TOEFL Writing Task 1 [Integrated Task] – Practice Test #004

This TOEFL Writing Task 1 (Integrated Writing) practice test provides an authentic experience with a real reading passage and a corresponding audio lecture. Follow the instructions carefully to simulate the exam and assess your skills accurately.

TOEFL Integrated Writing Detailed Instructions

Read the passage: You will read an academic passage on a topic, usually about 3 minutes.
Listen to the lecture: After reading, you will hear a lecture on the same topic, presenting a different perspective or additional information. You will not be able to see the reading passage while listening.
Take notes: While reading and listening, take notes on the key points and main ideas. Most of your focus should be on the lecturer since the passage is already available for reference.
Refer back to the reading: You can review the reading passage after the listening portion is complete.
Stay objective: Avoid adding personal thoughts, agreeing or disagreeing with the speaker, or evaluating the quality of their arguments. The key is to remain neutral and accurately report what each source says. Think of yourself as a reporter: your task is to explain what each side claims, how their points relate to each other, and how the lecture challenges the reading.
Organize clearly and have a plan: Use clear structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Personally, I prefer writing a concise introduction that presents both sides and briefly states their main reasons, followed by three body paragraphs, each focusing on one point and discussing it from both perspectives. If done properly, there’s no real need for a conclusion, especially since this isn’t a personal or opinion-based essay.
Write your response: Summarize the main points from the lecture and explain how they relate to or challenge the points in the reading passage.
Stay within the word limit: Your response should be 150-225 words.
Proofread: Ensure your grammar, spelling, and sentence structure are accurate.
Submit your writing: Use the form below to privately submit your writing for review, or post it publicly in the comment section at the bottom of the page.
Feedback (optional): Order detailed written analysis or a video session to review your response using the official TOEFL writing criteria and identify specific areas for improvement.

Reading Passage

Hard structures, like natural reefs, serve as excellent habitats for marine life across the world’s oceans. Reefs offer sturdy surfaces for plants, coral, and sponges to attach to, creating both food sources and shelter for various fish species. Recently, the fishing industry has attempted to expand these habitats by building artificial reefs from discarded metal objects and other industrial materials, placing them in coastal waters. These artificial reefs offer several advantages.

Many fishers believe that artificial reefs help increase fish populations by providing additional locations for fish to gather and reproduce. For example, an artificial reef project in the Gulf of Mexico reported a significant increase in red snapper catches—up to ten times more than a century ago. This rise in fish numbers occurred after the implementation of the artificial reef initiative.

Artificial reefs also offer economic benefits, especially to small-scale fishers. By constructing private artificial reefs in undisclosed locations, small fishers gain a competitive edge. Currently, small-scale fishers struggle to compete with larger fishing corporations due to the limited number of shared fishing grounds. By creating fishing areas that only they know about, independent fishers can better sustain themselves and their communities.

Lastly, artificial reefs provide an effective way to recycle unused materials. Old cars and other objects, after being cleaned of harmful substances, can be transformed into reefs. This practice is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective method of reusing materials while simultaneously benefiting marine ecosystems.