北美教学中心 托福口语组 张曦智

2021年6月一共有5场托福考试，5到独立题的难度相对平稳。题材还是以教育、日常学习、工作等话题为主，旨在考查学生对合适理由的思路展开过程当中，是否能够做到英文的有效表达。可以看到，托福口语的考试重心仍在表达本身，而不是对理由思考以及内容深度上的要求。

诸多旧题的小范围改动给学生备考减轻了负担，但也同时要求学生需要能够有举一反三的能力。在例题和真题的学习当中，同学们需要把握的是，自己是否形成了相对合理有效的思维习惯，是否在一定思路的牵引下，可以运用正确地道的语言进行表达。较为死板的记忆惯用理由，或者在有思路的情况下，因为没有注重对常用表达的掌握则生硬地用词汇填充，都很难有好的学习效果。

面对趋势平稳的口语真题，同学们要做到平时学习中的思考和归纳，做到融会贯通。同时不放松对练习效果的要求，只有真的感觉到表达脱口而出，才是口语能力形成的开始。

2021年6月26日

2014.6.21旧题复用

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: children should help with housework as soon as they are old enough to do so. 

题目解析：

本题较为常规，孩子的教育问题与生活技能的联系曾不止一次出现在考题当中。与儿童相关的话题通常可以联系家庭以及学校两个场景，并讨论家长和老师对孩子的教育和培养方式。做家务是基础且琐碎的日常行为，而通过做家务养成的优良品质及生活习惯则是更高阶的教育目的，根据选择确定合适论点即可。

范文A:

Assigning everyday chores to children can benefit them in many aspects. For one thing, doing housework can teach them life skills, which is an important lesson as they grow up. Parents should let go of their hands and stop being too protective. As things like doing laundry, washing dishes, budgeting are tasks children will need to deal with once they move out. And not all schools provide lessons focusing mainly on these practices. Children taking their own responsibility can also help the family bond together. When children are tasked to clean up messes they create, they can feel these things are not as easy as they seem to be and therefore respect parents’ work and care.

范文B:

I don’t believe this is necessary. Childhood is precious and parents should cherish and preserve it as long as possible. Children’s main “job” is to play, and there are wonders outside waiting for them to discover. Their endless imagination and creativeness are not destined to be tied with boring and repetitive work. After finishing school assignments, children should go to socialize with friends,  read a good book, appreciate art, and explore interests. Who would have had a dream to be a dish washer when they are kids? Even as adults, few of us can enjoy dealing with tedious work like mopping and vacuuming the floor, why forcing our children to complete these tasks when they are still young.

2021年6月20日

To complete your course requirements, you must register for a science course next semester. Two courses that have different requirements fit into your schedule. In the first course, students are graded on their performance on a few exams given during the semester. In the second course, students are graded entirely on the quality of monthly projects. Would you choose to take the first science course or the second science course？ Explain why.

题目解析：

本题题干较长，但是考查要点还是较为常规，难度正常。题目关系到学习话题，本质还是书本理论和实际操作的优缺点对比，常用理由当中的时间、效率、动手能力等等都可作为解题理由。同时题干较长的题目可以给学生带来更多思维上的落脚点，如fit into schedule可想到projects占时较多，entirely的表达可用来论证整门课程只有一两个方面的技能考查还不够，science学科的特点也可联想到严谨理性以及理论结合实际等展开方向。建议结合TPO41 TASK3进行学习和作答。

范文A:

I would rather take the first course because I regard these exams as an effective way to check up on my performance and comprehension. Exams are designed to test your knowledge cumulatively instead of skills in only a number of aspects. So students in order to get satisfying results have to sort out a semester’s worth of material and try to build a systematic structure. Exams simply can have wider coverage. And in science courses, details like experiment procedures should be noticed meticulously and conclusion should be objective and rational. Taking exams requires students to calm down and be patient enough as even the tiniest error can lead to huge mistake or even fail.  

范文B:

The second one sounds better. For me, taking tests is far more stressful. You need to sit still and stay silent, being watched by supervisor and surveillance camera. The competitive atmosphere can be so suffocating. I feel more relaxed and confident demonstrating knowledge and proving my understanding methodically in several projects which stretches several months. Furthermore, I believe science is more about practice and application. The combination between theories and hand-on experience is more exciting and hence attracts me more. You get to work with other talented students in the class and feel more involved in a team.

2021年6月19日

2009.5.15/2010.7.10 旧题复用：

Some people prefer to work on several tasks or projects together at a time. Others prefer to work on only one task or project at a time. Which way of working do you prefer and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your response.

题目解析：

本题属于常规学习工作类话题，属于需要考前重点掌握的范畴。题目要求论述对多任务同时完成以及单任务依次完成这两种工作方式。话题稍显抽象，容易在答题时找到理由，但是展开也经常很有限。此类题目建议在内容层次上进行展开，类似道理在不同层面上分别解释，用不同的表达形成内容。或结合个人经历举例展开，或结合思考总结大环境。

范文A:

Dealing with several tasks together at a time works fine for me. I am used to handle the pressure when different tasks are assigned to me and I think this is a critical ability in the modern society. In a large organization, we have cooperation between more than just two departments; our cellphones are getting smarter and optimized to hold programs in the background. Why shouldn’t our powerful brains be more than capable to do the same? As long as you are very clear about your job and can plan everything in a your schedule, you can be more efficient and get to gradually understand the correlation between different tasks.

范文B:

I believe focusing on just one task at a time suits me better. If I can block out any distractions and dedicate all my energy to the project I am working on, I tend to be able to think deep and comprehensively. We live in a multitasking world in which everything seems designed to be handled in a system instantaneously. Efficiency is very important but in most times it is not the priority. When you can concentrate, you start to notice those details you may otherwise neglect. Trial after trial, you think up creative approaches to make your project even better, and this polished version can only be accomplished when you do not have too much to worry about at a time.

2021年6月9日

Do which do you prefer: a leader who makes quick decisions without consulting others or a leader who asks for the opinions of other group members before making a decision.

题目解析：

本题要求对团队合作当中不同类型的领 导者进行论述，可当做人物性格特点类考题，也可将其归类为工作学习话题中对团队合作的观点表达。如果有对领 导者应具备何种品质的话题有过思考，可直接进行理由陈述；如果对领 导者这一抽象概念没有太多想法，建议结合平时工作学习中小组讨论或者团队项目的经历进行答题。两种思路都建议讨论leader以及team members之间的各种互动关系，以及产生的主观体验。

范文A:

I think it is acceptable and sometimes even necessary for a leader to be assertive and confident. Various opinions can not always be helpful, as you need to consider too much before making a crucial decision. Members in a team all have different interests and they may try to cast influence on the final choice in favor of themselves in a way. It is the leader’s responsibility to think in a bigger picture and forecast the possible consequences, and he or she can never be irresolute or juggling both. Being too emotional or caring about details may cost you a lot, finally you will even be considered as weak and lacking leadership.

范文B:

Being a patient listener is one of the excellent qualities a good leader should bear. To my understanding, leadership involves a lot of coordination, negotiation and people skills. If a leader only focuses on doing his or her own part and makes decision for everyone without taking in different ideas, that’s nothing more than a dictator. A leader should let other voices out and make sure they are heard. And being acceptant can really warm up the atmosphere in a team. Team members will feel they can also make a difference in regard of the final result and tend to be loyal and supportive if their appeals have been considered.

2021年6月5日

2014.6.28 旧题复用：

Some people prefer to take a vacation in cities, others prefer to spend their vacation in countryside. Which do you prefer? Explain why.

题目解析：

本题讨论旅游当中不同目的地的选择，城市和乡村的区别在类似的考题中也有考查。如Do you prefer to live in big cities or countryside. 在思考时可以先考虑在旅游的过程当中想要获得或者说被满足的需求是什么。旅游的目的是纯粹放松，是广交好友，还是拓宽认知。思考甚至可以更进一步，如拓宽眼界或者想要了解的是哪些内容，是淳朴的风土人情还是历史遗迹，是文化交融还是名胜景观，然后再和城市乡村分别的特点进行对应。

范文A:

I think when taking a vacation, cities are better destinations. It simply offers more possibilities in many aspects. Especially when you have limited time and a tight schedule, big cities can provide a little bit of everything. It is just like a magnifying glass, the local culture, living style and history are all condensed, waiting for your observation and excitement. Cities may not be able to give you 100% essence of the core value you want to experience, still it is intriguing to see every part of the world blending together in one spot, but with its own exclusive spice for you to taste. Advantages also include countless museums and shows, convenience in transportation. So I believe you should never miss major cities when traveling.

范文B:

I think countryside generally attracts me more. Cities have their own advantages but normally they are the most population condensed area, which means the noise and the air quality might not be that suitable for tourists who pursue relaxation during holidays. Before having a good taste of local culture, you may find yourself get caught in the crowd. The simple life and picturesque scenery other than the most famous tourists attractions can reveal the true identity of a country. In the contrast, cities are always a little bit alike, because of the international branding and the necessity of accepting differences.