Writing Feedback / it is important to find out if the decision will be popular with others (IBT) [5]

Hi all,

This is my Toefl writing essay, please read thorough, comment or let me know my mistakes in this essay.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Before making a decision, it is important to find out if the decision will be popular with others.

In our life, we must make many decisions. Some of them are important and some of them are not. You can succeed in our life or not depend how good your decisions are. Is it important to check whether your decision is popular or not before making it? I think it is not important. Because each person has their own targets, living conditions and capabilities.

We have our own targets, so we can not make the similar decision as everybody. After graduating secondary school, most of my friends decided to study at Nguyen Hue high school, because it's near their house and good enough for them. Whereas, both my family and I want me to join in the best high school in my town. I tried to pass the entrance examination and I think that is a good decision.

Nevertheless, everybody has different capabilities. We have some strong points as well as weak points. Before making decision, we should analyze yourself to know what we can benefit from that decision, what we can loose or what risk we can meet. For instance, when we decide which major we will study at university, it's more important to assess our capability rather than check whether every body study the same major as us or not.

Additionally, learning from experience is very good, but we just should consider it as reference. We have different living conditions, so we can not resemble the decision of other people. I'm wondering where should I study master program. Most people on many forums told that study in US, Canada and Australia is very good. But I can not afford for the school, food and lodge fee there. Consequently, I choose Sweden just because the school fee is free and this is the most important point for me.

All in all, everybody has different targets, capabilities and living conditions. We can not follow the decision of the popular, but we can refer to it to analyze why they make that decision, what are our strong points, can we make it better. By doing like that, your decisions will be better over the time.

Thanks in advance,

Tuan.

Writing Feedback / Taking standardized tests to prove learning progress - Toefl IBT writing essay [6]

Hi,

I'm preparing to take the Toefl IBT test in December 2009, but I feel it's difficult to improve my speaking and writing skills.

Regarding the writing skill, I have tried to write several essays, but no one review them for me. Would you please do me a favor? The following is one of my essays. Please review & let me know all mistakes I made so that I can avoid in the future.

Topic 1: Students should be required to take regular standardized tests to prove that are learning.

In my opinion, the taking regular standardized tests is not really good for students. Because it will make students' studying less efficient.
First, it takes a lot of time of both professors and students to prepare for the tests. Students must focus preparing for the tests not for understanding deeply about the subjects. Also, Professors must edit the test content and review all students' test papers. In Vietnam, one class can contains fifty to one hundreds of students. How long does it take professors' time to check all test papers? I think it's a lot.

Second, If students spend more time for testing then they will loose focus on the research about the subjects. One semester has about forty-five weeks. In one week, professors have about two or three hours for teaching one subject. This is not much time, so professors should use that time for giving students basic concept about the subject with some practices and instruct them how to do more research to get intensive knowledge about the subject.

However, it doesn't mean that tests are not necessary. Students should do about tests in one term. They are midterm and final tests. Besides projects and essays, tests are the normal way to access students. It helps student consolidating their knowledge about the subject.

Conclusion, we should not take a lot of time of students to taking tests. It's very useful when we use that time for practices. But at least, students must be tested twice per semester.

Thanks in advance,

Tuan.