Sculpture Courses to be Discontinued
University administrators announced yesterday that the sculpture program, a division of the art department, will be eliminated. “The main reason is a lack of student interest,” reported one administrator. “Although the number of art students has increased, fewer and fewer art majors are taking sculpture classes.”Furthermore, the department’s only sculpture professor is retiring this year.“Given the art department’s limited budget, the administrator explained, “it just doesn't make sense to hire a new full-time professor to teacher sculpture for only a handful of students.”
托福TPO7口语task3题目 Listening Part:
Now listen to two students discussing the article.
(man) Everything all right?
(woman) Yeah, I’m just upset about that article I showed you this morning.
(man) Why? What’s the big deal?
(woman) Well, as an art major, I think it’s a big loss for the department. The university’s got it all wrong.
(man) What do you mean?
(woman) Well, the low enrollment isn’t because art majors don’t want to take these classes, problem is who has time to take them when there are so many other requirements?
(man) I don’t understand.
(woman) See, the classes they’re eliminating are all optional. The required courses are mostly painting and drawing, and they take up all our time. What we really need are different requirements. Then art majors could take a better variety of classes, all the things we’re interested in.
(man) That makes sense. But the thing about the professor …
(woman) Well, that’s true. But still, they’re being drastic. If money is the problem, they could hire a part-time professor. Or most of the professors in the department have secondary fields.
(man) Really?
(woman) Yeah! At least a few painting teachers are also great sculptors. I’m sure one of them could teach the class.
托福TPO7口语task3题目 Question:
The woman expresses her opinion of the university’s plan. State her opinion and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.
托福TPO7口语task3答案解析：
1. Reading key
(1.1) Announcement: cancelation of the sculpture class
(1.2) Reason 1: lack of student interests
(1.3) Reason 2: doesn’t make sense to hire a new prof for a few students
2. Listening key
(2.1) Woman disagrees with it
(2.2) Reason 1: students are too busy to take the sculpture class
(2.2.1) Details: students are all busy taking required classes, which are limited to drawing or painting; school should offer more required classes
(2.3) Reason 2: no need to hire a full time professor
(2.3.1) Details: part time professors are inexpensive; existing professors can teach sculpture class; they have secondary fields
托福TPO7口语task3范文：
The university plans to cancel the sculpture class, because not many students take it and the school can’t afford a full time professor. In the conversation, the woman disagrees with the school's decision. First of all, students are all busy taking required classes such as drawing and painting, she thinks the school should make the required courses less limited by offering more of them. And second, she thinks saving money is not an excuse. Many teachers in the department have secondary fields, she believes the school can easily find someone in the department who’s both capable and willing to teach the sculpture class. Not to mention the option of hiring part- time teachers which is inexpensive.