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Parks or Libraries? Join the Discussion
Writing
TOEFL-style writing task
Before you submit, check: ✓ I stated my own position clearly in the first sentences ✓ I referred to at least one of the students' ideas and added something new ✓ I gave a specific reason or example for my opinion ✓ I kept a clear, polite academic tone
Your professor is teaching a class on urban planning. Read her question and the two student responses, then write a post of at least 120 words that adds your own view to the discussion. Give your opinion and support it with reasons or examples; do not simply repeat what the students said.
Professor Hale: Many cities have limited budgets. If a city can pay for only one new project this year, should it build a public park or a public library? Explain your position.
Maya: I would choose the park. Green spaces improve people's health, they are free to use at any time, and they bring neighbours together. A library is useful, but most information is now online.
Leo: I think the library is the better investment. It offers books, computers, quiet study space and classes, which can change someone's opportunities in life. A park is pleasant, but it doesn't help people learn new skills.
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Model answer: I partly agree with both students, but if I had to choose, I would build the library. Maya is right that parks are good for health and community life, but many cities already have some green space, even if it is small. A library, on the other hand, provides something that many people cannot find elsewhere.
Leo mentions computers and classes, and I would add that many families do not have a fast internet connection or a quiet room at home. In my town, for example, the public library offers free homework help in the evenings, and children who once struggled with reading now attend regularly. A park cannot offer that kind of support.
Having said that, a library does not need to be only a place for books. If it is designed with a garden or an outdoor reading area, it could give people the benefits of both projects. That compromise would make the money go further.
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