In the past, people didn’t have half the technology we have nowadays. That’s why life was so different even in the way people spend their holidays.
In fact, people were not able to travel such long distances in such a short period of time because the planes were not popular and they used to be a very expensive means of transport. In addition, people used to socialize more due to the lack of means of entertainment. They would wake up early in the moring to work on the farm and do some house chores, then spend the rest of the day doing indoor activites such as reading books and listening to the radio or visiting friends, relatives and neighours. There used to be strong bonds then. In contrast, there’s a variety of activities nowadays thanks to the abundance of means of technology and entertainment. People can spend their holidays doing different activities such as swimming, water skiing and canoeing. Other activities include shopping, sightseeing and travelling because unlike in the past, people nowadays have fast and comfortable cars. The technology also helps them to have more relaxing and enjoyable life doing fun activities such as surfing the net, watching TV and playing video games. All in all, both types of lives have their own uniqueness. The old one is simple but is thought to be boring by some people and interesting and fun by some others. The modern life is difficult and stressful yet it is thought to be exciting and comfortable by many people.
TOEFL listening discussions: A conversation between a professor and a university student in the professor’s office
Good English, neat and concise.
I’m going to deliberately nitpick for you to sound even more stylish.
In the past, people didn’t have half the technology we have nowadays. That’s why life was so different even in the way people spend [t] their holidays.
In fact,* people were not able to travel such long distances in such a short period of time because the planes were not popular\so common and they used to be a very expensive means of transport. In addition, people used to socialize more due to the lack of means of entertainment. They would wake up early in the moring to work on the farm\to farm and do some house chores, then spend the rest of the day doing indoor activites such as reading books and listening to the radio or visiting friends, relatives and neighours. There used to be strong bonds then. In contrast, there’s a variety of activities nowadays thanks to the abundance of means of technology and entertainment. People can spend their holidays doing different activities such as swimming, water skiing and canoeing. Other activities include shopping, sightseeing and travelling** because unlike in the past, people nowadays have\own fast and comfortable cars. The technology also helps them to have more relaxing and enjoyable life doing*** fun activities such as surfing the net, watching TV and playing video games. All in all, both types of lives\lifestyles have their own uniqueness.**** The old one is simple but is thought to be boring by some people and interesting and fun by [some] others. The modern life is difficult and stressful yet it is thought to be exciting and comfortable by many people.
“In the past” sounds too broad, and needs some definition for me: ‘some 50\100… years ago’.
*” in fact–used to emphasize the truth of an assertion, especially one opposite to what might be expected or what has been asserted: the brook trout is in fact a char" Simple ‘People were’ would be better in my view.
** I’d go with ‘travelling and sightseeing’
*** I’d not apply the verb ‘to do’ to watching TV; ‘doing fun activities such as surfing the net and playing video games, or entertain oneself by watching TV’ perhaps could fit the bill.
**** have their advantages each in its own way.
I’d think of more arguments in terms of “Comparing holidays”