TOEFL PRACTICE TEST 5

FARAH ADIBA BINTI TALIB – 2021035847 – TEXAS

INTEGRATED WRITING

The passage discusses some researchers who analyzed that R. robustus was unlikely
an active hunter of dinosaur. However, the lecture supports the claims that said R. robustus
was an active and successful hunter.

Firstly, the passage states that R. robustus has a smaller size than the usual dinosaur.
The professor disagrees because it can hunt baby dinosaur which has a smaller size than the
mammal. Its mass was also more than twice the baby dinosaur’s mass. Therefore, it is
possible for them to hunt baby dinosaur.

Next, the reading claims that the mammal’s legs were more suitable for scavenging
than hunting because they are short and is positioned to the side. However, the professor
refutes by giving an example of another mammal: Tasmanian devil. It also has short legs and
positioned to the side but still manages to achieve speed of 15km/hour. If it can be an active
and successful predator, ancient mammals could be too.

Lastly, the passage questions the teeth marks on the dinosaur’s bones. The professor
argues that R. robustus has powerful jaws to grab things and it doesn’t use its back teeth to
chew because there isn’t much wear on them. It is possible that the mammal swallows the
dinosaur in whole or big pieces. So, we should not expect a tooth mark on the dinosaur’s
bones.

It is clear that R. robustus may be an active hunter despite its small size, short and
side-positioned legs, and no teeth mark on the prey’s bones.
INDEPENDENT WRITING

I disagree that technology has made children less creative than they were in the
past. As we know, we have reached the modern era of technology which requires almost
everyone to acknowledge at least some basic skills of technology. However, it doesn’t fade
children’s creativity compared to a few years ago.

First and foremost, technology can provide more ideas for children to do their
hobbies during leisure time. There are various platforms that they can use to gain new ideas
and come up with their own products. By learning from other people’s work, they may
develop a new idea on their own to complete the hobby. For instance, most children love to
draw and color pictures. If they search for ideas on Google Chrome, they can see a lot of
beautiful drawings and may refer to them for their inspiration. Children are the most
suitable age to develop their brain from new things; hence, they may be more creative than
adults when it comes to building new ideas.

Apart from that, technology can also provide new teaching ways for children who
just started to begin their school journey in first grade or even earlier than that. Other than
seeking help from teachers or friends, they can learn about certain subjects or topics from
any apps. For example, there are many apps for solving mathematics equations or
constructing graphs such as Desmos, Photomath, and WolframAlpha. By using those useful
apps, children can solve their mathematics problems efficiently and get an immediate
explanation in case they do not understand the solutions. Technology is a convenient and
creative way for children to learn anywhere and anytime they want.

Last but not least, technology helps children to communicate with their friends
handily despite any circumstances such as long distance between their houses and difficulty
to meet at a same place. If they were given a group task, they can use technology to discuss
the work together without having to waste time and energy to meet face to face. For
instance, they can set a specific time to discuss the task through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or
Google Meet. When they have already used the technology at such an early age, it will be
easier for them to communicate with others better than before. Children can also use social
media such as Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp to text and ask their friends about certain
questions to gain insight and be more creative with their work.

It is crystal clear that technology has not made children less creative than they were
in the past because it provides more ideas, new teaching ways, and helps to communicate
with friends.