WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below gives information on the percentage of British people giving money to charity by age range for the years 1990 and 2010. ‘Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the ‘main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. — 190 — "| 40% | 2010 35% | 30% | 25%, 20%) 15% 10% 3% ail 3 - 1825 °~«63S SDSS >65 WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Some people work for the same organisation all their working life. Others think that it is better to work for different organisations. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. Study Tip identity the main features of the chart: Which age- group donated most money to charity in each year? Which age-group onated the least? How does the generosity of the age-groups compare ‘across the years? Include an overview: How does the overall pattern in 2010 differ from the pattern in 19907 Test Tip Begin with an introduction. Highlight and compare the main features. Make your overview clear Use a range of relevant vocabulary and try to vary your sentence types. Link your ideas together so that your answer flows smoothly. Test Tip Task 2 is worth twice as many marks as Task 1 so you are advised to spend twice as long waiting your answer, Write 250 words or more, and use your own words. 71Writing Task 1 Sample answer The chart examines the levels of donation among people of different ages in Britain. Overall, a greater percentage of British people gave money to charity in 1990 than in 2010. However, across the two years, the pattern differs before and after the age of 50. In 1990, 42% of the 36-50 age-group made charitable donations, and this figure is the highest on the chart. The 18-25s contributed the least at only 17%. By 2010, these figures had fallen significantly to 35% and 7% respectively. The level of donations from the 26-35 age-group also experienced a decrease in 2010 from 31% to 24%. While donations up to the age of 50 declined across the two years, they rose among the 51-65 age-group from 35% to nearly 40%, which was the highest percentage for 2010. The figure for the over 65s was lower than this, at 35%, but it was still a little higher than the 1990 figure of 32%. (157 words)Writing Task 2 Sample answer For most people, when they get their first job they have little idea whether or not they will remain in the same organisation throughout their working life. If they decide to change, they need to consider how this will impact on their career overall. People who stay with the same organisation have the advantage of thoroughly understanding how it works and also becoming familiar with the staff and processes. If they work hard, their promotion prospects are good and there is likely to be greater job security, with the promise of a good pension when they retire. Employers value loyalty and may offer additional incentives to long-term employees, including bonuses and reward schemes. However, one of the drawbacks of staying with the same organisation is that the person may get stuck doing the same job year after year. In some cases, this can lead to boredom and disillusionment. Moving from one organisation to another can be a strategic decision in order to have variety and acquire a range of skills and experience. A friend of my father started out as a sociology teacher, he then joined the Social Services and is currently managing a care home in Western Australia. This has made him incredibly knowledgeable in a range of related fields and, in my view, has provided him with a much more interesting working life. Although there are benefits to working for one organisation, I feel that it is also valuable for an employee to be able to offer a wide range of experience having worked for different companies. As long as it is planned carefully, I feel that change is good and will ultimately benefit the employee and the employer. (281 words)nae You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The table below shows the results of surveys in 2000, 2005 and 2010 about one university. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Percentage of students giving good ré different aspects of a university \gs for 2000 2005 2010 Teaching quality 65 63 69 Print resources 87 89 88 Electronic resources 45 72 88 Range of modules offered 32 30 27 Buildings/teaching facilities 77 77 77 | Tip strip ‘+ Make sure you understand exactly what the visual shows. In this task, the figures in the table: + relate ta just one university, «are from three different surveys, indicate changes in student attitudes. You get this key information from two sources: the first sentence of the task itself and the tite ofthe visual(). + For Task 1, the second part of the rubric is always the same, * Start with an introductory sentence which summarises what the visual shows. Don’t simply copy down what's in the rubric — this is a waste of your time. + Teke some time before you start writing to look for any improvements, reductions, fluctuations and similarities. Report the most striking point first. In this task, itis probably that there ‘was a great improvement in students’ ‘opinions of the university's electronic resources. + Give data to support the claims you make ~ citing specific percentages. But you don’t need to quote exact figures, for every point — you will gain marks for showing that you can be selective. + Don't write too much: 150-200 words willbe enough. You won't be given any ‘extra marks for writing a longer piece, and you need to leave enough time for Task 2. [I You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: Some say that because many people are living much longer, the age at which people retire from work should be raised considerably. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. Write at least 250 words. Tip strip Be clear which specific aspect of the task you need to discuss. In this task, you need to talk about whether the age of retirement should be raised and if so, whether it should be by a small or iarge amount. ‘+ The second line of the task in Task 2 differs from paper to paper. + You could give your point of view and then provide illustrations and ‘evidence to support this opinion, , you could explore both sides Of the question and then go on to TEST 1, WRITING MODULE give your own opinion and explain the arguments you find particularly persuasive * Write using paragraphs and make sure each paragraph has a clear central topic.Test 1 WRITING Task 1 Model answer The table shows the change in attitude, over ten years, of students at a particular university to different aspects of its academic provision. Firstly, the most striking set of statistics relate to approval for electronic resources. There was a sharp increase in the number of students giving these resources a good rating, particularly in the first five years: from 45 percent in 2000, to 72 percent in 2005, and 88 percent in 2010. There was also an overall improvement in ratings for teaching quality, though the increase was relatively small (65 percent in 2000 rising to 69 percent in 2010) and there was a decline in the interim (63 percent in 2005). There was also a fluctuation in attitudes to print resources, rising from 87 percent to 89 percent in the first five years and then falling by one percent in 2010. Good ratings for the university's buildings and teaching facilities were identical throughout, at 77 percent. Finally, there were poor ratings at the beginning of the period for the range of modules offered (32 percent in 2000) and they got worse, falling steadily from to 30 percent in 2005 and 27 percent in 2010.Task 2 Model answer Currently, in many countries, the age at which people stop paid work tends to be between 55 and 65. In the past, with few people living beyond the age of 80, it was rare for anybody to enjoy more than 20 years of retirement. However nowadays, that figure is much more likely to be 30, or even 40 years. This is often cited as a reason for requiring people to work to a later age. Advocates of this point of view claim that it is extremely expensive to support people for so long in retirement. Pensions are paid for partly by people in their working lives, but today pension schemes usually yield far less money than necessary because they were designed to maintain people for much shorter periods. Increasingly, it is argued, the burden falls on younger people who end up working harder to pay for the enjoyment and relaxation of the old in their extended retirement. This, they say, is fundamentally unfair. Although | acknowledge the validity of this argument, | believe it is outweighed by two very powerful counter- arguments. Firstly, when older people retire later they deprive young people of the opportunity to work and develop professionally. Secondly, | believe that people aren’t just valuable members of society when they are earning money. Retired people can contribute a great deal through sharing in family responsibilities such as child care, and also in the wider community, by doing voluntary work. | think we should maintain the current retirement age and allow people to flourish in different ways when they finish paid employment.188 Test 2 Ca cd WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph and table below show the average monthly temperatures and the average number of hours of sunshine per year in three major cities. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. ondn — New York ste = sydney Total annual hours of sunshine for London, New York and Sydney London 1,180 New York 2,535 Sydney 2473 WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. One of the consequences of improved medical care is that people are living longer and life expectancy is increasing. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.Writing Task 1 Sample answer The data provides information on average temperatures and annual hours of sunshine in London, New York and Sydney. The temperature patterns for London and New York are similar, although New York has warmer summers and colder winters. In both cities, peaks occur in July/August, at 23° in London and 29° in New York. In contrast, Sydney’s hottest weather is in December/January when temperatures average 25°. During this period, New York’s temperatures dip to an average of around 5°, compared with 8° in London. On the other hand, Sydney’s lowest average temperatures in July are just over 15°. As far as hours of sunshine are concerned, New York and Sydney have similar averages of 2,535 and 2,473 hours respectively. London, however, has a much lower average of 1,180 hours. Clearly, London is the coldest city and has the fewest hours of sunshine. New York has the hottest summers, but Sydney enjoys the warmest overall climate. (156 words)Writing Task 2 Sample answer Over the past 50 years, people have become used to the idea that they will probably live longer than their grandparents did. However, a longer life is only desirable if you can look after yourself and be independent, otherwise there can be disadvantages for everyone. If you walk into a hospital in my country, you are likely to see a lot more elderly people than you did in the past. In fact, this is causing significant problems as there is a shortage of beds. Medical treatment is keeping the elderly alive, but at what cost to others? On top of this, one of the biggest medical problems these days is dementia. Even if old people are still fit, they may not be able to look after themselves. They may have to live with their children or be cared for in a home, which can be expensive. Elderly people do not like to be a burden, but their children can feel obliged to care for them. Obviously, not all old people become ill. Those who remain healthy can enjoy a happy old age as long as they have saved enough money. People are much more active in their sixties and seventies than they used to be and this can only be a good thing. They have time to enjoy their retirement and do a range of activities that they could not do when they were at work. They can also help look after their grandchildren, which is a great benefit for working parents. To sum up, I believe that we should aim to keep people as healthy as possible so that they can enjoy their old age without having to rely on others. A longer life expectancy is obviously advantageous, but no one wants to live to be 100 if they only cause problems for their family and society. (308 words)[You should spend about 20 minutes on this task Tip strip + Start with an introductory sentence summarising What the sual shows. Don't just copy the task rubyic—aim to modivadd {Disighth to malethe You are required to expan every stage ofthe process, but avid repeating the some structures ovr and ‘over again. Aim to use a ‘orto diferent vero Fors this will make the ay more interesting and readable. + In proces tasks pata, t's important {use lear sequence markers eg, Fist, ‘Aker that.” and phrases which indicate Sequence suchas Having been cleaned. On arial they + Proce tasks require you tose the passve voce for many pas ofthe repor (eg The ether isthen Wansported .”, “They are submerged.) because the action more important than knowing ho performed it Cae) Tip strip Tee Sera the main Gfferences betwen childrens and alts Social behaviour and b) State how far you eoard these changes as postive Note: do ot waste time discussing whether social ‘behaviour changes. You rust accept his + You canst al the eae paragraph andthe, in the second paragraph discuss the eet to which these are postive 0% you can expan the fist iference nd dacs whether ts good a bd, then ean te second diference and sess water poste, The diagram below show how leather goods are produced. ‘Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and making comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. A method of producing leather goods \A7 LB > ah > ESI J (ater + vegetable matter) You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: As children become adults, their social behaviour changes in some ways. What are the main differences between young children’s social behaviour and that of adults? To what extent are the changes that take place good? Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. TEST 2, WRITING MODULEara eee Task 1 Model answer The diagram-shows the different stages in the process of converting an animal hide into leather goods. The first stage is to hang out the hide on a line, in the open air to dry. After this, it is transported by lorry to the factory for processing. On arrival, it is submerged in vats of soap and water, and washed and then transferred to another vat where it is soaked in lime. Having been cleaned in this way, the hide is then sent to a large rolling machine where it is smoothed and flattened. In the next stage it is submerged in a liquid called tannin, which is a mixture of vegetable matter and water. This is followed by the polishing stage where small rollers are moved over the surface to produce a shine. The leather is then transported to a different factory where it is manufactured into the leather products we see in the shops, for example, shoes, handbags and sports equipment.Task 2 Model answer Although some people would argue that we don’t change in any fundamental ways as we develop from young children to adults, | feel there are some marked differences in our social behaviour as we get older. Firstly, most young children tend to express themselves much more openly than they do when older, showing great extremes of happiness and misery. However, when they are adults they learn to hide their real feelings. This can mean that children have very volatile relationships — for example, groups of youngsters will often fall out and row with each other at one moment, and then immediately afterwards they have mended their differences and are back as close companions. Some people say this change in behaviour is good, that showing extreme feelings is selfish and being a member of any community requires moderation of expression. Other people condemn this change, saying childish openness about feelings is more honest and as such, it should be valued. In many cultures there are proverbs which say something like ‘truth comes from mouths of the very young’, and adults sometimes lament the fact that they no longer feel things as deeply as they did when they were children. They regard this as a great loss. In my view, it is a good thing if adults can retain some childlike qualities in their social behaviour throughout their life. | feel that, within reason, it is healthy to show feelings openly because it leads to stronger relationships. However, adults should always keep in mind the consequences of expressing what they feel the moment they feel it. They need to realise that sometimes saying what they feel is simply selfish and if it hurts others, then they should keep their thoughts to themselves.Pa Kc) WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Writing Secondary School since its construction in 1950. make comparisons where relevant. The diagrams below show the changes that have taken place at West Park ‘Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and Write at least 150 words. 1950 EEE ap ERE, 1980 0 aS WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Fat (Main building) Playground cities in the world are now ‘one big traffic jam’. How true do you think this statement is? cars? Car ownership has increased so rapidly over the past thirty years that many What measures can governments take to discourage people from using their Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. 205Writing Task 1 Sample answer The diagrams show West Park School at three different stages in its development: 1950, 1980 and 2010. In 1950, the school was built close to a main road and next to a number of houses. A large area behind the school was turned into a playground, while the area behind the houses was farmland. By 1980, the houses had been demolished in order to make way for a small car park and an additional school building, which became the science block. In addition to the existing playground, the school also gained the farmland and converted it into a sports field. In 2010, the school building remained unchanged but the car park was extended to cover the entire sports field. As a result of this, the original playground was divided into two so that it provided a smaller playground and a small sports field. During this period, the school has increased in size and a car park has been created and enlarged. The combined recreational areas, however, first expanded and were then reduced in size. (174 words)Writing Task 2 Sample answer Most people would agree that car ownership has increased in recent years and is causing a range of problems, particularly in built-up areas. I think there are a number of ways that governments can aim to deal with this. Many big cities in the world have traffic problems but these problems vary. For example, it is reasonably easy to drive around my city after 10 am and before 5 pm. However, outside these hours, you have to allow double the usual time to reach your destination. In some other cities, traffic is congested at all times, and there is the continual sound of car horns as people try to get wherever they want to go. One of the best approaches governments can take in busy cities is to encourage the use of public transport. This means the transport facilities have to be well run and people must be able to afford them. Buses, trams and trains are good ways of getting around, and if they are cheap and reliable, people will use them. Another approach is to discourage people from actually entering the city by building car parks and shopping centres on the outskirts. Many cities around the world do this quite successfully and offer passengers bus transport into the centre, if they need it. At peak travel periods, governments can also run campaigns to encourage people to be less dependent on their cars. Apparently, a lot of car trips involve very short journeys to, say, the supermarket or local school. These are often unnecessary, but we automatically get in our cars without thinking. Clearly we all have a responsibility to look after our cities. Governments can do a lot to improve the situation and part of what they do should involve encouraging individuals to consider alternatives to driving. (299 words)Writing module (1 hour) You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The bar chart below shows the percentage of unemployed graduates, aged 20-24, in one European country over a two-year period. ‘Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and making comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Graduate unemployment by gender, 2008 and 2009 25% z Men Women an 08 AprH08 WuyOs Oct ‘an02 © Ap aya OO, NOY Se You should spend about 40 minutes on this task Write about the following topic: Many people assume that the goal of every country should be to | y produce more materials and goods. To what extent do you agree or disagree that constantly increasing production is an appropriate goal? Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your ow knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. TEST 3, WRITING MODULEEAU er Task 1 Model answer Firstly, generally speaking, graduate unemployment rose for both groups from 2008 to 2009. Although women’s unemployment levels were the same for April 2008, July 2008 and April 2009, all other figures rose. Secondly, there was generally more unemployment for both genders during the autumn and winter months, with figures for both genders peaking in October (e.g. for males: 16 percent in October 2008 and 22 percent October 2009). Perhaps the most striking trend, though, is for a greater percentage of male than female graduates to be out of work at all times of the year. Also there is greater seasonal variation for men than women: the gender difference is much more marked in October of both years and this reaches a peak in October 2009, where there is an eight percent difference between women and men. Finally, employment of women graduates is relatively stable throughout the whole two-year period. It only varies by eight percent (six percent in April 2008, to 14 percent in October 2009). By contrast, men’s unemployment fluctuates more noticeably, with a range from eight to 22 percent.Task 2 Model answer Many people make the assumption that the production of more and more goods is always a good thing for all economies. They say that this growth generates wealth, not just for the wealthy few but for all strata of society. They argue that increasing production brings immediate benefit to rich industrialists but that, in turn, they provide employment for, and buy goods and services from, other less wealthy people in the community. Also it is argued that the wealthy individuals will pay more in taxes and thus the money from growth will benefit everyone, through improved health and education, and that a happier, more stable and more developed society will result. However, other people argue that such growth in production can have the opposite effect. They contend that any riches tend to be claimed by the few and trickle down to very few others in the community. Also, wealthy people know how to use a variety of devious measures to evade paying tax. Another argument against such growth is that even if this wealth does filter down to all citizens it does not, in itself, bring about a better society. Instead it can produce a consumerist mentality which draws a simple equation between having ‘things’ and being happy. This is bad for the moral and spiritual life of the country and also can damage the environment as people want more and more objects, creating pollution through production and disposal of waste. On balance, | feel that a compromise position is the healthiest one — some economic growth should be encouraged as long as there are safeguards intended to ensure fair distribution of wealth and reduce the negative impact on the environment.224 Test 4 WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task, The chart below gives information about Southland’s main exports in 2000, *20.., and future projections for 2025. ‘Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Southland’s main exports in 2000 and *20.., and future projections for 2025 10 Taternational tourism Dairy products Meet products (*20.. : for test purposes, use and refer to the current year) WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. in some countries an increasing number of people are suffering from health problems as a result of eating too much fast food. It is therefore necessary for governments to impose a higher tax on this kind of food. 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. Write at least 250 words.Writing Task 1 Sample answer This bar chart illustrates the performance of Southland’s primary exports in 2000 and 2013. It also indicates future projections for 2025. According to the data, it seems likely that international tourism will become the dominant industry, although dairy exports will remain strong. In 2000, we can see that tourism was the greatest exports earner of the three industries, with revenue standing at just over £8 billion. This figure has increased slightly, so that now, in 2013, it has reached almost £9 billion. It is estimated that international tourism will continue to grow, so that by 2025, it will be earning around £10 billion for the country. In 2000, dairy exports were worth around £7 billion, but since then there has been a dramatic increase, and sales for this year are approximately £10 billion. Experts are predicting that exports in this area may fall slightly, so a figure of £9.5 billion is expected for 2025. Meat products are the third key industry in Southland, but sales have dropped since 2000 and now stand at £5.5 billion. It is expected that sales will continue to decrease in the future. (187 words)Writing Task 2 Sample answer The growth of the fast food industry has, without doubt, impacted on the eating habits and the health of many societies around the world. Diabetes, high cholesterol, heart and respiratory problems are all on the rise due to fatty and sugar- rich food*. However, the question is whether higher tax would improve this situation or not. From an economic point of view, higher tax might seem sensible. In countries such as the USA, Australia and Britain*, the healthcare system spends a large part of its budget on people with diet-related health problems. It could be argued that these people have caused their own illnesses because of their choice of food. In this case, why should they expect the state to pay for their treatment? The tax could help fund the healthcare system. However, we also need to consider which socio-economic group consumes fast food as the main part of their diet. Statistics indicate* that lower income groups eat more of this food than wealthier people. One possible reason for this is that fast food is far cheaper than fresh produce. This is because many governments offer large subsidies to farmers who provide products for the fast food industry, such as corn, wheat and beef. Fruit and vegetables, on the other hand, are not subsidised. Research suggests* that many families simply cannot afford to buy healthy food or pay higher taxes on fast food. For them, fast food is not a choice but a necessity. In conclusion, imposing a higher tax on fast food does not seem to be the answer. If the government chose to do this, it would only lead to greater poverty and families facing further hardship. (278 words)Writing module (1 hour) 5) You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. | The charts below show the percentage of monthly household income spent on various items by two different groups in one European country. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Percentage of household Percentage of household income spent on different items* income spent on different items* Low income group High income group esauran roti * Earnings excluding house rentipurchase You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: Modern technology has made it easier for individuals to download pyrighted music and books from the internet for no charge. coy To what extent is this a positive or a negative development? Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. TEST 4, WRITING MODULETest 4 WRITING Task 1 Model answer The two pie charts show that low and high income groups spend their disposable income (earnings excluding house rent or purchase) on similar items but in different proportions. Regarding the low income group, the highest proportion of their money is spent on food and drink — 29 percent, compared to just 15 percent for the high income group. This is closely followed by 24 percent paid out on fuel bills, which contrasts with a much lower figure for this item for the high incéme group (only 7 percent). The most popular item for the high earners is recreation and cultural activities — 21 percent compared with 11 percent by the low earning group. The higher group also spend a much higher proportion than the lower income group on restaurants and hotels (12 percent and 4 percent respectively) and on transportation (16 percent and 9 percent respectively). The proportion of expenditure on clothing for the two groups is very similar, with only one percent difference between the two (six percent for high income group and five percent for the low).Task 2 Model answer Few would argue that technologies developed in recent years have had a significant impact on the way books and music are shared. The Internet enables very cheap, or even completely free, access to words and sounds. For many people this is a very negative development. Firstly, they make the point that downloading words and music without paying is morally wrong - it is, after all, a form of stealing, just as much as if someone had shop-lifted a CD. Secondly, they claim that if nobody actually buys music or books then the people who produce them, for example, novelists, journalists or musicians, will no longer be able to make a living from such work. Eventually new work will stop being created, no one will perform live and whole industries will cease to function. They say that eventually the only way to make money from writing and music will be through things like celebrity endorsements, and mediocrity will flourish. | believe, however, that freer access to books and music on the Internet is a liberating development, allowing more people to enjoy what was once the preserve of the few. It is particularly good that young people can freely experience a wide range of music and writing. | feel the only way to prevent accessing books and music is by stricter monitoring and harsher penalties and that this would be extremely damaging, because it would increase surveillance and control. | believe it would stifle creativity and undermine creative industries much more than free access is said to do now. | believe writers and musicians will find a way of benefiting from the new situation and good artists will be able to make a living as they always have done.Test 5 Wiis WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The pie charts below show the online shopping sales for retail sectors in New Zealand in 2003 and 2013. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Online sales for retail sectors in New Zealand 2003 2013 travel G)filmmusic [books WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Nowadays technology is increasingly being used to monitor what people are saying and doing (for example, through cellphone tracking and security cameras). In many cases, the people being monitored are unaware that this is happening. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh 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. 244Writing Task 1 Sample answer The two pie charts compare the percentages of online sales across different retail sectors in New Zealand in the years 2003 and 2013. For three of the sectors, it is evident that over this time frame there was significant change in their proportion of online transactions. At 36% we can see that the travel sector accounted for the majority of online sales in 2003, but this percentage had dropped to 29% by 2013. Across the same ten-year period, as an increasing number of people chose to purchase films and music online, we can see that transactions went from just 21% to 33%, making it the retail sector with the highest overall share of the online market. In 2003, the clothing industry boasted an impressive 24% of total online sales in New Zealand. However, by 2013, the figure had fallen considerably to 16%. Interestingly, online sales of books eventually overtook sales of clothes, although books still represented only 22% of the market. (162 words)Writing Task 2 Sample answer In recent years, advances in technology have allowed governments, the police and privately owned companies to keep the public under constant surveillance. In many major cities and towns, security cameras are recording the movements of ordinary citizens. Whenever a cellphone is used, the call is logged, so the service provider knows exactly when and where the user made the call. Invisible satellites orbit the Earth, watching us whether we like it or not. Is this, however, a development we should welcome? Certainly there are benefits. In areas where there is a high crime rate, the use of security cameras may act as a deterrent to criminals: if they can see a camera, they may think twice about breaking into a building or stealing a car. If a crime is carried out, then a camera may provide useful evidence. The same is true for a cellphone; the police sometimes rely on call logs to help them trace the whereabouts of suspects or victims. On the other hand, there are a number of concerns. In countries where human rights are ignored, the use of security cameras or listening devices may be harmful to society. People should be able to hold meetings and express their opinions without their privacy being invaded. There is also a very different issue we should consider. Nowadays, many people upload personal information and photographs onto social networking sites; they often do not realise how easy it is for other people to view this information or for the site owners to use the data or photographs for their own financial gain. It seems inevitable that there will be more and more ways to monitor society in the future. However, it is our responsibility to evaluate new technology and decide whether it will do more harm than good. Surely our freedom is more valuable than technological progress? (307 words)Writing module (1 hour) You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph and bar chart below show the average monthly rainfall and temperature for one region of East Africa. ‘Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and making comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Average monthly rainfall and temperatures Average monthly rainfall and temperature Temperature, Jan feb Mar Ape May unio) «Sep “Ot “Nw ee TSE You should spend about 40 minutes on this task Write about the following topic: Meat production requires relatively more land than crop production. Some people think that as land is becoming scarce, the world’s meat consumption should be reduced. What measures could be taken to reduce the world’s meat consumption? What kinds of problem might such measures cause? Give reasons for your answer, and include any’relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. EE TEST 5, WRITING MODULETask 1 Model answer The graph shows the average weather conditions in one region of East Africa. It shows that there are significant differences in the average monthly precipitation and some variation in temperature. The range of rainfall figures is very large across the year (from approximately five to 280 millimetres) whereas the temperature only fluctuates by three degrees, from 20.5-23.5°C. Broadly speaking, in this region periods of high rainfall tend also to be periods of slightly hotter weather, with two noticeable peaks in the year. Temperatures are fairly high in March and April (just over 23°C), which coincides with a time of very heavy rainfall (with a top figure of 280mm in April). Both rainfall and temperature figures fall in the middle of the year (to a yearly low of 20.5°C, and just five mm of rain in July). The exception to this pattern — of warmer weather being damper — is January/February and September where there are relatively high temperatures (22-23°C) but low rainfall (less than 20mm).Task 2 Model answer | strongly agree with the suggestion that humankind should consume less meat and instead have more vegetables in their diet, and | believe that a number of steps can be taken to persuade people to do this. Firstly, | feel that education has a major role to play in bringing about this change of lifestyle. A well-informed minority of the world’s population may be fully aware of the fact that it is much cheaper and more environmentally sound to eat vegetables, thereby cutting out one whole stage of production, rather than consuming the animals which graze on vegetation. However, | believe that the majority are not conscious of this. Figures should be made widely available showing the savings to be made from this option — both financial and ecological. From a young age, children should also be taught this as an essential part of the curriculum and to set an example, school meals should be redesigned to reflect a shift from meat to vegetables. A second measure would be financial. Taxes can be put on meat to make it a luxury item to be eaten fairly rarely, at most three of four times a week, rather than two or three times a day as is the practice in many parts of the developed world. There is, however, a danger in too much interference in people's choice. It is often the case that resistance builds up against lecturing and fiscal penalties, meaning that people will react by ignoring all the advice Perhaps a compromise position would be to encourage less wastage in food production and retail, particularly in the developed world. Huge amounts of perfectly usable food are thrown away by households and restaurants and supermarkets. Less wastage would mean less food production in the first place.Test 6 WRITING WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows the changes that took place in three different areas of crime in Newport city centre from 2003-2012. ‘Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. The changing rates of crime in the inner city from 2003-2012 4000 ees — burglary | -== car theft se robbery (theft from the person) 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500+ Number o' 1000 500 ° 2003 2004 2005-2006 -«2007«—«2008-~=«2009-«2010~=«2011-~=«0I2 Year WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have more opportunity to study abroad. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development? You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words 264Writing Task 1 Sample answer This graph illustrates how crime rates altered in Newport inner city during the period 2003-2012. We can see immediately that the greatest change occurred in the number of burglaries, while incidents of theft remained low but steady. In 2003, we can see that burglary was the most common crime, with approximately 3,400 reported cases. The figure rose to around 3,700 in 2004, but then there was a downward trend until 2008. At this point the figure stood at just over 1,000 incidents. This rose slightly in 2009, then continued to fluctuate for the remaining period. In 2003, the number of cars being stolen stood at around 2,800 and followed a similar trend to burglary until 2006. At this point the number rose, standing at around 2,200 in 2007. There was a marginal decrease in the following year, but from then on, the trend was generally upwards. Finally, robbery has always been a fairly minor problem for Newport. The number of offences committed changed little over nine years. It is interesting to note that the figure of approximately 700 in 2003 is the same figure for 2012. (187 words)Writing Task 2 Sample answer The pursuit of knowledge is a concept that is valued by most cultures. In the 21st century, we now have many more options regarding how and where to find that knowledge. If you are a French national, you can apply to do an economii degree in the USA, and likewise an American citizen can take a course in linguistics in France. Indeed, most universities across the world now have a good proportion of foreign students enrolled in their programmes. Certainly, there are numerous advantages of studying in a different country. Many students choose to do this because they know that a particular university, for instance Stanford Business School, has an excellent reputation. Graduating from here, they believe, will increase their chances of securing a decent position in a company back home. Students studying abroad also have the opportunity to form friendships with people of various nationalities: in time, these may develop into useful professional networks. Furthermore, living far from family and friends can enable young people to become more independent and self-sufficient. Unfortunately, the experience of studying abroad is not always a positive one. Research suggests that a small percentage of young people struggle to adapt to their new environment and suffer from severe culture shock. The situation can become worse if the student is not mature enough to cope by themselves. Different approaches to teaching and learning may also come as an unwelcome surprise to some students. In essence, the key to a good experience at a foreign university is an open mind. If a student is presented with this opportunity, they should certainly seize it. (267 words)Writing module (1 hour) 0 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. | Plan A below shows a health centre in 2005. Plan B shows the same place in the present day. ‘Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. ii | 200s | (Bprresent bay You should spend about 40 minutes on this task Write about the following topic: Some say that it would be better if the majority of employees worked from home instead of travelling to a workplace every day. Do you think the advantages of working from home outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. Write at least 250 words.LSS Task 1 Model answer The plans show the changes to a health centre over the last six years. Since 2005, the centre has expanded in a number of different ways. Firstly, an extension has been added to accommodate a minor operations room. Also, the interior has been significantly remodelled. In 2005, there was a large entrance area with wide doors and a lot of open space for waiting, with the reception desk in the middle..There were only three consulting rooms and 2 physiotherapy room. This room has stayed the same size but the consulting rooms have been made smaller and increased to four in number. The office has been made smaller and the reception desk put in front of it. A children’s play area has been added in the corner near the entrance. Outside there have also been changes. The car park has been expanded with room for 18 more cars. The garden is decreased in size to accommodate the extra parking space.Task 2 Model answer In many parts of the world, and in many different sectors, more and more people are staying at home rather than commuting to work. Opponents of home-working say that being together in a workplace with colleagues is an important part of keeping people healthy and happy. Staying at home, never meeting people can lead to depression. They also say that, from a professional point of view, it is important to spend time in formal and less formal situations with co-workers. Although it is argued that interaction can happen via computers, especially with a visual element such as video conferencing, they don’t believe this can ever replace face to face contact. For me, the advantages of working from home more than outweigh the disadvantages. Firstly, many workers prefer home working, saying they function more effectively because they can relax, without the pressure and waste of the long commute. With new technologies placing people in the same room metaphorically, it is becoming much easier to do this. With less travel there is a smaller carbon footprint, although this is a claim which has yet to be proved because many people choose to live in remoter areas and car use is not significantly reduced when working at home. Finally, what clinches the argument for me is the fact that working at home enables many people to join the workforce who would not otherwise be able to do so. This option is particularly liberating for women because they often have more caring responsibilities. To sum up, | believe strongly that working from home is the fairest and most efficient option for most people.WRITING WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Writing The chart below shows the annual number of rentals and sales (in various formats) of films from a particular store between 2002 and 2011. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. CiRentals EBVHS sales 250,000 — 200,000 Mblu-ray sales 150,000 100,000 || | ‘Annual number of rentalsisales 2002 2003 2008-2005 2006” 2007 2008” 200920102011 Year WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Some people get into debt by buying things they don't need and can’t afford. What are the reasons for this behaviour? What action can be taken to prevent people from having this problem? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience Write at least 250 words. 317Writing Task 1 Sample answer The number of rentals and sales in various formats of films, between 2002 and 2011 in a particular store has changed a lot. Sometimes it has been very low and sometimes very high. The number of rental since 2002 has been decreasing every year. Comparing the number of rentals in 2002 with 2011, it’s possible noticing that in 2002 it was about 180,000 rentals against aproximadly 55,000 in 2011. In regarding the number of VHS sales, comparing the period between 2002 and 2005, it has happened as well. In 2002 the number of VHS sales was about 85,000 sales, against 65,000 in 2003, 40,000 in 2004 and about 10,000 sales in 2005. After that time, this store stopped to sale VHS. By another side, the number of DVD sales growed up between 2002 and 2007, from aproximadly 45,000 in 2002, more than 100,000 in 2003, to more than 200,000 in 2007. However, since 2008, it has been going down slightly. In 2011 this number was less than 180,000. The number of Blu-Ray sales has started since 2007 and it has growing up slowly. In 2007 it was nowhere near as significant as DVD sales but I guess it will grow up drastcaly in a few years. Actually the number of DVD sales is still very higher than another products in that place. (222 words)Writing Task 2 Sample answer Nowadays we are living in a society based on consuming. As a result, some people have problems in dealing with this budget and they get into debt by buying things they don’t need and can’t afford. This kind of behavior is encountered quite often in our present days, mainly because of the possibility of buying goods in leasing. Hence, people buy most of the goods using the credit card without having a clear idea on how much money they possess or they owe. Also, another cause for this behavior could be psychological. The advertisment and the subliminal messages one encounters in a regular day in a big city has an enormous impact on one’s brain. The main problem is the lack of awareness of the serious effects that advertisment can have on people. In order to prevent people from adopting this dangerous behavior, measures should be taken so as to raise awareness among people. Also, one must learn how to manage his budget in order to get a balance between necessiting and pleasure. Keeping a record on income and monthly spendings would be very helpful and would give to the consumer an overall image on how his budget should be spent. All summed up, the chances of becoming a victim of the consumer's society are high nowadays due to the surrounding temtations but this problem could be easily avoid by being aware of this dangers and having a rational attitude when dealing with money. (244 words)Writing module (1 hour) (CS You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The charts below show the percentage of time younger and older people | spend on various Internet activities in their free time (excluding email) | summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Percentage of time spent on some Percentage of time spent on some ies (18-26 age group) _internet activities (60-70 age group) =~. Fon (CS You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. an Write about the following topic: z Some people feel that the legal age at which people can marry should be at least 21. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. Write at least 250 wards. TEST 7, WRITING MODULE 151SAS Task 1 Model answer The pie charts indicate that there are some major differences but also a number of similarities in the proportion of time younger and older people spend on six different activities in the Internet. The most noticeable difference relates to the most popular activity for each of the groups. Social networking is the most favoured activity for the younger group, accounting for 24 percent of their time on the Internet. This contrasts with just eight percent spent on this by 60 to 70 year olds. The largest percentage of Internet time for older users (29 percent) was spent on making bookings, for example for travel, while for younger users this was their least popular activity, at just five percent. In other activities there were surprisingly similar percentages for the two groups. Both groups spent a fairly large amount of time researching, for example, health matters (26 percent for older people, 20 percent for younger). The younger age group spent 21 percent of their time accessing music and films but this was only four percent more than the older age group. Finally, there was only two percent difference between the two groups in the proportion of time they spent buying things on the Internet.Task 2 Model answer It is widely agreed that a happy and stable relationship in marriage is the bedrock of any community, with a greater likelihood of responsible partners, and if children result, harmonious families. Because of this, it is important to support the institution of marriage in every way possible. One important question in relation to this is: at what age should couples be allowed to marry? There are a number of reasons for making the minimum legal age for matrimony as late as possible. Many would argue that people in their 20s are able to make much more rational and informed decisions than teenagers can. Older people will have seen enough of the world to know that that the feelings they hold for someone at a given moment may not last. They will realise that superficial characteristics like physical beauty or sporting prowess may not be the only ones to bring happiness in a relationship. Older couples are likely to give more consideration to issues such as income and job prospects, but also to less obvious but important personality traits such as tolerance, kindness or moral strength. However, other people contend that it is unrealistic to make couples wait until their 20s before marrying. They suggest that as soon as the boy and girl have reached puberty they should be allowed to marry. To prevent them doing so would result in resentment between the generations, frustration and an increase in the number of unsupported pregnancies. If married teenagers are given enough help and support, they can have children when they are young and healthy enough to enjoy them. Taking into account both these sets of arguments, | feel that 21 is probably too old but that 18 should be made the legal minimum at which couples can marry.