2013 BC IELTS PT 4 Academic Writing

WRITING

WRITING TASK 1
 

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The two maps below show an island before and after its development into a
tourist destination.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

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 2013 BC IELTS PT 4 Academic Writing

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 2013 BC IELTS PT 4 Academic Writing

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In many countries, elderly people make up a large sector of the population, and this is
causing concern for governments.
What do you think are the problems associated with an ageing population and what
measures could governments take to deal with the issue?

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

Write at least 250 words.

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 2013 BC IELTS PT 4 Academic Writing

WRITING TASK 1 – Model Answer

The maps represent an island developed for tourism. Pre-development, there was little on
the island apart from its natural features and a tiny fishing village. After the transformation,
some of the natural features have been accentuated and others have disappeared, but the
major differences have been the construction of a road, several buildings and a wharf.

The original island was forested, with a swamp at the northern end and a lake in the middle.
In the south, a few simple dwellings surrounded a natural harbour where fishing boats were
moored, and a footpath connected the village to the lake.

After development, fewer trees remain but the swamp has been turned into a wildlife refuge
and the lake is now surrounded by accommodation units, from where a footpath runs to the
sandy swimming beach in the east. A recreation centre and a restaurant have replaced the
village and a wharf juts out into the harbour. A road runs around the perimeter of the island
linking the deep-water cove in the west, which is used for diving, to the other facilities.

Although development has had a negative impact on the forest, other natural features have
been preserved and construction has been concentrated in the centre and south of the
island.

208 words

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 2013 BC IELTS PT 4 Academic Writing

WRITING TASK 2 – Model Answer

In the developed countries of the world, the proportion of older citizens is undoubtedly
increasing, and this is causing anxiety for the governments involved. The problems are many
and, as yet, there are few solutions.

The main problem is an economic one. Retirees generally draw a government pension and
require more healthcare and other welfare assistance, but there are fewer young people in
stable employment to pay the taxes for their support. There is also a lack of infrastructure;
for example, aged care facilities and geriatric hospitals, and a dire shortage of medical
personnel and support staff to operate the amenities that are currently in existence, let alone
those that may be built in the future.

What can governments do? In the short term, they could raise the retirement age so that
people have to work longer before collecting a pension. Secondly, they could make saving
for retirement more attractive by reducing the tax paid on interest earned or by offering other
incentives. In addition, governments should start massive construction programmes to
accommodate the elderly and invest in recruiting and training personnel to look after them.
Both of these schemes would create jobs for the younger generation which, in turn, would
raise tax revenues. Governments must also promote health and fitness awareness amongst
the aging and encourage personal responsibility for this. Finally, they should consider
assisting families in looking after elderly relatives in their own homes, which would be a
cheaper option than putting them into care.

In conclusion, although there are undoubtedly economic, infrastructure and staffing problems
arising from an aging population, some of these could be addressed by the immediate
introduction of a few pragmatic, albeit unpopular, government measures (such as increasing
the age of eligibility for a pension) as well as long-term investment in building and training.

300 words

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