The 20 day IELTS ESSAY workout - Day 7
Let get started with studying 5 samples and write 1 practice daily !!!!
---- Day 7 ------
1. Some people like to travel outside their country. Others would rather travel to tourist spots in their own country first, before travelling abroad. Which do you prefer to do and why? Include specific details and examples to support your choice.
Over the past few decades the international tourism industry has gone through a boom period. Cheap air travel, in particular, has allowed ordinary working class people to travel to more international destinations than ever before. In this essay, I shall refer to number of sociological studies to show why – contrary to popular opinion – domestic travel should initially take precedence over international travel.
To begin with, people’s knowledge of their own countries and culture has grown increasingly sketchy. This is largely because foreign brands, television shows and cultural objects flood local markets. For example, The Asian Cultural Society found that Japanese teenagers knew more about American television series than 19th Century Japanese woodcuts. It should therefore be clear that citizens need to know much more about their own countries, and that visits to local cultural centres should occur before visits to remote countries.
Secondly, people reap high economic benefits if they are well-travelled in their country of birth. This is because local travel, in particular, opens up business opportunities. For example, the Korean Society for Entrepreneurship found that 40% of successful start-up companies were run by individuals who had travelled extensively in Korea and sniffed out small openings in developmentally neglected areas. Seen in this light, local travel can also be of vital economic significance.
To conclude, although few would argue outright against foreign travel, there are certainly reasons why domestic travel is initially preferable. In the future, as some of the hype surrounding foreign travel dies down, these reasons will no doubt appear more attractive and conspicuous.
2. Some people believe that international sporting events are the ideal opportunity to show the world the qualities of the hosting nation. Others believe that these events are mainly a large unjustifiable expense. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Global athletic events such as the Olympics, the World Cup, the Extreme Games, and even the American Super Bowl are incredible opportunities for countries. These iconic spectacles can provide a country with an economic avalanche of benefits or expose it to a public relations disaster. This essay will look at both points, using Russia and the United Kingdom as examples.
Firstly, it is important to bear in mind that simply hosting the event and having the world’s media attention cannot guarantee a positive promotion. This is because although the country is receiving enormous amounts of publicity, the media will often report controversial news as well. Take the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, for example. The media spotlight is shining bright on the athletes but also highlighting the polemic legislation regarding homosexuality. Therefore, despite the international recognition to be gained, the country can also face a possible backlash.
Secondly, the expense of building large infrastructures necessary to hold these events can dwarf the benefits, unless they are fully amortized afterwards. This is largely due to the fact that stadiums, Olympic parks, ski runs, etc. are expensive to construct and undertake large capital expenditure, often by the public sector. In the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002, the council commissioned a stadium for athletic events which was later adapted and sold to the local preeminent football club, Manchester City. Therefore with proper, fair, economic management of such buildings and facilities the cost can be recuperated.
To conclude, a host city or nation has a lot to gain from these events but only if they are economically administered correctly and the country has no controversial issues for the media to pull out of the closet.
3. Many governments in the world spend large amounts of money on art, which helps to improve the quality of people’s lives. However, governments should spend money on other things rather than art. Do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion.
Societies with a heritage in the ‘arts’ have long been considered culturally sophisticated and advanced. However, with the recent financial crisis, this lavishness and expense should be questioned. Tax-payers’ money has to be spent practically rather than on cultural endeavours.
Firstly, not everyone in society appreciates art, and, secondly, employment should take precedence. Art can bring quality into one’s life if you are interested. In society, art-lovers are typically in the minority, and other activities, such as sports are more popular. Take football, for example. Across the globe, it is obvious that there are more people watching matches in stadiums than looking at sculptures or art. This fact makes it impossible that art can bring quality into a community if the galleries hold little interest for the region.
Secondly, the resources diverted to such projects come from the public and should be spent in a way that benefits them. Commissioning or purchasing art is an insult to taxpayers who endure high unemployment, such as, those in Newcastle, UK. This city suffers from historically high unemployment, yet the council commissioned a large sculpture called ‘The Angel of the North’. Financing a job creation project would undoubtedly have been more practical for the local community.
To conclude, I believe that it is an unjust affirmation that art brings quality into one’s life, and I agree that the money should be spent elsewhere. This is because art expenditures only benefit a small minority and secondly the expense involved should benefit the majority. Ideally in the future, governments will recognise that quality in a person’s life derives from a decent opportunity in life, not a sculpture.
4. Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems. Discuss these views and give your own opinion.
While many believe that the extinction of certain species is the greatest threat to our environment, others feel that there are more pressing environmental issues. This essay discusses both perspectives and why I believe that there are more critical issues than the loss of species.
There are two main reasons why people might believe that the extinction of certain plants and animals is the most serious issue. The first of these concerns the way that plants and species are interrelated and how the loss of one species can lead to the loss of other species. For instance, if coral dies many of the fish and marine life that feed off it also die. Moreover, many people note the importance of the biodiversity of the planet and point out that when a species dies this is reduced. This biodiversity is important because we are constantly finding that certain species have important applications such as in the field of medicine.
However, others consider that there are more serious environmental issues. One of the reasons is that the extinction of a species can be considered a part of nature. For instance, we know that the dinosaurs died out due to naturally changing weather patterns, and life of our planet still continues. In addition, man- made problems are emerging such as global warming that are so serious they have the potential to wipe out all life on our planet. If the earth continues to experience rising temperatures it will start to become uninhabitable even for humans.
In conclusion, in my opinion both sides of this argument have their merits. However, it seems that man-made global warming is the most serious problem because it ultimately threatens to not only destroy certain species but also destroy all life on our planet including humans. Moreover, it seems that we are not taking enough steps to mitigate this catastrophic problem.
5. Some people argue that the government should give every unemployed person a mobile phone and should make sure they have access to the Internet. They believe this is the best way of using public money to reduce the problem of unemployment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Unemployment causes many problems for society. Individuals suffer not only economically, but also in terms of their self-respect and even health. Inevitably, when the breadwinner is unemployed, other family members become victims too. Young people without job prospects may turn to drugs or crime to escape boredom and poverty. For all these reasons, any measures which can reduce unemployment are to be welcomed.
The first priority for the job seeker is information, and here the Internet offers a unique tool. Details of job vacancies and training schemes can be accessed within minutes on a computer screen, saving time and money that would otherwise be spent visiting employment agencies or buying newspapers. In addition, the Internet can be very useful in preparing for job interviews.
Once a suitable job vacancy has been identified, it’s vital to respond quickly, and in this respect, it can be argued that a mobile phone is more convenient than a conventional phone. Since calls on a mobile can be very expensive, however, costs can easily get out of hand unless they are monitored carefully.
It has to be said that, like any tools, the internet and the mobile phone are only as good as their user. Both need to be used effectively, and of course both are open to abuse. There is little point in making technology available, therefore, without providing basic training in using it.
In conclusion, I believe there are strong arguments for giving unemployed people access to the Internet. However, the case for providing mobile phones is less convincing, and it may be more cost-effective in the long run to invest in relevant training programmes.
Part 2: Writing Practice
Most schools are planning to replace sport and exercise classes with more academic sessions. How will this change affect children’s lives in your view? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
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