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Hi everyone! I hope you're as excited as I am to learn about video podcasts on Spotify! I've made these 1-minute video transcriptions with Anchor by Spotify. I previously published them to my Instagram. And, now you can watch them on the Spotify App.

This video is my TOEFL Speaking Model Answer for the following Question 1:

Some think that the internet provides people with a lot of information, while others think access to information creates problems. Which view do you agree with?

Preparation time: 15 seconds

Speech time: 45 seconds

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do you agree or disagree that students learn better with the help of technology?
• My thanks and a suggestion

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do you prefer going to a live performance or watching it on TV?
• When going on a trip do you prefer to drive or take a train?

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do you agree or disagree that students should have a job while they are studying in school?
• Do you agree or disagree that businesses should hire employees for their entire life?

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Some people believe that attending class in university should be required, while others believe that it should be optional. Which point of view do you agree with?
• Do you prefer to learn on your own or learn with a teacher?

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do you prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants?
• Do you agree or disagree that luck has nothing to do with success?

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do you agree or disagree that television has destroyed communication among friends and family?
• Do you prefer to learn about the news in a newspaper or on television?

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Which of method of communication with friends and family do you think is the best: letters, emails, instant messages, texts, or calls?
• Do you agree or disagree that a higher education means a better career?

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do you agree or disagree that it is better to reward employees with gifts and job perks, such as gym memberships or English classes, than it is to simply pay more? Use details and examples to explain your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree that a celebrity should set a good example for young people? Use details and examples to explain your answer.

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do you agree or disagree that movies that are longer than three hours should be made shorter by removing less important scenes? Use details and examples to explain your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree that students should spend more time learning outside of classrooms than within classrooms? Use details and examples to explain your answer.

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do you agree or disagree that parents should buy for their children any books that the children choose to read? Use details and examples to explain your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree that parents who do not regularly exercise should start in order to be good role models for their children? Use details and examples to explain your answer.

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do You Agree Or Disagree That Life Is About Relaxing Instead Of Hurrying? Use Details And Examples To Support Your Explanation.
• If You Had A Small Amount Of Money, Would You Spend It Right Away Or Save It? Use Details And Examples To Support Your Explanation.

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Do You Agree Or Disagree That A Childhood Is The Best Time Of A Person’s Life? Use Details And Examples To Support Your Explanation.
• Do You Agree Or Disagree That People Should Always Tell The Truth? Use Details And Examples To Support Your Explanation.

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Key concept — Using idiomatic language does not mean using expressions like, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” You’ll almost never find a natural way to incorporate idioms like this in your responses. This example of figurative language is fun to learn, but it won’t help your score to study these expressions as a strategy. However, idiomatic language includes everyday collocations (word combinations), and thus using vocabulary, including low-frequency academic words, appropriately will raise your score.

Part 2:

Describe a television programme you watch.

Part 3:

To what extent are people influenced by the advertising that they see on television?

Should filmmakers be responsible for the impact of their films on people?

Should TV series be viewed episode by episode or in just a could or three sittings?

Should parents restrict the nature of programming or time spent that children watch TV?

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Key concept — Speaking topics can be recycled, although new topics are created regularly, as well. That said, Part 3 will feature limited, predictable question types: opinion questions, questions about society at large, and questions that ask you to compare the past and present, or advantages and disadvantages.

Part 2:

Describe an open-air market you have been to.

Part 3:

Do people in your country enjoy going to open-air markets that sell things like food, clothes, or old objects?

What do you think are the advantages of buying things from shops rather than markets?

Do yo think any changes in the way people live have affected shopping habits?

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TOEFL Speaking Test Question One

• Some people enjoy watching movies or television in their spare time. Others prefer reading books or magazines. State which you prefer and explain why.
• Some people prefer to respond to emails, phone calls, and other messages they receive immediately. Others take more time to respond. Which do you do, and why?

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TOEFL iBT Speaking Test Question ! Responses

• Some think the internet provides people with a lot of information, while others think access to so much information creates problems. Which view do you agree with?
• Would you prefer to take a part-time course or have a part-time job during your summer vacation?
• Would you prefer to have a higher-paying job with longer hours or a lower-paying job with shorter hours?

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Key concept — When asked for your opinion, use your experiences as examples in your reasoning since telling a story is a great way to demonstrate fluency!

Part 2:

Describe an interesting story you heard or read about in the news.

Part 3:

Is it beneficial for newspapers to go online?

Do you find social media provide information or entertainment?

Do you believe youth today have better or worse relations with their peers than 20 years ago?

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TOEFL iBT Question 1: In some areas, summer days are longer, so there is more daylight in the evening and early morning, but winter days are shorter. In other areas, summer and winter days are similar lengths throughout the year. Which do you prefer?

TOEFL iBT Question 1: Some people feel they perform better when they have to finish by a strict time. Others feel they do better work if they do not have time pressure. Which best describes you?

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Key concept — use modal verbs, like could, or other words, like perhaps, to hedge your answers, use caution or show uncertainty in responses.

Part 2:

Describe a teacher you know.

Part 3:

Do you think students today finish with a better education than they did in the past?

What important skills do students learn outside the classroom that students don’t learn in school?

How important do you think it is for individuals to carry on learning after they finish high school?

What advice would you give someone graduating from high school this year?

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Question 1: Some college students choose to take courses in a variety of subject areas in order to get a broad education. Others choose to focus on a single subject area in order to have a deeper understanding of that area. Which approach to course selection do you think is better for students and why?

Question 2: Some students prefer to work on class assignments by themselves. Others believe it is better to work in a group. Which do you prefer? Explain why.

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Key concept — For variety in practice, chose some topics that are simple and others that are more complex.

Part 2:

Describe a restaurant you went to recently.

Part 3:

How important do you think it is for families to eat meals together?

Do you think food prepared at home is always better than food prepared in restaurants?

Why do people go to restaurants when they want to celebrate important occasions?

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Question 1: When some people visit a city or country for the first time, they prefer to take an organized tour. Other people prefer to explore new places on their own. Which do you prefer and why?

Question 2: When looking for information for a research project, some students prefer to get their information mainly form the Internet. Others prefer to mainly use printed materials such as books and academic journals. Which do you prefer, and why?

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Part 2: Describe an interesting conversation you had with a stranger.

You should say:

• Who you talked to 
• When and where you had the conversation 
• What the conversation was about 
• And explain why it was an interesting conversation

Part 3

Speaking face-to-face

• What difference are there in topics men and women like to talk about?
• How does speaking with someone on the phone differ from speaking with someone face-to-face?
• Do you agree that it is polite to try to agree with other people's opinion?

Giving presentations for work or study

• Why are some people nervous about giving oral presentations?
• How important are visual aids, like pictures or diagrams, in an oral presentation?
• Do you agree that people should use humor when giving oral presentations?

Speaking to the wider public

• In which situations is public speaking important in modern society?
• What makes an effective public speaker?
• How does media influence public speaking today?

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Question 1: Some people believe it’s essential for a person’s education to learn to play a musical instrument. Others don’t believe music education is important. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.

Question 2: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All children should be required to learn a second language in school.

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Part 2: Describe a time when you celebrated a special achievement.

You should say:

What you were celebrating

Who you celebrated with

What you did to celebrate

And explain how you felt about the achievement you celebrated

Part 3:

Celebrating family events

-How do families in your country celebrate weddings?

-In what ways do families celebrate the birth of a baby?

-What are some differences between the ways younger and older people celebrate birthdays?

Celebrating success in sport

-Why do some people feel the success of their favorite sports team is so important?

-Do most people feel very proud when someone from their country achieves international sporting success? Why / why not?

-Is it more satisfying for athletes to win a team sport or an individual one?

National celebrations

-How important are national celebrations in building a sense of national identity and unity?

-Are national celebrations important to keeping historical events alive? Why / why not?

-Would money spent on huge national celebrations be better spent on other things?

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Question 1: Which do you think is more helpful to the students: internet materials or textbook materials? Why do you think so?

Question 2: Some people like to do indoor activities in their free time, and others prefer to enjoy outdoor activities; which do you prefer and why?

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My favorite age was eight. There were twenty students in my third grade. Everyone was pretty friendly. The musical performance that year was Aladdin, and we had a young teacher.

Every other teacher had been far older. But, when the regular third grade teacher had taken half-a-year off, we studied with a long-term substitute. One gift I treasured for years was the paperback 1997 Guinness World Record book I received from her.

This year I got to revisit my favorite age and grade as a substitute teacher myself. I’ve been working as a push-in ESL substitute since, during the pandemic, the regional ESL teacher is not allowed to travel between schools. She has virtual lessons with the SLIFE student I have been brought in to help, but I provide additional help during ELA in the mornings.

I’m lucky because I get to work with a teacher who is in her final year before retirement. At the end of her 35-year career, she employs excellent classroom management and modern student-centered teaching methods. I couldn’t have been more fortunate.

I was struck by the fact that the teacher admitted that she still felt bad about having one day recently lost her temper with a student. She had said, “I just don’t know what to do with you.” Referring to a student who has the habit of distracting herself and others by talking out of turn.

I couldn’t believe such a composed and effective teacher could feel so bad that she’d worry much about something she had said in class. But, I understand how easy it is to worry about emotional events at work.

In my teaching career, do I want to worry about what happens in class when I am sixty and so close to retirement? Hardly, but it is likely to happen from time to time. I could only hope to be as successful as the great teacher I have been working with these past three months.

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Part 2: 

Describe a time you helped someone.

Part 3:

Do you think developed or developing countries have a greater impact on the environment?

Can GM foods solve the problems farmers have in dealing with drought?

Does giving to charity benefit those in need or those giving to the charity?

Do you think all countries should have to receive a quota of refugees fleeing from war or environmental disaster?

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Question 1: Some people prefer to take a long vacation while others prefer to take several short vacations, which do you prefer and why? Include details and examples to support your explanation.

Question 2: Is it more important to study science and math than art and literature?

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Last summer I intentionally lost fifteen pounds. But, over the winter I lost focus put all the weight back on. After a long delay, my wife finally spent several hundred dollars on a high-quality juicing machine and tried out a 10-day juice diet.

I watched her try it, not really wanting to do it the first time. But, I’m now past the half-way mark on the diet myself. I’ve lost weight and look much slimmer.

The diet works. I don’t eat bread or rice. I don’t eat sugar or dairy. On some days, I had a couple snacks of meat or nuts. Besides the vegetable juice and fruit smoothies, I drink black coffee and water. How does it work? My gut is pretty much empty, but I’m not suffering as much as if I were on a strict fast.

In addition to the mental hurdle, the juice making process is quite labor intensive. Juicing takes way longer than regular cooking. It is more expensive than my normal diet. After ten days I will have eaten 30 kilos of fruit and vegetable, which would be impossible to consume if not for the juicing machine.

My main motivator to stick out the diet is the amazing example and dedication of my wife. I count a pound lost per day and infinite blessings from her.

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Essay writing…hmm. I’ve gotten stuck. The brainstorming time was supposed to help me focus my thoughts but it didn’t. Now what?

Time to start a body paragraph. Skip the topic sentence and just go for a reason. I need to pass this test. And, for my example… a high score is going to help me get into a better school. But, that’s not enough. I actually need to learn English!

How am I ever going to do that? TED.com … On the other hand, perhaps this paragraph should be about money. Scholarships! Sure… just write another perfect essay. But, that’s got to be about me, and what have I got to say that is going to really make my application stand out?

I’ve been writing a standard five-paragraph essay, and the best part is yet to come! The easy thing about writing an application essay is that it’s all about myself… j/k. What can I say about me? OMG, as if this essay hasn’t been challenging enough already!

Practice! I probably should stick to what I know. I could do a little research if I get stuck. But, the most important thing is just to get started. I’ll check my work when I’ve finished. All the spelling and punctuation has to be perfect. Is it long enough? Are my ideas well-connected? Have I used paragraphing adequately?

Yes! That means this is my last paragraph. And it only took me twenty-five minutes. So, just get started and let it flow!

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Part 2: Describe a toy that you enjoyed playing with when you were a child.

You should say:

What kind of toy it was 

When and where you got it 

How you played with it 

And explain why you enjoyed playing with this toy

Part 3

Toys in general

-What kinds of toys are popular with children in you country now?

-How are toys children have nowadays different from those in the past?

-Should parents give children lots of toys instead of spending time with them?

Benefits of play

-What can young children learn through playing?

-What benefits do team sports bring to children?

-Does online gaming, or traditional games and sports benefit children more?

Childhood and commercialization

-Is it acceptable to aim advertising, like toys, games or food at children?

-How much pressure is put on children to conform with their peers (e.g. brands of clothes and toys)?

-Does the increasing focus on children as consumers damage the experience of childhood?