378 - Audio Scripts s Task #5 – Taxation in America Income tax is a tax on income earned by an individual or a business, such as a company, a partnership, or an organization. This tax is imposed on the net income of the taxpayer. Net income is the result of all earned income reduced by deductions, which are the costs associated with earning the income. A tax on a transaction is called a sales tax. Paid by the purchaser, this tax is a percentage of the price of the item purchased. Sales tax can also be a tax on a service, such as having your hair cut or buying a new car. The government can also impose a tax on property. The property may be real property, such as a house or land, or personal property, such as a car or a boat. Now, if you’re like most Americans, you hate paying taxes, especially income tax. Why do Americans hate paying income tax? For a variety of reasons. First, many Americans don’t pay income tax because the income tax form is simply too complicated. Many fail to understand what all those lines and instructions mean. As a result, they become frustrated and refuse to pay. Next, many believe that income tax unfairly targets the middle class. A good example is Warren Buffett. Buffet, one of the richest men in the world, pays an average of 17% income tax thanks his army of lawyers and accountants while his secretary pays 30%. Finally, Americans hate paying income tax because they think it is a tax on success. Why, many Americans wonder, if I am successful, should I have to hand over all my hard-won cash to Uncle Sam, and get little or nothing in return? Actually, you do get something in return. You get roads, law enforcement and social services, all of which are paid by tax dollars. Track #36 Glossary - 379 academic formal level of education at an institution of higher learning, such as a community college or university. ambiguous not clear; having more than one meaning argument a. the process of arguing with the purpose of persuading or informing an audience; b. a summary of the main points in a literary work automaticity done automatically CBT acronym for computer-based TOEFL test claim to take a position; to express an opinion coherence demonstrating an orderly, logical and aesthetically consistent relation of parts; writing and speaking in a clear and consistent manner context situation; position in time; the background story deduction a form of logic in which a series of premises leads to a conclusion distractor for TOEFL, information purposefully inserted into a question, essay or dialogue that sounds important but is not; information that distracts you from the right answer essay a written argument ETS acronym for Educational Testing Services, the designer and implementer of TOEFL world wide; located in Princeton, New Jersey, USA; www.ets.org evidence facts to support an opinion, claim or conclusion fluency speaking smoothly and easily; naturally iBT acronym for internet-based TOEFL test incoherent lacking coherence; not clear, not intelligible Glossary 380 - Glossary y induction a form of logic in which a conclusion is inferred from examples or evidence lecture a verbal argument or summary of facts main topic the main subject or main idea in an argument off topic not focused on the main topic on topic focused on the main subject obscured hidden; not clear or easily understood opinion a belief, conclusion or claim; also a thesis G+TiC a paragraph argument map that uses deduction as a method of organization: G (general statement = opinion or premise) + T ransition + illustration + Concluding sentence G+TiC=C a three-part argument map that uses deduction as a method of organization: G (general statement = opinion or premise) + TiC (body paragraph) = C (conclusion) G+2TiC=C a four-part argument map that uses deduction as a method of organization: G (general statement = opinion or premise) + 2TiC (two body paragraphs) = C (conclusion) G+3TiC=C a five-part argument map that uses deduction as a method of organization: G (general statement = opinion or premise) + 3TiC (three body paragraphs) = C (conclusion) pace the speed at which one speaks; a slow pace, a fast pace PBT acronym for paper-based TOEFL test; the original TOEFL test premise something considered to be true or factual; used as a starting point for reasoning or for taking action proficient demonstrating skill and knowledge prompt something that moves you to take action; for TOEFL, a question to be answered either verbally or in writing pronunciation the act of producing sounds based on an accepted standard of correctness range a set area; the distance between two points or numbers Glossary - 381 rater for TOEFL, a person trained by ETS to rate (measure) test-taker speaking and writing proficiency according to a set of standardized rubrics rhetorical strategies methods speakers and writers use to develop arguments rhetorical question a question to which no answer is expected rubrics a set of rules; standards syntax the rules of language; grammar thesis an unproved statement used as a premise in an argument; a claim advancing a point of view in an argument 2TiC=C a three-part argument map that uses induction as the method of organization: 2TiC (two body paragraphs) = C (conclusion) 3TiC=C a four-part argument map that uses induction as the method of organization: 3TiC (two body paragraphs) = C (conclusion) to blank out to forget suddenly; to stop thinking suddenly to construct for TOEFL, to develop and deliver verbal and written arguments to digress to move in a different direction to formulate to develop; to construct to imply to see or read a suggestion in a statement to infer to make a conclusion based on the facts presented in a statement to map out to show graphically how different parts logically connect to construct a whole; to make a plan to flame to scream at someone in writing using capital letters to rate for TOEFL, rating (measuring) the proficiency of verbal and written arguments according to a set of standardized rubrics to overstate to say too much; to exaggerate verbal spoken 382 - Glossary y Master the LSAT (608 pages; includes software and 4 official exams) GMAT Prep Course (624 page; includes software and online course) The MCAT Physics Book (444 pages) The MCAT Chemistry Book (496 pages) SAT Prep Course (640 pages; includes software) Law School Basics: A Preview of Law School and Legal Reasoning (224 pages) Vocabularly 4000: 4000 Words for an Educated Vocabulary (160 pages) Nova Press 11659 Mayfield Avenue Los Angeles, CA USA 90049 1-800-949-6175 info@novapress.net www.novapress.net Also From Nova Press . relation of parts; writing and speaking in a clear and consistent manner context situation; position in time; the background story deduction a form of logic. Glossary - 381 rater for TOEFL, a person trained by ETS to rate (measure) test-taker speaking and writing proficiency according to a set of standardized rubrics