TOEFL Writing Task 1 [Integrated Task] – Practice Test #058

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

Toward the end of his life, the Chevalier de Seingalt (1725–1798) composed an extensive memoir detailing his life and adventures. Although the Chevalier was a somewhat controversial figure, his memoir holds value as a historical resource on European society in the eighteenth century, as he encountered many notable individuals, including kings and writers. However, some critics have questioned the memoir’s reliability, arguing that the Chevalier exaggerated or fabricated various events to make his life appear more thrilling and glamorous than it truly was.

One example is the Chevalier’s claim of wealth while residing in Switzerland, where he reportedly spent lavishly on parties and gambling. Recently discovered evidence suggests that he borrowed large sums of money from a Swiss merchant. Critics contend that if the Chevalier had genuinely been wealthy, he would not have needed to take out such loans.

Critics also doubt the accuracy of the conversations between the Chevalier and the famous writer Voltaire, which are detailed in the memoir. While it is undisputed that the two met and conversed, critics argue that the memoir cannot accurately reflect these dialogues, as it was written many years later. They believe it would have been impossible for the Chevalier to recall the exact words spoken during lengthy conversations held so long before.

Lastly, critics have challenged the memoir’s account of the Chevalier’s escape from a well-known prison in Venice, Italy. The Chevalier claimed he escaped by using a metal tool to create a hole in the ceiling and climbing through the roof. Critics, however, argue that while this version makes for an entertaining story, it is more probable that the Chevalier bribed his way to freedom. They note that he had several influential friends in Venice who could have arranged such a bribe.