ПРИМЕРНЫЕ ТЕМЫ ЭССЕ В КОМПЬЮТЕРНОЙ ВЕРСИИ TOEFL .
Topics in the following list may appear in your actual
test. You should become familiar with this list before
you take the computer-based TOEFL test. Remember
that when you take the test you will not have a choice
of topics. You must write only on the topic that is
assigned to you.
People attend college or university for many different reasons (for
example, new experiences, career preparation, increased knowledge).
Why do you think people attend college or university? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are
the best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support
your answer.
Nowadays, food has become easier to prepare. Has this change improved
the way people live? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.
It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained in
books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience
with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source
is more important? Why?
A company has announced that it wishes to build a large factory near
your community. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this new
influence on your community. Do you support or oppose the factory?
Explain your position.
If you could change one important thing about your hometown,
what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to
support your answer.
How do movies or television influence people’s behavior? Use reasons
and specific examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television
has destroyed communication among friends and family. Use
specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big
city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasons and
details to support your answer.
“When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has
nothing to do with success.” Do you agree or disagree with the
quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your
position.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Universities
should give the same amount of money to their students’ sports activities
as they give to their university libraries. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.
Many people visit museums when they travel to new places. Why
do you think people visit museums? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people
prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Some people believe that university students should be required to
attend classes. Others believe that going to classes should be
optional for students. Which point of view do you agree with? Use
specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what are the
qualities of a good neighbor? Use specific details and examples in your
answer.
It has recently been announced that a new restaurant may be built
in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why?
Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
Some people think that they can learn better by themselves than with a
teacher. Others think that it is always better to have a teacher. Which do
you prefer? Use specific reasons to develop your essay.
What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)? Use
specific details and examples to explain why these qualities are
important.
Should governments spend more money on improving roads and
highways, or should governments spend more money on improving public
transportation (buses, trains, subways)? Why? Use specific reasons and
details to develop your essay.
It is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big
city. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to
develop your essay.
In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this
phenomenon. Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
We all work or will work in our jobs with many different kinds of
people. In your opinion, what are some important characteristics of
a co-worker (someone you work closely with)? Use reasons and
specific examples to explain why these characteristics are important.
In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do
you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific
reasons and details.
A person you know is planning to move to your town or city. What
do you think this person would like and dislike about living in your
town or city? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your
essay.
It has recently been announced that a large shopping center may be built
in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use
specific reasons and details to support your answer.
It has recently been announced that a new movie theater may be
built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan?
Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should
sometimes do things that they do not enjoy doing. Use specific reasons
and examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television,
newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to
the personal lives of famous people such as public figures and
celebrities. Use specific reasons and details to explain your opinion.
Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human
activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to
live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support
your answer.
It has recently been announced that a new high school may be built
in your community. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use
specific reasons and details in your answer.
Some people spend their entire lives in one place. Others move a number
of times throughout their lives, looking for a better job, house, community,
or even climate. Which do you prefer: staying in one place or moving in
search of another place? Use reasons and specific examples to support
your opinion.
Is it better to enjoy your money when you earn it or is it better to
save your money for some time in the future? Use specific reasons
and examples to support your opinion.
You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a
piece of jewelry you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which
would you buy? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
Businesses should hire employees for their entire lives. Do you agree
or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Attending a live
performance (for example, a play, concert, or sporting event) is more
enjoyable than watching the same event on television. Use specific reasons
and examples to support your opinion.
Choose one of the following transportation vehicles and explain why
you think it has changed people’s lives.
• automobiles
• bicycles
• airplanes
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.
Learning about the past has no value for those of us living in the
present. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? With the help of
technology, students nowadays can learn more information and learn it
more quickly. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
The expression “Never, never give up” means to keep trying and
never stop working for your goals. Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.
Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry
are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you
agree or disagree with this point of view? Why or why not? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.
What is a very important skill a person should learn in order to be
successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use specific
reasons and examples to support your choice.
Why do you think some people are attracted to dangerous sports or other
dangerous activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.
Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to
travel alone. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your choice.
Some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day’s
work. Others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night.
Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
choice.
What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have
these qualities changed or remained the same over time in your
culture? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work
for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and
details to support your choice.
People work because they need money to live. What are some other
reasons that people work? Discuss one or more of these reasons. Use
specific examples and details to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face
communication is better than other types of communication, such as
letters, email, or telephone calls. Use specific reasons and details to
support your answer.
Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people
prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do you prefer? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or
chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning. In your
opinion, what does success come from? Use specific reasons and examples
to support your answer.
What change would make your hometown more appealing to people
your age? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
opinion.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The most
important aspect of a job is the money a person earns. Use specific reasons
and examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? One should
never judge a person by external appearances. Use specific reasons
and details to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person should
never make an important decision alone. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or
to protect the environment. Which do you think the company should
choose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other
movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of
movie do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Businesses
should do anything they can to make a profit. Use specific reasons
and examples to support your position.
Some people are always in a hurry to go places and get things done. Other
people prefer to take their time and live life at a slower pace. Which do
you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are
as important for adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons
and examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents or other
adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to 18
year-old) teenage children. Use specific reasons and examples to support
your opinion.
What do you want most in a friend — someone who is intelligent, or
someone who has a sense of humor, or someone who is reliable?
Which one of these characteristics is most important to you? Use
reasons and specific examples to explain your choice.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Most experiences
in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for
the future. Use reasons and specific examples to support our answer.
Some people prefer to work for themselves or own a business.
Others prefer to work for an employer. Would you rather be selfemployed,
work for someone else, or own a business? Use specific
reasons to explain your choice.
Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and
replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your opinion.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Classmates
are a more important influence than parents on a child’s success in
school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
If you were an employer, which kind of worker would you prefer to hire:
an inexperienced worker at a lower salary or an experienced worker at a
higher salary? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
Many teachers assign homework to students every day. Do you think
that daily homework is necessary for students? Use specific reasons
and details to support your answer.
If you could study a subject that you have never had the opportunity to
study, what would you choose? Explain your choice, using specific reasons
and details.
Some people think that the automobile has improved modern life.
Others think that the automobile has caused serious problems. What
is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.
Which would you choose: a high-paying job with long hours that would
give you little time with family and friends or a lower-paying job with
shorter hours that would give you more time with family and friends?
Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Grades
(marks) encourage students to learn. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.
Some people say that computers have made life easier and more
convenient. Other people say that computers have made life more complex
and stressful. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The best way
to travel is in a group led by a tour guide. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
Some universities require students to take classes in many subjects. Other
universities require students to specialize in one subject. Which is better?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children
should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Boys and girls
should attend separate schools. Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
Is it more important to be able to work with a group of people on a
team or to work independently? Use reasons and specific examples to
support your answer.
Your city has decided to build a statue or monument to honor a famous
person in your country. Who would you choose? Use reasons and specific
examples to support your choice.
Describe a custom from your country that you would like people
from other countries to adopt. Explain your choice, using specific
reasons and examples.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Technology has
made the world a better place to live. Use specific reasons and examples to
support your opinion.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Advertising
can tell you a lot about a country. Use specific reasons and examples
to support your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Modern
technology is creating a single world culture. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.
Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of
valuable information. Others think access to so much information
creates problems. Which view do you agree with? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your opinion.
A foreign visitor has only one day to spend in your country. Where
should this visitor go on that day? Why? Use specific reasons and details
to support your choice.
If you could go back to some time and place in the past, when and
where would you go? Why? Use specific reasons and details to
support your choice.
What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people
in your country? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
choice.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Telephones
and email have made communication between people less
personal. Use specific reasons and examples to support your
opinion.
If you could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history,
what person would you like to meet? Use specific reasons and examples
to support your choice.
If you could meet a famous entertainer or athlete, who would that
be, and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
choice.
If you could ask a famous person one question, what would you ask?
Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
Some people prefer to live in places that have the same weather or
climate all year long. Others like to live in areas where the weather
changes several times a year. Which do you prefer? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your choice.
Many students have to live with roommates while going to school or
university. What are some of the important qualities of a good
roommate? Use specific reasons and examples to explain why these
qualities are important.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Dancing
plays an important role in a culture. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
Some people think governments should spend as much money as
possible exploring outer space (for example, traveling to the Moon and to
other planets). Other people disagree and think governments should
spend this money for our basic needs on Earth. Which of these two
opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support
your answer.
People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of
modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their
gardens. What do you think are the best ways of reducing stress?
Use specific details and examples in your answer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should
be paid according to how much their students learn. Give specific
reasons and examples to support your opinion.
If you were asked to send one thing representing your country to
an international exhibition, what would you choose? Why? Use
specific reasons and details to explain your choice.
You have been told that dormitory rooms at your university must be
shared by two students. Would you rather have the university assign a
student to share a room with you, or would you rather choose your own
roommate? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
Some people think that governments should spend as much money
as possible on developing or buying computer technology. Other
people disagree and think that this money should be spent on more
basic needs. Which one of these opinions do you agree with? Use
specific reasons and details to support your answer.
