TOEFL Writing Task 1 [Integrated Task] – Practice Test #005

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

The golden frog, a small bright-yellow amphibian native to Panama’s mountain streams, is critically endangered due to a deadly fungus that infects the frog through its skin and disrupts vital functions like breathing. Conservationists have suggested several approaches to address the fungus issue.

One option is Bacterial Protection. Scientists have discovered a type of bacterium that naturally combats the fungus by producing chemicals that kill fungal cells. They propose introducing colonies of this bacterium to the skin of golden frogs, which would help shield the frogs from fungal infections.

Another approach is Breeding Frogs in Captivity. Researchers are exploring the possibility of breeding golden frogs in controlled environments, free from the fungus, and then releasing them back into the wild. These disease-free frogs could help restore healthy populations in areas where the wild frogs have been wiped out by the fungus.

A third possibility involves Natural Defense. Some golden frogs may already possess a defense mechanism against the fungus. When infected, these frogs raise their body temperature, which slows the growth of the fungus. If this resistance becomes widespread within the golden frog population, the species might overcome the fungal threat on its own, allowing the population to recover.