TOEFL IBT Writing Answering Practice #13

 Sample Text 3:

In response to rising concerns over the global obesity epidemic, an international health body is lobbying for additional taxation on unhealthy food. Under such a policy, the producers of these junk foods, which typically are nutritionally-low with high fat and sugar content, would have to pay extra in order to sell them in supermarkets or serve them in restaurants. However, opponents believe it will not succeed in making the population healthier for a number of reasons.

Firstly, people should be allowed to eat whatever they like without being punished for their decisions. When people choose to eat unhealthy things, they are aware that these foods are unhealthy but feel that the enjoyment they get from eating it outweighs the long-term health costs. Additional taxation would therefore only prevent people from eating what they enjoy.

Secondly, taxation would increase the price of certain types of food, but this increase would not be enough to affect purchasing behaviour. If a meal or an item at the supermarket were only one or two percent higher in price, it would be unlikely that consumers would even notice the tax. Ultimately it would simply mean these consumers would have less disposable income to spend on a more varied diet.

Lastly, it is not entirely evident that taxing junk food would result in people eating more healthy food. In this view, the problem is not the low price of less healthy food but the high price of healthier options. These would remain the same as before and these are what generally prevent consumers from purchasing them regularly. As a result, this policy does nothing to promote healthier food or cultivate more wholesome eating habits among the population.

Question: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt on specific points made in the reading passage.

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Endemic of obesity is truly happening, even if the lecture didn't provide any data, but personally I've seen on my own eyes the negative impact of obesity.

According to the lecture, one of the solution to reduce obesity spread is to increase tax to junk foods. Theoretically, yes it could reduce desire of people to eat more junk food on their daily life, but some people think it will be useless.

People choose what they eat, whatever they like. Even if it dangerous for them. Perhaps they knew that junk food is not good for their health in the long term, but in the short-term maybe it will give them enjoyment that actually healthy for their mentality health.

Secondly, if the rise of the tax is not noticeable to consumers, it will not change their habit. But, backfire, people will decrease their purchasing power to buy other variety of food.

Lastly, the fact is, healthy food is more expensive than junk food. So if the tax not make overlapping price to the healthier food, it will not change any habit of people. Even so, economy will be disturbed, as we now junk food ecosystem is not small industry, if the price too high then the demand get lower instantly, it will cost many problems such as non-employment, low income along the supply chain.

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