2016年5月7日
2016年5月7日
Sample answer:
Both the reading and listening are discussing that there are 3 reasons revealing that Portuguese sailors had been to Australia before 1606. While the passage believes so, the lecturer casts doubt on the writer’s view from the 3 aspects below.
Firstly, in the reading passage, a map of 1550 in Europe had shown a location that is quite similar to today’s Australia. On the contrary, the professor says that the map might be made by the second-hand story told by ancient Asian sailors, who had been to Australia earlier time, so Portuguese sailors had not been to Australia.
Secondly, the professor opposes reading’s idea that in 1593, there was a book in Europe referred to the kangaroo, which is typical in Australia. He states that the kangaroo do not exist in Australia only, and there are kangaroo in America as well. European sailors had explored America before.
Finally, the professor disapproves the reading’s idea that researchers had found iron keys which were made in Europe in the Australia soil. Analysis of the soil shows that the date can be back to 1500s. However, later researches conducted by a new and improved analysis method suggest that the date of soil cannot determine the date of the keys.
2016年5月22日托福独立写作真题回忆：
作文题目：
Which is the most important thing for a country leader to assure the prosperity of country:
Create more jobs for unemployed worker;
Improve the agriculture to ensure the low price of food;
Increase access to affordable house.
题型类别: 三选一类
题材类别： 政府类
相关旧题：无
写作思路：
很多同学会比较害怕三选一的题目，不知道文章结构该如何设置。其实三选一的话题不算难写，可以写成一边倒，列举你所支持的观点的三个好处即可。若想不出三点好处，大家只要选定好自己的立场，再论证其他两个选择的弱点就可以了。此题政府类话题虽说比较新，但是有比较多的相似旧话题，可以借鉴思路。同学们掌握好不同话题的解题方法，还是不难写的。
写作指导：
Create more jobs for unemployed workers：
首先，创造更多就业机会有助于维持国家稳定。工作是稳定收入的保证(stable material guarantee)，在一个国家发展的过程中，如果失业率太高，人们尤其是毕业生找不到工作来温饱(content one’s stomach)、养家，一方面是对人才的浪费，另一方面长此以往，民众不能保证基本的生存问题(subsistence problem)，就会失去对政府及领导人的信任，可能会有游行(parade/demonstration)、，扰乱社会安定(cause social affray)，不利于国家社会的繁荣发展。
其次，提高就业率可以促进产业税收，拉动内需(expand domestic demand)，促进社会经济发展。国家和政府在促进就业的过程中，会扶持一些朝阳产业(sunrise industry)例如互联网，或支持有想法的大学毕业生自主创业(start one’s enterprise)。尽管前期需要投入一些资金，但后续的行业发展能够给政府带来丰厚的税收回馈(considerable taxation repayment)。另一方面，行业稳定发展，人们工作收入稳定富足，能够拉动社会内需，促进经济发展。否则，更多人失业，社会会进入一个恶性循环(vicious circle)。
相较于创造就业机会，提高农业和提供住房尽管也是合适的做法，但好处相形见绌(pale by comparison)。一方面，提高农业，确保粮食低价确实能够带给人们较低的生活成本，但是同时也意味着不能很好地保障农民的收入。而且提高农业产量需要科研的投入(investment of scientific research)，时间成本和设备人力成本都较高。另一方面，相比创造就业机会，提供住房在保障人们的基本居住需求之外，并不能带来收入机会，从而保证生活质量和确保社会繁荣。