Writing Feedback / TOEFL ESSAY - serious or entertaining movies [4]

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Topic
Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

I prefer the serious movies which are simple, touching and powerful. Here are my reasons.

First, most serious movies have a wide variety of content. Entertaining movies are created to amuse people. However, most entertaining movies are empty and nonsensical. Compared with the entertainment film, the serious film may be more worthwhile and meaningful. Serious movies usually designed to express one or more thinking about love, humaneness; moreover, it may point out the dark sides of the society.

Second, not all of serious movies are boring. "Click" is a very interesting comedy, with a serious approach about the importance of having a balanced life between family and work businesses. The movie is humorous and satiric,which leads us to think what is the most valuable of our lives, and it reminds us how important our families are. Thus, the hidden meanings of serious movies are usually beyond words and images which make us think about ourselves.

Moreover, some of serious movies try to make you think about the dark sides of the world. "Blood diamond", an adaptation of a real story in South Africa, focuses on the link between diamonds and conflict. After watching the movie, we may learn a lesson between jewels and death. Diamond s are not rare or a sign of true love; indeed, the hidden meaning of a diamond is a cruel reality. As a result, serious movie tell you how to see the world in a different way.

For the above reasons, I prefer to see those serious movies which make people have deep thoughts toward their real lives.

Writing Feedback / Datong District, the oldest district of Taipei City, is my hometown. [3]

I am preparing my toefl test,and I do really need your help.
Thank you for your time :)

Topic:
If you could change one important thing about your hometown, what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

Datong District, the oldest district of Taipei City,is my hometown. If I could change one important thing about my hometown, building a community college in the district would be my best choice. Here are my reasons.

First, education becomes available to all. The community colleges in Taiwan are for the local residents who want to take non-degree courses or take continuing education credits. By opening the gate to common education to more people, community colleges give citizens the knowledge and ability to serve the community and society. In addition, there is a wide variety of programs offered by community college, such as second language, sports, art and so on. However, those colleges are far from our community, so it is not convenient for us to take classes here.

Second, there are many great educational opportunities for retirees. Retired people don't need to stay at home all day long. Some of them learn new ideas; for example,after taking a computer course,some older adults could keep in daily touch with their childern and grand children by using e-mail or skype.Other senior found the true value of life in school and make new friends in school. Community colleges provide retirees a place for them to start a new life.

Lastly,the tuition is cheap, and white-collar workers can make their own schedule. Compare with most private schools, the charge of public community colleges are lower. In some cases, it is possible for the residents to get a special discount. Moreover, they take any kind of courses which attract them or help them improve themselves. For instance, some of them take English course for preparing an official English test; some may choose dancing classes after having a stress at work. Thus, it is a suitable institute for adults to learn programs or activities.

For the above reasons, I strongly believe that establishing a community college is a great benefit to my hometown.

Writing Feedback / toefl: overemphasizing on personal lives of famous people by media [3]

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television, newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal lives of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use specific reasons and details to explain your opinion.

As a mass media majoring student, I think that it's true that media is overemphasizing the personal lives of famous people in this modern society. In my point of view, disadvantages of overemphasizing on personal lives of famous people by media outweigh its advantages. My reasons include the following:

It is no doubt that the media provide information about an event that recently occurred somewhere and which is important to the people. The most important of all is that the essence of coverage accurate and not based on gossip. However, journalism is changing. Some reporters are more interested with gossip than news relating to public issues, paying too much attention to the personal lives of famous people.

First of all, gossip involves misleading images for the purpose of boosting newspaper sales or exciting public opinion. The audience may see a lot of photos in the kind of reports, which seems to tell a story. Moreover, it is unfair that the ridiculous coverage may be a vexation for the famous people who are reported.

Furthermore, sensationalism distract the viewers from public or social problems. The media face the challenge that media executives must choose the content, which can attract the audience. Thus, these personal reports of famous people, unimportant information or distorted stories, will not solve problem related with the society. In other words, yellow journalism block the viewers from significant news, such as education, environment and public issues.

Based on the above discussion, I agree with that paying too much attention on personal lives of famous people may be a serious problem.

Writing Feedback / TOEFL: Why people visit museums? History/ Broaden Perspectives/ Place of Attraction [3]

Thank you so much :)

topic:
Many people visit museums when they travel to new places.
Why do you think people visit museums?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

As a lover of travel, a quintessence of any visit to an excellent museum of a new place would be the best part of a tour, which can be explained by the following reasons.

Primary, it is easy to know the history of the new place. Last year, I went to Ellis Island and the immigration museum, where is a symbol of American immigration and the immigrant experience in the New York. Through the exhibit, I found that the Statue of Liberty symbolized freedom, and Ellis Island may be the place, where the immigration took their dreams and fears. Thus, museums can help us know the history and the customs of a new place.

Secondary, visiting a well-known museum also can broaden our horizon. Those outstanding and diverse range of objects,with classic and magnificent art,is guaranteed to inspire us!

In my city, National Palace Museum is celebrated for collection of ancient Chinese artifacts. To my astonishment, Jadeite cabbage is the most famous artistic work, which is made of jade, is vividly shown.

Moreover,a local museum could be a top choice and destination for tourist to visit. Someone take a trip without making any plans,so they may waste their time on shopping or staying at their hotel. As a result,visiting a museum saves their precious time for making a decision.Most important of all,a local museum represent its own typical culture so that visitors may easily acquaint with the new place in a short time.

For the above reasons, if we have a chance to visit top museums in the world, we must stop by these museums. During our trip, it is worthwhile for us to visit a museum of a new place.

Writing Feedback / toefl essay: study at home by using technology/study or traditional school [3]

topic:
In the future, students may have the choice of studying at home by using technology such as computer or television or studying or traditional school? Which would you prefer? Use specific details to explain your choice.

I don't think that technology can replace teachers and classroom. Here are my reasons.

Studying at home by using technology is convenient. The biggest advantage is that your classroom and instructor are available 24 hours a day. In addition, you could make your own schedule for completing the requirements of the course. You can study any time you want. However, if you aren't extremely dedicated or have good time management skills, it may be very difficult to complete a course at home.

First, attending an education course at home requires persistence and patience. Especially when you don't have an instructor there to guide you, it is up to you to make sure that you understand and complete all course requirements. Students may raise questions and they may have problems of understanding some specific topics or subjects. Unfortunately, it may be a predicament when you face some problems in learning without any help.

Second, studying at home is very different from traditional learning. Unlike traditional classes, distance education courses don't take place in a classroom, where you are surrounded by your teachers and classmates. Students may find that it is hard to study without being kept under supervision. If you are the type that gets easily distracted, a distance-learning program may not be for you.

Furthermore, there is an advantage of traditional school - socialization- establishes relationship with classmates. We can learn a lot from programs at home; however, our computers or televisions can't teach us how to get along with people. For example, students may learn how to cooperate with classmates from teamwork. Studying alone at home might deprive us of these significant and valuable opportunities.

For the above reasons, I agree that distance education can't replace traditional school.

Writing Feedback / Studying in a particular field should be step by step. Research, knowledge and practice is enough [2]

Topic:
Should university students take classes in many subjects or specialize in one subject?

I think that university students should specialize in one field. My reasons include the following:

In the first place, studying in a particular field should be step by step. For example, my university, Shih-Hsin, is famous in the field of mass media. As a result, it requires its students to take classes in one major subject for four years. As students majoring in mass media, we will learn from basic programs to practical courses. All of us need to take fundamental programs, and then turn to pragmatic applications. In addition, being good at one field can help students prepare for their career.

Secondly, specializing in a major subject is a suitable way for students who want to achieve their goal. A university is not only the center of research and development for knowledge in general, but also for practical training. Some students go to a university to prepare for future jobs. Because of career preparation, those students should pay their attention to one specific subject and try to have some special skills. Moreover, during their school lives, the students take some official tests to get some certificates or licenses, such as "Certificate of Accounting" and "skill category of Computer Software Application."

Furthermore, it takes time for some students to specialize in a field. For instance, students who major in the medical field need to take a long time to study in the school. The most important of all, it demands a wide variety of skilled and professional training in this field. In the long term, those students are absorbed in this field, from taking the courses in a school to practicing in a hospital, for their future profession. Consequently, they may do not have much free time to take other general courses.

For the above reasons, I believe that it is better for universities to require their students to specialize in one subject rather than many subjects.

Writing Feedback / TOEFL; I believe it is a good idea to build a large shopping center in our community [2]

Topic:
It has recently been announced that a large shopping center may be built in your neighborhood.
Do you support or oppose this plan? Why?
Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

I believe that it is a good idea to build a large shopping center in our community. The following are my reasons.

In the first place, the establishment of a large shopping center will provide the residents a more convenient place to go shopping. Here is a positive example: Queens Center Mall, a shopping mall located in Queens borough of New York City, provides a wide vairtey of stores, products and services, from clothing to electronics and restaurants, that consumers can choose. It is widely thought that it is one of the most productive malls in New York. I found that I could find virtually every brand or store, including Macy's and JCPenney, when I visited there. As far as I am concerned, a large shopping mall provides a location for residents to pursue during their leisure time.

Furthermore, it not only provides a place to shop but also offer people jobs. There may be a great number of job vacancies in the need of opening the new stores in the shopping mall. It could be an opportunity for people who are looking for a part-time job or a full time job. Some students and retirees may work there in order to whiling away their free time and earning money.

Lastly, it is more likely to for us to buy goods in lower price in the shopping center, and save our time on the other hand. There may be a competition between the new shopping center and other existing stores to attract the customers. Accordingly, with sales promotion, it is easy for consumers to compare the price of the same merchandise before they buy. In addition, the residents do not have a problem spending time on commute in the hope of setting up a shopping center near their homes.

For the above-mentioned reasons, I advocate building a big shopping center in my neighborhood, which will be beneficial to our community.

Writing Feedback / toefl:what kind of person makes a good roommate? [NEW]

Hi Kevin,
I am preparing for my coming test,so I try to practice toefl essay everyday.
I do really appreciate your help :)

TOPIC:
Many students have to live with roommates while going to school oruniversity.
What are some of the important qualities of a good roommate?
Use specific reasons and examples to explain why thesequalities are important.

Living with people who come from a different background is a challenge.As far as I am concerned,the significant qualites of a good roommate should be included as the following.

The most important of all, a good roommate ought to respect other's space and privacy. Che, one of my roommates when I was a freshman, was my worst nightmare.

She used to enter my room without knocking, to use my laptop without any permission, to meddle with my homework and to open my gift, which was given by my best friend.

I tried to inform her in a circumlocutory way, but it was still in vain. During the semester, I was frequently at the peak of irritation due to her etiquette-impaired. Accordingly, a good roommate should be courteous toward others.

Furthermore,a good roomate is considerate and decent. Recalling the same term in the dormitory,Lisa, who lived the next door, was well-known for her ardency and kindness. She used to help classmates and roommates who faced difficulties. In addition, she brought the specialty goods, such as snacks or pastries, when she returned from her hometown. Because of her friendly personality,she was everyone's friend .

Besides, a good roommate may just like your family. In contrast with my worst experience,I had two roommates,Grace and Peggy,who were my classmates.After moving the dormitory,I rent a apartment with them in order to sharing the rental. Fortunately, it is absolutely to say that they are the best roommates I've ever met.We shared the housework in turn,and went shopping for preparing our dinner together. After surviving the final exams,we used to hold a small party in our "home." I remember that we cried reluctantly because of the separation at the last night. Subsequently,we still keep in touch with each other and go traveling per year.

In sum,the main characteristic of a good roommate is that he should know how to get along with people,including the above qualities which I mention.

Writing Feedback / Toefl: What is a very important skill a person should learn [2]

TOPIC:
What is a very important skill a person should learn in order to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

In the frenetic, fast-paced world, stress is a very common predicament that all of us, from the young to the senior, feel depressed caused by a wide variety of reasons. Stress management, which means how to survive our stress, therefore, is the most important skill that we should have. The reasons for the importance of stress management will be included in the following passages.

In the first place, it is gradually known that stress becomes a serious mental illness; in addition, stress management recently becomes a more significant issue in our realization. Stress can be caused by both good and bad experiences. Stress may be a positive mobilization to drive for success. On the other hand, some people think that life is a struggle, which means we may encounter numerous difficulties, such as financial problems, exam stress, relationship difficulties and work overload. Moreover, it is easily found that there are more and more negative news; noteworthily, some people made up their mind to commit suicide in the failure of stress management. To avoid bringing about the tragedies, we should try to learn the skill - how to survive our stress.

Secondly, stress takes a toll on both our health and lives. It is true that the modern life is frequently full of hassles, frustrations, and demands. If we are overwhelmed by continued stress, we might have physical problems, such as insomnia and headaches. The most the most fatal problem - melancholia- even leads some people to commit suicide. There is a true story: Lin, a brilliant student in school, could not overcome the stress which was from going an excellent university; subsequently, she met her death at 17-year-old due to the constant stress. Consequently, it is necessary that we should acquaint with stress management, which helps us reduce and cope with the stress, in the goal of balancing our health and mind.

Furthermore, stress management is not only about helping us develop ways to deal with the stress, but also will put us on a positive path. It is widely thought that we experience stress any time, which comes across unexpectedly that frustrates our goals. As a result, if we don't have a good stress management skill, it may lead to some critical problems. With stress management, however, we will be able to set new goals and see our problems in a different way. For example, some people regard stress as a power, which overcomes the obstacles to motivate themselves to do their best. Thus, we will learn how to cope with the stress in a meaningful way by learning the skill.

For the above reasons, I believe that stress management is an essential skill for everyone to learn in order to deal with their own stress.

Writing Feedback / toefl: Why are groups or organizations important to people? [3]

Topic:
Groups or organizations are an important part of some people's lives. Why are groups or organizations important to people? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

During our life, it is inevitable that we may be related with any groups or organizations; therefore, groups and organizations are an important part of their lives. In my point of view, groups provide a place for people to gain experiences or achieve goals. My reasons include the following:

In the first place, humans are a part of the society, and the society includes a wide variety of groups. Most of all, the groups play an essential role in the process of socialization, from children to adults. We begin taking part in groups or organizations during the early days of life, and especially most people continue their social participation in all through life. By making teamwork, the children in schools may learn to how to get along with others. As university students, it is likely for them to join student organization of their major in order to expand their experiences or communicate with others. After graduating from schools, employees might go to business associations for various business resources and benefits. Thus, almost of us live in the environment of groups.

By participating in an organization, it is a positive way for people to obtain some experiences on a particular purpose. A solid group can be a suited environment, which provides people to improve themselves or broaden their horizons. For example, as a student majoring in mass media, I have taken part in mass media student group for a year. When being in the department of art, I have not only learned how to do a project, but also known some famous artists during the term. Above all, it is advantage which increase an opportunity on my resume for the sake of getting a better job.

Furthermore, groups and organizations would lead people to take action or achieve their goal. Here is an example: there are various charities in the world. Tzu Chi, a non-profit Buddhism organization in Taiwan, is famous for contributing to the social and community services, and medical care. They bring hopes and inspire others with their generous spirit. For accomplishing their missions, the charity should gather people who are volunteers and sponsors for those difficult tasks. As a result, they lit the light for the poor and victims; in addition, they could have chance to help the people in need from all over the world.

For the above reasons and examples, it could be widely thought that groups or organizations are a vital part for us in plenty of aspects in different ages and in different backgrounds.

Writing Feedback / person's childhood are the the most important years of a person's lives. [NEW]

Topic:
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person's childhood years (the time from birth to 12 years of age) are the most important years of a person's life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

During our lives, we experience many periods as childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age. Especially the childhood of our lives does play an important part which is the term before going to enter the adulthood. As a result, I agree with the statement for the following reasons.

Childhood is a significant period for children to create and develop their characteristics. Children are like sponges; they absorb massive amounts of information from sources all around. The information which are from people, books, television, the Internet deliver both moral and immoral to children. Above all, they could not tell what is good or evil. After growing up, some children act badly or out of control. It is widely known that some children go bad and become gangsters; nearly all gangsters start young because of disordered values. Here is an example: "Young and Dangerous" was a famous film in Hong Kong,which tried to improve the image of the ruffians. For example, the gangsters kill others in order to save his friends. It led some children to admire them and seem them as heros; moreover, some children dropped out from schools for the sake of being a "hero." This is reason why many parents need to pay much attention to the childhood development of their children.

On the other hand, it is easy for children to obtain the knowledge or specialized skills during their childhoods. In addition, most children are interested in meet something new. In my point of view, the childhood years is the most flexible time, which give children a chance to create their characteristics or capacities. As a result, their knowledge and skills are infinite and hopeful. In the promising period, they may try to expand a wide variety of knowledge by reading books or taking part in activities. Science could get their appeal for some children. Einstein Albert, a famous a theoretical physicist in the world, was very curious about a compass at five years old. Furthermore, Einstein demonstrated an interest in science and problem-solving even before he entered school. Thus, childhood could be a stage where children start to absorb new ideas. In the period, children are overflowing with imagination, which is the source of inspiration for creativity. After entering the latter stages of our lives, our capacity to imagine is greatly diminished.

For the two reasons I mentioned, I think that childhood, the most decisive phrase, is a basic foundation of our lives; therefore, it would affect children to be positive or negative.

Writing Feedback / Essay: Preserve the old buildings; keeping distinguishing features of a city [2]

Topic:Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

In my point of view, maintaining its historic buildings of a city could outweigh being substituted them for modern buildings in term of keeping its distinguishing features.

It is easy to duplicate the appearances of other cities; on the other hand, it is much less likely to keep the old buildings all the time to remind people of the history of a city. A unique city should have its own historic spots; otherwise, the general appearance of a city could be monotonously uniform as those in other cities. Here is an example: As a student majoring in mass media, I have reported a issue of the regeneration of Jian-Chen Circle in Taipei City, which is a controversial debate between the citizens and the government. The reconstruction of the place cannot attract the residents and tourists anymore. What is wrong with links of process? The major problem is that the designers do not revival Jian-Chen Circle by using local characters but ruin the original social relationships and constitutions of Jian-Chen Circle. In addition, the planners transfer overcharged foreign buildings but neglect its local environment, and habit. As far as I am concerned, take this as an example, making changes in the old building destroys its own uniqueness and value.

Furthermore, the old historic buildings and structures could present the vitality and characteristic of a city. As a travel lover, I might look forward to visit the historic spots of cities. When staying in Shanghai, which is a famous city in China, I found that the city has a rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles, including the areas of the former foreign architecture in early 20th century. During decades, Shanghai ,where can be found for not only Western architecture but also traditional Chinese buildings, displays an even greater array of its particular type of architecture. It was the most commemorative part of the trip :when I strolled along the streets, it seemed to tell a story in the past. Consequently,I think that people should preserve the old buildings of a city in order to keep its cultural qualities.

To conclude, some cities might sustain the pressure of promoting competition after internationalizing, faces the depression of its local industry culture as well. However, if a city could not keep its representative old buildings, the architectural styles of the city would be assimilated into other cultures. For the above-mentioned reasons,my position on the issue is to preserve the historic constructions.