TOEFL iBT WRITING TASK-1//Paid Vacation

TOEFL iBT WRITING TASK-1

 

Paid Vacation:

The writing section tests your ability to write essays in English similar to those that you would write in College courses. 

The integrated Essay: 

First, you will read an academic passage and then you will listen to a lecture on the same topic. You may take notes as you read and listen, but notes are not graded. You may use your notes to write the essay. The reading passage will disappear while you are listening to the lecture, but the passage will return to the screen for reference when you begin to write your essay. You will have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise your response. Typically, a good essay for the integrated topic will require that you write 150-225 words.

Read:

3 minutes:

In a recent survey of developed nations, it was found that workers in the United States receive the least number of paid vacation days in the world. Although many Americans are paid for ten national holidays, they are not legally entitled to any paid vacation time in spite of the fact that paid vacations bring benefits not only to the employee but also to the company. Employees with paid vacation are less likely to call in unexpectedly. Companies with paid vacation benefits have more control over unscheduled absenteeism, which allows for more predictable coverage of responsibilities. Being able to plan is critical to most companies. Moreover, time off from the work environment assures the company of a workforce that is healthier and more productive after the break. People who take vacations exhibit lower stress levels, less risk of heart disease, a more positive attitude, and higher motivation to achieve goals. Surprisingly, the effects of a vacation appear to be beneficial for as long as eight weeks before the actual leave from work. Employees looking forward to a break tend to tie up loose ends on their jobs before they go. After they return they are rested and their productivity is significantly higher than it was before their time away from work. Vacation time also has the advantage of attracting more highly qualified employees. Those employees with the best qualifications can select from among several offers. Candidates who are the most difficult to recruit will be more likely to sign on when a company provides an attractive vacation plan. For a company to be the most competitive, it is advantageous to appeal to a highly qualified team. Companies that do not choose to offer paid vacation time may save money in the short term: however, an investment in time off for their employees would probably be smarter in the long run.

Summarize the main points in the lecture, and then explain how they cast doubt on the ideas in the reading passage. The lecturer contradicts the points in the reading passage that make a case for more paid vacation time for employees. First, he disagrees with the assumption that companies will have more control over absenteeism because employees will schedule their time around vacation days. He explains that emergencies cannot be predicted or arranged around a vacation schedule: therefore, the company is not able to control or plan for absences at critical times in spite of generous paid vacations. Second, he concedes that some evidence suggests a relationship between vacations and good health as well as productivity. However, he argues that many employees do not use their vacation days to rest and relax. In fact, many employees use the time to participate in stressful activities that they are unable to accomplish during the usual work week. Instead of taking a break, they rush to do as much as possible in a short time, leaving them exhausted by the time that they return to the work schedule.  Third, although paid vacation days could be attractive to some employees that a company may wish to recruit, the lecturer points out that contract negotiation is a highly individual process. Whereas some candidates would like more paid vacation days, others would prefer other benefits such as health care, higher salaries, or a fast track to promotion. In short, the lecturer does not believe that more paid vacation days would be in the best interest of American companies.