Writing Section - EPT Package 1

Summary

The transcript outlines a writing task designed to assess academic writing skills. The first task involves reading a passage and listening to a lecture, then writing a response that compares the two. The lecture challenges the reading passage's claims about the health benefits of walking, questioning the study's methodology, and emphasizing that longer walks may not always be better for health. The second task requires writing an essay expressing and supporting an opinion on an issue. The goal is to demonstrate strong writing skills through organization, clarity, and accurate language use.

Takeaways

• 📝 The script explains that the test contains two writing tasks: an integrated writing task and an independent writing task.
• 📘 The integrated task requires reading a passage for three minutes, taking notes, and then listening to a lecture on the same topic.
• 🎧 During the lecture, test takers can take notes to help them answer the upcoming question.
• ✍️ The integrated writing question asks test takers to explain the relationship between the reading and the lecture without giving personal opinions.
• ⏱️ Test takers have 20 minutes to write the integrated response, and effective responses typically range from 150 to 225 words.
• 📚 The independent writing task asks test takers to express and support their own opinion on an issue.
• ⌛ Test takers have 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise their independent essay, which typically contains at least 300 words.
• 🧪 The lecture criticizes the study presented in the reading, highlighting flaws such as the short 3–7-day data collection period used to predict long-term (10-year) health outcomes.
• ⚠️ The lecture argues that the study fails to establish causation because healthier people may simply be more capable of longer walks, meaning pre-existing conditions might influence the results.
• ❤️ The lecture also challenges the idea that bout length is more important than total steps or intensity, emphasizing that brisk, shorter walks may be more beneficial for heart health than long, leisurely ones.

Q & A

What are the two main writing tasks described in the transcript?

The two main writing tasks are: 1) An integrated writing task, where you read a passage and listen to a lecture, and then answer a question based on both. 2) An independent writing task, where you write an essay in response to a question that asks you to state, explain, and support your opinion on an issue.

What is the primary objective of the first writing task?

The primary objective of the first writing task is to evaluate your ability to synthesize information from a reading passage and a lecture, and to respond to a question about the relationship between them.

How long do you have to complete the integrated writing task?

You have 20 minutes to complete the integrated writing task.

What should you focus on when answering the integrated writing question?

You should focus on using information from both the reading passage and the lecture to answer the question, avoiding personal opinions, and providing a complete and accurate response.

What is a typical word count range for an effective response in the integrated writing task?

An effective response typically contains between 150 and 225 words.

How much time is allocated for the independent writing task?

You have 30 minutes to complete the independent writing task, which includes time for planning, writing, and revising your essay.

What is the minimum word count required for the independent writing task?

The minimum word count required for the independent writing task is 300 words.

What are the three main limitations of the study presented in the lecture?

The three main limitations of the study are: 1) The short data collection period (only 3 to 7 days) that may not represent long-term habits. 2) The possibility that healthier people could walk longer, skewing the results. 3) The potential oversight of intensity, where multiple shorter, brisk walks could be more beneficial than a long, leisurely stroll.

How does the lecture challenge the claim made in the reading passage about the relationship between walking duration and health?

The lecture challenges the reading's claim by suggesting that the study's design makes it difficult to prove causality between longer walks and better health. It argues that the study may simply be identifying pre-existing health conditions rather than a protective effect of walking.

Why does the lecture criticize the focus on step patterns over intensity for cardiovascular health?

The lecture criticizes this focus because it overlooks the importance of intensity in cardiovascular health. It argues that shorter, brisk walks that raise the heart rate could be more beneficial than a single long but leisurely walk.