TOEFL integrated writing: Chevalier de Seingalt

The reading claims that Chevalier’s memoir is doubtful and he wrote…….and provides three reasons to support. However, the professor explains that this memoir is accurate all over and it is a reliable historical source. He refutes each reasons of the author opinion.

First, the article states that skeptics argue that Chevalier was not a rich person, as he mentioned in his memoir, and he borrowed money to spend it on his parties. Conversely, the professor opposes this point by saying that taking money from others is not evidence that he was poor. She states that when Chevalier ran out of cash, he had to sell some his properties and that took him a lot of time to convert it. So he borrowed money.

Second, the professor confirmed that the conversations between Chevalier and Voltaire were accurate, in opposition to the reading. She explains that every night, after the conversation, Chevalier wrote every word he could remember. Also, there was witness that confirmed that he recorded his notes and these notes were kept for a long time.

Third, the reading posits that critics claim that Chevalier had been paid money to get out of prison instead of escaping as he mentioned in his memoir and he had a lot of friends who helped him. But the professor states that there were many prisoners that had more powerful friend but couldn’t get out of the prison. In addition, there was a government document that indicates that they have to repair Chevalier’s old room ceiling after he left. And this was evidence of his escape.