作者：北美考试教学中心口语组 刘思元

2021年12月一共有6场托福线下考试，其中12月11日上下午各一场，整体难度中等偏上。12月第 一场考试为政府决策类话题，属于托福口语历年真题中的超低频话题，如果之前没有准备过，可能不好进行细节上的论证和展开。12月11日两道是生活方式相关的话题，一个问健身习惯，一个问穿衣打扮，重复都是16年的题目，早在今天下半年开始就出现了15-16年的旧题新用的情况。另外，近两个月独立写作和独立口语的考题频频交替出现，偶尔独立写作出现独立口语的真题，独立口语出现独立写作的影子。所以同学们在复习这两个科目的过程中要学会做技能和方法上的学习迁移，讲托福各科进行融会贯通，争取实现事半功倍的效果。

2021年12月04日

Some people think that the government should take responsibility and invest on projects to protect endangered species of animals, while other people believe that the money should come from private sources. Which do you agree and why?

2014.11.09旧题复用：

题目解析：保护濒危物种是应该有政府承担责任和投资，还是应该有私人企业或个人来负责？这个题目有两个解入手点。第 一个解法是八原题中的“responsibility and investment”分成两个点具体解释，第 一个论点是政府背负的责任更大，可以通过立法等手段达到更好的效果；第二个论点是相较于个人，政府有更大的财力。

第二个入手点是从分析public sector v.s. private sector的区别出发，政府是代表人民的（represent people, for public interest）,但是企业更多的是为了获得利益回报（for profit），从这个目的出发分析保护濒危动物应该是属于公共事业还是其他。

范文:

I believe the government is the best equipped to give this support.

The reason I feel that way is first, private sectors are usually very profit focused right? they always want to make money from whatever it is they're doing, I don't think that is a good motivation to protect endangered animals. Government, on the other hand, should represent people, and look after its own nature. What’s more, when it becomes private, you can't oversee it, you can’t make sure they're actually doing the job they say they are, even if they do have good intentions, they might lack the funding and technology to ensure a smooth operation, only the government owns the resources and money, and can bring together scientist, people on the ground, and people who know better how to protect the environment. 

2021年12月11日上午场

2013.2.16/2016.9.24旧题复用：

Which do you prefer: go to the gym everyday or only when you are free?

题目解析：你喜欢每天去健身房，还是有空才去？这个选择取决于大家去健身房的目的，是为了健康（fitness），减肥（lose weight），塑形（get in shape or build muscles），还是只是为了消遣（pastime）。如果是为了减肥等强目的，每天去健身房是一种很理想的状态，否则我们可能会很容易放弃，因为三天打鱼两天晒网不会带来身体上很明显的改变；当然如果选择有空才去，则更加符合更多人真实的现状，因为我们学习、工作很忙，实在没法挤出时间天天去。

范文A:

Well, I prefer to work out at the gym every day. Because if I don’t stick to a regular habit, I will easily give up halfway. On the contrary, only when I go to gyms on a regular basis and make part of my daily routine, it not only keeps me motivated but also makes me feel more energized. And when I get back to my work or study, I will become more productive. Over time, exercising becomes a habit instead of a burden. Second reason is about the money. I know lots of people buy a gym membership but only go once in a while, it is such a waste of money and time. 

范文B:

To me personally, I prefer to go to gym when I’m free. Well there's no need to have a fixed schedule and be too hard on yourself. To begin with, working out every other day build muscles more efficiently than taxing your body on a daily basis. If you choose to exercise only on the weekends you have rest days between workouts, so you don’t burn out. And it allows time for your body to recover. By the way, I’ve been working out a lot, and it really wore me out. On top of that, I am too busy, juggling my work, study and family stuff. It’s really hard to carve out time for exercise each day of the week.

2021年12月11日下午场

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The way people dress tells about their personality.

题目解析：一个人的穿着是否能够反映他的性格？这道题如果同意的话，我们需要引用一些具体的例子来进行佐证，比如穿的非常艳丽高调的、色彩丰富夸张的，可能性格上比较外向，擅长交际，但是内向的人可能倾向于穿的更低调朴素，因为他们不想引起过多的关注。如果不同意的话，我们可以说穿衣风格是由多种因素决定的，比如场合，心情，职业等，并不和人本身的性格特点直接相关。

范文A:

Personally, I agree with it. The way people dress speaks volumes of their characters and personalities. In the first place, people wearing some eye-catching clothes with a lot different color and loud make up are generally extroverts and maybe party animals, basically introverts dress low-key to avoid special attention. A friend of mine, who is pretty agreeable and easy to get along with, always dress in a simple shirt, sports jacket, slacks on a daily basis. Besides, color also delivers important message and communicate information about a person. bright colors reflect your happy state of mind whereas dull color indicates that he is sad or upset.

范文B:

Personally, I disagree with it. I mean how much value do people put into how they dress? I have a bunch of athletic clothes that I do wear, but only because it's comfortable, and not because I'm sporty, or athletic. Instead, people dress accordingly. When they have important things to do at work days, like important meetings, they put on a proper suit, kind of a “suit of armor”, where as in casual settings, say a romantic dating, they need to dress up in an attractive way, which they normally would not. As a result, I think the way people dress depends on many factors, things that are happening around them, the occasions where they’re at, people they’re about to meet, and even mood they’re in, so it’s not necessarily closely related to what types of person they are. 

2021年12月18日

2013.10.25/2015.11.21旧题复用：

Do you think it is acceptable for students to disagree with their instructors?

题目解析：学生能不能和自己的老师提出不同的观点？这种题型经常考到，涉及的人物有朋友、家人、老师、室友等。在老师的这个人物设定下，我们可以出发的点就包括学生和老师两个对象，或者学生的学习和师生关系两个角度。

范文A:

Of course, it is acceptable for students to disagree with their instructors. I feel this way for two reasons. Firstly, being a student is about developing an independent mind. If they find something they learnt from teachers proved to be indefensible, then they can and should be encouraged to challenge their instructors’ ideas. Critical thinking can be cultivated when they are trying to collect information and evidence in order to support and defend their argument. After doing this, they will also be willing to express their own ideas when they get into workforce or other life stage. Second, when it comes to teacher’s side, there are people good at their profession and not so good. I believe top instructors should facilitate this sort of debate and independent thinking among their students.

范文B:

Honestly, I think it’s better for students to keep their disagreement and not state them out. I feel this way for two reasons. Firstly, it can cause your professors to be unhappy and sometimes it’s meaningless. Let’s say that your professor is discussing whether or not Pluto should be considered a planet. Your professor states that though it is small, Pluto should be considered a planet. You respond that only an idiot would consider Pluto anything more than a dwarf planet. That is rude! Especially if you do it in person and in front of the whole class. What’s more, it can disrupt the class order and slow things down. I mean, if you have doubts about the instructors’ talking, you can just do some research yourself, and resort to others for help to figure it out.

2021年12月19日

2018.12.08旧题复用：

When visiting a museum that allows photography, some people like to take photographs of the exhibits they see. Others prefer to simply look at the exhibits and do not take photographs. Which do you prefer? Use details and examples to explain your opinion.

题目解析：逛博物馆时是否要拍照？如果同意的话可以说留个纪念，分享给家人和朋友，这里可以举个例子，比如将来留学生活中我们可以把我们城市的一些文物照片分享给国外的室友或同学，并给他们介绍其中的历史故事，这也是一个不错的话题；不同意的理由也有几点，其中包括：1. 闪光灯对画作的不良影响；2. “咔嚓咔嚓”的快门声可能会干扰到其他游客；3. 其实也没有必要，因为欣赏艺术作品只有肉眼和全方位多角度才可欣赏的全面直观。

范文A:

Me personally, if I can take some photos as a memory to take home with me, I’ll do it. That way I can keep track of something long after the occasion where I have been there to see something in person, to preserve the moment to reflect on later, it's something that reminds me of the experience of visiting not only those exhibits but also that place, sometimes my memory are not what it used to be as I’m getting old. 

Also, I can share it with my family and friends, and talk about it later on. I’ve heard about the flash photography’s bad influence, but regular photography without a flash doesn’t damage the artworks. So it’s acceptable to snap a picture without a flash I guess.

范文B:

To me, I prefer not take photos. Firstly, taking photos distract others in the gallery. the clicking noise and bright flashes in a low-lit room is pretty annoying I guess. Moreover, whenever you look at a piece of art in the gallery, that's sort of the perfect way to see it, it's supposed to be physically experienced, like a sculpture, you can walk around to see it in every angle, camera or photos might represent the color appropriately, but can not depict the side the same way. So take a photo of art is near meaningless, anyone who want to have a memory of it, you can take a note of it, or keep your pamphlet from the museum right?

2021年12月22日

Some students like to review their notes regularly on a daily basis, while others like to review their notes just before the test. Which do you prefer?

题目解析：有些人喜欢每天抽时间看笔记复习，有些人喜欢临考前再复习，你喜欢哪一个？每天抽时间复习，如果临时抱佛脚，复习的时间是很有限的，只能靠段时间内的机械性记忆。但死记硬背是没办法真正理解知识的，而且在考完之后很快就忘了学的东西。每天规律地去复习，我的压力会比较小。期末会有很多考试，短时间复习很多内容会让我感觉压力很大，很焦虑。

范文:

I prefer to spend some time on reviewing course materials every day. Firstly, by spreading study times out, I can study for different subjects on different days, instead of trying to divide one long period between several classes and assignments, whereas cramming for a test means I have to memorize a lot of things mechanically in a short period of time and that can cost me a lot of stress and probably a lack of sleep and this will affect my ability to concentrate, which makes the preparation even more difficult.  Also, if I just learn things until the last possible day, I’ll never really understand them besides I’ll probably just forget the things I’ve memorized the minute the test is over. So it’s better to review notes on a daily basis.