The following two essays are examples of how test takers can approach this task. The first one covers the text first, then mentions the points made in the lecture. The second one (you may have to click continue) goes right into the listening and contrasts the points made by the professor with those found in the text.
This exercise is on page 426 of DELTA'S Key to the TOEFL iBT Advanced Skill Practice textbook.
TASK: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they differ from specific points made in the reading passage.
FIRST ESSAY:
This set of materials talks about the "fight or flight" mechanism in humans. The reading mentions the various ways we react to stressful situations, while the listening adds to the information, explaining that men and women actually deal with negative situations differently.
According to the reading, our fight or flight mechanism allows us to either deal with a problem head on or flee from it if the problem is too large or difficult to handle. A surge of adrenaline is released in our bodies that triggers this response which leads us to attack someone physically or engage someone in a verbal argument if we decide to fight. On the other hand, if we determine fleeing to be the better choice, we withdraw from the situation by leaving the space and avoid people or engage in habits that separate us from society. This can take the form of drug or alcohol abuse.
The lecture, on the other hand, mentions that the fight or flight response actually only refers to men. The professor points out that most of the research done on this mechanism has been done on men, and there is growing evidence that women react to stress differently. Some scientists say that while men engage in fight or flight behavior, women respond to stress by tending and befriending. As an example, scientists noticed that in their workplace, men who encountered stress tended to verbally attack another person and leave the room, while women who were stressed, tended to clean the lab to deal with the mess. In addition, instead of running away, they tended to sit down and talk to a colleague about their predicament. Women, the scientists noticed, avoided fights and were more apt to diffuse the situation by seeking advice and turning to colleagues for help.
