January 16, 2021

In some countries, some criminal trials are shown on the television, and the general
public can watch them. Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Changing needs of TV viewers have caused many media companies to broadcast criminal
trials. In my opinion, this does more harm than good.

On the one hand, there are two basic reasons why people might take advantage of watching
these TV programs. In the first place, it familiarizes them with the law and legal procedures.
Some people may not have an idea of what, in fact, is a trial and how it is held. So, by watching
these trials, they experience how fair judgments are made based on eyewitnesses' convictions
and law principles. Younger viewers can also learn moral lessons about the negative
consequences of committing a crime. Seeing a murderer, for instance, being charged for, say,
30 years of prison is likely to deter youngsters from offences.

However, I believe that the decided negatives of this outweigh the advantages. The main
reason for this is ethical. Media companies have no right to reveal people's personal lives
without their own permission. It is unlikely that criminals are asked for a permission to be
shown on the television because they are offenders and have little right to object. This
revelation is, perhaps, the violation of human rights. Last but not least, minor details of crime,
which are often disclosed during trials, can be a valuable source of information for other
criminals; in other words, once they watch them, they tend not to repeat mistakes previously
made in their further actions.

In conclusion, I think that the disadvantages of watching criminal trials on the TV, ethical
considerations and grounds for further crime, are far greater than the advantages.

266 words

Band 8.0

1
March 15, 2021

In recent years, more and more people are choosing to read e-books rather than paper
books. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

With the development of technology and the internet, e-books are more available than ever
before, and increasingly more people are opting for them instead of traditional books. While
there are certain disadvantages of digital books, I believe that the benefits of them are far more
significant.

On the one hand, there are two main reasons why the shift towards reading e-books from paper
books is disadvantageous. Firstly, when readers are exposed to reading from the screen for an
extended period of time, their eyesight might be impaired. Medically, it has been proven that
a person looking at their screen for more than 2 hours might develop eye-related illnesses such
as cataracts and glaucoma due to strain on nerves. Another drawback of this change is closely
linked with economy. This is because publishing houses, tree logging industries, and paper
recycling establishments add up to millions of dollars and employ a large number of people;
so, giving up traditional reading materials means huge losses.

However, I would argue that these drawbacks are far outweighed by the benefits. Most
importantly, reading e-books saves the environment. As we know, manufacturing paper
involves a huge number of trees to be logged; consequently, leading to deforestation,
desertification and a marked increase in the amount of pollution. The final reason in favor of
e- books would be their price. Simply comparing the prices of e-books and paper ones on
Amazon should be enough to deduce that customers benefit from digital books financially,
caring for the environment at the same time.

Although there are some obvious disadvantages to reading e-books, overall, I believe that we
gain more than we lose from them because, of all the reasons listed, saving the environment is
the strongest.

286 words.

After a long pause, I wrote an essay with my students. Thoughts and comments are welcome.
2
March 26, 2021

It is often considered that change is more beneficial to people than trying to avoid it and
have everything remain the same. Do you think the advantages outweigh the
disadvantages?

It is suggested that novelty in life is crucial than leading a monotonous and boring ways of
life. While there are obvious problems resulting from such initiative in life, I am of the opinion
that they are largely outweighed by the benefits.

The first drawback of making a change in one’s life is associated with finance. Implementing
changes, such as decorating the house with new wallpapers, changing design of one’s house,
or renewing their clothes and equipment in the home, involves huge sums of money. For this
reason, these changes seem like expensive irrelevances. In addition, a person trying to change
the way they live needs to sacrifice their other most important resource: time. Take, for
example, buying new furniture for one’s kitchen; customers would have to take measurements,
decide on the suitable color, and discuss it with other members of the family, which consumes
a large amount of time.

However, if we look at the significant benefits of implementing changes in one’s life, the
disadvantages seem negligible. Trying is better always than regretting. So, just imagining a
person is trying to give up smoking and take up exercising, bodybuilding, or any physical
activity, is enough to think of benefits to their health to a large extent, even though this change
is costly. There is also the added benefit of improved self-esteem and confidence in a person
who is physically fit and is wearing a new set of clothes. Most importantly, if a person is trying
to make change in their life by building a family, with the intention of raising children who
will benefit the society in the long run, will it still be a disadvantage?

In my opinion, overall, the objective of making changes in life by adopting a healthier lifestyle
and starting a family is far more significant than arguable disadvantages of this change, which
are time and money.

313 words; 38 minutes

3
April 9, 2021

Scientists and technology experts seem to be more valued by modern society than
musicians and artists.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is argued that people today respect people involved in science more than they do artists.
Although this conviction is true to some extent, I do believe that artists are gaining in more
popularity in today’s society.

To begin with, there are still some people who recognize the contributions made by brilliant
minds to our lives to make them easier and better. One good example of it would be when
there is a new scientific discovery or technological invention, the people responsible for them
are given credits in the news, and even at times awarded with honorary medals. Another
indication of how highly regarded scientists are is how much more compensation they receive
than artists. It may not be common knowledge that a technical expert earns over $100,000 per
annum on average which adds up to a significantly high number over time. This is decidedly
better given the fact that artists tend to make varying amounts of money depending on how
often they make art. Therefore, one can still assume that people in science fields receive the
respect they deserve.

Despite this, I am of the opinion that artists nowadays appear to be gaining more attention
from the public than technical experts. This is because people involved in arts, such as singers,
actors, choreographers, and composers, seem to have more influence over people than
scientists. It is often the case that when an announcement is made by an artist, common people
take it more seriously than they would if it was done by an expert. The recent pandemic has
shown us that people were more convinced of the severity of the situation when artist
celebrities urged them to wear a mask and comply with health guidelines. Moreover, the
growing popularity of social media platforms has led people to learn and know more about
artists, making them more respected and understood than scientists.

In conclusion, in spite of the arguments presented in favor of how much scientists are
appreciated today, I choose to believe that artists are receiving more attention and respect from
the public.
4
April 25,2021

There seems to be an increasing number of serious crimes committed each year. While
some think the best way is to use the death penalty as a deterrent, many people believe
that other measures will be needed. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Over the past years, the incidences of serious crimes have grown so noticeable that they now
call for immediate action. A small group of people argue that capital punishment is the right
way to deal with this phenomenon whereas others think that we should consider some other
alternatives. I personally believe that offenders have a right to live however bad their crime is.

On the one hand, some might argue that serious criminals should be sentenced to death to
make an example for other would-be offenders. This is because some people with tendencies
to commit a crime may not fully realize the consequences of their criminal actions unless they
see others suffer a severe penalty. It is true that in countries such as China and Japan, where
the death penalty is practiced for felons convicted of serious crimes, there is a lower rate of
capital crimes like homicide, child kidnapping, drug smuggling, and human trafficking. For
these reasons, one might be in favor of the idea of implementing an extreme measure such as
this.

However, I would like to think that everyone deserves a chance to a fair trial to make their
case, be heard, and seek redemption. We have heard stories of people who become complicit
in bad crimes because they were knocked into a different life than they intended. Therefore,
rather than make them pay for their wrongdoings with their lives, we should give them a
chance to understand their faults and help them rectify them through community work or by
working with the victims of their crimes. Alternatively, offenders of crimes of this nature can
be sent to more rigorously monitored penitentiaries where they face greater restrictions than
average criminals do.

In conclusion, despite the argument put forward in favor of applying the death penalty in
serious criminal cases, I am personally against it as I believe that a criminal offender of any
kind deserves another chance to make amends and be again an accepted member of society.

331 words.

5
April 25,2021

There seems to be an increasing number of serious crimes committed each year. While
some think the best way is to use the death penalty as a deterrent, many people believe
that other measures will be needed. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

The number of violent crimes committed is seemingly increasing these days. Although some
maintain that using capital punishment is the key to combat this issue, I support those who
believe that other alternatives must be considered.

On the one hand, there are some arguments why proponents believe that the death penalty is
the solution to deter felony. In the first place, it strikes fear into the hearts of people. When
individuals see a criminal being executed via electrocution, read about it on newspapers and
watch programs about this happening on the internet or TV, they tend to think twice before
committing a violent crime. In addition to this, this suggestion works to deal with re-offending
criminals too, supporters think. There are recidivists who committed serious crimes, such as
murder, rape and others, repeatedly. If capital punishment were introduced, it would perhaps
be possible to save innocent people’s lives or prevent people falling victims.

However, I agree with the opponents of capital punishment for a number of reasons. Firstly, it
is morally unacceptable to take a life for a life. There are obvious instances when offenders
had been wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death, but after several years, it was
proven that they were innocent and the incident was an unfortunate accident. Besides being
morally wrong, it brings about psychological traumas to family members of those who are
sentenced to death, which will be followed by years of suffering and stress. Perhaps, an
effective remedy to a growing number of serious crimes could be lifelong sentencing
accompanied by physical punishment in jails. After all, who are we to judge and kill a person
for an offence?

In conclusion, although capital punishment may seem applicable in certain cases, I am of the
opinion that it is wrong to kill criminals and other measures should be considered to remedy
the increase in crime.

312 words

6
April 26, 2021

Environmental problems are too big for individual countries and individual persons to
address. In other words, we have reached the stage where the only way to protect the
environment is at an international level. To what extent do you agree or disagree with
this opinion?

It is true that green issues cannot be solved individually. Humanity is at the stage where the
only solution to them is through global cooperation. I completely agree with this viewpoint for
two principal reasons.

First of all, the budget individual countries have is limited to combat environmental concerns.
In other words, if Uzbekistan aims to protect the environment, it needs to reduce parts of
budget it spends on vital areas, such as education, healthcare and others, because it is a
developing country and it may not be in a good financial health. Conversely, if it collaborated
with other developed countries of the world like the USA, Canada, the UK and Germany, we
would probably make a difference on this matter. This limited amount of funds to combat
ecological issues can be a problem for many developing countries as well, to whom
collaboration with others is the key.

Another reason in favor of international cooperation to remedy environmental problems is

connected with professionals. Education and facilities needed to carry out research and do field
experiments are not developed equally in each country of the world, so is the distribution of
environmental experts. For instance, one country may specialize in technology, another on
biology and chemistry, while another country may not be interested in solving ecological
issues at all, which make it difficult for countries to work individually on these problems. If
these experts of their field team up in one international team, the results are highly likely going
to be positive.

Overall, I am of the view that individuals and countries are not able to cope with environmental
issues by themselves due to finance and distribution of professionals. To make an impact,
therefore, international cooperation of them is imperative.

289 words.

7
April 29, 2021

Many elderly people are no longer looked after by their families but are put in care
homes or nursing homes. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

It has become common to see older adults being sent to nursing homes by their families. In
this light, this phenomenon has raised some questions among people over the possible benefits
and drawbacks associated.

To begin with, some clear-cut advantages can be attributed to sending older people to care
centers. It is true that some old people have serious geriatric problems and need constant
medical attention. If this is case, these people are better off in nursing homes where they are
taken care of by experienced nurses who can give them their injections and pills in a timely
and cautious manner. This is even more important when considering old people with severe
conditions who must receive an exact dosage of their medicine at an exact time. Furthermore,
once in retirement homes, elderly people can make friends with like-minded people who also
have lived long lives and have stories to share. Being in someone’s company who understands
you and can sympathize with how you feel might just be the thing elderly people need.

However, families sending their older parents to nursing homes comes at a certain cost. Elderly
people put in nursing homes may feel lonely and abandoned which might be the root cause of
elevated anxiety and depression among people of this age. Even worse, when they cannot cope
with these psychological conditions, they might even commit suicide. In addition, not all
nursing homes are properly run and funded, which makes one question their reliability. Care
centers, particularly in rural areas, lack the resources to cater for the need of old individuals
with acute health problems, and leaving old people in such places, knowing that they will not
be properly looked after, is downright wrong on families’ part

In conclusion, the above-presented points show us that there are both advantages and
disadvantages stemming from families’ decision to shirk their responsibilities towards their
older parents and send them to nursing homes.

320 words.

8
May 1, 2021

Today food travels thousands of miles from the farm to consumers.

Why is this? Is it a positive or negative trend?

Nowadays, food is transported long distances before being sold to consumers. This essay will
discuss the reasons why this happens and whether this is a positive or negative development.

There are several changes that have happened to society that have led to food being transported
longer distances than in the past. Firstly, a lot of previously fertile areas have been damaged
due to pollution and development. As a result, many local communities now have no choice
but to eat food grown in faraway places. A second cause is the fact that in modern times,
people have begun moving to cities. Naturally, the food requirements of today’s cities are
enormous, so growing food locally is not realistic.

I believe that the change toward eating food that has been transported long distances has been
overall detrimental. This is because the process for storing and transporting food affects the
quality of the food itself. For example, if fruits are picked when they are ripe, the
transportation process will bruise and damage them. The only solution is to pick the fruit when
it is not fully ripened, which results in fruit that does not taste as sweet as if it was picked
locally. Furthermore, when food is frozen, which is a common requirement when transporting
it long distances, the nutritional value decreases.

In conclusion, the causes of the change in the way food is transported are land degradation and
the urbanization of the global population, and I would argue that this is a negative development
because of the negative effects this has had on the flavor and nutritional value of modern food.

268 words

Credits: Beyden Dingle James (band 9.0 expert)

9
May 2, 2021

Some people think city planners should create more green space and plant trees. Others
believe that they should focus on building new houses.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Cities today are sprawling faster than ever. While some maintain that city space should be
allocated to the creation of green places, others are of the opinion that construction of new
houses is more important. I believe that city planners should be building both given how
essential they are to city inhabitants’ living.

On the one hand, it is reasonable to argue that building new residential areas is the right use of
available city space as space is an expensive commodity. Over the past years, accommodation
prices in urban areas have risen considerably, and it is primarily because space shortage is
driving up the prices. If city land was utilized to create more places of nature, city dwellers
would be paying even more in the form of higher rent prices and taxes that would be needed
to maintain those places. Even if this financial reason could be avoided, space shortage is an
issue waiting in line to be addressed in this respect. World Bank projections show that the
world population is expected to grow at a steady rate and reach 9 billion people by 2050, and
to accommodate this many people, space in cities will have to be wisely used.

However, I do also think that cities benefit from creation of more green space in a number of
ways. Firstly, natural landscapes built in cities add to the aesthetic appeal of the city
infrastructure. Given how monotonous concrete buildings appear, parks and gardens would be
needed to bring color to the look of the cities. Secondly, studies have shown that green spaces
reinforce the overall well-being of city dwellers; there is certainly a value in trees creating
clean oxygen for people to breathe. People who have more access to natural places tend to be
more psychologically sound and happier.

In conclusion, considering the arguments put forward in favor of both sides, I would argue that
city planners should focus on building houses as well as green spaces.

327 words

10
May 5, 2021

Some people argue that all experimentation on animals is bad and should be outlawed.
However, others believe that important scientific discoveries can be made from animal
experiments.

Can experimentation on animals be justified? Are there any alternatives?

Animal experimentations have long raised questions over their ethicality and necessity.
While some people maintain that all animal experiments should be halted, others are of the
view that they can be central to advances in science. I personally believe that doing
experiments on animals entirely unlawful is an overreaction, and an alternative can be applied
to minimize animal suffering.

To begin with, experimentation is the starting point of most scientific discoveries, and
without animals, they could have been impossible. There are several examples from the past
where pioneers in science used animals to test their theories and made ground-breaking
improvements in science. These improvements were often in the fields of medicine where
clinical trials had to be conducted on animals before a drug could be used to treat patients.
Another reason how animal experiments can be justified lies in the idea that such experiments
are normally done on animal species that are abundant in nature and multiply fast, which, I
think, is a good enough reason to allow experiments on animals.

On the other hand, recent advances in technology have facilitated ways to replace animal
experimentation, done for the sake of science, with more approvable and reliable methods,
thus reducing animal suffering and keeping the way of science at the same time. One such
method is computer modeling that allows scientists to recreate an exact replica of an animal's
genome and run any analyses that would be needed to test their hypothesis. As well as
rendering animal experimentation unnecessary, this alternative would yield better and more
accurate results with the help of precise calculations that computer models could offer.

In conclusion, as much as I consider animal experiments unethical, I think that they are much
needed for scientific research. However, an alternative such as computer modeling could be
brought into use to lessen animal sacrifice and ethical questions arising from it. 311 words

11
May 9, 2021

Some people think that older employees contribute most to the success of a company.
Others think that younger people play a more vital role. Discuss both views and give your
own opinion.

When it comes to the success of a company, its demographic composition can be one of the
key determinants. While some people attribute a company’s success to older workers, others
are of the opinion that it is younger people who contribute more to it. I personally believe that
older employees are as much important to a successful company as younger ones.
On the one hand, the role of older people in companies should be acknowledged for two main
reasons. First of all, it is common sense that older people tend to have more experience under
their belt than young ones do, and the fact that they are more seasoned means that they are
better suited at dealing with problems that require huge professional experience. For example,
when a company has to make a financial investment decision or do resource allocation, it is
more likely to benefit from the service of the older staff members who have made similar
decisions in the past and better understand how these decisions impact their company. Another
reason stems from the idea that older people are more socially adept, thus having better
interpersonal skills: Although this idea is not established, it can be said that older employees
are more likely to have stronger connections with the staff than young people who have been
working there for a shorter period of time than them.
On the other hand, young employees should also be given credits for certain qualities that are
mostly common to them. It is safe to say that younger people can cope with increased
workloads better than older people as they are in physically better shape. This point can be
even more critical if the company they are working for specializes in labor-intensive
production such as food processing. Moreover, younger people are more likely to incorporate
technology with work which might mean higher efficiency and precision. In companies where
certain tasks can be done either on paper or with a computer, work productivity could be
boosted by allowing more young people to replace traditional ways with more modern,
technology-involving approaches.
In conclusion, given the benefits coming from employing older and younger workers, I believe
that companies should rely on both to ensure their success. 370 words
12
May 10, 2021

If people have a chance to choose between living their life without work and spending
most of their time on work, most of them could choose not to work.

To what extent do you agree or disagree

When faced with the dilemma of working or not working, a majority of people tend to opt for
the latter. While there might be some truth in this statement, I am of the view that work is an
essential part of our lives and people cannot rest for so long.

Tendency to relax is inherent to all people, so it would be sensible to argue that most people
would choose not to work if there was a chance. For example, most working people are familiar
with the feeling of looking forward to going on vacations to different parts of the world and
resting at home on weekends, after busy days, weeks and months of work. They feel like
leaving all the accumulated workplace stress, arguments with colleagues and daily
monotonous tasks behind and relax. In addition to this, statistically, a high percentage of
people are dissatisfied with their jobs. Therefore, if there were an opportunity not to work, on
condition that everything is provided, they would, by all means, choose not to work.

Nevertheless, I strongly feel that these people should think about the longer term. By doing
so, they eventually come to realize that life is not only about relaxation and resting. The recent
COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, taught us the value of work, and most of us became bored
at home without any meaningful activities and tasks. This implies that work is an indispensable
part of our lives, adding meaning and color to it. Another reason why people would choose to
work is associated with the feeling of social obligation. If important positions, such as doctors
and teachers, are not filled willingly, we are highly likely to experience collapse of
civilizations in the long run. Therefore, rational individuals who look into the future when
provided with this dilemma will definitely choose to work and contribute to their society
positively.

Overall, people might choose not to work when there is a chance to do so. However, when
they realize the importance of working and the value it has on their lives, they tend to change
their minds about their decisions. 351 words

13
May 30, 2021

Giving children pocket money is common in many countries. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of giving pocket money to children.

Providing children with enough money to spend on their own needs has become a widespread
practice in many parts of the world. While children can learn about managing their finances
and the value of money from this, there are also drawbacks to be taken into account.

To begin with the positives, children who are given pocket money know how to spend this
resource. This is because parents tend to instruct them beforehand about expending it on such
valuable needs as food, transportation and stationery. These children, in effect, grow up to be
more independent than those who were not given pocket money early in life. Besides making
them more independent, these children are also likely to be prepared for family life with their
ability to prioritize spending on vital and urgent necessities and cutting expenses on
unnecessary ones.

Despite the benefits stated above, pocket money does present some problems. Often, money
is an evil that leads children astray. Children starting smoking during their secondary school
period, being addicted to computer games to such an extent that they cannot help purchasing
new skins for their characters and new levels are clear cases in point. Another disadvantage of
giving pocket money to children would be the danger of spoiling. Conversely, if the young are
taught how to earn money by, for example, doing the most rudimentary tasks like housework
and gardening, rather than receiving money for nothing, we could perhaps see more prudent,
rational economizers who understand that “money does not grow on trees”.

In conclusion, although giving pocket money to children is beneficial in a number of ways, it

is crucial to consider that it also harms the young by spoiling them and paving the way for
taking up bad habits.

290 words

14
May 30, 2021

As countries develop, more and more people buy cars.

Do the advantages of this outweigh disadvantages?

With the development of countries, people’s living standards improve as well, allowing them
to purchase automobiles increasingly more. In my opinion, this tendency does more harm than
good.

Looking firstly at the positives of cars, the two main benefits are that they provide
independence and are helpful in emergencies. With regards to the former, having a car allows
people to commute to work, studies and run other errands no matter time how distant their
destination is. Unlike with other means of transport like buses, trains and subway, car owners
are free from the hustles of waiting, following strict schedules and, oftentimes, being late. As
for the latter, humans may become ill or an emergency might happen at any unexpected time.
On these occasions, having a personal automobile can be a matter of life and death.

In spite of the benefits above, I do feel that having a car presents serious drawbacks, the most
obvious of which is the risk of fatal accidents. Instead of saving a human life, driving
recklessly, not following the speed limit or obeying road signs, can be a cause of many
people’s death. Not only this, but the environment is also severely damaged by excessive
amounts of carbon dioxide discharged by those cars. If we do not care about providing the
future generation with a cleaner environment and fresher air by driving less, then who does?
Of course, that is not to claim that owning a car should completely be banned. It is suggested
that private cars be used only during emergencies, ill-health and other vital concerns, but not
for insignificant reasons.

In conclusion, although people buying more cars might be considered beneficial for both
regular and critical conditions, they are outweighed by the negatives of lethal accidents
damage to the environment.

296 words

15
Computers can now help people translate things immediately so there is no need for
people to learn other languages. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
statement?

The development of technology, in recent years, has enabled people translate everything in no
time. This, in turn, leaves no need to master foreign languages. I completely disagree with this
statement for two principal reasons.

With regards to the former, technology is evolving and we are yet to conclude that artificial
intelligence software, such as Siri and Alice, which recognize voices are as intelligent and
advanced as humans. This has to do with the flaws they tend to have. Human language is
composed of elements of grammar, speed, emotion and tone, all of which can be difficult tasks
for a robot to interpret and understand. Simply using Siri software in a language other than
English speaking faster than usual is a clear case in point which proves their limited
capabilities in comprehending humans, let alone translating. If technology is advanced enough
that can supersede humans in translation, then why there is still a high demand for synchronous
translators?

As for the latter, the possibilities of utilizing technology in written text is limited too. From
my personal experience, when writing university assignments, I had to use Google Translator
to translate my thoughts and ideas to English. However, for the sake of checking reliability of
this piece of software, I had done the reverse translation, and the outcome was different. It is
true that technology lends people a helping hand in most situations when translation needed.
Nevertheless, to claim that there is no requirement to learn foreign languages is to ignore
mistakes and inability of technology in certain situations.

Technology of translation has advanced considerably, but it still has a long way to go. Its limit
both in written and oral forms of communication discussed above leads us to a conclusion that
people still an urge to learn foreign languages to be able to translate and not completely rely
on technology for this purpose.

16
Computers can now help people translate things immediately so there is no need for
people to learn other languages. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
statement?

The availability of advanced translation tools on computers today might lead some people to
believe that learning other languages is not as necessary as it used to be. While I find this
assertion to be true to some extent, I hold the view that people should still learn other languages
for several reasons.

On the one hand, it is true that computer technology involving translation functions have come
a long way from the time when it could only help translate basic speech chunks of another
language. Whereas in the past people could only use it to interpret individual words and
phrases, today this technology could be used to perform the more sophisticated tasks such as
translating long texts into as many as 120 languages. Some language software tools go all the
way to recognizing human speech, detecting what language is being used and translating it
into a language of one’s choice. These advances, indeed, make some people wonder if the day
when learning another language will be impractical has come.

On the other hand, despite the recent updates to translation software technologies, I believe
computers are not yet close to replacing the traditional practice of learning other languages.
One reason to this is the fact that these tools sometimes, if not often, fail to decipher cultural
cues and features encoded within languages. Japanese, for example, is a language which
requires proper use of tone to convey the intended meaning of words like “husband”. If not
accounted for such subtleties of the language, serious misunderstandings may arise. Besides,
there is more to learning a foreign language than simply deciphering and understanding it. It
is an experience that involves learning about the culture and lifestyle of the language being
learned as some expressions and figures of speech may have roots in them.

In conclusion, I would like to bring us back to my initial point that language learning is not
one of those things that might be rendered obsolete with the advances in technology.

332 words

17
June 1, 2021

In recent years, more and more people are choosing to read e-books rather than paper
books.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

It has become common to see people use e-books instead of traditional paper books. Although
there are some drawbacks to this, I believe that the benefits of electronic books are more
significant.

To begin with, it should be noted that e-readers come with certain downsides. When reading
a book on a device, readers may not be able to interact with the book the way they would if
read a paper copy of it; e-books fail to facilitate real book reading experience like flipping
through the pages, bending some corners to help pick up from where they left. Another
problem is the high possibility of being distracted, which is often the case with children who
are easily drawn to pop-ups that appear on their devices. In addition to this, because one can
easily switch from one app to another when using an e-reader, they would be more inclined to
do some other activities such as playing mobile games.

Despite these drawbacks, I still believe that people can benefit from e-books in a number of
ways. One feature that makes e-readers appealing to most people is the comforts they provide.
They are portable in nature and take up as little as few megabytes as opposed to paper books
that sometimes require bags to carry them. The idea of using an e-reader also has to do with
the fact that no paper is used in its production, so people concerned about the environment
would be more likely to choose them over traditional books. Finally, e-books allow users to
make the most of them as they have in-built functions like highlighting, underlining, and taking
screenshots.

In conclusion, regardless of the negative aspects of utilizing electronic books, I find them to
be more advantageous for the reasons given above.

294 words

18
June 3, 2021

Some people think that governments should give financial support to creative artists such
as painters and musicians. Others believe that creative artists should be funded by
alternative sources. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

It is believed that artists should be given financial help by the government while others may
not share the same idea. To my mind, given the difficulty and importance of their work, artists
deserve extra support from the government in addition to the money they make individually.

On the one hand, artists can make a living on their own by selling their art pieces. Today, there
are quite a few ways artists can use to advertise their art products and find patrons who might
be interested in buying them. The Internet is one of those places where visual artists as well as
musicians have access to platforms that allow them to find prospective buyers, negotiate a
price and sell their art there. A musician, for instance, is able to make a profit off their songs
by uploading them onto a platform called Spotify. Although they have to agree to the terms
and conditions of the platform and share in the profits, they are often left with more money
than they would make otherwise.

On the other hand, in my view, there are two key reasons why government should be willing
to support artists financially. The first reason lies in the idea that the artists of a country have
the power to make its standing stronger in the global arena by promoting the culture and
lifestyle of this region. The USA is a good example of a country where much priority is given
to many forms of art such as dancing, singing, and acting, hence the country’s culture and
lifestyle are spreading across the world faster than those of other countries where arts receive
little attention. The second reason has to do with how supporting artists is good for the
nurturing of a sense of art in people. Giving artists grants and some other privileges would
show people that art is as important as other areas and that artistic qualities should be sought
after for personal fulfillment. In my country, Uzbekistan, the government encourages young
people to be more involved in art contests by offering large sums of money or free access to
higher education as a reward in an attempt to cultivate appreciation for art in them.

In conclusion, I am in favor of financial support from the government to artists as they do

much to contribute to their country’s prominence and help develop a taste for art in people.
400 words

19
June 10, 2021

An increasing number of people who graduate school want to travel or work for a period
of time before continuing their studies in university. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of taking a gap year?

Taking a year out to travel or work for some time before pursuing higher education is being a
common practice among many school graduates. While taking a gap year helps them gain
valuable work experience and earn money, there are also drawbacks to be taken into account.

To begin with the positives of a gap year, a crucial one is that it provides them with work
experience. It is true that the school period rarely allows these young people to work and earn
money giving them large volumes of homework, conducting assessments continually and
undertaking final exams. Being fed up with studies at school, graduates often want to
experience how the world of work is like, becoming more experienced in their chosen area as
time progresses. Another benefit of a gap year is that it provides school graduates with a chance
to take their first steps in making money. This, in effect, will teach them the value of money
and that “it does not grow on trees” so hard work is needed to earn it, making them thriftier
members of society.

In spite of the advantages above, taking a year off does present some issues to school graduates.
One of them is discouraging them from studying further. Having been accustomed to earning
for their expenses, living independently and travelling abroad, these young people may lose
interest in pursuing tertiary education as their current “adult life” might seem satisfying and
enjoyable without studies. Even worse, they may not realize that they can be limiting their
future prospects by not having a bachelor’s degree. This is because without a diploma, it is
extremely difficult to be employed in a prestigious company with a promising future unless
the candidate possesses exceptional qualities. If this trend becomes more popular, the gaps in
healthcare and education fields may not be filled with competent personnel, creating further
social problems.

In conclusion, although a gap year is beneficial for students in a number of ways, it may be
the cause of loss of interest in studying further and may limit young people’s career prospects
as they will receive no formal degree. 354 words
20
Prison is the only truly effective form of punishment because it separates criminals from
society.

To what extent do you support this view?

It is argued that the best way to punish criminals is to sentence them to jail as prisons help
keep them away from others. I believe that there are several other ways that can be suggested
to punish them.

On the one hand, prisons can serve as an ideal place to accommodate convicts as a way to
discipline them as these places restrict their freedom and mobility to make them pay the price
for their crimes. Once they are deprived of the comforts of their normal lives, they start to
realize that their bad actions have consequences. This, in fact, is the whole idea behind
imprisoning them. Besides, if these criminals were let to co-exist with law-abiding citizens, it
is likely that more problems such as mugging and stabbing would emerge as a result of
confrontations between these people. Given these reasons, some people are justified in their
thinking that prisons are irreplaceable as a means to punish lawbreakers.

However, prisons sometimes can be counter-productive in punishing criminals. These places

can act as meeting spots for some criminals and a chance to conspire into more unlawful
actions. Even worse, these criminals can set up a network for people of their kind where they
could exchange intelligence on which banks to rob and people to harass. Rather than send
criminals to jail, justice system could involve minor offenders in community work like
cleaning the streets or cemeteries while major ones could be sent to secluded areas to work at
factories. This way, they would learn their lessons and help contribute to their communities as
well.

In conclusion, although some people are entirely in favor of imprisoning crime perpetrators
for the fact that it distances them from good members of society, I think that it may not be a
completely good idea as explained above.

303 words

21
June 12, 2021

Some people argue that children should not watch television as it can have a negative
effect on their development. Others claim that television can help them in their future.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion

People have different views about children watching television. Some people believe that
television has adversely impacted on children’s development while others oppose this idea and
claim that it is beneficial for their future. I personally support the latter idea.

Supporters who argue against children watching the TV have a number of arguments. One is
connected with their studies. This is because these young people do not know their limits, and
may waste a large amount of their time watching cartoons, documentaries, films and music
clips. Being addicted to watching the TV, these children are unlikely to do their homework
properly, which can impact on their school grades. Besides falling behind with their studies,
children may suffer physically from too much exposure to watching television. It is proven
that excessive screen time can trigger such health problems as obesity, eyesight deterioration
and insomnia.

However, I side with those who argue that watching television is a largely useful activity for
their future. The argument about grades presented above should be examined from a different
angle. It is no doubt true that TV programs for children consist mostly of educational content,
so if they are watching scientific channels like National Geographic and Discovery, in no way
will this decrease their grades at school. Not only do they improve their scientific knowledge,
but also TV is an excellent tutor of foreign languages. Children can pick up expressions from
commonly-spoken languages such as Russian and English unconsciously through watching
cartoons and movies, thereby taking their first steps in language learning.

In conclusion, although some people think that watching TV plays a negative role in a child’s
development, I am of the view that it is an overall positive development since they acquire
knowledge from what they are seeing.

293 words

22
June 14, 2021

It is known to all that the technological scientific advances have made greater changes to
the range and quality of our food. Some people regard it as an improvement while others
believe that the change is harmful. Discuss and give your own opinion.

It is true that the range and quality of the food we eat have been significantly improved due to
breakthroughs in technology and science. While some feel that this development is
detrimental, I side with those who argue that it is a change for the better.

People who think that advancements in the range and quality of the food are negative have a
number of reasons. One is connected with the concern over the use of chemicals. It is known
that nowadays farmers make use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides to improve the yield
and eradicate unwanted weeds and insects. This casts doubt on the wholesomeness of our food,
and such health problems as obesity, proneness to allergies and stroke are often the
consequences. Not only this, but the continuous and long-term use of changed crop-growing
techniques may lead to mutations, and we may not be able to enjoy the original taste of fruits
and vegetables.

In spite of the arguments presented above, I agree with the supporters of this change. First and
foremost, genetically modified food can be an ideal solution to the prevalent problem of
hunger. This is because genetic modification enables us to produce food in short periods of
time, which can cater for the needs of poverty-stricken areas where starvation persists. Besides
being the key to overcoming famine, improved techniques of food growing provide people
with a chance to choose the food type they want to consume. This means that consumers can
choose either economical GM products or expensive organic foods.

Although some consider the change brought about by scientific and technological
developments in the range and quality of the food we consume to be a negative one due to
health issues, others see it as a remedy to the issue of starvation and limited variety. Overall, I
support the latter view.

Around 35 min. 303 words.

23
June 16, 2021

Fewer people are reading books these days. Therefore, we should close all libraries and
use the funds for something more urgent like healthcare. Do you agree or disagree?

I was in the city recently, and I walked past a derelict building which used to serve as a library.
Not far away, another dilapidated one stood waiting to be demolished so that a hospital or a
school could be erected in its place, as the locals told me there. I wished policy makers had
paid more attention to the role of libraries before making such decisions.

To start with, libraries can bridge the gap between the highly-educated and the under-educated.
Many people throughout the world, especially in poor countries, still rely on public libraries
as their primary source of information and education. Not only do they make use of a large
number of books at libraries, but they also use the internet provided there. Furthermore, fewer
libraries mean discouraging people who are eager to read and study but who cannot find a
calm and peaceful place to do so. For instance, there used to be a small library in my
neighborhood, which some people, even the elderly, attended regularly. But after its closure,
the majority of the members did not bother with taking longer journeys to other libraries.

That said, it should also be admitted that in deprived areas whose populations are in dire need
of more urgent services such as basic healthcare and schools, libraries could be considered a
lesser priority. It is no exaggeration to say that such deprivations may well dampen the
enthusiasm for reading books, let alone visiting the local library. For example, in the Sistani
and Baluchistan province in Iran, there are areas where students have to travel more than two
hours to get to their “schools”, and many people there have to go to the larger cities for medical
treatments. Thus, it would be hard to justify keeping, and spending money on, public libraries
in such circumstances.

To sum up, having weighed up the pros and cons of closing libraries, it is obvious that such
policy would negatively impact people to whom libraries are important learning facilities
providing various services for the local community. Nevertheless, insisting on keeping
libraries while people struggle with their basic necessities cannot be an effective policy.

Have you liked the structure? P.S.: it is not my essay.

24
June 17, 2021

Some people think it is a good thing for senior managers to have much higher salaries
than the other workers in a company. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Today, there are some companies that pay their top executive workers seven-figure salaries.
This might raise the question of whether it is right to do so when other workers are paid much
less. Although these companies have their reasons to pay top managers large sums, I believe
it can be undesirable for two reasons.

To begin with, it can be argued that companies are justified in their decision to pay senior
management staff premium salaries. These people working at top positions assume huge
responsibilities that come with high workloads and stress, as a result. The average senior
manager is expected to work on and create agendas, make important decisions as well as
handling other businesses of their company, unlike other workers who only specialize in a
small set of tasks. Another reason behind paying senior managers well might have to do with
the idea of encouraging other workers to work harder and strive for the top positions in the
company. Knowing that they will be paid significantly more, junior partners would work extra
hours in the pursuit of a promotion and making the amounts top executives do.

On the other hand, I think this trend can have adverse effects on company culture. Firstly, it
can create huge pay gap between workers at the two ends of the company hierarchy: senior
management and average workers. This might further lead to problems within the company
after workers realize that the company’s earnings are not being fairly distributed. This, indeed,
was the case with Amazon recently when workers at some branches of the company
complained how they were being underpaid and that top managers were lining their pockets
from the large profit margins the company was making. One other disadvantage to a large
remuneration to senior management workers is that after making a certain amount of wealth,
they can become laid-back and take their jobs lightly. The creation of this sort of mentality
among senior managers is likely to affect other workers down the company structure.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that paying senior managers considerably more than other
workers can mean unfavorable changes in company culture despite the justifications shown
for this practice.
25
June 18, 2021

Some students find some subjects such as Mathematics or Philosophy difficult, so these
subjects should be optional instead of compulsory. To what extent do you agree or
disagree with this question?

Some people argue that because there are some students who struggle with certain subjects
like Mathematics and Philosophy, students should be allowed to decide whether or not to study
these subjects. I believe these subjects should be kept as a mandatory part of the teaching
curriculum although they present challenges to some students.
There are some obvious reasons why some might think that difficult subjects requiring critical
and creative thinking should be voluntary. Firstly, for those students who are not simply
interested in these subjects, they can be a waste of their time and energy. Instead, their time
can be better spent on learning other subjects of their interest, whether it be social studies or
less complex subjects like Geography where abstract thinking is rarely expected of them.
Subjects like Philosophy contain many an abstract concept which can confuse the learner and
even discourage them from pursuing it. One such concept, though might appear fairly simple
to some people, is the meaning of happiness which is relentlessly sought after by philosophers.
To students who measure happiness in simple terms, trying to view it from others’ perspectives
might merely overcomplicate things.
Having said that, I still think that Mathematics and Philosophy should not be left out of the
curriculum. Everyone should study Mathematics not just as a means to gain a qualification of
some kind, but as more of a way to prepare for life. This is because the basics of this subject
are extensively used in almost every aspect of our lives; when making a simple transaction at
a store or figuring out how large a carpet you will need for one’s living room, one would
generally be required to do plain arithmetic calculations. These subjects, in addition to some
of them being a necessity, cultivate critical and higher thinking in students. Those students
equipped with these skills are better prepared to solve real-life problems where one oftentimes
has to be ingenious and deductive in their approach to solving these problems. In conclusion,
while I understand why some students should be free to choose to study certain difficult
subjects, I also think that these subjects should remain to be required at schools and
universities.

26
June 25, 2021

As countries develop, more and more people buy and use their own cars.

Do (you think) the advantages for individuals outweigh the disadvantages for the
environment?

With rapid economic growth in many countries, cars have become more affordable, allowing
more people to buy them. I believe that despite the negative effects cars have on the
environment, the advantages of cars to the individual are well justified.

On the one hand, some well-known effects of cars on the environment should be
acknowledged. Cars are known to spew gases and particles that have long been found to be
detrimental to our ecosystem. Condoning the growing purchase of personal vehicles knowing
the harm they do to our planet can be viewed as suicide by some people. Another way
automobile might affect nature is closely related to their energy consumption. Despite the
growing popularity of electric cars, combustion engine cars remain to account for most cars
being bought and produced. This means more natural reserves of fossil fuel might have to be
used to meet the new demand from new car owners.

Having said that, I still think that benefits to individuals are more significant. To begin with,
cars allow people greater mobility; one can run errands and attend to their personal affairs at
their convenience. As a person who does not own a personal vehicle, I am rather limited in my
ability to move around or do tasks that might require travelling. Having a personal car also
comes with a lot of comforts: air conditioning, access to entertainment and most importantly
privacy. When presented with a chance to have these comforts, most people would not hesitate
at the thought of buying a car. Lastly, greater demand for cars has led to improvements in car
design which has ultimately benefitted car owners.

In conclusion, while it is true that cars are bad for the environment, I am of the opinion that
the above-mentioned benefits they bring to people appear to be larger.

302 words

27
June 30, 2021

Nowadays people are living longer after they retire. What are the problems caused by
this? What measures can be taken to address such problems?

People are having a longer life following the retirement these days. Although there are two
major problems that stem from this phenomenon, the government can take a number of
measures to resolve them.
The most serious issue as a result of having a longer lifespan, perhaps, is a burden on
healthcare. It is true that when a person ages, they tend to experience many health issues
ranging from diabetes, arthritis to high blood pressure. If the number of such senior citizens is
high, the chances are that private clinics, hospitals and other medical institutions will be full
and incapable of curing all. Another concern that is a direct result of a rise in the number of
retired people is associated with finance. It is a common practice in many developing
countries, particularly in Asian ones, to pay pensions to these elderly people. If their number
increases, the government and the tax-paying layer of society will face difficulties to meet this
social need.
Turning to possible solutions, the government plays an essential part in dealing with the
problems stated above. First and foremost, the government can increase the age of retirement
or, at least, reform the system in a way that takes people's physical health into consideration
before allowing them to retire. Such solution works because we see examples of the elderly in
many countries who are healthy, active and able to work even if they are 65 or older. To
address the issue of burden on healthcare, the state needs to build more hospitals, train nurses
and doctors who will work there, and invest in them satisfactorily however difficult it might
be. This is because healthcare is one of the most essential basic needs of humans, and not
satisfying it, especially in the case of the elderly, might be viewed as exploitation since these
are the very people who have worked their entire life and contributed to their organizations
and countries.
In conclusion, the healthcare-related and financial issues resulting from a growth in the number
of the retired people can be solved by government initiatives on considering the retirement
procedure as well as by funding and improving the healthcare industry.
360 words. 9:33—10:08 —> ~31 min.

28
Children can learn efficiently by watching television, so they should be encouraged to
watch television regularly both at home and in school. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?

By watching TV, children can acquire knowledge in an efficient way. It is therefore suggested
that they ought to be encouraged to watch television both at home and in school on a usual
basis. While I agree that watching TV at home is an effective means to learn, I disagree that
this practice is useful in schools.

There are two main reasons why watching TV at home should be supported. With regard to
the former, the principal objective of TV programs aimed at children is to improve children’s
cognitive skills, creativity and open a world of knowledge to them in a colorful and interesting
way, unlike traditional schooling where the lessons are conducted with the use of primarily
text-based materials. When young learners watch TV channels like National Geographic and
Discovery, for instance, they tend to enhance their knowledge of geography, biology, science
and technology. As for the latter, most children these days are reluctant to do their homework
and complete school assignments on time, so exposure to TV programs could be an excellent
motivation of knowledge acquisition and its application if it was made compulsory considering
that children spend a large amount of time watching useless content anyway.

Nevertheless, I believe that TV-watching should not be encouraged in schools. This is because
conducting lessons becomes extremely difficult due to the addictive nature of TV programs.
Being exposed to screens for an extended period, children might fail to understand that lessons
are not solely composed of watching TV; they include group work, QA sessions and peer
evaluation exercises, all of which are done with the help of a teacher. In my country, for
example, each lesson in schools lasts for 45 minutes, and incorporating TV-watching might
mean compromising such useful activities as homework checking, a revision of the last topic
and asking questions from teachers.

In conclusion, schools are the places of gaining real knowledge with teachers and practicing
essential teaching methods mentioned above, and TVs have to be assistants in this process.
Hence, they should only help students learn in a visually entertaining way at home, but not in
schools.

29
July 1, 2021

Many young people today will never be able to afford to buy a house.

What has led to this situation? What can be done to remedy it?

A house is an expensive asset and buying one has become an unaffordable option for some
young people. I believe that rising housing prices, rural migration, and consumer culture to be
the underlying reasons for this issue, and there are some suggestions I will be making below
to help mitigate the problem.

To start, several reasons can be cited as the main causes to explain why young adults today
cannot afford a house. One such obvious reason is that housing prices in general have risen
much over the last years. This was mainly caused by price surges in space cost and higher
taxes. In my hometown, for instance, the cost of one-square-meter space has gone up by 12%
since last year whereas the average salary one makes remained virtually the same. Another
significant factor at work is rural migration. As more and more people move from the
countryside in search of jobs and better living standards, there is now greater demand for
housing than ever, which also leads to increases in real-estate prices. Finally, due to shift
towards consumerism in today’s culture and the need to maintain good living standards, it is
becoming less possible to save up money to buy a house.

Possible solutions to deal with this socio-economic problem require both state and individual
effort. Government intervention might be required to help young individuals to receive loans
from profitable banks in the area at very low or, if possible, no interest rates. Having received
initial financial support from the state and banks, these people would be more confident and
in a better position to make the choice of purchasing a house. Quite recently, the Uzbek
government in cooperation with commercial banks launched a project to aid young couples to
get interest-free mortgages to buy a newly-built apartment. Furthermore, as individuals, young
people should also make conscious efforts to avoid frivolous spending so that they can save
funds to buy a house later in the future.

In conclusion, there are a number of reasons why young people may not be able to buy a house,
and I believe that state help and more frugality on the young individual’s part would be
expected to go about this situation. 368 words
30
July 2, 2021

In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move to

regional areas outside the big cities. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the
disadvantages?

In some parts of the world, authorities are urging organizations and industries to move to
suburban areas. In my opinion, the benefits of this movement are outweighed by the drawbacks
it might bring.

Looking firstly at the benefits of moving businesses out of cities, a crucial one is the creation
of job opportunities for those local areas. Industries and enterprises are in need of workforce,
so the movement of them to rural areas means a reduction in unemployment rates in deprived
places. Besides cutting down on unemployment, functioning of these businesses and industries
in regional areas also aid in dealing with the prevalent issue of overcrowding in municipal
areas. It is true that due to better facilities, vacancies, and promotional opportunities, cities
seem to be appealing to most people, and they flock to urban areas. Therefore, having
businesses and industries moved to suburban areas is a win-win situation.

Nevertheless, by examining the arguments provided above from a different angle, I believe
that the negatives of this movement are far more significant. Firstly, it took businesses and
industries several years to establish their reputation in cities and stand on a good financial
health. If they are forced to move to rustic areas, the chances are that they will face immense
expenses of movement, lose competent and experienced employees, and have a worsened
corporate image. Not only does this encouragement to move bring the businesses and
industries to the verge of bankruptcy, but also makes provision of raw materials by suppliers
and commuting for employees difficult. In this sense, moving these organizations and
industries from city areas to somewhere else is a change for the worse.

Although relocating businesses and industries to regional areas presents the merits of job
opportunities and solves the issue of overcrowding in cities, doing so is not sensible if these
corporations lack skilled workforce, suppliers, and have a deteriorated corporate reputation in
destination regions. Overall, I am of the view that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

329 words.
31
July 3, 2021

Intelligence is the most important quality that a leader needs to have. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?

It is argued that intelligence is the most crucial personality trait for effective leadership. While
there might be some truth in this statement, I am of the view that there are other equally
important characteristics to it.

There are some instances when intelligence can be viewed as key part of leadership. One is
linked with conflict resolution. It is no wonder that workplace is full of disagreements and
arguments among co-workers, so knowing when to use the right approach to settle those
differences is central to leadership in these cases. Not only while resolving conflicts, but also
in making important decisions for the company, intelligence does play a vital part. Leaders are
the ones who set long-term objectives, develop strategies, and keep their organization running.
Conversely, a company might be on the verge of bankruptcy if it were not for intelligent
leaders.

Despite the reasons stated above, I believe that other leadership qualities are as essential as
intelligence. Firstly, if a leader is not dedicated to their job, it sets a poor example to
subordinates. This is because if a company manager or a CEO comes to work late, does not
work to their full potential, and are not motivated to go the extra mile, employees are also
likely to hold a reluctant attitude to work. Dedication of leaders is what keeps the whole team
focused on the task, willing to work overtime if needed, and enjoy pay rises as a consequence.
Besides being dedicated, leaders also must possess strong social skills. If it were not for
interpersonal skills, a company would face high turnover and employee dissatisfaction. From
my personal experience, my boss, who has good interpersonal skills, has persuaded me to
handle my colleague’s workload recently during his ill-health though I have been reluctant.

In conclusion, although the role of intelligence is significant in resolving conflicts and taking
strategic decisions that will impact the company in the long run, I disagree that dedication and
social skills of leaders are less important than intelligence.

32
July 4, 2021

Social media has replaced the traditional methods of communicating and people use
more and more social media in communicating and to follow news and events.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

The recent pandemic made the power of social media felt more than ever, not just as a platform
for socializing, but also as an instant means of communicating and sharing news. While I think
the role of social media platforms in facilitating easier communication is praiseworthy, I must
assert that its presence in news distribution should not be viewed as a positive development.

It is true that social media has gone a long way towards improving our lives with its versatility.
Having overserved its original purpose, which was allowing users keep social online, today it
can be used to do a whole spectrum of tasks, all the way from text messaging to broadcasting
live videos to the whole world. In this sense, it can be said that it has practically made the need
for other modes of communication obsolete. Also, instant and broad access to events
happening worldwide has been made possible; one can obtain local and international news live
or few minutes after it happens from sometimes as many as a dozen outlets. This is as though
the entire world is on one’s doorstep.

However, as much as I intend not to sound pessimistic, I believe that social media can be a
victim of its own meteoric rise. Since its inception, social media has often been met with public
criticism for being addictive and rendering personal communication and most of the desirable
qualities it comes with redundant. It is known that with social media it is rather tempting to
look at suggested posts or to check one’s account feed while using it for communication
purposes. As for the experience, one generally is not required to be sociable and good with
people when typing behind the screen. Strange enough, it sometimes feels surreal to be
interacting with people, or should I say their moving images, which makes one wonder if it is
all real.

In conclusion, although I agree that the whole concept of communication and news distribution
has been by and large changed for the better with social media, I resort to saying that it should
not be viewed as a paradigm for our communication needs. 357 words

33
July 12, 2021

In their advertising, businesses nowadays usually emphasize that their products are new
in some way.

Why is this? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

As products grow in number and range, companies are seeking ways to market them in newer
lights, one of which is singling out their products from others by bringing public attention to
their novelty. Several other reasons can be cited why this is happening, and to me, it is as much
of a positive development as it is a negative one.

I believe there are two main reasons that might explain why more focus is placed on the
originality of a product when advertising. The first, arguably most obvious, reason has to do
with consumer behavior. Newer products tend to generate more interest among consumers
which will in turn increase sales, hence bringing more income. Every time a new line of Apple
products is unveiled, the CEO, Tim Cook, emphasizes how different they are from the older
versions as well as their competitors’ in terms of their function range and quality. This move
goes a long way to keeping customers interested and boosting sales figures. The second reason
also speaks to the psychology of the consumer. By installing new features in their products,
businesses can make them more desirable than those of their competitors; a customer whose
is undecided between two options might simply gravitate towards the one with newer qualities.

In my view, such a trend should be recognized as being both negative and positive. On a
positive note, this development will ultimately benefit the economy as sales grow and people
start spending more since more consumption leads to job creation in transportation and
production sectors to meet the increasing demand from the costumer. However, some
unscrupulous businesses might try to sell people products that are practically identical to other
products available in the market that come with better quality and prices. In this case, the result
is often consumer dissatisfaction that might manifest itself in their future choice not to buy a
product of that kind.

In conclusion, it is fair to say that the marketing strategy in question is devised based primarily
on consumer behavior, and I am still of the opinion that it should be regarded as both positive
and negative development.
34
July 13, 2021

Overpopulation in many major urban centers around the world is a major problem.
What are the causes of this? How can this problem be solved?

The issue many metropolises are facing is one of overpopulation. While there are some driving
forces of this phenomenon, a number of measures can be taken to deal with this concern.

Two principal reasons appear to explain why big cities are attractive to people although these
areas have high population density. The main cause is job opportunities in major municipal
areas. Cities usually have higher minimum wages, offer a wider job variety and better career
prospects for people, making them seem an ideal place to live. Another cause of
overpopulation is easy access to facilities. Unlike rural or suburban areas, urban places have
excellent transport infrastructure, high quality education, developed healthcare, and
entertainment options, all of which are the factors that add to people’s satisfaction and
happiness.

Turning to possible solutions to overpopulation, perhaps a major step would be to equalize

remuneration of workers everywhere. If governments implement this suggestion, we will
probably deter many people from moving to cities in search of a better life, as money is an
extremely, if not the most, essential motivator. Besides motivating financially, states can also
improve the quality of life in rural or suburban areas. Once people are provided with as good
facilities as there are in major urban areas, they are less likely to move. Finally, if these two
measures have little to no impact, the best way to discourage movement to cities is by
increasing the level of taxes in these places. Not only will this make the city life an expensive
luxury, but also it will promote depopulation in metropolitan areas as a consequence.

Overall, the causes of overpopulation in cities have primarily to do with employment and
amenities. However, the government can take a number of steps to tackle this issue.

293 words 40 min

35
July 14, 2021

It is said that people should be encouraged to get married before they are 30, as this is
best both for the individual and for society. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people feel that getting married prior to turning 30 is most beneficial for society and the
newlyweds themselves. While this may be true to a certain extent, I think that age is just a
number when it comes to building a happy family.
There are both personal and social benefits when people get married in their 20s. This is the
age when people are curious and adventurous, so they are in a constant search of excitement
and novelty. This, in effect, can be a cause of social ills like drug abuse, drinking, and
prostitution, as we see in the instances of some western countries. However, if people have a
family to look after, they will have to shoulder various household responsibilities and earn
money to meet the needs; completely different positive priorities at this stage in their life. On
a societal level, the chances are that couples will have healthier children if they get married
before 30, for after this time, people’s physical strength weakens and physicians generally do
not recommend having a baby after 35. Risking babies’ life or compromising its or a mother’s
health are not sensible decisions when there is an alternative.
Whereas establishing a family early in life seems to be a worthwhile decision, it is may not
always be the right one. In the first place, reaching maturity differs from one person to another.
This implies that some of them may not be able to cope with relationship-wise issues, unable
to make important decisions and therefore not be able to guarantee the security of their family.
Not only immaturity, but also finances can be a serious issue in the lives of newlyweds due to
their hasty decision to get married. This is because people during their 20s are usually taking
their first steps in the world of work having graduated from universities, which means that
they are less likely in a good financial condition. Being unable to deal with financial challenges
of family, young couples tend to resort to divorce. The consequences may even be disastrous
if they have children. In this sense, it is a change for the worse for both the individuals and
society.
A marriage before the age of 30 does present a number of benefits; in my view, however,
people’s maturity and financial condition should determine the age to build a family. 392
words

36
July 15,2021

Some people believe that nowadays too much money is being spent on weddings and
birthdays. Why do you think it is happening? What can be done to improve this
situation?

Special occasions like birthdays and weddings are crucial events in people’s lives, so they,
these days, are trying to celebrate them extravagantly. Although some reasons might explain
why they do so, a number of measures can be suggested to tackle this social issue.

Focusing on the causes of spending too much money on weddings and birthdays, perhaps the
most obvious one is people’s desire to show off. Not only is this true for the wealthy who have
important connections among whom hosts want to stand out, but also it is being a common
case among the general public who seek respect and recognition. Another reason for this
attitude is the intention to mark a crucial date in one’s life. Weddings, for instance, are usually
celebrated once in a lifetime, so couples want to make sure that this event is remembered by
their relatives, friends and close-knits; thus, organizing parties and ceremonies in a luxurious
fashion spending large sums of money.

Turning to possible solutions to this “sumptuous” way of celebrating events, the most effective
one seems to be passing laws to deter people from doing so. Organizing birthday parties may
not be as costly as organizing weddings, but still if people’s financial conditions are not sound,
there is a risk of them getting into debt. If the government introduces laws to limit the number
of attendees to these parties, hosts can economize significantly on spending. Besides enforcing
laws, the government also can educate the public to be more prudent. This is most effectively
done at schools. As a result, education of this kind will nurture more conscious, thrifty, and
sensible adults, in the long run.

The causes of spending excessive amounts of money on opulent celebrations like weddings
and birthdays are twofold. However, this trend can be addressed by the government initiatives
of introducing laws and public education.

308 words 38 min

37
July 16, 2021

People's shopping habits depend more on the age group they belong to than any other
factors.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is argued that age is the most determining factor when it comes to buying habits of
consumers. I believe that one’s income level, gender and place of residence play a greater role
in their shopping habits.

I believe how much a person earns is arguably the main driver behind their shopping habits.
In fact, most studies into consumer behavior found that shopping frequency and volume start
to grow once people pass a certain level of income threshold, and shopping becomes a fairly
affordable activity allowed by higher earnings. This argument can further be illustrated by
growing consumerism in the richer countries of the world.

The second most driving variable in the equation of shopping habits, in my view, is gender.
There is a deep-seated idea that women shop more often and for longer periods of time than
men do. The explanation, so far, lies in the fact that most female shoppers view shopping as a
social activity whereas to men it is more of a necessity.

Another factor at work seems to be where one resides, urban or rural area. People in cities tend
to shop more frequently since access to shopping facilities is greater there than in villages
where people might have to shop every two weeks. Also, rural dwellers are sometimes required
to commute large distances to accomplish this chore.

In conclusion, although some people assert that purchasing habits are mostly driven by age, I
reiterate that personal income, gender and one’s locality should be perceived to be the primary
contributors to these habits.

257 words

38
The death penalty is a contentious issue in many states and countries around the world.
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Whether capital punishment should be practiced or not is controversial in most countries.

Although it has some benefits, I believe that the drawbacks it brings about are far more
significant.

To begin with the positives of the sentencing to death, a crucial one is that it minimizes crime
rates in a country. This is because it strikes fear into the hearts of criminals, and make them
think twice before offending. This type of punishment is also likely to be an effective way of
dealing with recidivists – re-offenders. Having been sentenced a number of times after
committing serious crimes, such as rape, treason and murder, prison sentences may seem
normal and too light for them. If a law were passed to legalize capital punishment, we would
perhaps see a significant decline in the rate of these crimes as it would teach a valuable lesson
to others.

Despite the arguments presented above, I feel that it is not a sensible decision to make for a
number of reasons. Firstly, it is morally unacceptable to take a life. People might have
committed a crime accidentally or while protecting themselves, so punishment by execution
is just another murder, an unjustified one sometimes. Besides being morally wrong, the death
verdict causes further problems like psychological traumas to family members of criminals,
which will be followed by years of depression and stress. Giving people another opportunity
to correct themselves or giving them lengthy prison sentences could be effective alternatives
to harsh punishments of electrocution, hanging, and lethal injections. Above all, who are we
to judge?

The death penalty has both pros and cons. However, while it might seem justifiable as an
effective deterrent of crime, in my view, it is unacceptable on ethical grounds. Overall, the
advantages are outweighed by the negatives.

39
Intro: 'Whether x or not' sounds slightly awkward to me as a starter - good

Body 1: What is 'of the sentencing to death'... sounds awkward - 'it make'? - nice, but 'to others'
at the end isn't really on the same point as what you were making... you were speaking in the
context of existing criminals, not potential ones

Body 2: what is 'it' referring to in the topic sentence... also, I wouldn't characterise capital
punishment as a 'decision' - 'and an...' - why is it morally unacceptable to take a life?? A lot of
people would argue with that... is there something we can add to support this claim other than
"trust me". - 'the death penalty' (not verdict) - 'punishments such as' - The last sentence is a bit
isolated... it's kind of a third point... I think it could be worked into the 'morally unacceptable'
point somehow

Conclusion: good

Overall: This was high level stuff, but it had slight imperfections in a few places. I feel like
this would get straight 8s.

Feedback was provided by Beyden James (IELTS 9.0 with 8.5 in W).

40
A model by Beyden James.

The death penalty is a contentious issue in many states and countries around the world. Do
the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the practice of capital punishment across the world.
Although the death penalty does have some benefits, I am of the opinion that it is not
appropriate for any government to have the power to kill in this way.

There are several advantages associated with the application of the death penalty for extreme
crimes. First of all, the death penalty could be considered to be the ultimate form of justice.
For example, in the case of families who have had a loved one murdered, they might feel that
true justice can only be found in taking the life of the murderer. Secondly, killing a convicted
criminal is the most effective way of keeping people safe from those who have committed
heinous actions. There are probably thousands of cases wherein murderers have completed
their prison sentences or received parole and have killed again.

However, the drawbacks of capital punishment outweigh its advantages. This is because
capital punishment is a tool of the government which is not always used on guilty people. In
the United States alone, over 300 executed apparent criminals were later proven innocent. It
should also be acknowledged that capital punishment has been used on political prisoners and
for actions that are no longer considered crimes, such as holding particular religious beliefs.
Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that countries who have stopped the practice of killing
criminals do not suffer increases in crime as a result. This is evidenced by countries such as
Denmark who are currently closing prisons due to a lack of felons.

In conclusion, while the death penalty in some cases can provide justice and protection, it is
clear that it is often misused and is not required to prevent serious crimes. Therefore, I believe
that it should not be a part of the justice system.

41
July 21, 2021

In the world of the internet, people write product reviews of products and services.

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

When shopping online or using the services of a business, consumers today can comment on
many different aspects of the products and services they receive. I believe this trend should be
perceived as both positive and negative developments.

To begin with the positive aspects of this trend, the first and most obvious one is that customer
reviews inform people on the quality of a particular product. While in the past people could
only find out about the quality of a product after testing it personally, today it is possible to
learn a lot about an item simply by reading the reviews left by people who often have no
ulterior motive of promoting the product. Another way this trend can be viewed as a positive
one can be seen in the service industry. Customer feedback in this industry can be employed
to improve services rendered to customers by measuring worker performance to indicate how
well they are doing their jobs. When I was employed in the restaurant business, I learnt that
work shifts can be allocated among servers depending on how many positive comments they
receive on the social media pages of the business.

However, one should also acknowledge the negative changes that online commenting can have
on businesses. It, in some cases, can be used to drive down the sales of a particular product
with the intention of driving a competitor out of business. One recent example of such a case
was when some people commented online that the beverage manufacturer Coca-Cola uses
ingredients disapproved of in some cultures. Those comments, which eventually spread out all
over the Internet, cost the company north of 4 billion dollars in sales. Aside from hurting sales,
corporate groups might conspire into creating echo chambers where scathing comments are
made about a business and its services and products in an attempt to blemish its reputation,
especially in the service industry.

In conclusion, while being informative on products’ quality and improvements in services

explain why online consumer feedback might be good, its power to affect businesses and their
reputation can be cited as negative effects of this phenomenon. 353 words

42
July 22, 2021

Some scientists think that there are intelligent life forms on other planets and messages
should be sent to contact them. Other scientists think it is a bad idea and would be
dangerous. Discuss both views and give your opinion

There are hypotheses that extra-terrestrial forms of life exist. While some researchers of the
cosmos believe that humans should contact them, I support others who argue against it.

On the one hand, sending messages to other galaxies can be an answer to many questions that
humans are struggling to find. No one, for example, knows exactly how the universe was
created, or about the origin of species. The only pieces of information are theories that need to
be backed up by facts. If technology allows us to send signals to outer space with the intention
of communicating with other intelligent creatures like ourselves, we will perhaps be able to
establish grounds for the existing assumptions, know about the lives of those aliens and
possibly predict the destiny of our planet.

However, I would argue that this contact is insensible and can even be detrimental. Firstly, a
huge amount of money spent on this purpose may not justify itself as, so far, we have not
received any replies to high-frequency signals transmitted to all known planets to human
beings. These efforts might also go in vain because we do not even know for sure about the
existence of other life forms; even if we do, their way of communication might completely
differ from ours. Ultimately, to what extent are we ready to accept reply signals from aliens?
What would happen if we did receive one? These are ethical questions and can cause fear and
concern since we would be unaware of their intentions.

In conclusion, although the existence of aliens can help us address our long-standing questions,
I side with the opponents of extra-terrestrial communication for social, financial and ethical
reasons.

280 words 36 minutes

43
July 26, 2021

Many people prefer to watch foreign films rather than locally produced films.

Why could this be?

Should governments give more financial support to local film industries?

Most people often show more preference for films produced overseas than for the ones made
locally. To my mind, this can be explained by two main reasons, and I believe that more public
funds should be spent to stimulate local movie industry.

To begin with, two principal arguments can be put forward to explain why many people prefer
foreign films over the local ones. The first reason is our curiosity to visually experience other
cultures through movies. It is a well-known fact that movies feature some characteristics of
countries where they were shot. For instance, Bollywood movies show us that Indians on the
whole enjoy dancing and it appears to be the most important aspect of their weddings whereas
in Hollywood movies drinking is often included as a significant part of their celebrations. The
second one is most arguably the fact that foreign countries like the USA and China excel in
movie-making more than most other countries in the world, so it is not uncommon to see better
quality movies be produced there than locally.

Whether governments should spend more on improving their local movie industries depends
mostly on whether they can see the benefits of doing so. From a cultural standpoint, it might
be wise to spend more of the public budget to improve local movie industries as it is a way to
capture local culture in such a comprehensive way that appeals to all senses. Another
justification is closely related to how subsidizing local film industries help grow the economy
in the long run. Not only would more revenue from ticket sales be generated, but also more
service businesses such as snack shops and small restaurants around the movie industry could
thrive.

In conclusion, human curiosity to experience new things and the superior quality of foreign
movies can be cited as the main reasons for why people watch foreign movies more often.
Personally, governments should be financially supporting local movie industries for cultural
and economic reasons. 328 words

44
July 27, 2021

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having young parents?

Having young parents has both the pros and cons, which this essay will discuss
thoroughly.

Focusing on the positives of having young parents first, a crucial one is that it minimizes the
generation gap between parent-child. This, as a result, can mean better relationships,
understanding, and possibly fewer conflicts among parents and children. Conversely, if there
is a huge difference in the age of parents and children, misunderstandings and arguments may
be more common. Secondly, a minimal age gap with children provides parents with security.
This means that parents do not have to work at their old age since their children would be
mature enough to look after them. Not only does it benefit parents, but children will also
benefit from this as losing their guardians before reaching maturity is generally avoided. In
this sense, it is a win-win situation.

The trend of having young parents, nevertheless, is not free from drawbacks. When couples
intend to have a baby in their early twenties or even before that in some instances, they may
not allocate enough time for their children. This is because they would be taking their first
steps in life trying hard to study, gain qualifications, move up the career ladder, and lack of
parental affection and love to children are often the consequences. Besides time, money can
also be a serious concern for young parents nurturing a child or children. It is rare to see people
who are rich when they are 18 or 20 unless they have wealthy parents or inherited a fortune.
In these cases, we might see a young couple struggle with making their ends meet or trying to
finance their children’s schooling or extra-curricular activities later on.

In conclusion, although having young parents can be beneficial for reducing the generation
gap between parents and children and guaranteeing a more secure life, the issues of lack of
finances and time devoted to children should also be taken into account.

324 words 32 minutes

45
July 28, 2021

In many developing countries, there is a problem with declining quality of air and water
from both industry and construction. What are the effects of this problem? What
measures could be taken to prevent this?

Poor air and water quality caused by industry and construction is a major problem in some
countries of the world. I believe this issue can lead to further problems if governments and
local communities there do not take an active part in addressing this problem.
To begin with, a fall in air and water quality can trigger two interconnected problems. The first
one is most likely to be a decline in the quality of people’s lives. People breathing polluted air
and consuming contaminated water are bound to experience health problems at some point in
their lives, which in turn, will eventually have a negative effect on their wellbeing. The second
effect, stemming mainly from the first one, is excess spending from the government to provide
healthcare to those who will suffer from health conditions due to diminishing air and water
quality. Once people are exposed to contaminated air and water, it is just a matter of time
before they report such health issues as respiratory disorders and organ failure to seek financial
support from the government. If there are many people turning to governmental aid, it might
create a burden on public budget.
In response to the problem and its effects, governments and individuals should be equally
involved. The governments of the countries suffering the problem of bad air and water quality
could implement laws limiting industrial and construction practices that can be detrimental to
the environment, especially to water tables and air quality. This proposition could be further
reinforced by imposing heavier taxes on heavy polluters like factories that burn fossil fuel and
discard industrial waste into rivers. On an individual level, local communities can also play
their part by boycotting the products and services of those industries that pollute the
environment. This solution has proved itself quite effective as it can be seen in the more
developed countries of the world where environmentally-conscious individuals make more
responsible purchasing choices as a way to express their concern towards the environment.
In conclusion, while falling living quality and financial burden on public budget are the main
consequences of declining air and water quality, I believe that imposing stricter laws and more
environmentally-friendly habits on individuals’ part can be cited as possible solutions.

46
July 29, 2021

Technological progress in the past century has its negative effect, despite its remarkable
contribution. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Although there have been immense advances in technology over the last century, they are seen
as a change for the worse. I believe that it has been both a positive and negative development
in equal measure.

In terms of medicine, new devices and techniques have been invented. The invention of
biotechnology can be wonderful, for example, for couples who cannot have children due to
infertility. However, the effects of medical intervention into natural processes should be
examined by further research to be fully safe before people can go down that route.

Another remarkable technological development is the invention of the internet. It surely

allowed us to communicate more easily, carry out transactions, telecommute and study online,
cutting down on the costs of transportation and saving time. Yet, with these developments,
new types of crime, such as identity theft, hacking, and fraud appeared. In addition, people
tended to become lazier and less literate due to this technology.

Finally, perhaps one of the most notable technological developments has been in
transportation. Goods can now be transported over vast distances in a small amount of time
via airlines, so people now enjoy better varieties of clothes and products. Nevertheless, the
issues of overconsumption and a tendency to lead a materialistic lifestyle have accompanied
this development.

All in all, the last century has, by all means, presented new technological inventions in many
areas, all of which serve to benefit people. Nonetheless, these developments are a double-
edged sword, since they brought about the negatives as well.

251 words.

47
July 30, 2021

It is better for children if the whole family including aunts, uncles and grandparents are
involved in a child’s upbringing, rather than just their parents. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
Some people argue that children benefit when all the members of family take part in their
upbringing instead of just having their parents to do this job. While there are advantages to
having older family relatives around to raise children, I believe that it is not an entirely good
idea to encourage other family members to be involved.

One the one hand, there are some reasons why other members of family should also be engaged
in the raising process. First, the involvement of the extended family in raising a child allows
parents to learn from more seasoned and mature parents such as their uncles and aunts. This is
especially true if the parents of children are young couples. Uzbekistan is an example of a
country where early marriage is mainstream and where inexperienced couples tend to rely on
their elders to nurture their children. Second, since most families today have become a dual
income household, they are going to need someone to babysit their children. In this sense,
parents can seek the help of older relatives to look after their children when they are away
working.

However, in my view, having too many people involved in the upbringing of children can lead
to certain problems. One reason why it may not be sensible to involve the extended family in
bringing up a child is that older people tend to be rather superstitious. Instead of following the
way of science when children are unwell, grandparents, in particular, might turn to alternative
medicine which can leave the wellbeing of their children to chance. Another reason is the fact
that parents are likely to have a difference of opinion with older family relatives on how to
raise a child. In fact, old people in some places disapprove of the way young parents raise their
children, such as when they use electronics to keep their children busy or feed them processed
food. This sort of disagreements can be a breeding ground for conflicts that might harm the
family fabric.

In conclusion, although some benefits can be accrued to children when older family relatives
take part in the upbringing process, I am of the opinion that it should not be regarded as a
completely positive decision. 372 words.
48
August 2, 2021

Art is considered an essential part of all cultures throughout the world. However, these
days fewer and fewer people appreciate art and turn their focus to science, technology
and business. Why do you think that is? What could be done to encourage more people
to take interest in the arts?
It is true that art has always proved itself to be one of the defining characteristics of a culture.
Despite this, people today seem to be less appreciative of the arts and give greater importance
to science, technology, business. There are several reasons that can explain this development,
and I believe a set of practical measures will be required to address it.

The first reason why art has lost in popularity among some people has to do with the fact that
technology has pervaded every aspect of our lives, leaving increasingly little time or reason to
practice and enjoy art. People today use technology to do things that they would normally do
manually in the past. Handwriting letters, for instance, which used to be a significant part of
interaction over long distances, is now replaced by modern devices that require little creative
endeavor to communicate. In this sense, people no longer appreciate the craft of handwriting
letters and as such the arts. Secondly, modern life has made people more practical, meaning
most people find the arts to bear little significance in their lives. Such attitude has been
cultivated in people from a young age at school where exact sciences are given more priority
over humanities.

Having said that, there are two approaches I would like to propose to elevate art to its former
stature. One sensible solution to me would be to incorporate art into technology. To realize
this idea, people would have to be incentivized to create art such as painting or music using
technology and market it on online platforms where they can get paid for their work. Social
media today allows people to share their artwork, whether it be a piece of drawing or electronic
music, and earn a certain amount per view. In addition, more art classes can be included in the
school curriculum to rekindle students’ interest in art subjects like painting or sculpting. Such
classes could be conducted in the classroom or out on field trips to museums and art galleries.

In conclusion, while the prevalence of technology in our lives and poor attitude towards art
explain its declining popularity, making art related to technology and facilitating more art
classes in the classroom are some of the possible solutions. 375 words
49
August 3,2021

It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained in books.”

Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from
books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

Essay A
Is everything humans learn are included in books? This essay will outline fundamental
differences and similarities of knowledge gained from experience and that from books, and
decide which one is better.
Experience acquired can be applicable to real life. In many spheres, only experience is valued,
and employers tend to pay little or no attention to a person’s technical understanding of the
field. Programmers are an excellent case in point, from whom simply making the top standard
and working to the deadlines are required. In a similar fashion, modern fields like marketing
and management are almost completely based on empirical knowledge, not theoretical. New
concepts in marketing to make a trend or a product go viral on the internet, or the experience
of interpersonal relationships needed in management are hardly learned from books.

From another angle, however, books can still be relied upon as the most fundamental source
of knowledge. They make up the basis of areas like math, history and physics. It is through
these reliable sources of knowledge humanity achieved advances in technology and in other
important fields. The information contained in them are reliable and seem to be universally
applicable, but experience-based knowledge may be applicable only to certain cases and
maybe for a limited time, as is the case with marketing and programming due to evolving
trends and technologies.

In my opinion, it is not sensible to give greater importance to one source of information for
they both have their pros and cons. Instead, I believe that they complement one another. If
theoretical knowledge is accompanied by practical, experience-based knowledge, then the
knowledge gained will be sound and robust.

In conclusion, weighing up the benefits and drawbacks of both sources of knowledge, my firm
conviction is that we cannot attach more significance to one of them. To be secure in the
knowledge, people should have both.
50
Essay B

Lessons learnt the hard way last longer. This wisdom speaks to the fact that books do not
necessarily provide everything one needs to live a meaningful life. Indeed, there are great
differences between what personal experience and what books offer. Despite this, I believe
that how much value each source brings cannot be brought into comparison.

Theoretical knowledge gained from books lays the foundation upon which one can build
practical experience. We all know that students at school are first taught the basic principles
of a subject using a textbook and then encouraged to practice the knowledge they gained. This
is done to ensure that we can first develop some degree of familiarity with the subject before
we can proceed to the more challenging aspect of it: practice. Besides, books have long proven
themselves to be a reliable means of recording and sharing information; the use of books to
learn and teach goes back to the prehistoric times. The fact that books are generally first
composed in draft form and edited multiple times and then published makes it less likely that
they contained faults, and as such adding to their reliability.

Experience, on the other hand, necessitates the testing of a learnt idea to master it. It pushes
the learner to entertain and examine the idea from various perspectives, giving him a better
idea of what he is dealing with. This point can be seen in different walks of life such as
medicine, engineering and many others where people apply the knowledge their acquired from
books in the real-world context to perfect it and help people along the way. It can also be true
to say that we are hardwired to learn things better when we do it by trying it first-hand. Students
who are taken out on field trips to learn their subjects are more likely to gain a good grasp of
the material in the curriculum than those are not.

In conclusion, I resort to saying that knowledge from books and knowledge gained through
experience have distinctively equal meanings to us.

343 words. 40 min.

51
August 4, 2021

In many countries today, parents are able to choose to send their children to single-sex
schools or co-educational schools. Some people think that children going to single-sex
schools have disadvantages later in life. To what extent do you agree?

At present, many countries have single-gender as well as mixed schools, which allows parents
to choose either depending on where they want their children to study. Some, however, argue
that studying at single-sex schools can have some negative implications for children in their
future, and I also believe that sending children to single-sex schools may not be an entirely
good idea.

There are several problems associated with children studying at same-gender schools. One is
children who are sent to single-sex schools can later struggle when trying to get along with the
opposite gender. Because they did not spend time together at school and get to know each
other then, they can have a trouble doing it when they grow up. This very struggle to
understand the opposite sex can at times be a common cause for delayed marriage.

Another long-term effect of this decision can be a fall in productivity in the workplace. People
who have received single-gender education obviously have had no experience of cooperation
with their counterparts, so they are less likely to perform as well as they would if they had
been working together from a young age.

Finally, taking even the longer view into account, it is quite possible that these people will
suffer marital issues caused by gender differences and conflicts that could have been avoided
in the first place if they went to mixed-gender schools. Although there is scant research to
confirm it, it is fair to say that attending single-sex schools might account for a fair share of
divorce rates in some countries.

In conclusion, given the long-term negative effects of sending children to single-sex schools,
I am of the opinion that it may not be a sensible decision to make as far as the children’s future
is concerned.

296 words

52
August 5, 2021

Some people believe they should keep all the money they have earned and should not pay
tax to the state. Do you agree or disagree?

It is believed that people should not pay taxes to the government at all. I completely disagree
with this statement for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, taxes play an essential part in the economy of countries. This is because
such important areas of spending as education, healthcare, transport infrastructure and social
security cannot be funded if it were not for the public money. Since taxpayers are the users of
these services, it is sensible to charge them. Conversely, if people did not pay taxes to the
state, the quality of education, medical services provided and security would probably be
compromised, causing social problems.

Yet another reason why paying taxes should be one of the top individual priorities is it prevents
inequality. Taxes are charged proportionally to a person’s income and property, which means
the wealthier they are, the more taxes they have to pay. If everyone kept all the money they
earn to themselves, and those social services are not made free, the poorer layer of society will
be left at a disadvantage as they are not likely to afford them. By charging people taxes, the
government can avoid the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor, and ensure that
everybody receives the same treatment.

I do understand the opposing view that is paying taxes does nothing but contribute very little
to the development of a country, as money is never enough for the government or taxation is
full of loopholes. However, I would argue that in a country with a sound rule of law, this civic
duty is strictly controlled and regulated accordingly, so these cases should be extremely rare.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that paying taxes is an important responsibility that everyone
should shoulder.

294 words.

53
August 6,2021

Despite a large number of gyms, a sedentary lifestyle is gaining popularity in the

contemporary world.
What problems are associated with this?
What solutions can you suggest?
Although there are now more opportunities for people to lead an active lifestyle, we have seen
an increasing trend among people towards leading a sedentary life. This essay will discuss
some negative effects resulting from this issue and propose a combination of measures to
mitigate it.

A decline in the overall quality of people’s lives is one obvious consequence of adopting a
sedentary lifestyle. Those people who lead inactive lives are more likely to sustain health
issues such as diabetes, obesity and cardio-vascular conditions eventually as a result of little
mobility in their lives. These problems are sure to prevent them from living a quality life. A
further problem arising from a sedentary life can be reduced social well-being. Most studies
in the field concluded that less active people tend to have difficulty building and maintaining
relationships. This, in turn, might lead to common psychological issues like a sense of
isolation, anxiety, and depression.

One effective solution would be raising people’s awareness of the issue using the very thing
that might be causing it; social media. Social media is a tool that can be employed to share the
stories of people who suffered the same problem and its devastating effects on their lives. Such
stories can serve as necessary interventions that would help less-active people take more
control of their own lives and be more health-conscious. In addition to the intrinsic stimulus,
sedentary lifestyle can be discouraged through extrinsic rewards like prizes or money. To
realize this idea, local authorities would have to organize tournaments for inactive people in
the area and get them involved with the help of schools and businesses. If monetary reward is
promised for active participation, even more people are guaranteed to sign up.

In conclusion, while compromised life quality and poor social well-being are the results of
having a sedentary lifestyle, I suggest that intrinsic as well as extrinsic incentives be used to
address the problem. 321 words

54
August 12,2021

Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to new experiences. Others like their
lives to stay the same, and they do not change their usual habits.
Compare these two approaches to life. Which approach do you prefer?
Some people think that it is better to experience novelty and have changes in life regularly,
while others prefer a more monotonous way of life, not involving alterations. There are valid
reasons on both sides, but I support the former view.

A lifestyle that does not have many new experiences and changes can have a number of
advantages. Firstly, when people stay in one area for an extended period, they become familiar
with the layout of their neighborhood better, get to know people and thus tend to feel secure,
unlike those who constantly move from one place to another. In doing so, people are likely to
have stronger senses of community and belonging, which add more value to their life.
Secondly, people who like monotony probably have improved chances for saving up their
money and landing a stable job. New experiences like travelling and changes in terms of career
will for sure require huge sums, not letting people save up for important purchases of luxuries,
such as a car and a house, or emergencies.

Nevertheless, I side with those who opt for a life full of novelty for a number of important
reasons. For one, changes like travelling allow individuals to explore new cultures, see unique
parts of the world and broaden their horizons. These are essential to become more open-
minded and well-rounded individuals. In this process, the argument related to finances
mentioned above can be countered by the fact that life is given only once, so people should
seize every opportunity to enjoy it to the fullest rather than limiting themselves. Another
crucial reason is, supporters add, changing one’s job frequently improves interpersonal,
problem-solving and practical skills. When one sees different working environments and faces
fierce competition due to difficulties to get a job in another place, they are likely to have a
competitive edge over those who are employed for a prolonged period of time in one company,
although their salary may not be as high.

To summarize, even though a lack of change in a person’s life might be financially and socially
beneficial, I am of the opinion these are outweighed by cultural, work-related and personal
benefits that a life filled with many changes brings about. 370 words. about 40 minutes.
55
An increasing number of people are choosing plastic surgery.

Why do people choose to change the way they look?

Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

Recent years have seen a rise in the number of people getting plastic surgery. There are several
reasons that might explain this trend, and I personally regard it as a change for the worse.

The first reason why more and more people today undergo plastic surgery has to do with the
shift in social patters and trends. While in the past the definition of beauty in most cultures
primarily included personal qualities such as kindness, generosity, and good looks, these days
to most people it is only the latter. This redefined perception of beauty has been relentlessly
promoted on social media platforms where so-called “influencers” endorse beauty products
and treatments to their followers. This, in turn, creates an impression among people, especially
young ones, that they have to buy those products or register a beauty treatment to meet that
very measure of beauty. The second reason is arguably the fact that plastic surgery is more
affordable than ever owing to the advances in technology and treatment processes coupled
with improvements in living standards. Having earned a higher income, more and more people
today can afford better looks through artificial beautification.

In my opinion, more people turning to surgery to enhance their looks can bring more damage
than good. Although it helps some people gain more confidence and turn around their lives,
beauty achieved through unnatural means can create a false image of perfection among
common people. This can already be seen in many societies where people admire and give
more preference to beauty models who have enlarged their body parts and removed facial
imperfections through plastic surgery. Besides, it is entirely possible that such beautification
processes can sometimes go completely wrong. Malpractice on the surgeon’s part, bad reaction
on the patient’s or any unexplained medical phenomenon might lead to undesirable results.

In conclusion, changing social patterns and affordability are the main reasons why more people
today have plastic surgery. Despite these reasons, I think people should be more sensible when
it comes to the topic of beauty and make more responsible choices.

343 words

56
August 19,2021
The older generations have very traditional ideas about the correct ways of life, thinking
and behavior. However, some people think that these ideas are not helpful for the young
generation to prepare for modern life.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
The elderly have conservative attitudes and outlook on life which some people regard
unhelpful and inapplicable to current times. While in some instances it may be true, I disagree
that these views and ways of life are completely useless.
A number of aspects of people’s lives have been profoundly changed which render seniors’
perspectives and ways of living obsolete. In the past, studying abroad was limited in my
country due to monetary problems, a lack of educational opportunities and people’s fear, but
now it is what the modern generation aspires to so that they can broaden their horizons, see
different parts of the world and improve their chances of employability. While this trend may
be incorrect in the elderly people’s eyes, it has become a new norm recently. Seniors also tend
to hold a traditional view that women cannot take up such jobs as police officers and executive
positions due to their physical inferiority and arguably higher sensitivity. However, the modern
life has proved these conservative viewpoints wrong, and we can now see women succeeding
in all walks of life.
In my opinion, on the other hand, the elderly generation’s life experience and advice are
usually the most credible sources of wisdom. Despite the changes mentioned above, the
foundations of good conduct are still the same. They teach us how to treat others with respect,
how to behave, and that family comes first. These characteristics of them and attitudes to
‘correct’ lifestyle always hold true, and never leads to trouble. I also appreciate their role in
guiding the youth; older people’s experience accumulated throughout their lives helps the
youth not to repeat their mistakes. My grandfather, for instance, is a retired businessman, and
he always instructs me on how not to waste money, manage expenses, deal with customers,
improve constantly and handle partnerships. Conversely, were it not for his sound advice, my
business probably would face bankruptcy.
Although it is believed that views and behaviors that the elderly consider right are now
outdated and impractical in some cases, I am of the opinion that they still play an essential part
in most aspects of our lives as the basics have not changed. 362 words in 50 minutes
57
August 26,2021

Loneliness is an increasing problem in many countries, especially among the elderly.

Why is this? How it might be remedied?

Increasingly more people are now facing the issue of loneliness around the world, particularly
the elderly. There are two main causes of this phenomenon, and a number of measures to be
taken to sort out this mounting concern.

The main driver behind older people feeling lonely is perhaps people’s hectic lifestyle. People
these days want to accomplish more in the time they have, earn more to afford luxuries and
realize their dreams. These desires are less likely to leave them time to spend with senior
members of their family who will then start feeling lonely. In the worst cases, it is also common
to see children sending their retired parents to nursing homes - an extremely upsetting
situation. Another possible cause of the elderly’s loneliness is their reluctance to socialize.
Some older individuals tend to lead socially inactive lives, usually confined to their homes,
being stuck in front of the TV set. So, this lack of mixing with society to chat, exercise or to
do other things can be a reason for loneliness.

Regarding the ways to deal with the issue of loneliness, employers can play an essential part
by identifying workers with older people at home and allowing them maybe to work flexibly
or to let them leave earlier. By doing so, people are more likely to have time spend with older
family members. Besides employers, governments also could help lessen the issue of
loneliness by creating spaces for social gatherings: tranquil enough, with trees, benches and
tables, for the elderly. These parks can also feature exercise machines to work out gently.
These governmental initiatives tend to encourage the seniors to leave to go out and mingle
with others of similar interests.

All in all, the reasons of loneliness among the elderly seem to be the young's busy lifestyles
and the elderly's passive social life. However, this problem can be minimized by actions taken
by employers and governments.

58
August 30,2021

Is teaching people over 65 to use computers the best way to spend government money?
To what extent do you agree?

Some people suggest teaching old people how to use a computer using public funds. While I
believe that there are people who benefit from this suggestion, I would argue that for the most
part it can be a waste of taxpayer money.

To begin with, government-subsidized programs aimed at making 65-or-older-year olds

computer literate can help this segment of the population lead more interesting lives. With the
ability to use a computer, old people would gain better access to the Internet, and as such tap
into a world of information and ideas that concern their lives. More than this, they could find
online communities where they can interact with people of their age and mind. In this way,
governments can ensure that old people live fuller lives and have a substitute for the much-
needed social interaction they are missing out in the real world. Finally, it is not surprising to
see some old people today making a living on social media platforms such as TikTok by
creating content on a range of topics from cooking to life advice. This shows that money spent
on teaching old people computer skills may not be a complete waste of money after all.

However, I do not see how, in the long term, getting old people computer-educated can be the
best spending of government budget. Having lived long and sometimes stressful lives, people
tend to seek peace and comfort in their old ages. However, teaching them computer skills
would be tantamount to throwing them into a jungle called the Internet. Being exposed to an
unrestricted flow of information that is often not curated is quite the opposite of what they
need at an old age. Besides, there are quite a few other, better ways of spending public money
to help old people. To my mind, one of these ways is to fund poorly-run nursing homes where
quality of care is not up to scratch. Old people residing in those places would definitely prefer
better care services to computer literacy programs if given a choice.

In conclusion, although I admit that public spending on computer training oriented towards
old people helps some, I do not consider it to be an entirely wise option for the reasons that it
can be counterproductive and that it can be better spent on nursing homes.

59
September 1,2021
New technologies and ways of buying and selling are transforming lives of consumers.
To what extent do you agree of disagree with this opinion?
It is claimed that our lives are being changed radically with the advent of new technologies
and improvements in the way we trade goods and services. Although I concur that this
phenomenon is real to some extent, I hold the view that people are still fairly conservative in
their shopping habits.
To begin with, there have been some positive developments in people’s lives owing to the
modern shopping phenomena like online shopping and home delivery that comes with it. Gone
are the days when people had to sit through the dilemma of deciding what model of a product
to buy or where to do it. Online shopping allows the consumer to make such shopping
decisions much faster using webpages where it is possible to find information on most products
available in the market today and compare their features with that of their competitors by few
clicks. Quite recently when my brother wanted to purchase a laptop that would match his
budget, he simply browsed some electronics websites and came up with the laptop that would
ultimately be his final choice. Even better, once he placed the order, the laptop was delivered
to his doorstep within two days. This instance shows how much convenience and comfort have
been brought into our lives all because technology is there for us to use.
On the whole, though, I would be justified in positing that consumers of today are no different
from consumers of the past, at least from an economic perspective. Whether there is
technology or not, people’s need for food and shelter always supersedes other needs for the
more luxurious items like a car or a vacation package. Only after having met the former, can
we desire to have other luxuries of the world. Third and Second world countries would serve
a good example of this point where people still struggle to make ends meet despite the
innovations in technology and advancements in commerce. Simply looking at a small pool of
rich people who enjoy the new-found ability to shop more conveniently and jumping to the
conclusion that new technologies are radically changing our lives would be nothing short of
an overstatement. New technologies, especially in trade, have yet to reach and impact the lives
of billions on the planet.
In conclusion, new technologies and methods of trading might be changing our lives, but they
are not yet close to ushering in a new era for consumers. 40 mins 405 words

60
September 3, 2021
Some people believe the purpose of education should be helping the individual to become
useful for society, while others believe it should help individuals to achieve their
ambitions. Discuss both sides and give your opinion?
The role of education in one’s life is greater than ever. Today, however, there is a question as
to whether education is a tool to help people benefit their society or merely a way to make
themselves happy by pursuing their own dreams. To my mind, it is the very pursuit of dreams
that helps an individual contribute to society, and education is just a means to this end.
To begin with, there are reasons why some people would argue that education helps individuals
to turn themselves into useful members of their societies. The first one has to do with the fact
that in most parts of the world governments provide free education to their citizens hoping that
one day they will repay this favor by doing their part to help their country grow. In my country,
for example, young people have free access to education, at least primary and secondary, and
are raised in the spirit that they are indebted to their country indefinitely and can only pay back
by being of service to their communities when they grow up. The second argument is that
educated individuals have a moral obligation to contribute more to their societies than those
who do not have this privilege. Having acquired an education, a person is more capable of
understanding their environment and solving problems, which can be seen as a social
responsibility as much as a personal advantage. In this sense, it might be true to assert that
education entails social service that every individual is expected to perform.
However, my philosophy is that we should regard education as more of a way to achieve our
goals in life. This belief finds its roots in western cultures where people are encouraged to find
their happiness through personal edification and enrichment. It is believed there that education
equips an individual with the skills and qualifications needed to reach their goals, whether
becoming a wealthy businessman or a reputable writer, and as such gain the ultimate state of
happiness. Also, in an attempt to gain an education and chase one’s ambitions, people tend to
help others in many ways. At school when trying to pass an exam, people work as a team to
prepare for it, or later after graduation, they employ people to launch and run a business. This
shows that individuals are in fact contributing to their society even when pursuing their own
dreams through education.

In conclusion, although some consider education to be a way for people to become helpful
members of their society, I am of the opinion that it should be viewed as a means to accomplish
personal goals.
441 words
This one took little over 40 mins.

61
September 1, 2021
Due to poorer countries experiencing a ‘brain drain’ they are seeing many professionals,
such as doctors and teachers, leaving to work in more developed countries. What
problems does this cause? What solutions can be suggested to deal with this situation?
A brain drain-emigration of bright minds- has become a widespread phenomenon in many
developing and Third World countries in recent years. Although there are a number of negative
effects of this case, some effective measures remain open to us.
Perhaps a major issue stemming from this situation would be a lack of specialists in vital areas.
When skilled nurses, doctors, professional teachers and engineers emigrate from their country
in pursuit of better prospects and quality of life, their home country usually experiences a
shortage of well-trained and qualified workforce. The effects of this can be disastrous because
it takes a decade or more for a pedagogue or a physician to graduate and gain work experience
to replace those who have left. In addition to this, the brain drain contributes to widening the
gap between wealthy and poor countries. If an individual receives education in their own
country, but leaves for another, primarily a developed one, how can their home country
flourish without needed workers? It is usually only the developed countries that benefit from
this.
The remedies to this concern would be to motivate these working layers of society both
extrinsically and intrinsically. Money is by far the strongest human motivator. If a skilled mind
is offered decent remuneration in their own countries, however difficult it would be for the
government to do so, these people are highly unlikely to leave. Indeed, this money could be a
price paid for progress. A second promising solution can be to improve promotion and personal
development opportunities. When a professional feels that they have high chances for moving
up the career ladder and work on enhancing their skills by, for example, exchanging experience
with their foreign colleagues, visiting workshops and training sessions overseas, they would
be internally motivated to work for their own society.
To sum up, the deficiency of skilled workers in less developed countries, and expanding the
gap among these and the developed countries are two principal problems resulting from the
brain drain. Nevertheless, the government can take necessary steps by increasing salaries of
professional workers and improving their career and personal progression to discourage this
phenomenon.
357 words.
Written in 40 minutes + a couple of minutes to re-read and edit.

62
September 6, 2021

The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent

language in the world. Some people think that this will lead to English becoming the only
language to be spoken globally.
What are the advantages and disadvantages to having one language in the world?

There is no denying that more people than ever speak English worldwide, and this language
mainly has tourism to thank for its growing popularity. Some argue that if tourism keeps
growing at its current pace, it is only a matter of time before English becomes the only spoken
language in the world. The following essay sheds light on the benefits as well as the drawbacks
of having one universal language.
To begin with, one positive change caused by having English as a universally-spoken language
would certainly be ease in communication. No longer would people have to worry about
having to deal with language barrier or misunderstandings arising from it as everyone could
speak to and understand each other through a global means, English. This is not in fact difficult
to imagine given that there are already speakers of this language in billions across the world.
More than that, with ease in communication comes strengthening of bonds between cultures
and nations. Because language serves not only as the facilitator of communication but also
expression of culture and one’s self, people speaking one common language would be more
willing to understand their counterparts in other countries and their mindsets.
However, there are concerns over the wholesomeness of the idea of having one dominant
language. For one, it is believed that the culture of a language that dominates might spell doom
for the cultures of other languages that would be abandoned as a result of this development.
History shows that some ancient civilizations homogenized with the acceptance of one single
language as a way to communicate. Similarly, now, this change might also mean cultural
assimilation and rendering of traditions and customs of most cultures things of the past. It is
also entirely possible that this “one-language world” phenomenon is likely to result in the
emergence of so-called elites who speak English as their mother tongue or significantly better
than others, and this group of people might gain an edge over those people who are still
learning this language or struggle to learn languages in nature.
In conclusion, while the advantages of having English as a globally-spoken language are
improvements in communication and cultural relationships, disadvantages run the gamut from
the loss of cultural diversity to the rise of privileged groups.
374 words
37 mins

63
September 7, 2021

Farming is the backbone of every country but nowadays many youngsters hesitate to
enter in this profession.

Why is this the case and what can be done to avoid it?

Although farming is one of the most essential industries of any country, most young people
hold a reluctant attitude to take up farming-related positions. There are a number of reasons
that can explain why this is the case, but also some straightforward measures that we can take
to sort out this problem.

Focusing on the causes initially, perhaps the major one has to do with salaries in this area of
employment. Tractor and combine harvester drivers, field workers and others who are
involved in this sphere are usually paid unjustifiable wages for work that can be tough. This,
in turn, discourages young minds from taking up such jobs when there are well-paid
alternatives in such industries as economy and finances, international relations and IT if they
qualify of course. Another reason why the youth are less likely to work on the farm is probably
low opportunities for promotion. No one, particularly the youngsters, wants to have a dead-
end job with no chance to move up the career ladder unless they are totally dedicated to their
jobs, which is an extremely rare case.

Turning to solutions, the biggest step would be to increase the salaries of employees in the
farming domain. Money is by far the strongest extrinsic human motivator. So, it can be used
to attract people, even those who are not entering this field for little opportunities to be
promoted, to work in this field. Considering the fact that farming brings in a lot of revenue,
this suggestion seems feasible to implement. Secondly, if the difficulty of jobs on the farms is
deterring young people from working there, employers can take steps to automate the
processes by, for example, purchasing needed equipment and technology. This should not only
ease worker’s jobs, but also improve productivity.

In conclusion, indecent remuneration and low promotional opportunities seem to be the

principal reasons why young people are uninterested in farming industry. However, heavy
investment in this industry is likely to spark their interest to work in this area.
335 words ~30 mins
64
September 11, 2021

In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners heavily
and use their money to improve public transportation. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of such a solution?

It is suggested that to address traffic-related issues, private car owners ought to be taxed by
authorities heavily so that public transportation is enhanced. There are both pros and cons of
such an approach.

Focusing on the positives of taxing private car drivers first, a crucial one is that the money
obtained could be utilized to improve public transport infrastructure. The number of buses and
trains, and trams in some countries, could be increased and their service could be developed
to run on a more frequent basis, made more punctual and convenient to use. Secondly, there
are environmental implications of this taxation. If more people use public transportation
services, and drive private automobiles less, we are likely to see a significant reduction in
exhaust fumes, and perhaps minimize road problems like traffic congestion and car crashes. If
people would like to breathe fresher air and reduce the risk of respiratory problems and
accidents resulting from excessive car use, taxation of this kind is the only solution.

However, the government idea of taxing private motor vehicle users heavily should be
examined from a negative perspective as well. This suggestion will probably discourage a
large number of drivers from driving to avoid taxes, but is not it going to be a violation of
human rights? This is because every citizen should be given a chance to meet their basic needs,
and if their private car is what helps them reach their far-off workplace, for example, this tax
curtails their freedom to earn a living. Besides limiting freedom to drive, there is another
concern over the wise use of collected funds to improve public transport. What if a place does
not need or cannot support public transport, being a mountainous or a desert area for instance?
So, this solution is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Improving public transportation, avoiding traffic issues, and enjoying a cleaner environment
can be the positive outcomes of this taxation. Nevertheless, the drawbacks of limiting
individual freedom and insensible usage of collected taxes should not be overlooked.

337 words. 40 minutes + a couple of minutes to edit.

65
September 13, 2021

Advertising encourages consumers to buy in quantity rather than promoting quality. To

what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some might argue that advertisements are generally made with the intent of selling a product
in large quantities while other features of the product such as quality is dismissed as peripheral.
Personally, I share the same view.

To begin with, it is worth noting that there are some marketing campaigns that give more
priority to quality. The more established companies, whether in the knowledge-based industry
or consumer products, have made customer satisfaction their number one goal, and they can
often be seen hammering home this message in their adverts by emphasizing the quality of
their products and services. Apple, an electronics manufacturer, is a good case in point. Rarely
do we see this company setting profit-maximization as their prime goal when launching a new
product line. In fact, their products are produced in limited numbers and sales are restricted to
certain areas. This way, they might be setting quality standards for other manufacturers to
follow as well as marketing their products and services.

Having said that, I would largely agree with the suggestion that the principle behind
advertising is boosting sales. Businesses today are so committed to making larger profits that
they have a whole department of people working to make their products and services look
more desirable in their marketing messages. Most of these messages seem to be trying to put
the idea “the more, the merrier” in people’s minds, while being entirely oblivious to the
relevance and practicality of the product in their consumers’ lives. More frighteningly,
common men are sometimes told in advertisements that buying more is patriotic because it
helps drive the economy successful. Campaign of this theme might indeed can result in a more
dynamic economy, but at some point it is sure to bring about undesirable challenges like
consumerism and fall in quality due to substantial focus on volume.

In conclusion, although I admit that advertising in some cases aims to inform people on
products and their quality, it is generally used to get people to buy more and more.

336 words, around 40 mins

66
September 14, 2021
Small businesses are disappearing and being replaced by large multinational companies.
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Major international corporations are now increasingly entering foreign markets and driving
small-scale companies out of business. Although there are some drawbacks of this trend, I am
of the opinion that the benefits it brings about are much more significant.
Focusing on the negatives of small-scale enterprises’ disappearance due to the introduction of
multinational companies, the most significant one would be a marked rise in the rate of
unemployment. When a large international company enters a foreign market, they usually are
in a stronger financial health, have influential marketing strategies, and effective management
– the attributes which smaller local companies lack. Not being able to compete with these big
companies, small businesses have no chance but to close their doors leaving their employees
jobless. Secondly, big multinational companies are likely to lead to homogeneity. This is
because the same products and/or services would be available all around the world. In my
country, for instance, the time a major fast-food retailer KFC opened its branches, some
famous local outlets that sold Uzbek national fast-food went bankrupt. Such cases probably
are a matter of concern as they may turn the world into “one global village”.
In my view, the significant benefits of this change outweigh the drawbacks presented above.
For one, even though big international companies make small ones face bankruptcy, they, in
fact, create more employment opportunities for local residents due to their scale. Local workers
can also be presented with better promotion opportunities with higher remunerations. Also,
the above-mentioned idea of “homogeneity” can be countered by the fact that people would at
least have improved choices. The introduction of clothing manufacturers like Adidas, Nike
and Under Armour is likely to diversify local markets even though local brands fade in
popularity. Last but not least, the most essential positive side of those major corporations
would be their contribution to their destination country’s economy through taxes. Conversely,
the amount of money paid to the government by local companies is likely to be negligible by
comparison.
Weighing up the pros and cons, I believe that the minor drawbacks of international companies
and their impact on small-scale local businesses are outweighed by the benefits in terms of
product variety, employment and economy.

366 words. Under 45 min.

67
September 15, 2021

Some people argue that businesses should hire employees who will spend their entire
lives working for the company.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It has been suggested that companies should offer people lifetime employment. While I find
this suggestion to be useful to some degree, I do not completely agree with it.

To begin with, it should be recognized that employing people for life can benefit businesses
in several ways. One way it can help businesses is that it cultivates stronger company culture
among workers if they know that their workplace is the place where they will be spending
most of their lives. Workers who have known one another for a long time are more likely to
get on well and co-operate than those who tend to change jobs often. Some companies in Japan
are notable for offering people lifetime jobs, and when asked, they reported that it is done to
ensure a stable work environment as well as for other confidentiality reasons. Another reason
is because this suggestion can affect company performance. Businesses are bound to thrive
and grow successful when they have fully-committed people working for them.

However, in my mind, businesses are not necessarily at an advantage by hiring lifetime

workers. This is because companies that offer lifetime employment may lack in innovative
process as they might always have to ask the same people for ideas. This can particularly be
considered a drawback in an era where life is changing rapidly and one has to be flexible and
creative in their endeavors. Thus, it might seem impossible to maintain that kind of diversity
in ideas when hiring is not done on the basis of creativity, rather on one’s willingness to settle
down in a company. Finally, lifetime employment can create a false sense of job security
among workers. Not all workers would be as much motivated to work hard in order to keep
their jobs when they sign up for a lifetime job.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that though there are a few advantages to lifetime
employment, I believe that it may not always be a good idea.

331 words

68
September 16, 2021

Some people believe that every human being can create art. Other people think that art
can only be created by people born with special talents. Discuss both views and give your
own opinion.

Art is the ability to create something out of nothing. The question is, however, whether
everyone can do it or only the gifted. In my view, art is the product of inspiration not entirely
of talent or hard work.
If we look at many renowned artists like Mozart, Leonardo da Vinci, or a Russian poet
Alexander Pushkin, we can see that part of their success had to do with their inborn gift. To
these geniuses, as it is known, ideas for their works came naturally, and the production process
was far more effortless compared with artists who lacked creative talent. Therefore, these
artists produced great quantities of masterpieces throughout their lifetime; perhaps, this was a
significant contributor to their familiarity and ingenuity.
However, there are instances of those artists who are famous to our day despite lacking talent,
which might explain that anyone can be an artist. These range from Ludwig van Beethoven –
a renaissance artist, to a Russian poet Nikolai Gogol, to name just a few. Although the quantity
of their works might suffer in comparison to that of talented artists due to the amount of time
it took them to perfect their works of art, the quality can be as good as that of artists with innate
abilities. Hence, it could be argued that diligence, persistence and dedication equalize talent in
a sense.
In my opinion, neither talent nor hard work plays a part in a creative production process unless
artists themselves are inspired. I, for example, attempted to compose a song many times,
having had a background in music, only to face failure. There were times, however, the
inspiration came spontaneously and led to the production of brilliant art pieces. The same holds
true for artists, whether talented or diligent, who spend sleepless nights, skip eating food, try
very hard to perfect their works when an inspiration comes. I also remember reading an article
about people aiming to create art spending dozens of years being stressed or depressed having
had no clue, or a drive, of what to create.
To sum up, it is my belief that the elements of hard work or talent in the production of art work
only if the artists themselves are inspired enough.
371 words 40 +-3 minutes to edit

69
September 18, 2021

In the future, all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless. The only people travelling
inside these vehicles will be passengers.

Do you think the advantages of driverless cars outweigh the disadvantages?

All types of motor vehicles are imagined to be driverless in the future, meaning that the only
users of them will be passengers. While I accept that driverless vehicles will bring some
drawbacks, I strongly believe that they are more likely to have a positive impact.

Driverless motor vehicles, on the one hand, can lead to unemployment and have unaffordable
prices. With regard to the former idea, transport services are a multibillion industry throughout
the world, providing taxi, bus and truck drivers, and other people like operators and dispatchers
with employment. So, the introduction of robot vehicles leaves them jobless affecting not only
societies but also economies. Furthermore, it is true that developing self-driving vehicles
involves much scientific effort, advanced artificial intelligence technologies and constant
research and development. This means that final price of these vehicles will highly likely be
exorbitant, and thus unaffordable for many people.

However, these drawbacks are far outweighed by the benefits. First and foremost, they save
human lives. This is because the risk of human-related accidents will be minimized thanks to
smart technologies ranging from cruise control to auto pilot which are already successfully at
work in Tesla cars and trucks. Another significant aspect of driverless vehicles would be their
traffic law obedience. While most road-related accidents- running a red light, breaking the
speed limits, driving under the influence- are due to negligent and irresponsible behavior of
human drivers, robot vehicles’ swift reactions and maneuvering skills will help to prevent
these incidents from happening as there is no human factor involved.

Weighing up the pros and cons of fully autonomous vehicles, I do think that the positives of
them are more significant than any of the disadvantages. After all, what can be more crucial
than safety on roads?

70
September 22, 2021

Young people are often influenced by their peers. Do the advantages of peer pressure
outweigh the disadvantages?

Peer pressure is becoming increasingly common among the youth these days. While in a sense
this trend might seem beneficial, I strongly believe that the drawbacks of it are far more
significant.

It is initially important to consider the benefits of peer pressure. First and foremost, it
encourages a sense of competition among youngsters. Having seen their friend or a classmate
doing better than them in terms of studies and personal development, like attending gyms to
build up muscles for example, they also tend to have a desire to compete and not to lag behind.
Another way that peers influence one another positively is in their way of dressing. In my
school, for instance, girls especially, used to try to look attractive, so they would wear makeup,
beautiful clothes and shoes to correspond to their outfit. This attitude by all means influenced
other girls around, creating trends throughout the school. Hence, if everyone tries to look
gorgeous as a result of peer pressure, then, on the whole, it seems it is a positive development.

Despite the reasons presented, I think that peer pressure does significantly more harm than
good. It is widespread among peers to criticize their friends on many matters ranging from
appearance to extracurricular activities they are attending to. This is likely to have a
counterproductive effect when not accepted lightly, thereby discouraging the youth from
setting life goals and leading to pessimism in things they accomplish. Secondly and more
importantly, it is friends in most cases who teach them harmful habits. Many of my
acquaintances adopted the habit of smoking when they were in high school as a result of
influence exerted by their friends. The implications of such pressure in both arguments
discussed above, therefore, are quite serious as they can be long-lasting.

In short, my own conviction is that the negatives of adopting a negative attitude on life and
bad habits that peer pressure is likely to bring about have more serious implications than any
of the minor advantages.

334 words

71
September 24, 2021
Some believe that advances in technology are increasing the gap between rich and poor
while others think the opposite is happening. Discuss both sides and give your own
opinion.
There is a question as to whether recent technological advances are widening or shrinking the
gap between the rich and the poor. While there are convincing arguments on both sides, I am
of the opinion that technology often plays in rich people’s favor, leading to greater income
inequality.
To begin with, some might argue that changes in technology have benefited less-privileged
people in several ways. For one, these changes facilitated greater social mobility – the ease at
which people of different income levels can move up and down social hierarchy. This can be
exemplified by the fact that there is now a layer of rising middle-class in developing countries
who make a living by creating online content using smartphones. Furthermore, people are no
longer restricted to job opportunities in their local area thanks to the Internet and improved
transportation. The former enabled them to look for employment availability outside their
communities, and with the latter, they can travel to places with better job prospects at much
greater ease and frequency.
I would, however, argue that higher income disparity has been one of the results of recent
technological improvements. Developed countries have gained the upper hand in production
and transportation, two key streams of income, with the help of technology whereas
developing countries still rely on old technology for product manufacture and distribution. The
fact that outdated technology is used in production makes developing countries less attractive
in the global market when compared against the wealthier competitors wrapped in latest
technology. Technology not only makes rich companies richer with increased sales, but also
drives down production cost through higher productivity and lower labor cost. Amazon is one
example of many companies that are making a fast transition to automation to replace workers
in order to gain more efficiency and quality in the workplace. These differences invariably
underline the growing gap between top and low earners.
In conclusion, while it is true that advances in technology have helped poor people in many
respects, it is very insignificant when put into perspective with how much these advances
benefited the rich. 344 words

72
September 26, 2021

Some people believe that emotional health of individuals is more important than physical
health. Others disagree.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

There is no denying that personal health is crucial for happiness. However, there seems to be
a debate over whether emotional wellbeing should be given more priority over physical fitness.
To my mind, both are equally important for one cannot exist without the other.

On the one hand, there are several reasons why some might argue that emotional health is
more significant to our overall wellbeing. The main reason is the fact that fewer and fewer
people today suffer from physical conditions like cholera or tuberculosis thanks to the
improvements in sanitation and healthcare over the last hundred years. They argue that most
modern health problems arise because modern people tend to lead lives filled with stress and
constant pressure. To them, today’s working conditions and social norms appear to be the main
culprit as we work long hours to maintain high living standards, mostly at the expense of our
emotional health. In this sense, one would generally be required to be more conscious of their
emotional state to enjoy better health.

On the other hand, I suggest we hold a holistic view towards health, not see it as two separate
units. One’s physical state as much as emotional health has long been found to be important
in proper body functioning. This can be seen in the fact that someone suffering from something
as simple as joint pain would not be as willing to work, much like a person going through
emotional trauma. One can even refer to the suggested definition of health by WHO, which
defines it with physical as well as emotional health, to understand that there is no physical
health without emotional balance and vice versa. Finally, recent advances in medicine have
expanded our understanding of health to include emotional wellbeing, suggesting that the real
health-conscious should strive to balance the two.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that a strong sense of emotional stability and physical fitness
are inseparable when long-term happiness is taken into account.

329 words

73
September 27, 2021

Some people believe that cooking is an important life skill, so schools should teach all
boys and girls how to cook. Other people think that teaching all boys and girls to cook
would be a waste of time. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

It is true that recent changes in attitude towards education have raised the question of whether
or not practical skills such as cooking should be taught to all students at school. In my opinion,
cooking is an essential skill that should be incorporated into the school curriculum for the
benefits it brings to young people later in life are tremendous.

On the one hand, I can empathize with those who believe that cooking classes can be a waste
of school funds. This is because it should be admitted that not all students are interested in
cooking and trying to get them to learn it can be no different than teaching art to someone who
is not artistic. It can also be a challenge for teachers to maintain order and discipline in the
class since cooking involves practicing of learnt recipes. Looking back, I remember at cooking
workshops at school, the whole class would get rather hectic and sometimes easily slide into
chaos when students were given a chance to practice at their cooking stations. More than this,
there are safety concerns associated with cooking classes; hot frying pans, boiling pots, bare
knives or any other unsupervised activities can be a cause of mishaps.

However, I also have reasons to believe that knowing how to cook can be a real game changer
for most students, especially at an older age. The first reason is more closely associated with
the fact that once students graduate school, they are most probably going to leave for college
and start living independently of their parents. This is when cooking skills, once acquired in
the class, will be of enormous help to them as they will be able to cook for themselves.
Knowing how to cook can also bring great health benefits. Having learnt how to cook at
school, students can develop an appreciation for good food, thus choosing to eat home-made
food rather than junk food when given a choice. Finally, it is entirely possible that some
students can make a career out of cooking and one day become a professional chef if teachers
start cultivating an interest in them for cooking from a young age.

In conclusion, though there are some valid arguments against having cooking classes at school,
I completely support this idea for several practical reasons. 383 words 37 mins
74
September 29, 2021

Young people prefer listening to music rather than listening to the news on the radio.

Is this a positive or a negative trend? Provide reasons and examples for your opinion.

There has been a trend away from listening to the news on the radio to listening to music
among the young. I would argue that it is as much a positive development as it a negative one.

To begin with, one can see the trend in question as a positive phenomenon for listening to
music has several benefits to offer. One apparent benefit is the fact that listening to music can
be a nice way to relax. Young people’s lives are already stressful with their studies and work
so listening to music provides them with a much-needed escape. Given the amount of workload
they handle at school, it would be ideal to avoid cluttering their minds with unnecessary
information they get from listening to the news on the radio. Other than being recreational,
listening to music can make young minds more artistic and help them develop an appreciation
for music. It is true that when people listen to music more often they become more familiar
with different genres and ways of creating them. Therefore, it is not wrong to say that listening
to music rather than the radio can be a great advantage for people of young age.

However, there are some undesirable effects resulting from fewer and fewer young people
listening to the news on the radio. Those young people who do not listen to the radio might be
missing out on a chance to stay informed of the events happening in the world. This can
generally be considered a negative development as those young people are likely to make less-
informed decisions as a result of being unaware of current trends. One other long-term
outcome of this change in young people’s preference can be the disappearance of the radio as
a news broadcasting medium. Once these people turn to other forms of media such as the
Internet to get news, radio stations might lose their role as news distributors. In my hometown,
for instance, people would tune in to the radio to find out about local as well as international
news. Yet, when the Internet came along, this was not the case anymore.

In conclusion, having considered arguments for both sides, I am now more convinced that the
growing habit of listening to music among young people than listening to the radio to receive
news can be viewed as both positive and negative developments. 395 words

75
October 2, 2021

Smoking is a major cause of serious illness and death throughout the world today. In the
interest of the public health, governments should ban cigarettes and other tobacco
products. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
One of the main culprits of death and health issues globally is smoking tobacco products and
cigarettes. It is therefore suggested that all these be completely prohibited by the government
to maintain public health and save their lives. In my opinion, while fully banning these
products may sound like an effective measure, I do not think that it is entirely possible.

Banning the use of tobacco and related products altogether can be seen to protect people.
Research has shown these products contain carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances that
shorten users’ lives by 15 minutes on average after each try. Not only this, but also passive
smoking is a cause for concern as this happens quite often. Smoking in public places, around
children or in no-smoking zones can not only harm the smokers’ health, but also others’. Thus,
it seems that if the government wants to ensure to have a healthy generation, imposing a ban
on cigarettes and tobacco products is a must.

However, implementing the solution offered above is not as easy as it appears. Firstly,
producing, selling and distributing, importing and exporting tobacco and cigarettes is a
multibillion industry, which mean it may be an important source of income for the government.
These areas also employ a large number of people, so banning can mean a rise in
unemployment. We should also consider addictive nature of these products. Forbidding their
consumption is seen as violation of human rights in a sense. All these reasons discussed tend
to make total banning of cigarettes and tobacco goods hard to achieve.

Although enforcing a prohibition on smoking tobacco and cigarettes might be an optimal way
to avoid health issues in the eyes of some, I would argue that it is not doable for economic and
personal reasons. Governments can perhaps consider other measures of improving public
health like more serious warning labels or making these products exorbitantly expensive.

27 min. 314 words.

I was trying to challenge myself to see what is the minimum amount of time I need to write a
task 2 essay. Comments?
76
October 4, 2021

More and more people are finding it increasingly important to wear fashionable clothes.
Is this attitude to wearing clothes a positive development or negative?

It is more common to see people wearing fashionable clothes these days. To my mind, this
trend can be characterized as more of a negative trend than a desirable one.

To start, a growing emphasis on wearing modern clothes can in some sense be seen as a
positive change. The fashion-conscious argue that clothes are part of our image and tell much
about our personality and views. It is as much a way of expressing one’s self as singing or
other forms of art are. In this sense, by wearing fashionable attire more often, one would be
generally considered more expressive and sophisticated in their actions. Wearing better-
looking clothes is also associated with heightened self-confidence and social activeness since
someone with stylish clothes on is more likely to feel and act less insecure than someone who
is not.

On the other hand, one might also argue that this change in social norms can be a precursor to
certain problems, one of which is socio-economic. It is a well-known fact that fashionable
clothes come with a higher price tag, landing them beyond the means of the less-privileged.
This, in turn, is sure to widen the gap between rich and poor people. People wearing modern,
thus expensive, clothes would not only stand out as wealthier members of society, but also be
a reminder of growing inequality to others around them. An increased awareness of one’s
clothing style can also lead to poor financial decisions. For instance, low-income individuals
might have to spend a year’s savings just to buy a piece of dress adorned with expensive stones,
despite having other more urgent financial matters to handle; simply because they want to
measure up to the new social standards.

In conclusion, greater inequality and mishandling of funds at one’s disposal are the main
reasons why I believe the trend in question should be regarded as an undesirable development.

313 words

38 mins

77
October 6, 2021

The movement of people from villages to cities for work can cause serious problems in
both places. What are the serious problems associated with this? What measures can be
taken to solve these problems?
These days, more and more people are moving to cities in search of better work and living
conditions. This trend can be responsible for urban overpopulation and lack of workforce in
the countryside, and there are some actions that can be taken to address these issues.

To begin with, rural-urban migration has some negative implications for cities. One obvious
problem that might arise from increasingly more people moving out of villages is
overpopulation in cities. This trend has been in steady increase since the beginning of
industrialization and has shown no signs of decline. If there are more people in cities than they
can hold, the resulting overcrowding can be a breeding ground for other major problems in the
medium and long run such as greater pressure on city resources and infrastructure. One
practical solution to this problem is urban sprawl. Most cities today choose this strategy as
their prime approach to deal with the problem simply because it works. People moving to cities
need accommodation and space to work, so it makes sense when city authorities spend more
on expanding their territories.

One should also acknowledge the effects rural migration has on villages. The main problem
stemming from this phenomenon for rural dwellers would be lack of workforce. Once a
significant proportion of villagers, especially young ones, abandon their hometowns to work
in cities, there will be few people left to do farm work like raising crop and livestock. Without
these people to produce our food, further problems are sure to emerge in the supply chain. To
counteract the effects of this problem, rural inhabitants should be incentivized to stay by
offering them decent jobs with competitive pay. Not only would this measure go a long way
to slowing down migration to cities, but also would attract people from cities to come and
work in the countryside.

In conclusion, while the major issues resulting from rural migration are urban overpopulation
and worker shortage in rural areas, city expansion and creation of well-paid jobs in villages
can be put forward as possible solutions.

342 words
78
October 11, 2021

Nowadays celebrities earn more money than politicians. What are the reasons for this?
Is it a positive or negative development?

It is true that there are increasingly more celebrities compared to politicians with a higher
income. This phenomenon is the case due mainly to two factors: the Internet and a change in
the public’s perception of politicians. Personally, I have many more reasons to believe that it
is a negative change than I do to consider the opposite.

When it comes to the chief reason why celebrities like athletes and movie stars are in a better
position to make more than politicians, the Internet should be the immediate answer. The
Internet lends celebrities the ability to market themselves in ways that were not simply possible
in the past. Whereas in retrospect TV and in-person events were some of the limited options
to commercialize celebrities’ talents, famous people today can reach wider audiences through
social media, have live interactions with their fans and gain more support. This certainly
enables them to sign more lucrative deals and endorsement campaigns, thus allowing them to
earn significantly more than politicians. Another obvious reason would be the fact that most
politicians are falling out of favor and becoming less credible in the eyes of the common man.
Recent scandals and conspiracies surfing the web involving corrupt politicians have a lot to
say in this.

I would argue that people should see this trend in a negative light. Most celebrities are known
to lead irresponsible lives, especially when it has to do with money. Not that it is anyone’s
business, but “reckless spending” is the term one would use to describe their spending habits.
Their extravagant lifestyles are indicative of how little they appreciate what they earn. It is
also not uncommon to see them get involved in lesser acts such as drug and alcohol abuse.
These aspects of the issue make one wonder how different the world would be if this money
were in the hands of policy-makers.

In conclusion, the Internet and changing attitude towards politicians are the main reasons why
celebrities make a better living, and to my mind, it should be viewed as a negative
development.

342 words 40 mins, give or take.

79
October 13, 2021

Nowadays more and more people want to get things done instantly.

Why is it? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

People today have an overwhelming urge to accomplish more in the little time they have.
While there are quite a few reasons that can justify this behavior, I am of the opinion that it is
generally a negative change.

To start, I believe that there are two main factors underlying people’s desire to get things done
fast. The first and obvious one is modern life and changes that come with it. To illustrate,
increasingly more people today work longer hours to keep up with high living standards. These
people often live with the impression that the only way to keep pace with people around them
is to make the most of the time they have by doing the greatest number of things possible.
Advanced technology can be found to be another main culprit. Technology has come a long
way in the past decades, so has the speed at which things are done in many places of work. In
effect, more and more people today find themselves competing against machines that rarely
tire and rest.

In my mind, it is only a matter of time before this development proves itself to be undesirable.
One apparent problem stemming from the growing urge to get things done faster is a decline
in the quality of work. If people are pressurized to work faster and not allowed to operate at
their own pace, they may become less attentive to the rather subtle aspects of their work. This,
in turn, can lead to poor performance and low quality products. Another long-term effect is
likely to be the weakening of social ties. As people become more speed-driven, they might
grow jealous of their time and start spending less of it with family and friends. This is already
being observed in most parts of the world where people work several jobs and rarely get to
spend time with family. It is no wonder that they suffer social problems like high divorce rates
and break-ups in those places.

In conclusion, I would argue that modern life and advancements in technology have caused
the so-called “hurry sickness”.

346 words

80
October 15, 2021

In some countries the elderly are highly valued and respected, while in others youth is
more highly valued.

Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Whether old or young people should be valued more is the topic of our discussion. Although
I believe that everyone deserves respect irrespective of their age, I am more inclined to think
that old people should be held in higher regard.

To begin with, there are several reasons why we should value young people more. The first
one is the fact that in most countries young people make up the majority of the workforce.
Without them, there would be greater pressure on older workers to run and maintain systems,
produce food, and do many other tasks that we need for our modern existence. It is young
people who drive the economy successful with their many years of service before retiring.
Another reason has to do with the population crisis looming large in most developed as well
as some developing countries where birth rates are declining steadily. With no young workers
to fill the positions, older workers would be forced to keep working past retirement age, which
in effect can mean a financial burden on the economy in the form of costlier health insurance
and loss in productivity.

That said, I would still argue that old people are more deserving of respect, due in large part
to their age. It should be recognized they have gained experience and wisdom over the years
they have lived, qualities one acquires only in time. These very attributes allow them to make
more informed and generally better decisions than young people do. This point can be seen in
the fact that most businesses value seasoned, senior workers over their younger counterparts
as the former tend to bring more to the table. Besides, respect towards old people should be
more than a choice. It is both our civic and personal duty to acknowledge the contributions
and sacrifices they have made in the development of our society and own self.

In conclusion, while there are plenty of reasons to say that young people should receive more
respect, I still resort to saying that it is old people who are truly the ones worthy of our due
deference. 350 words 38 mins

81
October 25, 2021

In education and employment, some people work harder than others do.

Why do some people work harder? Is it always a good thing to work hard?

It is part of some individuals’ nature to work harder than other people do in such important
areas of life as education and employment. There could be several reasons behind this attitude,
and in my view, this characteristic, more often than not, brings about positive outcomes.

If we look at the causes of the work-harder-than-others mindset, the most apparent one would
probably be to have a competitive advantage. They would like to excel in their studies to win
scholarships and grants, take up high positions and move up the career ladder, all of which
require the ability to go the extra mile; thus, having the edge over others. Yet another reason
is perhaps has to do with passion people derive from what they are doing. My colleague- an
English teacher – said that contributing positively to young people’s lives by teaching them a
language keeps them driven to work overtime, even though he is not compensated for this.
The same is the case with my sister. Majoring in math education, she strives for academic
excellence and being better than others are since, she states, she is simply in love with math.

In my opinion, though not always, trying to be better than others are is usually a positive thing.
Devoting more time than others do on one activity only can lead to burn-out, and as a result to
depression and stress. This may also mean spending less time with family and friends, on
leisure and other pursuits. Nevertheless, I believe that if working harder is what gives people
satisfaction and adds meaning to their lives, it should only be encouraged. “Hard work pays
off” people say, and it is the very ingredient that leads to success. If it were not for this
intention, Thomas Edison would perhaps not invent a light bulb and Christiano Ronaldo would
not be who he is now.

People seem to work harder than others do due to their passion and with the intention of
gaining a competitive advantage. However, in an attempt to reach their ultimate goals, people
must make sure to protect themselves against the negatives of working harder.

354 words.

82
October 29, 2021

People are becoming too dependent on the Internet and phone. Is it a positive or negative
development?

It is true that the amount of time we spend on the Internet and our phones is greater than ever.
As much as I think this development can be considered positive to some extent, I believe harms
coming from it are more significant.

The main negative effect caused by phone and internet addiction is on one’s health. Too much
screen time often means that one is not getting enough exercise since using phones does not
require travelling or movement of major body muscles. As a result, the user might experience
a range of health-related problems such as dizziness, muscle cramps and poor blood
circulation. These health issues might in turn lead to more serious health conditions if this
habit persists. Another aspect of health affected by overdependence on phones is psychological
well-being. Excessive exposure to screen has been found to cause depression and anxiety,
especially among teenagers who are spending increasingly more time on social media. If it
comes at the expense of personal health, in no way can this development be deemed positive.

I also think that over-reliance on the Internet and smartphones can make people less creative
and independent thinkers. With instant access to information on any topic, most people are
likely to become simply consumers of data rather than actually trying to create it themselves.
Students using online sources to do an assignment is a good case in point. In the past, they
would be generally required to go out and collect data through interviews and questionnaires
whereas now they can use secondary information on the web to base their theories on. The
result is often plagiarism and little creative endeavor in the process of thinking.

In conclusion, the proliferated use of mobile phones and the Internet seems to be responsible
for setbacks in health and creativity, thus making it an undesirable development.

306 words, around 40 mins

83
November 6, 2021

Whether or not someone achieves their aims in life is a question of luck. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?

It is said that luck is the single most important factor for accomplishing life goals. While the
role of luck is essential in a person’s success, I believe that there is more to success than this.

Were it not for Lady Luck, people would fail to fulfil some of their life goals. It is no doubt
true that one’s family has an important role to play in their life and success, and whether that
person was born in a poor or well-off family is purely a matter of luck. Of course, if a person
has a rich background, then the chances are that they will study in prestigious universities,
inherit a large amount of money and afford luxuries, while the opposite is true for the one who
was born in a poor family. From my personal experience, I would not be able to visit the US
in 2019 to participate in “Work and Travel” program and earn some money to travel and meet
my needs if my family did not support me financially.

However, success cannot be limited to luck only. The argument presented above can also be
examined from a different perspective. This is because determination, strong willpower and
hard work seem play a greater role in an individual’s success in life. To illustrate this point we
might look at examples of numerous successful people like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and
Elon Musk and see that they could turn their lives around even though they were not coming
from a rich family. They could enter top universities, build a successful career, and become
billionaires thanks to the qualities stated.

To sum up, although one can be considered lucky enough to have a well-to-do family that can
easily help them realize their life dreams, I hold the view that being determined, persistent and
diligent can always beat luck. If one is to become successful, they should not expect to get
lucky, but instead take action since “fortune favors the industrious”.

41 min. 331 words.

84
November 8, 2021

Men and women can never share the same responsibilities at home and in everyday life.
Do you agree or disagree?

It is argued that men and women do not have similar responsibilities, not just at home but also
in life. Though I believe that one cannot substitute the other in family life, I do not agree with
the assertion that they can never assume the same duties in everyday life.

To start, mother and father are two main characters in the family with a completely distinctive
set of responsibilities. It is mostly fathers who act as main breadwinners and ensure that
everyone in the family is fed, clothed and has warm housing. Apart from covering these basic
needs, they set the rules and function as a judge who makes the major decisions. Mothers, on
the other hand, are more responsible for maintenance of the household, performing tasks like
cooking, cleaning and other things a wife would be expected of. It is true that parents
sometimes switch roles or help each other with their due responsibilities. However, for the
most part, there are clear lines set defining the main duties of both sexes in the family.

Having said that, I would argue that with recent social changes in many countries around the
globe, stereotypes concerning the roles of men and women are being replaced by rather liberal
views. Today, there are more supporters of the belief than ever that women are the equals of
men and that they both have equal chances of succeeding in any human endeavor, whether it
be heavy lifting in construction, managing finances at banks or representing a community in
politics. A look at recent men and women employment statistics can tell us that occupations
that were once mainly dominated by men are no longer gendered. In fact, some areas of
business such as public relations and marketing have gone from being a male domain to an
exclusive reserve of women.

In conclusion, gone are the days when men and women belonged in distinctively different
groups of jobs. However, as far as family life is concerned, there is a stark contrast between
their roles, especially as fathers and mothers.

339 words, 40 mins

85
November 11, 2021

Many people choose to work or live abroad because of the higher standards of living they
can find outside their home country. Are the advantages more than disadvantages?

It is true that high living standards in foreign countries lure many people to them, and they
move there in search of better quality of life and employment prospects. While this trend can
bring about some positives, I am of the view that they are far outweighed by the drawbacks of
immigration.
Life in foreign countries does present people with some benefits that their home country lacks.
Firstly, it becomes a lot easier for individuals to meet their materialistic needs, such as driving
a luxurious car or dwelling in a beautiful house with all needed amenities, if they emigrate to
foreign countries since they can earn and afford more than they used to. This is attributed to
higher average wages overseas, usually developed, countries. Secondly, individuals want to
move to foreign countries because of far more advanced educational systems. For either
immigrants themselves or their children it is a valuable opportunity to acquire knowledge in
reputable universities and colleges, gain qualifications, take their dream job and move up the
career ladder, in the long run.
However, I believe that the drawbacks of immigration are more significant than the advantages
discussed. One of the common issues that immigrants tend to face in their destination countries
is culture shock, which is brought about by differences in climate, lifestyles and other
differences alike. While the side effects of culture fade away after a while for some people, it
takes years for others negatively influencing their lives. In addition, there are things in life that
money and high living standards cannot buy, two of which are family and a sense of belonging.
It seems impossible for one to immigrate with their extended family, including parents,
grandparents and relatives. From my personal experience, I realized this feeling of
connectedness to my own people, country and culture having spent 4 months in the US, and
decided to spend life in the surroundings of my close people and homeland. In fact, most
immigrants are likely to approve of this argument when asked.
While the advantages of earning more money and high quality of education attract most people
to emigrate, I think that the disadvantages of immigration much outweigh them. This is
because life in foreign countries might not be as easy as it seems, and that certain feelings and
values cannot be replaced by anything, from my perspective.
390 words.

86
November 15, 2021

Some people think that it is fine for professional sportsmen and sportswomen to
misbehave on or off the field, as long as they are playing well. Do you agree or disagree
with this statement?

There have been some arguments in favor of allowing misconduct among professional athletes
on and off the field provided that they maintain outstanding performance. While I agree that
this may be somewhat acceptable, I am of the opinion that inappropriate behavior should not
be tolerated for several reasons.
The main reason why some people support athletic misconduct is because it draws more
attention and thus generate more money. Most people already are interested in professional
sport tournaments since this is when best of the best go head-to-head to defend their title and
gain recognition. However, this interest is doubled when these competitions become more than
a display of athletic abilities. They like it when athletes provoke their opponents through
actions that trigger them. One example of this is a UFC match-up where an Irish mixed martial
arts fighter offered alcoholic beverage to his Muslim rival at a press-conference leading up to
this event. The result was a verbal altercation that received millions of views on social media
platforms, which profited the fight organizers.
However, I strongly believe that such inappropriacy in sports cannot be allowed as It affects
other people involved in many respects. Firstly, unacceptable behavior on the part of a
professional athlete, whether it be before, after or during a game, may increase the likelihood
of physical harm to people around as well as themselves. If a sportsman exhibits signs of
aggression and disrespect towards their counterparts, chances are they will be treated in the
same way by other players. This, as a result, creates a toxic environment lacking elements of
sportsmanship, which is conducive to clashes between teams and even brawls. Further,
unprofessionalism of this sort by famous athletes sends the wrong message to their admirers.
It teaches them they are entitled to behave however they like once they achieve some success
in life. Eventually, similar unacceptable acts from professional sportspeople might contribute
to the normalization of misconduct among people.
In conclusion, despite the positive views in support of misbehavior in sports, I would argue
that there should be no room for this trend given that it can be a cause for physical damage to
other people and normalize misconduct among millions of fans of sports.

369 words, 40 mins

87
November 17, 2021

Nowadays many people spend a large part of their free time using a smartphone. What
do you think are the reasons for this? Do you think it is a positive or negative
development?

Most people these days devote a great deal of their free time to smartphone-based
activities. While they tend to do so for a number of reasons, is this a positive or negative
change overall?

Considering the factors behind this phenomenon, the primary one has to with the addictive
nature of mobile apps. Smartphone applications are developed in an attractive fashion,
featuring colorful images, fashionable designs and using influential marketing strategies.
Utilizing them, people do not seem to realize that they are, in fact, time-consuming. Another
driver behind this is probably the advancement of the Internet. Humans are social by nature;
they like to spend their free time with their close people: friends, family members and relatives,
and online social networks, like Telegram and Whatsapp, as well as videoconferencing tools,
such as Zoom and Skype, have revolutionized the way this communication happens.
Consequently, it is now common for people to spend a great amount of their time using their
mobile phones.

In my opinion, we cannot say they are either totally detrimental or beneficial. This is because
there are strong arguments on both sides. Looking at the former, it can argued more could be
gained if people spent their on more practical activities, probably by working out at the gym
or learning how to play a musical instrument, rather than simply squandering hours on games
or on chatting online. Nevertheless, they are not completely useless. Mobile applications are
not all leisure-based. There are platforms, where people can learn languages, undertake online
commerce, lead a personal blog, livestream their hobbies and many more. In this sense,
spending a large amount of free time using cell phones is a change for the better.

To sum up, while there are two causes that seem to explain why many people are using mobile
phones excessively even in their leisure time, I firmly believe that it can be both advantageous
and negative at the same time.

42 min. 286 words

88
November 22, 2021

In many countries, fast food is becoming cheaper and more widely available. Do the
disadvantages of this outweigh the advantages?

It is true that fast food has become more accessible than ever in most parts of the world. In my
mind, drawbacks brought about by this phenomenon are negligible when compared to its
benefits.

To start, some issues stemming from fast food being readily available cannot be overlooked.
The primary concern over fast food is its excessive consumption by individuals and its
resulting detrimental effect on their health. Studies have confirmed that over-consumption of
so-called junk food can be closely linked to obesity and cardio-vascular conditions.
Furthermore, as more and more people consume fast food, they are likely to spend less time
eating home-made food. This appears to reduce the amount of time people spend together
socializing. Indeed, increased demand for fast food underlies the fact that people today tend to
lead fast-paced lives where they allocate substantially less time to family and friends than they
did before.

However, I would argue that the ever-increasing availability of fast food has made our lives
better. Were not it for fast food, people could not achieve the kind of productivity in the
workplace they have now. While in the past lunch breaks lasted 1 to 2 hours, it is today possible
to cut it down to a maximum of 30 minutes. Time saved in the process can be used to
accomplish more tasks than one normally would. In addition to greater efficiency at work,
there is also the fact that fast food tastes better as opposed to traditional food. A majority of
people, when asked, would much rather eat fast food than other forms of food. Finally, another
school of thought argues that fast food is not unhealthy as long as it is consumed in moderation.
Even some athletes admit to having burgers and fries as their main source of carbohydrates
and protein.

In conclusion, although fast food is thought to be responsible for health issues and a decline
in social bonding, I am of the opinion that the advantages coming from the wide availability
of fast food are more significant.

339 words, 40 mins

89
November 29, 2021

Modern lifestyles are completely different from the way people lived in the past. Some
people think that the changes have been very positive, while others believe that they have
been negative. Discuss and give your own opinion.

There is no denying that modern people lead lives that differ from that of people in the past in
many respects. While this difference has meant positive as well as some undesirable changes
in our lifestyles, I am of the view that the former far outweighs the latter.

When it comes to some possible negative trends stemming from our modern lifestyle, our diet
is arguably the most outstanding one. Advances in food processing combined with
standardized food preparation might have made food more accessible to the public, but these
are mainly to blame for as far as the general public health is concerned. Food low in nutrients,
but made desirable with additives and preservatives, can be linked to falling trends in health
in countries where processed and fast food constitute the main part of people’s diet. A
comparative study on health in the US has found that people in East European countries eat
healthier food for the most part than those living in the US, thus less likely to suffer from
illnesses that can be traced to diet.

Having said that, I would argue that modern life has more to offer in terms of health,
transportation and communication. Most health problems can be treated safely today thanks to
improvements in medicine and greater health awareness among people aided by the Internet.
While there was poor access to healthcare and most people lacked basic medical know-how in
old times, today health centers can be found almost everywhere and most health conditions
are researchable online. In addition, improved technology has allowed faster and more
convenient transportation. Cars, airplanes, and ships have also become safer, making travelling
an enjoyable part of our modern lives. Finally, it is safe to say that people are more connected
today than ever owing to fast speed internet and the growing popularity of social media.

In conclusion, despite the negative changes brought about by modern lifestyles, I tend to think
that the way people live today is generally far better than they did in the past. And if it were
not for modernity, we could not enjoy the privileges we have now.

354 words, 40 mins

90
December 1, 2021

With the development of technology and science, some people believe that there is no
great value of artists such as musicians and painters.

What are the things artists can do but the scientist cannot? Should art be encouraged
more?

It is argued that the significance of art diminishes as technology and science develop.
However, I do not share this view, for art brings a great deal of value to our lives as the most
versatile means of human expression, which is also why more and more people should be
encouraged to practice it.
To start, there is no invention in the world that can substitute art as a facilitator of expression.
In fact, most innovations in technology rely on the governing principles of art – creativity,
flexibility, and originality – in order to win the minds and hearts of people. Social media
platforms are a good case in point; These networking tools allow their users to express
themselves through every possible artform, whether it be the simple craft of writing or the
shooting of dynamic video rich in details. Further, whereas science and technology are limited
by our current understanding of what they are and how much of them we can apply in the real-
world context, the only constraint in art is our imagination which is known to be boundless.
This should be good enough reason to argue that no amount of scientific innovation can replace
art.
Given this importance of art, there should be little doubt as to whether it should be encouraged
among people. It is not just the creative process involved in art that makes it relevant to our
lives, but also hard work that goes into it. Most art projects are known to require one long
hours to refine an artwork and make it appealing to the senses, so anyone practicing art would
acquire valuable qualities such as patience, diligence, and appreciation in the process. In
addition, if students were taught art class from an early age, they would develop a range of
skills that might help with other areas of their studies. It has been found that students who take
art classes like painting or playing a musical instrument along with their academic subjects are
more likely to use creative approaches to science problems than those who do not.
In conclusion, despite what other people argue, I would like to reiterate that the importance of
art cannot be brought into comparison with technology and science. People should be
encouraged to be more artistic as it can teach some desirable qualities as well as skills.

388 words, around 40 mins

91
December 3, 2021

Some people from poor and rural backgrounds find it difficult to get a university
education. Universities should make it easier for such groups to enroll. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?

It is argued that a university education should be made more accessible to less-privileged

people in society because these groups tend to have lower chances of receiving a higher
education. I agree with this suggestion for several reasons.
On the one hand, there are some people who might argue that making university entrance
easier for certain people is not a sensible decision. They believe it is unfair on other people
who will then have a smaller chance of getting admitted. It is especially true given that
admission rates in some universities are declining by the year. Ivy League Schools are good
examples of universities where acceptance rate is no higher than 10 percent. Moreover,
education quality would be at stake if people were accepted at universities based on their socio-
economic status rather than their intellectual abilities. This might happen because eligible
scores would have to be readjusted, allowing qualified or otherwise applicants to pass entrance
tests all the same.
Notwithstanding, I still believe that university enrolment should be easier for poor people and
rural dwellers in order to level the playing field. It is true that most people from poor and rural
backgrounds often run on a tight budget, and a higher education may simply be out of the
question. This is why having easier access to a university education can serve as a stimulus to
these people. They should also be allowed to sit less rigorous entrance exams as they might
not have received proper school education. Some rural schools are known to offer education
poor in quality, so it is likely that applicants from these schools have relatively lower chances
of scoring well in admission exams than their counterparts. Finally, the so-called “education
for all” proposal can be put forward as part of poverty reduction strategy; once equipped with
a college education, students are more employable and thus more capable of lifting themselves
and their families out of poverty.
In conclusion, despite the counter-arguments presented, I am of the opinion that people from
poor socio-economic backgrounds should be given easier access to tertiary education to allow
them an equal chance at succeeding in life.
356 words

92
December 8, 2021

Some people think that giving gifts and presents to friends and family is important to
show them that we care. Others think that there are more important ways. Discuss both
and give your opinion.

It is believed that gift-giving is a crucial part of maintaining relationships with friends and
family, while some might argue that one can express their care towards these people in other
more important ways. I tend to agree with the latter.

On the one hand, one cannot deny the importance of giving close people gifts as a way of
showing them their significance in your life. This is simply because most people attach great
value to material things and thus are inclined to feel valued when they receive them. The same
idea applies to people giving gifts as much as it does to recipients. People sometimes feel that
they are failing to show their love and affection towards someone they hold dear unless they
are giving them a present of some sort. It is no surprise that this is the case since most human
relationships are built on the premise of sentiments like empathy, compassion, and reciprocity,
which somewhat rely on unconditional offerings in the form of gifts.

Having said that, I would argue that love and care towards friends and family can be expressed
in more nuanced and profound ways. One way it can be done is by having an honest
conversation with the person who means a lot to you. This form of expression of care is, to my
mind, is rather underrated and is often taken for granted. Rarely do we see people today make
the time to simply sit around a table as a family or a group of friends and open up about
themselves: Rather, the typical picture that comes to mind here is everyone on their phone on
the pretext of work, studies, and so on. The act of helping a friend or a relative can also be
seen as a token of appreciation towards that person. In a world where everyone seems to be
busy studying, working, and building a career, lending help to a close person who is struggling
with a problem would be a wonderful comfort to them.

In conclusion, while it is undeniable that giving gifts is an integral part of fostering

relationships with friends and family, I am of the opinion that there are other more important
ways it can be done.

373 words, 40 mins

93
December 9, 2021

With the advancement of technology, people’s ways of interaction have dramatically

changed these days. Individuals nowadays are using various social networks to
communicate and even build relationships. The question is, however, has this been a
change for the better or for the worse? In my opinion, it is both a positive and undesirable
development in equal measure.

People’s types of relationships have largely been impacted by technology. Firstly, it has
become significantly easier to make friends these days thanks to the Internet. Unlike in the
past, when people used to play outdoor games to make acquaintances, socialize in parks and
public places to meet new people, or simply find someone and strike up a conversation in a
café, today individuals can simply go online and text anyone via such social networking sites
as Facebook and Instagram. Besides friendships, the way people make romantic relationships
has also been revolutionized by dating websites. This is because these platforms find a match
instantaneously as soon as one enters their preferences, interests and other personal pieces of
information.

These changes can be considered positive, on the one hand. Both in terms of finding a friend
and a partner, one’s personality traits do matter a lot. For an outgoing, extrovert and sociable
person, these may not cause difficulties, but if a person is shy and introvert, then using the
Internet and other means of technology can be a perfect solution. In this sense, I believe that
these changes are beneficial.

Nevertheless, we must look at the change from a different angle as well. Friendships and
romantic relationships are built on many years of trust, understanding each other and support.
So, is it possible to trust and depend on a person you have become acquainted with hours ago
or, say, several days ago? They must be time-tested. I also doubt technology’s potential to
express feelings, emotions and other unexplainable senses that one experiences when
interacting in real life.

We can see that there are two main areas of relationships that have been changed due to
technology: making friends and establishing love relationships. However, I am of the view
that it has brought both benefits as well as drawbacks.
94
December 10, 2021

More people live alone today than they did in the past. Do you think this is a positive or
negative development?

It is true that increasingly more people nowadays tend to live alone compared to the past. In
this essay, I will draw on several arguments to explain why it is an undesirable trend.

To start, some might argue that there are some benefits to living independently. They assert
that people living alone enjoy more freedom, which is an essential factor in leading a fulfilling
life. This is mainly because living with others can be restrictive in the sense that one is often
expected to make decisions with other people’s needs and preferences in mind. What furniture
to buy, what to eat for dinner, and similar questions, for instance, may have to be considered
when people cohabit. Having these considerations can eventually be seen as a hinderance in
living life to the fullest. It may also be argued that living alone teaches people desirable
qualities like responsibility and self-reliance since they do not have anyone else to share
responsibilities with.

However, I would contend that the growing popularity of living alone among people is
generally a negative phenomenon. People living independently are bound to experience certain
problems like lack of companionship, communication, and help. This, as a result, can be a
precursor to further problems ranging from loneliness and social anxiety to stress. During my
extended travel abroad once, I lived away from my parents for several months and was
essentially deprived of help and company, which made me realize that sustaining this habit
any longer would prove to be unhealthy. This is also quite possible that the decision to live
alone may result in other problems later in life such as not having anyone to look after you
when you are old. There are probably thousands of old people who can attest to it.

In conclusion, although there are some good reasons to support the idea of living independently
of others, I would personally choose to describe it in a negative light.

322 words

95
December 11, 2021

In the past, important knowledge of culture and history was stored in museums.
Nowadays information is freely available on the internet, so there is no longer a need for
museums. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

People used to go to museums to learn about past civilizations, traditions, cultures and history
of not just their own but also of the world. The emergence and development of the internet,
however, have changed this trend by making all kinds of information readily accessible online.
It is thus believed that museums have become things of the past, so we do not need them
anymore. While this claim may be true to a minor extent, I believe that museums’ role is still
extremely important.
The internet has revolutionized the way people acquire information, arguably eliminating the
need for visiting museums. Internet users indeed are provided with a wide variety of websites,
at the click of a button, featuring articles, photos, interactive short videos or even long
documentaries about the past, most of which are free of charge. Museums, in this regard, suffer
comparison, because there is an entrance fee and merely walking in a museum might not be as
engaging as watching interesting content on the web. Besides these drawbacks, people also
seem reluctant to pay a visit to, in some cases covering a long distance if the museum is away
from their home, an overcrowded place when everything they want to learn about is readily
available.
In my opinion, however, the role of museums in today’s world is crucial. Given the fact that
people use Wikipedia and other similar sites as sources of information, wherein anyone can
edit, cut, add or remove essential information, the reliability of such internet sources is under
question. Nevertheless, museums house real relics of the past, historical evidence, or in some
instances genuine masterpieces such as Mona Lisa in the Louvre in France, showing that we
can completely trust the accuracy of information provided in museums. Most importantly,
there is a big difference between how the information is perceived in museums and through
the screen. Being an art enthusiast myself, I found seeing Van Gogh’s works in Philadelphia
Museum of Arts profoundly impactful as opposed to looking at them through the web.
While I acknowledge that the Internet can compete with museums as sources of information
about the past, I disagree that museums have completely been rendered obsolete.
364 words

96
December 12, 2021

Employers should focus on personal qualities over qualifications and experience when
choosing for a job.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Recruitment procedure is truly challenging, since employers have to consider a number of

factors before making a final decision. It is argued that when choosing employees, they have
to concentrate on their personal traits rather than their academic and professional background.
In my opinion, all these characteristics are equally essential, so employers should not prioritize
one quality over another during selection.

On the one hand, personal qualities of a job candidate must definitely be taken into
consideration when recruiting. Communication skills are important characteristics of a person,
and in any job they are needed to get on well with other coworkers and to work as part of a
team. If the new employee communicates effectively with all members of the staff, then
productivity of the company is highly likely to increase. Besides communication, good work
ethics are also a crucial element of personal traits. Such features as a sense of responsibility,
punctuality, confidence and patience all make up work ethics, and these essential skills can
make a real difference for an employee’s success.

Successful selection, however, cannot simply be reduced to merely personal traits;

qualifications and work experience do matter as well. Academic qualification and years of
experience mean dealing with a large number of job-related problems, hardships and stress.
They thus seem better prepared than the one without such traits to solve new and more complex
issues when they arise. In addition, for someone with the right degree and work experience,
there would be no need for training and perhaps trial period. This is because they are already
masters, knowing subtleties of their job. As a result, moving up the career ladder is usually a
lot easier for such people.

While personal characteristics, such as interpersonal skills and good work ethics, are vital for
employee success in any workplace, we cannot underestimate the importance of their
qualifications and experience. On balance, therefore, I view them as having equal significance
in job candidate selection. 324 words
97
December 13, 2021

Some think that teenagers should follow older people’s rules. Others thinks that it is
natural for them to challenge what older people say.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

It is often believed that teenagers should listen to their seniors, while other people may contend
that it is not uncommon for teenagers to defy them. To my mind, whether teenagers should
obey rules set by older people or dismiss them depends largely on the circumstances of the
individual.
One the one hand, there are several reasons why teenagers should comply with the rules
established by older people. The most obvious one lies in the fact that the former is less
experienced than the latter. Senior people such as parents and grandparents have gone through
challenges that put them in a unique position to advise younger people, including teenagers,
on what works for them and what rules to follow to reach their goals. It is this experience,
which comes with age, is what enables older people to guide teenagers through the different
stages of life by drawing lines between what is good and bad for them. Teenagers also tend to
make poor judgements due to their impulsive nature. Thus, having someone older around to
consult before making any major decision is in their best interest.
However, one should also be willing to consider this topic from a teenager’s perspective. At
this point in their lives, teenagers undergo certain changes in their personality as well as bodies,
which make them vulnerable to outside influences. As a result, they develop coping
mechanisms to get through this phase successfully. These mechanisms are why they are quite
often seen having conflicts with older people who might try to force their rules and beliefs on
them. Another reason is that teenagers like to exercise their freedom by making decisions for
themselves, so they might oppose anyone who tells them otherwise. I personally remember
having the same attitude in my teenage years not only because I was confused by all the
changes happening with me, but also because I did not want to be held down by my parents’
rules. This, I believe, was certainly the case with most other people my age at the time.
In conclusion, although there are equally strong arguments on both sides, I would resort to
saying that we should keep an open mind about how often teenagers should obey their seniors.
370 words

98
December 17, 2021

Nowadays a few people take their family with them abroad whenever they go on a
business trip.

What are the advantages and disadvantages for them and for their family?

Some people these days prefer to have their families accompany them when travelling for
business purposes. This essay will highlight the positive and negative points associated with
travelling with family on business journeys.
To start, there are benefits stemming from being accompanied by family when taking a
business trip for people themselves as well as their family. One obvious advantage is not
missing your family, especially if you are going on an extended business trip. It is quite natural
that people miss their family when they are far away working, so having them around would
be a great comfort. This is even more so in the case of people who are expected to go on long
business missions as part of their jobs. Their families can also share the benefits as it provides
them with a chance to experience new cultures. Seeing new places, trying the local cuisine,
making friends, and enjoying different lifestyles are some examples of activities people as well
as their family are able to do when travelling abroad, provided that expenses are covered by
their employer.
However, the decision to travel with family on business trips is not without downsides. As
much as people are loath to admit it, companionship offered by family can be a real source of
distraction as far as work is concerned. This distraction often manifests itself in the form of
problems ranging from finding proper accommodation to babysitting children if the other
partner falls sick. The effect of this then might carry over into work, resulting in poor
performance, hence low productivity. Not only the people responsible for business matters,
but also their family members may suffer consequences. More specifically, they would be at
a greater risk of experiencing a phenomenon known as social disorientation where one feels
disconnected from their social environment and values. This occurs especially when children
have to change school too frequently due to a parent or parents who constantly go on business
trips.
In conclusion, while peace of mind and an opportunity for family members to experience new
cultures are the potential benefits, a loss in productivity and social disorganization can be the
drawbacks of going on business trips with family.

366 words, 40 mins

99
There are many things that can motivate people to perform well in their work. These can
include the salary, job satisfaction or the chance to help others.

What do you feel is the best motivation to do well at work?

To perform well in a job, people have to be motivated. There are multiple strategies for
employers to incentivise their employees. The most obvious one is the salary; however, job
satisfaction and the ability to help people are other methods of improving performance at work.

For the majority of the people, receiving their salary at the end of the month is their motivation.
This is because money is necessary to fulfill the most basic needs and other materialistic
desires. Employees see these opportunities when receiving their salary and therefore work to
achieve money. Furthermore, performing well in a job can often lead to promotions with
higher pay packages. To receive this, staff have to stand out positively in their jobs. Salary is
therefore a key motivational tool for many workforce participants.

However, money is far from being the only incentive. Another aspect affecting performance
is job satisfaction. If a person is comfortable in their work, they are more likely to perform
well. Therefore, this motivational tool interlinks with salary, as when people are content and
perform well, the chances of promotion increase. For some individuals though, only their
passion can drive them. Prime examples for this are humanitarian jobs. The salaries are often
not very high, but those choosing to work in this field are often very driven; their passion to
help others is prioritised over their own salary.

In conclusion, while income might be the most common motivational factor, it is unusual to
be the sole incentive for working hard, and some people are motivated wholly due to other
reasons.

261 words

100
December 20, 2021

Recently published figures show that the wildlife population around the world has
decreased by around fifty per cent over the last fifty years. What can we do to help
protect the wildlife round the world?

Humans have become a prime culprit for the destruction of the wildlife population around the
world. Humans believe that they are the most powerful species on this planet and have
therefore chosen to use all of nature’s resources for their own good, even if this results in the
destruction of the environment around them. Clearly, this is not a positive result of human
existence and many people believe that the world’s wildlife population should be better
protected.

One possible way to protect wildlife around the world is to reduce the amount of polluted
substances produced through the human way of life. It has become habitual for people to
pollute water by adding chemicals to it during industrial processes or to pollute air as a result
of the fossil fuel industries and car emissions. Stopping the addition of chemicals to water and
creating cleaner processes would reduce water pollution and help create a safer environment
for wildlife to live in. Increasing the availability and use of public transportation and increasing
the use of renewable energy sources could reduce world pollution further.

Another possible attempt to protect wildlife around the world is to actively promote recycling
projects to reduce the amount of resources that are wasted. This would lessen the degradation
of the natural environment, as humans continue to search for new resources. Society uses a lot
of paper and wood on a daily basis and people do not actively think about whether or not they
are wasting these resources. Printing double-sided or on recycled paper for example would
appear to change nothing, yet if carried out regularly would help make a difference.

In conclusion, there are numerous different ways in which every human being can help to
protect the wildlife population around the world. One can engage in projects to raise awareness
of environmental destruction or one can actively take part in activities to protect it. Everyone
must find the area in which he or she would like to involve him or herself, as all should be
obliged to protect wildlife around the world.

A perfect band 9.0 essay by ielts-blog.com

101
Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age.
Others think they should begin after 7 years of age.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Whether children should start their formal education when they turn 7 or much earlier is a
topic of debate. In my view, it is time we abandoned age stereotypes in education and embraced
new standards with regard to sending children to school.

On the one hand, supporters of belated education argue that the commencement of formal
education marks an important milestone in children’s lives, thus they should not be rushed into
it. They believe that school life presents children with a wide range of challenges that they
may not be quite ready for at such ages as 6 or younger. Children at these ages are likely to
find the prospect of sharing a class with their peers, adapting to a new environment and
following instructions rather daunting. This, however, is not often the case when children are
much older. More mature children are found to have an easier time making friends, navigating
their way around school and listening to their teachers.

On the other hand, I share the belief that minimum age requirements at schools should be lifted
to allow parents to send their children to school at a much early age. This is mainly because
children today mature faster than they did in the past. One explanation to this phenomenon is
the idea that children today are born in the era of technology where they are exposed to
information at ages as early as 2. This, as a result, stimulates the regions of the brain associated
with learning long before they embark on their formal school learning. Furthermore, some
recent studies into early education have discovered that people who started attending school
earlier than the required age tend to be more academically successful. In other words, they get
a head start in their education.

In conclusion, even though some people suggest that children wait until they turn 7 or older
before they can attend school, I would argue that they should be encouraged to do it earlier.

324 words, 40 mins

102
December 24, 2021

Some people believe that to be successful at a sport you need natural ability and others
think that hard work and practice can make you successful.

Discuss both views and give your opinion?

Factors that make one a successful athlete have long been a topic of debate. While there are
some who consider natural ability to be the answer, others support the idea that it is hard work
and practice that make for a great sportsman. Although equally strong arguments can be seen
on both sides, I agree with the latter view.
On the one hand, the role of natural ability in outstanding sport performance cannot be
neglected. In several sports such as basketball and American football, athletes are expected to
measure up to set standards in terms of height, weight, and size if they are to stand any chances
of winning. These measurements, in turn, are generally determined by a person’s genes. This
can be seen in the examples of world-famous professional basketball players, Kobe Bryant
and Shaq O’neal, who owe much of their success to their body size. One other area of sport is
chess where success ultimately comes down to inherent intelligence. It is true that chess
players hone their skills through many hours of learning and practice. However, a simple
comparison of their intelligence quotient statistics reveals us what really makes up their
success formula.
Conversely, I firmly believe that hard work and practice are stronger predictors of success in
sports than natural ability. Examples of great athletes who worked diligently to achieve highest
levels of athletic proficiency prove that one does not have to be born gifted to succeed in sports.
Such instances vary from long time known football stars Messi and C. Ronaldo to a recent
UFC fighter Khabib who is known for having been training his entire life to rise to fame in
sports. Furthermore, there is now science supporting the idea that if a certain activity is
performed over and over again over a long period of time, one is likely to get progressively
better at it, eventually surpassing even those who are naturally adept at it. After all, practice
makes perfect.
In conclusion, having discussed both sides, I would like to reiterate that qualities like diligence
and willingness to practice take priority over natural ability as far as success in sports is
concerned.

359 words, [writing workshop sample]

103
December 29, 2021

Today more and more tourists are visiting places where conditions are difficult, such as
Sahara or Antarctica. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend for
tourists who visit these places?

Travelling has never been as easy as it is nowadays. Individuals can even travel to such remote
corners of the world as The South Pole and Sahara that have extreme conditions. While this
trend brings about a number of benefits, the negative effects of this should not be overlooked
as well.

There are a number of positives for tourists who travel to places with difficult conditions.
Firstly, it allows them to explore different types of animals and observe them in their wild
habitat. If people go on Safari tours in Africa or helicopter travels over Antarctica, for instance,
they have an opportunity to watch animals from elephants and gazelles to polar bears and
penguins in their native habitat. Another benefit of paying a visit to these places is the
experience of different cultures, usually with primitive lifestyles. Visitors can interact with the
locals, taste their food and stay overnight in local tribal villages or other small communities,
which would give them unique and memorable experiences.

Choosing Antarctica or Africa as travel destinations can pose some problems for travelers,
however. They might face unprecedented dangers in those places. My uncle, for example, has
been to an African country as part of his job as a geologist, and stated that Safari tours are
especially dangerous as most landscapes are notorious for venomous snakes and mosquitos.
Besides dangers, these areas tend to lack basic facilities, ranging from clean, drinking water to
poor sanitation. These drawbacks seem to deter tourists from enjoying their travels to the
fullest.

Overall, although travelling to destinations with difficult conditions offers the positives in
terms of exploring wildlife and culture, detriments of unexpected dangers and lack of basic
needs should also be taken into consideration.

286 words

104
January 1, 2022

Some people think that one of the best ways to solve environmental problems is to
increase the cost of fuel for cars and other vehicles.

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

It is argued by some that making car fuel more expensive is the most viable measure to take
to combat environmental issues. Even though this method could work to a certain extent, I
believe reducing the number of cars on roads alone is not likely to remedy our current
environmental predicament.
On the one hand, exhaust fumes from cars make up merely a minor proportion of all damage
caused to the nature. In other words, such environmental issues as global warming and soil
and water contamination result largely from mass-scale deforestation practices and chemical
spills from chemical plants, and the contribution of emissions from petrol-driven vehicles is
rather insignificant in comparison. Therefore, efforts to discourage the public from driving by
making this activity more costly would solve only a part of this complex problem. I believe,
the most workable solution to tackle our modern-day environmental problems would be
employing a complex method to fight against all forms of environmentally damaging activities
by imposing new forms of taxes on both businesses responsible for land clearance and carbon
monoxide emissions, and individuals who own more than a single private vehicle.
On the other hand, artificially inflating petrol prices might indeed bring about certain desirable
results in the fight against issues with the nature. Firstly, it is common knowledge that old cars
release larger amounts of fumes because of their old-fashioned engines, so higher fuel prices
could discourse the owners of such vehicles from driving altogether considering that most of
these outdated cars are owned by the lower class. Secondly, increased driving expenses might
potentially speed up the introduction of electric vehicles, and generally lower the gross exhaust
fumes from cars. This being said, however, petrol-powered cars are not the sole contributors
to the environmental degradation we are facing now, and solving this issue with cars would
only partially solve the problem.
In conclusion, even though raising fuel prices would indeed solve some part of the problem, I
do not agree that this would be the best way to solve our complex environmental issues and
the other ways in which our nature is ruined should not be overlooked. 355 words

105
January 3, 2022

Technology causes more problems for modern society than it solves.

Do you agree or disagree?

It is argued that more problems are created by modern technology than solutions. I genuinely
disagree with this assertion as I believe that technology is the way forward.

Some people might argue that technology can be used to harm people, thus it should be
described in a negative light. It is their belief that some countries today have the potential to
use advanced technology to aid in warfare, not just in the physical world, but also on the
Internet. Developed nations of the world, such as the USA and China, possess the power to
devastate the less advanced sovereign countries by shutting down their power grids, hospitals
and even their entire communications systems if push comes to shove. This daunting prospect,
some argue, can never outweigh the advantages technology has to offer.

Having said that, I am of the opinion that technology has largely been a positive influence in
our lives. The main positive impact it has has been on the general quality of life through better
healthcare, food, transportation, and communication. It is modern technology that has enabled
us to treat illnesses which were once thought to be incurable. Furthermore, adoption of
technology in agriculture and factories is what has facilitated better yields and food processing,
without which food shortage would be a more concerning problem than it is now. Finally,
transportation and communication are two other aspects of our lives that have greatly been
improved thanks to advances in technology. No longer do we have to waste time biking or
sending letters when there are technologies that help us do these within a fraction of time they
would take.

In conclusion, despite some downsides to accepting technology with open arms, I generally
consider that were it not for technology we could not enjoy the privileges we have now.

300 words, 35 mins

106
January 4, 2022

Some people think that success is measured by how much money a person has. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?

The idea that wealth serves as a measure of success is with what I completely part company
for a number of reasons.

Firstly, from an academic point of view, how successful one is might be measured by the
qualifications they have acquired. While I concede that money has a part to play in some cases
like tuition fees, the problem is that widely recognized qualifications require profound
knowledge, experience and skills. Take IELTS for example. Candidates are forced to channel
much time and energy into obtaining the very aptitude to get to the level where they are
considered to be successful.

Employment is another indicator of being successful. Many supporters of material possessions

may claim that money often leads to a better job. However, I would argue that when candidates
are interviewed for a vacancy at a big company, how much money they have are not taken into
consideration. What matters for them is how suitable they are for this position, which means
they must meet the requirements of the job on offer. So, in many cases, being able to find a
well-paid job might be the measurement criterion of success.

The final and most important area where success is not measured by how much money a person
has is sport. I believe how successful a sportsman is has nothing to do with how much material
wealth they have. To succeed in this, they have to train hard to be at their best performance,
thus sacrificing their time and energy, not money. Were they to be rich to gain success, most
of the globally recognized faces might go unknown. I, therefore, maintain that what athletes
achieve contributes to their success.

To conclude, although some may consider money as an indication of success, I would argue
that degrees and diplomas, highly-paid job, and achievements in sport are true measurements
of it.
Written by Jasur Nurmetov
Under exam condition
About 40 minutes
107
Some people think that going to the gym is one of the most important factors in achieving
good health. Do you think that people can be healthy without going to the gym? What
other factors contribute towards good health?

It is undoubtedly true that health is crucial for humans, and one of the most common ways to
stay healthy is working out at the gym, some people assert. While going to the gym is an
excellent way of maintaining health, we should not underestimate the importance of other
factors as I think that it is possible to remain healthy without taking up gym exercise.

Attending the gym certainly fosters a healthy lifestyle. When individuals go to the gym, they
usually have a chance to work out using exercise machines, run on a treadmill, lift weights and
do a host of other forms of exercise. All these activities allow people burn excess calories and
keep a good level of fitness, thus boosting their immune system. Were it not for gyms, they
would probably be prone to illnesses, since untrained people are normally vulnerable to
sickness. It is therefore sensible to argue that going to gyms is one of the best methods to
improve well-being.

In my view, one can maintain their health even if they are not exercising in a gym because
there are other contributors to health other than that. One of them is doing household chores.
Research has shown ironing can be as beneficial as intensive workout at the gym. This makes
sense because people are at least staying active, so any level of home activity, ranging from
doing cooking to vacuuming, is of help to health since it stimulates muscles and blood
circulation. Dietitians also suggest that people eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables
a day and control their sleeping patterns in order to stay healthy. Lack of sleep, or its
deprivation, and eating for example fast food excessively, tend to make a person feel
physically and mentally tired, and keeps from vital ingredients. Lack of both these factors tend
to bring about depression and stress, which might be a cause of health issues. So, people should
take their sleep and diet seriously as well.

In conclusion, it is feasible to stay healthy even if one does not attend gyms. It is important,
though, to be active at home, and follow healthy eating and sleeping habits.

362 words.
108
January 5, 2022

Soon it may be scientifically possible to clone humans.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

As much as it sounds science-fiction, scientists are few steps away from being able to create
human clones. This prospect, however, raises a question regarding the potential issues as well
as benefits associated, which will be the main focus of the following essay.

To start with the benefits, human cloning could certainly be mainstream in the entertainment
industry. No longer would movie producers have to use stuntmen when it is possible to make
an exact replica of an actor. This would also mean that no actual human life is jeopardized on
movie sets, especially on those involving dangerous scenes. Another area of human endeavor
that can greatly benefit from clone humans is space exploration. Once there are entities which
perfectly imitate human biology as well as mind, they can be sent on risky space missions to
expand our inquiry into space, and possibly one day we might discover habitable planets with
their help.

On the other hand, some argue that such a scientific project is not without its downsides. One
immediate concern is public backlash from people who believe that human life might lose its
worth as soon as it becomes possible to copy it. This concern is justified not only in questioning
the ethicality of this possibility, but also in the idea that some people may exploit this
opportunity to benefit themselves. For instance, if it were scientifically possible to create
human copies, who is to say that some unscrupulous wealthy businessman would not have an
army of these copies work for him as slaves? Furthermore, it is entirely possible that these
clones might be used in political meetings to act as representatives like a diplomat or a
president. Although this would be acceptable on safety and security grounds, common men
would highly disapprove of a fake human speaking on their behalf.

In conclusion, while the possible applications of human clones can be in the entertainment
industry and space missions, the disadvantages range from depreciation of human life to public
disapproval.

333 words, 40 mins

109
January 11, 2022

In the future, all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless. The only people travelling
inside these vehicles will be passengers.

Do you think the advantages of driverless cars outweigh the disadvantages?

All types of motor vehicles are imagined to be driverless in the future, meaning that the only
users of them will be passengers. While I accept that driverless vehicles will bring some
drawbacks, I strongly believe that they are more likely to have a positive impact.

Driverless motor vehicles, on the one hand, can lead to unemployment and have unaffordable
prices. With regard to the former idea, transport services are a multibillion industry throughout
the world, providing taxi, bus and truck drivers, and other people like operators and dispatchers
with employment. So, the introduction of robot vehicles leaves them jobless affecting not only
societies but also economies. Furthermore, it is true that developing self-driving vehicles
involves much scientific effort, advanced artificial intelligence technologies and constant
research and development. This means that final price of these vehicles will highly likely be
exorbitant, and thus unaffordable for many people.

However, these drawbacks are far outweighed by the benefits. First and foremost, they save
human lives. This is because the risk of human-related accidents will be minimized thanks to
smart technologies ranging from cruise control to auto pilot which are already successfully at
work in Tesla cars and trucks. Another significant aspect of driverless vehicles would be their
traffic law obedience. While most road-related accidents- running a red light, breaking the
speed limits, driving under the influence- are due to negligent and irresponsible behavior of
human drivers, robot vehicles’ swift reactions and maneuvering skills will help to prevent
these incidents from happening as there is no human factor involved.

Weighing up the pros and cons of fully autonomous vehicles, I do think that the positives of
them are more significant than any of the disadvantages. After all, what can be more crucial
than safety on roads?

293 words

110
January 15, 2022

In some parts of the world, the popularity of taking a personal DNA is increasing. Why
do some people want to do this? Is this development positive or negative?

The development of technology has revolutionized many aspects of people’s lives, particularly
medicine. Thanks to technology, taking a sample of one’s DNA for analysis purposes has
become popular in some countries. While there are a number of reasons why this is the case,
on the whole, I believe that this is a positive change.

To begin with the reasons for the popularity of DNA testing, the major one is perhaps its help
in medical diagnoses. In the event that symptoms do not give any clues about the nature of an
illness, thus making it difficult to diagnose a patient correctly, taking a personal DNA will be
of great help for a more thorough investigation. Another area of DNA testing’s use is in
people’s personal lives. In some instances, people have doubts about their or their children’s
background. DNA testing, meanwhile, allows to compare genes and provide conclusions with
almost perfect accuracy.

In my view, conducting DNA testing is a change for the better. First and foremost, if we can
draw accurate conclusions about illnesses, their treatment is highly likely to be successful.
Were it not for DNA tests, we would probably be unable to see breakthroughs in such areas of
medicine as biotechnology and cure diseases like IVF or infertility. I am also optimistic about
this test’s future prospects. Genetics is one of the fastest developing, yet complex, fields of
medicine currently. So, more research with the use of DNA testing could one day allow us to
find solutions or vaccines to incurable illnesses, such as cancer, or at least make us more
knowledgeable.

In conclusion, DNA testing has recently gained in wide popularity in some parts of the world
due mainly to medical as well as personal reasons. So far, this kind of testing helped us find
remedies to some illnesses, and in the future, if this trend continues to help humanity, then I
have no reason to argue that is an undesirable development.

325 words 43 minutes

111
January 27, 2022

Due to the influence of worldwide media such as television and computers, the gap
between cultures is narrowing. The introduction of this global culture is of great benefit
to the world. To what extent do you agree with this point of view?

A significant proportion of people in almost all countries own technology gadgets like TVs
and computers these days. It is argued that these means of media are influential, and using
them is making cultures increasingly similar to one another. While I acknowledge the benefits
this trend brings to the world, I do not believe that it is a positive development on the whole.

Cultural homogeneity presents a number of positives to the world. One of them is better
understanding among nations and people. When individuals are exposed to other cultures,
usually Western, with films, documentaries, and computer programs, they need a common
language in order to comprehend and use them. So if most people speak a universal language,
such as English or Spanish, the issues of miscommunication and misunderstanding can be
minimized. Furthermore, a global language provides access to a high-quality education. Using
their computers to access the Internet platforms like YouTube, people have an opportunity to
acquire knowledge from professionals in other countries. This, as a result, largely aids in the
development of countries in the long term.

In my opinion, however, narrowing cultural differences has serious ramifications, because of

which I disapprove of this change. First and foremost, exposure to other cultures through
media can lead to erosion of cultural values and traditions. Children in my country, for
instance, know about Halloween and Bonfire Nights more than they do about their national
holidays and celebrations, such as Navruz and Eids, since they watched foreign content
excessively. Besides making people less aware of their national values, this trend can also lead
to the disappearance of minority languages, as some languages have very few speakers. If this
change comes at the cost of losing a certain language, in no way do I consider this development
to be for the better, since with language a part of history would be lost.

Overall, the world might benefit in a number of respects if cultures became almost identical
by utilizing TV and computers. Nevertheless, I am strongly against this change because it
poses a threat to cultures’ uniqueness and language. 347 words.
112
January 31, 2022

Plastic shopping bags are used widely and cause many environmental problems. Some
people say that they should be banned.

It is true that plastic is one of the major contributors to environmental degradation. Given this
fact, it has been suggested that we prohibit the use of plastic packages at shops. Although the
reduced use of plastic can make some difference in the debate of environmental issues, I would
argue that this measure brings more harm than good.

To start, one should acknowledge that the less common use of plastic bags at stores can help
save the environment in some ways. It is a well-known fact that plastic, as a material, takes
longer to recycle naturally than other materials used in packaging such glass and paper, so
banning it would be one logical argument to make as far as environmental sustainability is
concerned. Once banned, plastic would no longer add to major environmental issues like
pollution and carbon emission from dump fields. This, as a result, means better life quality for
people not just living around those areas, but also millions of others who suffer from the
detrimental effects of plastic in some indirect ways.

In my mind, however, removal of plastic bags from stores further accelerates this so-called
“environmental suicide” rather than slow it down. This is because substitutes for plastic have
been found to cause even more harm to the environment contrary to what most people think.
Alternative packaging materials including glass and paper tend to involve manufacturing and
distribution practices that have come under harsh criticism for being environmentally-
unfriendly. While glass is heavier thus requires more fuel to transport, paper package making
require cutting down of precious rainforest, which are the primary source of clean oxygen.
Finally, it is a real challenge trying to design non-plastic packages suitable for all purposes. In
this sense, the role of plastic as a versatile packaging tool is rather irreplaceable.

In conclusion, while there is some truth to the belief that limitations on plastic usage can
benefit the environment, I share the view that it can be counterproductive.

327 words, 40 mins give or take

113
February 7, 2022

These days some people spend a lot of money on tickets to go to sporting or cultural
events.

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

It is not uncommon these days to see some people pay a significant amount to enjoy a single
sporting or cultural occasion. While this trend is certainly favorable in some respects, I am of
the opinion that such a case is not without its downsides.

On the one hand, some might argue for more spending on the part of people attending public
events like a sport tournament or a cultural holiday. They believe that it can generate more
revenue for people involved in the organization of these events, which in turn will be used to
improve the quality of future gatherings of these kinds. One way it can be done is through
renovation work and addition of new and better facilities such as food stalls and comfortable
seats. The extra income earned could also be distributed among participants as a way to boost
their spirits, which is sure to result in better performance and ultimately, greater entertainment
for attendees.

These benefits, however, are sharply contrasted by resultant drawbacks. A possible change
can be more expensive tickets brought about by greater demand and some people’s willingness
to pay a premium. Less affordable tickets, as a result, will mean that fewer common men can
enjoy events of cultural as well as athletic significance in person. Not only this trend would
cause a rise in ticket prices, but it would also mean some degree of extravagance on event
organizers’ end to please their so-called “VIP” audience. Similar cases have already been seen
in such parts of the world as Dubai where most events are followed by drone shows to make
these occasions extra special and live up to the hype.

In conclusion, although I do not personally mind some people spending a considerable amount
of money to attend sport and cultural events, I deem it necessary to point out how such a
phenomenon can be disadvantageous.

313 words, 38 mins

114
February 21, 2022

In some countries, there has been an increase in the number of parents who are choosing
to educate their children themselves at home instead of sending them school. Do the
advantages of home education outweigh the disadvantages?

It has become increasingly common to see parents in some nations opting for homeschooling
rather than sending their children to schools, in recent years. While this method of delivering
classes might be advantageous in some respects, I am of the opinion that it is more likely to
have a harmful impact.

There are a number of positives to home education. One obvious benefit is that it allows both
parents and children to choose the times of their classes flexibly. When, for instance, parents
are not able to conduct lessons during the day, they may decide to teach their child early in the
morning or in the evening after returning from their work. Another important advantage of
homeschooling is that it permits children study at their own pace and thus progress
accordingly. In conventional schools, by contrast, different knowledge acquisition rates of
schoolchildren are not usually taken into consideration since they have a set curriculum to
follow; in other words, whether a child grasps a topic quickly or slowly should study in the
same group.

Nevertheless, I would argue that the benefits of education at home are outweighed by the
drawbacks. Firstly, children taught by parents tend to lack interaction with their peers, and as
a result are likely to grow up to be shy, introverted and dependent individuals. This is likely
to make their lives difficult due to problems they may encounter in communicating and
socializing with others. I also disfavor the idea of homeschooling because children are not
provided with the proof of graduation when taught at home. If no official document, such as a
school certificate, confirms children’s completion of school-level education, it is less likely
that they can further their education at a college or university.

Home education has both pros and cons. However, despite some advantages, I strongly believe
that the latter outweighs the former for homeschooling negatively affects young learners’
personality and hinders future educational prospects.

321 words
115
Many university students live with their families, while others live away from home
because their universities are in different places.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of both situations?

University life marks an important milestone in a person’s life as it requires most students to
move out and settle in a new place. Others, however, attend universities in their locality. This
essay examines the benefits as well as the drawback of both individual cases.
To start, living with your family in one’s university years comes with great benefits, one of
which is emotional stability. Those who prefer to go to local universities are generally not
required to adapt to a new environment since they already know the place and its people fairly
well. This saves them anxiety and inconvenience that they would experience if they decided
to pursue their education somewhere else. Another comforting aspect of staying with your
family is having people around to help with housework such as cleaning, cooking and so on,
which often cuts into students' schedule.
These advantages, however, are sharply contrasted by the potential downsides. Most people in
this category would have fewer chances to explore new opportunities and experience novelty
in their lives. Over-dependence on parents and other relatives is another possible outcome of
not traveling outside one’s place of birth for education.
Living away from home to study at a university, on the other hand, also has certain advantages
to offer. The decision to study abroad can be the first step towards adult life. Once a student
moves out on their own, they will have the opportunity to make decisions for themselves on
most matters; it can be as simple as what to eat for dinner and as important as how to proceed
after graduation. Independence to make such decisions will, in turn, build up their confidence,
thus making them more mature. Most importantly, they get to discover themselves as a person
in the process.
However, it is fair to say that living away from family can be a daunting prospect. One obvious
challenge is going to be the responsibility that comes with having more control over one’s
finances. Students who live on their own tend to manage their money themselves, so they have
to be hyper-vigilant not to indulge in any form of reckless spending like going to fancy parties.
Social disorientation is another probable side-effect of going away to study. This is often
experienced when students struggle to adjust to the standards and norms of a new place.
To conclude, both decisions have a range of benefits, but they do present certain challenges to
new students. It is important that students weigh up the pros and cons of either prospect in
order to make a sound decision.
428 words, 40-odd mins

116
February 22, 2022

The spread of urban areas has led to deforestation and has caused many animal species
to become endangered. Environmental groups are urging government to protect these
animals. Environmental groups are urging governments to protect these animals. What
are the benefits of protecting animals? What can governments do to protect animals?

As a consequence of urban sprawl, world's forests are being cut at an alarming rate, threatening
many species of wildlife with the danger of extinction. Therefore, environmentalists are
encouraging governments to deal with the problem of wildlife protection. In my view, animals
must be safeguarded for they have significant benefits, and governments can do this in various
ways.

Protecting animals has numerous advantages. First and foremost, they play an essential part in
keeping nature in balance. If, for example, one species completely dies off, the whole food
chain tends to be disturbed, because other species are likely to have no natural predators and
multiply to an uncontrollable extent, or vice versa. Another benefit of saving animals from the
brink of extinction has to do with esthetic reasons. Mankind has always been fascinated by the
marvels of nature, and all living beings, including animals, are part of it. Were it not for wild
animals, our life would probably be dull and less colorful. Last but not least, animals ought to
be protected for educational reasons. It is our duty to protect and show how diverse and
beautiful all living creatures are to our future generations, instead of exterminating them.

Governments can take various effective steps to conserve endangered animals. Because the
main cause of threat to animal survival has been shown to be the spread of urban areas, the
key would be to control urban development, in the first place. Authorities should choose areas
for expanding cities with special considerations to animals. Secondly, governments should
build wildlife sanctuaries that are identical to animals’ natural habitats. In these areas, research
into animal behavior, mating and breeding patterns can be conducted to ensure their survival
and development.

In conclusion, animal conservation is crucial for various reasons, and governments can protect
these creatures mainly by controlling urban sprawl and erecting wildlife protection zones.

written in the class, 309 words

117
February 25, 2022

Many people argue that in order to improve educational quality, high school students
should be encouraged to question and offer criticisms to their teachers. Other think this
will lead to a loss of respect discipline in the classroom.

Discuss both views and give you opinion.

It has been suggested that high school students be allowed to comment on their teachers’
performance so that education quality can be raised. Not everyone, however, is eager to
welcome this change as it can result in ill-discipline among students. In my mind, encouraging
high school students to be involved in performance evaluation with regards to teachers is not
entirely disadvantageous as long as it is carefully monitored.
To start, the opponents of this idea point out the problems created by the implementation of
such a policy. They believe that if students were allowed to judge their teachers, it would
certainly undermine the teacher’s role as a facilitator of the class. In other words, once teachers
realize that their status and possibly, income are tied to student feedback, they are likely to act
a certain way to please their audience, which is sure to affect how the syllabus is taught and
students are examined on what they learn in the class. Another obvious issue is a loss of respect
towards teachers. To students, teachers are role models and rarely make mistakes, and letting
them criticize their teachers would send them the wrong message – your teachers are not as
good as you might think.
Having said that, I believe that it is possible to bring about real improvements in education
quality through the introduction of the so-called student feedback policy in high schools. This
is because feedback from students can serve as a great tool in reassessing and shaping more
well-rounded teaching approaches that consider students needs. Most teachers in high school
tend to pursue one-size-fits-all teaching methods in the class, which often do not account for
outliers, students with special learning needs and relatively different mindsets. Therefore,
imploring students to offer their teachers suggestions would be a step in the right direction as
far as those students are concerned. Concerns over respect could be addressed if students’
names were kept anonymous, and this could be done by installing suggestion boxes on campus
or distributing online feedback forms among students.
In conclusion, although encouraging high school students to question their teachers can be a
cause for diminishing authority and respect, I consider it to be a necessary change in fostering
better education quality.
371 words, 40 mins

118
February 28, 2022

In many countries, people do not do enough to recycle their used materials (glass, paper,
and metal). What do you think are the reasons for this? What do you think can be done
to solve this problem?

Environmentalists claim that people in many parts of the world do little in the way of recycling.
There are two principal reasons why this is the case, and I believe that financial incentive and
individual responsibility can go along away in making people more environmentally friendly.

To start, arguably the most common reason why most people do not recycle is simply because
they do not find it necessary, or at least see little use for it. Such attitude can be attributed to
the idea that they are not taught the importance of recycling early on, so they grow into
individuals who lack accountability for their actions and towards the environment. Given the
root cause of the problem, it would be wise to double down on school educational programs
aimed at raising the awareness of people on recycling as well as other environmental issues
when they are still young. This would guarantee that not only our children will make more
responsible choices, but also many future generations to come will as this knowledge will get
passed on to them.

Furthermore, the problem of limited recycling on the part of everyday people can be traced to
countries where there is no infrastructure in place to facilitate it. Absence of a system that
allows people to dispose of their waste, such as paper and glass, makes it difficult to do so. In
my experience, I have seen many people who expressed their wish to preserve the environment
by recycling whenever they can, but they ended up discarding their waste the traditional way
because they did not have access to facilities that help them with it. In this case, these countries
should look to financially incentivize businesses that aid communities in garbage disposal
through building recycling centers in every neighborhood. These centers, in turn, could reward
people who recycle their waste.

In conclusion, while lack of individual responsibility and recycling systems explain why most
people choose not to recycle, solutions vary from school programs to subsidizing businesses
which take an active interest in the issue.

339 words, 40 mins

119
March 2, 2022

The qualities and skills that a person requires to become successful in today’s world
cannot be learned at a university or any other academic institution.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

University education has long been linked to success. Some, however, make the case that
universities and other academic establishments often fail to teach qualities and skills required
to succeed in our modern world. While I think there is some truth to this belief, I generally
think that university degree is a prerequisite to becoming successful in today’s society.

Initially, some people might argue that certain personal qualities needed for a successful life
cannot simply be acquired at a university. These attributes, they say, are gained over years
through experience rather than taking a class. Confidence is a good point in case. Although
some people are born confident, most of us have to learn to become confident by trying new
adventures. Being confident, in turn, helps one build self-esteem and a desire to go on even
more adventures. In this sense, it is fair to say that no amount of school learning can make one
become confident as it tends not to involve anything adventurous.

That said, I still consider that university education plays a significant role in achieving success
in present-day society. This is because universities facilitate an environment conducive for
learning to become cooperative and competitive at the same time, two essential ingredients for
success as far as I am concerned. These qualities take shape among students when they are
involved in team projects and individual assignments as part of their university education.
Rarely would we be forced to learn to work with others and work for ourselves when needed
without these challenges. Last but not least, universities equip people with the expertise they
need in order to grow into competent employees. Our society highly rewards those with
complete mastery of their jobs, so having the right qualification should help achieve this.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that university education on the whole is crucial for
one’s success in our world even though universities do not necessarily provide us with all the
skills and qualities we need to succeed in life.

334 words, classwork

120
March 4, 2022

Nowadays people try to balance their work with other things in life, but only some could
actually achieve it so far. What are the reasons for that? How can we solve this problem?

It is true that most people seem to fail to strike a balance between work and life these days.
While reasons for this are numerous, I will be focusing on the two primary ones as well as
offering some solutions to address the problem of work and life balance in our society.

The main reason has arguably to do with the changing nature of our world. Our society appears
to encourage the idea that we have to earn a lot and spend as much. This very notion has caused
many people to work long hours and neglect other aspects of their lives as a result. The
situation is compounded by the fact that today’s living standards are becoming increasingly
demanding, and people may find it difficult to measure up to these standards with a minimal
amount of work. Thus, when faced with a decision between working overtime or sending time
with family, their choice is clear. One obvious suggestion would be downgrading. If people
settle for a simpler life with fewer elements of extravagancy, they are sure to enjoy a happier
life.

The second but equally significant reason is poor time management. It is fair to suggest that
most people tend not to follow a set plan on how they would like to spend their day at work,
so they end up either wasting or ineffectively managing a valuable portion of their working
day. This, in turn, does not allow them to set aside time for other important personal matters
such as relationships, hobbies and recreation, personal fitness and so on. Organizing time
effectively does not have to be challenging if one is taught how to do it from a young age. In
this regard, the school curriculum should extend to include classes on time management for
children so that once they enter the world of work, they will not encounter the same challenges
their forerunners did. Similarly, seminars can be offered for adults in the workplace to improve
the general quality of their lives through better coordination skills.

In conclusion, while changes in our society and poor time management underlie the work and
life balance problem, solutions include downgrading to a simpler life and getting people to
learn how to manage time.

373 words, 40 mins

121
March 7, 2022

Some people say it is important to keep your home and your workplace tidy, with
everything organized in the correct place. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is believed by some that tidiness must be prioritized both at home and in the workplace.
While I agree that keeping everything in its own place at home is generally advantageous, I do
not think that the same should apply when it comes to the place of work.

Individuals should attach great significance to being organized at home for a number of
reasons. For one, if it is effortless to locate items, products, tools and kitchenware, people can
accomplish home chores faster since they already know the exact place where a certain item
is kept. A second benefit of storing everything in its place would be one of education. When
parents at home focus on taking things from one place and putting it exactly where it belongs,
they tend to discipline their children about the value of organization, which will surely be to
their advantage in the future. Finally, it is simply pleasing and satisfying to be and live in a
house or an apartment, unlike the one which is messy and untidy.

Nevertheless, I am against encouraging all employees to be concerned about organization. To

give just one example, only a small minority of employees are willing to stay after work to put
tools, stationery and documents in their original place since they usually rush home after a
long workday, and during the office hours, they are unlikely to find enough time to do so. I
also remember reading an article whose main message was: “order stifles creativity”. In other
words, in an organization or a company that overemphasizes organization, workers are less
likely to be creative, for they are not being exposed to novelty. To further prove this point, we
can look at the example of Albert Einstein, a world-famous physician, who worked in a
disorganized laboratory to foster creativity that led to many groundbreaking discoveries.
Therefore, to say that organization is key to productivity and success in the workplace in surely
an overstatement.

Overall, it excellent to be organized and keep everything in its own place at home; however, I
disapprove of encouraging this in the workplace for the reasons discussed above.

A fresh #task2 out of the oven 357 words in 39 minutes

122
March 10, 2022

Many people put their personal information online for purposes such as signing up for social
networks or online banking. Is this a positive or negative development?

Our personal lives have become more transparent as we use the Internet and reveal
increasingly more personal information, examples of which can be seen in the use of social
networks and online banking platforms. In my opinion, this trend is both beneficial and
detrimental in equal measure.

There are two main advantages of displaying information about ourselves on the Internet. One
of them is increased transparency. When a Facebook user, for instance, includes details about
their relationship status, it becomes easier for others to decide whether to text them or not for
the purpose of establishing relationships. Secondly, both online social networks and banking
apps require personal pieces of information, such as the city the user was born in and their
mother’s maiden name. Such details about individuals usually help companies to improve
security, strengthen user profiles and, if needed, ease the process of resetting the forgotten
password. In other words, these companies request personal information for improving their
customer experience and service.

However, there is the other side of the argument. Personal data we provide may be used for
financial gains. It is known that Facebook and Instagram – two popular social networks- sell
their users’ data to ad sponsors so that they can target the right audience, which I believe is
disrespectful towards customers. Another reason can be that these personal details make an
individual vulnerable to hacker attacks and scammers. In my university, I completed
Information Security module as part of my undergraduate studies in programming, and I know
that the less raw material there is to work with, the more difficult to access one’s profile,
whether it be a bank account or a social media page. It therefore can be argued that putting
your personal information on the web is not wholly positive.

Releasing one’s private information for signing up on social networks and online banking has
both pros and cons. On the whole, that’s why, I would argue that it is both a change for the
better and for the worse.

335 words.
123
March 11, 2022

Fossil fuels are the main source of energy around the world. However, people are being
encouraged to use alternative energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy and so
on. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

While most countries rely on fossil fuel as the primary source of energy, some people call for
a wider public acceptance of renewable energy sources. In my mind, the shift towards clean
energy is generally favorable, but admittedly not without its drawbacks.

On the one hand, it is essential to acknowledge some downsides to making so-called “green
energy” a standard source of energy. The main concern over the widespread adoption of
renewable energy is production cost. Contrary to what most people believe, generating energy
from replenishable sources such as wind and the Sun requires a substantial initial investment
to set up production and distribution, not to mention the expenses incurred from maintenance
and hiring specialists. All this further adds weight to the case against the usage of solar and
wind energy. One other immediate problem is likely to be a rise in unemployment once people
in the oil and gas industry are rendered jobless when there is lower demand for fossil fuel-
based energy forms. This is a legitimate concern given the number of people employed in the
fossil fuel energy industry.

That said, I believe more people should be encouraged to use clean energy. First of all,
switching to alternative energy would be a step in the right direction towards building a cleaner
world. It has been long established that the production of non-renewable energy as well as its
usage harms the environment by releasing pollutants like CO2 into the atmosphere, so cutting
down on our fossil fuel would reduce these harmful substances. This, in turn, helps alleviate
major environmental issues such as global warming and many forms of pollution.
Furthermore, from an economic standpoint, if countries embraced renewable energy, they
would be less dependent on giant oil suppliers like Russia and the UAE. Greater economic and
political freedom is going to benefit countries more in the long-run than the immediate costs
from clean energy.

In conclusion, I am convinced that encouraging more and more people to use renewable energy
is a positive development despite the above-mentioned drawbacks. 338 words, #classwork
124
March 17, 2022

Some scientists think that there are intelligent life forms on other planets and messages
should be sent to contact them. Other scientists think it is a bad idea and would be
dangerous. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Is there anybody out there in outer space? This question has been challenging scientists for
many years. Considering that there are extra-terrestrial life forms, a group of cosmologists
believe we should attempt to communicate with them in a certain form, whereas others claim
that it is wrong and poses potential threats. I personally support the latter side of the debate
and will explain why below.

Those who argue in favor of contacting aliens have sound reasons for doing so. One reason is
purely scientific. Scientists theorized that the universe is many billions of years old, while life
on Earth, according to them, did not begin as soon as heavens formed. This means that any
form of life, if any, as old as our civilization or older could possibly help human race
understand their and the universe’s origins. Another reason is that alien civilizations are likely
to be highly advanced, maybe more than us. Humans could probably ask them for assistance
in solving widespread problems, such as nuclear war and pollution, here on Earth.

There is the other side of the debate, however. I agree with opponents of the idea of sending
signals for communicating with extra-terrestrial intelligent creatures. First and foremost,
considering that scientists have established contact with them, we would still be unaware of
language they speak nor their intentions; they might be malicious, and invade the Earth,
possibly exterminating human race. Additionally, it is not workable, for there is a whole range
of issues involved, ranging from costs to distance and time. I remember reading an article on
the very topic which stated all attempts to contact a few hundred stars close to Earth have been
futile. In this regard, resources being spent on this kind of research could be put to better uses
here on Earth.

Trying to reach out to intelligent aliens has both pros and cons. Nevertheless, I am of the view
that such research is useless and can prove life-threatening, the two reasons which outweigh
any benefits this investigation might bring about.

337 words. #classwork

125
March 18, 2022

People are using a lot of online language translation apps.

What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Online translation tools are in growing use these days. While there are some obvious benefits
to this case, possible drawbacks should be taken into account.

To start with the benefits, arguably the most important and immediate one is instant and direct
communication between the speakers of different languages. That is, the advent of translation
software has made human interpreters less integral to intercultural correspondence. People
now can interact with foreigners without the need for another person translating their points
from one language to another. In this sense, translation apps have made the lives of people
from virtually all walks of life more convenient. Besides, no longer do people have to pay for
a human translator when there are algorithms that can do it for free. Even if these computer
programs are paid, they cost significantly less than a professional interpreter since the cost of
these programs is shared by millions of people around the world.

Having said that, it should be acknowledged that online translation applications are not without
their downsides. One major issue is the abundance of mistakes in translation. Such programs
are known to produce errors in grammar, word choice, and context. The occurrence of mistakes
is even greater when rather advanced texts are translated on these translators. There is also a
concern over a loss of human expressions like irony, humor, and some other cues that are
unique to certain cultures when using online interpreters. Finally, however counter-intuitive it
may sound, computer translators have made people less efficient in learning foreign languages.
This is simply because online translation tools, among other things, create greater room for
cheating among second language learners.

In conclusion, while the main upsides to online language translators are their convenience and
low cost, the possibility of technical problems and cheating can be considered as their possible
downsides.

303 words, #classwork

126
March 28, 2022

Some people think that the purpose of TV news programs is to entertain viewers. Others
believe that news programs should be educational and informative.

What do you think the purpose of TV news programs is?

TV news programs are often seen as distributors of news, committed to informing the public
on events that happen internationally as well as locally. Some, however, argue that these
programs should offer entertaining content to their audiences. In my view, news broadcasting
networks should aim to do both if they are to succeed in the TV industry.

One of the mass media's main roles, including TV news programs, is to act as a watchdog for
the general public. In other words, they watch events happening around the world closely and
report them to their viewers so that they can make well-informed decisions. Were it not for
TV news outlets, our main source of information, we would fail to make proper judgements
based on facts and maintain the status quo. Furthermore, some news programs should deliver
educational content, such as insights into the habitats and lives of animals, to raise people's
awareness of different topics. Televising educational shows to public would make education
more accessible as well as allowing people to make a wiser use of their time than they
otherwise would.

That said, I am of the view that content on TV news programs should be extended to include
entertainment segments. This is because most people find news boring, so the only way to
keep them interested seems to be offering amusing content to their audiences. The very factual
and information-dense nature of news on TV puts off many people and no longer appeal to
them anymore. One way to keep TV viewers interested is by reporting news in a comedy
routine fashion rather than simply reading it off a teleprompt. Such practice can already be
seen on some America TV news networks like CNN and Fox news where correspondents give
their takes on the topics they report and try to describe them with satire.

In conclusion, while some people contend that TV news programs should only focus on
reporting news and providing educational content, I would rather have them diversify their
role by incorporating more entertainment. 337 words, 40 mins

127
March 30, 2022

Some people believe that handwriting is no longer useful in the modern world and should
not be taught in schools. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Handwriting has been used for centuries to exchange and store information. However, it is
argued that primary school children do not have to learn how to write as it is not as crucial to
their success as it used to be. While there is some truth to this argument, I believe that
handwriting remains to be an indispensable part of our lives.

To start, there are some reasons why some assert that there is little point/use in learning how
to write. The most obvious reason has to do with advanced technology. Whereas in the past
using a computer to do everyday tasks at school and work was not an attractive option, current
technologies now have made it desirable to conduct day-to-day activities electronically. What
makes writing on electronic devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones a more practical
decision is the wide range of functions they offer such as editing, highlighting, referencing and
other similar features with relative ease. Furthermore, when typed, information can be shared
instantly with anyone in any corner of the world. The case for typing is even stronger when
considering the fact that typed information can be stored safely as there is little danger of
losing it in the case of, say, fire.

However, I am of the opinion that abandoning handwriting is not a sensible decision. Firstly,
most business as well as government operations in many parts of the world are still done on
paper, so if school children were not taught how to write by hand, they would have a difficult
time working in positions that require the skill of handwriting. One other reason is associated
with the role of handwriting in one’s literacy status. That is, those people who cannot write by
hand are technically considered illiterate. No parent would want to see their children fail
simply because their children were not taught how to write at school. Last but not least,
handwriting can sometimes be used to characterize a person; poor handwriting is often linked
with the qualities of being impatient and busy while people with excellent mastery of
handwriting are known for being patient and organized.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that handwriting is yet to lose its value in our lives even
though there are suggestions to substitute it with technology. 381 words, #classwork
128
April 1, 2022

Many parents complain about violence promoted to their children through video games,
TV programs and other media. Why is it happening? What can be the solution for it?

Parents are becoming increasingly concerned with violent content their children are exposed
to via different entertainment platforms such as video games and TV. In my mind, there are
two underlying reasons why this is the case, and I believe that more parental and government
involvement will be required to counter this issue.

To start, it is important to understand why violence has become so mainstream these days.
Seeing graphic images excites children as they do not normally encounter violence in the real
world. Entertainment companies, video game and movie producers by extension, leverage on
this fact and use it as a tool to keep children interested. The more violence children see, the
longer they are likely to keep watching, which means more profit for those providing such
content. Parents, in this sense, are justified in raising concerns over this issue. They fear that
violence from video games and etc. may transition into their children’s character and
encourage similar behavior among them. Studies also have shown that constant exposure to
violence desensitize children to it and normalize criminal conduct.

Given this, certain measures should be taken before children become victims of violent
content. One immediate solution is more parental supervision. Parents should act more vigilant
and carefully monitor how their children spend their time on electronic devices. More
specifically, this can be done by setting limitations on age-restricted content by allowing
children to watch media content only in the presence of parents or letting them do it for a set
amount of time. Government’s role in tackling this issue is also indispensable. It should charge
technology companies with the task of creating algorithms that do not allow children to stream
violent content. Even though this suggestion is going to be met with strong opposition, that it
infringes on other people’s right, the long-term benefits for our posterity will be more
significant.

In conclusion, while the appeal of violence and its possible detrimental effects on children
explain the concern expressed by parents, solutions involve coordinated efforts from parents
and government. 339 words, #classwork
129
April 4, 2022

Some people say patriotism causes problems and is negative overall. Others feel it is
beneficial for society at large. Do the advantages of patriotism outweigh its
disadvantages?

There appear to be reservations as to whether patriotism is a desirable attribute. Some contend

that it can be a cause for concern while others are of the opinion that patriotism, by and large,
benefits our society. I personally share the former view.

On the one hand, patriotism can go a long way towards driving a country successful. First of
all, with patriotism comes a stronger sense of community, love to one’s motherland and
compatriots who live in it. Such a quality serves as a catalyst for a more peaceful society where
people live in harmony and generally avoid confrontations of any form. It can also benefit the
economy since a country will enjoy a workforce driven by a common goal. This can be seen
in the case of China where the country’s interests are prioritized and everyone is expected to
do their part to contribute to them. Were it not for the shared love of the motherland, China
would not be as successful as it is now.

On the other hand, a case can be made that a sense of love of one’s country can sometimes be
disadvantageous. People with an inflated feeling of patriotism tend to put their country’s
interests above everyone else’s and try to advance them at all costs. This, in most cases, leads
to global conflicts such as trade wars and actual physical confrontations, consequences of
which are faced by more than just the countries responsible for such events. The trade war
between China and the USA is a good case in point. This so-called war affected the global
prices of goods and services and drove many companies further down the supply chain
bankrupt. Besides, if history has anything to teach, it is that it was those countries driven by
nationalist ideologies like the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany that brought on wars
and genocides in an attempt to consolidate their national agenda and gain worldwide
supremacy. In no sense can patriotism be justified if it comes at the expense of others.

In conclusion, as much as I think we should all be patriotic to a certain extent, it should not be
forgotten that it can do more harm than good when accepted as the ultimate driver behind a
country’s success. 376 words, 40 mins
130
April 6, 2022

Some people believe that there will be a reduction in air travel in the future.

Do you think that this trend is a positive or negative development?

There is no denying that air travel has made it possible to travel over long distances in a
relatively short period of time. It is, however, suggested that fewer and fewer people will use
this mode of transport in the future. While I believe this development can be considered a
positive one in some respects, I am inclined to think that it is generally an undesirable turn of
events.
To start, one cannot dismiss some positive changes that would follow once people travelled
less frequently. The most immediate benefit would be to the environment. Air travel has
received a bad press for being detrimental to the environment since it requires substantially
more fuel than the other forms of transport and is responsible for massive greenhouse gas
emissions annually. For this reason, environmentalists are adamant that these problems will
be remedied at once if there is a move away from travelling by air. A fall in migration patterns
is also argued to be one other positive outcome of reduced air travel. It is a well-known fact
that human migration to far-off destinations accelerated with the instant availability of airlines,
so one can expect migration rates to fall back down to more acceptable levels once air travel
falls out of favor.
That said, I consider that the infrequent use of airlines to travel is, on the whole, a negative
development. First, industries that rely on air transportation such as tourism and delivery will
suffer. This is because these two industries, in particular, owe their success to air travel,
without which people would be less encouraged to take long trips and international delivery
would be less practical. Other major industries that branch out from these fields such as hotel
business and international wholesale would not be as successful as these services bank on the
availability of airlines. Furthermore, a reduction in airline use is likely to lead to major setbacks
in business operations. Most people who go on business trips generally prefer air transportation
for its convenience and comfort: once this travel option is made unavailable, fewer people will
be interested in travelling for business purposes.
In conclusion, despite the possible benefits from less frequent air travel, I am of the view that
it brings more harm than good.
376 words

131
April 7, 2022

It has been often said when an individual behaves in an anti-social way, society in general
is to blame. What causes this behavior? Who is responsible for dealing with it?

It is true that acting against social norms is a serious concern in almost all countries of the
world. Some people assign the blame on society for this sort of asocial behavior. While there
are some reasons that might explain why do individuals do so, governments and parents can
take effective measures to combat this ill-behavior.

The first cause has to do with family environment. In many families, parents spend so much
time at work that they set hardly any time for their children. Having had few moral lessons by
their parents, young people may not be able to have any idea about acceptable codes of
conduct, and thus misbehave in public, for example, by discriminating others or committing
juvenile delinquencies. Another reason is probably excessive social media exposure. A recent
increase in the number of viners, prankers and so-called bloggers has meant that people, young
ones especially, want overnight fame. In their eyes, one of the best ways to reach this is through
bad publicity. For instance, a famous Russian blogger Litvin burned his car and obtained
millions of subscribers, which might send a message to followers that they can do the same to
become famous.

To fight against behaving socially unacceptable, parents, first of all, should be more concerned
about their upbringing. They should spend more time with their children so that they form an
understanding of what is right and wrong. Aside from moral instructions, parents should also
make sure that their children are occupied with something worthwhile; for instance, attending
after-school activities, doing sports and being engaged in voluntary work. All these should
leave the child with little motivation to misbehave. For older people who show socially
inappropriate behavior, governments should play an active part by imposing stricter measures.
If wrongdoers were fined heavily or imprisoned in the most serious cases, people would
probably think twice before acting in an anti-social way.

The motives of anti-social behavior seem to be rooted in families and increased social media
use. Parents and governments, however, can take a number of steps to cope with this issue.

347 words. #classwork

132
April 11, 2022

Many young people spend their free time in shopping malls. This has negative effects
both on society and young people. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is true that shopping malls are gaining in popularity among young people these days. Some,
however, argue that this trend will harm these people and ultimately, our society. I agree with
this assertion to a large extent even though I believe that such a trend has its own upsides.

To start, it is important to recognize how young people’s proclivity towards shopping at malls
can be advantageous. Most young people go shopping after school or at the weekends to take
a break in the daily routine. Their study schedule can sometimes be hectic, leaving little room
for entertainment, and shopping can provide them with a necessary escape. This is also ideal
for business owners as it can boost their sales once their products get seen by more customers.
Even if businesses do not make much revenue from sales to teenagers, their brand and, by
extension, their products, will receive more recognition seeing as it is common among young
people to talk about what they see on sale. Few marketing strategies are as effective as a word
of mouth.

That said, I share the view that the rising popularity of shopping among young people is a
rather undesirable development. First of all, too much time spent at shopping malls can make
one materialistic, and young people are no exception. That is, a teenager or a child surrounded
by a wide array of tempting products cannot help but wonder if he or she can have it all one
day. This desire will eventually turn into an obsession - to own as many things as possible. It
is even more so when they see other people afford those things, but they cannot. Eventually,
this feeling will give way to materialism, which is measuring everything in monetary terms.
The most profound effect of it, on a societal level, would be the creation of a culture of people
driven by materialism, which is a modern scourge seen in developed nations like the USA.

In conclusion, while some benefits can be attributed to the growing popularity of shopping
malls among young people, I believe the harmful effects both on youngsters and society are
more pronounced.

360 words, 40 mins

133
April 12, 2022

Nowadays, a lot of offices employ open-space designs instead of separate rooms for work.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

The idea of a perfect work environment differs from company to company, but more of them,
these days, are shifting towards shared-space designs. In my view, the drawbacks this approach
brings about are far outweighed by the positives.

There are a number of disadvantages of applying a common work area for all staff members.
One of them is the potential loss of productivity. This is because when all employees use an
open space, it tends to be noisy from time to time, leading to distractions from work. Being
unable to focus, workers may not be able to complete delegated tasks, or even if they did, it
might be of lower quality. Secondly, this kind of workplace can mean lack of privacy. If
workers, for instance, want to make phone calls, discuss personal matters and intend to rest
for a while, they have to do it in public, unlike having their separate rooms.

Nevertheless, I am of the view that the benefits of sharing working space are more significant
than the above-mentioned negatives. First and foremost, it fosters better communication.
Because there are no borders between employees of different levels of hierarchy, ideas flow
more smoothly. Famous tech giant Facebook, for example, employed this design, and saw an
immense rise in efficiency, for there was no need to walk from room to room to deliver a
message. Employing this method is also a step forward to greater equality in the workplace.
This is because everybody will have to make use of the same environment, facilities and
resources, such as a panoramic view, air conditioning and a water cooler. Receiving the same
treatment as their executives, other workers are likely to feel a greater sense of satisfaction, as
a result.

In conclusion, using an open-space work environment has both pros and cons. In my opinion,
however, the benefits of improved communication and maintaining equality outweigh the
potential issues of distractions and privacy loss.

41 minutes. 320 words.

134
April 13, 2022

The personal information of many individuals is held by large internet companies and
organizations. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of this?

The role of the Internet in our lives is more significant than ever. It is so much so that
technology giants such as Google and Facebook have access to personal data of billions of
internet users. While there are some benefits to this phenomenon, drawbacks should not be
ignored.

To start, there are some upsides to huge online platforms owning their users’ data, the most
obvious one of which is free access to these websites. Most people see realize that the only
way these companies offer free service is if they are supported by other entities like marketing
companies. Knowing this, the majority of internet users do not mind having their personal data
be traded for access to commonly-used online sites at no cost. Personal information collected
from platform users can be put to good use in other ways. This data allows marketing
companies to make advertisements tailored to their audiences’ needs. In this way, interaction
between the seller and the customer can take place in a more meaningful fashion.

That said, possible harms stemming from this phenomenon should not be overlooked. On an
individual level, there are concerns over user privacy. People are worried that powerful
companies including Google and Facebook, to name but a few, might use their users’ logs –
online activities – to track individuals and use this information as leverage. Even if these
companies intend no harm to their users, they stand little chance of protecting their user data
when attacked by online hacker groups. The recent online leak of information belonging to
iCloud users is a good case in point. Finally, giant social media companies like Facebook and
Twitter have been reported to abuse power. Some whistleblowers have claimed that these
companies use algorithms and censorship to influence the hearts and the minds of constituents,
hence manipulating the outcome of elections.

In conclusion, while the main advantages of allowing major online companies to own our
personal information are free access and better marketing, the disadvantages range from lack
of public trust over user privacy and abuse of power. 344 words, #classwork

135
April 19, 2022

All natural resources are limited. It is therefore important that all companies make
products that can be used for many years. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample#1:

How can we conserve natural resources? This question has become a very popular topic of
discussion in today's world. It is argued that all manufacturers should produce long-lasting
goods. While I concur that there is a certain logic behind this statement, to my mind, the
importance of alternative methods should not be overlooked.
To start, the argument in favor of the idea that all companies should be obliged to make
products that can be utilized for a long period of time can be logical for a couple of reasons.
First and foremost, it should come as no surprise that we live in a throwaway society, and one
potential reason of it is the inferior quality of products. A new body of research has shown that
high quality products are capable of creating a strong emotional connection with their owners,
which, as a result, prevent them from throwing such products away. Another reason is that
producing long-lasting products can be an efficient way of preserving natural resources. It is
well-known that it requires more resources to make a lot of products that may barely last more
than a week than to produce a limited amount of goods that can serve people for many years,
if not decades. In short, the more long-lasting and high-quality products are, the less of natural
resources will be exploited.
Nevertheless, I believe that applying some other options can be equally effective. One possible
option is increasing awareness of the youth. It is not a secret that most youngsters who live in
Third World countries are ill-informed on current environmental issues besetting the world,
and conducting lessons and therefore, educating them on the dangers of wasting natural
resources can shape responsible citizens. Moreover, governments should increase taxes on
using natural resources that already exist. Paying a certain amount of their income will be
probably to make people more cautious while dealing with riches of nature. Hopefully, it will
cease the overexploitation of natural resources.
In conclusion, although I admit that all producers should strive to make long-lasting products
to preserve natural resources, other alternatives to this method can work equally effectively.
354 words, 40mins

136
Sample#2:

There is no arguing that the Earth’s natural resources are finite. In this light, some suggest that
all products have an extended lifespan if we are to save our plant. I personally share the same
view even though I admit that not all companies are better off pursuing this strategy.

To start, there are some convincing arguments against making long-lasting products, the most
important one of which is design issues. Designing a product with a more than average lifespan
is a monumental task for companies like electronics manufacturers. It can sometimes be years,
if not decades, before they research and develop a product that is superior to its counterparts
in terms of its durability and longevity. A better option for these companies is to make several
versions of a product over time and make gradual improvements. This way, they can stay
lucrative and eventually devise products that last long. Besides, there is little point in making
durable products when people are reluctant to give up their harmful purchasing habits. People
buying a new smartphone though the one they already have can serve them another decade is
a good case in point.

That said, I am a passionate supporter of any business practice, including the one in question,
that will ultimately benefit our planet. Implementing policies that encourage companies to
commit to making products that will serve us longer seems to be a sensible step towards easing
pressure on the planet’s natural resources. Once people had the option to buy a product with
an extended life warranty, they would most likely not buy a new one soon. The less frequently
they purchase a particular product, the fewer of it companies will manufacture, the less of
natural resources required to make it will be exploited. It would also mean less waste since
people would not dispose of their possessions such as a fridge until they reach their full
lifespan.

In conclusion, despite the possible downsides to making products that lasts long, I believe that
the benefits to our planet are tremendous.

339 words, 40mins

137
April 19, 2022

Some people think that schools should select students according to their academic
abilities, while others believe that it is better to have students with different abilities
studying together. Discuss and give you own opinion.

Educationalists have long been searching for ways to deliver knowledge in an optimal fashion.
Some have suggested admitting students based on their academic ability, whereas other people
state the importance of mixed-ability classrooms. In my opinion, schools that stream learners
upon selection according to their capacities are better.

There are various reasons why students of different abilities should be taught with talented
ones. One of them is equality. When these two categories of learners are placed together, they
tend to feel that they are receiving the same treatment no matter their academic abilities.
Conversely, streaming usually leaves a large number of demotivated and dissatisfied students
behind. Another reason has to do with better academic support. If slow learners encounter
difficulties in certain subjects or topics, they have a chance to address knowledgeable and
gifted peers, who can help them learn. By doing so, the relationship among classmates or
groupmates is likely to improve, and this can be an excellent start for long-lasting friendships.

In my view, however, sorting students in education is more effective. First and foremost,
students can advance at a faster pace, as they possess similar academic abilities. This allows
academic institutions to cover more topics or teach more modules during the course for the
year. Besides learning at a quicker tempo, a competitive environment is created for students.
It is far easier for students of the same level and capabilities to compete healthily than when
they are put in a mixed-ability classroom. Ultimately, the job of teachers is eased significantly
if they are imparting knowledge to a class of the gifted. This is because they do not have to
adjust their style of teaching to cater for different learning needs. This implies better
satisfaction for the pedagogues as well as their disciples.

In conclusion, providing education to an integrated-ability classroom can mean greater

equality and academic assistance. However, I believe that streamed approach of education is
a lot better, for it is efficient, competitive and more fulfilling.

#classwork
138
April 20, 2022

Some think increasing business and cultural contact between nations is positive. Others
think it leads to the disappearance of the national identity.

Discuss both views and state your own opinion.

Countries now engage in cultural and business exchange more than ever. While some consider
this trend a desirable one, others are concerned that the loss of the national identity is one
possible outcome. To my way of thinking, even though there is a prospect of disappearance of
some cultures, the overall benefits are more significant.

Initially, reservations over the wholesomeness of greater intercultural interaction are

legitimate to some extent. People who oppose this phenomenon, and globalization, by
extension, believe that dominant cultures, such as those of the West’s, can spell death knell
for less common ones. Once the representatives of a minority group are exposed to foreign
customs and ways of life, they stand very little chance of preserving their own. Instances form
history where a host country’s culture, including their language, traditions and religion, was
replaced with a new one after outsiders settled down in that particular country are plenty.

I am, however, inclined to think that the current trend of heightened cross-cultural
correspondence in terms of business and culture is generally positive. The most favorable
aspect of such a development is going to be greater world peace. That is, the more countries
cooperate, the more likely they will reach mutual understanding and develop respect towards
one another. This ensures a conflict-free world for the citizens of the world as well as future
generations. An equally beneficial implication would be the redistribution and creation of
wealth in less-privileged nations. If more business transactions were conducted across the
world, poor countries particularly, money would exchange hands more often, leading to more
dynamic economies and eventually, improved living standards.

In conclusion, though there are people who see globalization in a less favorable light, I prefer
to have to an optimistic view as far as cultural and business contact between nations is
concerned.

300 words, #classwork

139
April 22, 2022

Nowadays, more and more older people have to compete with young people for the same
job. What problems can this cause? What are the solutions?

Improvements in technology as well as medicine have increased people’s life expectancies

these days, and an increasing number of older people are in good physical health, allowing
them to work even in their 70s. This is making the world of work even more competitive.
While some problems are certain to arise as a result of this trend, a number of steps can be
taken to deal with them.

The main problem is perhaps a rise in unemployment figures. When a young or elderly person
competes for the same position, one of them will definitely have to lose, for the company needs
the most qualified, professional, and experienced candidate. Fierce competition in the job
market is also likely to place an academic burden on job applicants, whether old or young. If
people see that it is becoming tougher to get a job, they tend to think of ways to develop a
competitive advantage over others, and one of the most obvious methods of doing so is through
further education. If, in the past, it was possible to receive a job offer without a college or
university degree, it no longer seems to be the case.

Nevertheless, several effective steps can be taken to tackle these issues. First and foremost,
more factories, offices, and workplaces have to be built, and governments play an essential
part in this, either by doing it themselves or incentivizing private organizations. This should
create more job openings for people, thereby decreasing unemployment numbers. Another
workable solution could be to seek opportunities overseas. It is true that there is an uneven
demand for labor around the world; I was surprised to see the number of vacancies in the USA
upon my visit there. So, perhaps governments should establish employment links with
countries that are in need of a workforce.

In conclusion, the issues of growing unemployment and increased expectations as a result of

young and old people competing for the same employment openings can be alleviated by
creating more opportunities within countries and overseas, and governments are big players in
this.

340 words. 46 minutes.

140
April 24, 2022

Some education systems require students to specialize in a limited range of subjects from
the age of 15. Other education systems require students to study a wide range subjects
until they leave school. What are benefits of each system? Which do you think is better?

Education experts have been seeking ways of delivering knowledge that align with learners'
as well as society's needs. Some high schools, therefore, have implemented a curriculum
composed of a wide variety of subjects, while others prefer a system with only a few modules
taught with a deeper focus. This essay will explore the benefits of both methods of education,
but in my view, specialization is better than generalization.

Studying a large number of subjects at high school does have certain benefits. For one, it
nurtures well-rounded individuals in the long run. This is because students study a little bit of
everything, not limiting themselves to specific areas. Secondly, this method of education helps
learners form a better understanding of specialties before finally reaching a conclusion. Some
children at the age of 15 may be too young, immature, and indecisive to specialize and would
prefer to study many subjects until they find their feet.

High schools with specialized syllabi are more effective, in my opinion. One benefit of this
approach is that it sets the stage for a future career. If, for instance, students who dream of
becoming doctors study chemistry and biology thoroughly, while those who want to be
engineers master math, physics, and art, then they will have developed a solid foundation
before starting higher education. This approach in education is also likely to create a better
learning environment. When like-minded students are grouped together, competition is
encouraged, leading to better assimilation and transmission of knowledge. Conversely, this is
unlikely to be the case in the other type of schools, for students there seem to be "just learning",
rather than mastering an area.

In conclusion, although studying a diverse range of subjects starting from the age of 15 at
school is helpful in numerous ways, I believe that focusing only on a limited set of modules is
more preferable, as this is likely to be more useful for students' future careers and creates a
perfect learning environment.

328 words. #classwork

141
April 25, 2022

Some people think that good teamwork makes a company successful, others think that
good leadership is the reason behind the success of a company. Discuss both sides and
give your opinion.
There have been plenty of queries on what makes for a successful company. While some link
corporate success to good teamwork, others attribute it to having exemplary leadership. In my
view, these two factors cannot be brought into comparison as far as success in business is
concerned, for they are both equally important.

To start, successful teamwork can be essential in some situations to ensure a company’s

prosperity. When there are several people collaborating on a project, there is higher chances
of success as the problem at hand can be tackled in different ways. That is, people with varying
backgrounds and skill sets have a lot to bring to the table, and when their forces are united,
any monumental task, whether it be a new product design or a market analysis, seems fairly
doable. Furthermore, proper co-operation can make a huge difference if the task to be
completed is enormous. In this case, people with a strong sense of teamwork are more likely
to succeed seeing as they can share the workload with one another and still be able to work
efficiently.

The role of a strong leader, however, can never be overlooked. A competent and inspiring
leader is often seen as a recipe for success in corporate context, and this has to do with their
ability to make challenging goals achievable. A leader is someone to be looked up to and
thought of as having a suite of essential qualities and skills such as clear vision and skillful
execution. Without someone possessing these attributes in their corner, most employees find
themselves helpless when dealing with daunting tasks. This is even more so in the world of
business where competition constantly keeps growing and standards keep being raised.
Besides, most companies recognize the importance of assigning one single individual to the
position of authority so that people will not pull in different directions, as it is common with
groupwork.

In conclusion, I am now more convinced that both teamwork and good leadership are critical
to a company’s long-term survival. Given this, companies should pursue both strategies if they
are to remain profitable and sustainable. 353 words, 40 mins
142
April 26, 2022

In some countries, more and more people are becoming interested in finding out about
the history of the house or building they live in. What are the reasons for this? How can
people research this?

Increasingly more individuals are developing a keen interest in learning more about the origins
of their houses or buildings they reside in. There are a number of reasons why this is the case,
and this research can be undertaken utilizing several different sources.

People’s growing curiosity about the history of their houses or areas of residence can be
explained by some reasons. The main one is safety. If the premises an individual lives in is too
old, doubts arise as to whether it can withstand earthquakes and other natural phenomena, so
a piece of research would be useful in investigating physical properties of that building.
Another cause can be to determine the value of a place of residence. When an apartment or a
house is of historical importance, it tends to have a high price. The more the owner is informed
about their property, the more accurately they can estimate the cost of it.

Several sources of information can be employed in this investigation. The development of

technology in recent years has enabled people to find relevant information on any matter
instantaneously, and buildings’ background is not an exception. So, users can search for the
date of construction, the architect, interior and exterior design features on the internet. The
second credible source of information can be experts, ranging from architects to historians.
They usually have a thorough understanding of constructions and can provide the owners with
all needed details. Finally, dwellers can address local or even national archives. These are the
places where trustworthy information about almost everything can be found, so documents
stored there can be of great assistance in this piece of research.

In conclusion, people’s interest in the past of their places of residence is increasing due mainly
to the reasons of safety and identifying the property’s value. In carrying out this research,
online sources, expert knowledge and official historical documents can play an essential part.

319 words. More or less 40 min.

143
May 12, 2022

Ambition is seen as an important human quality in many societies today.

How important is to want success in life?

Is it a positive or negative characteristic to have?

Many traits are considered as far as one’s success in life is concerned. Among these, ambition
– a strong desire to achieve things in life – is arguably the most sought-after one. In keeping
with the theme, I share the view that ambition is a prerequisite to success. That said, I would
also like to argue that ambition can sometimes prove undesirable.

To start, few can deny the importance of ambition in one’s life. Ambition adds substance to
life. That is, it is this very quality that makes our lives meaningful. If it were not for ambition,
people would not have any pursuits such as a job or a hobby, living lives devoid of meaning.
Furthermore, we would not be where we are, as a civilization, without the feeling of setting
stretch goals and attaining them. We keep pushing the boundaries of science and art thanks to
this attribute. Any recent scientific breakthrough or novelty in art can serve as an example;
people behind these achievements are, more often than not, driven by ambition.

Having established the significance of ambition as a strong indicator of success, I would also
make the case that it is not necessarily the best quality to have. This is especially true in the
context of business where it can turn people into corrupt, cynical individuals who show little
compassion to their fellow citizens and take unjustified risks in the name of ambitious quests.
The 2008 Financial Crisis in the US is a good case in point. The causes of this tragic event can
be traced back to power-hungry bankers who drove millions of people bankrupt with their so-
called “ambitious housing projects”.

In conclusion, ambition plays an essential role in one’s success in life, but it is only so when
possessed in moderation. Otherwise, it can be a recipe for disaster.

303 words, 40mins

144