In my HS1-M cohort, the other day, we were practicing TOEFL speaking prompts for type 1 questions. These are just personal opinions. During practice, I let the students write out their intended responses, before speaking, so that they feel more in control of their grammar and vocabulary and don't "freeze" in trying to speak.
The prompt was:
In which kind of natural environment (mountains, sea, desert, etc.) would you like to live? Please include specific examples and details in your explanation.
Jiwon, a shy girl who occasionally surprises me, wrote (and then said, more or less effectively), the following (transcribed with grammar and spelling, etc., sic):
I would like to live in a cave. because cave is cool and cover from the light. If I live in a cave, I can greet bears and bats. Sometimes I can meet people. On the other hand, I would like to live in the desert. because In winter, cave is too cold. So I want to build in the desert. Finally, I would like to live in a cave in summer and I would like to live in the desert in winter.
I asked if she was a tropical vampire, or some kind of wild animal.
She grinned, and shrugged. With a mysterious tone, she said, "Maybe."
[daily log: walking, 7km]