TOEFLライティング練習模試05

Read the passage below. You have 3 minutes to read through:

Folic Acid

Folic acid, or folate, is one of 12 B vitamins and is especially important to women who are pregnant or attempting to become pregnant. It has been shown that adequate folate ingestion during the preconception period helps protect against several congenital malformations such as neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are severe abnormalities of the central nervous system that develop in the first few weeks of embryo development and can result in malformations of the spine, skull, and brain. The most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly. Because of this risk to the health of the embryo, pregnant women especially need proper amounts of folic acid and as a result, it has been proposed that folic acid should be added to bread and other flour products to avoid this problem. However, there are problems that could arise from this measure and it would not solve all of the current problems.

First, even if the folic acid was added to items like bread, women, even a young woman, would not be able to receive an adequate amount of it through a typical diet. The amount of folic acid women would receive would vary greatly depending on the type of diet they maintained. This method would not be a reliable way to solve the problem of pregnant women not receiving adequate amounts of it early in the pregnancy.

Also, by adding extra things to food, it can have adverse effects on the elderly. The addition of folic acid to everyday foods could be dangerous to the elderly community because they generally take supplements that add 400 micrograms (μg) to their daily folic acid intake. Adding folic acid to their daily food would increase this amount to more dangerous levels causing them to have higher levels of unmetabolized folic acid which can accelerate the growth of preneoplastic lesions.

And finally, tablets that add folic acid to the diet of pregnant women are readily available. The levels of folic acid in these tablets are only suitable for pregnant women and guarantee they receive the proper amount when used.

While the lecturer acknowledges the truth behind the need for pregnant women to consume higher levels of folic acid, he disagrees with the methods by which they should get that boost. He believes the method of putting folic acid in bread would be a good way to ensure that pregnant women receive their needed doses.

To begin with, he believes that despite what the article says, women would eat more bread while pregnant. The reading mentions that women, especially young women, might have varying diets that influence how much they eat. The lecturer sees this as not practical because women will do what they need to receive the proper amounts of folic acid while pregnant.

Second, the lecturer tackles the notion that increased folic acid in bread would be bad for the elderly, who can acquire lesions from unmetabolized folic acid in their blood. He explains that there is much unknown information about how much folic acid is harmful to people. Most folic acid is flushed from people’s systems through urination and makes diseases related to excess folic acid a low risk. The health risks of folic acid are simply unsubstantiated.

Third, the lecturer responds to the notion that excess folic acid is necessary during the early stages of pregnancy. While this is true, he points out that many women may be unaware they’re pregnant during the early stages. Therefore, they would have no way of ensuring they are getting the doses they need.

In conclusion, the lecturer points out reasons for supporting putting extra folic acid in bread. He believes that women will adjust their diets to meet this intake or have greater intake even when they don’t know they’re pregnant. Additionally, the risks posed to others, especially the elderly, would be negligible, making this idea a good one.

Attending a new school is troubling for most students. The school and the students are completely new to them, and they might have difficulty making new friends. To make things even worse, most teachers introduce new students in front of the whole class which can make them feel more awkward. To help new students, schools should show them around, introduce them to groups they might enjoy, and offer counseling if they need it.

First, students should be given the opportunity to see the school, how it is set up, and what is available to them. One of the main problems that students face in a new school is that they do not know their way around. It is hard enough being the new kid without taking forever to find the classroom because no one told or showed the student how to get there. Schools usually have an orientation before a new year starts but new students do not always join at the beginning of a school year.

Second, moving away from friends is hard, and making new ones can be just as difficult. But it does not have to be. If teachers and school staff work on introducing a student to groups and organizations within the school, the student will have a better chance at and an easier time making friends. For, groups bring people together based on common interests. If a student is familiarized with groups at the school, s/he will feel welcome and accepted by the others, which will offer a lot of relief from the stress of being “the new kid.”

Finally, students may find it stressful not only in their new school but at home as well. They may face problems outside of school that are only known to them. Therefore, counseling should be available if a student needs it. By offering counseling, students can feel safe knowing they have someone to go to during school if they are having any problems at school or even at home.

In conclusion, we attend school for a good chunk of our lives; the staff at school should be accommodating of students, especially newcomers. If a newcomer does not feel welcome or deals with too much stress, they may become depressed, do poorly, or even drop out of school. Having the extra attention from staff – teachers, group leaders, counselors – would ease the transition to a new school. After all, education is important for everyone, and schools should do their best to make sure they are helping solve problems rather than making them worse.