作者：北美考试院 托福写作组 肖曼

这是一道较为常规的综合写作，生态类作为综合写作常规话题，占比达到60%，学生们在练习时要注意有意识进行练习，注意对相关表达和背景知识的积累。

不同与以往考察某种植物或者动物数量减少的原因或解决办法，本篇文章涉及到植物的好处坏处，频率相对少一些。不过，在TPO中也存在类似篇章，TPO21描述种植genetically modified trees的好处和问题，可以参考。

若考虑文中提到的自然野火产生的影响，同学们可以参考TPO20，Yellowstone Park 所发生的大火产生的影响和好处。 

题目解析：

这是一道常规的三选一，在托福独立写作所有题型之中，三选一应该是最理想的题型，因为不容易跑题也相对很好想观点。不过，要想得到高分，论述的逻辑性，语言的准确和多样性也还是需要注意。

三选一文章通常有两种写作结构，一是针对自己所选的选项写两个文段解释原因，再写一段让步对另外两个选项进行讨论；二是写一段解释选择某个选项的原因，另外再写两个文段分别针对另外两个选项进行描述，解释不选择这两个选项的原因。

本文采用的是第二种写法，并且为了体现critical thinking ability, 在描述不选择另外两个选项的原因之前，先对其合理性进行了讨论，因为三选一选项的特点在于其实粗看都有一定的道理，这样写可以减轻对不选择的选项进行否定的压力。

请参考如下范文：

When choosing where to live, people would take a list of things into consideration. However, as cautious as they may be, it is still impractical to find a place satisfying all of their needs, so sometimes they have to weigh up the pros and cons and choose the one which can meet the most urgent needs. Some people prefer to live in an area that is not expensive, others think living close to relatives would be much better. However, from my perspective, I am totally convinced that living in an area with many shops and restaurants would bring more convenience and fun.

Living in an area with many shops and restaurants would bring us a lot of convenience and happiness. To begin with, for those who have a hectic schedule and are unable to cook the food themselves, they have no need to worry because there are a range of restaurants for them. When they’re lacking supplies, they can go to malls and commercial establishment easily within several minutes’ walk. Besides, such areas are generally packed with green space, music venues, museums, theater, cultural attractions, and other forms of entertainment, which would provide residents with a variety of options for getting the most out of their free time. It is also much simpler to enjoy nights out without stressing themselves about missing the last bus.

Admittedly, living close to some relatives can bring some benefits since it can provide better peace of mind and a sense of security. If there is an emergency, we will have someone we can call who is nearby. It’s also easier to go away on vacation, as we can have someone to count on to take care of basic responsibilities at home like feeding the fish, picking up the mail or taking out the garbage. However, if we see things from different perspectives, we can find that the problems far outweigh the advantages. Living near family, we would find it quite difficult and embarrassing to refuse a relative’s request for help, even if we’re convinced our relatives need to take responsibility for themselves and even if we are utterly physically and mentally exhausted.

Besides, I have to admit that living in an area that is not expensive would be quite cost-saving, especially to those who find it difficult to afford the high rent of living in the city center. We can use the money saved to do many other things, like having a trip, or attending some courses to improve ourselves. However, we should not ignore the fact that such places are always located in surburbs or even rural areas with inconvenient transportation system and other infrastructures. There is high chance that we have to spend more on getting to work or go to city center for shopping. Besides, it may be unsafe to live in a cheap block since, in most cases, there would be more people who are jobless with an aggressive tendency, leading to more drug abuse, violence and kidnap.

In conclusion, living city center with many shops and restaurants would be the most suitable choice considering its convenience and the entertainment it can bring, compared with living near relatives or in a cheap block.