Writing Feedback / TOEFL: Films are so popular today mainly due to the benefits they bring to human beings [2]

Movies are popular all over the world. Explain why movies are so popular. Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

Is there any film that makes you to recall the sweetest childhood memories, feel yourself happy or, on the contrary, upset and empathetic? Surprisingly, movies have already been popular among various groups of society long before television was invented. This is, in part, due to continuous increase in quantity of cinemas. Nowadays movies still play an important role in the massive culture because of the following reasons.

First of all, movies have positive medical effect on the psychological condition of a human. According to majority of experts in the realm of psychology, watching films facilitates recovery of the so-called inner energy resources. In fact, this treatment effect of movies is similar to talking to psychologist, although in this case you even do not have to leave your favorite sofa. Once, when I was angry with my friends, watching the well-known action movie has helped me to release my negative emotions and restore inner balance.

Moreover, films are popular because of important social function that they carry out - making and maintaining connections between people. Watching a movie, whether it is comedy, western or drama, in a warm family circle or side by side with your devoted friends is always associated with joy and pleasure. Therefore, I try to organize such meetings as frequent as it is possible in the modern busy world. Undoubtedly, sharing the same emotions of grief because of poor fate of the main character is what makes me and my family and friends closer and helps us understand each other significantly better.

In a nutshell, films are so popular today mainly due to the benefits they bring to human beings. In most cases, we are deprived of opportunity to visit a doctor or expensive entertainment centres in order to release stress, relax, and keep warm relations with our friends. In such cases a movie is what comes to our rescue.

Mariana Semehen ©

Thank you all:)

Writing Feedback / TOEFL: Should land be developed or left in natural condition? [3]

In your country, is there more need for land to be left in its natural condition or is there more need for land to be developed for housing and industry? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer

land development - the ukrainian example

Development of civilization leads to diversification of purposes for which ground can be exploited. Nowadays, land is not only seen as part of natural ecosystem, but also as a territory for industrial and dwelling buildings. Doubtless, intensive use of land for building purposes forces us to raise issues of balance of human interests and other living forms' needs. In my country there is a prevailing need in use of land as natural resource, rather than territory for housing and industrial activity. I will endeavor to explain the stance of my country in detail further.

First of all, historical factor is one of the reasons that explain why my country prefers disposal of soil as natural resource. The cult of land has always been a part of national culture in my country. It has always been treated as the treasure that we inherited from our ancestors. Therefore, my country's legislation imposes strict restrictions on use of land for purposes not linked with preservation of nature. For instance, size of land that can be granted by the local government for a private person for housing is considerably less that one that is given for agriculture.

In addition to that, high fertility of the Ukrainian soil is another important argument for preserving it in natural condition. The unique mineral composition makes possible efficient plants growing even without application of techniques or harmful chemical substances that usually aimed at increasing land fertility. As an illustration I would like to admit that my country is one of the largest world producers of organic food exporting more than a million tons of agricultural products per year.

To sum up, choice of any modern state concerning land use depends on a range of factors including, but not restricted to, historical traditions and quality of soil. Taking these indicators into account, my country's government has decided to facilitate preserving land in its natural state primarily through the relevant legal restrictions.

Mariana Semehen ©

P.S. Dear friends, I will be grateful for your comments)

Writing Feedback / TOEFL: Making relationship with pet means readiness to bear huge responsibility [3]

Many people have a close relationship with their pets. These people treat their birds, cats, or other animals as members of their family. In your opinion, is such relationship good? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Being a pet owner is not mere a tribute to family traditions or satisfaction of children's whims. Making relationship with pet means readiness to bear huge responsibility for its health, entertainment, as well as happiness. Therefore, such a responsibility differs little from a mother's care for a child. However, owning a pet eventually leads to lots of personal benefits. As far as I am concerned, attachment to any domestic animal is good due to a number of reasons.

First of all, owning a pet is beneficial for one's health. Indisputably, a domestic animal needs to be walked outdoors every day. Therefore, following your pet's habit on regular bases definitely keeps you in good shape and actually promotes good health. In addition, experts point out that maintaining close relationship with a pet lowers bloody pressure and lessens anxiety. In order to prove whether or not this statement is true, my grandmother has been taken care for the abandoned cat. Now she forgot about heavy vascular sickness from which she has suffered for many years.

Furthermore, people who have close relation with their domestic animals, are less likely to loss their property because of various reasons. Needless to say, dogs always alert when a thief sneaks into the owner's house. Moreover, researchers suggest that pets are able to anticipate natural disasters or fire. It is the easiest to illustrate this point with the real life example. Once, my dog's barking prevented destruction of my neighbor's house by fire.

In a nutshell, close relations with domestic animals provide one with a lot of benefits, including but not limited to better health and protection of personal property. Consequently, I believe that close relationship with pets, or treating them as family members is definitely useful.

Thank you all in advance!

Writing Feedback / Opportunities to learn more about various aspects of life encourage people to watch movies [3]

Films can tell us a lot about the country where they were made. What have you learned about a country from watching its movies? Use specific examples and details to support your response.

Nowadays we are able to get information about a country we have never been in from a lot of various sources. One must admit that the most popular source of this kind of information is a movie. Unlike books, films allow us to get visual and, therefore, more realistic picture of a non-native country. Here are few issues you can get to know about by merely watching films created by another country.

First of all, some aspects of national legal system is although unusual but still area you may get to know better about from movies. Doubtless, legal issues are not covered in details in any movie. Nevertheless watching a film is additional to study opportunity to gain some practical legal experience that one lacks even after graduating from law school. For instance, movie "Erin Brocovich", a story based on real facts, discloses some particularities of searching for evidence within US legal system. This knowledge would be helpful predominantly for those who intend to work as a lawyer in the United States of America.

Another good thing about watching movies is opportunity to find out some national traditions through a plot of a film. Once, in childhood, I learned a lot about celebrating of Thanksgiving Day in USA. That knowledge came into my rescue when I had to prepare the presentation about national holidays in the USA for my English lesson. Moreover, as pictures are easier to memorize than textual materials, it was not a complicated task to recollect and present relevant information.

Therefore, I have avoided long and boring searches in the school library.
In a nutshell, opportunities to learn more about various aspects of life in other countries, from legal system to national holidays, encourage people to watch movies. Thus, a film is not only entertainment but also an important source of self-education.

Writing Feedback / TOEFL: Type of temper and advantages of individual work as best arguments in favor of studying alone [5]

Some students prefer to study alone. Others prefer to study with a group of students. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Study achievements depend on a range of various factors, one of which is pattern of work you tend to choose while studying. In particular, we may prefer to work either within a team of other students or alone. As for me, I favor the latter because of the following reasons.

To begin with, type of temper is one of the reasons that make me to choose individual work instead of team one. Being by nature introvert, I have to spend much time and efforts on adjusting to surroundings and especially new people. Once, when I was working on presentation with strangers, I sat aside and so prepared more than half of work myself instead of making attempts to get acquainted with unknown people. Therefore, my productivity boosts when style of work is appropriate with my type of temper.

Furthermore/moreover, working alone allows me to avoid spending time and efforts on many things that are an integral part of teamwork. In other words, I must not divide tasks and duties between team members, share responsibility and benefits, and spend time on teambuilding. These advantages are especially important in situations of shortage of time. About a year ago I was lucky to become a participant of student brainstorming game. To my rivals' surprise, being the only member of my own "team" I gained a victory.

In conclusion, from my point of view, type of temper and advantages of individual work are the most persuasive arguments in favor of studying alone.

P.S. Thank you all in advance :)

Respectfully,

Mariana