TPO 01Task1Talk about a book you have read that was important to you for some reason. Explain why the book was important to you. Give specific details and examples to explain your answer.Task2Some people believe that television has had a positive influence on society. Others believe it has had a negative influence on society. Which do you agree with and why? Use details and examples to explain your opinion.Task3Letter in the Centerville College NewsThe administration has announced plans to acquire a new sculpture for campus. We should all oppose this plan. The university’s financial pool financial condition led it to increase the price for campus housing and tuition by 15% this past year. Surely then it is in no financial position to purchase such an expensive sculpture. Moreover, just look at the sculpture: several 60-foot long steel plates, jutting out of the earth at odd angles. It’s so large; it’ll take up all the green space in front of the campus center! This is public space that should be reserved for students to use.Explain why the woman disagrees with the reasons expressed in the letter.Task4GroupthinkOne process by which groups may make bad or irrational decisions is known as groupthink. Individual members of a group attempt to conform their opinions to what they believe to be the group consensus even though the result may be negative. These include the desire to be like, fear of losing a job, or even not wanting to be the one employee delaying a decision that seems inevitable. These kinds of implicit pressures to conform lead group members to ultimately make decisions that each by himself or herself, might normally not make.Explain groupthink and its effects using the example of the computer company.Task5The speakers discuss two possible solutions to the woman’s problem. Briefly summarize the problem. Then sate which solution you recommend and explain why.Task6Using the research described by the professor, explain what scientists have learned about the mathematicalabilities of babies.TPO02Task 1Choose a place you go to often that is important to you and explain why it is important. Please include specific details in you explanation.TASK2Some college students choose to take courses in a variety of subject areas in order to get a broad education. Others choose to focus on a single subject area in order to have a deeper understanding of that area. Which approach to course selection do you think is better for students and why?Task3Bus Service Elimination PlannedThe university has decided to discontinue its free bus service for students. The reason given for this decision is that few students ride the buses and the buses are expensive to operate. Currently, the buses run from the center of campus past university buildings and through some of the neighborhoods surrounding the campus. The money saved by eliminating the bus service will be used to expand the overcrowded student parking lots.The man expresses his opinion of the university’s plan to eliminate the bus service. State his opinion and explain the reasons he gives for holding that opinion.Task4Social interactionPeople deal with each other everyday. This interaction is at the heart of social life. The study of social interaction is concerned with the influence people have over one another’s behavior. People take each other into account in their daily behavior and in fact, the very presence of others can affect behavior. For example, one principle of social interaction, audience effects, suggests that individual s’ work is affected by their knowledge that they are visible to others, that the presence of others tends to alter the way people behave or perform an activity. Explain how the examples of tying shoes and learning to type demonstrate the principle of audience effects. Response:Task5The speakers discuss two possible solutions to the woman’s problem. Describe the problem and the two solutions. Then explain what you think the woman should do and why.Task6Using points and examples from the talk, explain the two definitions of money presented by the professor.TPO03Task1What characteristics do you think make someone a good parent? Explain why these characteristics are important to you.Task2Some students prefer to work on class assignments by themselves. Others believe it is better to work in a group. Which do you prefer?Task3Hot Breakfast Eliminated.Beginning next month, Dining Services will no longer serve hot breakfast foods at university dining halls. Instead, Students will be offered a wide assortment of cold breakfast items in the morning. These cold breakfast foods, such as breads, fruit, and yogurt, are healthier than many of the hot breakfast items that we will stop serving. So, health-conscious students should welcome this change. Students will benefit in another way as well, because limiting the breakfast selection to cold food items will save money and allow us to keep our meal plans affordable.The woman expressed her opinion of the change that has been announced. State her opinion and explain her reasons for holding that opinion.Task4Cognitive dissonanceIndividuals sometimes experience a contradiction between their actions and their beliefs---between what they are doing and what they believe they should be doing. These contradictions can cause a kind of mental discomfort known as cognitive dissonance. People experiencing cognitive dissonance often do not want to change the way they are acting, so they resolve the contradictory situation in another way. They change their interpretation of the situation in a way that minimizes the contradiction between what they are doing and what they believe should be doing.Using the example discussed by the professor, explain what cognitive dissonance is and how people often deal with it.Task5The speakers discuss two possible solutions to the woman’s problem. Briefly summarize the problem. Then state which of the solutions you recommend and explain why.Task6Using the examples from the talk, explain how persuasive strategies are used in advertising.TPO04Task1Which do you miss most about your home when you are away? Use specific details in you explanation.Task2Many universities now offer academic courses over the Internet. However, some people still prefer learning in traditional classrooms. Which do you think is better? Explain why.Task3Evening Computer Classes May Be AddedThe computer department is considering offering evening classes in the fall. The proposal to add the classes is a response to student complaints that daytime computer classes have become increasingly overcrowded and there are no longer enough computers available. The department has decided that despite some added expense, the most cost-effective way of addressing this problem is by adding computer classes in the evening. It is hoped that this change will decrease the number of students enrolled in day classes and thus guarantee individual access to computers for all students in computer classes.The computer department is considering a scheduling change. Explain the man’s opinion of the change and reasons he gives for holding that opinion.Task4Verbal and Nonverbal CommunicationWhen we speak with other people face-to-face the nonverbal signals we give---our facial expressions, hand gestures, body movements, and tone of voice---often communicate as much as, or more than, the words we utter. When our nonverbal signals, which we often produce unconsciously, agree with our verbal message, the verbal message is enhance and supported, made more convincing. But when they conflict with the verbal message, we may be communicating an entirely different and more accurate message than what we intend.Explain how the examples from the professor’s lecture illustrate the relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication.Task5The speakers discuss two possible solutions to the man’s problem. Briefly summarize the problem. Then sate which solution you recommend and explain why.Task6Using points and examples from the lecture, explain the importance of visual elements in painting.TPO05Task1Talk about a place you enjoyed going to or visiting when you were a child. Describe the place. Explain why you enjoyed it.Task2Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Why or why not? Use details and examples to explain your answer. It is more important to study math or science than it is to study art or literature.Task3Campus Dining Club AnnouncedStarting this year, the university dining hall will be transformed into the Campus Dining Club for one week at the end of each semester. During the last week of each semester, the dining hall will feature special meals prepared by the university’s culinary arts students. The school feels that this will give students who are studying cooking and food preparation valuable experience that will help them later, when they pursue careers. The university has announced that it will charge a small additional fee for these dinners in order to pay for the special gourmet food ingredients that will be required.The man expresses his opinion about the university’s plan. State his opinion and explain the reason he gives for holding that opinion.Task4Target MarketingAdvertisers in the past have used radio and television in an attempt to provide information about their products to large, general audiences; it was once thought that the best way to sell a product was to advertise it to as many people as possible. However, more recent trends in advertising have turned toward target marketing. Target marketing is the strategy of advertising to smaller, very specific audiences---audiences that have been determined to have the greatest need or desire for the product being marketed. Target marketing has proved to be very effective in reaching potential customers.Using the professor’s examples, explain the advertising technique of target marketing.Task5Briefly summarize the woman’s problem. Then state which solution you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.Task6Using points and examples from the talk, explain the two types of motivation.TPO06Task1Talk about a photograph or painting you have seen that was memorable. Explain what you liked or disliked about it.Task2Some people have one career throughout their lives. Other people do different kinds of work at different points in their lives. Which do you think is better? Explain why.Task3History Seminars Should Be ShorterCurrently, all of the seminar classes in the history department are three hours long. I would like to propose that history seminars be shortened to two hours. I make this proposal for two reasons. First, most students just cannot concentrate for three hours straight. I myself have taken these three-hour seminars and found them tiring and sometimes boring. Also, when a seminar lasts that long, people stop concentrating and stop learning, so the third hour of a three-hour seminar is a waste of everyone’s time. Two-hour seminars would be much more efficient.The woman expresses her opinion about the proposal that her friend Tim made in his letter to the newspaper. State her opinion about his proposal and explain the reasons she gives for her opinion.Task4Explicit Memories and Implicit MemoriesIn everyday life, when people speak of memory, they are almost always speaking about what psychologists would call explicit memories. An explicit memory is a conscious or intentional recollection, usually of facts, names, event, or other things that a person can state or declare. There is another kind of memory that is not conscious. Memory of this kind are called implicit memories. An individual can have an experience that he or she cannot consciously recall yet still display reactions that indicate the experience has been somehow recorded in his or her brain.Using the example of the car advertisement, explain what is meant by implicit memory.Task5The professor proposes two solutions to the problem the woman describes. Briefly summarize the problem. Then state which solution you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.Task6Using points and examples from the talk, explain the difference between active and passive attention.TPO07Task1If friends from another country were going to spend time in your country, what city or place would you suggest they visit? Using details and examples, explain why.Task2State whether you agree or disagree with the following statement. Then explain your reasons, using specific details in your explanation.Learning through online courses is more effective than learning in the traditional classroom setting.Task3Sculpture Courses to Be DiscontinuedUniversity administrators announce yesterday that the sculpture program, a division of the art department, will be eliminated. “The main reason is a lack of student interest,”reported one administrator. “Although the number of art students has increased, fewer and fewer art majors are taking sculpture classes.” Furthermore, the department’s only sculpture professor is retiring this year. “Given the art department’s limited budget,”the administrator explained, “it just doesn’t make sense to hire a new full-time professor to teach sculpture for only a handful of students.”The woman expresses her opinion about the university’s plan. State her opinion about and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.Task4Behavior ModificationIndividuals often modify their behaviors based on what they have learned about the possible consequences of their actions. When an individual learns through experience that a certain behavior results in pleasant consequences, that behavior is likely to be repeated. An unpleasant consequence, on the other hand,discourages further repetition of the behavior. While behavior modification can be observed in experiments, it also occurs frequently in everyday settings, when individuals change their behavior based on what they have learned about the consequences of that behavior.Using the example from the lecture, explain what behavior modification is and how it works.Task5The speakers discuss two possible solutions to the woman’s problem. Briefly summarize the problem. Then state which solution you would recommend and explain why.Task6Using points and examples from the lecture, explain the two major factors of product quality and how their role in consumer decision making has changed.TPO08Task1Talk about a time when a friend or family member helped you in the past. Describe how the person helped you. Then explain why this was important to you.Task2Some people enjoy taking risks and trying new things. Others are not adventurous: they are cautious and prefer to avoid danger. Which behavior do you think is better? Explain why.Task3Music Coming to CafeteriasMary Dixon, Director of the Student Life Committee, announced yesterday that beginning next semester university cafeterias will broadcast classical music during mealtimes. “Music will foster a more relaxed atmosphere.” Said Dixon, ”Students’ lives are hectic, and mealtimes provide important opportunities to take a break and catch up with friends before moving on to the next class or assignment.” Added Dixon. “We’re alsohoping that, if we provide the music, students will unplug their personal music devices---their walkmans and mp3 players of whatever---and will spend more time talking to each other. When students have their headphones on, they’re not connecting with each other. ”The man expresses his opinion about his opinion of the university’s plan. State his opinion and explain the reasons he gives for holding that opinion.Task4Revealing ColorationMany animals use coloration to protect themselves from predators. One defensive strategy involving the use of coloration is what is known as reveling coloration. Animals employing this strategy have an area of bright color on some part of their body; this bright color is usually hidden from predators’view. When approached by a predator, the animal suddenly reveals the area of bright color; this unexpected display of color startles or confuses the predator and provides the would-be prey with an opportunity to escape.Using the examples from the peanut bug and the morpho butterfly, explain the concept of revealing coloration.Task5Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which solution you would recommend and explain the reasons for your recommendation.Task6Using points and examples from the lecture, explain the two pricing strategies described by the professor.TPO09Task1Talk about an important experience that you recently had. Describe what happened and explain why it was important to you.Task2Some people think that family members are the most important influence on young adults. Others believe that friends are the most important influence. Which do you agree with? Explain why.Task3Required Work ExperienceThe business studies department at State University will now require all students enrolled in its program to complete one semester of work experience in a local corporation or small business. It is felt that students will benefit from this work experience by developing leadership and organizational skills that would not normally be learned in a classroom or campus setting. Furthermore, the relationship that students establish with the company that they work for may help them to secure permanent employment with that company once they have completed the program and graduated.The woman expresses her opinion of the university’s new policy. State her opinion and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.Task4The Establishing ShotFilm directors use different types of camera shots for specific purposes. An establishing shot is an image shown briefly at the beginning of a scene, usually taken from far away. That is used to provide context fro the rest of the scene. One purpose of the establishing shot is to communicate back ground information to the viewer, such as setting---where and when the rest of the scene will occur. It also establishes the mood feeling of the scene. Due to the context that the establishing shot provides, the characters and events that are shown next are better understood by the viewer.Using the professor’s example, explain what an establishing shot is and how it is used.Task5Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which solution you would recommend and explain the reasons for your recommendation.Task6Using points from the lecture, explain how the passion plant and the potato plant defend themselves from insects.TPO10Task1Talk about a time when you accomplished something you did not think you could do. What did you accomplish? Why did you think you could not do it?Task2Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Use details and examples to explain your answer.All children should be required to learn a second language in school.Task3Student Art DisplayThe university is currently considering possible locations on campus for displaying paintings and other artwork by students. I think the lobby at the entrance to the student center would be a great location. Since many students pass through the Student center every day, artwork displayed in the lobby would be viewed by hundreds of people. Also, because the whole front of the building is made of glass window, the lobby is filled with natural light. This makes it perfect for displaying artwork, which should have plenty of light to be seen and appreciated. Sincerely yours, Paul Sands.Briefly summarize the proposal in the student’s letter. Then state her opinion about the proposal and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.Task4Entertainment MerchandisingAn effective, widely used marketing practice in the entertainment industry is entertainment merchandising. Entertainment merchandising is a form of marketing in which the brand or image from one product is also used to sell another. The practice of entertainment merchandising often occurs in connection with movies and television shows, especially those associated with children. For example, the success of a popular children’s television show may result in the marketing of toys that are designed to look like characters in the show. Or the situation may be reversed when a children’s television show is written to include characters that are based on already-popular toys.Using the example from the lecture, explain the concept of entertainment merchandising.Briefly summarize the woman’s problem. Then state which solution you would recommend and explain the reasons for your recommendation.Task6Using points from the lecture, explain why researchers think that babies may feel empathy.TPO11Task1Talk about a book you have read that was important to you for some reason. Explain why the book was important to you. Give specific details and examples to explain your answer.Task2Some people think that children should be allowed to watch whatever television programs they choose to. Others think that parents should exercise control over the television programs their children watch. Which do you agree with? Explain why.Task3Housing Renovations PlannedOver the last ten years, the number of Central College students living on campus in dormitories has decreased by twenty percent. In an effort to counteract the trend, the college has announced a plan to renovate its on-campus housing. The renovations will take two years, and they will include improvements to the bathrooms, lighting, and heating in the dormitories. “A lot of people are moving off campus because the dorms aren’t in great shape,”explained the college president. “By renovating the dorms, we can make them more appealing than off-campus housing, and more students will choose to remain on campus.”The woman expresses her opinion about the university’s plan. Then state her opinion and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.Task4Outsider ArtThe artists who produce this kind of art-Outsider Artists- work in isolation from other artists and have little or no formal artistic training. Because they do not learn conventional artistic techniques from teachers or other artists, outsider artists must invent their own ways of doing things. As a result of the unconventional methods that outsider artists often use, their work can look strange and not at all like traditional art to the observer.Explain why Henry Darger is considered as an outsider artist.Task5The students discuss a problem and two possible solutions. Briefly summarize the problem. Then state which solution you would recommend and explain the reasons for your recommendation.Task6Using the points and examples from the lecture, explain what unity and contrast are, and how they make interior design more effective.TPO12Task1What is the most efficient type of transportation in your country? Explain why you think it is efficient. Include specific reasons and examples.Task2Some people believe it’s essential for a person’s education to learn to play a musical instrument. Others don’t believe music education is important. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.Task3College Radio Station to Undergo Major Changes?The university is considering making major changes to the college radio station. Changes would include an expansion of the station’s broadcasting range, which would allow the radio’s programming to reach nearby towns. One goal of the plan is to attract more students to apply to its communications program. Another goal is providesignificantly increase the number of listeners, which will in turn encourage businesses to place commercials on the radio.The woman supports the proposal described in the article. Explain why she thinks it will achieve the university’s goals.Task4Subliminal PerceptionHumans are constantly perceiving visual and auditory stimuli. Sometimes our perception of these stimuli occurs consciously: we are aware of a stimulus and know what we are perceiving it. But our perception of a stimulus can also occur without our awareness: an image might appear and disappear before our eyes too quickly for us to notice what we saw it, or a sound might be too faint for us to realize that we heard it. This phenomenon---the perception of a stimulus just below the threshold of conscious awareness---is called subliminal perception. Experiments have shown that subliminally perceived stimuli can influence people’s thoughts and attitudes. Describe what subliminal perception is and explain how the experiment discussed by the professor illustrates this phenomenon.Task5The speakers discuss two possible solutions to the woman’s problem. Briefly summarize the problem. Then state which solution you would recommend and explain the reasons for your recommendation.Task6Using the points and examples from the lecture, explain how substitute goods and complement goods influence demand for a particular product.TPO13Task1Talk about a game, sport or other group activity that is played in your country. Explain why you think the activity is enjoyable.Task2When looking for information for a research project, some students prefer to get their information mainly from the Internet. Others prefer to mainly use printed materials such as books and academic journals. Which do you prefer, and why?Task3New StadiumA university official announced plans to spend $2 millions to build a new athletic stadium, commenting that a new stadium would help the university achieve its goal of attracting more top students. The official also said that, additionally, building a new stadium would allow the university to strengthen its relationship with the town since a new and larger stadium would have the space to seat not only students, parent, and alumni, but members of the local community as well.The woman expresses her opinion about the university’s plan. Then state her opinion and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.Task4Perceptual ConstancyHow an object affects our senses depends in part on external conditions, and these conditions are always changing. An object viewed from one angle presents a different shape to our eye than when viewed from another angle; similarly, as the distance from which we view an object changes, the object will appear larger or smaller. In spite of this, even as conditions change and we see objects differently, we still recognize that they remain the same. This is what is known as perceptual constancy. If not of perceptual constancy, we might have difficulty recognizing familiar objects if we viewed them in a new and different context.Explain what is meant by “Perceptual constancy”, using the examples provided by the professor.Task5The speakers discuss two possible solutions to the man’s problem. Briefly summarize the problem. Then state which solution you would recommend and explain the reasons for your recommendation.Task6Using the examples of the leafy sea dragon and the cuttlefish, describe two kinds of camouflage and the benefits they provide.TPO14Task1People enjoy reading many different types of books such as mystery, biography, romance, etc. Of all the different types of books that there are, which type do you most enjoy?Task2Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? One of the best ways to learn is by making mistakes. Use specific examples and details to support your opinion.Task3University Should Allow Eating in ClassCurrently, there is a university-wide policy that prohibits eating in the classroom. I disagree with this policy. I think students should be allowed to eat in class. This change would be good for two reasons. For one thing, students were permitted to eat, they would be able to concentrate better, because students often get hungry during long classes, and hunger makes it difficult to concentrate. Also, if food were allowed in classrooms, it would be possible for us to have in-class parties on the last day of class---with snack foods and beverages---to celebrate the end of each semester.The man expresses her opinion about the proposal in the newspaper. Briefly summarize the proposal. Then state her opinion and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.Task4Comfort Zone BiasPsychologists have found that when people make important decision, they often choose to stay in their “Comfort Zone”; that is, they prefer remaining in comfortable, familiar situations, rather than entering into new, unfamiliar ones. This tendency is often referred to as the comfort zone bias. When people are reasonably content, they often decide not to pursue a new opportunity, even if it attracts them and offers more advantages. Psychologists believe that the comfort zone bias exists not only because we have a natural preference for what we already。
