The Writing section measures your ability to use writing to communicate in an academic environment. There are two writing questions.
Question 1 is a writing task based on reading and listening. You will read a passage, listen to a lecture, and then write a response to a question about the relationship between the lecture and the reading. You have 20 minutes to plan and write your response.
Question 2 is writing based on knowledge and experience. You will write an essay in response to a question that asks you to state, explain, and support an opinion on an issue. You have 30 minutes to plan and write your essay.
1. For this task, you will write a response to a question about a reading passage and a lecture. You may take notes, and you may use your notes to help you write your response. Your response will be scored on the quality of your writing and on how well you connect the points in the lecture with points in the reading. Typically, an effective response will have 150 to 225 words.
A hydropower facility consists of a plant for electricity production and a water reservoir formed by a dam in a river. The dam has gates that can open or close depending on how much water is needed to produce a certain amount of electricity. The electricity is transported through transmission lines to an electric utility company.
Hydropower is very convenient because it can respond quickly to fluctuations in demand. The production of hydroelectricity is increased on hot summer afternoons when power is needed for air conditioners and decreased at night when people use less energy. The reservoir of water behind the dam is stored energy that can support fisheries and provide various forms of water-based recreation for local residents and tourists. Thus, hydropower reservoirs contribute to the local economy and quality of life.
Hydroelectricity is "clean and green." Once the system has been installed, the burning of fossil fuels is not required to produce the electricity. Hydropower is good for the environment because it does not release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere nor produce waste that requires special containment, as do other forms of energy production. After the water powers the turbines, it simply returns unchanged to the water cycle.
Hydroelectric power is also very efficient and relatively inexpensive. Water is a renewable resource. The earth's water cycle naturally replenishes the supply of "fuel" water. Wherever enough rain falls, there will be rivers to supply energy. Modern hydroelectric turbines can convert as much as 90 percent of the available energy into electricity. In contrast, the best fossil-fuel plants are only about 50 percent efficient.
Now listen to the recording. When you hear the question, begin your response. You may look at the reading passage during the writing time.
Summarize the points madein the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage.
QUESTION 2 For this task, you will write an essay in response to a question that asks you to state and support your opinion on a topic. Your essay will be scored on the quality of your writing, including how well you organize and develop your ideas and how well you use language to express your ideas. Typically, an effective essay will have a minimum of 300 words.
Read the question below and make any notes that will help you plan your response. Then begin typing your essay.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
It is better to have one or two close friends than to have a large number of casual acquaintances. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Key points:
● The lecture states that hydropower facilities are not always convenient for everyone involved; some people may have to move and their quality of life may suffer. This opposes the point in the reading that hydropower is convenient and contributes to the local economy and quality of life.
● The lecture states that hydropower dams cause long-term environmental hazards and toxic waste, which will eventually be expensive to clean up. This opposes the point in the reading that hydroelectricity is "clean and green" (good for the environment).
● The lecture states that hydropower carries hidden costs: it removes water that is needed for healthy river ecosystems; it harms bird and fish populations; the water supply is subject to natural conditions. This opposes the point in the reading that hydropower is efficient and inexpensive because water is a renewable resource. (4.1-4.5)
Responses will vary. (4.6-4.10)
[听力原文]
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
The disadvantages of hydroelectricity are not always obvious. For one thing, hydropower facilities are not always convenient for everyone involved. When a dam is built on a river, water floods the land behind the dam. This forces the people who live in the flooded area to relocate. Forcing people to move is often bitter and controversial, especially if a community has maintained a particular way of life on the same land for several generations. Their quality of life may suffer as a result.
Second, utility companies often fail to mention the long-term environmental hazards of hydropower dams. Dams hold back silt and other debris, which collect behind the dam on the river bottom. This causes an accumulation of toxic heavy metals and other polluting substances, showing that hydropower does indeed produce toxic waste. The buildup of silt means that future generations will have an expensive and dangerous mess to clean up.
Third, hydropower carries hidden costs. By diverting water for power, dams remove water needed for healthy river ecosystems. The section of river below a dam often dries up, and migrating birds no longer have enough insects to feed on when the water level drops. Also, fish such as salmon depend on a steady flow of cool, fresh water. Fish populations may decrease or disappear because of the warmer and slower-moving water caused by the dams. Furthermore, even though water is a renewable resource, the water supply is subject to natural conditions, such as changing weather patterns and regional drought, so water as a source of energy may not be reliable in the long run.
Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage.