest and what to do to stop terrorism. Finally, I would like to know how the paradise looks like and if it exists. For instance, I would ask him if there is another society created there, how we are represented, whether physical or chemical, and if there is really the Judgement Day. In conclusion, the encounter with Jesus will allow me to verify the story facts, his opinion and mostly how it goes in paradise. ( 266 words… is it enough???)

I thought that during my elaboration I showed my opinion... Your essay is very good, I just found 2 mistakes (cancert --> cancer and exemaple--> example). Someone can correct mine and give it a rate please. Thank you in advance.

Question: Some people wish to ban smoking in public places. Others don't agree. What is your opinion? Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion. To ban smoking in public places is a modern debate; the two sides are easily discernable: smokers and non smokers. However, our position should not be determined by the consumption or not of cigarettes; it must be a political discussion on the effects of this new law on the society. If we ban smoking in public spaces, we would clear the toxic effects on non smokers and increase the quality of your environment. On the other hand, there will be a decrease of the economical activities. Firstly, the interdiction of smoking in public spaces will improve the air environment, and thus decreases the health problems related to the smoke for the non consumers. For instance, when we are in a bar, so in a closed place, all the smoke stay in the air and non consumers respire it. It is proved that these indirect toxic effects create cancer. Moreover, it is usual to find lots of detritus in smoking places. For example, we can find many rest of cigarettes consumed on the street. This will be clean by the city employee, but it is a cost for the whole society to pay this service. On the other hand, the interdiction of smoking in restaurant and bars will discourage a large number of smokers to go out and spend money. However, after a little period of adaptation, smokers will eventually return to these places and accept the new situation. In conclusion, the interdiction of smoking will create a decrease of the economy during the beginning of the application, but in the long term it will increase our quality of life by suppressing the side effects of the cigarettes. (277 words, 30 min)

Thank you for your comments ish, but how much does this essay worth? I aggree I was not comfortable with the term Target in the introduction. I ve done 5 essays already, but I can t do more than 280 words in 30 min, how to write more????

You have the opportunity to visit a foreign country for two weeks which country would you like to visit? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice. To target a foreign country to visit for two weeks is a delicate choice. Several critical points must be studied to determine the right location: the monuments, the culture and the landscape. Personally, I would choose China. Firstly, we can find many historical places and important monuments in China. For example, we can visit the Great Wall that appears so many times in our historic books. Moreover, there is the Imperial Palace of China, well known thanks to the movie ‘The Last Emperor’. To visit China allows us to see in real what we have seen in our historic classes and on television. Furthermore, the history of China and the way of thinking there are radically different in comparison with North America. It is therefore a place where we can discover a new culture and observe an other approach of living. For instance, the religious system that is the central value of the occidental society is totally different in China. Moreover they use a different alphabet, so being there must be like an immersion in a new world. This travel won’t be just a consummation journey but a learning one. Finally, the difference of temperature and weather has created an other kind of landscape. The humid environment with their agriculture based essentially on rice is enjoyable to admire. Even the colours are different and create a typical atmosphere. In comparison with moving to Europe, in China we can visit a new land and our travel can show us a sort of new society. In conclusion, the most important point for me when I choose a travel destination is to discover new things. Therefore, China with its history, monuments, culture and landscape is a natural choice. (285words in 29min)

What do you consider to be the most important room in a house? Why is this room more important to you than any other room? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion There is always one room that you prefer in your house. A room that makes you remember good souvenirs and where you share some activities with the person you care of. The importance of the architecture of this place is important too, its structure should easily invites you to come in. Without hesitations, the kitchen is my favourite room. Firstly, the kitchen is the room where I can retrace the best moments I had in my house. All the special diners and family receptions were taken in this part of the house. I remember when my sister receveid her driving license, it was a great moment. I can not describe all the important moments, but when I enter the kitchen, I just receive a flow of good memories. Furthermore, the kitchen is the place where you can share food with your friends and family. This is important in our modern life; our system being based more and more on competition, this is a special moment where I can talk and evacuate the stress of my work day. The others room of my house are enjoyable too, for the instance the living room with the big television and the DVD player, however I don't have the impression of sharing something with my friend in it. Finally, the architecture of the kitchen with the big wood table and its comfortable chairs makes it the room where I want the most to go after my work. The structure of the kitchen is agreable and imposes no effort to come in. In conclusion, while the kitchen is the room in my house where I had the most enjoyable, I think that it is its structure and its uses that make it my favourite place. 290 words in 28 minutes.

Thanks Awhig, your comments are always so useful! I hope I can reach the 260 level....

It is my third essay, I did in 30 min... really hard this time constraint !!! I have done the 2 PWP test and achieve : L= 25 and 25, S= 11 and 10, R= 26 and 27. I will apply for a Phd, am I able to reach 260 next week ??? Thank you for your help. It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of its members. Compare the contributions of artists to society with the contributions of the scientists to society. Which type of contribution do you think is valued more by your society? Give specific reasons to support your answer. It is well known that mathematical and other quantitatives skills are the most valued skills in our society. But do the scientists contribute more to the development of the society than artists do? It depends on how we determine our goals, and how we controle their achievements. Moreover, is it possible to create a kind of strong frontier between this two profils? Firstly, the scientists have developed lots of useful process to increase our quality of life and our productivity. Since it is easily accountable, the reward is fast and the creator became our modern "guru". For instance, Einstein has allowed us the nuclear energy with his unforgettable egality. However its use was not always in the good direction, but this is the matter of the user, not of the creator. On the other hand, the artists give us "products" that are not valuable. For example, when we listen to an opera, our mind relax and we let our imaginary govern our thoughts. The artists have usually goals long term oriented; they influence the society with their ideas, theirs new ways of thinking, but it is impossible to value it directly. That's why, most of the artists are more famous after their death. Finally, it is hard to sort people, the scientists are sometimes the artists and vice-versa. Furthermore, we need both of them for the evolution of our society. It is an equilibrium between consciousness and inconsciousness. The artists imagine the bridge and the scientists think about how to do it. In conclusion, it is right that the contributions of the scientists are more valued in our society, but it is not a fair competition as we compare "products" that are not valued on the same scale. (288 words).

People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their gardens. What do you think are the best ways of reducing stress? Use specific details to support your answer. It is said that the stress is the major disease of this new century. Due to our competitive system, people want more and so need to prove more. It causes a big pressure and hard work without period of rest. How to manage this modern life? Sport is a great way to evacuate all your worries, enhance your health and make new friends. Firstly, doing sport allows you to penetrate a new imaginary world. You put all your stress in a black box and forget it for a short moment. For example, if you swim and close your eyes, you can dream of a blue sea with just a little wind. It is a mental visualization that is very useful to escape the stress. Moreover, it is well known that practicing sport keeps you in shape and decreases the probability of being ill. For instance, after a good work out, your hormonal system is more productive and therefore your health defence is stronger against the external aggressions. Furthermore, since the stress decreases your hormonal production, the need of physical exercise is really important. Finally, doing sport regularly permits you to make new friends to who you can talk about your problems. We can underline here all the collective sports where you have interactions, and through the competition you create new affinities. Let’s take for example the soccer, you have the training and the confrontations with other teams that allow you to meet new persons and bring you out from your usual environment. In order to manage the stress, we should enrol in a sport activity. It is necessary to evacuate the stress but also excellent for the health and the social life. It is hard to reach 300-350 words in 30 min, specially if you want a good structure, isn't it???

Thank you Bruno for your correction, ... I will try to make it longer next, but it is hard in only 30 min to have enough arguments...

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer Parents are the first “teachers”, but can they teach us wisely and with enough emotive distance? Or can we learn more from external people? To be a rounded person we must learn sensibility from our parents and acquire more knowledge from outside. Parents are too much implicated to show their child the best way to take, for instance they will usually underline the nearest place for a geographical choice. It is a normal human reaction, they can’t afford the emotive cost of loosing their child. Moreover, parents want their child to adopt their opinion, therefore they will tell them just one side of the facts for example. On the other hand, outside people would be more objective, they are less concerned about making adopt their point of view. Even if some professors have radical ideology, their formations give them pedagogy and thus they are more able to present the fact adequately. Finally, we need an external environment to our family cocoon. This will expose us to observe and decide. Parents could follow their child in the apprehension of the sensations and the emotive reactions. However this must be couple with others experiences to train judgement skills. In conclusion, parents are definitively necessary specially in early ages but are maybe not the best ones to teach objectively. I totally ran out of time: I stop after 29 min... I felt really sleppy, it was my first one and I underestime the time constraint... Rate it please. Thank you in advance.