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📘 TOEFL Speaking Task 3 – 100 Most Repeated Academic Topics (2025)
Here’s the topic bank (100 areas ETS repeats a lot) — grouped by subject:
🧠 Psychology & Human Behavior (1–25)
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Classical conditioning
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Operant conditioning
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Positive vs. negative reinforcement
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Cognitive dissonance
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Selective attention
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Habituation
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Observational learning
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Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
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Self-fulfilling prophecy
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Short-term vs. long-term memory
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Schema theory
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Role of emotions in decision-making
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Problem-solving strategies
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Heuristics vs. algorithms
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Groupthink
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Social conformity
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Altruism
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Bystander effect
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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
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Classical vs. operant learning differences
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Learned helplessness
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Procrastination psychology
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Effects of multitasking
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Role of stress in performance
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Mirror neurons
🌍 Environment & Ecology (26–50)
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Ecological succession
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Keystone species
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Symbiosis (mutualism, parasitism, commensalism)
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Invasive species
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Biodiversity importance
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Niche theory
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Predator–prey relationship
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Food chains vs. food webs
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Trophic levels
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Carrying capacity
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Adaptation vs. evolution
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Habitat fragmentation
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Conservation strategies
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Desertification
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Climate change impacts on species
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Energy flow in ecosystems
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Competition vs. cooperation among species
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Human impact on ecosystems
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Ecological footprint
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Succession in forests (primary vs. secondary)
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Renewable vs. non-renewable resources
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Ecosystem resilience
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Wetland importance
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Carbon cycle
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Water cycle
📚 Education & Sociology (51–70)
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Cooperative learning
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Constructivism in education
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Hidden curriculum
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Cultural assimilation
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Social norms
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Role of peer pressure
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Social mobility
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Influence of media on society
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Gender roles in culture
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Urbanization effects
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Rural vs. urban education
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Standardized testing debate
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Role of technology in education
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Distance learning benefits
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Cultural capital
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Role of teachers’ expectations
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Globalization and education
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Social stratification
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Innovation diffusion
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Role of language in identity
🌋 Natural & Physical Sciences (71–100)
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Plate tectonics
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Erosion vs. weathering
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Volcano formation
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Earthquake causes
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Rock cycle
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Fossilization process
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Photosynthesis
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Cellular respiration
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DNA replication
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Evolution by natural selection
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Adaptation to environment
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Speciation
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Genetic drift
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Natural selection vs. artificial selection
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Renewable energy sources (solar, wind)
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Non-renewable energy (coal, oil)
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Greenhouse effect
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Ozone layer depletion
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Water pollution effects
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Air pollution impacts
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Renewable agriculture
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Ocean currents and climate
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El Niño phenomenon
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Seasons and Earth’s tilt
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Gravity and planetary motion
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Light refraction
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Sound waves
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Electricity basics
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Magnetism
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Newton’s laws of motion
📖 Example (How Task 3 Looks)
Reading (Concept):
Ecological Succession is the natural process by which ecosystems change and develop over time. Primary succession occurs in areas where no life previously existed, while secondary succession happens in places where an ecosystem was disturbed but soil remains.
Lecture (Professor):
“In Yellowstone National Park, after a massive wildfire, plants and animals slowly returned. Because soil was already there, this was secondary succession. Small plants grew first, followed by shrubs and eventually trees. This shows how ecosystems recover after disturbance.”
Question:
Explain the concept of ecological succession and how the professor’s example illustrates it.