Have students turn in lapes and essays. If you have voice mail and choose to use it for home¬work assignments, students can phone you and leave a one-minute response to a speaking task. Spend grading time on these important sections. Bring samples oi good work to class— good organization, good openings, good support statements, good closings. Catch your stu¬dents doing something good and use it as an example. | 260 REVIEW OF TOEFL iBT SECTIONS Essay Question Summarize the nebular hypothesis that is described in the reading and then explain how the lecture supports the hypothesis. Integrated Essay The nebular hypothesis posits that between four and five million years ago a cloud of dust and gas containing all of the elements in the solar system collapsed under the force of gravity an event which caused the cloud to spin and flatten into a disk. Then a stronger gravitational pull caused bodies to merge and pull apart forming planetesimals that eventually shaped the planets that exist today. The planets near the Sun which we call the terrestrial planets tolerated higher temperatures but the planets farther away had a composition more similar to the original cloud and condensed when exposed to the lower temperature. The fact that the planets orbit close to the same plane is evidence for the hypothesis. Furthermore new technologies have allowed us to test the hypothesis with a computer model which replicates the original conditions. According to scientists the formation of planets is a natural result of the process that occurs in the formation of a star. Moreover the nebular hypothesis suggests that there are other solar systems in the universe some of which could support life. Checklist for Integrated Essay The essay answers the topic question. Inaccuracies in the content are minor. The essay is direct and well-organized. The sentences are logically connected. Details and examples support the main idea. The writer expresses complete thoughts. The meaning is easy to comprehend. A wide range of vocabulary is used. The writer paraphrases in his her own words. The writer credits the author with wording. Errors in grammar and idioms are minor. The essay is within a range of 150-225 words. Evaluator s Comments The writer has responded to both parts of the question using transition words to connect the sentences logically. The content is accurate and easy to understand. Excellent .
