Exclusive For 9.0 Niner Students Only

TASK 2 SAMPLES BY DR.
MURRAY HEASLEY (FORMER IELTS EXAMINER)

(EXCLUSIVE FOR 9.0 NINER STUDENTS ONLY)
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All that is required is to show you can respond to a task in a limited amount of time, do so in sentences
arranged in logical paragraphs, do so using accepted English words and phrases with accepted
punctuation and spelling, and do so in grammar that displays an acceptable range and accuracy.
You don’t have time to write a perfect answer and there is a great deal you just don’t have time to
discuss. If you make errors, don’t erase everything. Just cross the error out or the line you hate and write
a correction above. Examiners expect to see corrections.
*Remember: It is very, very simple. There are just 3 types of task. For simplicity and clarity, I call the
three types:
“Do you agree or disagree?”/ “To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
“Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
Open-ended type (usually (but not always) two questions)
In the first type, you pick one side, the one you like. Your arguments, reasons, examples and personal
experience should support your stand (whether you agree or disagree).
In the second type of task you cannot argue just one side. You must discuss both points of view. Just
make sure you write about both in a completely balanced way.
In the third type you are usually given two questions. This is perhaps the easiest format of all. There is a
topic. It usually has two questions to it. Simple. Just answer the questions. If you do that very simple
thing, you should be fine.
It is easy. It is not particle physics. Basic, logical, simple formatting.
Look at these samples I have written. Notice most paragraphs are short (one paragraph of approximately
50 to 60 words, usually two to four sentences per paragraph). Notice nearly every essay should be more
than 250 words but less than 350 words.
When you read the answers I wrote, everything should become clear. When you look at the task, decide
what type of task it is.
You will also see that sometimes I write two and even three different answers to any Task 2. I do this to
show you that you may have any opinion you like provided that you answer the task. You just have to
write one essay in the actual exam.
Now, to make this crystal clear, there is nothing better than actual examples of these 3 types taken from
actual exams. What follows, therefore, are Task Two questions from the real world of IELTS. The
moment you read the question and see the type description, everything will become clear.
Remember also to answer the task and don’t write off-topic. For example, question no. 4 is not about
Department stores. It is about supermarkets and so the emphasis should be on food. Don’t wander off on
some tangent that has no relevance to the task or you will be punished hard.
Don’t overwrite it and don’t underwrite it. Write just enough to satisfy the task requirement. You only
have around 38 minutes. 2 minutes understanding the task and the rest of the 40 minutes writing the
thing. It isn’t Shakespeare. It’s basic English. The odd flourish is welcome if you have the skills but don’t
go berserk.
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TASK 2 SAMPLES BY DR. MURRAY HEASLEY (FORMER IELTS EXAMINER)
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Walk the walk and talk the talk:

1) Answer the question (TR-Task Response).
2) Put your response in sentences and organized paragraphs (CC-Coherence and Cohesion).
3) Use English vocabulary (LR-Lexical Resource) and try to punctuate properly with capital letters to start
a sentence (no t like this but a T like this) and full stops to finish a sentence (like this. Not like this,) and
watch your spelling. Use one or two idioms if they are not old hat or inappropriate.
4) Try to write in reasonable grammar with subject and verb agreement and the right tense and the right
prepositions, etc (GRA-Grammatical Range and Accuracy).
If you do this, you will TR, CC, LR and GRA your way to paradise. Well, to some place that pays you
better for your skills.
If your essay is easier to read, it is less likely to have the grammar mangled and your purpose is to pass.
You will pass if you respond to the task well.
Leave any examples from your own experience that you wish to use to support your position.
The last paragraph I write (you will see) is usually my shortest. It is a wrap. Brief and to the point.
1. Some people believe that school molds the intellect and skills and not the virtues and
attitudes of its students. Do you agree or disagree? Give examples based on your own
knowledge and experience.
A. Answer 1 (Compare the contrary response in Answer 2)
I totally disagree with the notion that schools have no effect on the virtues and beliefs of students but
that they instead simply shape the intellectual and skill sets of people. To adopt such a position flies in
the face of the reality of the cultures that shape us and in which schools function.
A student who enters the educational system in this country is almost inevitably going to be shaped by
the traditional and conservative Catholic beliefs that are so dominant here. This is true, particularly at
primary and secondary school. Furthermore, even if studying at a non-sectarian public university after
this indoctrination and value-formation period, beliefs and attitudes are largely well- formed by then and
carried into the tertiary system. These values are simply reinforced and hardened by sectarian
universities and private institutions that are overwhelmingly Catholic.
Moreover, even granted that schools are, in theory, focused on the development of intellect and skills,
critical, creative thinking skills, although supposedly at the center of learning, are sadly lacking or entirely
absent when issues of religion or morality are discussed. Dissent is punished and conformity is rewarded.
In this way, the attitudes of society are at war with and supersede, the need to encourage the intellect.
Schools then act as a kind of lobotomizing agent, crushing free thinking and initiative.
In my own experience, I have witnessed the opposition of the church to reproductive health and the right
of women to control this. Although I accept that the church has the right to object, I find their opposition
within the education system and their attempts to brow- beat students, objectionably, given the
separation of Church and State under the 1987 Constitution. I believe it is a woman’s right to choose and
I defend my right to think so.
I therefore completely and unequivocally reject the idea that values and attitudes are not influenced at
school and that intellect and skill is the all that is passed on. On the contrary, I believe that value
formation trumps skills and we must be conscious of this fact.
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B. Answer 2(compare the opposite response in Answer 1)
Some people believe that school molds the intellect and skills and not the virtues and
attitudes of its students. Do you agree or disagree? Give examples based on your own
I totally agree with the notion that schools have minimal effect on the virtues and beliefs of students. I
believe they instead simply shape the intellectual and skill sets of people. Schools, after all, are focused
on academic excellence or the practical skills one might acquire in a trade or apprenticeship of some
type.
A student who enters the educational system in this country expects either to receive training in math,
science and humanities or to learn a skill that might earn him or her a livelihood. Some courses,
naturally, offer both. Nursing would be a classic example of this, requiring the student to be academically
competent in the theory of their occupation as well as capable of applying this in the real world of the
hospital or community. Furthermore, even if studying at a sectarian university, the primary focus is
academic excellence and skills formation. Any values or virtues are secondary and ancillary to this central
concern. The parents are interested in their children excelling in numeracy and literacy skills, the mastery
of calculus, algebra, statistics, together with the ability to handle the natural and physical sciences.
Moreover, although many parents value the reinforcement of family and religious virtues and values,
most would consider that value-formation is more a family responsibility. A school’s function is first and
foremost to pass on intellectual capital and marketable skills for the future.
In my own experience, I have witnessed the joy of parents and family when they attend their children’s
graduations at each level of school. Each is a step further in their child’s evolution into an educated adult
and the family photos on walls attest to this pride and delight.
I therefore completely and unequivocally reject the idea that values and attitudes are the major influence
at school . It is intellect and skill that is passed on. This is what families expect and this, by and large, is
what the education system attempts to deliver.
2. Some people say that modern technology has made life too complicated and the solution
is for everyone to live a simpler life and avoid using the technology. Do you agree or
disagree? Give examples from your own knowledge and experience.
A. First sample answer (against modern technology)
I completely agree that modern technology has complicated life. A simpler, less complex life,
unencumbered by the latest technology, is definitely the option I would encourage. The situation at the
moment tends to make humanity the servant or slave of the technology rather than human beings
harnessing this technology to enhance human happiness and fulfilment.
Moreover, by the obsessive use and dependence on the latest technology, people are isolating
themselves from real world experiences. They tend to distance themselves from the people that should
matter to them in the actual, physical worlds of flesh and blood. People obsessed with Face book and
Twitter often ignore family and focus on the virtual world on-line.
Furthermore, people who are dominated by technology become psychological dependent on it and
preoccupied with acquiring the very latest versions of whatever the market is offering. This creates not
only a digital divide between families but a constant feeling of frustration if one cannot afford these
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products like the latest tablet or cell phone. In addition to that, when the access to this technology is
unavailable for any reason, individuals denied access are often at a loss what to do, unable or unwilling
to use their time in more productive ways like interacting with family and friends or perhaps just reading
a book or exercising.
In my own experience, I have seen even impoverished ghetto children electing to spend hours
developing a Facebook persona in an internet café rather than studying or trying to develop useful real
world skills to change their lives. They would rather spend the little they have embellishing a fictional self
on-line than eat.
I believe that life was better before the latest technology invaded our lives. People ate together, mingled
and conversed more. All generations interacted and unique cultural ways were transmitted. New
technology is threatening to replace this simpler, more natural life with a world of artificial, technology -
driven complexity. I am of the opinion that this outcome is an unmitigated disaster.
B. Second sample answer (for modern technology)
Some people say that modern technology has made life too complicated and the solution is
for everyone to live a simpler life and avoid using the technology. Do you agree or disagree?
Give examples from your own knowledge and experience
I disagree with the notion that modern technology has complicated life and with calls to return to a
simpler life. This is like expecting King Canute to stop the tide coming in. The idea is absurd. Technology
has been evolving since before the invention of the wheel precisely to make life easier.
Moreover, modern technology has not complicated life. It has simplified it. We now have the ability to
connect with loved ones and the wider world by voice, visually and by text with smart phones. This can
be done virtually for free with the applications one may download. The days of outrageous phone bills
and cultural isolation, if living abroad, are gone.
In addition to that, it is possible to greatly expand our ability to educate ourselves on-line, without having
to leave our homes if we so choose or to supplement face -to -face education with web- based
reinforcement. Now we can check to see if politicians, lawyers or doctors are telling us the truth by using
internet facilities. Expertise is no longer compartmentalized. Its access has been greatly simplified.
Furthermore, modern technology may be used to simplify banking and medical procedures by simple on-
line access. Farmers or fishermen, even in remote areas, may be able to seek advice on expected
weather patterns or primary produce price trends or markets. The possibilities are seemingly endless.
In my own experience, my grandfather was able to undergo a far less invasive heart surgery procedure
thanks to new laser technology. This was done by a specialist giving advice to the local surgeon on-line,
making a long, expensive, painful and traumatic confinement totally unnecessary.
I therefore believe that modern technology ensures simplicity and is an outcome of human intelligence.
Providing it is harnessed for the betterment of humanity, it should be embraced as within its increasing
complexity lies increasing simplicity and ease of use.
3. Some people say that children have too much freedom nowadays.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give your opinions based on your knowledge and experiences.
A. First sample answer (supporting the view that children have too much freedom)
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There are certain individuals that hold the view that children do not have too much freedom. These
people believe that the greater the freedom children are entrusted with, the greater their ability to grow,
learn and be creative.
Moreover, these people believe that by limiting a child’s freedom, the child becomes far too dependent on
the immediate family and incapable of developing the socialization skills needed for any child to cope in
the larger world outside the family. This will result in a shy, introverted individual, limited in his or her
ability to explore and respond positively to changing circumstances. In addition, they believe that cultures
that entrust their children with freedom are cultures which are healthy, productive and highly creative
cultures that tend to lead the world in educational outcomes, technology innovation and artistic genius.
The outcome of freedom is extremely positive for the individual child and society.
However, I disagree with view. I believe that children these days are given far too much freedom and
that this has disastrous consequences for the child and society. Children become ill-disciplined and
unruly, tiny Hitlers or tyrants in a world lacking respect or connection.Furthermore, children who do not
have a clear familial structure where boundaries involving who they mix with, when and where, tend to
feel lost and unloved. Children need directions and fundamental rules so that freedom is not abused.
In my own experience, I witnessed my niece, given almost unfettered freedom, become virtually
uncontrollable and rejecting any discipline or direction from her family. This is the complete opposite to
our traditional values of respect towards older people. The consequences were disastrous for her with an
early pregnancy and unwanted early motherhood.
I therefore believe that children given too much freedom will tend to abuse it. Often this freedom is really
parental neglect disguised as freedom. Children need structure and order or they tend to suffer.
Freedom granted must be earned and based on proof they can be trusted and not an automatic right.
B. Second sample answer (opposing the view that children have too much freedom)
Some people hold the view that children these days are given far too much freedom and that this has
disastrous consequences for the child and society. Children become ill-disciplined and unruly, tiny Hitlers
or tyrants in a world lacking respect or connection.
Furthermore, they believe that children who do not have a clear familial structure where boundaries
involving who they mix with, when and where, are made clear, will tend to feel lost and unloved.
Children, they feel, need directions and fundamental rules so that freedom is not abused. Moreover, they
think that children given too much freedom will tend to abuse it. Often this freedom is really parental
neglect disguised as freedom. Children need structure and order or they tend to suffer. Freedom granted
must be earned and based on proof they can be trusted and not an automatic right.
On the other hand, I hold the opposite view. I am strongly in favor of maximizing freedom for children.
They are not animals and should not be caged. I believe that the greater the freedom children are
entrusted with, the greater their ability to grow, learn and be creative. I also think that by limiting a
child’s freedom, the child becomes far too dependent on the immediate family and incapable of
developing the socialization skills needed for any child to cope in the larger world outside the family. This
will result in a shy, introverted individual, limited in his or her ability to explore and respond positively to
changing circumstances.
In addition, I believe that cultures that entrust their children with freedom are cultures which are healthy,
productive and highly creative cultures that tend to lead the world in educational outcomes, technology
innovation and artistic genius. The outcome of freedom is extremely positive for the individual child and
society. In my own experience, my niece was entrusted with a great deal of freedom by her parents and
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she excelled in her studies all through grade school, high school and college. They trusted her to have
the intelligence to use this freedom constructively and she repaid their trust a thousand fold.
I therefore believe that freedom is a basic right of childhood, If enjoyed within a loving family, it will
produce sane, healthy and balanced children able to cope in a rapidly changing world.
4. Nowadays, people prefer to shop in supermarkets rather than local stores.

What are the reasons behind it? Is it a negative or positive development?
A. First sample answer (against supermarkets)
It is my belief that most people prefer to shop in supermarkets rather than to patronize local stores
because of the convenience of purchasing their household needs in one place. Once in a supermarket
there is little need to go elsewhere to buy the products one might wish to buy.
Furthermore, given that supermarkets are often owned by large corporations, the range and price of
merchandise is often cheaper than that one might purchase from smaller, local stores which do not have
the leverage to demand lower costs from their suppliers. Bulk purchase by supermarkets should translate
to lower retail prices to consumers. Moreover, supermarkets are usually air-conditioned, clean, well lit
and with produce easily found in shelving that is clearly labeled and in aisles accessible by trolleys
provided in the supermarket. This is a huge plus in hot countries like the Philippines and for shoppers
who often have to mind children while shopping.
In addition to that, supermarkets have an extensive range of products other than food. They usually
stock toys, electrical goods, toiletries, cookware and the like, thereby adding to the convenience for their
clientele. I believe that this development is largely negative in this country. The overwhelming preference
of consumers to flock to supermarkets has destroyed countless small businesses all through this nation
while making a tiny few immensely wealthy. Furthermore, the sense of local community naturally
encouraged by small owner operated stores is lost when the shopping experience is turned into a mass of
strangers wandering around huge stores and being served by strangers. Something intangible but
precious is sacrificed in this anonymous setting.
In my own experience, I have seen once thriving local stores being swallowed up by the massive SM
supermarket stores that have proliferated here. They are like black holes that swallow all the surrounding
light.
I therefore believe, in essence, that large supermarket growth has compromised our humanity. It has
destroyed our cultural uniqueness and threatened the futures of many just to enrich a few.
Word Count: 333 words
B. Second sample answer (for supermarkets)
It is my belief that most people prefer to shop in supermarkets rather than to patronize local stores
because of the convenience of purchasing their household needs in one place. Once in a supermarket
there is little need to go elsewhere to buy the products one might wish to buy.
Furthermore, given that supermarkets are often owned by large corporations, the range and price of
merchandise is often cheaper than that one might purchase from smaller, local stores which do not have
the leverage to demand lower costs from their suppliers. Bulk purchase by supermarkets should translate
to lower retail prices to consumers. Moreover, supermarkets are usually airconditioned, clean, well lit and
with produce easily found in shelving that is clearly labeled and in aisles accessible by trolleys provided in
the supermarket. This is a huge plus in hot countries like the Philippines and for shoppers who often have
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to mind children while shopping. In addition to that, supermarkets have an extensive range of products
other than food. They usually stock toys, electrical goods, toiletries, cookware and the like, thereby
adding to the convenience for their clientele.
I believe that the growth of supermarkets is a very positive development in this country. It ensures the
primacy of convenient shopping and saves the tremendous inconvenience of shopping around. It also
allows consumers tremendous choice in the food products and brands they might prefer, unlike the very
small range on offer at local stores. This element of choice is a huge plus for customers who enjoy
exercising the right to buy or patronize the brands they like rather than simply what is on offer.
In my own experience, I have suffered the health consequences of purchasing meat and vegetable
products from local wet markets, stored and handled in unsanitary conditions. Supermarket products
tend to be more hygiene and free of pathogens even if more expensive.
I therefore believe that supermarket growth is largely a positive development. Convenience and efficiency
trumps any misplaced nostalgia for the old shopping ways.
5. Why is mass media important? Is it primarily a positive or negative influence?

Give your opinion based on your own knowledge or experience.
A. First sample answer (a positive influence)
Mass media is important because it is a means for people in society to be informed on the many issues
that impact their lives from the more mundane to the profound. Without mass media many of us would
be living in a virtual information vacuum dependent for information on face to face contacts.
Furthermore, now that the more traditional mass media like radio, television, printed newspapers have
been augmented by the newer forms the internet offers, accessibility has greatly improved. Information
flows may be streamed onto hand held devices at great speed and low cost in a wireless free
environment. In addition to that, the mass media, in whatever form, allows people to be more deeply
informed on political issues, health issues, weather patterns, current events of every type including
births, marriage and deaths. Local, national and internationally significant occurrences are available to
anyone who has the requisite device. Moreover, life is not all serious business. Cultural life includes the
enjoyment of sport, music, movies, theatre, comedy and celebrity gazing. The mass media satisfies this
cultural craving as well from the sublime to the ridiculous.
I believe that mass media is, in balance, a very positive influence. It enriches the daily life of countless
millions in hundreds of different languages. Television alone, provides a heady mix of the lighthearted
and the serious, both entertaining and informing all segments of society. The new mass media has had a
profound effect on the education of many and eased the ability to communicate with family and extend
friendship patterns beyond the narrow confines of one’s immediate circle. Face book and Twitter played a
major role in the overthrow of Arab dictatorships by revealing the truth of ordinary peoples’ lives and
their courage in this Arab Spring.
In my own experience, I have delight in the ability to read twenty newspapers throughout the world on a
daily basis from my room or in a café, educating myself about the latest impeachment trial here of a
Chief Justice . Alternatively, I can leap abroad and read about the Republican Primary contest for the US
Presidency or the relief that a Jon Stewart comedy video clip offers me on the Huffington Post.
I therefore think the mass media is a basic part of a healthy democracy. Used positively, it empowers and
enlightens.
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B. Second sample answer (a negative influence)
Mass media is important because it is a means for people in society to be informed on the many issues
that impact their lives from the more mundane to the profound. Without mass media many of us would
be living in a virtual information vacuum dependent for information on face to face contacts.
Furthermore, now that the more traditional mass media like radio, television and printed newspapers,
have been augmented by the newer forms the internet offers, accessibility has greatly improved.
Information flows may be streamed onto hand held devices at great speed and low cost in a wireless free
environment. In addition to that, the mass media, in whatever form, allows people to be more deeply
informed on political issues, health issues, weather patterns, current events of every type including
births, marriage and deaths. Local, national and internationally significant occurrences are available to
anyone who has the device needed. Moreover, life is not all serious business. Cultural life includes the
enjoyment of sport, music, movies, theatre, comedy and celebrity gazing. The mass media satisfies this
cultural craving as well, from the sublime to the ridiculous.
I believe that mass media is, largely a very negative influence. It destroys the minds of countless
millions in hundreds of different languages. Television alone, basically lobotomizes people addicted to
totally mindless entertainment like soap operas and games shows. Very few bother to watch programs
that may actually educate. Those who do use the internet end up addicted to Facebook and pointless
chatting. The mass media is also largely controlled by media moguls whose only interest is profit. Much
of what pretends to be news is actually just infomercials with some catastrophe or other wrapped
around commercials for toothpaste, skin whitener or hair shampoo. The mass media is pure manipulation
by the wealthy few.
In my own experience, I know many people who are experts in the latest gossip or scandal about a
celebrity but completely ignorant about more substantive matters like judicial or political corruption. Mass
media, traditional or new, has done precisely nothing to advance education or social involvement to
improve society,
I therefore think the mass media is a basic part of an extremely sick society. It largely demeans and
undermines democracy and encourages stupidity, pornography and mindlessness.
6. The internet has made traditional libraries unnecessary.

To what extent do you agree or disagree? Discuss giving examples from your own
A. First sample answer (supporting this idea)
Some people think that the internet will never replace the libraries often found in high schools, colleges
and in the community. Libraries of bricks and mortar, full of books arranged by subject and readily
accessible by finding the desired book cataloged there, in their view, will always be a fundamental part of
society.
Furthermore they believe that libraries are natural meeting places where people of all ages can mingle
and enjoy the presence of others in the relative peace and quiet that libraries offer. There is a kind of
tranquility in libraries rarely experienced anywhere else in the hurly-burly of life. Others also are of the
opinion that the touch and feel of information on paper and bound in books has a special quality that
may never be replaced by digitally accessed material. It may be hard to define this aspect of reading and
learning but many would acknowledge it as important and worth preserving.
However, I believe that traditional libraries are bound for the trash bin of life. The internet has made
books irrelevant. The internet has made the destruction of forests unnecessary as a paperless future is
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promised. Moreover, traditional libraries are expensive to build, maintain and staff. They are often
inconveniently located, particularly in busy cities where roads are poorly maintained or heavy with traffic.
One may avoid all this by doing any required reading on the internet. In addition, research sites like
Wikipedia or even now, Encyclopedia Britannica are available on-line and instantly updatable by the
researchers that contribute to them. One need not rely on outdated, printed materials anymore.
In my own experience, I have completed a further degree in Second language learning entirely on-line.
Skype and Viber enabled both face to face video conferencing to augment email work and
communication. There were no bricks or mortar anywhere.
I therefore believe that the internet has killed traditional libraries stone dead. They will be eventually
consigned to history, perhaps missed nostalgically but replaced by superior technology.
B. Second sample answer (opposing this idea)
There are people who believe that traditional libraries are bound for the trash bin of life. The internet, in
their opinion, has made books irrelevant.
Moreover, traditional libraries, in their view, are expensive to build, maintain and staff. They are often
inconveniently located, particularly in busy cities where roads are poorly maintained or heavy with traffic.
One may avoid all this by doing any required reading on the internet. In addition, research resources like
Encyclopedia Britannica are available on-line and instantly updatable by the researchers that contribute to
them. One need not rely on outdated printed materials anymore or the need to go to libraries to access
research materials.
However, I believe that the internet will never replace the libraries often found in high schools, colleges
and in the community. Libraries of bricks and mortar, full of books arranged by subject and readily
accessible by finding the desired book cataloged there, will always be a fundamental part of society.
Furthermore, libraries are natural meeting places where people of all ages can mingle and enjoy the
presence of others in the relative peace and quiet that libraries offer. There is a kind of tranquility in
libraries rarely experienced anywhere else in the hurly-burly of life. I also feel that the touch and feel of
information on paper and bound in books has a special quality that may never be replaced by digitally
accessed material. It may be hard to define this aspect of reading and learning but many would
acknowledge it as important and worth preserving.
In my own experience, I have seen traditional libraries not only embrace the new technology but provide
free internet access for the poorer members of society. The libraries thus cater to those who prefer the
printed form and the digital form in a safe environment.
Therefore, I believe that traditional libraries are not in conflict with the digital age. They have simply
adapted to the new technology and allow the community to share this, preventing the dreadful isolation
threatened by billions accessing the internet alone in their rooms.
7. In the future, the younger generation will have nothing to learn from their parents or
grandparents. Do you agree or disagree? Discuss, giving examples from your own
A. First sample answer (for the position that the notion is true)
I believe that the young will have nothing, or very little, to learn from their elders in the future.
Technology has made the immediate family and the traditional transmission of knowledge almost
unnecessary.
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Moreover, apart from the earliest years of nurturing, parents and grandparents tend to be largely or
completely ignorant about how to access the almost limitless information available on-line. Teachers,
without any parental input, may transmit the basics on how to use the evolving tools necessary to tap
into the web-based courses in numeracy and literacy. Furthermore, younger people display far greater
dexterity and mental acumen than their elders in the simple mechanics of the utilization of these new
tools. Youthful minds, not set in outmoded habits and prejudices, are better placed to exploit the
information on the web with far better learning outcomes than their elders are capable of and at much
greater speed.
In addition to that, the future will present problems that require solutions of creative, adaptive minds
freed from the limits of outmoded theory and practice. The older generations are a barrier to this
intellectual and mental freedom. Only educated youth can drive the future in positive ways. Otherwise
they are limited by the straightjacket of the past.
In my own experience, I have seen grade school children here at well funded schools using laptops in a
paperless classroom teaching themselves numeracy skills from programs streamed at levels appropriate
to each student’s competency level. Their parents are not needed in this educational and learning
process. This gap will only grow with time.
I therefore am of the opinion that the younger generation have left the traditional womb of the family.
The great bulk of all their learning experiences will occur apart from those generations that preceded
them.
B. Second sample answer (for the position that the notion is not true).
I believe the notion that the younger generation have nothing to learn from their elders is totally absurd.
This idea is part of the insane idea that technology trumps humanity. It flies in the face of human history
and commonsense.
Moreover, the idea rejects the formative years of life when the nurturing that passes on our cultural
inheritance takes place. We are not empty vessels or machines waiting for digital wisdom. We are flesh
and blood mortals requiring a long period of human support to allow us to be sane, functioning human
beings able to socially mix and communicate and interact with our environment. Furthermore, even in our
teenage years, no matter how skilled we may become with the most cutting edge technology, none of it
can teach us how to deal with puberty or a broken heart or first love or loss. We need family support and
the collective wisdom of our elders who have been through these experiences.
In addition to that, the joys of life like music and poetry and dance, are often passed on to us by our
elders. This learning flows from the real world and although they can be accessed on-line, can only be
enjoyed fully in the flesh and blood world into which we are born and often mediated by our parents and
grandparents.
In my own experience, my uncle overcame poverty and a physical disability to become a noted poet and
novelist. He taught me the joy of literature and reading. His physical presence alone was a learning
experience beyond anything I could have learnt on-line. The timbre of his voice, his laugh and smile are
not replicable in a separate reality.
I therefore believe that the young will continue to be deeply and fundamentally indebted to their parents
and grandparents in learning to be human. These relationships define our humanity.
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8. Some cultures appear to give preference to older people than younger people while other
cultures seem to prefer the younger generation. Which do you think is better? Discuss
including examples from your own knowledge and experience.
A. First sample answer (for the position that it is better to give preference to the younger
generation)
I believe it is better for cultures to focus resources on the young. It is the younger generation who must
adapt to the different reality of the present and find solutions, both technological and ethical, to the
problems needing answers.
Furthermore, it is often technological solutions that are needed for cultures to adapt to current needs like
job creation, economic development and environmental change. The young are far more flexible and
capable when modern technology is involved, displaying innovative thought and creativity in a digital
knowledge world that their seniors are incapable of matching. In addition to their ability to learn faster
than their elders, the young, if encouraged by a well-funded public education system or accessible private
system that caters to their learning requirements, are far more likely to produce workable solutions to
problems. Failure to support the education of the young would mean the dead hand of the past prevails,
with outmoded thinking stymieing effective thought.
Moreover, the primary aim of any healthy, sane culture should be the nurturing of its young to enable its
youth to think creatively, act intelligently and interact effectively with each other and the societal context
in which the young are expected to function. It is the young who must deal with life’s challenges. Their
elders had their day and must pass on the levers of power to their descendents.
In my own experience, I have witnessed the problems that arise when the elderly are entrusted with
power while the young are not. The current impeachment trial of the Chief Justice has octogenarians in
command and justice and truth are being buried under legal technicalities. This is making this country a
laughing stock and an international pariah.
I therefore believe the younger generations must be given preference. Any culture that denies this will
end up sterile and unable to function as a modern society.
B. Second sample answer (for the position that it is better to give preference to the older
generation)
I believe that it is better for cultures to show preference to the older generation. It is the elders who are
the inheritors and transmitters of culture and thus the guarantors of the language, customs , values and
traditions that make the varied cultures of the world unique.
Furthermore, the older generation has, by virtue of age, the experience and wisdom to act as role models
to the younger generation. One must experience life before any real understanding can happen and
much of this occurs within the womb of the family, followed by reinforcement by teachers and spiritual
advisors capable of passing on cultural norms. In addition to that, no matter how universal technological
change has impacted life in many varied cultures, the balance and sense of belonging younger people
feel about the cultures into which they are born and raised is largely a result of the impact of their elders
and not the consequence of technological development. Without cultural pride, there is nothing to anchor
a sense of self and appreciation of one’s history.
Moreover, the music, song, dance and theatre particular to a culture, are, like poetry, myth and legend,
the things that distinguish us as part of the rich tapestry of being human. This is passed on to the young
as cultural capital. They in turn, will pass on this legacy to their children.
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In my experience, I have been taught to respect my elders. Their age alone, is grounds for special
treatment and is a fundamental part of my culture. To abandon this would be to reject a fundamental
basis of daily life and practice.
I therefore believe that the older generation should be preferred in cultural practice. The young will enjoy
the same respect when they take the baton from their parents and grandparents who have nurtured
them and this is how it should be in life.
9. Some jobs require parents to travel a great deal. What are the effects on the parents who
have to travel? What effects does this have on the family in general? Discuss including
examples from your own knowledge and experience.
A. First sample answer (for the position that the effect on family is bad)
I believe that work which requires parents to be away from their families, places considerable strain on
parents. Parenting requires physical presence and interaction with children. This is impossible when
mothers and fathers are absent because of job commitments.
Moreover, parents have to deal with the emotional and psychological stress of putting their work duties
and obligations above their need to be effective parents in the daily life of their children. This struggle
and conflict, where financial need trumps actually being there for their offspring, can cause misery for the
adult caught in this situation. In addition, parents who travel have to deal with the guilt and worry over
the added burden placed on their partners in their absence. This increases stresses in the relationship on
an adult to adult level and may lead to casual affairs as the absent partner seeks comfort and solace.
I am of the opinion that the family in general may suffer. If the mother is absent or the father is absent,
children are denied the guidance that each may bring to family life. This is doubly so if both are working
away from home and even more profoundly if working out of the country for extended periods of time.
Furthermore, these absences cannot be substituted by digital communication, even though the internet
has made these absences perhaps less painful. Skype, Facebook and Twitter are poor substitutes for the
hugs a child needs and the face- to- face advice teenagers need from their parents.
In my own experience, I have seen grandparents forced to act as surrogate parents and struggling to
cope. I have witnessed aunts, uncles attempt to act as parents with mixed results, although some do so
brilliantly and effectively. I know of friends deprived of their biological parents because of work develop
insecurities and difficulty with trust issues.
I therefore believe that it is preferable that parents find work that allows them to raise their children
personally. The long term effects of people putting work ahead of family, I suggest, is a recipe for
disaster.
B. Second sample answer (for the position that the effect on family is good)
I believe that the effect on parents who have to travel away from their families to find work depends on
the nature of the work and the remuneration they receive doing it. If the work is rewarding and fulfilling,
the effect is positive. The reverse may be true if this is not the case.
Moreover, since well paying work is often hard to find in one’s country of origin, the ability to find decent
work away from home, can have a very positive effect on a parent’s sense of worth. He or she may be
able to send money home for family educational, social and health needs rather than grafting unhappily
to earn a meager salary and scratch out a mere survival existence for dependents. In addition to that,
parents working abroad often learn a new culture, improve socialization skills, improve their abilities to
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think creatively and independently, freed as they are from the constraints of their mother cultures. They
learn that their own lives are valid and not just defined by their parenthood. Alternatively, they may use
these new skills to be better parents.
Generally, the family benefits because the travelling parent is usually the major source of the income the
family needs to prosper. Impoverished or under resourced families are often dysfunctional with higher
rates of domestic violence and drug abuse. Furthermore, with the internet and increasingly easier and
cheaper connectivity, parents can easily keep in touch with their children unlike the past where this was
expensive and very problematic. This contact can be audio and visual now, even with hand-held mobile
devices.
In my own experience, I have seen other family members acting very effectively as parents in the
absence of the biological parents. Given the close family ties here in the Philippines, the extended family
functions much more naturally than would be the case in cultures that have nuclear family structures.
I therefore believe that travelling parents and their families benefit. Economic security provides options
for a better family life.
10. Ambition is important to have in society. How important is ambition to achieve success?
Is it a positive or negative trait?
A. First sample answer (for the position that ambition is positive)
I believe that ambition is important if one wishes to be successful in life. Its absence tends to encourage
people to be satisfied with a mediocre or meandering life, without any real purpose or direction.
In addition to providing a necessary impetus or drive to do one’s best , ambition, or the desire to excel in
any effort, can bring out the best in a person, releasing the particular gifts that make each individual
unique and valuable. Furthermore, It is the extrovertly ambitious who tend to be the leaders, the movers
and shakers, the valedictorians. The introvertly ambitious tend to express their success less publically,
perhaps as researchers, writers or mentors. Moreover, ambition, as a cultural attitude, encouraged by
family, schools and society in general, may result in dynamic, productive, confident nations whose
citizens are able to think outside the box and find innovative solutions to present problems.
It is my belief that ambition is largely a positive trait in a person. The desire for honor, fame, power or
wealth is a legitimate goal for any individual. It is essentially the pursuit of excellence in whatever path a
person chooses to tread. Ambition is the individual’s antidote to laziness and slothfulness. Once a person
is inspired to be the best he or she can be in whatever career or pursuit he or she is engaged in, second
best is not an option. Mastery of a skill set becomes the objective and this requires focus and discipline.
In my own experience, I have witnessed friends and family who, despite the struggle involved in terms of
commitment, went on to great success in their chosen fields. I had a friend become a well-known singer
and a nephew become a gifted concert violinist. Their success was rooted in their ambition.
I therefore have the view that ambition is vital to achieving success. I also strongly believe that ambition
is a powerful force for good and a trait to be nurtured in all sane people.
B. Second sample answer (for the position that ambition is negative)
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I believe, however, that ambition is essentially a negative trait in a person. The desire for honor, fame,
power or wealth is not a legitimate goal for any individual. It is essentially the pursuit of self interest and
a belief in dog- eats- dog and the devil take the hindmost. Ambition is the individual’s excuse to indulge
in greed and selfishness. Once a person is inspired to be the best he or she can be in whatever career or
pursuit he or she is engaged in, there is a tendency to trample on the rights of others and do anything it
takes to be successful. Morality and ethics go out the door and a selfish few destroy the hopes of the
many.
In my own experience, I have seen political dynasties here promote the purely selfish ambitions of their
respective clans, using the appearance of democracy to rob this country blind. Their success, driven by
their ambition, has led to countless disappearances and murders of human rights advocates. The
Maguindanao massacre in 2009 was a direct consequence of this ambition.
I therefore believe that ambition is a negative trait. I believe in the Christian principle that the meek will
inherit the earth.
C. Third sample answer (for the position that it is both positive and negative)
I believe that ambition is a mixed blessing. In healthy, well adjusted, community-minded people, it is
extremely positive. Once a person is inspired to be the best he or she can be in whatever career or
pursuit he or she is engaged in, second best is not an option. Mastery of a skill set becomes the objective
and this requires focus and discipline. Society benefits from this ambition. In maladjusted or sociopathic
individuals, ambition is a disastrous trait. Many of the most brutal and horrific of dictators were extremely
ambitious and this ambition led to the deaths of untold millions of innocents. Hitler and Stalin are the
products of ambition as was Marcos here. Society suffers from this version of ambition.
In my own experience, I have seen my nephew become a gifted and celebrated concert violinist. I have
also witnessed former Presidents of this country bleed the nation dry through unfettered corruption. The
former ambition is to be celebrated the latter to be excoriated.
I therefore believe that ambition is a two edged sword. It really depends on the nature of the ambition
and within whom ambition resides.
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11. Some people think that it is more important to focus on the future rather than the
present. Do you agree or disagree? Discuss, including examples from your own knowledge
and experience.
A. First sample answer (for the position that it is better to focus on the future)
I share the view that it is more important to be focused on one’s future. If an individual has no
appreciation of the need to have hopes and plans, I believe that the chances of a successful life are
small.
Furthermore, without a focus on the future, a person usually lacks any ambition or drive to improve. A
sense of the future instills discipline. All visionaries need to have a mission and goals set as benchmarks
to be reached. This is often not an easy task and requires application and sometimes delaying instant
gratification for a more long lasting reward. Moreover, education is an evolving thing. The skills gained
are cumulative. With an eye to the future, a person can strive to excel, thus enabling him or her to gain
admission to the best universities and perhaps win scholarships to ease the financial burden this often
involves.
In addition, a healthy competitive attitude to life, where a person wants to be the very best that he or
she can be in whatever field, requires looking ahead. The promise of future success encourages people to
stretch themselves and not settle for the mediocre or ordinary. It is also extremely sensible for a nation
as a whole to plan for the future. Development plans and allocation of funds for national infrastructure in
such areas as education, housing, health, health, transport, agriculture, industry, rural and urban
improvement are fundamental for a country’s planned growth.
In my own experience, I worked two jobs during college to pay for my tuition. Had I not been willing to
struggle for my future, I would never have been able to cope with the stress that this work load involved.
I therefore believe that concern for future outcomes should come before focus on the present. It is the
future where our potential will be realized. It thus deserves our primary attention.
B. Second sample answer (for the position that it is better to focus on the present)
I believe that it is absurd to focus on the future. In the end, we are all dead. All we have is the present
and to ignore it for some theoretical future is the height of foolishness.
Moreover, unless one is conscious of the present, one becomes like a sleepwalker, totally unable to
respond with passion to the limitless reality of the here and now. The precious gift of life is thrown away
like a piece of garbage as a person stresses and frets about what might be rather than what actually is.
Furthermore, it requires far greater focus and energy to develop awareness of one’s immediate
surroundings than to be worrying about tomorrow or the next year or decade. Real intelligence is
present- focused not future orientated.
In addition to that, those that allow some imagined future to take precedence over the present, often
refuse to take responsibility for existing injustice or inequalities. They may simple dismiss this as
something that may be dealt with in the future and wash their hands of responsibility. Corruption thrives
in this environment of blind neglect. A call for a focus on the future is also, often simply an excuse for
ambitious people to trample on the rights of others. They may justify their selfishness by pleading the
case that the all will be fine in the future and that present problems do not need to be addressed.
In my own experience, I have seen politicians and priests urging people to forgive misbehavior of the
powerful here, to forgive, forget and move on. This mentality means no one in power is ever punished
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and no one is ever guilty of any misbehavior or ever accepts responsibility. It is a future of fatalism
imposing a dead hand on the present.
I therefore believe that it is the present that requires our undivided attention. The future will take care of
itself but not if we make terrible choices now.
12. Some people think that animals and animal products should be used for food, medicine
and clothing. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your opinions based on your
knowledge and experiences.
A. First sample answer (supporting the view that animals and animal products should be
used for human purposes)
There are people who firmly believe that the utilization of animals for human consumption, for medicinal
purposes and for fashion, is totally unacceptable. These people find this way of thinking barbaric,
primitive, unenlightened and cruel.
Furthermore, they are of the opinion that, given the cruelty implicit in thinking of other living species as
simply a resource to be exploited to satisfy human need, humanity itself is diminished or compromised by
killing animals to meet this desire. Animals are forced to live horrific, brief lives in dreadful conditions to
provide meat for the so called higher species. Moreover, there are alternatives to leather clothing or
fashionable furs that do not require the pain and death of animals. The testing of medicines on laboratory
animals, they believe, is not only horrific but unnecessary with new laboratory techniques for such testing
not requiring vivisection or other horrors inflicted on innocent animals.
However, I believe that it is acceptable to use animal products for important human needs. There has
been an intimate relationship between human beings and animals since the evolution of human beings as
a separate species. This goes beyond the physical and embraces the spiritual as people pray at a meal
before eating. In addition to food, the use of animals in the development of medicine has a long and
proud tradition. The rapid production of effective vaccines against various viruses and pathogens is
largely a result of using mice and rats in a laboratory, avoiding human experimentation. There are also
cultures where animal skins and fur are important traditional forms of clothing. The Inuit of the Arctic
region and tribal groups in Sub Saharan Africa both use animal products for clothing and ritual.
In my own experience, the ritual killing of a suckling pig to be spit roasted, is a fundamental part of the
marriage ceremony in Tonga. No one has the right to dismiss these traditions as illegitimate or unnatural.
I therefore believe, provided no unnecessary cruelty is practiced and one understands the
interdependency of all life, the use of animals by people, is entirely legitimate and acceptable. It is part of
the cycle of life.
B. Second sample answer (opposing the view that animals and animal products should be
Certain people believe that it is acceptable to use animal products for important human needs. They
would argue that there has been an intimate relationship between human beings and animals since the
evolution of human beings as a separate species. This goes beyond the physical and embraces the
spiritual as people pray at a meal before eating.
In addition to food, the use of animals in the development of medicine, they would say, has a long and
proud tradition. The rapid production of effective vaccines against various viruses and pathogens is
largely a result of using mice and rats in a laboratory, avoiding human experimentation. There are also
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cultures where animal skins and fur are important traditional forms of clothing. The Inuit of the Arctic
region and tribal groups in Sub Saharan Africa both use animal products for clothing and ritual.
However, I believe that the utilization of animals for human consumption, for medicinal purposes and for
fashion, is totally unacceptable. I find this way of thinking barbaric and unenlightened. There are non
animal forms of protein that involve no pain. Furthermore, given the cruelty implicit in thinking of other
living species as simply a resource to be exploited to satisfy human need, humanity itself is diminished or
compromised by killing animals to meet this desire. Animals are forced to live horrific, brief lives in
dreadful conditions to provide meat for the so called higher species. Moreover, there are alternatives to
leather clothing or fashionable furs that do not require the pain and death of animals. The testing of
medicines on laboratory animals, is not only horrific but unnecessary with new laboratory techniques for
such testing not requiring vivisection or other horrors inflicted on innocent animals.
In my own experience, I have seen the cruelty inflicted on battery hens from birth to slaughter. Activists
have exposed the conditions the hens endure to be a blight on our humanity.
I therefore believe we have no right to treat other animal species as a resource. Life, in all its forms, is
sacred and should be treated as such.
13. In the modern world it is no longer necessary to use animals and animal products for
food, clothing and medicine. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give
your opinions based on your knowledge and experiences.
A. First sample answer (supporting the view that animals and animal products should be
Some people believe that the killing of animals for their flesh is unacceptable. They are of the opinion
that there are many sources of protein available to people in the modern world apart from animal flesh
and without the need to kill other living species. A balanced diet of protein rich food does not require the
mass slaughter of animals.
Moreover, in their view, there are many alternatives to animal by-products for clothing which are far
cheaper and accessible. The majority of people now live in cities where cotton clothing and the like are
readily available and where the slaughter of animals is impractical. Modern medicine, also, they think, has
reached a point, with stem cell technology and the like, which removes the necessity for animal
experimentation. It is simply unnecessary, barbaric and pointless.
However, I do not share these views. I believe that it is necessary to continue using animals and their by-
products as food, for clothing and for medicinal purposes. A human life is of greater value than an animal
life and we should therefore exploit this resource. Furthermore, animals are a convenient source of
protein for human survival. Our ancestors domesticated animals as a resource and this resource is no less
crucial to our daily nutritional needs now than in the past. Indeed with a growing world population,
animals are even more fundamental to human food requirements. In addition to that, it would be
wasteful not to use the by- products, such as leather and fur, for clothing. To simply junk this resource
makes little practical sense. This is a sensible recycling of a resource. This is equally true for justifying the
use of animals to test medicines before using them on people. It is better that a rat is experimented upon
than a person.
In my own experience, I have seen how cattle are humanly stunned prior to slaughter. I also think no
one has the right to force another to become a vegetarian. I believe humans are natural carnivores.
I therefore believe animals remain a basic part of our food chain. They are a fundamental part of our
modern world needs.
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B. Second sample answer (opposing the view that animals and animal products should be
Certain people believe that it is necessary to continue using animals and their by-products as food, for
clothing and for medicinal purposes. A human life is of greater value than animals lower in the food chain
and lower in the evolutionary process and we should therefore exploit this resource for our benefit.
Furthermore, animals are seen as a convenient source of protein for human survival. Our ancestors
domesticated animals as a resource and this resource is no less crucial to our daily nutritional needs now
than in the past. Indeed with a growing world population, animals as protein, are even more fundamental
to human food requirements. In addition to that, it would be wasteful not to use the by- products, such
as leather and fur, for clothing. To simply junk this resource makes little practical sense. This is a sensible
recycling of a resource, a practical and sensible response to the reality of the situation. This is equally
true for justifying the use of animals to test medicines before using them on people. It is better that a rat
is experimented upon than a person.
However, I believe that this thinking is unacceptable. There are many sources of protein available to
people in the modern world apart from animal flesh and without the need to kill other living species. A
balanced diet of protein rich food does not require the mass slaughter of animals. Moreover, there are
many alternatives to animal by-products for clothing which are far cheaper and accessible. The majority
of people now live in cities where cotton clothing and the like are readily available and where the
slaughter of animals is impractical and unhygienic. Modern medicine, also, has reached a point, with stem
cell technology and the like, which removes the necessity for animal experimentation. It is simply
unnecessary and barbaric.
In my own experience, I have seen UTube videos of monkeys that had their skulls removed to allow brain
experimentation with the animals kept alive. These activities should be consigned to the past.
I therefore think that animal exploitation must cease. We live in a world where it is unnecessary and
counterproductive.
C. Third sample answer (opposing the view that animals and animal products should be
Certain people believe that it is necessary to continue using animals and their by-products as food, for
clothing and for medicinal purposes. A human life is of greater value than animals lower in the food chain
and lower in the evolutionary process and we should therefore exploit this resource for our benefit.
Furthermore, animals are seen as a convenient source of protein for human survival. Our ancestors
domesticated animals as a resource and this resource is no less crucial to our daily nutritional needs now
than in the past. Indeed with a growing world population, animals as protein, are even more fundamental
to human food requirements. In addition to that, it would be wasteful not to use the by- products, such
as leather and fur, for clothing. To simply junk this resource makes little practical sense. This, in their
view is a sensible recycling of a resource, a practical and sensible response to the reality of the situation.
This is equally true for justifying the use of animals to test medicines before using them on people. It is
better that a rat is experimented upon than a person.
I, on the other hand, totally reject this way of thinking as unenlightened, ill-informed and deeply flawed.
It is simply the rationalization of the mindless, brutal exploitation of other living things for our own
gratification. Moreover, apart from the barbarism of killing animals, I believe that meat eating results in
ill-health, including cancers of the colon and stomach. Flesh is carcinogenic while other protein sources
are not. I also object to the use of animals for clothing or medical experimentation on the same grounds.
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It is cruel and unnecessary, especially in this modern world. We are part of a shared life cycle and all life
is sacred and to be treated as such, whatever species we are.
In my own experience, I have adopted Buddhism as a philosophy. I believe in the essential unity of life.
Violence against any life form is violence against all life.
I therefore believe this use of animals is totally unacceptable. It diminishes us.
14. In some countries, prison is seen as the solution to crime. However, some people believe
that giving people a better education is a better way to prevent them committing crimes.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with these ideas? Give your opinions based on your
knowledge and experiences.
A. First sample answer (supporting the view that education is the better option rather than
imprisonment)
Some people believe that people who are charged and convicted of a criminal offence should suffer a
period of imprisonment. Society has a duty and right to impose a custodial sentence on lawbreakers for
the greater good. This establishes the line between acceptable and unacceptable behavior, societal norms
that protect the majority against violence and criminality.
In addition to that, the threat of prison for lawbreakers, they believe, acts as a warning and a deterrent
to possible criminal behavior. When those thinking about breaking the law understand their freedom is
threatened if caught, they might not go ahead with their plan and instead remain within the confines of
the law. Moreover, a period of imprisonment, some believe, might redirect the thinking of the jailed
person and encourage him or her to change their behavior. Perhaps they might learn a new skill or deal
with otherwise destructive behavior in a more productive manner.
However, I do not share these views. I believe that prisons here are so badly run and under resourced
that the mere fact of being jailed threatens the welfare and health of the jailed person in a totally
unacceptable way. The jails are filthy, overcrowded and violent. This is a denial of basic human rights.
The answer is resourcing education. I also believe that more resources put into educating people is a far
more sensible and just option. A well –educated citizen, with skills enabling productive work, discourages
criminality which is often resorted to out of desperation and lack of choice. Furthermore, those
democracies that have low incidences of crime, tend, I believe, to also have well-funded public education
sectors. Any citizen should have, as a basic right, access to education. The denial of this avenue for
achieving aspirations is simply ensuring higher levels of anti-social behavior and thus higher levels of
incarceration.
In my own experience, I have witnessed my neighbors, who educated their children, have crime free
households while my neighbors who ignored their children’s educational needs, have them resort to crime
and subsequent imprisonment.
Education is the key to a law-abiding citizenry. Jail is simply a measure of societal failure.
B. Second sample answer (supporting the view that imprisonment is the better option rather
than education)
Some people think more resources put into educating people is a far more sensible and just option rather
than jailing anyone. A well –educated citizen, with skills enabling productive work, discourages criminality
which is often resorted to out of desperation and lack of choice.
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Moreover, they believe that educated people tend to have a greater sense of the public good. Educated
people, in their view, are better able to use critical thinking skills and to avoid criminal behavior in their
daily lives. They tend to respect the rights and property of others rather than resort to antisocial, illegal
behavior. Furthermore, those democracies that have low incidences of crime, tend, they believe, to also
have well-funded public education sectors. Any citizen should have, as a basic right, access to education.
The denial of this avenue for achieving aspirations is simply ensuring higher levels of anti-social behavior
and thus higher levels of incarceration.
However, I believe that people who are charged and convicted of a criminal offence should suffer a
period of imprisonment. Society has a duty and right to impose a custodial sentence on lawbreakers for
the greater good. This establishes the line between acceptable and unacceptable behavior, societal norms
that protect the majority against violence and criminality. In addition to that, the threat of prison for
lawbreakers, I believe, acts as a warning and a deterrent to possible criminal behavior. When those
thinking about breaking the law understand their freedom is threatened if caught, they might not go
ahead with their plan and instead remain within the confines of the law. Moreover, a period of
imprisonment might redirect the thinking of the jailed person and encourage him or her to change their
behavior. Perhaps they might learn a new skill or deal with otherwise destructive behavior in a more
productive manner.
In my own experience, my nephew was jailed for methamphetamine( shabu) use. His behavior was
violent and dangerous to innocent people. His jailing protected the innocent and was entirely justified and
sensible
Society has the right to jail lawbreakers. Education is important but does not remove prison as a basic
institution to protect the law-abiding from criminality in all its forms.
C. Third sample answer (supporting the view that neither argument makes any sense here)
Some people think more resources put into educating people is a far more sensible and just option rather
than jailing anyone. A well –educated citizen, with skills enabling productive work, discourages criminality
which is often resorted to out of desperation and lack of choice.
Moreover, they believe that educated people tend to have a greater sense of the public good. Educated
people, in their view, are better able to use critical thinking skills and to avoid criminal behavior in their
daily lives. They tend to respect the rights and property of others rather than resort to antisocial, illegal
behavior. Furthermore, those democracies that have low incidences of crime, tend, they believe, to also
have well-funded public education sectors. Any citizen should have, as a basic right, access to education.
The denial of this avenue for achieving aspirations is simply ensuring higher levels of anti-social behavior
and thus higher levels of incarceration.
I believe this point of view makes no sense here at all. The worst criminals in the Philippines are also the
best educated. It is the politicians, the judiciary and the executive leadership here(with some rare and
noble exceptions) that have turned this country into a fake democracy, bereft of natural justice and
devoid of hope. These major criminals should be jailed, starting with the imprisonment of crooked
judges, murderous Generals and corrupt Senators and Congressmen, all of whom have feathered their
own nests and driven this country onto the rocks. The poor should be released from prison under a
general amnesty and their places taken by the rich and powerful with their expensive college educations
and their Rolex watches. In addition to that, they should receive life sentences with no chance of parole.
They are mortal threats to the lives of the 100 million they have exploited for so long. All their wealth
should be sequestered and put into reviving a functional public education system here for the poor
released from jail and their children.
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In my own experience, I have seen a Chief Justice here exposed for having multi-millions stashed away,
but being judged by Senators as equally corrupt as him. Gangsters judging gangsters.
I therefore support jail for the most highly educated here. They have stolen the birthright of millions and
there is no greater crime.
15. Cheaper food is now available because of greater use of fertilizers and improved
machinery. This improved production, however, can be harmful to individuals and the
community. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view? Discuss, including
examples from your own knowledge and experience.
A. First sample answer (supporting the view that this is harmful to individuals and the
community)
Many people would argue that the primary objective of agriculture should be the production of greater
quantities of food to ensure adequate food to sustain human need. Since fertilizer improves yields and
cultivation by large scale mechanization improves efficiency, both are not only sensible but necessary.
Moreover, they would argue that this improved production is the economic basis of cheaper food. The
larger the scale of this activity, the less expensive the output precisely because of economies of scale.
Mass production equals savings as opposed to small scale farming with its added costs and many
inefficiencies from planting, growing and harvesting. In addition to that, those that support modern
farming techniques utilizing large machines such as harvesters, together with liberal use of fertilizers,
believe that this frees farmers from the daily grind of small scale farming. This allows them to seek other
ways to make a living and permits poorer people access to cheaper, more plentiful basic food like rice
and wheat.
However, I believe, on balance, that mass production of food using fertilizers and large machinery, is
harmful to both the individual and the community in which he or she lives. It is a short term solution to
food needs with long term disastrous consequences. Furthermore, the overuse of fertilizers, I believe,
eventually exhausts the soil with resultant drops in productivity and added costs in the long run as more
and more is needed to achieve the same output. I also believe that many of these fertilizers and
insecticides are dangerous to individual farmers and the community. Some are carcinogenic and we are
still not clear about the long term consequences of large scale monoculture on the environment. We lose
variety, we risk a catastrophe.
In my own experience, I have seen large multinational agribusiness encourage rice farmers here to plant
genetically modified rice varieties that tie them to these companies and threaten the great variety of rice
previously planted. Farmers here are getting poorer, not richer. Despite cheaper food being promised,
this is not happening here.
I believe the negatives outweigh any advantages here. Small scale, environmentally- safe agriculture is
the better path to follow.
B. Second sample answer (supporting the view that this is not harmful to individuals and the
community)
Certain people believe that mass production of food, using fertilizers and large machinery, is harmful to
both the individual and the community in which he or she lives. It is, they believe, a short term solution
to food needs with long term disastrous consequences.
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Furthermore, it is their view that the overuse of fertilizers, eventually exhausts the soil with resultant
drops in productivity and added costs in the long run as more and more is needed to achieve the same
output. They also feel that many of these fertilizers and insecticides are dangerous to individual farmers
and the community. Some are carcinogenic and thus, their opinion is that we are still not clear about the
long term consequences of large scale monoculture on the environment. We lose variety, we risk a
catastrophe.
However, I believe that the primary objective of agriculture should be the production of greater quantities
of food to ensure adequate food to sustain human need. Since fertilizer improves yields and cultivation by
large scale mechanization improves efficiency, both are not only sensible but necessary. Moreover, I
would argue that this improved production is the economic basis of cheaper food. The larger the scale of
this activity, the less expensive the output precisely because of economies of scale. Mass production
equals savings as opposed to small scale farming with its added costs and many inefficiencies from
planting, growing and harvesting. In addition to that, modern farming techniques, utilizing large
machines such as harvesters, together with liberal use of fertilizers, frees farmers from the daily grind of
small scale farming. This allows them to seek other ways to make a living and permits poorer people
access to cheaper, more plentiful basic food like rice and wheat.
In my own experience, I can purchase cheaper vegetables and rice because of the rationalization of
production and efficiencies of that production from small scale to large scale. The cost of these products
is a fundamental consideration.
I therefore believe that the idea that small is beautiful in agriculture is ridiculous. It might make sense for
the wealthy buying in boutique shops but for the rest of us, the bigger, the better.
16. In many countries, governments spend large sums of money on the arts and this is
supported by some taxpayers as worthwhile. Others, however think that this money would
be better spent on health and education. To what extent do you agree or disagree with these
opinions? Discuss, based on your own knowledge and experience.
A. First sample answer (supporting the view that the money is better spent on health and
education)
Certain people have the view that public money should support the arts, like dance, literature, theatre,
painting and sculpture. They feel that the arts express the particular genius of a people and therefore
encouraging careers and livelihoods of artists, in whatever field, ensures the highest forms of cultural
continue to be nurtured and be celebrated.
Furthermore, they would argue that some of the most gifted and creative people in any society are the
artists in that society. Just as talent in other fields of human endeavor like research science, physics and
math is supported, it is equally important to make sure that the arts are given their rightful place.
Moreover, musicians, actors, writers, dancers and composers should not need, they feel, to fret about
food and shelter but be helped and honored. Many of these artists spent years developing their gifts and
the nations in which they live should be willing to fed, cloth and house them as a basic right.
However, I believe that this money is far better spent on the great majority without any particular artistic
skill. Ordinary people need basic numeracy and literacy skills more than an ability to paint, sculpt, act or
dance. These educational objectives, so basic to an educated citizen, must take priority. In addition to
that, the health needs of ordinary people require governments to prioritize their resources to this end.
Both preventative and curative health programs, like educational needs, absorb a great deal of
government revenue. This is right and proper. The needs of the majority must take priority of those of
the very few with artistic talent. I also believe that artists, if they are gifted, should be able to generate
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income for themselves without expecting hand-outs from the State. These tax-payer funds tend to create
self-serving art bureaucracies that reward cronies and second rate performers.
In my own experience, I have seen many children quitting grade school because of poorly funded public
education. I have witnessed maternal mortality rates at unacceptable levels due to lack of public health
funding.
I therefore believe, the funding of arts is misguided. Education and health must come first.
B. Second sample answer (supporting the view that the money is better spent the arts)
Many people think that public money is far better spent on the great majority without any particular
artistic skill. Ordinary people need basic numeracy and literacy skills more than an ability to paint, sculpt,
act or dance. These educational objectives, so basic to an educated citizen, must take priority.
In addition to that, the health needs of ordinary people require governments to prioritize their resources
to this end. Both preventative and curative health programs, like educational needs, absorb a great deal
of government revenue. This is right and proper. The needs of the majority, they believe, must take
priority over those of the very few with artistic talent. They also feel that artists, if they are gifted, should
be able to generate income for themselves without expecting hand-outs from the State. These tax-payer
funds tend to create self-serving art bureaucracies that reward cronies and second rate performers.
However, I am of the opinion that public money should support the arts, like dance, literature, theatre,
painting and sculpture. The arts express the particular genius of a people and therefore encouraging
careers and livelihoods of artists, in whatever field, ensures the highest forms of cultural continue to be
nurtured and be celebrated. Furthermore, I would argue that some of the most gifted and creative
people in any society are the artists in that society. Just as talent in other fields of human endeavor like
research science, physics and math is supported, it is equally important to make sure that the arts are
given their rightful place. Moreover, musicians, actors, writers, dancers and composers should not need
to fret about food and shelter but be helped and honored. Many of these artists spent years developing
their gifts and the nations in which they live should be willing to fed, cloth and house them as a basic
right.
In my own experience, I have seen musicians, artists and dancers graduate from the Philippine High
School for the Arts in Mount Makiling. This publically funded school helps preserve the unique cultural
forms here in its youngest talent while helping to nurture new artist ways of interpreting life.
I therefore believe that funding of the arts is not only legitimate but essential. There is more to life than
work. Artists help us to see that.
C. Third sample answer (supporting the view that this whole question doesn’t even make
sense here!)
Certain people have the view that public money should support the arts, like dance, literature, theatre,
painting and sculpture. They feel that the arts express the particular genius of a people and therefore
encouraging careers and livelihoods of artists, in whatever field, ensures the highest forms of cultural
continue to be nurtured and be celebrated.
Furthermore, they would argue that some of the most gifted and creative people in any society are the
artists in that society. Just as talent in other fields of human endeavor like research science, physics and
math is supported, it is equally important to make sure that the arts are given their rightful place. Others
might argue this money is far better spent on the great majority without any particular artistic skill.
Ordinary people need basic numeracy and literacy skills more than an ability to paint, sculpt, act or
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dance. These educational objectives, so basic to an educated citizen, must take priority. In addition to
that, some think, the health needs of ordinary people require governments to prioritize their resources to
this end. Both preventative and curative health programs, like educational needs, absorb a great deal of
government revenue. The needs of the majority must take priority over those of the very few with artistic
talent.
However, in my opinion, the arguments of both make no sense at all here. Counties with greater
resources may have the luxury to debate these issues but in the Philippines there is virtually no
government revenue being spent on anything. Health, education and the arts are largely ignored as
politicians, judges and public servants line their own pockets, serving their own ends and certainly not
the public. Public schools, about to re- open in June, will again be the same old scandal of major
shortages of classrooms, chairs, books and teachers. Public hospitals will still remain pitifully resourced
where only the poor go to suffer woefully inadequate health care. Artists will continue to struggle to
make enough to feed themselves.
In my own experience, I have seen many gifted artists take on jobs they hate to survive. I have seen
children quit school because of hunger and frustration. I have seen women suffer illness and death
denied basic reproductive health care.
I therefore believe, this is a debate for functioning democracies but it is meaningless here. Health,
education and the arts are all strangled here at source.
17. Teenagers should be required to do unpaid work in their communities. This is good for
the individuals concerned and society as a whole. To what extent do you agree or disagree
with this view? Discuss, based on your own knowledge and experience.
A. First sample answer (supporting the view that teenagers should do unpaid work in their
communities)
Some people think that it is not a sensible idea to expect teenagers to do unpaid community work.
Teenagers, they believe, have enough on their plate just dealing with puberty and study. It is thus
unreasonable to demand they also front up to do unpaid work when they have difficulty coping with
learning to be young adults.
Furthermore, the whole notion of unpaid community work in this country, they feel, is nonsensical to the
vast majority of teenagers here who live in families struggling to get enough food to eat and who require
their offspring to contribute materially to family needs. Only the wealthiest and most privileged
adolescents have the luxury to do free community work. Moreover, unemployment and underemployment
is so commonplace here, there are millions of adults who could do community work without encumbering
the young with such duties and expectations. Even those that do so, are taking paying work away from
people that need work, no matter how menial and ill paying that might be.
However, I believe that teenagers should be actively engaged in unpaid work for the public good. A few
hours a week would not hurt anyone and may create a sense of responsibility and inclusiveness in the
community. In addition to that, this work helps create awareness of public need and a sensitivity to the
public sphere which is often sadly lacking here with streets treated as private troughs not public spaces
to be respected, cleaned and cared for. Involvement in unpaid work helps correct this tendency. I also,
believe, that local governments can reward teenagers involved in doing public work, in non-monetary
ways, by acknowledging their work with certificates of appreciation and public ceremonies that celebrate
youth. This validates and reinforces the worth of young people.
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In my own experience, I have seen young people doing voluntary work in clean up campaigns and
outreach literacy programs in the poorest communities. Those involved often express the joy of giving
that these activities provide.
I therefore believe that teenagers should give back to their communities. Social inclusiveness is a basic
value in our society and this is simply a part of this.
B. Second sample answer (supporting the view that teenagers should not do unpaid work in
their communities)
Many people share the view that teenagers should be actively engaged in unpaid work for the public
good. A few hours a week would not hurt anyone and may create a sense of responsibility and
inclusiveness in the community.
In addition to that, people who believe this, think this work helps create awareness of public need and
sensitivity to the public sphere which is often sadly lacking here with streets treated as private troughs
not public spaces to be respected, cleaned and cared for. Involvement in unpaid work helps correct this
tendency. They also think that local governments can reward teenagers involved in doing public work, in
non-monetary ways, by acknowledging their work with certificates of appreciation and public ceremonies
that celebrate youth. This validates and reinforces the worth of young people.
However, I think that it is not a sensible idea to expect teenagers to do unpaid community work.
Teenagers have enough on their plate just dealing with puberty and study. It is thus unreasonable to
demand they also front up to do unpaid work when they have difficulty coping with learning to be young
adults. Furthermore, the whole notion of unpaid community work in this country is nonsensical to the
vast majority of teenagers here who live in families struggling to get enough food to eat and who require
their offspring to contribute materially to family needs. Only the wealthiest and most privileged
adolescents have the luxury to do free community work. Moreover, unemployment and underemployment
is so commonplace here, there are millions of adults who could do community work without encumbering
the young with such duties and expectations. Even those that do so, are taking paying work away from
people that need work, no matter how menial and ill paying that might be.
In my own experience, I have seen teenagers have to quit school just to help put food on the family
table. Public education is so dreadfully under- resourced here, these people have no money for a private
education and need every cent they can earn. Voluntary work is not an option for most.
I therefore believe it is insane to expect free community work from teenagers here. This may be an
option in wealthy societies but not here. Reality trumps this notion here.
18. Some people believe that it is a waste of time to read newspapers and watch news on
television. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
A. First sample answer (supporting the view that it is a waste of time to read newspapers
and watch news on television)
There are people who hold the view that reading newspapers and watching television news are important
habits for any educated person in a functioning democracy. Keeping informed, they feel, is the right and
obligation of all citizens involved in their societies.
Furthermore, these people believe that the journalists who comment on matters of interest on television
news and in the print media are professionals who have the time to investigate and report events in
order to allow others the chance to make judgements about issues. Most of us are unable to do this as
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we have other jobs and activities that demand our attention. In addition to that, people who believe in
the importance of a vibrant and courageous free press and balanced and fair television news, see this as
a basic protection of the rights of citizens against the corruption and devilry of people in power. Effective
news, either in print or on television, shines a light so that cockroaches in society will be exposed.
However, I believe that reading newspapers or watching television news is a waste of time. Many
journalists here are in the pockets of powerful lobby groups or politicians and so most news is filtered to
portray their patrons in a positive light or to bury any negative news. This is true for newspapers and
even more on television stations owned by rich families with selfish agenda. Moreover, most people who
do pick up a newspaper simply go to the entertainment or gossip sections, completely ignoring the
opinion editorial page. The television news shows here are really just infomercials with a smattering of
news of floods, fires and catastrophes interrupted by endless commercial breaks that enrich the TV
station owners and dumb down the viewer.
In my own experience, I have watched commercial television news shows here and have learned
nothing of value except the need to have a white complexion and sparkling whit e teeth. Any news I
might wish to gather I can do so far better by surfing the web.
I therefore believe that reading newspapers and watching TV news in this country is a waste of time and
energy. Better to read internet coverage and become really informed instead of manipulated.
B. Second sample answer (supporting the view that it is not a waste of time to read
newspapers and watch news on television)
Some people do indeed believe that reading newspapers or watching television news is a waste of time.
Many journalists here, they feel, are in the pockets of powerful lobby groups or politicians and so most
news is filtered to portray their patrons in a positive light or to bury any negative news. This is true for
newspapers and even more on television stations owned by rich families with selfish agenda.
Moreover, they are of the opinion that most people who do pick up a newspaper simply go to the
entertainment or gossip sections, completely ignoring the opinion editorial page. The television news
shows here are really just infomercials with a smattering of news of floods, fires and catastrophes
interrupted by endless commercial breaks that enrich the TV station owners and dumb down the viewer.
In addition to that, people who share the view that both activities are pointless here, would claim that it
is better to just surf the internet and gather news in that way. One can access video and print news,
often provided by media sources with far better resources and in a far more balanced and impartial way.
The international news coverage is also far superior to local sources.
However, I believe that reading newspapers and watching television news are important habits for any
educated person in a functioning democracy. Keeping informed is the right and obligation of all citizens
involved in their societies. Furthermore, I feel the journalists who comment on matters of interest on
television news and in the print media are professionals who have the time to investigate and report
events in order to allow others the chance to make judgements about issues. Most of us are unable to do
this as we have other jobs and activities that demand our attention. In addition to that, I strongly believe
in the importance of a vibrant and courageous free press and balanced and fair television news.
Effective news, either in print or on television, shines a light so that cockroaches in society will be
exposed.
In my own experience, I have learned a great deal about society here from the opinions of journalists
here both in the print media and on television such as the station ANC, a commercial free channel.
Therefore, it is not a waste of time to read newspapers or watch TV news. It is, on the contrary, an
extremely productive use of time.
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19. In some countries a lot of people now prefer to rent a home to owning one.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of renting one’s home?
The first and most obvious advantage of renting a home is that one does not have to outlay a great deal
of money to be able to occupy the home. Rather than having to enter a mortgage contract with a lender
and tender an initial deposit which is often substantial, one merely pays a refundable bond and, usually,
a few months rental advance.
Moreover, by renting a home, one often has more choice and flexibility about where one can live as
rental contracts are normally for a 12 month period. A renter can shift if necessary or convenient, if a
place closer to the renter’s needs becomes available or a more suitable, superior or better rental deal
becomes available. In addition to that, a renter need not fret about the fluctuation in property values as
that is the headache of the owner. In most rental contracts in functioning democracies, tenants have
rights enshrined in law against arbitrary or capricious eviction and thereby are ensured some peace of
mind and security of tenure.
However, there are also disadvantages to renting. The renter, in effect, is paying the mortgage for the
owner who is the only one who will benefit from any property value rise. When the renter vacates the
property, they leave with nothing. Furthermore, renters have to be very careful not to damage anything
in the home or they will lose their bond. Unlike home owners, the personal space a renter calls home is
not really a true home. The renter can only marginally alter the home to reflect his or her taste and
personality. This is a considerable restraint. There are also many horror stories about difficult landlords
either making life for tenants uncomfortable or failing to correct problems in the home like leaking roofs,
faulty plumbing or second rate furniture and fixtures that should have been upgraded. Landlords can be
ogres.
In my own experience, I encountered a landlord that refused to respond to any requests for basic
maintenance. The toilet area was a particular concern.
I therefore believe that the decision to rent or buy depends on individual circumstances and income.
There is no golden rule that applies here.
20. In many cities, an increasing number of people do not know their neighbors and there is
no any sense of community anymore. Discuss the causes and suggest measures that might
deal with this situation.
I believe that many people who have chosen to live in cities tend not to know their neighbors because
the life style of cities is often frantic paced and isolating. People tend to take comfort from their
immediate families or flat mates rather than the more traditional neighborhood networks one might find
in rural areas.
Moreover, as cities become more crowded, people tend to live in high rise apartments where it is more
difficult to meet and associate with neighbors. The normal opportunities to mingle in common areas or be
introduced to others through family networks or sharing the same geographical location, are denied most
in these places. Furthermore, people often find it difficult to trust strangers in the masses of unknown
people one confronts because cities can promote selfish attitudes and odd agendas. The old adage to not
trust strangers appears even more valid in the midst of strangers.
In my opinion, this lack of community feeling may be addressed by personal effort and by the creation of
spaces that encourage the development of community interaction and relationship building. Individuals
can make an effort to engage with neighbors and the Associations which run high rise apartments can
host community events appropriate to the different age groups of the residents. In addition to individual
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and Association efforts to encourage a sense of belonging to a community, local governments, which
benefit from taxes levied on housing units, should build and operate community parks and halls while
promoting their use by local community groups. In this way, taxes can promote community spirit.
In my own experience, I have witnessed the condominium I live in host birthday and anniversary
celebrations for residents from diverse cultural backgrounds. Interactions at these events promote a
feeling of community and belongingness.
Therefore, I believe that the isolation often experienced in cities can be dealt with. All that is required is a
reframing of the idea of community and goodwill in doing this.
(Answer 2)
I believe that many people who have chosen to live in cities tend not to know their neighbors because
the life style of cities is often frantic paced and isolating. People tend to take comfort from their
immediate families or flat mates rather than the more traditional neighborhood networks one might find
in rural areas.
Moreover, as cities become more crowded, people tend to live in high rise apartments where it is more
difficult to meet and associate with neighbors. The normal opportunities to mingle in common areas or be
introduced to others through family networks or sharing the same geographical location, are denied most
in these places. Furthermore, people often find it difficult to trust strangers in the masses of unknown
people one confronts because cities can promote selfish attitudes and odd agendas. The old adage to not
trust strangers appears even more valid in the midst of strangers.
In my opinion, this lack of community feeling is a situation that does not need to be addressed. The
individuals who chose to live in cities do so by conscious choice. Many of them are happy to escape the
stifling confines of rural life where everyone knows everyone else’s business and where alternative
lifestyles and tastes are frowned upon. In addition, no one has the right to define what is, and what is
not, a community. Technologies like the internet have created new on-line communities in the virtual
world like Facebook. Virtual communities have replaced physical communities and many people find
comfort and delight in them as they find like-minded people with whom they may connect.
In my own experience, I have met many brilliant people who love the opportunity to explore this world in
splendid isolation, unfettered by the prejudices, backbiting and petty jealousies of neighbours. Freed
from the constraints of the herd, they prosper and enjoy this freedom immensely.
I therefore believe that too much is made of this notion of a sense of community. Often this is just an
excuse to make people conform to the dull, pointless uniformity of the bland majority.
21. Having no money makes people unhappy. Others are not happy having a lot of money.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
The lack of money is a serious problem in any society while its total absence can be a catastrophe. This is
particularly true in the Philippines as any safety net against poverty is largely absent. Unhappiness is the
logical consequence of this unfortunate truth.
Furthermore, having no money means that parents, particularly those living in large metropolitan centres
like Manila, are unable to feed their children as people here survive on a day to day basis. They often
struggle to pay for basic food needs. Hunger is the result and a hungry person is an unhappy person. In
addition to that, the lack or absence of money, greatly limits the ability of people to access decent
housing, to clothe themselves, to avail of educational or health facilities. Those fundamentals that most
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people would consider basic to life become unattainable. This reality is, again, a source of great
unhappiness.
On the other hand, there is ample evidence that wealthy people often appear equally miserable about
having money. The papers and television news feature stories of extremely wealthy individuals whose
lives seem totally unhappy and unfulfilled. Moreover, these individuals also seem to have dysfunctional
families. The family members fight and argue over assets, particularly when inheritance issues arise. The
children of these families would appear not to have gleaned any joy or happiness from the money or any
spiritual or psychological peace of mind.
In my own experience, I have witnessed the children of a particularly prolific Senator, with dozens of
offspring, actually murder a sibling. The money seems to have brought only tragedy to their lives.
I therefore believe that there has to be enough money to live a decent life but not enough to destroy the
peace of mind of an individual. As in most things in life, what is needed is balance. Both its total absence
and its overabundance spells doom.
22. Studying in a university away from parents is better than living with them. Do you agree
or disagree?
I believe that it is preferable to undertake university study apart from parents if that is feasible. The
experience of self-motivated study, free from the prodding and cajoling of parents, encourages a student
to become more mature and adult in outlook. University life is the ideal time to learn to stand on one’s
own feet.
Furthermore, living away from parents while studying at tertiary level, allows a student to create one’s
own network of friends and acquaintances, not those vetted by parents as people they might think are
appropriate friends. This is another aspect of adult behaviour best experienced alone and at university
level. It may well be that some of these relationships turn out to be fractious or ill-conceived but
individuals are able to learn by trial and error, this process being part of responsible university life.
Moreover, this expansion of one’s horizons is a basic part of the university experience. The limits of high
school life and high school friends are replaced by a wider circle of friends and a more sophisticated
understanding of life, both academically and socially. This not possible if constrained by parents, who
often are reluctant to accept that their child is maturing and has different needs.
In addition to that, the experience of studying away from home and parental supervision permits the
student to develop the initiative needed to think creatively and to discover true potential. This is really
only possible if forced to cope alone, using the resources one has at hand.
In my own experience, I have witnessed students, who at first were extremely introverted and unsure of
themselves without parents to advise them, blossom into mature, capable people, able to manage their
academic and social lives very effectively. They displayed true maturity and coping skills because they
had to.
I therefore believe that living apart from parents during tertiary study is very wise. After a short period of
angst, the student, I feel, benefits enormously.
23. *Young single people often leave their parents to live alone for study or work.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
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I believe the major disadvantage of unmarried youth leaving their parents in order to study or for work is
the homesickness and associated feelings of loneliness. These emotions can be quite devastating,
crippling the sufferer and resulting in misery. This is no laughing matter. It is a serious psychological
condition which may be legitimately considered part of human grief.
Furthermore, young people often have poor coping skills. Without the advice and experience of parents
to guide them, they may make mistakes in a whole range of activity including choice of friends,
accommodation, diet, budgeting and general socializing. People at work or at school, with whom they
associate, may in turn pass on bad habits and negative attitudes. In addition to these concerns, young
single people often lack the discipline to focus on the work skills they need to master in the workplace or
the academic skills expected to be mastered in their studies. The inability to do so threatens the whole
purpose of their leaving home in the first place.
The major advantage to leaving home and attempting to function independently is the opportunity to
learn a new set of life skills. Once alone, an individual is forced to adjust to a new reality where problem-
solving is a personal responsibility. The experience of self-motivated work or study, free from the
prodding and cajoling of parents, encourages a young person to become more mature and adult in
outlook. Moreover, this expansion of one’s horizons is a basic part of life’s experience. The limits of high
understanding of life. This not possible if constrained by parents, who often are reluctant to accept that
their child is maturing and has different needs.
In my own experience, I have witnessed young people, who at first were extremely introverted and
unsure of themselves without parents to advise them, blossom into mature, capable people, able to
manage their lives very effectively. They displayed true maturity and coping skills because they had to.
I therefore believe, on balance, that living apart from parents for work or study is very wise. After a short
period of angst, the student benefits enormously.
24. Studying in a university away from parents is better than living with them.
Do you agree or disagree?
I believe that it is preferable to undertake university study apart from parents if that is feasible. The
experience of self-motivated study, free from the prodding and cajoling of parents, encourages a student
to become more mature and adult in outlook. University life is the ideal time to learn to stand on one’s
own feet.
Furthermore, living away from parents while studying at tertiary level, allows a student to create one’s
own network of friends and acquaintances, not those vetted by parents as people they might think are
appropriate friends. This is another aspect of adult behaviour best experienced alone and at university
level. It may well be that some of these relationships turn out to be fractious or ill-conceived but
individuals are able to learn by trial and error, this process being part of responsible university life.
Moreover, this expansion of one’s horizons is a basic part of the university experience. The limits of high
understanding of life, both academically and socially. This not possible if constrained by parents, who
often are reluctant to accept that their child is maturing and has different needs.
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In addition to that, the experience of studying away from home and parental supervision permits the
student to develop the initiative needed to think creatively and to discover true potential. This is really
only possible if forced to cope alone, using the resources one has at hand.
In my own experience, I have witnessed students, who at first were extremely introverted and unsure of
themselves without parents to advise them, blossom into mature, capable people, able to manage their
academic and social lives very effectively. They displayed true maturity and coping skills because they
had to.
I therefore believe that living apart from parents during tertiary study is very wise. After a short period of
angst, the student, I feel, benefits enormously.
25. Modern shopping malls provide convenience for customers. However, small local
markets are still popular places for people to go to. Discuss what is more advantageous to
customers and society.
A. First sample for shopping malls
I believe that modern shopping malls are far more of an advantage to any customer and any society than
the small markets that are still popular for certain people these days. The very popularity of the former
option is testament to this belief as people vote with their feet.
Furthermore, although some people, usually those who are older or set in their shopping habits, might
enjoy the intimacy of the smaller markets, the vast majority of people find nothing attractive about unair-
conditioned shopping in often smelly markets, and prefer the comfort and convenience of the shopping
mall experience. This is particularly true in a country like the Philippines with its sub -tropical climate.
Moreover, modern shopping malls have a huge variety of shopping options. Apart from food, one might
like to purchase items like clothing, cosmetics, electrical or sporting goods. Other options include catching
a film, relaxing in a beauty parlour or just hanging out with friends in a safe and exciting environment.
In addition to this, and in a similar vein, the modern shopping malls are the replacement of the old
central square of towns, the social hub around which society once revolved. Rendezvous, both open and
covert, take place now in malls as they once did before in squares. People enjoy watching people in a
mall, socializing and learning to interact. It is also a fact, that malls provide a convenient, safe meeting
place, not just for teenagers, but for people of all ages. The malls are basically crime free and clean,
unlike the small markets where petty crime is common and the environment less than pristine.
In my own experience, it is very common for our friends to meet in a mall to eat, see a movie and
perhaps buy groceries or check out the latest gadgets that have taken our fancy. It is a place for basic
socialization.
I therefore believe modern malls are far more convenient than any alternative and a huge plus for
society. The malls have made social life more comfortable and exciting.
B. Second sample for small markets
I believe that the smaller traditional markets are both more convenient and socially, far more important
than the large shopping malls that have mushroomed here in the Philippines over the last decade. The
large malls are a cancer on society, not a benign growth.
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Furthermore, the smaller markets, often separated into wet and dry markets, function as the outlet for
small business enterprises, often run by families who know their customers by name and offer
personalized service. This stands in stark contrast to the impersonal, anonymous service one encounters
in large malls where individuality is swallowed in crowds of strangers, rushing about in stressed
preoccupation. In addition to that, these small markets have a particular cultural relevance, given that
face-to-face interaction and mutual respect and recognition are so deeply rooted and respected in our
society. Not only do these small markets reflect these values, they reinforce and celebrate who Filipinos
are as a people and our rural roots. These traditions are difficult to preserve in a huge city and yet the
small markets do precisely that.
Moreover, unlike the huge malls owned by a very few extremely wealthy people, the smaller markets
spread wealth around more equitably. The customer experience is far richer and more varied, coming
from owners with a need to offer personal service than any soulless service from frazzled sale-girls in
huge malls. The smaller markets observe the hallowed “suki” relationship, where repeat customers are
treated as very special.
In my own experience, I have delighted in haggling over prices with an owner I know personally. I take
pleasure in knowing exactly where the food I purchased came from and from whom I bought the food.
This is equally true for anything purchased in smaller markets. There is a humanity and sincerity in
smaller markets that is entirely lacking in the huge malls.
I therefore believe that the smaller markets have their faithful patrons because they reflect traditional
values and are far superior to large malls. Not only are they convenient, they are also more socially
relevant. They reaffirm there is more to life than aping American mass consumerism.
C. Third Sample for shopping malls
Some people think that the smaller traditional markets are both more convenient and socially, far more
important than the large shopping malls that have mushroomed here in the Philippines over the last
decade. They believe that large malls are a cancer on society, not a benign growth.
Furthermore, in their view, the smaller markets, often separated into wet and dry markets, function as
the outlet for small business enterprises, often run by families who know their customers by name and
offer personalized service. This, they would argue, stands in stark contrast to the impersonal, anonymous
service one encounters in large malls where individuality is swallowed in crowds of strangers, rushing
about in stressed preoccupation. In addition to that, they believe that these small markets have a
particular cultural relevance, given that face-to-face interaction and mutual respect and recognition are
so deeply rooted and respected in our society. Not only do these small markets reflect these values, they
reinforce and celebrate who Filipinos are as a people and our rural roots.
However, I think this is erroneous thinking. It is my view that modern shopping malls are far more of an
advantage to any customer and any society. The very popularity of large malls is testament to this belief
as people vote with their feet. Moreover, modern shopping malls have a huge variety of shopping
options. Apart from food, one might like to purchase items like clothing, cosmetics, electrical or sporting
goods. Other options include catching a film, relaxing in a beauty parlour or just hanging out with friends
in a safe and exciting environment. In a similar vein, the modern shopping malls are the replacement of
the old central square of towns, the social hub around which society once revolved. Rendezvous, both
open and covert, take place now in malls as they once did before in squares
32 | P a g e
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In my own experience, it is very common for our friends to meet in a mall to eat, see a movie and
perhaps buy groceries or check out the latest gadgets that have taken our fancy. It is a place for basic
socialization.
I therefore believe modern malls are far more convenient than any alternative and a huge plus for
society. The malls have made social life more comfortable and exciting.
D. Fourth Sample for small markets
Some people hold the view that modern shopping malls are far more of an advantage to any customer
and any society than the small markets that are still popular for certain people these days. The very
popularity of the former option is testament to this belief as people vote with their feet.
Furthermore, the same people might argue that the vast majority of people prefer the comfort and
convenience of the shopping mall experience. This is particularly true in a country like the Philippines with
its sub -tropical climate. Moreover, they would say that modern shopping malls have a huge variety of
shopping options. Apart from food, one might like to purchase items like clothing, cosmetics, electrical or
sporting goods. Other options include catching a film, relaxing in a beauty parlour or just hanging out
with friends in a safe and exciting environment.
However, I believe this thinking is ill-conceived and misinformed. I hold the view that the smaller
markets, often separated into wet and dry markets, function as the outlet for small business enterprises,
often run by families who know their customers by name and offer personalized service. In addition to
that, these small markets have a particular cultural relevance, given that face-to-face interaction and
mutual respect and recognition are so deeply rooted and respected in our society. Not only do these
small markets reflect these values, they reinforce and celebrate who Filipinos are as a people and our
rural roots. The smaller markets also spread wealth around more equitably. The customer experience is
far richer and more varied, coming from owners with a need to offer personal service than any soulless
service from frazzled sale-girls in huge malls. The smaller markets observe the hallowed “suki”
relationship, where repeat customers are treated as very special.
In my own experience, I have delighted in haggling over prices with an owner I know personally. I take
pleasure in knowing exactly where the food I purchased came from and from whom I bought the food.
This is equally true for anything purchased in smaller markets.
I therefore believe that the smaller markets have their faithful patrons because they reflect traditional
values and are far superior to large malls. Not only are they convenient, they are more socially relevant.
They reaffirm there is more to life than aping American mass consumerism.
26. In many countries, TV programmes are available 24 hours a day. Some people believe
this has a positive outcome for people while others say the effect is negative. Discuss both
views and give your opinion.
A. First sample supporting the notion it is a positive thing
There are people who firmly believe that 24 hour television is a totally disaster for society. They believe
that the dozens of channels available so mesmerises viewers that they cease being productive and
become mindless couch potatoes. The television becomes a type of mental lobotomy, destroying the
brain.
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In addition to this fear, people who believe this, also think that many of the programmes are culturally
problematic, at odds with prevailing norms here. There is often a level of intimacy or use of explicit
language frowned on here. This type of programming on 24 hour television, usually American cable
television, eats away at cultural values. People who have this view also think that much of the content is
unsuitable for children. Given the fact that low wages in this country oblige both parents to work,
television often acts as the surrogate parent. Children are often exposed to unsuitable content and
cultural attitudes inappropriate to our own culture, which is heavily Catholic and deeply conservative on
many issues.
However, I think these concerns are overblown and invalid. It is the responsibility of parents to ensure
their children are guided and disciplined about their television watching habits. Parental failure to do this
is hardly the fault of 24 hour television which offers excellent programs for children if directed to these
shows. Furthermore, adults can themselves watch extremely educational channels like Discovery,
National Geographic, Animal Planet and the History Channel, all of which are mentally stimulating and
informative. There is no obligation to watch channels people might find offensive. Moreover, people on
shift work or working odd hours, often enjoy the convenience of 24 hour television, if only to relax after
work. Comedy and variety shows are as important as purely educational shows for they allow people to
laugh and unwind. It is additionally advantageous that English is often the language used as it hones
language skills.
In my own experience, I have learned a great deal watching National Geographic, particularly the series
on the Cosmos. The production standards are superb and the images, spectacular.
I therefore believe that 24 hour television, if used in a disciplined manner, is very positive. Life would be
less enjoyable without it.
B. Second sample supporting the notion it is a negative thing
Certain people hold the view that, providing parents ensure their children are guided and disciplined
about their television watching habits, 24 hour television offers excellent programs for children if directed
to these shows. This television is seen as extremely positive, enhancing the life of children.
Furthermore, supporters of 24 hour television would advance the argument that adults can, themselves,
watch extremely educational channels like Discovery, National Geographic, Animal Planet and the History
Channel, all of which are mentally stimulating and informative. There is no obligation to watch channels
people might find offensive. Moreover, people on shift work or working odd hours, often enjoy the
convenience of 24 hour television, if only to relax after work. Comedy and variety shows are as important
as purely educational shows for they allow people to laugh and unwind. It is additionally advantageous
that English is often the language used as it hones language skills.
However, I believe that any potential positives are few and far between. I feel that 24 hour television is
a disaster in this country. The dozens of channels available, so mesmerises viewers, that they cease
being productive .The television becomes a type of mental lobotomy, destroying the brain. In addition to
this, I am of the opinion that many of the programmes are culturally problematic, at odds with prevailing
norms here. There is often a level of intimacy or use of explicit language frowned on here. This type of
programming on 24 hour television, usually American cable television, eats away at cultural values. I
would also argue that much of the content is unsuitable for children. Given the fact that low wages in this
country oblige both parents to work, television often acts as the surrogate parent. Children are often
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exposed to unsuitable content and cultural attitudes inappropriate to our own culture, which is heavily
Catholic and deeply conservative on many issues.
In my own experience, I have seen my nephews and nieces imbibing the language and attitudes of
children they see in American programmes and disrespecting their parents or care-providers. This is a
huge challenge to our tradition of respecting elders.
I therefore believe 24 hour television is largely a negative influence. I would much sooner recommend a
good book or exercise.
35 | P a g e

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TASK 2 SAMPLES BY DR.

MURRAY HEASLEY (FORMER IELTS EXAMINER)

“Discuss both views and give your opinion.”

Open-ended type (usually (but not always) two questions)

It is easy. It is not particle physics. Basic, logical, simple formatting.

Walk the walk and talk the talk:

A. Answer 1 (Compare the contrary response in Answer 2)

B. Answer 2(compare the opposite response in Answer 1)

A. First sample answer (against modern technology)

B. Second sample answer (for modern technology)

4. Nowadays, people prefer to shop in supermarkets rather than local stores.

A. First sample answer (against supermarkets)

Word Count: 333 words

B. Second sample answer (for supermarkets)

5. Why is mass media important? Is it primarily a positive or negative influence?

A. First sample answer (a positive influence)

6. The internet has made traditional libraries unnecessary.

A. First sample answer (supporting this idea)

B. Second sample answer (opposing this idea)

A. First sample answer (for the position that ambition is positive)

B. Second sample answer (for the position that ambition is negative)

I therefore believe this use of animals is totally unacceptable. It diminishes us.

A. First sample for shopping malls

B. Second sample for small markets

C. Third Sample for shopping malls

D. Fourth Sample for small markets

A. First sample supporting the notion it is a positive thing

B. Second sample supporting the notion it is a negative thing

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