Writing based on reading and listening

You will have 3 minutes to read a passage about an academic topic. While you read, you may take notes on scrap paper.

Then you will listen to a lecture about the same topic.

You may take notes while you listen.

After the lecture is over, you will have 20 minutes to write a response to a question that asks you about the relationship between the lecture and the reading passage. Try to answer the question as completely as possible using information from the reading passage and the lecture.

Your response will be evaluated on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the points in the lecture and their relationship to the reading passage. Typically, an effective response will be 150 to 225 words.

The Reading

Altruism is a type of behavior in which an animal sacrifices its own interest for that of another animal or group of animals. Altruism is the opposite of selfishness; individuals performing altruistic acts gain nothing for themselves. Examples of altruism abound, both among humans and among other mammals. Unselfish acts among humans range from the sharing of food with strangers to the donation of body organs to family members, and even to strangers. Such acts are altruistic in that they benefit another, yet provide little reward to the one performing the act.

In fact, many species of animals appear willing to sacrifice food, or even their life, to assist other members of their group. The meerkat, which is a mammal that dwells in burrows in grassland areas of Africa, is often cited as an example. In groups of meerkats, an individual acts as a sentinel, standing guard and looking out for predators while the others hunt for food or eat food they have obtained. If the sentinel meerkat sees a predator such as a hawk approaching the group, it gives an alarm cry alerting the other meerkats to run and seek shelter. By standing guard, the sentinel meerkat gains nothing - it goes without food while the others eat, and it places itself in grave danger. After it issues an alarm, it has to flee alone, which might make it more at risk to a predator, since animals in groups are often able to work together to fend off a predator. So the altruistic sentinel behavior helps ensure the survival of other members of the meerkat’s group.

Listening Script

You know, often in science, new findings force us to re-examine earlier beliefs and assumptions. And a recent study of meerkats is having exactly this effect. The study examined the meerkat’s behavior quite closely, much more closely than had ever been done before. And some interesting things were found… like about eating habits… it showed that typically meerkats eat before they stand guard – so the ones standing guard had a full stomach! And the study also found that since the sentinel is the first to see a predator coming, it’s the most likely to escape… because it often stands guard near a burrow, so it can run immediately into the burrow after giving the alarm. The other meerkats, the ones scattered about looking for food, are actually in greater danger. And in fact, other studies have suggested that when an animal creates an alarm, the alarm call might cause the other group members either to gather together or else to move about very quickly, behaviors that might actually draw the predator’s attention away from the caller, increasing that animal’s own chances of survival. And what about people – what about some human acts that might be considered altruistic? Let’s take an extreme case, uh, suppose a person donates a kidney to a relative, or even to a complete stranger. A selfish act, right? But …. Doesn’t the donor receive appreciation and approval from the stranger and from society? Doesn’t the donor gain an increased sense of self-worth? Couldn’t such non-material rewards be considered very valuable to some people?

My response

The lecturer talks about a recent study of altruistic behaviour. Altruism is a behaviour in which someone make sacrifices in order to help others. The lecturer explains how this study changes the way we see meerkats’ behaviour.

First, the professor explains that when meerkats need to eat, one of them acts as a sentinel. This meerkat will send out an alarm to the group if it sees any danger. The professor explains that this meerkat has a full stomach, however the passage contradicts this information. Futhermore, the lecturer explains that the group is in greater danger than the sentinel. This contradicts the main idea in the passage.

Secondly, the lecturer gives an example of a kidney donner. She explains that when someone donates a kidney they gains respect from others, that is somehow a selfish act. Hence, they are benefiting somehow by making such a sacrifice.

My response 3 months later

The lecture and the reading both discuss altruism in animals and in humans. While the writer states that meerkats have an altruist behavior while they are hunting, the professor contradicts it by giving some reasons. This piece of writing will summarize how the points that the writer discusses are challenged by the speaker.

First of all, the lecturer claims that there is a recent study of meerkats, which is an animal that dwells in Africa, which shows that meerkats are not as altruistic animals as it was believed. The author of the article goes on to state that meerkats are altruistic because when they hunt there is one in the group that sacrifices in order to alarm the others. However, the professor explains that this act is not altruistic, due to the fact that this animal has already eaten. Moreover, the centinel is the first one on seeing a predator which makes him more likely to escape. This is one way the lecture contradicts the reading.

Secondly, the lecture explains that the altruistic act of donating a kidney to a stranger generates an approval in the society. On the one hand, the reading shows that donating an organ to a relative or to a stranger is an unselfish act. On the other hand, the professor contradicts this point by saying that when someone donates a kidney is rewarded with the social approval that makes it a not altruistic act. This is the final way the lecture casts doubt the reading.

Writing Based on Knowledge and Experience

DirectionsRead the question below. You have 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay. Typically, an effective essay will contain a minimum of 300 words.

Some young adults wants independence from their parents as soon as possible. Other young adults prefere to live with their families for a longer time. Which of these situations do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to suppport your opinion. Be sure to use your own words. Do not use memorized examples.

My response

When you get older a big question comes up with your parents, when should I live independently? Young adults are beginning to need more space, privacy and even freedom. Knowledge comes from personal experiences, and young adults need to face to problems in order to learn. On the other hand independance could be a problem for some people if they start to live alone too early.

Not every person has the same worries. In other words, the question of when you should be independant comes in a different moment for different people. It will depend on the environment of this young adult. For example, a young boy who is a handy man and always crafting things, probably would need a lot of space for his tools. If he lives in a huge house with his family, he would not need to worry about becoming independant. Otherwise, if this boy lives in a tiny house with a huge family, he would need to live inpendently. Some aspects that make someone question independence are the lack of space, the lack of privacy, to have more freedom or to experience new things.

The role of the parents is essential in this period, parents should let the children have as much as freedom as possible. A person learns from personal experience with daily problems. You must face problems and solve then in order to learn. A family that does not give their children freedom, are not giving them the opportunity to learn new things. In my case I am very proud of my parents, they gave me a lot of freedom when I was younger. I studied in another city, and this experience has given me the opportunity to learn how to meet new people, how to cook, and tons of other things. Otherwise, if my parents had not let me study in another city I would not have learnt a lot of things.

Nevertheless, it is not essential to live independently. I have some friends that are very happy to live with their parents, someone who lives alone is not better than others who lives with their parents. The main point, is that are happy wherever you live, that is the most important thing.