Academic Module – Practice Test 3

employment opportunities allow workers a higher

WRITING
TEST 3
Writing Task 1 - Sample
The table displays how engaged users are in four
different social networks, and the pie graph
illustrates how the market is divided up between
those sites.
Overall, Facebook has a share of the market that is
more than the other three sites combined.
Additionally, people log in to Twitter per day more
times than any other network, but spend the least
amount of total time there, whereas users of
LinkedIn spend more time on that site than any
other social network, but log in the least number of
times.
The average Twitter user checks the application
nearly 30 times per day; however, they only spend
just over half an hour per day there in total. This is
in contrast to LinkedIn, where the average member
only visits the site around 7 times per day, but in
total spends nearly two hours per day there.
Average Facebook and Instagram users click on
those sites 18.2 and 16.6 times a day respectively
and use the sites for around one hour.
Facebook has just over half of the social
networking market, whereas Twitter and Instagram
have just under a fifth each. LinkedIn has the
smallest share with just over a tenth.
(198 words)
standard of living. This is because more citizens
have income to spend on items such as good
quality food, education or housing, which improves
their quality of life. For example, in Europe, families
with steady incomes from work are more likely to
have money to spend on heating their homes
properly.
However, if the growth of the economy is pursued
at all costs, this can lead to devastating
environmental effects. To improve an economy, it
is common to increase the number of businesses
setting up factories, which often creates high levels
of pollution detrimental to the environment. In
addition, this has negative effects on the health of
residents. Local inhabitants breathe in toxic fumes
which can cause a range of serious illnesses. For
instance, residents in areas with high levels of air
pollution are more likely to suffer from respiratory
diseases and shortened life expectancies.
In conclusion, a focus on the economy can benefit
a country’s population with a higher employment
rate and the comforts that come with more money,
while the drawbacks are the accompanying
pollution, which may damage both the
environment and the health of the citizens.
(283 words)

Writing Task 2 - Sample

The governments of many states believe that their
primary role is to ensure that the economy of their
country becomes stronger and that this should
take precedence over any other consideration. This
essay will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of
such a policy.
A significant advantage of pursuing economic
growth so fervently is that it can increase the
number of available jobs. With economic growth
come opportunities for more start-ups and the
expansion of current businesses, thus, also a need
for workers. An additional benefit is that these

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Academic Module – Practice Test 3
Writing Section – Further Practice
Writing Task 1 - Sample
The bar graph displays the salaries of various jobs
in the UK, while the table shows the typical
working hours every week for each of these
occupations.
Overall, all of the professions surveyed witness a
wage raise after three years of experience. In
addition, while underground drivers receive the
highest wage among them, they have to work the
shortest hours.
Underground drivers receive the highest starting
salary of just under £50,000, which increases to
around £51,000 after three years. This is in contrast
to nurses, who only earn about £18,000 when they
start and just under £20,000 after three years’
time. A police officer earns approximately £22,000,
rising only marginally after the three-year period.
Teachers and firefighters make about £31,000 and
£40,000, respectively, and their salaries increase
by around £1,000.
Moving on to the table, teachers and firefighters
spend the most hours per week working, both
averaging 55 hours. By contrast, underground
drivers put in the shortest hours per week, clocking
in at just 36 hours on average. Police and nurses
work around 40 hours per week.
(177 words)
Writing Task 2 - Sample
Many students finish high school and opt for a gap
year to engage in work or travel instead of
attending higher education. This essay will discuss
the advantages and disadvantages to this decision.
A major advantage of taking a gap year is that
students can discover their true vocation before
committing to an education path. That is to say,
many high school graduates feel uncertain about
which career to pursue and end up choosing the
wrong major, so taking a gap year to work can help
them gain new insights into which job is suitable
for them. Secondly, a gap year can provide them
with time to prepare financially for higher
education. In many places, university students
have to pay exorbitant tuition fees, so a gap year
spent working enables them to save enough to
cover this expense. For example, a university in
Vietnam charges, on average, around $50,000 a
year, which is much too high for a typical
Vietnamese student.
On the other hand, a negative aspect of a gap year
is a poor mental state. The reason for this is that
when students travel, they will be far away from
their loving family and friends, thus homesickness
is unavoidable. The most significant disadvantage
of such a break, however, is that it can be a
distraction from further studies. Some students
find such breaks so relaxing and enjoyable that
they decide to shun further studies permanently.
Although the incidences of such cases are few, the
effects can be disastrous for their further career.
For instance, a 2010 report from Florida University
revealed that 1 in 100 students, who take a gap
year never go for advanced studies and struggle
throughout their life to make the ends meet
because of being unskilled.
In conclusion, taking a gap year can help students
realise their true calling and allow them time to
make financial preparation for university.
Nevertheless, this decision can also negatively
affect their mentality and distract them from
advanced studies, which could have undesirable
impact on their future.
(338 words)
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