Essay 01 (Student Behaviour)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:
In many countries, schools have severe problems with student behaviour.
What do you think are the causes of this?
What solutions can you suggest?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Answer
(This essay is written in a detailed manner. Students can be asked
to summarise it in 250 words. Common usages which can be
studied are given in italics. Alternative vocabulary is given in
brackets. Teachers can encourage students to pay special attention
to these words.)
Poor student behaviour is a major problem faced by schools across the
globe especially in the western world. This is due to (this can be attributed
to) certain sociological and psychological problems that are
encountered, while bringing up children. Both parents and teachers should
play a responsible role in tackling (handling, solving, dealing with) this
problem effectively.

Parents today have too many responsibilities, other than (apart

from) looking after the affairs of their families, which has resulted in
children getting less attention and care. Parents need to inculcate
(instill) good values in young children and discipline them at an early age,
or else (if not) it would result in disruptive (unruly) behaviour at home
and in school. In many instances, children are left alone in the company of
television sets, computer screens and toys, and consequently, (as a
consequence, as a result) they fail to develop (lack) interpersonal
skills and human values, which they learn by interacting with their parents
and siblings.

Furthermore, parents provide them with many material comforts,

which can sometimes (may) make them selfish and greedy. Children who
come from such family backgrounds (would) often create many problems
for teachers and their schoolmates. Parents should never shy away
from (shirk their responsibility of) spending quality time with their
children on a regular basis, which would help them to monitor their
children’s behaviour and give suitable advice whenever there is a need.

Another reason for problematic behaviour among children is that teachers

lack effective training in dealing with children who have various behavioural
and psychological inadequacies (problems). Children, who come from
broken or problematic families, in order to ventilate their frustration, often
create problems in schools, which can only be tackled by trained teachers
or counsellors. Many teachers become defensive and show little tact when
children show such behavioural abnormalities. Erratic handling
of such problems can result in (lead to) aggravating the issue. I believe
that this problem can be effectively addressed if parents and teachers are
trained in scientific ways of dealing with children. Schools should appoint
specially trained counsellors, who can assist teachers in dealing with
problematic children.

As mentioned above, both parents and teachers have a crucial role to play
in normalising the behaviour of children in schools. Scientific ways of
handling children with troublesome behaviour can go a long way in dealing
with them efficiently.

Essay 02 (Taller building)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

As populations grow and cities become more crowded, there is

pressure throughout the world to construct ever-taller building to
provide accommodation and offices. Many people object to such
developments, citing the social as well as the physical dangers.
Do you agree with objections to skyscrapers?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.

The objections to skyscrapers are unfounded as they are found to be the

only remedy for the ever increasing demand for space for housing and other
purposes. Although certain social as well as physical dangers are attributed
to such buildings, they remain the most beneficial invention of man
concerning the organisation of space within the geographical limitations of
a particular area, especially cities.

The most important benefit of skyscrapers is that maximum space can be

made available within a limited geographical area. As price for land is
skyrocketing especially in big cities and its availability is does not increase,
this seems to be the only solutions for people to own space at moderate
expenses. If one takes the example of a city like Bangalore in India, where
the land prices are very high, huge buildings are erected within the city
limits for residential as well as commercial purposes. This saves huge
amount of money and land for individuals and organisations, which can
used for other purposes. Large areas are not available in big cities and
hence people can operate businesses and live within the city limits.
Another important benefit of skyscrapers is that it gives an outstanding look
to the skyline of big cities, which means that most of these buildings are
constructed in an aesthetic fashion. Such high rise structures usually give
a magnificent look to the city compared to smaller buildings. If you would
examine the landmarks of most of the cities, they are certainly these high
rise buildings. For instance, the Opera House in Sydney and the destroyed
World Trade Centre in New York are examples of such architectural
wonders. Many architects believe that taller buildings have greater scope
for architectural liberties.

There are people who believe that such buildings are always at a greater
risk of crumbling down, which can cause enormous damage to life and
property. Moreover, living within the limited space make life congested with
more people and cars making the city congested. These are minor
distractions in the face of the enormous benefits that such multi-storey
buildings can bring.

In conclusion, sky scrapers are here to stay and people are constructing
more and more such buildings and enjoy their benefits.

Essay 03 (Health budgets)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Most developed countries spend a large proportion of their health budgets

on expensive medical technology and procedures. This money should be
spent instead on health education to keep people well. To what extent do
you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.

Answer
The idea of diverting the money assigned for expensive medical technology
and procedures towards health education will not ensure the health of the
people.

Firstly, health education has only a limited role in dealing with a large
number health related problems. For example, in order to treat patients
who meet with serious accidents huge expenses are required to diagnose
and perform medical procedures. Many diseases like cancers and strokes
cannot be avoided just by educating people about preventive measures.
Furthermore, there are many diseases that are hereditary, like heart
ailments and psychiatric problem which require expensive treatment.
Secondly, in spite of continuous awareness programmes through the media
or education, many people do not have the discipline to keep away from
unhealthy practices. An ideal example would be the increasing popularity
of fast foods, which can cause many life style diseases like blood pressure,
cardiac problems and diabetes, especially among the young. Educating
people about taking precautions against diseases is definitely an important
aspect of ensuring the health of the people, but greater importance should
be given to treatment of people who are affected by diseases.

On the other hand, health awareness programmes have made great

contributions in reducing spread of many epidemics like small pox, bird flu
and other viral infections. People have realised the importance of living in
a hygienic environments in order to keep away from many common
ailments. The prevention of AIDS has been made possible through the
world wide awareness programme undertaken by WHO and similar
organisations. Greater allocation of funds is required in this area of
healthcare but it should not be at the expense of reducing the expenses
involved in expensive medical technology and procedures.

In conclusion, the present system of giving greater budgetary allocation to

expensive medical care is reasonable.

Essay 04 (History at school)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some children find learning history at school very exciting, but many others
think it is very boring. In what ways can history be brought to life for all
school children.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Although history forms a significant portion of the school curriculum, many

students find it not very interesting either because they need to remember
many dates and facts or they believe that it is not relevant to their life.
Teachers can adopt a number of ways to make history alive and interesting
to students.

One of the best ways to make history exciting to students is to take them
to historical sites and museums where they can have a direct experience of
the objects of history. For instance, when teaching about the rulers of the
past, they can be taken to ancient palaces and similar archaeological sites.
This can increase the curiosity of students in history and make it attractive
for them. Subsequently, students would show greater interest in gaining
such information.

Another important method to attract student’s attention is to encourage

them to conduct research in history, using the internet and other resource
materials. Historical movies and documentaries also can generate interest
among students about history. This will help them to familiarise with events
and figures of yesteryears.

Students can also be asked to do projects on specific areas of history by

producing posters and information booklets. Teachers can help students to
interpret the events of today using similar happenings from history, which
would make them understand the relevance of history in their daily lives.

If teachers take a special interest in engaging students in such activities, I

believe that history will never be a boring subject for them.

Essay 05 (Previous generation)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people feel that young people face more pressure today than the
equivalent age groups did in previous generations. Others think they have
a much easier life than their parents did. What is your opinion?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

The youth of the previous generations, I believe, did experience greater

pressure compared to the present generation of young people, owing to
several economic, social and professional issues they encountered.

In the past, the economic condition in many families, especially in

developing countries like India, was not as stable as it is today. Hence, the
physical, educational, professional and recreational needs of young people
were not sufficiently met. For instance, if a young person wanted to pursue
higher studies, it was often not possible as it was not affordable to many
families. On the other hand, it is much easier for today’s children to get
higher education because of the better economic situation in modern
families. Therefore, the level of stress experienced by today’s young
generation is comparatively less.
Secondly, even in professional fields, today’s youth have greater
opportunities, in securing a job or moving from one to another. For
example, if you would take a country like India, in the last few years the
economic progress achieved by the nation has created enormous job
opportunities for the educated youth. In contrast, many young people a
few decades ago experienced a great deal of stress because of the lack of
job opportunities, in spite of their educational qualifications. The economic
freedom enjoyed by the young generation of the present age has helped
them to lead a more comfortable and relaxed life.

However, one should not ignore the fact that young professionals today
experience enormous stress at work due to stiff targets, demanding
deadlines and long working hours. The challenges are intense even in
competitive examinations to get into professional courses.

Nonetheless, compared to the past, the present young generation

experience lower levels of stress and lead an easier life.

Essay 06 (Many rules)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Governments make many rules to protect people from danger, for

example, by making people wear seat belts in cars or not allowing
smoking in public buildings. However, many people believe that
there are too many rules nowadays.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Governments have the responsibility of ensuring the safety of their citizens

by imposing certain restrictions that might seem unnecessary. Although it
may restrict their freedom to a certain extent, experiences have proved
that many dangers have been averted by imposing these safety measures.

Rules and regulations cause minor inconveniences to people but it should

be weighed against the safety aspects of individual and social living. It is a
reality that hundreds of accidents are caused due to drunken driving. Since
there are many rules against driving under the influence of alcohol, many
accidents that could cause great damage to human life and property, are
avoided. Those who believe that such rules interfere with their freedom pay
with their own lives and that of others. The conclusion one can draw from
these experiences is that people should tolerate certain inconveniences, in
order to protect their lives from possible dangers.

Littering and spitting in public places is considered a serious offence

in Singapore, which is dealt with serious fines. People in countries like India,
that do not have such strict rules on public hygiene may not realise the
value of such a regulation but this has made Singapore one of the most
beautiful and cleanest countries in the world. When people learn the
benefits of certain restrictions, they would begin to appreciate such
constrains on their freedom.

However, in certain case, we may find that some rules are unnecessary and
ineffective. These are only rare instances and citizens have the right to
raise objections against them. Any sensible government would revoke such
rules and regulations if it finds them unproductive.

In general, the rules that we have are not too many but essential for the
smooth functioning of any civil society. The absence of such controls would
lead to chaos and confusion in public life.

Essay 07 (Excess packaging)

Write about the following topic:

Some people feel that manufacturers and supermarkets have the

responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging of goods. While others
argue that customers should avoid buying goods with a lot of packaging.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

There is a growing tendency among manufacturers to present their

products in excess packaging and supermarkets exhibit them to attract
customers, who are often lured by such products. In order to reduce the
amount of packaging, all the parties involved in creating such a trend
should make a joint effort in this direction.

Since many people today equate quality with superior packaging,

companies would not often take the risk of reducing it for fear of losing
their market share. However, branded companies that are already
established in the market can experiment with simple covering, without the
fear of losing the popularity of their products. But it has to be done with
wide publicity through the media and the financial benefits should be
passed on to customers, or else, it could sometime become
counterproductive. For example, multinational companies like ‘Colgate’ can
successfully give up expensive packaging of their toothpastes with
economical alternatives.

Similarly, customers also have a role to play, by showing greater interest

towards items in simple packing. This would motivate increasing number of
producers to pack their products using inexpensive materials. Super
markets would also be encouraged to showcase such products with greater
visibility.

On the other hand, the amount of packaging also indicates the need to
ensure the durability, safety and freshness of products. For instance, most
instant foods are packed in several layers using expensive materials like
aluminium foil and superior plastic, with the purpose of longer shelf life.
Hence, lighter packaging of products should be introduced only after taking
these aspects into consideration.

In conclusion, manufacturers, supermarkets and customers have a

collective role in reducing the amount of packaging of products.

Essay 08 (Drop PE from school)

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples
from your own knowledge or experience.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Because of the pressure of new subjects such as business studies,

many schools have dropped sport or physical education (PE) from
the curriculum. How important is sport or PE in a young person’s
education.

You should write at least 250 words.

Excluding sport or physical education from school curriculum, I would

consider, is an unwise step, even if it is to accommodate professionally
relevant subjects like business studies.

The active participation of students in physical education can help them to

develop a healthy body which is immune to many common diseases. Child
obesity, which is a common phenomenon, especially in western countries
is often associated with lack of physical exercise. This can eventually lead
to many lifestyle diseases, like diabetes and high blood pressure even at
an early age. School is the best place where a young person can be
motivated and initiated into sports. Although there may be other facilities
like clubs and gymnasium where children can participate in sports, there
are many practical difficulties. If schools avoid sports from its curriculum,
many students would not participate in any kind of physical activity, leading
to an unhealthy future generation.

Participating in sports can help students to develop sportsman spirit, skills

of socialisation and a spirit of competition. It is also an opportunity for them
to ease their stress created by spending long hours in classrooms. It is
often seen that children who actively participate in group sports have
greater ability to handle anxiety and tension-filled situations associated
with their studies.

Moreover, the concept of developing the comprehensive personality of a

student will definitely receive a setback, if physical education is removed
from school curriculum. Again, extraordinary sports talents are usually
spotted and nurtured in schools that give importance to physical education
along with academic studies.

In the final analysis, although it may sometimes seem that physical

education is unnecessary in today’s education system because of the
importance given to career oriented subjects, it will definitely hamper the
physical and emotional development of children.

Essay 009 (modern work patterns and stress)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

More and more people claim that modern work patterns are a source of
stress. What do you think are the causes of this? Can you suggest some
possible solutions?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Modern work patterns have definitely led to a stress filled work environment. This
could be attributed to several professional and personal issues guiding quality and
productivity in modern work places. Effective management practices to deal with
such situations can play a significant role in reducing the severity of this problem
considerably.
Firstly, capitalist free economies have encouraged increasing levels of competition
in the market, which has led to a situation where companies compete with each
other in order to establish the superiority of their products and services and
increase profit. The major responsibility of achieving these goals would obviously
be transferred to workers at various levels, who are forced to improve their skills
at work. When people work in target oriented and quality conscious work places,
it would naturally increase their levels or stress.

Again, companies often need to deliver their services within a stipulated time
frame with the required quality. To meet these deadlines, employees have to work
for long hours and this can definitely lead to a stressful work environment. Strict
supervisory policy of managerial staff is another prime reason for this situation.
Software companies and travel agencies are ideal examples of such work
practices.

Scientific human resource management policies can tackle this situation quiet
effectively. I believe, the most obvious solution is to create relaxed environments
at work, where employees can work effectively in a comfortable manner. For
example, most software companies today provide gym facilities and other sports
activities for employees, which they can use during their break times. A further
step would be, to reduce the hours of work, so that it may not exceed the physical
and psychological capacity of workers. Another possibility is to encourage workers
to use their weekends and holidays more effectively by spending with their families
or for picnics.

In conclusion, a certain level of stress is inevitable in today’s workplaces but

effective human resources policies can reduce it considerably.

The words and phrases to study.

This could be attributed to

considerably
increasing levels of competition
establish the superiority
responsibility of achieving these goals would obviously be
transferred to
target oriented and quality conscious work place
within a stipulated time frame
can tackle this situation
the most obvious solution
A further step would be
it may not exceed the physical and psychological capacity of
workers
Another possibility is
a certain level of stress is inevitable
Essay 010 (traditional values have been lost)
People nowadays work hard to buy more things. This has generally made
our lives more comfortable, but many traditional values and customs have
been lost and this s a pity.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Essay
In pursuit of material comforts, modern man strives to achieve better
financial status. This may be, sometimes at the cost of ignoring
traditional value systems and customs. However, I believe, although a
minority falls into this category, the major portion of the society
still upholds traditional values in the midst of material prosperity.

It is sometimes said that respect for elderly parents, which was a

traditional value does not find any place in today’s families. This is purely
a based on the wrong assumption that old parents should be allowed
to interfere into the affairs of their children and make decisions for them.
In fact, today’s parents respect the freedom of their children and in turn,
children are more independent and stand on their feet earlier than before.
Today’s children maintain a friendly relationship with their parents but that
does not mean that they do not respect them. Today, respect for parents
is borne out of children’s freedom and not a result of fear, which in many
instances used to be the case in the past. Such attitude of today’s
generation is sometimes misinterpreted as lack of respect for their
parents. What one can derive from this example is that traditional
values remain unchanged, although their expressions may take different
forms in the passage of time.

Visiting neighbourhood houses used to be a favourite custom for people in

the past, which helped them in fostering friendly relationship with one’s
neighbours. However, this is not possible today, since people are too busy
as they work for long hours outside their homes to meet the ever-increasing
demands of modern life. But this has been effectively compensated
by the formation of neighbourhood clubs and similar groups where people
meet during weekends and engage in many entertainment and social
activities. This provides them greater opportunities to develop a friendly
relationship with their neighbours.

Man’s quest for material prosperity does not always lead to the loss of
traditional values, which can be clearly proved by our own
experiences to that effect. Although the circumstances change, man
remains the same old ethical being.
ESSAY 011 (The pay of professional sports people)
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people believe that professional sportspeople are paid too much
money nowadays in relation to their usefulness to society.
Do you agree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Acknowledging the great contributions made by sports people to the

society, the remuneration that they receive, cannot be considered
excessive.

The usefulness of sports people can hardly be matched by any other

professionals including scientists, doctors or teachers. Successful players
possess extraordinary talent which is nurtured through hard work,
determination and perseverance. Only a handful sports people reach great
heights and earn huge remuneration, as a reward for their economic and
entertainment value. For example, multinationals cash on the popularity of
sports icons, like the footballer Christiano Ronaldo, and they endorse major
brands. This obviously would result in the bulk sale of these products and
these companies reward their brand ambassadors with huge remuneration.

Successful sports professionals are role models of the society, especially to

the young generation, as they motivate them through their hard work and
dedication. Furthermore, they enhance the prestige of the nation by
winning international competitions and entertain millions of sports viewers
even beyond their national boundaries. Hence they deserve a huge
remuneration for the contribution they make to the society, which is
unequalled by any other professionals. Countries
like Brazil and Argentina take great pride in their teams winning the Football
World Cup and reward their players with fitting financial assistance.
Moreover, many sports people contribute a major share of their finances to
charitable and philanthropic activities. Even after retirement, some sports
stars work as goodwill ambassadors or sports trainers.

On the other hand, there are certain professionals who make great
contributions to society like, teachers, nurses and soldiers but are not paid
in accordance with their role in the welfare of the society. Government has
the responsibility of increasing their remuneration in order to reward their
services to the community.
While considering the usefulness of sports professionals to the society, I would favour the
huge amount of money that they receive

Essay 012 (Drop physical education from Schools.)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Because of the pressure of new subjects such as business studies, many

schools have dropped sport or physical education (PE) from the curriculum.
How important is sport or PE in a young person’s education.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.

Excluding sport or physical education from school curriculum, I would

consider, is an unwise step, even if it is to accommodate professionally
relevant subjects like business studies.

The active participation of students in physical education can help them to

develop a healthy body which is immune to many common diseases. Child
obesity, which is a common phenomenon, especially in western countries
is often associated with lack of physical exercise. This can eventually lead
to many lifestyle diseases, like diabetes and blood pressure even at an early
age. School is the best place where a young person can be motivated and
initiated into sports. Although there may be other facilities like clubs and
gymnasium where children can participate in sports, there are many
practical difficulties for children to go there. If schools avoid sports from its
curriculum, many students would not participate in any kind of physical
activity, leading to an unhealthy future generation.

Participating in sports can help students to develop sports man spirit, skills
of socialisation and a spirit of competition. It is also an opportunity for them
to ease their stress created by spending long hours in classrooms. It is
often seen that children who actively participate in group sports have
greater ability to handle anxiety and tension-filled situations. Moreover, the
concept of developing the comprehensive personality of a student will
definitely receive a setback, if physical education is removed from school
curriculum. Again, extraordinary sports talents are usually spotted and
nurtured in schools that give importance to physical education along with
academic studies.

In the final analysis, although it may sometimes seem that physical

education is unnecessary in today’s education system because of the
importance given to career oriented subjects, it will definitely hamper the
physical and emotional development of children.

Essay 013 (Euthanasia or mercy killing)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Euthanasia, or mercy killing, has been a controversial issue for many years.
Although many people are strongly against such a practice, there is a
growing demand to have it legalised. How far do you agree with euthanasia
being made legal?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Although certain human right groups and religious organisations may raise
objections to the legalisation of mercy killing, from a practical point of view
it has enormous benefits for the critically ill patients who have no hope of
coming back to normal life.

In the first place, legalisation of euthanasia can save the expenditure

involved in sustaining lives of many terminally ill patients, who just live
with the help of sophisticated medical equipments like ventilators. It is
unreasonable to spend huge amounts of money on medicines, medical
personnel and equipments, since such people are unlikely to recover.
Governments in many orthodox Muslim countries spend millions of dinars
for sustaining the lives of patients in vegetative state, because their
religious law prohibits euthanasia. In fact, the money wasted for this
purpose can be used for treating other patients who can be brought back
to a healthy life.

Again, in certain extreme cases, it can also be end the hardships and
excruciating physical and mental agony of patients who are in the last
stages of certain critical illnesses like cancer. Since the law does not allow
mercy killing, the last few days are often a trying time for both the patients
and their close relatives and friends. Legalisation of this practice can
definitely give these patients a peaceful end through a clinically assisted
death.

On the other hand, there are arguments that there could be incidents of
illegal elements misusing this law for their personal advantage. Strict laws
and proper surveillance can definitely prevent the occurrence of crimes
related to this issue. Religious people who object to the legalisation of
mercy killing or moral grounds should consider the practical difficulties
involved in preserving a life in vegetative state.

If proper guidelines are put forward by the authorities, to determine the

validity of a legal euthanasia, it will prove to be a great blessing for many
patients who survive just because of a life-sustaining equipment attached
to their body.

Essay 014 (formal examinations or course work)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Only formal examinations, written or practical, can give a clear picture

of students’ true knowledge and ability at university level. Continuous
assessment like course work and projects are poor measures of
student ability. How far do agree with this latter statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience
You should write at least 250 words.

The assessment methods of students’ ability at the university level

are now undergoing many conceptual changes in the recent times.
Traditionalist would argue that formal examination is the best
approach in analysing the academic performance of a student, but
researches, of late, have continuously proved the superiority of
course work and projects in judging the comprehensive ability of a
student.

In the first place, formal examinations can, sometimes, generate

exam phobia among students, as they are usually conducted at the
end of the term, which certainly means that students are forced to
study an extensive syllabus. This would generate a great amount of
stress and fear among many students. In such circumstances,
students may not be able to perform to the best of their potential,
which is a drawback of this type of assessment. On the other hand,
continuous assessment and course work help students to approach
examinations in a relaxed manner. Such examinations take place
throughout the year, which means students do not have to study the
whole syllabus at the end of the term.

Secondly, formal examinations mainly test the rote memory of

students, whereas continuous assessments and project work help
students do a great deal of research and discover information by
themselves. The second method, certainly tests the creative ability of
students in a more efficient way as compared to formal examinations.

In conclusion, course work and project works have proved to be much

more effective in assessing the comprehensive ability of students.
Such methods have benefited students in approaching examinations
in a very relaxed manner.

Essay 015 (technology for the care of the old)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

High technology is now being harnessed to help the elderly by providing

monitoring, tracking and, perhaps one day robots as companions. Whilst
there are obvious benefits for the elderly in these developments, some
people are uneasy about the social consequences.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

The social consequences of using high technology in the care of the elderly,
if any, are inconsequential, compared to the enormous benefits it has
brought about in the lives of the aged as well as those who take care of
them.

The devices that provide monitoring, tracking and many other facilities
have enabled old people to have greater self-reliance. Today, they need
not depend on other individuals to perform many functions, like moving
about or checking their vital signs. This would give them greater
independence and self confidence and definitely lead to their better
emotional and physical wellbeing. For example, there are tracking devices
that can help the elderly to move around without the help of a caregiver or
other individuals. All these benefits that the elderly receive with the help of
technology, can reduce many social issues associated with old age.

Again, many elderly people would need the help of a nurse of a caregiver,
if they are bed-ridden or immobile. Although, taking care them is a very
demanding job both physically and psychologically, modern equipments
have reduced the workload of carers. For example, helping old people to
take a bath or to move around is a physically demanding task, but devices
like automated beds and modern wheelchairs have eased the tediousness
of these activities. As a result, people who care for them can spend more
time to interact with them and give psychological support. This can
definitely have a great impact on the emotional health of old people and
bring down their loneliness to a great extent. Hence, instead of leading to
any social problems, the use of modern equipments can help the elderly to
lead a more meaningful life.

However, there could be instances of the aged being left to the company of
machines in the evening of their life, which means that they lose the
proximity of their close relatives and other human beings. As human
interaction is an important ingredient of the emotional health of the elderly,
such a situation could make them more irritated and temperamental.
Therefore, although the increasing use of the high technology is greatly
beneficial for our senior citizens, the society should make sure that they
are not denied of the closeness of other human beings.

When we consider the many aspects of the above discussed issue, one can
certainly come to a conclusion that the use of modern devices in elderly
care is unlikely to lead to any social consequences.

Essay 016 (threat of nuclear weapons)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power

provides cheap and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far
outweigh the disadvantages.

Do you agree or disagree?

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support
your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.
You should write at least 250 words.

In spite of the fact that nuclear energy has the image of a villain in human
history in the last 100 years, the inevitable fact remains that it is one of
the major sources of cheap energy and a great contributing fear
factor among major nations, that prevents them from attacking each
other. Although it may have the destructive power of eliminating human
race itself from the face of the earth in the worst case, there are very
convincing evidences to prove nuclear energy has greatly contributed to
maintaining world peace and providing inexpensive power which is
important for the progress of the world.

If one would argue that nuclear bombs caused great holocausts in the twin
Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I would raise a counter
argument stating that there was not a major war in the world subsequent
to the Second World War. Furthermore, one should not forget that, during
the cold war period, world was divided into two opposing blocks both
possessing destructive nuclear war heads pointed towards each other. None
dared to attack each other for fear that it would trigger a major war and
the ultimate use of nuclear power, which would cause major destruction to
countries on both sides. On the other hand, if one would scan the history
prior to Second World War, it was a procession of battles and strife among
the major nations of the world. What we derive from these historical facts
is that the presence of nuclear power has maintained world peace and is
still performing its role perfectly.

All the traditional sources of energy like oil, gas and coal are fast drying up
and are expensive and cause a lot of pollution, whereas, nuclear energy is
a very important source of alternative energy, which is both clean and
inexpensive. This should be weighed against the stark reality that other
alternative power sources like windmill or solar energy are more expensive,
unreliable and limited in quantity and hydro-electric projects result in
environmental hazards as huge dams cause destruction to forests and
displacement of inhabitants. Although we need to admit that there have
been a couple of instances of nuclear leakages and subsequent disasters in
the past, today the safety measures are fool proof and one should not a
raise false alarm about safely and ignore the great advantages of nuclear
power.

However, one should not ignore the safety aspects of nuclear energy
and the danger, if it goes into the hands of criminal elements and terrorists.
There should be stronger international nuclear monitoring agencies that
should enforce and ensure the safety and non-proliferation of nuclear
energy. If so, we can reap the rich benefits of nuclear energy without
being disadvantaged by its drawbacks.

Essay 017 (alternative energy sources)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

One-day the world’s oil and gas reserves will run out. The search for
alternative energy sources like wind power, solar power, burning waste,
and water power are causing as much environmental damage as the oil and
nuclear power sources they are intended to replace.

•How far do agree with this latter statement?

•What possible benefits do the alternative energy sources bring? Or what
damage do they cause?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
The depleting petroleum resources with its huge environmental hazards
have forced scientists to search for a perfect alternative energy that can
replace this conventional power source. Although alternative fuels like wind
power, solar energy have certain disadvantages, they will emerge as a force
to reckon with in meeting the world’s energy shortage and replacing oil and
gas.

In the first place, alternative energy sources, like solar power, is clean and
environment friendly. This should be seen against the fact that traditional
sources of energy like gas and petrol cause enormous damage to the
environment. However, the problem with this is that the cost of power
generation is much higher as compared to mining and processing
petroleum. This problem will soon be overcome as a great deal of research
is now going on in order to reduce the cost of photovoltaic technology. If
this is achieved in the near future, which definitely is a possibility, the
energy needs of the world will easily be met. Energy from wind and water
is also equally environment friendly, although it is sometimes said to be
unreliable. Burning waste may have the disadvantage of polluting the
environment by emitting smoke, but we need to take into consideration the
amount of waste that is removed through this process.

Secondly, alternative energy is never ending and renewable because

sources like sun and water will never be exhausted and do not use up
natural resources. A perfect example of this would be solar energy, which
is generated from the heat of the sun. In contrast, traditional way to
sourcing energy eat up precious natural resources and are not renewable.

Overall, one can clearly come to a conclusion that alternative sources of

energy are environment friendly and a perfect replacement for oil, gas and
even nuclear energy. With the right research and use of modern
technology, we can foresee a pollution free world of energy.

Essay 018 (Is education more important than health for

development))
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

The wealth of a nation is said to depend on the health of its citizens. Yet,
in the modern knowledge-based economies of the world, education is more
and more being seen as the main force in the development of all countries.

Do you share this view?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

A nation with a healthy population that could actively participate in the

development the state was traditionally considered wealthy. However,
today there are several other factors and among them education is the
major force that can lead to the comprehensive development of a country.

In most developed countries we find that most people lead a healthy life in
terms of availability of essential nutrients and healthcare facilities whereas
in many developing and underdeveloped countries often the situation is the
opposite. Yet, countries like China and India are trying to equip their
citizens with higher levels of education, which they think is the easiest way
to achieve the status of a developed country. In the modern knowledge
based world economy, rich countries like the United States are now giving
greater importance to churning out educated graduates in all areas, which
is crucial for research and development and effective implementation of
developmental projects. This definitely would mean that educated
professionals do play a significant role in today’s concept of progress.

In addition, although health can be considered as one of the benchmarks

of development, for further development in modern economic scenario, a
sound education system is a mandatory requirement. Or else, countries
would lag behind in the modern race for supremacy in the information
technology driven world. This could even lead to a situation where the so
called developed countries would not be able to match the fast pace of
development in this area. This could easily be seen in the superior figures
of economic growth in countries like India and China, whereas the growth
rate in developed countries, where policy planners have not given proper
consideration to have highly educated professional force, is comparatively
less.

Overall, in the modern technologically driven economies of the world, an

educated and highly skilled workforce is key to progress and prosperity.

Essay 019 (Children over 15 years)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Children over 15 years should be allowed to make decisions about their

lives without the interference of their parents or teachers. Society should
accept that children mature at a younger age these days and should adjust
the law accordingly.
Discuss this statement in relation to your own society or a society that you
know well.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Because of the easy access to information, and better education system
today, children above the age of 15 in my country, have greater knowledge
and confidence, but this has not given them the emotional maturity or
experience to take important decisions without the active participation of
parents or teachers. Hence, there is no need to change the present law to
accommodate the rights of children of this age group.

In the first place, if the law is amended to protect the rights these children,
both parents and teacher would completely lose their control over them
both at home and in school. Since this is psychologically a vulnerable age,
they can easily be lured by misleading elements in the society, who can
exploit them physically and emotionally. Furthermore, they could be
deviated to bad habits like drug addiction, alcoholism and uncontrolled
sexual indulgence. Elders would require a lawful control over them at this
age to safeguard them from such potential dangers.

Secondly, the important decisions that children take, can easily go wrong,
because of the lack of experience and the temperamental nature of their
decision making process. Since children would be able to make decisions
about their personal, professional or education life, like career choices or
life partners, wrong decisions can prove to be detrimental to their success
in future life. For example, as the age of 15 is crucial period for them to lay
a foundation in their educational career, if not properly guided, there could
be a danger of greater school dropouts and career choices that would not
match their intellectual aptitudes.

Parents and teachers who have greater experience and emotional maturity
should guide them at this age, but at the same time should not impose
their ideas on them.

Essay 020 (Celebration of National Events)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Governments often spend large sums of money on spectacular displays to

celebrate national events of significance. This money could be better spent
on improving social conditions in the country.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Government should not divert the money meant for the celebration of
national events of significance, as it has many benefits, in terms of
reminding the citizens about the rich cultural heritage of the nation and
inspiring a sense of patriotism and nationalism among various sections of
population. Hence spending large sums of money for this purpose can be
justified and government should allocate separate funds for improving the
social conditions of the country.

Firstly, the occasion of national events is the time to remind people of the
history and culture of the nation. For instance, during the republic day
celebration, in India, traditional art forms are staged and ceremonial
processions are organised throughout the country. Although these
celebrations would incur large expenditure for the state as well as people,
they would make the citizens proud of the rich traditions of the country.
Such feelings would also help people to develop sense of patriotism and a
spirit of national integration, that are important aspects of the nation
building process. Therefore, spending a large amount of money for this
purpose is worthwhile.

Secondly, although a substantial sum is spent on spectacular displays

during national holidays, a large number of international tourists visit the
country during this time and such events are telecast throughout the world.
This would definitely benefit the country economically and it is a great
opportunity to showcase one’s culture and traditions before the world.
Hence it is quite reasonable to celebrate national events with pomp and
fanfare.

In conclusion, the money spent for the rich celebrations of national events
of significance, should not be diverted for improving the social conditions
of the country as it has a number of cultural and economic benefits for the
nation.
Essay 021 (Problems of aging)
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Because of the falling birth rates and better healthcare, the

world’s population is getting steadily older and this trend is going
to cause serious problems for the society.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

The increase in the number of older population, due to better health care
and falling birth rates, can definitely have serious social and economic
implications.

Since the elderly are physically and psychologically weak, caring for them
automatically becomes the responsibility of the younger population. If their
number rises beyond a certain level, it would become a huge burden on
them to provide food, healthcare and other basic facilities. Inevitably, a
major share of country’s resources has to be spent for this purpose.
Consequently, this would lead to the reduction in budgetary allocation for
other developmental activities, resulting in serious economic
consequences. The maintenance of homes for the retired and old age
pensions have become a huge burden for governments in many western
countries.

Moreover, since the falling birth rates reduce the number of young people,
the productivity of the country would be affected seriously. Young and
energetic professionals are required in various developmental projects,
research and development. Although a few older people do work beyond
their retirement age, their contribution is very limited in physically
demanding jobs and modern technology. For instance, in a number of
developed countries shortage of young professionals in important areas like
healthcare and information technology is experienced today. These
countries are forced depend on the services migrant professionals from
developing countries to fill the vacancies in those areas.

In conclusion, although increasing life expectancy can be counted as a sign

of development, if it is coupled with the reduction in the number of younger
population it would lead to many issues related to the progress of the
country. Hence a number of countries are now encouraging more children
in families by giving them incentives in terms of economic benefits and
longer maternity leave.

Essay 022 (Power of advertising)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Today the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power
of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they
are sold.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250

Although the lure of advertisements helps to sell products to some extent,

the reason for the large sale of consumer goods cannot be attributed to
it. The increasing needs of people for convenience and luxury, and the
rising purchasing power of the society, have contributed considerably to
this phenomenon.

Firstly, modern inventions have helped people to have products that would
reduce their physical labour, wastage of time and increase
convenience. Hence people would buy things that would make their life
easy and comfortable. For instance, modern devices like washing
machines, dishwashers, blenders and microwave ovens have saved a great
deal of time for housewives and reduced their physical effort. This would
prompt them to buy more and more such products with newer features and
discard the older ones. Moreover, people also buy tinned and instant foods
in large amounts to save the time for cooking. This would mean that it is
the real needs of people that automatically lead to the bulk sale of these
products.

Secondly, the rising economic status has enabled people to buy many
products that would help them to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle. People today
buy several cars, latest electronic gadgets, expensive dresses and rare
cosmetics to flaunt their wealth. The trend of giving gifts on every
important occasion, also has greatly contributed to the sale of consumer
goods in large quantities. Much more than just advertisements, the
requirements of people for a rich lifestyle have definitely helped companies
to sell their products in bulk.

Advertisements have a big role in informing people about various products

in the markets and their important features, but they cannot influence the
buying habits of people beyond a certain level. It also familiarise them with
popular brands and help them to choose a product over others. People
may buy a product, attracted by a commercial campaign, but if it is not
useful to them they would never buy it again.

Overall, advertisements have some influence in the buying habits of people

but the huge sale of consumer goods cannot be attributed to its power.

Essay 023 (Private Tuition)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Some parents believe that extra private lessons outside school hours,
where students work alone with a teacher, can help them do better at
school. Others disagree.

Discuss both the views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.

Many parents believe that the crowded environment in regular classrooms

can have a negative impact on the academic performance of
students. Hence they send them to private tuitions where the teacher can
individually help them to study their lessons more effectively and perform
better at school. However, others believe that private lessons outside
school hours are burdensome to children and it can have a negative
influence on their academic development.

Because of the constrains of time, the size of the syllabus and the number
of students, school teachers may not be able to cater to the individual needs
of all children who have different intellectual capacities. For instance, in
regular classrooms, weaker students find it hard to grasp the formulas of
mathematics and science, which makes these subjects difficult for
them. Whereas, the teacher at a private tuition follows the pace of the
student and makes sure that he is thorough with the lessons. This means
that the teacher has sufficient time to repeat the lessons in case the student
does not understand it, the first time. This gives greater confidence to
such students and helps them to get superior grades in examinations.
On the other hand, private lessons outside school hours is considered, by
many parents, as an intrusion into the time that children should engage in
sports or other extracurricular activities. They believe that students are
already stressed out after regular school hours and should be given time to
relax, instead of taxing them again with more lessons. If they are forced
into private tuitions they may develop a negative attitude toward studies,
which would have detrimental effect on their academic
performance. Moreover, private lessons outside school hours is very
expensive and many parents would not be able to afford it.

After considering the positive and negative aspects of private tuitions,

I suggest that intellectually weak students should get assistance form a
private teacher, who would help them to perform better in school. But, on
regular school days students should not be burdened with extra private
lessons and the best way to do it is, to find a few hours during
weekends. Although it may be financially burdensome for many parents,
intellectually weak students would greatly benefit from private tuitions.

In conclusion, despite certain drawbacks, private tuition has enormous

benefits for students, to perform well in their academics.

Essay 024 (Gap year)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year
between finishing high school and starting university studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to
do this.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.

It is greatly advantageous for young people to travel or work for a year

after high school and before joining university. However, encouraging them
to do it, can also have a certain detrimental effect on their life and future.

Firstly, travelling to cultures and people other than their own, or taking up
a job can give young people a broader outlook about life, which is not
possible through university education alone. It can also give them greater
emotional and intellectual maturity to plan their career goals and even deal
with problems of life in a better way. Engaging in practical work will help
young people to have a direct experience of the harsh realities of life, rather
than just bookish knowledge. For example, an employment can give them
prior knowledge about the professional skills that they need to acquire in
their university education. Being exposed to the moral and cultural
practices of people in other regions, can teach them qualities of life that
they may not learn at home and such knowledge can make them more
tolerant. Above all, it can give them greater confidence and self-reliance.

Nonetheless, it can break the continuity of education, which can end up in

increasing number of school drop outs. For example, if a young man finds
a job with a decent salary, he would sometimes continue in his job even
after the end of the gap year. Although it gives him a temporary financial
fulfilment, denies him the opportunity for further education and a much
better job. Being away from a formal educational environment for such a
long time can affect his discipline, study habits, which can lead to poor
academic performance at the university.

Taking a gap year has enormous benefits for young people, but they should
also be aware of the dangers that they are exposed to.

Essay 025
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Governments spend huge amounts of money on arts. Some people

feel that this is justified, whereas others feel that this money can
be used for public health and education. Discuss both the views
and give your opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.

It is necessary for governments to spend sufficient amount of money for

the improvement and maintenance of public health and education, but
allocating a certain amount for arts is also important for the
comprehensive development of a nation. Hence, the money set apart by
government for arts should not be diverted and separate funds should be
allocated for improving the social conditions in the country.

On the one hand, huge investments are required for providing basic
health services and primary education for all sections of people. Some
people fear that large investments in establishing art galleries and
preserving traditional art forms can shift government’s focus from more
serious social issues. For example, governments in many poor nations
are not able to spend the required amount of money for the developing
the educational and health sectors, which is said to be the major reason
for their underdevelopment. These governments, according to some,
wastes large amounts of money for the development of arts.

On the other hand, downplaying the importance of arts in a country is like

neglecting the aesthetic, creative and emotional needs of the people. For
example, dance, music, drama, painting and similar arts have great
importance in the cultural development of the people. Allocation of funds
in these areas by governments can also boost the economic development
of the country. Many people make a living by becoming the exponents of
these art forms. Moreover, preserving and maintaining the cultural
traditions of the country through arts can attract tourists from all over the
world. Apart from their economic and educational pursuits, man finds
great fulfillment in life by spending time for arts, which can satisfy his
emotional needs.

In conclusion, spending money for both arts, and educational and health
needs are equally important and therefore ignoring either of the sectors is
not desirable.

Essay 026
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

The amount of sport shown on television every week has increased

significantly and this is having an impact on live sports events. Do you
think the benefits of having more televised sport are greater than the
disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.

Televised sports, both recorded and live, have become a major form of
entertainment for millions of sports lovers in the recent years. It definitely
has an impact on live sports events that are conducted in stadiums, both
positively and negatively.

On the one hand, the thrill of watching a match with thousands of

spectators can hardly be experienced in the privacy of one’s television
screen. For instance, people cheer their favourite teams, sing patriotic
chants and dress up in fancy clothes during a match, whereas such euphoric
experience of mass entertainment is absent in televised sports. Moreover,
many sports fans greatly cherish watching their favourite sports heroes in
person. Again, many accuse television sports to be addictive in nature, as
many people, especially children waste long hours glued to television sets,
without engaging in any productive activities.

On the other hand, there are greater benefits to televised sports, which has
made sports one of the most popular forms of entertainment of the present
era. Firstly, television has made sports accessible to millions of people
across the globe, while sports venues are restricted to only a limited
number of people. For example, when the world cup football is held,
millions of soccer fans all around the world watch it in the comfort of their
homes. If not televised, it would deny them the opportunity of enjoying
such an important sports event. Secondly, television has played a
significant role in substantially increasing the popularity of many sports like
cricket, badminton and hockey. Thirdly, a televised sport is more appealing
to many viewers because of the superior technological features like close
up and slow motion visuals, expert commentaries and statistics, which
make it very interesting. Finally, the huge amount of revenue generated
through television rights and advertisements has made sports an important
economic activity, benefiting both the players and the organisers.

In the final analysis, the increasing coverage given to sports on television

has been greatly beneficial for sports in general, and its growing influence
suggests that, its negative impacts are negligible.

ESSAY 27
Subjects such as Art, Sport and Music are being dropped from the school
curriculum for subjects such as Information Technology. Many people
children suffer as a result of these changes. To what extent would you
support or reject the idea of moving these subjects from school
curriculum?

Subjects like art, sport and music nurture the talents and creativity of students
in school. Removing such subjects from the curriculum would definitely have a
negative impact on the physical and psychological development of children
of that age group. Hence, I would completely object to(reject) the idea of
removing these subjects, even if it is to fit in important subjects like Information
Technology.

Firstly, the purpose of education is not only to develop the academic ability of
students but also to nurture their creative talents and sporting abilities, leading
to the comprehensive growth of the personality of an individual. If the
above disciplines are removed from school syllabus in order
to accommodate new subjects, the real purpose of education would be
defeated and it would be limited toacademic pursuits alone. For example, if
schools do not give opportunity to children who are gifted in music, dance and
sports to develop their skills, it would certainly stunt the inborn talents. Apart
from school hours, they hardly get a chance to engage in such
activities. Hence, school authorities should ensure that sufficient time is given to
sport, arts and related activities, in spite of the pressure from new subjects.

Secondly, if school hours are completed packed with academic subjects children
would hardly get time to refresh their mind. This would mean that creative and
recreational activities like music and sports would give them time to unload their
pressures of academic studies and examinations. Furthermore, the opportunity
to engage in activities of their interest would make education an enjoyable
experience for children. For instance, most children are delighted in participating
in sports after tedious hours of academic studies. It would also rejuvenate their
minds and help them to get back to their studies.

Finally, the study of academic subjects hardly gives any room for
developing socialisation skills, team work and leadership
qualities. Children acquire such attributes by participating in extracurricular
activities. To cite an instance, a team sport like soccer or a musical concert would
help children to coordinate team activities and take up leadership.

On the other hand, there are people who argue that there is no
harmin dropping extracurricular activities in order to find space for new subjects
like information technology. They contend that these new subjects
are inevitable for children to develop their academic careers and they should find
time apart from school hours to engage in non-academic pursuits.
However, this reasoning does not seem to be very convincing as much of
after-school hours are packed with homework or other academic projects. Apart
from that, facilities and opportunities for such activities are very limited away
from school.

In conclusion, school authorities should find a suitable way to fit in subjects like
information technology, without downplaying the importance of arts and
sports.

(Words in italics are examples of the 'skill of cohesion' and words in bold letters
are to be studied as part of 'vocabulary'. Structures given in both italics and bold
letters require special attention from students.)

ESSAY 28
These days everyone seems to have more and more possessions (e.g.:
computers, cars, mobile phones etc.). Our strong desire to own these
things is making us less aware of important personal qualities such as
kindness and concern for other.

Do you agree or disagree?

The economic freedom people enjoy today has enabled them to own large
number of material possessions like cars, computers and other electronic
gadgets. However, the desire to possess these objects has not
necessarily affected people's personal values, in terms of concern for
others or being kind.

There have been many instances, especially in the western world, where
people spend their money, time and other resources to serve the less
privileged in the society, in spite of their material way of life. For
example, Bill Gates, the owner of Microsoft, donates a substantial portion
of his earnings for charitable activities like AIDS prevention and treatment
in many developing countries in Asia and Africa. He owns luxurious cars,
air-crafts and many other possessions but that has not prevented him
from being kind and considerate towards the needy.

Again, there is a growing awareness among people especially among the

rich, about their moral responsibilities towards the society. One of the
major reasons for this attitude may be man's realisation that fulfillment in
life is not possible only by owning a large number of material objects or
leading a luxurious life. Moreover, the moral qualities like kindness and
concern for others are innate in every human being and it cannot be
easily suppressed by the increasing ownership of material possessions.

However, there are certain people who may be unmindful of important

personal qualities, in their quest for a material way of life. In spite of
such tendencies in society, religious organisations, charity institutions and
philanthropic groups are constantly reminding people about their
responsibilities towards the society.

In conclusion, man's desire to enjoy the comforts and conveniences of

modern inventions has not seriously eroded his personal values.

Essay 29 (Non-essential Flights)

A long distance flight consumes as much fuel as a car consumes in several
years time, and causes the same amount of pollution as cars. So some people
think we should abandon non essential flights (such as for tourism), and it is
more efficient than restricting the car. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Although long distance flights exhaust much greater amount of fuel as compared to
cars, banning non essential flights is no better way to control pollution than limiting the
number of cars.

In the first place, although an individual flight may cause much more damage to the
environment as compared to a car that travels the same distance, the total pollution
caused by the increasing number of cars is much greater. For example, millions of
new cars are crowding the streets every day and their numbers seem to be soaring,
even in developing countries like India. The amount of pollution that they cause can,
no way, be compared to much fewer non-essential flights used for tourism, business
and private use. Hence, abandoning such flights cannot be effective in minimising the
impacts of pollution. Whereas, considering the enormous damage caused to the
environment by millions of new cars, their usage should be limited.

Moreover, many people make use of private chartered flights because of the non-
availability of seats in regular flights especially when large groups of people travel
together for the purpose of tourism or business. For example, during peak tourist
seasons regular flights are often heavily booked and charted aircrafts are the only way
to tide over the crisis. So is the case with businessmen, who travel on short notice.
This would mean that banning the so-called nonessential flights would hamper the
development of business and tourism, apart from not being an effective way to control
pollution. On the other hand, if government can limit the use of private cars, many
people can depend on the public transport system, which would substantially reduce
environmental damage.

However, in certain instances, rich businessmen, politicians and celebrities use private
aircrafts for their regular travel. Although there is an argument that privacy and safety
are of prime importance to such people, many believe that their usage is nonessential
in nature. But, the effects of restricting such flights would be minimal, since their
numbers are very few.

In conclusion, controlling the use of cars is a much better way to fight pollutions than
restricting a few non-essential flights.

Essay 30 (Censoring Creative Artists)

Creative artists should always be given the freedom to express their
own ideas (in words, pictures, music or film) in whichever way they
wish. There should be no government restrictions on what they do.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Although it may seem logical (reasonable) to let creative artists to

convey their ideas with total liberty, it can sometimes have negative
consequences to the functioning of the society. Therefore, it is
sensible for governments to limit their creative freedom to a certain
extent, so that art would be used for the welfare of the society.

To start with, although artists are generally considered exemplary

individuals who aim at the progress of humanity, some could have
vested interests in creating frictions in the society. Art could be used
as a tool to create such tensions among different groups of people,
especially in a multicultural environment. For example, there have
been many instances where film makers in India have included
socially sensitive materials, which could hurt the religious or
communal sentiments of certain groups. The censorship authority in
India has been able to edit the contents of such movies to avoid social
frictions. This would certainly mean that censorship is very essential
in guiding creative artists to be socially responsible, while expressing
their ideas.

Again, sometimes poets, writers or painters express their ideas but

they could be detrimental to the existing moral or ethical standards
of a particular society. Ideal instances would be books and movies
that show excess sexual content or glorify illicit relationships like
incest or extra marital affairs. While the artists believe that they
should have the freedom to express their perspectives of life, their
ideas could mislead the society especially the young. Governmental
restrictions in such cases, many believe, is necessary for maintaining
the accepted moral practices in a society.

However, according to some, censoring the freedom of artists could

lead to suppression of basic human rights. They content that society
has the maturity to judge the positive and negative aspects of any
work of art. They also believe that many of the accepted moral and
ethical standards are not conclusive and should be evolved. Creative
artists are instruments of such changes by exposing the society to
various ideas. If an artist’s work creates frictions among people,
government should use its authority to discipline the society rather
than placing the blame on artists. Moreover, corrupt and despotic
rulers could use censorship to silence their critics.

In conclusion, restricting artistic liberties is a very complex issue

which should be handled from a practical point of view. In principle,
freedom of artists should be respected, but if it leads to negative
impacts in the society government should restrict artists.

Essay 31 (Lack of support for Art)

Question

Professional sports involve large sums of money and receives enormous media
coverage. Meanwhile serious culture, including music, art and theatre, is badly
neglected. This is making our society shallower. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?

Answer

Due to the enormous popularity that sport enjoys it receives great financial support
and media publicity, while sponsorship to serious cultural activities is seriously on
the decline. This essay examines whether this trend reflects a superficial attitude
of the society.

On the one hand, the declining financial as well as media support for music, art
and theatre is often interpreted as society’s indifference towardsserious
cultural activities. It seems that very few people today have the willingness or time
to enjoy such arts, which would require a deeper aesthetic sense. In contrast, the
society spends a great deal of time and effort to watch sports, which provides
instant entertainment and emotional satisfaction. For instance, in many societies
it is difficult to get audiences for classical music concerts or
theatre, whereas football and cricket stadium are usually crowded with cheering
spectators. Consequently, organisers of such events fail to get media support and
financial sponsorship. Such attitude of modern society towards serious cultural
activities forces many people consider it a ‘shallow society’.

On the other hand, there are others who believe that today’s society cannot be
labelled superficial in it attitude, because of its unenthusiastic approach towards
serious cultural activities. The excess economic and press support that sports
receive is due to its universal popularity as a means of entertainment. Moreover,
people today need rest from their stress-filled life and sports provide such
relaxation and help them to ease their tensions. Art or music cannot expect such
back up from the government or corporate world, because people generally spend
much less time to enjoy such activates. For example, people may go for a theatre
performance or similar shows only a few times a year, but and this has not reduced
their appreciation of such serious cultural events. A society’s depth of character
should not be judged only on the basis of the amount of support that the cultural
activities receive.

Overall, although today serious culture does not receive as much media attention
or money as sport, the society cannot be considered shallow in it approach.

Essay 32 (Dependence or Independence)

IELTS Exam March 2011

Some people think that in the modern world we have become

more dependent on each other, while others think that people
are now more independent.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

In personal, social and professional life people today have become more
independent due to a number of reasons. However, there is an opposing view that
modern lifestyles have forced people to become more dependent on each
other. Both perspectives are analysed in this essay.

Firstly, a major reason for people being more independent today is the financial
freedom they enjoy, especially by the young people. For instance, more and more
young people do part time jobs during their studies and many of them are employed
immediately after their secondary education. This gives them greater self-reliance
as they need not depend on their parents for their economic needs.

Secondly, the disintegration of traditional family systems and values has made
people much more independent as compared to the past. An ideal example would
be the disappearance of joint family system in many parts of India, where younger
members had to obey the head of the family in their personal, career or economic
matters.

Finally, emergence of technology has also given a great deal of freedom to people
to perform many activities without depending on others. For example,
computerisation of offices, Bank ATMs, online commerce and modern household
appliances have reduced the dependence of people on others.

On the other hand, there are others who hold the view that dependence on others
has become more prominent in modern life. They cite the example of modern work
places where team work and coordination among various departments play vital
role in the success of any particular business. Even in scientific developments
group activity is more crucial than individual achievements. Moreover, since
technology has influenced most human activities people need to depend on
specialist technicians in each area to sort out issues in their everyday life.

After analysing both points of view in detail, I would consider that people have
become more dependent on others in greater number activities, despite the
freedom they enjoy in certain areas.

(While considering both the perspectives, I am convinced that people today have
greater independence, in spite of their dependence on others in certain areas)

In summary, while people have become independent in some aspects,

dependence on others have increased in many areas of modern life

Essay 33 (Strict punnishments for drivers)

The only way to improve safety on our reads is to have stricter punishment
for driving offenders. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Careless driving and violation of traffic rules certainly result in a large number of
accidents and stricter punishments are necessary to reduce them. However, there
are also certain other measures that have equal or more effectiveness in ensuring
road safety.

In the first place, there are certain accidents that occur not because of traffic
violations. To explain it further, poor road condition is considered a major reason
for road casualties. For example, narrow roads and sharp curves often force even
law-abiding drivers makes mistakes. Therefore, it should be noted that drivers
alone cannot be blamed for such mishaps and giving them stricter punishments in
these cases is no solution. A more effective strategy by the government would be
to straighten accident prone curves and widen narrow roads. Larger number of
road signs and proper traffic signals can also be effective in reducing accidents on
roads.

Furthermore, poor climate condition can be a major cause of accidents. For

instance, poor visibility due to dense mist and rain, slippery roads on account of
snowfall cause make driving difficult and cause serious accidents in many
countries. Stricter punishment for drivers is a futile exercise in handling such
problems. Modern technological innovations should be used to deal with such
emergency situations.

On the other hand, reckless driving, speeding and breach of traffic rules by
careless drivers have caused many accidents. Moreover, drunken and drowsy
driving have also resulted serious traffic mishaps. While we admit that more
stringent punishment for drivers would be an effective measure to an extent, it
should not be considered the only way towards road safety.

In summary, there are certain situations where drivers are not responsible for a
particular accident. Hence apart from punishing drivers with heavier penalties
other effective measures should also be taken.

Essay 34 (Who should pay for roads)

The number of cars keeps increasing, so road systems should be

expanded. Some people think the government should pay for it, while
others think the car owners should pay for it. What’s your opinion?

Unless roads are developed to accommodate the increasing number of cars, it

would aggravate the rising traffic problems in our cities. However, it is unfair for
the government to expect car owners to bear the cost of expanding roads due
to a number of reasons.

In the first place, car owners are already burdened by various types of taxes
levied on them by the government at the time of purchase of the car and on a
periodic basic. Increasing number of cars would naturally boost the tax revenue
of the government. This money should be used for widening existing roads,
building new highways and constructing bridges and flyovers. For example, in
many cities of India, ideally a large number of flyovers are built by government
funding. It is quite unreasonable to charge car owners to pay toll for these new
developments.

Furthermore, it is the responsibility of a responsible government to provide the

basic infrastructure like efficient roads to the people. If tax revenue is not
sufficient for this purpose, Governments usually perform these responsibilities
by availing loans. For instance, international financial institutions like World
Bank and International Monitory Fund lend huge amounts of money to
governments at lower interest rates for such purposes. This would mean that
there is hardly any need for governments to require car owners to pay for such
expenses.

On the other hand, there are people who believe that since it is the car owners
who need better roads, they should pay for its construction. This argument
would, in fact, seriously downplay the basic responsibility of the government to
provide people with infrastructural facilities.

In conclusion, from the above arguments it is clear that government should bear
the cost of improving the road system, in order to handle the growing traffic
problems associated with large number of cars.

Essay 35 (Who should handle enviro. damage)

Reducing global environmental damage should be handled by
governments rather than individuals. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?

The damage to the environment is increasing at an alarming rate mainly due to

human activities. Although a great deal of effort is being now made by
governments all over the world, individuals also have a major role to play in the
minimising global environmental hazards.

To start with, one of the major reasons for the pollution of the environment is
the uncontrolled use of automobiles. If individuals can make a conscious effort
to change their lifestyle, by cutting down the use of private cars and use public
transport, it would substantially reduce the burning of fossil fuels. For instance,
serious attempt should be made by individuals to travel to work regularly by
buses and trains. The lack of public support can seriously hamper any
government endeavour towards the reduction of pollution.

Again, people use enormous amount of plastic in daily life, which is a hazardous
pollutant of the soil. Individuals can make a great contribution for the protection
of the environment, opting for eco friendly substitutes. An ideal way to do this
is by using paper and cloth bags instead of plastic in supermarkets.

Finally, people should gradually withdraw from excess consumerism, which has
greatly contributed to the over exploitation of natural resources. This would
mean that they should give greater priority to durable and reusable products in
the shopping list, consequently discouraging ‘use and throw’ culture.

In conclusion, individuals have a crucial role in joining hands with the

government in reducing the harm caused to the environment.
Essay 36 (Are universities producting more graduates?)
Some people believe that universities are producing more graduates than
needed, and that less emphasis should be placed on university education.
Others are of a different opinion. Discuss both views and include your
own opinion.

University education does equip students with wider perspective about life and
better general knowledge. However, increasing number of university graduates
find it hard to find employment and this raises the question whether university
education should be given less importance.

On the one hand, many graduates from universities are not employable, yet
skilled labour is in shortage in today’s growing industrial and business
sectors. This indicates the wrong emphasis given to tertiary education, whereas
sufficient number of school graduates do not opt for technical education, as
required by the job market. This tendency would lead to further unemployment
of the educated youth, which is already being experience in many parts of the
world. Evidences in many industrialised countries like Australia show that
increasing number of graduates are forced to choose jobs that do not match
their qualifications. Moreover, as their knowledge is often not used, the huge
investment that government makes for their education can go waste.

In contrast, there are those who believe that the purpose of education is not just
to teach a trade. Hence, university graduates, with their superior knowledge
have a greater role to play for the development of the nation. They are better
equipped to take up leadership in many areas of social life. Hence, they believe,
the importance given to university education is justified.

Nonetheless, viewing from a practical point of view, and the difficulties

experienced by university degree holders in finding jobs, one needs to admit
that universities churn out more graduates than required. There are evidences
that suitable job openings are scarce for large number of graduates and
postgraduates in subjects like history, philosophy, language and even science.

In conclusion, although an excess in the number of university students may

reflect the level of education in the country, it would create certain practical
problems like unemployment among the educated youth and scarcity of skilled
labour.

Words and phrases to study

equip
perspective
tertiary education
employable
scarce
job openings
excess
Essay 37 (Industrial firms to rural areas?)

Many countries want to move factories and big industrial firms out of big
cities and towns and into rural areas. Do you think the advantages of this
outweigh the disadvantages?

Relocating manufacturing firms and plants from big cities to smaller towns and
rural areas can certainly address many issues related to excess
urbanisation. Although the negative impacts of this issue should also be given
due consideration, I would consider, the advantages of such a move are much
greater.

In the first place, shifting manufacturing units from cities can reduce pollution in
urban areas to a great extent. To be clear, the effluents and gas emissions
from many factories add to the already polluted cities and create huge
environmental issues. Whereas, rural areas usually have large areas of
uninhabited wasteland and effects of pollution can be managed efficiently.

Again, urban migration and crowding of cities can be controlled if more and
more jobs are available away from the city. For example, many states of India
have started Industrial Parks in rural areas and given tax incentives to
companies to set up factories. This has prevented many unemployed youth
from moving to the cities for employment.

On the other hand, the arrival of big factories can definitely disturb the peaceful
atmosphere of villages and small towns leading to increasing levels of pollution
and congestion. Lack of transport and other infrastructural facilities may be a
handicap for industrial units as technically qualified professionals and skilled
labourers may not be interested in moving to such places to work in factories.

To conclude, having considered both sides of the argument, the benefits of

shifting factories to rural areas seem to be a very favourable idea as it can
create a large number of job opportunities for the rural youth and reduce urban
migration to a great extent. Hence, the minor drawbacks should not prevent
governments from going ahead with this policy.

Essay 38 (Freedom to creative artists?)

Creative artists should always be given the freedom to express

their own ideas (in words, pictures, music or film) in
whichever way they wish. There should be no government
restrictions on what they do. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
Although it may seem logical (reasonable) to let creative artists to
convey their ideas with total liberty, it can sometimes have negative
consequences to the functioning of the society. Therefore, it is
sensible for governments to limit their creative freedom to a certain
extent, so that art would be used for the welfare of the society.

To start with, although artists are generally considered exemplary

individuals who aim at the progress of humanity, some could have
vested interests in creating frictions in the society. Art could be used
as a tool to create such tensions among different groups of people,
especially in a multicultural environment. For example, there have
been many instances where film makers in India have included
socially sensitive materials, which could hurt the religious or
communal sentiments of certain groups. The censorship authority in
India has been able to edit the contents of such movies to avoid social
frictions. This would certainly mean that censorship is very essential
in guiding creative artists to be socially responsible, while expressing
their ideas.

Again, sometimes poets, writers or painters express their ideas but

they could be detrimental to the existing moral or ethical standards
of a particular society. Ideal instances would be books and movies
that show excess sexual content or glorify illicit relationships like
incest or extra marital affairs. While the artists believe that they
should have the freedom to express their perspectives of life, their
ideas could mislead the society especially the young. Governmental
restrictions in such cases, many believe, is necessary for maintaining
the accepted moral practices in a society.

However, according to some, censoring the freedom of artists could

lead to suppression of basic human rights. They content that society
has the maturity to judge the positive and negative aspects of any
work of art. They also believe that many of the accepted moral and
ethical standards are not conclusive and should be evolved. Creative
artists are instruments of such changes by exposing the society to
various ideas. If an artist’s work creates frictions among people,
government should use its authority to discipline the society rather
than placing the blame on artists. Moreover, corrupt and despotic
rulers could use censorship to silence their critics.

In conclusion, restricting artistic liberties is a very complex issue

which should be handled from a practical point of view. In principle,
freedom of artists should be respected, but if it leads to negative
impacts in the society government should restrict artists.
Essay 39 (Planning for the future)
Some people consider thinking about and planning for the future to be a
waste of time. They argue that people should simply live in the
moment. Do you agree or disagree? Use at least one personal example
in your response.

Many people believe that setting goals for the future and making plans to
achieve them is beneficial for succeeding in life. However, there is another line
of thought which advices people to lead a meaningful and effective life in the
present and not bother much about the future. I reckon that a close examination
of both the perspectives is necessary to decide the better view of life.

On the one hand, having a definite plan for the future is a great motivating factor
for people to work harder and achieve their goals. To be precise, it would
prompt people to think about their own abilities and make an extra effort to
realise their dreams. For example, if a high school student dreams of becoming
a doctor he may have to work harder than other students to qualify for a medical
school. The plan for his future would prompt him to go an extra mile to attain
his aim. This would mean that planning for the future is not an unreasonable
idea.

On the other hand, in many instances planning for the future, some believe, is
not very sensible and many unforeseen events in life can turn things against
one’s plan. For instance, people often plan their future and make huge
investments in terms of money and other resources. It is likely that many of
these plans do not work according to people’s designs and, as a result, they
can feel distressed.

An analysis of both the views seems to present elements of practical points for
a meaningful life. Nonetheless, I am inclined to favour the idea that it is
unnecessary to bother much about the future because of the uncertainties life
can offer. Although planning for the future can motivate people, failure to realise
their dreams can seriously affect their morale.
In short, making the most out of the opportunities available each day is the ideal
way to safeguard people from being overly anxious about the future.

Essay 40 (Museums and the Internet)

Museums for many years have been the places of knowledge
and cultural exchange. Nowadays there are more and more
resources on the Internet and museums will not be needed in
the future. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Both the internet and museums have great resources for education,
research and cultural exchange. However, the information on the
internet has certain serious limitations and can never match or
replace museums.

To start with, the materials available on the internet are in digital

form and cannot be touched. Whereas, museums have real objects,
that are more useful for students and researchers for education and
cultural exchange. For example, in a historical museum a visitor is
able to see the real pieces of ancient materials like coins, artefacts
and manuscripts, which are much more useful and interesting than
mere digital images. Similarly, visitors can have a direct experience
of real objects of culture, whereas digitally available images are not
reliable or tangible.

Furthermore, it is difficult to find out where information is available

on the internet because it is poorly organised. Moreover, it is
extremely difficult to choose the right information from the vast
ocean of resources. In contrast, a museum is systematically
arranged and reliable. For instance, in a science museum
inventions are chronologically arranged, therefore, visitors can have
a clear idea about them.

On the other hand, resources available on the internet are also very
useful, in terms of their availability from different parts of the
world. However, it can only act as an addition to museums and can
never match them.

In conclusion, museums will definitely continue to have a unique

role in preserving information for future generations. They cannot
be replaced by the information available on the internet.

Essay 41 (Prisons/Education for Criminals)

In many countries prisons is considered the best way to

decrease crime. However, education is often argued to be
more effective way. Which opinion do you most agree with?

Imprisonment is generally/mostly/usually considered the best

way/ideal method to reform/rectify the behavior of criminals and
bring down illegal activities/crime in the society.
Whereas/However/But, of late, many people are
convinced/believe/are of the opinion that education is a better
way to do it. This essay attempts/tries to analyse this issue in
detail.

On the one hand, as prisons can deprive a person’s freedom it

would dissuade/deter people from committing a criminal
offence/illegal activity. For example, if a criminal activity would
deny a young man the freedom to pursue his favourite career or a
happy life with his family, he is likely to resist the temptation of
committing a crime. Moreover, the experience of being confined to a
limited space for a certain period of time can act as great deterrent
against crime.

Similarly, a great deal of social disgrace/stigma is attached to

being detained in a jail. To explain, not many people would risk
losing their honour/respect before their friends, family and society
through imprisonment.

Finally, long imprisonment/incarceration can keep compulsive

criminals and serial offenders away from the society and indulging in
crime. To explain, psychopaths with criminal tendencies need to be
separated from the mainstream of society as they cannot be reformed
easily. All the above points clearly indicate the need for prisons as
an effective means to reduce crime in the society.

On the other hand, educating criminals about the implications of

crime and supplementing to their educational and vocational
deficiencies/inadequacies can definitely discourage them from
committing further crimes to an extent. However, such methods
cannot work independently but only as an addition to prison sentence.

In short, imprisonment is the best way to decrease crime rate in the

society and other methods including education have proved to less
effective or can only work as addition to imprisonment.

Essay 42 (Lack of community in cities)

Essay Questions Academic June 2012 (Philippines)

With the increasing number of people in cities, most do not

know their neighbours and the sense of community is lost.
What is causing this? How can we turn it around?
Essay (not edited)
The life of people in the city, unlike in the countryside, is generally
characterised by a lack of community feeling. A number of reasons
can be attributed to this tendency among city dwellers. This
situation can be addressed effectively if certain proactive steps are
taken by the urban population.

One of the major reasons for the isolated lifestyle in cities is the
busy schedule of people due to extended working hours and long
commuting time. To explain it further, many business firms in cities
demand their employees to work beyond the usual hours and owing
to heavy traffic congestion getting to and back from work is a time
consuming affair. Even at home people need to be engaged in their
household chores, which leave them with hardly any time to interact
even with their immediate neighbours.

Furthermore, the ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity of people in

cities, who come from different parts of a country or even other
nations, does create serious hurdles for easy socialisation. For
instance, in a city like Bangalore in India, people from all parts of
the country who speak different languages live in the same
apartment building. This makes it difficult for them to interact
easily with each other.

An ideal way to deal with this problem is to encourage people to

visit their neighbours on weekends and make friends with
them. For example, occasionally people who live next door can be
invited for dinner or a special occasion, which can improve
interaction with them. Joining neighbourhood cultural forums and
charity groups is another effective method to create a sense of
community among city dwellers. For example, families that live in
apartments or housing colonies can form associations and meet
occasionally to work for the welfare of the neighbourhood. Finally,
using a common language like English for communication is also
very useful. Such initiatives can definitely enhance a sense of unity
and increase socialisation among people who live in cities.

To conclude, a lack of community feeling is prevalent in city life, but

if people make a genuine effort to interact with each other, this
problem can be solved to a great extent.
Essay 44 (Save energy by shorter workweeks)

Research has shown that spending much less time in office can
reduce the use of energy (for example, electricity, gas). Thus
some companies close for some days a week. Do the advantages
of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Inspired by the realisation that energy consumption can be

checked by reducing the time spent by employees in offices, many
companies have adopted strategies like reducing the number of days
in a workweek. However, some people feel that such a plan can have
a negative impact on the performance of businesses and the welfare of
employees.

On the one hand, there would be a substantial reduction in office

expenses in terms of electricity consumption, water usage and fuel
costs. Moreover, with the reduced workweek and longer leisure
time it is likely that the productivity of employees would
improve, compensating for the hours lost. For example, the number
of days in a workweek has been reduced from six to five in many
government offices in India. While it has substantially cut
down energy costs in terms of lighting and running of office machinery,
the work completed in a week has not been seriously affected. Similarly,
the commuting of employees and movement of office
vehicles have been reduced, resulting in substantial fuel savings.

On the other hand, critics believe that shortened workweek can

affect work output and reduce the earning capacity of
employees. This would mean that losing a considerable number ofman-
hours at work would affect the performance of companies. Moreover,
the loss of wages due to fewer hours can discourage workers.

After considering both views, from a broader perspective, the

substantial energy saving achieved by modern companies should be
given greater prominence. Moreover, the drawbacks can be
minimized by introducing alternative methods like telecommuting,
where employees do not come to office, but work from home using
modern telecommunication systems.

In short, although there are minor disadvantages to this system, shorter

workweeks can have greater benefits to individuals and society by
saving the depleting energy resources of the world.
Essay 45 (Animal Rights)
Some people think that humans can use animals in any way for their own
benefit. Others, however, believe that people should not use animals in a
wrong way. Discuss both these views and give your opinion.

Man use animals for various purposes, which sometimes can amount to abuse and
even cause their death. Many animal right activists have, recently, raised concerns
about the ill-treatment of animals by human beings. This essay intends to analyse
both sides of this issue in detail.

On the one hand, many believe that man is a superior being and therefore it is
justifiable to cause pain and even kill animals for his survival and welfare,
especially in scientific experiments and as a means of food and entertainment. For
example, many life saving drugs for humans have been tested in animals like
guinea pigs before they are is used by man. This has resulted in the invention of
many life saving medicines which are essential for man to maintain his health and
prolong his life. Similarly, many animals like pigs and chicken are reared and killed
for food and elephants and lions are used in circuses to entertain people and make
money. Although many consider these to be cruelty to animals, most human
beings think that it is essential for man’s well-being.

On the other hand, animal lovers contend that showing cruelty to animals is
unjustifiable because it is a violation of animal rights. They also believe that
animals experience pain and stress just like human beings and therefore it is cruel
to ill-treat them.

Although it may amount to a certain level of cruelty, it seems logical to make use
of animals for the needs of man. Even in nature, we see stronger animals attacking
and killing weaker ones for their food. Moreover, man greatly benefits from
animals, in transportation, farming and scientific experiments.

In conclusion, my suggestion is that it is inevitable to use animals for the benefit of

man, but they should minimise animal sufferings in all ways possible.

Essay 46 (Credit Cards)

Nowadays it is easy to apply for and be given a credit
card. However, some people experience problems when they
are not able to pay their debts back. In your opinion, do
the advantagesof credit cards outweigh the disadvantages?

Most banks today have reduced the formalities required for issuing a credit
card but the inability to repay credit card debts has driven many into
mounting financial difficulties. Yet, I believe that this electronic credit
facility is greatly advantageous to people, if handled with proper caution
and prudence.
In the first place, credit cards have enabled people to handle their large
financial emergencies without strain and pay back the money later in easy
installments. For example, if an individual has an unforeseen hospital
expense as a result of an accident or illness he can use his card to borrow
money without going to a bank or approaching another person.

Moreover, people can travel without mental stress or anxiety about any
unexpected crisis. For instance, people who travel abroad often experience
difficulties like, unexpected cancellation, delay of flights and loss of
luggage. On such occasions people can easily make use of credit cards to
pay the extra money they need.

Nevertheless, if people are not able to repay their credit card interest on
time they could end up in serious financial troubles. This usually occurs
when people borrow money beyond their expected weekly or monthly
income or engage in excessive shopping using this facility. Besides, some
people are less conscious about the amount of money they spend or the
date of repayment. The above points clearly show that credit cards cause
financial liabilities when people use them unwisely or without discretion.

I summary, credit cards have proven to be extremely beneficial to people

in terms of managing their financial emergencies. If people use them with
greater care, they can effectively overcome the negative impacts to a large
extent.

Essay (47) Air Travel and Communication

The 20th century witnessed huge breakthroughs in air

travel andcommunication. This has brought benefits to many nations
through close contact with foreigners at different levels,
from tourism to business. Some people, however, say there were more
drawbacks than benefits. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Countries have achieved substantial progress in various fields, such as business and
tourism as a result of closer international relations through developments in airline
sector and electronic communication. However, we need to examine whether the
negative impacts of these developments have outweighed the benefits.

Firstly, frequent flights and cheaper airfares are the latest trends in airline sector, which
has boosted tourism in many countries, helping them to reap great economic
benefits. Besides, even areas like mountains and jungle regions have become exotic
tourist destinations due to easy accessibility by air. For example, a major income in
many African counties and island nations like Singapore is tourism and the main
reason is the popularity of air-travel. Similarly, through developments in internet
communication, people now can book their flights and hotels online, which has made
travel more convenient and economical.
Furthermore, international businesses have grown tremendously, as executives can
conveniently fly to different countries and communicate online to transact
businesses. Another area that has emerged due to the development of modern
communication systems is business outsourcing. For example, many Indian
companies like Infosys and Wipro today perform software development and back
office jobs for major US firms, through their employees located in Indian cities like
Bangalore and Hyderabad.

However, greater access to people of other countries has also led to certain
consequences like internationalisation of criminal activities like terrorism and
degradation of the cultures of people in underdeveloped countries. Nonetheless,
these negative aspects have very little significance as individuals and businesses in
all countries have greatly benefitted from development of air travel and
communication.

In summary, despite certain drawbacks, the growth of air travel and communication
systems has definitely helped the comprehensive development of the economies of
many countries.

Essay (48) Moving Industries from Cities

In some countries, governments are encouraging industries
and businesses to move to regional areas outside the big
cities. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the
disadvantages?

The presence of many businesses and factories in large cities has

created enormous problems for urban life. Although there may be
minor inconveniences, it would be greatly advantageous if
governments would encourage the management to shift or start their
establishments in less crowded regions.

An obvious benefit of this strategy is that overcrowding of cities can

be reduced to a great extent. It is clear, that increasing number of
commercial enterprises has attracted a large number of professionals
and workers to urban areas, which has resulted in problems like traffic
congestion, inefficient waste-management and pollution. For
instance, during the morning and evening peak commuting time, the
roads in a metropolis like Bangalore in India are jam-packed and it is
one the most polluted cities in India. The tax incentives offered by
the state government for companies that would establish labour
intensive software facilities in the satellite cities like Mysore and
Hosur, attracted many companies. This initiative has helped the
administration to handle the growing urban problems and distribute
the available resources more efficiently in this fast growing city.
On the other hand, operating businesses and industries in regional
areas would be challenging for companies, in attracting skilled
professionals, servicing clients and dealing with poor infrastructural
facilities. This would mean that many highly skilled engineers and
business professionals would hesitate to relocate to smaller towns or
regional areas, for lack of superior educational facilities and lifestyle
opportunities. The inadequacy of efficient logistic and communication
systems would also be a serious problem.

In conclusion, considering the enormity of problems faced by huge

cities, on account of increasing population growth, moving businesses
and factories to rural or less crowded areas would bea logical
idea. The drawbacks would be less consequential, and can be handled
by effective management strategies and governmental support.

Essay 49 (Mobile Phones in Public)

Some people believe that mobile phones should be banned in

public, especially in public transport, restaurants, and
cinemas. Others think that people should be allowed to use
mobile phones anywhere. Discuss both views and give your
opinion.

Although using mobile phones in public may be of some nuisance to

people in rare instances, it would be very unfair to ban them in such
places, especially when we consider their enormous advantages for
emergency communication.

(Another introduction: The use of mobile phones can sometimes

become a nuisance, as people sometimes talk loudly and disturb
others in public places. Nonetheless, I tend to believe that it is
unreasonable to prohibit the use of such a useful communication
device in public.)

On the one hand, important messages need to be communicated to

people even when they are in public places. To explain, when people
are away from home they are often found in places like shopping
malls, cinemas and public transportation systems and cell phones
have played a very significant role in keeping individuals connected
with each other. For example, only when people are always
accessible on a mobile device, information about a theft, accident or
death can be conveyed to them immediately, so that required action
can be taken by the people concerned. This would clearly emphasis
the need for people to be accessible to each other electronically at all
times.

On the other hand, in some instances, the indiscriminate use of

mobile phones has become a serious concern, as people speak loudly,
disturbing the privacy of others. We sometimes witness people
talking loudly on mobile phones in theatres and movie halls and deny
the enjoyment of the people who sit nearby.

Although we are concerned about the misuse, I believe that most

people are aware of the public behaviour required for mobile use, and
they talk softly or move to an empty corner to carry on their
conversation. Moreover, through educational institutions and the
media, government can give awareness about the proper use of
mobile phones, instead of banning them altogether in public.

In summary, sometimes people use mobile phones irresponsibly

causing inconvenience to others, but prohibiting them in public is
unwise as they help people to communicate with each other at all
times and more efficiently.

Essay 50 (Exam Stress and Creativity)

Most education systems rely on examinations to encourage children
to study, but as a result, children suffer from too much stress and
they never learn to be creative. Therefore, exams should be
abolished. To what extend do you agree or disagree?

As a method of motivating students to take education seriously,

examinations do exert a certain amount of stress on them. However, this
does not affect their creative development and hence, there is no need to
abolish examinations.

To start with, unlike common perception, examinations these days are not
all about rote learning and memorising, but also encouraging children to
research and form their own opinions about various topics. For example,
in language and literature examinations children are often asked about their
views about a novel or poem. This encourages them to read books more
seriously and develop their own perspectives. Similarly, in science practical
examinations, students are required to conduct experiments and arrive at
new findings. Activities like these clearly show that examinations can
enhance the creative abilities of children.
Moreover, even if examinations result in a certain level of anxiety or
pressure, it should only be considered reasonable as they would inspire
students to work harder to have a sense of achievement. In other words,
a fair amount of tension helps children to make greater efforts for achieving
higher grades or marks. Researches have proved that stress can produce
favourable chemicals in the body, like adrenalin to help body to aim higher.

On the other hand, examinations do lead to excess stress in certain

children, which is mainly due to lack of preparation or pressure from family
members or teachers to perform well. Moreover, a certain amount of rote
learning is involved in examinations which can reduce the creativity of
children to some extent. Nonetheless, proper guidance and counselling can
help children to handle their exam related anxieties successfully. Moreover,
more innovative ways of conducting tests to reduce the need for
memorising can help children to enhance their creative abilities.

In conclusion, it unreasonable to ban examinations because they play a

very vital role in helping children to approach studies with greater
earnestness. It also helps to develop their imaginative expressions rather
than suppressing them.

Essay 51 (Changing Locations)

It is common that people change their locations more frequently
than in the past. What are the reasons? Is it a positive or negative
development?

Unlike in the past, an increasing number of people are relocating to

different cities and countries for various reasons. This movement, in my
opinion, in general, has a positive impact on their life.

One of the major reasons for this movement is that these days, many
professionals do not find jobs that suit their qualifications in their own
hometown or country. Whereas large cities and industrialised countries
offer them lucrative employment opportunities and obviously they would
be encouraged to migrate to such places. For example, many young
graduates from rural India and small towns have moved to the metropolitan
cities of India, like Bangalore and Mumbai, where multinational companies
and large industries provide them appropriate jobs. In addition, for
changing jobs and inter-organisational transfers people relocate more often
these days.

In addition, a growing number of people today move to more developed

regions and countries for life style changes like better education, shopping
opportunities and cosmopolitan environment. Migration to countries like
Canada and Australia, for example often come under this category. Also,
people with lower income sometimes shift to less expensive cities, where
house rentals and educational expenses are more reasonable.

Although leaving familiar environments, friends and relatives is often a

painful experience, mostly it has a positive impact on the lives of individuals
and families. They often gain in terms of economic betterment, professional
development and lifestyle improvement.

In conclusion, due to several reasons professionals, business men and even

common people need to move to newer locations more than ever before.
This definitely is greatly advantageous to them despite minor
inconveniences.

Essay 52 (Contact between Countries)

Some people say that the increasing business and cultural contact
between countries is positive development, while others think that
many countries will lose their national identities as a result. Discuss
both views and give your opinion.

The growing global business relationships and interaction between various

cultures have resulted in greater economic development and better
understanding between people across the globe. However, some people
believe that such developments have led to the degradation of the
individual identities of many countries.

On the one hand, the establishment of large international businesses firms

has created a great number of jobs for the educated and skilled youth in
many underdeveloped countries. For example, the arrival of software and
outsourcing companies like Google and Accenture from the United States
have created enormous jobs for engineers in India. At the same time, these
companies have been able to reduce the cost of their operations by
relocating to less expensive locations of the world.

Similarly, today people in many countries are able to enjoy music, dance,
theatre and other cultural practices of other countries. This has helped
them to appreciate other cultures and it has often become a positive impact
on their own cultures. For example, western music and movies are very
popular in many parts of the world, and in India films and film music have
been greatly influenced by the technical advancements of the west. At the
same time, Indian spiritual and cultural practices like yoga and meditation
have been extensively practiced by many westerners, especially in the
recent times.

On the other hand, People's food and dressing habits and entertainment
options are dominated by international business firms, whereas traditional
lifestyles becoming unpopular. This has led to the internationalisation of
culture directed by multinational companies. This is evident in the
increasing popularity of fast-foods like Pizzas, Burgers and fried meats of
multinational chains like KFC, Pizza Hut and MacDonald. In contrast, many
traditional dishes are becoming less popular or even extinct all over the
world.

In conclusion, although we need to acknowledge that globalisation has

resulted in a certain loss of cultural identities, it has enormous benefits in
terms of economic development and cultural evolution of the world.
Therefore, from a broader perspective, accepting such changes can only be
considered as a positive development.

Essay 53 (Fathers as Homemakers)

Nowadays more and more fathers look after their children at home,
while mothers are doing fulltime work. What are the reasons? Is it
a positive or negative development?

In the recent times, an increasing(growing) number of

men stay(remain) at home and care for(look after)their
children, whereas(while) women engage(are involved) in fulltime jobs
and earn for the families. A number of factors have led to this situation,
and, this trend, in my opinion, is greatly desirable(acceptable).

One of the major reasons for this shift(change) in gender roles is the
unemployment of many men especially due to frequent occurances of
conomic recession in many parts of the world. This has resulted in many
men staying(remaining) at home and providing for the needs of their
children, while women continue to earn for the family. For example, the
dot-com industry suffered(experienced) a
major meltdown(recession/collapse) in the United States a decade ago
and the majority of employees who were laid off were men. It was not
easy for them to find an alternative employments and many of them
stayed at home and looked after their kids.

The rise in women's earning power, is another factor, that has led to this
situation. This would mean that many women draw(earn) bigger salaries
than men and it is often more reasonable(logical) for them
to save(avoid) the expenses of babysitting than going for a job. For
instance, women who work as business executives, doctors and lawyers
usually earn huge(enormous) salaries, whereas their husbands may not
be well-paid. If they have two or three kids, it is financially more
viable for their husbands to look after their children at home than spending
on a nanny.

On the other hand, many people think that men are forced to become
homemakers mostly due to economic reasons and therefore their self-
esteem can be affected. Nonetheless, it is increasingly being considered as
a positive development by majority of people because it has helped
to rectify conventional attitudes and raise women's morale(self-
esteem). Moreover, children would be more comfortable being cared by
their father than a nanny.

In conclusion, it is mostly economic reasons that has led to the recent

increase in the number of male homemakers. It definitely has greater
advantages for the society and therefore should be appreciated.

Essay 54 (Changing Places Frequently)

IELTS Essay Question in Qutar on 6th Dec.
In the past people used to live in one place in their whole life.
Nowadays people live in several different places during their life.
What are the reasons for this change? Is it a positive or a negative
trend?

Unlike in the past, there is an increasing tendency among many people to

change their place of residence frequently for various reasons. This, in my
opinion, is advantageous to people in many ways.

One of the major reasons for this shift is the frequent transfers of
employees in large business organisations on account of promotions or for
other reasons. For example, multinational software companies like
Microsoft and Google have development centres in different parts of the
world and employees are often asked to relocate to different cities or even
countries depending on the requirements in various projects.

Another important reason for people's periodic movement, is their

desire to enjoy better economic prospects. This would mean that they
move to different parts of the same country or even other nations for
superior salaries or business opportunities. An ideal example would be, the
movement of unskilled labourers from the northern Indian states of West
Bengal, Orissa and Assam to southern states of Kerala and
Karnataka. They often shift from cities to cities for better wages and
favourable working conditions. Similarly, many Indian professionals travel
to and live in the different Arabian Gulf nations due to higher salaries
offered by companies in this region.

Positively, many people have been greatly benefitted by frequent

relocation, in terms of improving their economic status and
lifestyle. Moreover, they have been able to enjoy the experience of meeting
new people, cultures and opportunities. Finally, it has made individuals
more self-reliant, open-minded and bold. However, some feel that those
who relocate often, need to deal with problems like unfamiliar languages,
unfriendly climate and racism. Nonetheless, the experience of majority of
people prove that it generally has a positive impact on the lives of people.

In summary, many factors have influenced people to live in different places

during their lifetime. Despite certain drawbacks, it definitely has been
advantageous to majority of them both economically and socially.

Essay 55 (Customs not required)

Many customs are traditional behaviours are no longer required in
the modern society and therefore they are not worth keeping. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?

People all over the world try to preserve their traditional practices and ways
of life, but sometimes many of them seem irrelevant in the present day
social life. Hence, I believe that it is not beneficial to follow them in today’s
context.

To start with, some of the age old practices, especially of certain

conservative societies are discriminatory to women and would further
distance them from the mainstream of society. For instance, women in
India fold their hands as a gesture of greeting when they meet a person,
whereas men shake hands. Traditionally, holding a man’s hand was often
considered as an audacious act and an immodest behaviour by
women. However, in modern workplaces in India women increasingly
prefer to shake hands with men as a more warm gesture, which can reduce
the distance between them and their male colleagues. This clearly shows
the irrelevance of some of the traditional practices in today’s society.

Furthermore, many behavioural patterns of the past do not respect

personal freedom and expect individuals to obey the commands of the older
member of the family or community. For example, formerly, in many
countries father insisted on his son to choose his own profession or an
employment of the former’s preference. In modern society, children have
a variety of career choices and most people think that it is better to leave
such decisions to children themselves. This would ensure that their
aptitudes are taken care of and individuality is respected.

In conclusion, it is not beneficial t continue with many traditional customs

and ways of behaviour as they do not help modern ways of living.
Essay 56 (Relevance of the print media)
More and more people are using computers and other forms of
gadgets for reading information. Therefore there is no need to print
books, magazines and newspapers on paper. Do you agree or
disagree?
An increasing number of people depend on modern electronic gadgets to
gather information and the relevance of the printed media is often
questioned today. However, I am convinced that printed books, magazines
and newspapers will continue to attract people for a number of reasons.
Firstly, despite many improvements in technology, reading information on
electronic gadjets is still physically stessful. Therefore, even people who
like the convenience of electronic readers or computers prefer printed
books or magazines for serious or long reading. For example, students and
researchers often experience problems like headaches and strain in the
eye, when they engaage in prolonged reading on electronic devices. This
clearly indicates that printed reading materials will continue to be used by
many people in the future.
Secondly, many popular books and magazines will not be published
electronically, because publishers fear that they can be pirated easily. For
instance, people download unathorised copies of ebooks through various
torrent sites, and it is a huge revenue loss for publishers. The non-
availbility of ebook versions of many popular books and magazines would
force readers to depend on printed aleternatives.
Finally, reading a printed material is part of the daily routine of majority of
people over a long period of time and it is not easy to break that habit
easily. Moreover, even today a large number of young people are also
acquiring such behaviours. For example, most men in my home state,
Kerala, India have the habit of reading the printed newspaper along with
their morning coffee. We have not witnessed a major decrease in this
practice in the recent times.
In summary, despite the growing popularity of electronic reading devices
and materials, the printed media still remain relevant for a variety of
reasons. Therefore, printed books, magzines and newspapers will continue
to attract people for a long period of time.

Collocations
information:
collect/gather/access - information
disclose/exchange/impart/provide/supply - information

habit:
acquire/develop/fall into/form/get into - a habit
break(yourself of)/get out of/ give up/kick - a habit
Essay 57 (Online Shopping)
Nowadays on-line shopping becomes more popular than in-
store shopping. Is it a positive or a negative development?
Give your reasons and examples.

Recently, the number of people who purchases various products and

services online is increasing more than ever before. This has certainly
affected the business of shopping centres to a great extent. However, I
consider this development as positive, due to a number of reasons.

To begin with, e-shopping is generally considered to be more convenient

for customers than in-store purchasing. Perhaps, this is because many
people, nowadays, are unable to find adequate time to go shopping as they
are too busy with professional or personal responsibilities. For example,
virtual shopping websites such as, E-bay and Amazon provide a wide range
of products online, which cater to the needs of individuals from the comfort
of their home. Moreover, such shopping sites have considerably reduced
major inconveniences associated with shopping, like traveling to far away
shops, parking vehicles in crowded cities and spending a considerable
amount of time.

Furthermore, online shopping allows people to select from a wide range of

products, and the prices and features of products are often compared. This
has enabled customers to choose the right products that suit their needs.
For instance, popular online shops in India, namely Flipcart and Jabong
have not only provided detailed information of their products on sale, but
also customers' opinions and reviews on their product experience. Besides,
placed orders on these websites can be altered or canceled by customers,
and purchased products can also be returned if they do not meet the
assured quality.

Shopping, however, is a social experience for certain people and many of

them enjoy shopping as leisure or entertainment. But, popular shopping
websites often compete with stores with lower prices and discount sales.
This has also influenced many people to purchase products online.

In conclusion, online shopping offers greater benefits to customers when

compared to in store purchasing. Clearly, while it converts shopping into a
hassle free experience, shopping over the internet is increasingly
convenient, too. Therefore, I think this is definitely a positive trend, and
the popularity of online shopping is likely to continue.
Essay 58 (Technlogy in Solving Crime)
There is a decline in crime rate today as technology helps in
preventing and solving crime. How far do you agree or
disagree?
Scientific inventions are increasingly used these days by law
enforcement agencies to deal with criminal activities. This, in my
view, has definitely helped in reducing crime.
To start with, many law breakers have been dissuaded from illegal
activities as anti-theft electronic gadgets have been installed in most
crime prone places. This would either warn the presence of burglars
and thieves or help to trace them. For example, security alarms and
cameras have brought down burglaries in banks, and x-ray machines
and metal detectors in airports have greatly reduced crimes like
smuggling and hijacking.
Similarly, in the recent times scientific methods and devices have
been successfully used in solving crimes more efficiently. An ideal
example would be, the use of finger printing, DNA testing and lie
detection technology in identifying culprits and bringing them to
justice. These technologies have definitely discouraged many
criminals from committing offences.
On the other hand, criminals have also devised methods to evade
anti-crime gadgets and technologies and therefore some people say
that technology has not helped in reducing crime. Criminals, for
example, now use masks at crime scenes to hide their identification
from security cameras, and researchers have discovered that a
significant proportion of criminals trick polygraph tests and act
innocent. Despite these minor drawbacks, we need to acknowledge
that the use of technology has played a very crucial role in tackling
crime in various ways.
In conclusion, technology today has greatly revolutionised crime
prevention and detection, which has resulted in the reduction of illegal
activities in many parts of the world.

Essay 59 (Life on Other Planets)

Some people think that government should invest money to
study life on other planets, while others say that it is waste
spending money on such things when earth itself has lot of
problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Space agencies in many countries are now taking great efforts to find
signs of life on other planets. However, certain people think that it is
unreasonable to waste money and efforts on such futile projects,
when there are more serious issues left unsolved on our own planet. I
support the latter view.
To begin with, it is improbable/unlikely that there is any life on other
planets and spending for this purpose would be a very unwise use of
taxpayers valuable money, which would be better spent on human
welfare. For instance, NASA has been investing billions of dollars
over the last couple of decades in space shuttles and telescopes to
spot traces of extraterrestial life, with hardly any positive results,
whereas the social security system in the US has been severely
affected due to such unreasonable spending.
Moreover, looking for evidence of life on other planets would be of
little use to human beings, except for experimental purposes. Money
used for expensive space expeditions should be deviated/diverted
towards human welfare schemes such as education, healthcare,
housing and social security. For example, the government of India
spent many billions of rupees on the recent Mars project, whereas a
major proportion of Indian population is still below poverty line. The
success of this mission did enhance the prestige of India, but hardly
benefitted the nation in any other ways. Countries like India should
not waste money in discovering life on Mars, but spend it for
alleviating poverty or improving the basic infrastructure of the nation.
In conclusion, spending on expensive space programmes to search
for extraterrestrial life is not worthwhile, while many problems on
earth are left unattended.

Essay 60 (Criteria for a country's progress)

Economic progress is often used to measure a country's success.
However, some people believe that other factors are more
important. What other factors should also be considered when
measuring a country's success? Do you think one factor is more
important than others?

Financial status is mostly considered an important yardstick to assess the

development of a nation. However, many economists argue that a number
of other criteria should also be given importance. Among them, I believe
education is the most significant.

To begin with, educated citizens in various professional sectors and

scientific fields can be a major symbol of a nation's progress. For example,
scientists, engineers and technicians spearhead research and development,
and industrial growth in most advanced countries.

Furthermore, effective health care sector can be an important measure to

gauge a countries's development. To explain, only a truly progressed
nation can ensure efficient universal health care facilities for its
citizens. For example, the life expectancy of advanced countries in Europe,
America and Asia is the highest, due to the availability of latest medical
procedures, health care personnel and medicines.

Finally, scientific development in agricultural sector is a vital benchmark of

progress. This means that in most advanced nations, the highest level of
agricultural production is achieved using the latest technology and
minimum manpower. For example, mechanised farm implements, high
yielding seeds, highly effective fertilisers and other scientific methods
practiced in these countries ensure maximum yield from agriculture.

I believe, the advancements in education is the most important indicator of

the comprehensive development of a country. The main reason is, only
with the help of educated professionals in all fields, including healthcare,
agriculture and industries can a country achieve success.

In conclusion, there are varied ways to measure the progress of a nation,

but education is the most significant aspect, because all the other sectors
depend on it.

Essay 61 (Commercialisation of Schools)

Some schools agree that fast food restaurants and supermarkets
can promote their products in school and that schools benefit from
it. Is it a positive or a negative development?

Today, a number of schools, especially in the developed countries allow

corporate advertisements of fast foods and supermarkets and in this way
they try to raise funds for schools activities. This practice, in my view, is
disadvantageous for school children.

To start with, showing commercials of fast foods, chocolates and similar

products or making them available within school premises would reinforce
children’s taste for such foods. This can increase problems like obesity and
other health issues among children. For example, if hamburgers, fried
meats and sweet beverages of brands like Mcdonalds or KFC are available
in school cafeterias children would definitely have a tendency to consume
them on a regular basis, instead of opting for healthier alternatives.
Similarly, exposure to constant commercial messages within the academic
environment can create a materialistic attitude in children. For instance, if
schools promote advertisements of children’s products like toys or
computer games from supermarkets through educational materials,
billboards or school television, children would think that they have the
approval of teachers and school authorities. Consequently, they may force
their parents to buy the advertised products, when they visit supermarkets.
This is a very obvious example of how commercialisation of schools can
promote materialistic attitude in children.

On the other hand, some principals do not believe that children are unduly
influenced by commercialisation of schools and they consider it
advantageous to them, as a way to improve school facilities. To cite an
example, some corporates help financially strapped schools to buy library
books or improve sports facilities for promoting their products inside the
campus.

In conclusion, despite minor advantages, corporate commercial campaigns

within school premises has greater negative influence on children as they
would promote unhealthy habits and materialistic attitude in them.

Essay 62 (Govt. Funding for Performing Art Students)

IELTS Essay Question, Kottayam 29/1/2015

Some people believe that training courses of performing arts (eg.

dance, music, drama etc.) should be funded by government. Others
believe that they should be done through other ways (eg. business
or student’s family).

Discuss both view and give your opinion.

There is a view that government should provide financial support to

talented students who intend to pursue a career in performing arts such as
dance, music or theatre. However, many people believe that taxpayers
money should not be wasted for this purpose, and students should look for
sponsorship from other sources like corporates or their own families. This
essay examines both perspectives.

On the one hand, state funding for students of performing arts is one of the
best ways to conserve arts and culture, which is a major responsibility of
the government. This is very relevant today as the number of students
opting for careers in such disciplines is declining and government’s
patronage in this area would encourage an increasing number of students
to choose performing arts. For example, the government of Kerala in India
provides free training to art aspirants in traditional performing art forms of
the state like Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and Thullal, in a prestigious art-
school called Kerala Kalamandalam. This initiative from the government
has played a major role in generating interest in young Keralites in
traditional performing arts of the state.

On the other hand, critics contend that since it is mostly students

themselves who benefit from art education they should seek aid from other
sources such as corporate funding and their own parents. For instance, like
any other professionals musicians, dancers and actors also earn large sums
of money from stage shows and other public performance. They also
believe that since enormous amounts of money is required to fund art
education, it would become an unnecessary liability for government, as it
has more important priorities to deal with.

A close examination of both views reveal that it is necessary for government

to sponsor art education because many parents are not financially capable
of shouldering this responsibility and corporate funding is often impractical.

In conclusion, although it may be a serious financial obligation, government

should not hesitate to support art students financially because safeguarding
the cultural traditions of a country is one of it’s primary responsibility.