TYPES OF TEXTS EXERCISE

What type of text do you think it is?

Highlight phrases, vocabulary, sentences that make you think that.

If you were going to assess the text what are some elements you will change?

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?  In my country,

young people have a better life today than their parents enjoyed when
they were young.  Use reasons and examples to support your answer

TEXT A

The world has changed in many since my parents were young.  In my
opinion, my lifestyle is superior to the one they enjoyed at that time. I feel
this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following essay.

          First of all, my generation enjoys a lot more leisure time, which makes
our lives more fulfilling and enables us to follow our passions.  People today
take longer vacations and have more paid time off from their jobs than either
of my parents did while they were still employed.  Similarly, we have much
shorter working days than they did. For example, nowadays I receive five
weeks off from my job each year. I can schedule these holidays as I wish,
and even use all of my vacation days at the same time.  As a result, I have
been able pursue my love of travel. Unlike earlier generations, I have been
able to maintain steady professional employment for my whole life so far,
and have also been able to visit every continent on earth.  My parents, in
contrast, were only able to travel following their retirement. At that time,
however, their age and physical conditions limited their range of
experiences.

         Secondly, society provides many more opportunities for women and

minorities these days.  In the past, disadvantaged groups had a tough time
achieving personal and professional success.  While this is still something of
a concern, it is now much easier for members of such groups to follow their
dreams.  My own experience, is a compelling example of this. When I was a
young woman I was encouraged to attend university and later enter the
workforce. On the other hand, my mother was expected to raise children and
be a homemaker.  She dreamed of being a business executive and making
a lot of money, but her parents and teachers discouraged her from doing
that. Unlike me, she was pressured to give up all of her professional
aspirations. Her example demonstrates why my life is preferable to the life
which she lived when she was young.

            In conclusion, I strongly believe that I have an easier and better life
than my parents had just a few decades ago.  This is because I enjoy much
more leisure time than they did, and because women today have many more
opportunities than they did in the past. (392 words)

TEXT B
It is often cited that “Not everything that is learned is contained in books”.
According to many, we learn most of the things from our own experience while
others believe that books are our main source of knowledge. Compare and
contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In
your opinion, which source is more important? Why?  

Knowledge is a very important aspect of our daily lives. Its

application helps us go through life with fewer hitches. As the
saying goes, “knowledge is power”. Therefore, in our society, today,
the most knowledgeable person is considered to be the most
powerful. Knowledge can be obtained from life experiences or from
reading books. In my opinion, one cannot depend on either of the
two in isolation. The best is to make use of both at times of need.

First and foremost, before an individual is able to read and write,

one must obtain knowledge through life experiences. For example,
children begin to learn right from the day they are born. A child
learns how to sit, stand, develop a sense to distinguish the right
from the wrong and so on. This learning experience is necessary for
the child’s development.

Secondly, as the child grows, he/she develops qualities such as

compassion, empathy, friendliness and so on. These qualities are
not learned in books but can only be obtained through life
experiences.

On the other hand, formal education is obtained by attending

classes and reading books. This aspect of learning is equally
important for an individual’s future career. For instance, as a
doctor, I am only able to keep myself updated by reading up on
various changes on diagnosis and management of various diseases
so as to offer my patients comprehensive care.

In conclusion, knowledge learned from life experiences is as

important as knowledge acquired from reading books. The former
helps one develop certain human characteristics which are informal
whereas the latter helps one achieve a target career goal.