ielts(sample answers writing)

SAMPLE ANSWERS FOR SELECTED WRITING TASKS

Useful Tips to Help You Succeed in IELST Essay Writing1. When writing an essay during your IELTS exam, be sure to check your

essay in terms of the following criteria:

tense agreement; word order; vocabulary; punctuation; structure of the sentences.

2. Though IELST essay writing has a time limit, you should spend some time (not more than 5-10 minutes) planning your essay. Otherwise, you risk losing your way while writing and distracting from the topic. It is inadmissible in IELST essay writing.

3. Be sure to present your ideas in separate paragraphs. IELST essay writing demands clear expression of your ideas, clear structure of your essay will make it readable.

4. IELST essay writing establishes a word limit for the essays. You should observe the word-limit for IELST essay writing, it is a must.

5. Getting ready for an exam, you should search the Internet for sample topics for IELST essay writing to improve your writing. There are several large categories IELST essay writing topics belong to:

Education; Society; Gender Issues; Government, etc.

Practice WRITING TEST 1 TASK 1(Practice test for IELTS)

The diagram shows there has been a remarkable rise in the power output of basic machines during the

past 300 years. The maximum power output of a modem steam turbine is in excess of 1 million kilowatts, in

stark contrast with the 1 kilowatt output from the early steam engines produced just after 1700.

From the beginning of the 18th century to the middle of the 19th century there were steady improvements

in the power output of water wheels and steam engines. Around 1850 the water turbine was introduced and

developed rapidly. The power output of water turbines has improved from less than 1,000 kilowatts in 1850 to

more than 100,000 kilowatts in the late 20th century.

The steam turbine was introduced around 1900, and its power output has improved rapidly from a figure of

just over 1,000 kilowatts, i.e. around the point where development of the steam engine stopped. By the late

20th century the maximum power output of steam turbines had increased by a factor of three to over 1 million

kilowatts.

The most spectacular improvement has been with the internal-combustion engine. From its early days in

the late 19th century and a maximum power output of around 5 kilowatts, by the middle of the 20th century

internal-combustion engines were delivering more than 10,000 kilowatts. The recent development of gas

turbine engines has pushed this figure even higher.

The two graphs show the situation with and without treatment for two types of cancer in women - cancer of

the alimentary tract and lymph sarcoma. Without treatment, the life expectancy for both types of cancer is poor

- fewer than 25% of patients survive for five years after diagnosis.

For cancer of the alimentary tract, treatment can be reasonably effective. Whereas only 35-40% of patients

survive one year after diagnosis without treatment, when treatment is applied about 75% of patients survive

one year, and the survival rate after five years is just under 50%.

For lymph sarcoma, however, treatment can literally be fatal. The survival rate one year after diagnosis is

around 50%, whether treatment is applied or not. However, treatment is shown to have a very negative effect

beyond one year. After five years 25% of untreated patients are still alive, whereas none of the cases studied

who received treatment survived five years after diagnosis.

It is immediately apparent from the diagram that in 1970 the professions in Malaysia were almost totally

dominated by men. Many key professional people, including jurists, accountants, architects, engineers and

economists, were men, occupying more than 90% of all positions. Architecture and engineering were

particularly male dominated, with only 3% of professionals in those areas women.

Women were only slightly better represented in science and medicine, comprising around 15% of

scientists, mathematicians, doctors and dentists. In education, the proportion of women decreased according

to the level, from around 40% of teachers in primary and secondary schools to under 25% of teachers in

universities and higher education.

The only profession where women predominated was in the traditionally female area of nursing, with 99%

of all nurses and midwives being women. The diagram therefore shows a very traditional pattern of male and

female roles in the professions in Malaysia in 1970.

The table shows Australian company profits before tax for the period 1986-90 in four sectors:

Manufacturing, Mining. Retail Trade and Other Industries. Profits were very uneven across these four sectors

during the four year period.

The most important sector was Manufacturing, where profits nearly doubled from 1986 to 1989 to peak at

$8.6 billion, followed by Mining, where profits reached almost $5 billion in 1989-90, after fluctuating just below

$4 billion for the previous three years. Profits in Retail Trade also grew strongly during the four year period,

doubling to just below $1.4 billion. In Other Industries there was steady growth in profits for three years from

$1.2 billion to almost $1.7 billion, followed by a crash to below $0.4 billion in 1989-90.

The table indicates that the year 1989 was a turning point for the Australian economy. After consistent rises

from 1986 to 1989, profits in Retail Trade levelIed off in 1989-90, while those in Manufacturing and Other

Industries both fell - in Other Industries the fail was particularly sudden, to less than a quarter of their 1989

level. Only Mining, where profits had been steady during 1986-89, showed a significant rise in profits in 1989-

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 5 TASK 1(Practice test for IELTS)

It is commonly said that men and women see things differently. The information in Table 1 tends to support

this view, as the perceptions of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and their spouses or partners show significant

differences on a number of issues.

The three main sources of stress as far as CEOs were concerned were: time pressures and deadlines

(52%), the demands of work on private life (48%) and the demands of work on the relationship with the family

(45%). The four main sources of stress nominated by their spouses and partners were: work overload (62%),

long working hours (62%), time pressures and deadlines (60%) and work-related travel (57%). Time pressures

and deadlines are tangible factors that both groups were very aware of. However, spouses tended to be more

specific in identifying work overload, long working hours, and work-related travel as problems, compared to

CEOs who focused on more general "demands of work."

The biggest difference is in the numbers nominating long working hours as a source of stress: 62% of

spouses/partners, compared to only 24% of CEOs. It seems reasonable to assume that most CEOs enjoy their

work, and generally don't mind the long hours, whereas their spouses and partners don't appreciate this

situation at all.

It is true that new technologies can create serious social and environmental problems. The question is

whether governments should focus on these problems when they are formulating policies relating to new

technology.

Some people would argue that governments have an important watchdog role to play and that they should

attempt to establish whether a proposed technology is likely to have any harmful effects. This is seen as an

aspect of government looking after the public interest and showing concern for the welfare of its citizens.

These people would invest government with the power to veto the introduction of certain technologies.

The problem with this approach, however, is that it is very difficult to know in advance what the fulI effects

of any new technology will be. The history of science and technology has many fascinating examples of

unexpected developments. Sometimes a technological advance in one area can lead to a surprising

breakthrough in another, seemingly unrelated area. And one certainly cannot depend on government bureau-

cracies to make accurate assessments about these matters. Another problem is that, where one government

might decide to ban the use of a new technology, another country may well go ahead with its introduction. In

an increasingly competitive global economy the first country may severely disadvantage itself by such an

action.

New technology is essential for a country's economic development. The best approach is to positively

encourage the development of new technologies and to focus on their benefits. Any problems that may arise

can be dealt with after implementation.

There are many examples of industrial conflict situations where employees believe it is in their best

interests to go on strike. Some people argue that going on strike is a legitimate and effective way to resolve

industrial disputes. I want to argue, on the contrary, that going on strike is, in most cases, not justified.

Strikes bring with them a number of very negative effects, including loss of production and possible loss of

customers for companies, not to mention loss of wages for the striking employees. In some cases striking

employees also put their own jobs at risk, either directly through possible dismissal by their employer, or

indirectly through weakening the competitive position of the company they work for.

Strikes are an exercise in power, and do not get to the underlying cause of industrial disputes, which is a

conflict of interests between employer and employee. However, both sides must also realize that they need

each other, and must be prepared to negotiate a compromise solution in situations where conflicts arise. It has

been shown in many case studies of strike situations that strikes tend to increase conflict and to hurt both

parties through the economic damage they cause.

There are better ways than going on strike to resolve industrial conflict. Employers should realize that their

employees are an invaluable resource. They should use every avenue to encourage employees to contribute

their ideas to improving the work environment. Employees should realize that they have more to gain by

working constructively with employers than by opposing them. Where communication is encouraged at every

level. relations will be better. and strikes much less likely to occur.

All people should have access to adequate health care. It is difficult to argue against this proposition. In

theory most people would agree with it. But in practice it is more difficult to find countries where it is actually

Health care systems. such as in the United States. where a large proportion of the population cannot afford

health insurance. are most undesirable in social terms. People are not cared for properly if they suffer a

serious accident or become seriously ill. Yet in the same country the very best in medical services are

available to those with the capacity to pay. Are we at the point where we accept that the life of a rich person is

worth more than that of a poor person?

Governments have a responsibility to provide basic health services to all the population. However,

governments always have limited resources. and they have a responsibility to use these in an efficient and

effective manner. for example. it is difficult to justify governments spending money on expensive medical

procedures such as cancer research, if this diverts resources away from the primary objective of equal access

to health care for all. The argument then turns on what kind of health care system should be supported by

governments.

Preventive health care is one area where government needs to take the lead. Money spent on preventing

disease is more than repaid by money saved in not having to treat that disease at a later time. Public health

programs to eradicate diseases such as typhoid and smallpox are a good example where the benefits flow on

to all people. regardless of income or social status. More recently. government sponsored fluoridation

programs have played a major part in reducing the incidence of tooth decay, with significant improvements in

general health and enormous savings in dental bills for ordinary people.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 9 TASK 2 (Practice test for IELTS)

One feature of improved education systems around the world has been an increase in the period of

compulsory schooling for students. In many developed countries students are now required to stay at school

until they are 15 years of age.

There are quite plausible reasons for opposing this policy. Low income families. for example. may not be

able to afford to keep their children at school and may resent governments imposing this decision on them. In

many developing countries children can bring in much needed income. either by working in family agricultural

activities. or else through paid employment. Compulsory schooling might also be opposed on educational

grounds. Recent studies have shown that compulsory school can be psychologically damaging for students

who are not motivated to learn. They may be more ready to learn later on as adults when their motivation is

stronger.

But there are also strong reasons why students should be obliged to remain at school until a certain age.

first. at a young age students are unlikely to be sufficiently mature to make sensible decisions about their lives.

We should not allow students to make decisions they may later regret. A second reason is that in today's

society, where increasingly high levels of skills and knowledge are required of the work force, early school

leavers will find it very difficult to obtain employment.

It is my view that schooling should be compulsory until a certain age. Education authorities. however. must

ensure that the education provided is both affordable to families and relevant and interesting to students.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 10 TASK 1 (IELTS practice test now)

In all, the world spends an estimated $US25 billion annually, on civilian space applications.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the trends in the graph below and suggesting

reasons for any major differences in expenditure.

According to the graph, there is considerable variation in spending on civilian space programs around the

world. Argentina, for example, spends virtually nothing while, at the opposite end of the scale, the United

States spends $1500m. The next highest spenders are France, Japan and China spending $1400m, $1300m

and $1200m respectively. Middle range spenders include Germany, Italy, Sweden and Russia, spending in the

$700-$1000m range. Among the lowest spenders are Ireland, Australia, Pakistan and Israel spending under

$100m. The remaining countries spend between $ I 00 and $300m.

Overall, the trends in the table show the wealthy, developed countries as being foremost in space

application spending, while countries classed as developing, or those with very small populations, spend the

least. There are some exceptions, like China, which is developing fast and has obviously made space

technology a priority. Thus the main reasons for the differences may include wealth, size, political and eco-

nomic stability and the chosen priorities of each country. (159 words)

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 11 TASK 2 (IELTS practice test now)

Present a written argument or case to an educated non-specialist audience on the following topic:

Tourism is becoming increasingly important as a source of revenue to many countries but its

disadvantages should not be overlooked.

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with

examples and relevant evidence.

Faster planes and cheaper flights are making it easier than ever before for people to travel. In most

'developed' societies, visiting exotic places is a sought-after status symbol. The tourism industries of both

developed and developing countries have recognized this fact and are learning to take advantage of it.

There are, however, some problems associated with this new industry. Firstly, there is the increasing crime

rate. Some locals see tourists as easy prey because, not only are they in unfamiliar territory and therefore less

able to take care of themselves, but also they carry visible items of wealth, such as cameras and jewellery

which can be disposed of quickly for a profit.

Another major problem is health. With greater mobility comes greater danger of spreading contagious

diseases around the world. One carrier returning home could easily start an epidemic before their illness was

diagnosed. Moreover the emergence of many more diseases which resist antibiotics is causing scientists to be

increasingly concerned about this issue.

Also to be considered is the natural environment, which can be seriously threatened by too many visitors.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef, for example, is in danger of being destroyed by tourists and there are plans to

restrict visitors to some of the more delicate coral cays.

These are just three of the reasons why any country should be wary of committing itself to an extensive

tourism development program. (232 words)

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 12(1) TASK 1 ( Prepare for IELTS )

These two pie charts show the differences between two groups of Australians (25 to 34 and 55 to 69 year olds)

in terms of their post-school qualifications.

The first point to note is the huge increase in the number of people with qualifications. The younger group is

more than three times bigger than the older group (347,500 compared to 104,800).

Comparing the two groups, architecture and medicine have experienced a decrease in popularity with younger

graduates; medicine declined by almost 4%. However, the biggest loss was to engineering, which decreased

from 19.27% to 9.35% of the whole.

Some subjects were more popular with the younger age group. The biggest gains in graduate numbers were

made by Science, Maths and Computers which, as a group, have increased by over 8%. Administration has

gained by 4.1%.

To sum up, the graphs show a threefold increase in : the number of graduates. The most noticeable change in

subject percentages is the decrease in the number of engineering graduates.

This diagram shows the sources and concentration levels of nitrogen in the groundwater of a coastal city.

In a natural situation, nitrogen may be oxidized by lightning or fixed by vegetation. Domestic and market

gardens add to the nitrogen in the water table through fertilizer and household liquid wastes. Industries add

nitrogen through leaks from storage tanks and wastewater ponds, and the disposal of waste in landfills may

lead to more nitrogen entering the water table.

The groundwater flows toward the sea and discharges into the ocean in the groundwater discharge zone.

Some nitrogen is taken up by soil particles. The heaviest concentration of nitrogen is shown in the darker

sections on the illustration, and this shows that the heaviest concentration of nitrogen comes from industry,

from household liquid waste, and from landfill. The concentration tends to decrease near the saltwater

interface and between the areas of high concentration of nitrogen which descend from industry and waste

disposal.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 14(3) TASK 1 (Prepare for IELTS )

The first graph shows the percentage of people employed in different sectors of the economy in 1992, and the

percentage of GDP which they produced. The main economic sectors are natural resources, industry and

services. The second graph shows movements between 1986 and 1995.

The first graph reveals that although 77.4% of the population worked in nature resources in 1992, they

produced only 19.2% of GDP. However, the 3.6% of the population who worked in industry produced 15.4% of

GDP, and the 15.2% who worked in the service sector produced 58% of GDP.

The second graph shows that services as a percentage of GDP have been falling steadily. In 1986 natural

resources provided more than 25% of GDP, but this declined to less than 20% in 1992, recovered in 1993 but

fell below 20% in 1995. Industry earned less than 10% of GDP in 1986, but rose almost to 20% in 1995.

The two graphs reveal that GDP is earned primarily by the service sector.

The table shows consumer preferences in four different European countries.

In the United Kingdom (UK) and France consumer prefer 34" and narrow shells, in Germany and Sweden 34"

and wide shells. The load capacity varies slightly between 5 and 6 kilos. The preferred spin speed ranges from

850 rpm (Germany), 800 rpm (Sweden), 700 rpm (UK), to 600 rpm (France).

The preferred chum material is enamel in the UK and France, stainless steel in the other countries.

Consumers in every country except the UK prefer front loading to top loading machines. The British and the

Swedes want a water heating system, but this is not so elsewhere.

Each country has a different preference for styling features, the British favoring an inconspicuous appearance,

the Germans requiring a machine which looks indestructible, the French an elegant machine and the Swedes

a strong-looking machine. The final feature, the washing action, sees a division between the UK and France

where consumers prefer an agitator, and the other countries where a tumble action is preferred.

A wide range of medical treatments is available today. Patients may wonder which will be the most effective,

and whether their own mental attitude to the type of treatment might affect its success. This essay will consider

the second of these questions.

Many people visit their doctor or go to hospital with complete trust in the expert care offered by conventional

services. However, some people do not get a satisfactory result. For example, the drugs they are prescribed

may have unpleasant side-effects. Their initial positive attitude towards their treatment does them little good.

Similarly, those patients who trustfully choose alternative treatments over traditional medicine may find

themselves disillusioned. Less rigorous qualification standards among alternative practitioners may mean that

some healers give ineffective or damaging advice. The result, again, is that a patient who entered treatment

with confidence leaves that treatment disillusioned.

On the other hand, patients may try a style of treatment with some skepticism. A person used to conventional

medicines and drugs may be suspicious of treatments based on diet and lifestyle changes. Yet if they follow

such programs, they may in fact notice improvements in their condition, in spite of their skepticism. Equally, a.

patient opposed to conventional medicine may have an accident and be saved by the effective treatment of

conventional emergency services.

In conclusion, it appears that the mental attitude of the patient is not the most significant factor in determining

the outcome of the treatment. Patients who enter treatment confidently may leave disillusioned while those

who begin treatment skeptical of the results may find themselves surprised with what they have gained.

Patients should seek the advantages which each style of care can offer.

Governments can only provide a limited range of services for citizens. Certain types of service, however, must

be provided by governments, whereas both governments and private groups or individuals can share the

responsibility to provide other services.

A government must provide those services which are essential to a country. These include defence capabi-

lities and social security. Private enterprise and the profit motive should not form part of these essential

services.

On the other hand, some services could be provided by either governments or private groups or both.

Education and health care are examples of such services. A government must provide at least a basic level of

education and health care 'so all citizens can have access to them. Private enterprise, though, could also

provide services in these areas for those who wish to pay for them.

Urban infrastructure is another area where governments and private groups or individuals can share

responsibility. Governments must build and maintain a system of roads, but toll roads can be built and road

maintenance carried out by private contractors. Similarly, other infrastructure, such as water or electricity

supply, can. be operated by private companies.

To sum up, there are some services such as defence and social security which must be provided by

government. Other services, for example water supply or education, could be provided by both government

and private enterprise. Consequently, it is not true to say that a government's role is only to provide some

services while others should be provided by the private sector. In fact, both government and private groups

can share in the provision of most services.

Computers are now essential in many areas of life modern banking, retail and information exchange among

others. However, this is not true for education. At a simple level some subjects may be better taught using

computers, but to explain important concepts a human teacher is still indispensable.

There are some subjects in which a computer can be used successfully to teach. Elementary mathematics,

elementary language learning, any area which requires a student to memorize basic facts through repetition is

well suited to computer learning. The computer can be programmed to provide an endless number of simple

questions, and as the student answers these questions the facts are learned and reinforced.

However, in the learning and practice of more complex ideas, the computer is not adequate. A computer can

evaluate an answer as right or wrong, but it cannot determine why. It cannot find out why a student is making

mistakes, and then re-present important concepts in a different way so the student will understand. It cannot

determine at what stage in a mathematics problem the student has made an error, it can only indicate that the

final answer is wrong. Tasks involving reasoning cannot be taught by computers, as there are too many

variables for a computer to deal with successfully.

Thus, while computers may be useful as a tool for practising simple skills, they are not an essential feature of

modern education, because they cannot monitor a student's grasp of concepts, nor evaluate a student's

reasoning. Until further developments in computers are made the human teacher will remain indispensable.

The private motor vehicle has given us a freedom our ancestors could only dream about. We can travel swiftly,

and usually safely, over the roads which have been built to accommodate our cars. People can display their

wealth by driving a car which may cost as much as another person's home.

Sadly the car has become a disadvantage as well as a boon. The car pollutes the atmosphere, may be

involved in serious accidents, and by its very numbers blocks roads and chokes cities. How can we reduce its

The car is only desirable if we can use it easily, so we might begin by reducing access to parking spaces in the

cities and simultaneously increasing the quality and availability of public transport. Cars could be banned from

certain parts of the city, thus forcing people to walk or to use public transport.

The expense of buying and running a car can be raised. If the motorist is faced with a high purchase price,

high road tax, high insurance premiums and substantial fines he or she may reconsider the purchase. A

corresponding reduction in the price of public transport would help this financial argument against car

ownership.

Neither of these arguments will sway the super rich who can afford the status cars, but it would perhaps

encourage them to look at other ways of demonstrating their wealth. However we do it, reducing the number of

cars on the road will reduce the problems of pollution and the congestion which can bring cities to a standstill.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 20(1) TASK 2 ( Prepare for IELTS General )

Over the last few years people in Australia have become more health conscious and are making greater efforts

to stay healthy.

They do this by eating a balanced diet which includes foods from the five food groups (proteins, carbohy-

drates, grains, dairy produce. and fats) with less emphasis on fats and red meats such as steak. In fact many

more Australians are becoming vegetarians in an effort to become healthier.

Exercise is important to Australians. Fitness centers are very popular and offer a wide variety of activities and

facilities, from circuit training and aerobics to lap swimming in heated swimming pools. A lot of people attend

these centers before and after work, or during their lunch break. A number of people also get exercise by

walking or riding bicycles instead of driving or taking public transport Competitive and social sporting activities

are also popular forms of exercise.

Everyday living can cause stress in peoples' lives which is bad for their health. For this reason people who

want to stay healthy try to reduce stressful situations both at work and at home. To avoid stress in the

workplace some businesses run conflict resolution courses which employees are encouraged to attend.

Making a little time during the day for some personal relaxation provides an opportunity to relieve stress and

thereby stay healthier. Many Australians are also in favour of using alternative forms of medicine and healing

such as massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy and homoeopathy.

Thus, an increased awareness of a healthier lifestyle has led many Australians to alter their dietary and

exercise habits and the type of health care they embrace.

It would be unwise, indeed foolhardy, to impose the same rules of behaviour on all children in every part of the

world.

Acceptable rules of behaviour can vary greatly from one country, to another, with factors such as age and

family values influencing what is deemed to be acceptable in that particular society. Even the sex of a child

can greatly influence these rules.

A basic factor that must be considered is the age of the child. Theoretically a child is anyone aged zero years

to approximately eighteen. A pre-school child is incapable of making independent decisions and is necessarily

dependent on his/her family to determine and impose rules of behaviour. As the child's age increases, the

every day rules that were instilled at an early age should become automatic. As a child moves into

adolescence, he/she is often expected and encouraged to negotiate some rules of behaviour with parents and

other adults.

Age is not the only factor that will determine the severity or laxity of rules. A child's level of maturity and

personality will also influence these rules, and even though some rules will be standard in a household where

there is more than one child, a wise parent will allow a certain degree of flexibility with each child.

Whatever the situation, rules of behaviour do need to be imposed on children. In all societies rules are an

integral part of life and if imposed from an early age a child will develop a more disciplined approach to life and

as a result develop into .a well balanced adult able to deal with an ever more complex world.

Most countries in the world are experiencing difficulties as populations increase and resources become more

scarce. In many ways Australia is a lucky country as it has many resources and so the standard of living is

high. However, even in Australia there are problems.

Firstly in Australia we are not sure of our identity. Should we remember our past and our British heritage or try

to define ourselves as part of Asia? It would be impossible to try to forget our past; however, it is more

important to look to the future. Only through free open debate in newspapers, on television and on radio will

we be able to better understand what we wish to represent.

On the level of the economy there is another big problem for Australia. In order to survive we must do business

with the other countries in our region. Our neighbours are Asian. Most Australians do not speak Asian

languages and so we are at a disadvantage when we try to deal with Asian businesses. If more Asian

languages are offered at school this problem would be minimized.

In religion and culture too there are many differences that can present problems for Australia. What may be

acceptable in one country may not be allowed in another. Only through more contact and communication will

we be able to avoid such misunderstanding.

As I have shown Australia is facing some difficulties but it seems possible that if we listen to each other and

our neighbours we will be able to overcome them

Every country, no matter how affluent, has groups of people who live in poverty. Poor people can be described

as those who are lacking in goods and services to the point where their lives become miserable. Examples of

important goods they may lack are food and shelter. Examples of services are health and education. This

essay will examine some of the main causes of poverty and some possible solutions.

A major cause of poverty has always been war. The recent war in Bosnia saw people evicted from their homes

and deprived of food and shelter, and of services such as hospitals, schools, gas, water and electricity. Media

coverage of the war caused world wide revulsion. The solution to war may be such universal rejection that

world leaders will not consider it as an option.

Some countries have the twin problems of overpopulation and underdevelopment. They simply do not create

enough wealth per capita for their people to escape from poverty. This is changing in many places as countries

take steps to reduce their birthrate and develop their resources. Other countries are facing the scourges of

famine and disease. The only short term solutions for these countries lie in massive aid from the rest of the

world.

This essay has looked briefly at such causes of poverty as war, overpopulation, underdevelopment, famine

and disease. The problems at times appear overwhelming, with no solution. Despite this, much good work is

being done, with more people than ever enjoying a good quality of life. The challenge for the world is to keep

rolling back the frontier of poverty, knowing that it will only be achieved inch by inch.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 24(1) TASK 1 ( IELTS to success )

The two decades between 1975 and 1995 brought significant changes in the representation of women in

Freedonia's work force, according to the graphs.

In 1975, for example, some 300000 men and 250000 women worked in the communications sector. Twenty

years later, though the number of men remained unchanged, the number of women rose to 550000.

A similar situation was seen in the wholesale and retail trade sector, where the number of women rose from

about 550000 in 1975 to almost 800000 two decades later. The number of men in this sector remained stable

over the period, at around 700000.

Women also made gains in both the finance banking industries and in the defence. related public sector.

Whereas some 125000 women worked in finance and banking institutions in 1975, the number increased to

450000 by 1995. The number of men grew only marginally from 425000 to 480000 over the same period. In

defence, the number of men declined from 225000 to 200000, while the number of women rose from 25000 to

over 100000.

Two sectors that retained stable employment numbers for both men and women were manufacturing, which

had about 300 000 women and 650000 men in both surveyed years, and the public sector (non-defence),

which employed 650 000 women and 850000 men.

Thus, women appear to have made gains in the Freedonian work force but not at the expense of men.(243

words)

Anyone who has visited a dentist has been told that eating excessive amounts of sweets risks harming the

teeth. This is because sweets lower pH levels in the mouth to dangerous levels.

When the pH level in the mouth is kept above 5.5, acidity is such that teeth are unlikely to be in danger of

decay. Sweet foods, however, cause pH in the mouth to drop for a time, and the longer pH levels remain

below 5.5, the greater the opportunity for decay to occur.

By comparing fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey, which are all common ingredients of sweet foods, we find

that cane sugar lowers pH levels for the longest period, thus producing the greatest risk of the three.

Approximately five minutes after consuming cane sugar, pH levels drop to as little as pH 3.5. They then begin

to rise slowly, but do not rise above pH 5.5 until at least 30 minutes have elapsed. By contrast, fruit sugar,

which causes the mouth's acidity to fall to just above pH 4, poses a danger for a shorter period: tooth decay is

unlikely 20 minutes after consumption. Honey appears an even less risky substance. Though acidity falls to

about pH 4.75 within five minutes of consumption, it returns to above pH 5.5 in under fifteen minutes.

The implications, then, are that people who insist on eating sweet foods should be aware of the ingredients,

and that fruit sugar or honey appear preferable to cane sugar. (242 words)

Mandatory retirement age varies from society to society, perhaps a reflection of economics, population

pressures or simply value systems. Indeed, retirement at 50 can probably be as easily justified as that at 70. It

is my belief, however, that the longer an able person is allowed to work, the better for both the individual

worker and the employer.

Chronological age is not always a true indicator of ability. While some 65.year.olds may not perform as well

as they did in their past, many workers at this age do just as well or better than they used to. People's

suitability for a position should be a reflection of their performance in the job, rather than the number of

wrinkles or grey hairs they have. Employers concerned about the increasing age of their employees need only

observe their work records. Those doing poorly may be asked to retire, but those as yet unaffected by age

should stay on. Indeed, it would appear economical for an organization to retain its older employees when

possible rather than spend time and money on training new workers.

Remaining in one's job for as long as one is able makes sense as life expectancies increase around the

world As people live longer, they are longer able to contribute to society in the form of meaningful work. But

they are also in need of income for a longer period, so a mandatory retirement age of 55 for someone who is

statistically likely to live to 77 becomes increasingly difficult to justify. At a time when populations are ageing,

governments are less able to provide for their senior citizens, so by keeping able workers in paid employment

for as long as is practicable, public expenditures are less strained

Thus, workers who can still demonstrate their capacity to carry out their work should not be asked to retire

simply because they have reached a certain age. Societies that insist on early retirement may do well to look

again at their policies.(333 words)

There is no doubt that going to study in a foreign country, with its different language and culture, can be a

frustrating and sometimes painful experience. But while overseas study has its drawbacks, the difficulties are

far outweighed by the advantages. Indeed, people who go abroad for study open themselves up to

experiences that those who stay at home will never have.

The most obvious advantage to overseas university study is real life use of a different language. While a

person can study a foreign language in his or her own country, it cannot compare with constant use of the

language in academic and everyday life. There is no better opportunity to improve second language skills than

living in the country in which it is spoken. Moreover, having used the language during one's studies offers a

distinct advantage when one is applying for jobs back home that require the language.

On a university campus, the foreign student is not alone in having come from far away. He or she will likely

encounter many others from overseas and it is possible to make friends from all around the world. This is not

only exciting on a social level, but could lead to important overseas contacts in later professional life.

Finally, living and studying abroad offers one a new and different perspective of the world and, perhaps most

important, of one's own country. Once beyond the initial shock of being in a new culture, the student slowly

begins to get a meaningful understanding of the host society. On returning home, one inevitably sees one's

own country in a new, often more appreciative, light.

In conclusion, while any anxiety about going overseas for university study is certainly understandable, it is

important to remember that the benefits offered by the experience make it well worthwhile. (301 words)

Most consumer goods go through a series of stages before they emerge as finished products ready for sale.

Raw materials and manufactured components comprise the initial physical input in the manufacturing

process. Once obtained, these are stored for later assembly. But assembly first depends upon the production

planning stage, where it is decided how and in what quantities the stored materials will be processed to create

sufficient quantities of finished goods. The production planning stage itself follows the requirements of the

goods' design stage that proceeds from extensive research. After assembly, the products are inspected and

tested to maintain quality control. Those units that pass the inspection and testing stages are then packaged,

dispatched and offered for sale in retail outlets. The level of sales, which is the end point of the manufacturing

process, helps determine production planning.

A product's design is not only the result of product research, but is also influenced by testing and market

research. If the testing stage (after assembly and inspection) reveals unacceptable problems in the finished

product, then adjustments will have to be made to the product's design. Similarly, market research, which

examines the extent and nature of the demand for products, has the role of guiding product design to suit

consumer demands that may change with time. Market research, while influenced by product sales, also

serves to foster future sales by devising suitable advertising for the goods.

Thus the reality of consumer goods manufacturing goes well beyond a simple linear production process.(246

words)

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 29(6) TASK 2( IELTS to success )

The view that women are better parents than men has shown itself to be true throughout history. This is not

to say that men are not of importance in child-rearing; indeed, they are most necessary if children are to

appreciate fully the roles of both sexes. But women have proven themselves superior parents as a result of

their conditioning, their less aggressive natures and their generally better communication skills.

From the time they are little girls, females learn about nurturing. First with dolls and later perhaps with

younger brothers and sisters, girls are given the role of career. Girls see their mothers in the same roles and

so it is natural that they identify this as a female activity. Boys, in contrast, learn competitive roles far removed

from what it means to nurture. While boys may dream of adventures, girls' conditioning means they tend to see

the future in terms of raising families.

Girls also appear to be less aggressive than boys. In adulthood, it is men, not women, who prove to be the

aggressors in crime and in war. Obviously, in raising children, a more patient, gentle manner is preferable to a

more aggressive one. Although there certainly exist gentle men and aggressive women, by and large, females

are less likely to resort to violence in attempting to solve problems.

Finally, women tend to be better communicators than men. This is shown in intelligence tests, where

females, on average, do better in verbal communication than males. Of course, communication is of utmost

importance in rearing children, as children tend to learn from and adopt the communication styles of their

parents.

Thus, while it is all very well to suggest a greater role for men in raising children, let us not forget that women

are generally better suited to the parenting role.

(303 words)

Differences in sleep patterns appear to reflect differences in individuals' occupations.

A Canadian study has pointed out, for example, that students typically sleep for a consecutive 8-hour period

each night, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. This may be because the central activity in their lives, study, takes place in

normal daylight hours. Similarly, business executives sleep consecutive hours, but perhaps because their jobs

are especially busy and stressful they sleep for 6 hours on average, getting up around 5 a.m.

By contrast, truck drivers, probably because of their need to keep their trucks on the road over long periods,

tend to sleep in two 3-hour blocks: one between 7 and 10 a.m. and another from 4 to 7 p.m. Another

occupation associated with broken sleep schedules is that of doctors. They tend to retire to bed around 1 a.m.

and start their day at 7 a.m., but may be woken up to deal with emergencies in the middle of the night. Finally,

full-time mothers, especially those with young children, tend to sleep when their babies do. Typically, they will

sleep from 10 p.m. and be awoken at 1 a.m. to comfort their babies for a couple of hours. They then go back to

bed to wake at 6 a.m.,but nap for two hours or so in the early afternoon.

Thus the influence on one's sleep pattern is worthy of consideration when choosing an occupation.(239

words)

The mass media have a powerful influence in shaping our lives. We have come to depend on them for

information and entertainment, and in doing so we let them affect important aspects of our lives.

The undeniable usefulness of the media in almost instantly providing information about events around the

world is largely taken for granted. But in our dependence on the media we have allowed them to mould our

notions and opinions of events, places and people. Though few of us probably think about it, our conceptions

of, say, our elected officials spring from television images and newspaper stories. Most of us will never meet

prime ministers or presidents, but anyone who is regularly exposed to the media will have an opinion of them.

When it is time to cast our vote, we will make our decision based on how the media portray the candidates. We

are similarly swayed by coverage of wars. The media, representing the values of their owners, societies and

governments, tend to report wars with a bias; which is the 'good' side and which the 'bad' is determined for us

by reporters, editors and commentators, and sure enough the public begins to form opinions that reflect the

coverage they see, hear and read in the major media.

The media are also influential in the way they facilitate the spread of culture and lifestyle. The so-called

'global youth culture', in which one finds young people around the world displaying a common interest in

music, clothing styles and films, is an example of the media's enormous sway in this regard. A popular figure

such as Michael Jackson would never be so well known were it not for the media's extensive reach into every

society on the globe.

Thus I would argue that the mass media's influence is certainly great. Indeed, with technological

advancements such as the Internet bringing even more forms of electronic media to our homes and

workplaces, it is likely the media's influence will grow even stronger.(333 words)

A glance at four indicators of economic and social conditions in four countries, Canada, Japan, Peru and Zaire,

in 1994 reflects the great differences that exist between wealthier and poorer nations.

The table shows that Japan and Canada had annual incomes of $15760 and $11100 per person,

respectively. These figures were overwhelmingly greater than the corresponding figures of $160 in Peru and

$130 in Zaire.

Health indicators, too, reflected overall levels of affluence in the four nations. Life expectancy at birth, for

example, was higher among the more economically developed countries. Japan reported the highest life

expectancy, 78. This was followed by Canada, 76; Peru, 51; and Zaire, 47. This suggests that richer societies

are able to put more money into health care than poorer ones.

The number of calories consumed daily per person roughly followed the same ranking. Canadians each

consumed some 3326 calories per day while the Japanese took 2846 calories. The corresponding figures for

Peru and Zaire were 1927 and 1749, respectively.

Literacy rates among adults, too, were higher in wealthier countries, no doubt a reflection of ability to invest

in education. Canada and Japan both reported literacy rates of 99 per cent, while Peru claimed 68 per cent.

Zaire, the least economically developed of the four countries, had a literacy rate of 34 per cent.

The data appear to confirm the often cited link between national wealth and health and education standards.

(236 words)

The spread of telecommuting is sure to have far reaching effects on society. By itself, telecommuting refers to

office workers spending much of their time working from home and using electronic technologies to

communicate with their employers. The broader implications of telecommuting, however, may involve changes

to corporate structure, workers' lifestyles and even urban planning.

The most obvious changes may be apparent in the 'normal' offices of companies, governments and other

organizations. If even half the working week is spent telecommuting from home, then we would initially expect

many empty desks in the office. As offices become smaller, workers coming in for the day would be expected

to share desks with their absent colleagues. This, in turn, may affect the social atmosphere of an organization,

however, as less social contact with one's colleagues could harm morale and loyalty.

For the individual office worker, telecommuting would mean spending more time at home. For a parent with

young children, this may be a blessing. Moreover, many telecommuters would be able to work the hours they

wished: having a nap in the afternoon, for example, but working some hours in the evening. One substantial

benefit for all telecommuting workers is that there will be no need to travel to work, allowing more free time.

The structure of urban life is also likely to be affected by telecommuting. We would expect to see fewer cars

on the road during peak hours and, eventually, a smaller con. centration of offices in cities' central business

districts. In short, people will have less reason to travel to city centers from outlying areas. As more people

work and live in the same location, shops and cultural events will likely be relocated out of the city center.

In sum, telecommuting will serve to change not only the way we work but also the way we live. (306 words)

The diagram reveals that the hours per week spent in unpaid work are unequally distributed between men and

women, and, to a lesser extent, between married and unmarried women.

In households without children, where the partners are married, women reportedly spend 30 hours per week

doing housework, gardening etc. Men's contribution to these tasks averages a considerably lower 18 hours.

When children enter the household, however, the inequality becomes even greater. In families of 1-2 children,

men maintain approximately the same number of hours of unpaid work as in childless households, but the

number of hours women work in the home rises to 52 per week - much of it, no doubt, due to childcare

responsibilities. Interestingly, when there are 3 or more children, men are found to work even fewer hours.

Whereas women's unpaid hours rise to approximately 56 per week, the corresponding figure for men, 16,

represents a decrease.

Comparing women according to marital status, wedded childless women work about 5 more unpaid hours

per week than their unmarried counterparts - perhaps explained by perceived marital obligations. In contrast,

unmarried mothers, regardless of number of children, work an additional 4 hours per week compared with

married mothers.(193 words)

Anyone who lives in a city is aware of the increasing number of cars on the road and the kinds of problems this

creates: traffic jams, air pollution and longer commuting periods. As economies grow and access to cars

spreads to increasing numbers of people, this trend is likely to worsen. The solution, it would seem, is for

government to encourage the use of public transport in urban areas, thus decreasing dependence on the car.

One way to stimulate public transport use is to make private car use more expensive and inconvenient. The

introduction of tolls along urban motorways has been success. fully employed in many cities. Other such

measures are high-priced permits for parking in urban areas and the restriction of parking to a limited number

of cars. Faced with high costs or no place to park, commuters would perhaps be more willing to abandon their

cars in favour of buses or trains.

There are also less punishing ways of spurring public transport use. The construction of free car parks at

suburban train stations has proven successful in quite a number of countries. This allows commuters to drive

part of the way, but take public transport into the central, most congested, urban areas.

Indeed, making public transport more comfortable and convenient should work to attract more commuters

and decrease traffic congestion. Public transport that is convenient and comfortable retains its passengers,

much like any business that satisfies its customers. The more commuters committed to taking public transport,

the less congestion on city streets.

(253 words)

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 36 TASK 1 ( IELTS practice test plus )

The three graphs provide an overview of the types of music people purchase in the UK. At first glance we see

that classical music is far less popular than pop or rock music.

While slightly more women than men buy pop music, the rock market is dominated by men with 30% buying

rock, compared to 181, of women. From the first graph we see that interest in pop music is steady from age 16

to 44 with 20% of the population continuing to buy pop CDs after the age of 45.

The interest in rock music reaches its peak among the 25 to'34 year olds, though it never sells as well as pop.

Interest also drops off after the age of 35 with an even sharper fall from age 45 onwards, a pattern which is the

opposite to the classical music graph.

In times of high unemployment, employers need do very little to encourage their staff to work hard, but when

job vacancies are scarce, they have to find effective ways of rewarding their staff in order to stop them from

going elsewhere.

One obvious way of doing this is to offer extra money to employees who are seen to be working exceptionally

hard and this is done in companies with a product to sell. For example, real estate agents or department stores

can offer a simple commission on all sales.

This style of management favors people who can demonstrate their contribution through sales figures, but

does not take into account the work done by people behind the scenes who have little contact with the public.

A better approach is for management to offer a bonus to all the staff at the end of the year if the profits are

healthy. This, however, does not allow management to target individuals who have genuinely worked harder

than others.

Another possibility is to identify excellent staff through incentive schemes such as 'Employee of the Month' or

'Worker of the Week' to make people feel recognized. Such people are usually singled out with the help of

clients. Hotels, restaurants and tour operators may also allow staff to accept tips offered by clients who are

pleased with the service. However, tipping is a highly unreliable source of money and does not favor everyone.

Basically, employees want to be recognized for their contribution - whether through receiving more money or

simply some encouraging words. They also need to feel that their contribution to the whole organization is

worthwhile. Good management recognizes this need and responds appropriately.

By comparison with even the recent past. the choice of leisure activities on offer today is vast, so it is

reasonable to Find that some of these activities reflect the trends and fads of the day.

People have far more money and time than before to pursue their interests but the ever-increasing number of

activities does not automatically guarantee continuity. In fact new hobbies come and go. For example. sports

such as roller- blading lose their fascination after a few months. Similarly. although snow boarding has taken

over from traditional skiing it is doubtful whether its popularity will last. Other things like electronic games go

out of date almost as soon as you have bought them because the manufacturers promote the fact that only the

latest version is worth having, and so ensure continued sales.

On the other hand. not everyone is a victim of fashion in this way and people of all ages and backgrounds may

take up hobbies for social reasons. Traditional hobbies range from participation in active sports like tennis to

old favourites such as chess and stamp collecting. and these continue to be popular. By joining a club. people

can make friends and feel part of a group with whom they can share a common interest and leisure time.

Where sport is concerned. most people know what they like and participate out of love of the game, rather

than because it is currently fashionable.

I feel therefore. that while fashion may have an influence. particularly among the young. the majority of people

enjoy their hobbies for their own sake.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 39 TASK 1 ( focus on ielts )

The chart provides a breakdown of employment in a number of tourism-related industries over a ten-year

period. Overall. we can see that the total level of employment increased by about twenty per cent during the

period. However, there was some variation in the figures for the individual sectors. For example, while the

travel industry increased its workforce substantially over the decade. there was relatively little growth in that

associated with hotels and other tourist accommodation.

Travel represented the biggest area of expansion. having almost doubled its number of employees by 1999.

The food industry also saw a significant increase. from 283.000 employees in 1989 to 357.000 in 1999. while

the sports industry enjoyed an almost equal level of growth. The least successful sector was culture. including

museums and art galleries. where the figures actually fell slightly of the period.

The data suggests that. despite minor fluctuations in the various sectors, employment in the tourism industry

as a whole will continue to grow.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 40 TASK 2 ( focus on ielts )

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 wry

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.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 41 TASK 1 (ielts on track )

These pie charts show changes in world population between 1900 and 2000. The major regions are

represented as percentages of the total world population.

From 1900 to 2000 Africa's percentage of world population increased from 4.5% to 10% while Latin America

grew from 3% to 8% of world population. On the other hand, the percentage of population in Europe and Asia

decreased during the same period. Europe dropped from 25% to 14% while Asia's percentage declined from

60% to 54%. North America, however, showed no change, remaining at 5% of world population both in 1900

and 2000. The Middle East and North Africa, a new category in 2000, represented 6% of world population. The

percentage of population in the remaining areas of the world . ('Others') rose slightly from 2.5% to 3%.

Overall, this represents a huge increase in the number of humans on the planet from 1,600 million to 6 billion

in just one hundred years. Most of this population growth has occurred in developing countries.

People today are clearly more mobile than in the past. This is largely due to modern technology which makes

travelling and communicating easier and quicker: Why do people move? Often people re-Iocate to large cities

for employment; some people study in English-speaking countries. Whatever the reason, moving away from

home may create many challenges, - both practical and social.

Firstly there are practical problems such as finding accommodation, managing finances, shopping and so on.

These might present challenges to someone who has not lived independently before. In addition, adapting to

a new city environment includes understanding the public transport system, possibly in another language,

while trying not to get lost ! The best strategy for minimizing such anxious moments is to prepare In advance

as much as possible. Thus it might be helpful to get advice from someone familiar with the area. There are

also publications such as travel guides to overseas countries which give tips and useful information. A city

street directory is also very handy. Ideally, sharing; accommodation with someone who is familiar with the city,

or staying in a 'homestay' on arrival in a new country may overcome many of these problems. Homestay

families or 'sharemates' will provide company and be able to explain aspects of the new city or culture that

may seem strange at first.

There are also social and emotional issues to deal with, like loneliness or problems with the language.

Moreover, starting a new job or course may be stressful at first. Generally, however, there are organizations

such as overseas students' associations in an educational institution, or other sports or hobby clubs where it is

possible to meet people and make friends.

In conclusion, although there are many challenges when leaving home for a new city or country, planning in

advance can transform an ordeal into an adventure

The table shows the percentage of personal income devoted to savings in seven countries in 1970, 1990 and

The most. dramatic changes are evident in Italy, Japan, France and Canada. In 1970 Italy had the highest

savings rate of 29.5%, followed by France with 18.7% and Japan with 17.6%. Canada had the lowest rate -

By 1990 Italy was still the leading country, though its saving rate had dropped to 17.6%. Germany was next

with 13.8% (same as 1970) and the rate, in France and Japan were close behind. In Canada. the saving rate

had almost doubled to 11.5%. The UK and the USA had the lowest rates, 8.2% and 5.5% rel3pectively.

"By 2000 the savings rates had levelled out considerably across the seven countries. France and Japan led

with 13.6%, followed by Germany, Italy and the UK at around 11%. Personal savings in North America

dropped sharply, with the USA at 4% and Canada at a very low 1.9%.

The overall trend shows a reduction in savings over this thirty-year period.

I agree entirely with the opinion in the title. There is increasing evidence that climate changes are not just

random but are being accelerated by , industrial activity, particularly in developed countries. Many nations are

recording extreme weather conditions, such as the wettest year on record, or the hottest summer on record.

Sea levels are rising and sea temperatures are increasing more rapidly than before.

The Kyoto Agreement in the 1990s tried to create international consensus to limit industrial emissions of

gases but unfortunately some ; nations are unwilling to commit to real change. This, is probably related to

economic pressures from within the country and the interests of multinational corporations. In industrialized

nations a good lifestyle means a high level of consumerism. This keeps factories operating and people

employed but it also creates enormous pollution and waste.

To solve these serious problems requires political action in a number of I directions. At the individual level,

education programs in schools should be set up to reduce wasteful behaviour and to encourage respect for the

planet. At the corporate level, businesses need to develop responsible environmental policies together with

governments. They must be held legally accountable for their actions.

One major difficulty is that environmental parties like the Greens have little political power. Their policies are

appropriate but they need support from the general public in order to increase pressure on the main parties

and large corporations.

The time for action is definitely now. Each year of delays and ineffective policy will make it harder to restore

the health of planet Earth.

The process of making chocolate begins with the grinding of the cocoa bean, to produce cocoa liquor and

some waste products. The liquor is used in two ways. When pressed into powder it can be sold on to the food

industry. Alternatively when pressed into cocoa butter it is used, along with the liquor to make industrial

chocolate. This is combined with sugar and other ingredients and refined to produce chocolate bars.

How is the money from the retail price of a chocolate bar divided up? The pie chart indicates that the farmer,

who produces the cocoa bean, receives only 4% of the retail price. The supermarket, on the other hand

receives 34%. A rather small 10% goes to the chocolate company, while 15 % is taken by the government in

the form of taxes. The cost of ingredients and production, make up the largest proportion, 37% of the price of a

chocolate bar.

It seems unfair that the farmers, who do so much of the work, get such a small return for their efforts.

Dogs and cats can be wonderful companions but there are also a number of problems associated with pet

ownership, both for the animals and for the community.

In the best situations pets are fed, cared for and loved as part of a family. It is easy to see how much attention

is given to pets, by the range of products available in the pet section of supermarkets. In return, cats and dogs

contribute to the well being of the community in many ways. Dogs are useful for protection and serve as

guides for the disabled. People with pets are not only happier and healthier; but may even live longer. Thus the

animals benefit individuals and the community

There are, however; also negative aspects for the pets and for the community. The freedoms of both dogs and

cats are increasingly restricted. In Australia there is community pressure to force owners to keep cats inside at

night to protect native birds and animals. Dogs can no longer run free in parks and at the beach but must be

kept on leads. These restrictions have been imposed by the community to protect the public. In addition pet

owners are required to clean up after their dogs. Parks and beaches often provide plastic bags for this

purpose. The community also has to pick up the costs of dogs and cats that have been abandoned by

irresponsible owners.

So the relationship between pets and the community is a complex one. More and more the community is

intervening to force pet owners to restrict the activities and freedom of their pets. Still, responsible owners,

prepared to give adequate time and attention to their cats and dogs, can give them a good and happy life.(290

words)

The two line graphs show trends in smoking and alcohol consumption since 1960 for several countries.

In terms of smoking patterns, the general trend in the USA, Japan and Holland is downwards. Holland had the

highest percentage of smokers in 1960 at nearly 60%, followed by Japan at about 47% and the USA at around

40%. Holland experienced the most dramatic decrease, falling to about 43% in 1980 and then declined at the

same steady rate as Japan until 2000. USA's level fell to below 20% by 2000.

Turning to alcohol consumption, the story is different. The number of liters per capita consumed in Holland and

the USA increased sharply between 1960 and 1980 from around 4 liters per person in Holland to about 11 in

1980 and from nearly 8 liters to more than 10 in the USA. Thereafter both countries' consumption declined

steadily to around 8 liters in the USA in 2000 and 10 in Holland. The pattern in Turkey was rather different.

Turkey's consumption remained low, rising only slightly from 1 to about 1.5 liters per person between 1960 and

The electronic information age that we live in today, certainly makes communicating very quick and easy. It is

simple for many people to contact dozens of others every day via computer or phone, but does this make them

feel happier? Happiness is difficult to define, but in addition to basic needs like food, shelter or peace, it

depends on such things as good health, a loving family and friends. and a satisfying occupation - either job,

study or pastime. Whether modern communication has increased people's feelings of happiness is, however ,

debatable.

There are many advantages to being connected electronically. For the price of a local phone call we can stay

in touch via email with family or friends around the world. ln this way isolation by distance or climate can I be

overcome. For example, Finland with its long winter has one of the highest rates of internet use. Information

that would only be available to a small number of people without the use of computers is now at our fingertips.

Similarly thousands of people use chat rooms and internet dating sites every day.

On the other hand it seems to be the case that depression and suicide ; rates are high and the divorce rate is

increasing. Employees complain of longer working hours and increased stress levels. There is concern that

people are in fact becoming more isolated, only communicating on-line. On this evidence they seem unhappier

today.

Happiness is hard to measure, as it is subjective and depends on the particular situation. Perhaps there is

more awareness of current problems because so much information is available through technology and the

media. Even so; it would seem that the quality of our relationships and therefore our level of happiness is

unrelated to modern technology, which is, after all, only a tool.

The table indicates in-flight preferences of 400 regular male and female economy class travellers in two age

groups, based on an airline survey in 2002.

Specifically 39 of the 100 men aged 25-45 rated seat/leg room as the most important feature, rising to 46 of

the older men. Service was next with 27 of the 25-45 male group and 26 of the 45+ group rating that first. After

that, at 20 and 24 respectively comes meals/drinks. Last is entertainment, chosen by only 14 of the younger

and 4 of the 45+ males.

Turning to the female groups, it is clear that entertainment is also of low importance with only 10 of the

younger and 4 of the older age group placing it first. Drinks and meals are rated number one by 26 younger

women and 31 of the over 45s. Service and seat/leg room are the most important in-flight features for women,

with 34 younger and 30 older women choosing the former; while 30 and 35 chose the latter.

The high priority of physical comfort for frequent air travellers seems undeniable.

Almost daily there are reports of new advances in medicine. In the developed world certainly, the prognosis for

many medical problems is more optimistic today than ten years ago and continues to improve. But these

developments in health care are very expensive, and it is questionable whether countries can afford to

continue to increase spending on health. Many believe that it would be better to spend more preventing people

from becoming unwell in the first place, and reduce the amount spent on curing ill health.

As many modern diseases are a consequence of our lifestyles, one way of making savings to the health

budget would be to educate people about how to prevent expensive health problems such as diabetes or heart

disease. Most medical doctors today do not have the time to (nor are they paid to) teach patients how to make

these changes to their lifestyle through diet or exercise.

It is understandable that when people are sick they want the best medical treatment possible, with access to

the latest diagnostic equipment, expensive MRI scanners, for example. If the problem is life threatening then

we demand complex operations such as open-heart surgery or organ transplants. Such procedures usually

require intensive nursing care and lengthy periods of hospitalization, which are costly.

Thus it can be seen that this is not a straightforward issue and depends to some extent on one's situation.

While the 'health dollar' is limited, however; it would seem rational to direct more resources towards the

prevention of ill health. In this way fewer people would become ill from these preventable lifestyle diseases. In

the long term this should save the country money and increase the well-being of the population.

The graph and table indicate that Asia is the region of the world with the largest numbers of fishers in 1970,

1980 and 2000, at 9, 13 and 24 million respectively. No other region has seen such dramatic increases in

numbers. Africa's fishers numbered 1.3 million in 1970, and 2 million in both 1980 and 2000. South America

had steady numbers of fishers, 1.2 million, throughout the period. In North America there were 0.5 million

fishers in 1970 increasing to about 1.2 million in 1980, a number that remained unchanged in 2000. Europe

had the fewest fishers with 0.6 million in 1970 contracting to 0.3million in 1980 and returning to 0.6 million in

Turning to the table of exporters, Thailand is the world's top exporter of fish, but European and North American

countries are also prominent. Norway and Denmark take second and fifth places respectively, while the USA is

the third largest exporter and Canada ranks sixth. China and Taiwan occupy fourth and seventh places while

Russia, Indonesia and South Korea complete the table in eighth, ninth and tenth spots.

To summarize, there are more fishers in Asia than in the rest of the world combined.

It is true that there Is Increasing pressure on schools today to prepare their students for work In the twenty-

first century. As a result, physical education Is losing ground on the school curriculum to employment

related subjects like business. While many see this shift as inevitable, I would argue that physical

education is a vital part of the school program and should be maintained. Sport and PE add variety to the

curriculum, broaden the students' experience and teach essential life skills.

Within the school day, students need physical activity to balance the long hours spent sitting at desks. PE

provides a break from the mental focus of academic subjects. A good PE program should include a variety of

sports plus non-competitive activities like dance and aerobics so that students can experience exercise as

both challenging and fun.

There Is a growing concern among parents and educators about obesity in children. Many young people have

a sedentary lifestyle that revolves around TV, computers and being driven In cars. Physical education ensures

that all students get some form of regular exercise during the school day. In addition they learn about the

importance of looking after their bodies.

In conclusion physical education programs In schools are not only worth maintaining, they should be

developed. The result will be students who are happier, healthier and more productive In class. They will grow

Into adults who value fitness and enjoy participating in sport. These are lessons for a lifetime, as important as

any subject on the school curriculum.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 53 TASK 1 ( 101 helpful hints for ielts )

The table shows the sales figures of fiction books, non-fiction books, and magazines in a college bookshop for

February 2000. The figures are divided into two groups; sales to non- Book Club members and to Book Club

members.

The non- Book Club member figures comprise sales to college staff, college students, and members of the

public. College staff bought 332 magazines, 44 fiction and 29 non-fiction books. College students bought 1249

magazines, 194 non-fiction and 31 fiction books. More magazines were sold to college students than to any

other group of customers. Although no fiction books were sold to members of the public, they purchased 122

non-fiction books and 82 magazines.

Book Club members bought more fiction (76) and non-fiction books (942) than other customers. On the other

hand, magazine sales to Club members (33) were fewer than for any other type of customer.

The total number of publications sold for the month was 3134 (1474 to college students, 405 to staff, 204 to

the public, and 1051 to Book Club members). Of this figure, 151 items were fiction books and 1287 were non-

fiction. Therefore, magazines accounted for the greatest number of sales (1696).

Studying a language in a country where it is widely spoken has many advantages. It is, therefore, a good idea

to study English in a country such as Britain. However, I believe it is not the only way to learn the language.

In the first place, most students in non-English-speaking countries learn English at secondary school, and

sometimes at university nowadays. Although their spoken English is not usually of a very high standard, their

knowledge of grammar is often quite advanced. This is certainly useful when students come to an English-

speaking country to perfect the language

Secondly, studying the basics of English at secondary school is less stressful than learning the language while

overseas. This is because students living at home do not have to worry about problems such as finding

accommodation, paying for their study and living costs, and trying to survive in a foreign country where day to

day living causes much stress.

However, there are obvious advantages of learning English in Britain. Every day there are opportunities to

practise listening to and speaking with British people. Also, students can experience the culture first hand,

which is a great help when trying to understand the language. This is especially true if they choose to live with

a British family, as exchange students for example. Furthermore, if students attend a language school full-time,

the teachers will be native speakers. In this case, not only will students' speaking and listening skills improve,

but attention can be given to developing reading and writing skills

as well.

In general, even though it is preferable to study English in an English-speaking country, a reasonable level of

English can be achieved in one's own country, if a student is gifted and dedicated to study.

For this university course an essay is completed in six stages. The first stage is a private tutorial in which the

task and topic are fully discussed with the tutor. A reading list should be obtained, detailing useful resource

material.

The second stage involves conducting suitable research. Notes are taken from available literature at the

library, and data collected nom questionnaires, interviews and surveys. Writing the first draft is the third stage.

First, it is necessary to organize the content of the essay, and produce a brief outline. Next, the draft is written

in the acceptable formal academic style, and checked for appropriate language.

Stage number four is another tutorial or study group discussion, during which problem areas are analyzed, and

further ideas and suggestions are noted. The fifth stage includes reading the resource material again, before

writing a second draft using suggestions nom stage four. Once completed, all quotations should be checked

for errors.

The sixth stage consists of writing the final draft of the essay. A spell check is required, before adding a title

page and compiling a bibliography. The essay should then be submitted before the" deadline for completion.

In most countries of the world the population is increasing alarmingly. This is especially true in poor,

undeveloped countries. Overpopulation causes a considerable number of problems.

In poor countries it is difficult to provide enough food to feed even the present number of people. In addition,

education to limit the number of children per family is not always successful. Poorer countries usually have a

lot of unemployment too, and an increase in population simply makes the situation worse. The environment

also suffers when there are too many people living on the land.

In rich, industrialized and developing countries it is very difficult for govemments to provide effective public

services in overcrowded cities. Moreover, there is usually a great deal more crime, which is often due to high

rates of unemployment. Further large increases in population only cause more overcrowding, unemployment

and crime.

There are two main solutions to the overpopulation problem. Firstly, every woman who is pregnant, but who

does not want to give birth, should be allowed by law to have an abortion. Secondly, govemments must

educate people to limit the size of the family. In China, couples are penalized financially if they have more than

one child. This may seem cruel, but the "one-child policy" is beginning to have an effect in the world's most

populous nation. Eventually, similar policies might also be necessary in other crowded nations such as India,

for example.

To sum up, if the population explosion continues, many more people will die of starvation in poor countries,

and life in the cities, even in affluent nations, will become increasingly difficult.

The graph shows the four quarters of the 2000 financial year and the monthly profit of Acme Sports Cars and

Branson Motors for 12 months. The former was making almost twice the profit at the beginning than at the end

of the financial year. There was a three-fold increase in the latter's monthly profit over the same period.

During the first quarter, Acme Sports Cars' monthly profit decreased slightly from $70,000 to $ 60,000, but

rose sharply to $ 80,000 by the end of June. Branson Motors' monthly profit, however, doubled from $ 20,000

to $ 40,000.

Due to the introduction of a luxury goods tax, Acme Sports Cars' monthly profit fell dramatically during the

second quarter from $ 80,000 to only $ 10,000, whereas that of Branson Motors continued to rise, peaking at

just over $ 60,000 by the end of September.

In the third quarter, Acme Sports Cars' monthly profit increased steadily to $ 20;000 and remained stable,

while Branson Motors' monthly profits fluctuated between just over $ 60,000 and $ 40,000. At the beginning of

the last quarter, a boost in the economy meant the monthly profit of both Acme Sports Cars and Branson

Motors gradually increased to $ 40,000 and $ 60,000 respectively by the financial year's end. (200 words)

According to the bar chart, students from four European countries (Sweden, Spain, France and Germany) and

one Middle Eastern country (Syria) are taking Graphic Design at the college. Some students are enrolled in the

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) core option; the others are taking Photography.

Overall, Sweden has the largest number of enrolled students (17) and Syria the smallest (5). France and Spain

both have 12 students; Germany has 11. It is noticeable that France and Germany have similar profiles.

Students from all five countries are enrolled in CAD, but more males are taking this option than females (21

and 9 respectively). For each nationality the males taking CAD outnumber the females, except in the case of

the Syrians with 3 females to only 1 male. Sweden has the most students studying CAD (9); Spain is next with

7, while France has 6. Germany and Syria have 4 CAD students each.

As for the photography option, more females than males are enrolled from every country except Syria. In fact,

no female Syrian students are taking Photographic Design. Only 1 male from each country is enrolled in

Photography, except for 2 males from Spain.

Youth drug abuse is a serious problem nowadays in many cultures. Not only is illegal drug use on the rise, but

children as young as 10 years old are experimenting with alcohol and tobacco. The reasons for this behaviour

are unclear, but certain sociologists blame the examples set by their elders.

Parents who drink and smoke to excess are, in effect, telling their children that it is acceptable to abuse their

bodies with drugs. Consequently, children may have a similar view towards illegal drugs, even if their parents

are against their use. In addition, drug use shown on television and in films can only confuse children who are

also taught at school that drug abuse is wrong.

The pressure on young people to perform well at school in order to compete for jobs is a possible cause of the

problem. Many believe they cannot live up to their parents' expectations, and feel a sense of hopelessness.

Also, the widespread availability of drugs means teenagers are faced with the temptation to experiment. Drugs

are used as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the pressures they face in society.

The effects of drug abuse are well known. Many young people's talents are wasted, and addiction to hard

drugs can cost a user his or her life. Furthermore, those who drink and drive may be involved in fatal road

accidents. The cost to society is great, and enormous amounts of money are spent on convicting drug dealers

and on education programmes.

To conclude, I recommend that the only sensible way to solve this problem is to educate young people about

the dangers of drug use, and to take steps to reduce the pressure of competition placed upon them.

These days, many people are afraid of nuclear technology because of the dangers associated with its use. In

my opinion, although it is true that nuclear weapons pose the greatest threat to life, the use of nuclear

technology for peaceful purposes also carries some serious risks.

Nuclear power stations provide an important source of cheap power for many industrialized nations and some

developing countries. However, there is always the danger of radiation leaking from these plants. Even though

safety precautions are taken, there have been numerous disasters such as the explosion of a nuclear plant in

Russia not long ago. .

Nuclear technology is even used to help cure some diseases such as cancer. Radiation can be applied to the

body to bum away cancerous cells. This is, however, a dangerous procedure, and the application of radiation

is almost always painful and not always successful.

The most worrying aspect of nuclear technology, though, is its use for military purposes. Enough atomic

bombs have already been built to completely destroy the planet, and the real danger is that one day some

country will start a war with these weapons. Too many countries now have the technology required to make

such bombs, and there is currently much debate about how to control the situation.

In conclusion, nuclear technology certainly has positive uses, but is, nonetheless, dangerous. However, it

would have been better if it had never been used to create nuclear weapons. If life on Earth is to continue, all

the nuclear nations of the world should agree to disarm as soon as possible.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 61 TASK 2 ( focusing on ielts )

One of the major problems today is that natural resources such as coal and oil are not renewable and are

running out extremely quickly.

It is therefore extremely important that every effort should be made to cut down on the resources used. The

most obvious way of doing this is to be more economical. People should be forced to drive smaller cars and

cars should be adapted to use petrol as efficiently as possible. Moreover people should be encouraged to use

public transport whenever possible. This could be done by taxing cars heavily and using the money to improve

the quality of public transport.

Cars are not the only drain on resources. The generation of electricity is also a major problem. Although it has

to be admitted that everyone needs electricity, it is often used wastefully. For example are those large neon

advertisements in the city center really necessary? If we really tried everyone could save some electricity by

using fewer electrical gadgets and turning off lights when they are not in use.

Energy saving is not enough. In the long term we must find alternative Sources of power. The most commonly

made suggestion is nuclear power, which generates large amounts of electricity and does not cause major

pollution. However. the consequences of a nuclear accident would remain with us for generations and may not

be worth the risk. On the other hand clean cheap sources of energy do exist. Solar power, wind power and

hydro-electric power have all been suggested as possible solutions.

However, the energy produced is either not enough or not consistent enough to be commercially viable.

It is important that energy is conserved whenever possible, while research into alternative sources of power

continues and is perfected.

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of employees in different occupations absent from work in a given

week in 1999.

It is noticeable that the best paying jobs have the lowest rate of absenteeism with, managers and

administrators recording only around 3.25% absent. This is nearly 1% less than the next lowest rate of

absenteeism, which were professional! occupations at just over 4%.

On the other hand the highest rate of absenteeism was found in personal and protective occupations, plant

and machine operatives and clerical and secretarial jobs. All of these had absent rates of just below 6%.

noticeably higher than the rate for all occupations of 4.9%. However, it is also important to notice that the

figures show that these sectors employ the highest number of people.

In conclusion. it would seem that managers and administrators are the leas likely to be absent from work while

plant and machine operators and persona and protective staff are the most likely to call in sick.

Most countries encourage consumer spending and consumption as It stimulate economic growth and provides

people with jobs. However, many of the products purchased are thrown away after a few months' use. This is

a problem when it is remembered that our natural resources are finite.

Human society has developed around the concept of people paying money t buy goods. At the simplest level

this is not too much of a problem as people only buy enough to fulfill their basic needs. However, the more

advanced the society the more people are encouraged to buy. If people do not replace their clothes or cars

every few years with a newer model, manufacturing industries will go bankrupt because of a lack of demand,

governments will not be able to support social services and people will lose their jobs

Although this is a fundamental of our society, it is also the cause of many of the problems facing the human

race today. Resources such as the rain forests, oil, coal and natural gas are being used up al an unsustainable

rate, while pollution and waste disposal are fast becoming major problem for the world. Many products have

built-in obsolescence. for example cars are only made to last for a few years. This coupled with the advertising

world's constant quest for new markets has meant that people's demand have far outstripped their basic

needs. This type of economic development may not be sustainable.

Although society relies heavily on consumption, it is vitally important that there is a major shift of attitudes and

economies begin to rethink their ideas on economic growth. Consumption needs to be controlled so it has the

minimum effect on the environment and the world's resources.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 64 TASK 1 ( Cambridge ielts 1 )

The chart shows that high income earners consumed considerably more fast foods than the other income

groups, spending more than twice as much on hamburgers (43 pence per person per week) than on fish and

chips or pizza (both under 20 pence). Average income earners also favoured hamburgers, spending 33 pence

per person per week, followed by fish and chips at 24 pence, then pizza at 11 pence. Low income earners

appear to spend less than other income groups on fast foods, though fish and chips remains their most

popular fast food, followed by hamburgers and then pizza.

From the graph we can see that in 1970, fish and chips were twice as popular as burgers, pizza being at that

time the least popular fast food. The consumption of hamburgers and pizza has risen steadily over the 20 year

period to 1990 while the consumption of fish and chips has been in decline over that same period with a slight

increase in popularity since 1985.

It has often been said that 'Good news is bad news' because it does not sell newspapers. A radio station that

once decided to present only good news soon found that it had gone out of business for lack of listeners. Bad

news on the other hand is so common that in order to cope with it, we often simply ignore it. We have become

immune to bad news and the newspapers and radio stations are aware of this.

While newspapers and TV stations may aim to report world events accurately, be they natural or human

disasters, political events or the horrors of war, it is also true that their main objective is to sell newspapers and

attract listeners and viewers to their stations. For this reason TV and radio stations attempt to reflect the

flavour of their station by providing news broadcasts tailor-made to suit their listeners' preferences.

Programmes specializing in pop music or TV soap operas focus more on local news, home issues and up-to-

date traffic reports. The more serious stations and newspapers like to provide 'so called' objective news

reports with editorial comment aimed at analyzing the situation.

If it is true, then, that newspapers and TV stations are tailoring their news to their readers' and viewers'

requirements, how can they possibly be reporting real world events in an honest and objective light? Many

radio and TV stations do, in fact, report items of good news but they no longer call this news. They refer to

these as human interest stories and package them in programmes specializing, for instance, in consumer

affairs or local issues. Good news now comes to us in the form of documentaries: the fight against children's

cancer or AIDS, or the latest developments in the fight to save the planet from environmental pollution.

Computers are a relatively new invention. The first computers were built fifty years ago and it is only in the last

thirty or so years that their influence has affected our everyday life. Personal computers were introduced as

recently as the early eighties. In this short time they have made a tremendous impact on our lives. We are now

so dependent on computers that it is hard to imagine what things would be like today without them. You have

only got to go into a bank when their main computer is broken to appreciate the chaos that would occur if

computers were suddenly removed world-wide.

In the future computers will be used to create bigger and even more sophisticated computers. The prospects

for this are quite alarming. They will be so complex that no individual could hope to understand how they work.

They will bring a lot of benefits but they will also increase the potential for unimaginable chaos. They will, for

example, be able to fly planes and they will be able to co-ordinate the movements of several planes in the

vicinity of an airport. Providing all the computers are working correctly nothing can go wrong. If one small

program fails - disaster.

There is a certain inevitability that technology will progress and become increasingly complex. We should,

however, ensure that we are still in a position where we are able to control technology. It will be all too easy to

suddenly discover that technology is controlling us. By then it might be too late. I believe that it is very

important to be suspicious of the benefits that computers will bring and to make sure that we never become

totally dependent on a completely technological world.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 67 TASK 1 ( ielts practice test 1 )

The graph shows figures for the number of cases of certain diseases in childhood over a period of 50 years

from 1950 to 2000. It seems that overall these diseases decreased substantially until about 1980 but then

started to increase again.

However, certain diseases have shown different trends. Firstly, malaria appears to have remained fairly

constant over the period with between 2 and 3 million cases apart from 1960 when there were only one million

instances of the disease in childhood. Also, the figures for some diseases have fallen significantly. Although

there were 3 million recorded cases of childhood smallpox in 1950, the disease appears to have been

completely eradicated by 1980. In 1950 the number of occurrences of tuberculosis peaked at 6 million and

subsequently decreased dramatically until they reached an all time low of 500,000 in 1980. Since then there

has been a gradual increase with one million cases in 2000. Finally, the figures for AIDS, which were first

recorded in 1980, have shot up from approximately 500,000 and topped 9 million in 2000.

The essay title proposes that younger people are to be preferred as employees because they are more able to

accept changes in the workplace compared to a more mature workforce.

One argument in favour of younger employees is that older workers are mare often set in their ways and are

believed to be resistant to change. There may be an element of truth in this but there are many intelligent and

flexible older workers as well as narrow-minded and younger ones set in their ways. Attitude to change is a

mailer of personality type rather than age. Nonetheless, there are physical changes which progress with age

that may make some jobs better suited to a younger element. For example, it seems to be accepted by

psychologists that memory diminishes with age. In some modem, hi-tech industries like computer

programming, where there is a premium on the regular memorizing of large amounts of new information, it

would seem younger workers have an advantage.

However, older workers do have many other positive qualities which they can bring to their company working

environment. Generally speaking they have more working experience than youngsters and this can benefit the

firm whilst planning Long-term policies. Their maturity and managerial skills can be viewed as a way of training

the younger workers to be leaders themselves.

In conclusion, therefore, it would seem that the proposal in the title has to be rejected since in most work situations a mixture of the best qualities of young and old is to be preferred in order to foster the most productive environment.

This report describes the enrolments for a number of different subjects in universities in the UK, Australia and

France.

As can be seen in the table, medicine is the most popular subject studied in Australia with 10% of the total

students compared to France and the UK with 6% and 4% respectively. In contrast to this, Australian students

in literature number only 1% whereas in the UK it secured 12% of the student population, the second most

favoured branch of learning after media studies which had 15%. Engineering is easily the most studied subject

in France with 18% but in Australia and the UK few students selected this as their specialization with only 3%

and 1% respectively. Whilst more modem disciplines such as media studies and sports studies atl1rlcted

interest in the UK and Australia, gaining 12% and 8% for the latter subject in France they appear not to exist at

all . In all three countries languages do not appear to be very popular with France having the highest numbers

at 6% and falling to 2% and 1% for Australia and the UK

Many of the poorest countries in the world are locked into a cycle of debt to the rich counties. Loans arranged

years or even decades ago when interest rates were low, are now very expensive as interest rates are high.

What little these countries can earn in foreign exchange through the sale of raw materials, is used to pay off

these massive debts.

There are obvious reasons why these debts should be eliminated or reduced. In poor countries it would seem

much more sensible to spend foreign currency on medicines to combat disease, machinery to help indigenous

industry and agriculture so everyone can work, or on teacher trainers so the education system can combat

ignorance and poverty. In the absence of these things Third World citizens are suffering and dying young and

those benefiting from the huge interest paid by the underdeveloped countries are the rich bankers in the West

It would be more sensible to reduce these debts and improve the lives of people in the Third World.

It can be argued that these debts should be retained. One argument is that these debts have been legally

incurred and like any other debt must be honoured. It would damage the whole banking system if the West

decided to abandon some debts and not others. Everyone with a debt would want it eliminated and difficult

decisions would have to be made concerning which debts to drop.

Where people are suffering and dying for debts incurred by others sometimes years before they were born,

such arguments do not seem logical or powerful Banks can and do write off bad debts and for humanitarian

reasons they should do so for the underdeveloped countries of the Third World.

This report describes the number of court appearances for boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 18, in

New South Wales, Australia in 1994 and 1995.

As can be seen from the table, at the age of 10 the court appearances for boys are relatively few numbering a

mere 25. Until the age of 17 the figures increase steadily every year when they reach a peak at 3495. At 18,

the first year of adulthood, there is a dramatic fall in the total male court attendances to 1203 cases.

The trend for girls is similar in as much as the fewest court cases is 4 at the age of II and the figures rise

steadily until the age of 15 at 530. Between 16 and 17 the figures remained stable at 586 and 596 respectively.

At 18, as in the case with the male statistics, the numbers drop significantly to 163.

Although the general trend is similar for both sexes, the court appearances for boys are between three and

seven times more frequent than those for girls.

Tourism, it is suggested, is like colonialism in that tourists damage the places they visit and distort the

economy. There are a number of presumptions here, that colonialism was bad, that it and tourism distort the

local economies and that this distortion is bad. All of these presumptions can be challenged.

Colonialism does not have to be all bad. The Roman colonization of Britain, for example, brought peace,

roads, proper sewerage systems and underfloor heating. It might be argued that these were and are rather

good things, and when the Romans left so too did many of these benefits.

However, tourism, or colonialism does not necessarily distort local economies. Where the. indigenous industry

has dramatically declined, as with coal mining in South Wales, turning a mine into a tourist attraction can be a

way of preserving the local economy and the local community by providing regular employment

It should be noted that the changes tourists bring are not all bad. The money from tourists at Big Pit in South

Wales, to continue the example from the previous paragraph, has been used to improve the local countryside

not damage it. In many countries what we see as ugly modern hotels in beautiful locations, are beautiful hotels

in beautiful locations 10 the local population. Modernity is not disliked everywhere, and the jobs and the wealth

these things bring are worth far more than the local scenery to people who were previously economically

impoverished.

In conclusion, there are obviously advantages and disadvantages to tourism but I believe that the benefits

outweigh the drawbacks.

It is claimed that tourism is a modem form of colonialism. It is reported that tourism distorts local economies,

causes environmental damage and ruins the places it exploits. However, it is not true at all So-called "tourism'

means a kind of desire to travel around the world, including sceny-viewing and expressing local life. There are

many obvious differences between colonialism and tourism. The colonialism has a bad effect on local

economies and environment. In my opinion, tourism is good for local economies and environments. In the first

place tourism can bring local government much money. Nowadays in lots of regions, tour is the most important

income source. Specially many places where the scenies are brilliant are poor areas. In the second place, to

solve the local energy problems and starve situation, local governments normally overuse local natural

sources. But if tour can make local people rich, local sources will survive. Therefore, tour is good for local

environment too. There are many cases to point out that local people benefit great from tourists. In addition,

tour will make local people know much other civilization at the same time, tour will bring other civilization back

their own regions. in a word, tour will boom all kinds of culture instead of ruining them. in conclusion, in

contrast with colonialism, tourism brings local people much money and culture. With the development of

tourism the local economies and environment will be better and better.

This report describes the sales of hardback and paperback books bought in New York from 1960 to 1990 and

the types of books which are preferred.

According to the graph, the numbers of both kinds of books have risen with paperback sales being the greater.

20 paperbacks per person were bought in 1960 but by 1985 this figure had more than doubled to 43 books.

Concerning hardbacks, the average number bought in 1960 was only two but sales increased steadily until

1985 when those purchased had increased fourfold to eight per person per year.

As can be seen in the histogram, books on self-help were the most popular in 1990 at 28 per person and these

have experienced a dramatic increase in popularity since 1960 when only 2 per person were purchased. The

most well liked books in 1960 were about religion and politics but they have gradually fallen from 24 and 22 to

16 and 12 respectively in 1990, with only religious books showing a sudden surge in popularity in 1975 when

22 books were sold. The least popular books have always been those on biography and history, peaking in

1960 at 17 and 8 but from 1970 onwards neither book has sold more than 5 copies per person per year.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 75TASK 2 ( ielts practice test 1 )

Many sports, like rugby and football involve violent contact between players and often lead to injury. Other

sports, boxing and wrestling in particular, have the deliberate intention of hurting an opponent. Whether this is

acceptable in modem society when at all other times we try to train people not to be aggressive and not to

deliberately hurt other people is a debatable point.

The arguments against sports like boxing come from a minority of people who find violence, even in a

controlled and institutionalized form, highly disturbing. Their line of reasoning appears to be that it is better for

everyone if we live in a violence free society. In order for us, especially children, to learn to avoid such

behavior then it is preferable if we never see it and cannot copy u. If society actually sanctions brutality, as in

boxing, it cannot be argued that violence is always unacceptable.

On the other hand, realists point out that cruelty is inherent in society and banning boxing will not alter this. On

the contrary, by institutionalizing and controlling violence in boxing clubs can help change this. Boys, who

would otherwise be part of street gangs outside the law, can be taught to be part of a group and direct their

energies at activities which are inside the law. In this environment they can be trained to be better members of

society. Organized boxing matches follow elaborate rules and medical facilities are always on hand so, barring

accident, none should be seriously hurt. How much better this is than uncontrolled street fighting outside the

To sum up, it seems to me that there is little to be gained and much to be lost by banning sports such as

boxing. Prohibiting boxing will not stop violence in society but it will drive organized fighting outside the law and

into the hands of criminals. We would all lose if that occurred.

On the one hand I agree with that statement, because sports like boxing or wrestling cause aggressive

feelings. Especially for young people, which is proved by many scientists. A statistic in the "Oberbadischen" a

German newspaper just showed, two weeks ago, that most young people (roughly about 60% of the viewers)

are under the age of 20. So what happens is that young people watch these programs and try to be like the

boxers or wrestlers have a fight and have to be in hospital.

So according to this fact boxing and wrestling should be banned and for example, rugby not. Rugby is as

tough as boxing.

And after a rugby match shown on TV there are more fights between the fan clubs than after a boxing match.

The thing is boxing is not as popular as rugby and so while I disagree with the statement I think rugby is as

violent as boxing. But the actual point is that rugby is accepted as a teams port and accepted in society while

boxing isn't. So actually we should ban these kinds of sports as well if you want to prevent society from violent

sports.

So in my opinion this statement is totally rubbish because you can't say I want to forbid boxing because it is

violent but keep on sending other kinds of violent sports just because they are accepted in society.

It is now accepted by most people and governments that the world is experiencing climatic changes and that

now and in the future we can expect temperatures to rise. Even when the causes of these changes are known,

often very little is done to reverse their effects.

Global warning is the result of industrialization and our modem way of life. All the things which make modem

life easier and more enjoyable seem to cause pollution. The factories we work in, the cars and aircraft we

travel in, the air conditioning and central heating we use in the home, all create carbon dioxide and

greenhouse gases. At the same time these processes and activities seem to destroy aspects of the ecosystem

which might counter this process and keep the system in balance. Thus we destroy and bum or build over the

forests and agricultural land which might reabsorb the carbon dioxide.

Dealing with the problem is not a straight forward matter. It is not easy for any government or any person to

turn back the clock on the industrial revolution. The prospect of returning to poverty, hard manual labor,

disease and early death - the situation which existed before the industrial revolution and which still exists in

many non-industrialized countries - is not attractive. Somehow, the governments of the world must coordinate

policies which make it possible and attractive for US to use energy efficient meant of travel such as walking or

the bicycle. We need far more research into truly sustainable sources of energy such as wind and wave power

rather than using fossil fuels which release so much carbon dioxide.

In conclusion, as we are aware of the causes of global warning, we must continue to find solutions to the

problem otherwise the earth may never recover from its harmful effects.

The chart shows that Britain, among the four European countries listed, has spent most heavily on the range of consumer goods included. In every case, British spending is considerably higher than that of other countries; only in the case of tennis racquets does another country, Italy, come close.

In contrast, Germany is generally the lowest spender. This is most evident in photographic film, where Germany spends much less than Britain. Germany only spends more than another country, France, in two cases: tennis racquets and perfumes.

Meanwhile, France and Italy generally maintain middle positions, averaging approximately similar spending overall. Specifically, France spends more on CDs and photographic film but less on tennis racquets than Italy does. Italy's spending on personal stereos is only marginally greater than that of France, while spending on toys is equal between the two.

It is clear from the data given that there are some significant differences in spending habits within Europe.

Overall, I disagree with the opinion expressed. I would like to begin by pointing out that 'traditional skills and

ways of life' are not automatically of one country, but of a culture or community.

In many ways, the history of civilization is the history of technology: from the discovery of fire to the invention

of the wheel to the development of the Internet, we have been moving on from previous ways of doing things.

Some technologies, such as weapons of mass destruction, are of negative impact. Others, such as medical

advances, positively help people to live better or longer, and so very much help traditional ways of life. Surely,

few people would seek to preserve such traditions as living in caves!

Interestingly, technology can positively contribute to the keeping alive of traditional skills and ways of life. For

example, the populations of some islands are too small to have normal schools. Rather than breaking up

families by sending children to the mainland, education authorities have been able to use the Internet to deliver

schooling online. In addition, the Internet, and modern refrigeration techniques, are being used to keep alive

the traditional skills of producing salmon; it can now be ordered from, and delivered to, anywhere in the world.

In conclusion, without suggesting that all technology is necessarily good, I think it is by no means 'pointless', in

any way, to try to keep traditions alive with technology. We should not ignore technology, because it can be

our friend and support our way of life.

The data shows the differences between developing and industrialized countries' participation in education and

science.

In terms of the number of years of schooling received, we see that the length of time people spend at school in

industrialized countries was much greater at 8.5 years in 1980, compared to 2.5 years in developing countries.

The gap was increased further in 1990 when the figures rose to 10.5 years and 3.5 years respectively.

We can see a similar pattern in the second graph, which shows that the number of people working as

scientists and technicians in industrialized countries increased from 55 to 85 per 1,000 people between 1980

and 1990, while the number in developing countries went from 12 to 20.

Finally, the figures for spending on research and development show that industrialized countries more than

doubled their spending, from $200bn to $420bn, whereas developing countries actually decreased theirs, from

$75bn down to $25bn.

Overall we can see that not only are there very large differences between the two economies but that these

gaps are widening.

The issue of children doing paid work is a complex and sensitive one. It is difficult to say who has the right to

judge whether children working is 'wrong' or 'valuable'. Opinions will also differ as to 'learning' benefits: no

doubt teachers and factory owners, for example, would have varying concerns.

An important consideration is the kind of work undertaken. Young children doing arduous and repetitive tasks

on a factory production line, for example, are less likely to be 'learning' than older children helping in an old

people's home. There are health and safety issues to be considered as well. It is an unfortunate fact that many

employers may prefer to use the services of children simply to save money by paying them less than adults

and it is this type of exploitation that should be discouraged.

However, in many countries children work because their families need the additional income, no matter how

small. This was certainly the case in the past in many industrialized countries, and it is very difficult to judge

that it is wrong for children today to contribute to the family income in this way.

Nevertheless, in better economic circumstances, few parents would choose to send their children out to full-

time paid work. If learning responsibilities and work experience are considered to be important, then children

can acquire these by having light, part-time jobs or even doing tasks such as helping their parents around the

family home, which are unpaid, but undoubtedly of value in children's development.

According to the results of the labour-force research published recently, the following conclusions can be

drawn from it

In March. 1993. United States had seven percent of their workforce which might not seem disastrous until

compared with Japan, where 2.5% were unemployed. However, the unemployment rate in United States

began declining slowly since March 1993. and reached 5% mark in the middle of 1996. Japan turned out to be

less lucky, as their unemployment rate doubled in three years. From then on. the percentage of unemployed

workforce in United States remained roughly the same - about 5% until March 99. although there were minor

falls and rises in the unemployment rate.

As for Japan the percentage of unemployed fell rapidly by 0.5-0.6% after March 1996. but from summer 1996

and onwards it grew steadily and without any falls to reach 5.0% boundary in March 1999.

The major conclusion that I've drawn using the graph. is that number of unemployed in USA decreased by

about 2.0%in the course of six years. while in Japan it actually increased by 2.5% percent. As a result. in

March 99. both Japan and US had about 5% of their work force unemployed.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 83 TASK 1 ( Cambridge ielts 2)

The chart shows that the percentage of British households with a range of consumer durables steadily

increased between 1972 and 1983. The greatest increase was in telephone ownership, rising from 42% in

1972 to 77% in 1983. Next came centraI heating ownership, rising from 37% of households in 1972 to.64% in

1983. The percentage of households with a refrigerator rose 21% over the same period and those with a

washing machine by 14%. Households with vacuum-cleaners ,televisions and dishwashers increased by 8%,

5% and 2% respectively. In 1983, the year of their introduction, 18% of households had a video recorder.

The significant social changes reflected in the statistics are that over the period the proportion of British

houses with central heating rose from one to two thirds, and of those with a phone from under a half to over

three-quarters. Together with the big increases in the ownership of washing machines and refrigerators, they

are evidence of both rising living standards and the trend to lifestyles based on comfort and convenience.

I believe that child-rearing should be the responsibility of both parents and that, whilst the roles within that

partnership may be different, they are nevertheless equal in importance. In some societies, it has been made

easier over the years for single parents to raise children on their own. However, this does not mean that the

traditional family, with both parents providing emotional support and role-models for their children, is not the

most satisfactory way of bringing up children.

Of crucial importance, in my opinion, is how we define 'responsible for bringing the children up'. At its simplest,

it could mean giving the financial support necessary to provide a home, food and clothes and making sure the

child is safe and receives an adequate education. This would be the basic definition.

There is, however, another possible way of defining that part of the quotation. That would say it is not just the

father's responsibility to provide the basics for his children, while his wife involves herself in the everyday

activity of bringing them up. Rather, he should share those daily duties, spend as much time as his job allows

with his children, play with them, read to them, help directly with their education, participate very fully in their

lives and encourage them to share his.

It is this second, fuller, concept of 'fatherhood' that I am in favour of, although I also realise how difficult it is to

achieve sometimes. The economic and employment situation in many countries means that jobs are getting

more, not less, stressful, requiring long hours and perhaps long journeys to work as well. Therefore it may

remain for many a desirable ideal rather than an achievable reality.

The chart shows the number of hours of leisure enjoyed by men and women in a typical week in 1998-9,

according to gender and employment status.

Among those employed full-time, men on average had fifty hours of leisure, whereas women had

approximately thirty-seven hours. There were no figures given for male part-time workers, but female part-

timers had forty hours of leisure time, only slightly more than women in full-time employment, perhaps

reflecting their work in the home.

In the unemployed and retired categories, leisure time showed an increase for both sexes, as might have been

expected. Here too, men enjoyed more leisure time - over eighty hours. compared with seventy hours for

women, perhaps once again reflecting the fact that women spend more time working in the home than men.

Lastly, housewives enjoyed approximately fifty-four hours of leisure, on average. There were no figures given

for househusbands! Overall, the chart demonstrates that in the categories for which statistics on male leisure

time were available, men enjoy at least ten hours of extra leisure time.

According to statistical information, the main reason for traveling abroad is holidays, business, and visits to

friends and relatives. Indeed, there is a steady increase in the number of holiday makers; while in 1996 there

were about 17,896 of the sample in 1998 there were 20,700 of them. Moreover, with the introduction of more

countries within the EC market, travelling for business has also increased. Although there is not a big

decrement 3,957 traveled abroad for business during 1998 compared with 3,249 in 1996. Finally, traveling

abroad for visiting friel1ds and relatives shows a steady increase over the period 1994-1998. While there were

about 2,628 travelers in 1995 in 1998 the number increased to 3,181 in 1998. Consequently, there is a steady

increase in three main reasons for travelling abroad; Holidays, business, or to visit relatives and friends.

In addition, there is also an increased change in the destinations which people tend to prefer for travelling. The

area which appear to be more popular among travellers is Western Europe. Indeed, while in 1994 only 19,371

of the sample preferred to spend their holiday (or other reasons) in that main region, there was an increase to

24,519 in 1998. North America and other areas appeared also favourable. In 1996, there were 1,167 going to

North America and 1,905 to other areas. These numbers increased to 1,823 and 2,486 accordingly. Statistical

figures prove that Western Europe seems to be the most favourable place for holiday makers while North

America and other areas follow behind. .

Before talking about the essential role of death penalty, you have to think about the meaning, and the purpose,

of any kind of punishment. If you consider that the purpose is to prevent the guilty from being nasty again, you

can be seduced by an argumentation in favour of the suppression of capital punishment. But you have to think

about another aspect of the problem: a punishment is also useful to impress people, to make them fear the

law. In fact, let's take the example of a young misfit, which has grown in a violent atmosphere, influenced by

older delinquents, etc. . . He lives in the streets, he's got no aim but to survive. This is the kind of person who

could possibly kill someone for money, or even for fun. . . Why would he fear prison? Life would be easier for

him there. In addition, in many cases, when you behave normally, you can benefit from penalty reductions.

This young misfit needs to be impressed, he needs to know that the law is a frontier. When you cross it, you

can lose your life. That is why capital punishment helps keeping a distance between robbery and murder. If

you abolish it, you suppress the difference between these two types of crime, which are completely different.

But there is also a limit to define: even if death penalty is unavoidable, it would be a crime to apply it to

inadequate cases. If there is no premeditation or past facts which can justify such a punishment, it is far too

strict to apply death penalty. That is why the lawmakers have to establish precisely the context in which capital

punishment can be pronounced. That is the price to pay to limit violence without using excessive violence. . .

It is certainly very understandable that some governments should start looking at ways of limiting their

populations to a sustainable figure. In the past, populations were partly regulated by frequent war and

widespread disease, but in recent years the effects of those factors have been diminished. Countries can be

faced with a population that is growing much faster than the nation's food resources or employment

opportunities and whose members can be condemned to poverty by the need to feed extra mouths. They

identify population control as a means to raising living standards.

But how should it be achieved ?Clearly, this whole area is a very delicate personal and cultural issue. Many

people feel that this is not a matter for the state. They feel this is one area of life where they have the right to

make decisions for themselves.

For that reason, it would seem that the best approach would be to work by persuasion rather than compulsion.

This could be done by a process of education that points out the way a smaller family can mean an improved

quality of life for the family members as well as less strain on the country's, perhaps very limited resources.

This is the preferred way. Of course, if this does not succeed within a reasonable time scale, it may be

necessary to consider other measures, such as tax incentives or child-benefit payments for small families only.

These are midway between persuasion and compulsion.

So, yes, it is sometimes necessary, but governments should try very hard to persuade first. They should also

remember that this is a very delicate area indeed, and that social engineering can create as many problems as

it solves.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 89 TASK 2 (essay writing for English test)

The Internet has provided great benefits, but at the same time it has also created new dangers and inequalities. Is it possible to control some of these problems?

No-one can deny that the Internet has revolutionized much of society. Individuals benefit from access to

almost endless amount.; of information on the World Wide Web, as well as being able to communicate easily

and cheaply with friends and strangers. For the business world the impact has been even more dramatic. Vast

sums of money are constantly being instantly transferred around the world by electronic means. Banks and

other businesses now totally depend on the Internet.

There are, however, significant dangers in this development. The first problem that most people think of is the

danger of hackers invading the system and either obtaining secret information or introducing viruses that

cause immense damage. It is unlikely that this problem can ever be completely solved. As soon as the

technology is developed to overcome one hacker, another one produces some new method.

Apart from this technical problem, however, there is a much deeper one, and that is the inequality between

individuals and societies, which the Internet is making worse. The gap between the rich and the poor is

growing rapidly in the world, and access to the Internet is a significant part of the problem. Developing

countries where schools cannot afford computers, and small businesses which do not have Internet access

are being left further and further behind.

Some people believe that if computers are widely distributed in poor societies that this would be an important

way to reduce the inequalities. Other feel that the problem is much deeper, and needs to be dealt with by

bodies such as the World Trade Organization.

The answer is probably that all possible methods should be used to break down the inequalities, including

access to the Internet, to ensure that the world does not become more and more unstable.

The responsibility for the environment rests with the individual and not only with the government. Do

you agree?

Everyone is becoming aware that the environment is a serious issue. There is bad air and water pollution

everywhere and we also know that the green house effect is changing our weather and that the hole in the

ozone layer is causing skin cancer. However, not enough is being done to solve the problems, because most

people seem to be waiting for governments to make the decisions. In fact, the responsibility for protecting the

environment must be shared by everyone. Individuals can and should do many things to help to solve the

problem.

First of all people can make sure that they are responsible in the way that they dispose of waste. If people

throw rubbish like plastic into rivers and oceans, it always stays there, and causes fish and sea-birds to die. It

is also important to make sure that we do not buy goods that have too much wrapping on them, especially

plastic wrapping, because if we do, we are adding to the huge amounts of waste.

People also need to be responsible in the way that they use water. In some countries, like Australia, an

enormous amount of water is wasted for swimming pools, washing cars and so on. Most countries are running

out of fresh water.

If people used their cars less, this would help to prevent the greenhouse effect. Everyone can try to use public

transport more, or use bicycles, or even walk, instead of using their cars for even short trips.

Finally. the most important thing that individuals can do is to let their governments know that they want

something to be done about the environment. It is obvious that the governments will not do anything unless the

people force them to.

It is therefore clear that individuals must take responsibility for the environment, otherwise it will soon be too

late, and we and the next generation will suffer serious consequences.

It is sometimes argued that because tertiary education is of greater benefit to the individual than to the society. all students should pay full fees. What is your opinion?

As the modern world is becoming increasingly complex and knowledge is becoming more and more

specialized, there is no doubt that tertiary education is necessary both for the whole society and for individuals

who want to ensure that they have a good profession. The question of who benefits more is important to

societies and governments in deciding who should be expected to pay for the costs involved This is a difficult

question.

There is no doubt that the whole society benefits. In all developing countries there has been a strong effort to

raise the educational level of the society by putting as much money as possible into providing educational

institutions. Universities and colleges are, however, expensive to run. Because of this, it is felt that such

countries are held back in all forms of development. Without enough educated professionals such as doctors,

teachers, scientists and engineers, developing countries cannot move ahead Governments in such countries

provide scholarships, or free education, to as many students as they can afford, because they realize that the

whole country will benefit. Many developed countries also try to offer free tertiary education because they want

a highly educated population.

However, there is also a strong argument that individuals benefit so much from tertiary education that they

should be expected to pay for it. Doctors, lawyers, accountants and engineers have some of the highest

incomes in most societies. People argue that the government, and therefore the tax payers, should not pay for

students who will later earn more than anyone else. Moreover, most students come from the middle classes,

and their parents can afford to pay for their fees. There are, of course, some students who cannot afford to

pay. This problem can be overcome by a system like the one being used in Australia, for example. The

government gives the students a loan to pay for their fees, and later, when they are earning a good salary they

repay the loan.

It is probably impossible to decide whether the individual or the society benefits more from tertiary education,

but since both benefit, the costs should probably be paid for by both equally.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 92 TASK 2 (ielts practice test 1 )

Schools have been with us for many hundreds of years but the school uniform debate is a more recent.

phenomenon. It probably dates from the development of universal education towards the end of the last

century. State schools without uniforms would have contrasted noticeably with the uniformed public schools.

Uniforms must have been adopted initially where ambitious state schools sought to demonstrate, through

coloured caps, and blazers, that they were as good as the elite public schools.

By the middle of this century, school uniforms became universal in British schools and there were many good

reasons why they were retained. They gave a sense of identity to the school The school is a small society in its

own right and one of the tasks of schools was to fit their pupils for society. A uniform is a clear outward

manifestation of belonging. There were other benefits too. Where pupils were drawn from a wide cross-section

of society a uniform could disguise these differences and paper over divisions within a school. It was a form of

social equalization as well as control At a time when truancy was more closely monitored, a uniform made

pupils out of school at the wrong time much easier to identify.

Whatever the advantages of uniforms, they also had their drawbacks. They were often expensive and

something that was intended to be socially integrative could be divisive. They were often unattractive and old-

fashioned and could be impractical . During the 1960's it was also felt that uniforms did not fit with the then

fashionable ideas on education. This was a time of individuality and self-expression and it began to be thought

that education should enable pupils to express and fulfill their own individuality. Wearing a uniform created the

opposite effect.

To my mind school uniforms should be retained in all circumstances. They can be modernised and changed

according to circumstances but a uniform fulfils one critical aspect of education. It signals to pupils that it is

their job to fit into society and not the other way around. If pupils learn nothing else while at school then their

time will not have been totally wasted.

The graph and bar chart show the numbers of people who visited the UK and the number of UK citizens who

travelled abroad between 1979 and 1999, and some of the places the UK' citizens travelled to while abroad.

Between 1979 and 1999 there was a marked increase in the numbers of people both travelling to and from the

UK. In 1979 there were approximately 11 million people who visited the UK but by 1995 this number had more

than doubled to about 26 million and has remained stable. There were approximately 16 million visits abroad

by UK citizens in 1979 and this number since then has increased steadily, reaching 55 million in 1999.

According to the bar chart, the numbers of people travelling from the UK to certain countries had risen after

1979 apart from Ireland which had a downturn of about 50% from 750,000 to 400,000 visitors a year. The

greatest proportional rises can be seen in the West Indies and Thailand where the numbers increased fourfold

in twenty years. Spain, France and Greece all had high numbers of visitors in 1979 yet they all increased their

totals in the following twenty years. The most popular destination in 1979, Spain, remained so in 1999

receiving almost 4,500,000 tourists in that year.

This report describes the changes in the figures of visits to and from the United Kingdom in two decades, from

1979 to 1999 and the variations in holiday destinations of the UK citizens.

According to the histogram, the visits to and from the UK from 1979 until approximately 1986 showed parallel

slight rises. From then, until the early nineties, there has been a small rise in visits to the UK from overseas

residents, while there was a noticeable increase in visits abroad by residents of the UK. The two figures

followed again a parallel upward route until the middle of the 1990s. Then, the visits to the UK reached a

plateau, but the visits abroad from UK residents showed a more noticeable increase.

As far as the bar chart is concerned, it is rather obvious that during these twenty years Spain not only was and

still is the most popular destination, but has also shown the biggest increase, compared to the other countries.

France and Greece are the next most popular destinations with a similar raise. It is worth mentioning that even

though they all accept approximately 1 million more UK visitors than they did in 1979, the balance between

them is steady. On the other hand, West Indies and Thailand have soared and have at least trebled their

popularity in these two decades. On the contrary, Ireland, a popular destination in 1979 has shown a steep

decline, by more than a half of UK visitors.

The process of selecting the subjects to be taught in schools is not an easy one. Subjects that once were

thought important now seem irrelevant and have either been removed from the curriculum, a prime example of

which is Latin, or had their hours taught reduced, such as Sport and Art. At the same time new subjects have

been added to the curriculum, such as Information Technology, which schools have to teach if they are to

prepare students adequately for life in work and outside school.

Education is not just about preparing schoolchildren for the world of work. It is also about ensuring that

students are well balanced and healthy. Competitive sport is, I believe very important in making children both

of these things. Children rarely walk or cycle to school and take far less exercise than they did in past

generations. If they are to remain fit and healthy then the curriculum must contain time for formal exercise.

Competitive sport is ideal for this since it also prepares children for the realities of life where you must learn to

compete to survive.

Also the teaching of Art and Music is an essential part of education since students need to have a knowledge

of cultural subjects as well as more practical vocational lessons. These lessons also give students a more

balanced, comprehensive view of life as well as helping them to develop their imagination and creativity.

Therefore, in my opinion, subjects such as Information Technology must be added to the curriculum as they

are now part of both our working lives and leisure time. However, other lessons should not be dropped to

accommodate them but be included in the timetable, giving students a broader based education.

The study of subjects such as Art, Competitive Sport and Music are being forced out of the school curriculum

to make way for other subjects such as IT. In my opinion, I don't agree with it for three reasons.

Firstly, these subjects such as music and art are very important to children because when they are brought up

they need to study different subjects to improve their IQ and EQ. I think the best way to improve their EQ is

learning some subjects like art, music and competitive sport. If we teach them IT but abandon art and music,

children will only think and behave like robots, cold and expressionless.

Secondly, for children, art, music and competitive sports are more fun than other subjects such as IT.

Especially in primary school and middle school the ages of those students are quite young. It is too strict to

them sitting all day in the class and learning scientic subjects. They should have more fun, studying art, music

and competitive sport during playing games in class.

Thirdly, a society needs not only scientist and politics, but also artist, musicians and sportsmen. It means we

need to educate those people when they were young. If we cease to teach these subject in class, how can the

children find they are interested in it and wish to go further when they grow up?

In conclusion, I think removing art, music and competitive sports from the school curriculum is wrong. Children

should have more opportunities to study these subjects freely.

The graph shows the number of students studying languages in selected British schools from 1940 to 2000.

In 1940, the total number of students learning foreign languages was just under 200,000, but in 1950 there

was a significant increase to 300,000. There was a gradual rise until the 1980s with a peak of 360,000 in 1980

followed by a steady decline to just under 300, 000 by 2000.

The most popular language from 1940 to 1990 was French. Its popularity rose rapidly from around 50,000

students in 1940, to a plateau of around 250,000 between 1960 and 1980. The number decreased slightly until

1990, to 200,000 students, then declined rapidly /0 half this number in 2000.

Very small numbers of students learnt Spanish before 1990. From 1940 - 1980 there were around 15 - 50

thousand studying the language but in 1990 the number rose to 100,000 and by 2000 it was the second most

popular language after French when the figure almost doubled to around 180, 000 students.

German was never as popular as French or Spanish, reaching a peak of 50,000 learners during the 1960s and

1970s but declined to around 20,000 in 2000.

In the region of 35,000 students learnt other languages in 1940. This number rose /0 50,000 in 1950 but

following this, there was a steady fall in interest and in 2000 no learners of other languages were recorded.

The rate of development in modem society is increasing exponentially. As a consequence, people tend to

communicate and exchange thoughts and opinions, in order to develop themselves.

In this issue, schools are responding by increasing the number of students who learn foreign languages.

In 1980, the total number of students who were learning a non-British language reached a peak, with French to

be the most preferable and Spanish to follow.

1970 and 1960 have a slight difference in respect with the number of students. In both 1970 and 1960, which

follow, French are the most popular and German at the following place.

1990, which is at the fourth place, having also a preference to French, while German and Spanish are

following respectively.

In 2000 which follows, Spanish are more preferable, with French and other languages to be popular, and the

other languages to follow.

At last 1940 is at the seventh place, with French and other languages being popular, and the other languages

to follow.

The essay title proposes that younger people are careless and overconfident drivers who cause accidents, and

that this problem could be overcome by teaching driving in schools. Since one of the aims of school education

is to provide learners with essential life skills and, to many of us, driving is just such a skill, then training of this

kind would seem to make sense. There are very real problems associated with this idea, however, and these

must be balanced against possible benefits in order to decide if the teaching of driving in schools is worth the

expense and effort.

At present driving is not formally taught in schools. Learners can go to a specialized driving school if they want

but many are taught by friends and relations who mil)' have no formal qualifications and mil)' be teaching this

skill badly. Learners could have only a few hours of tuition before taking a test to allow them to drive. How

much better, it would seem, to carry out this training in schools where a proper curriculum could be devised,

adequate time could be spent on the subject and qualified, experienced teachers could impart the training.

The question posed, however, rather presumes that problems associated with young drivers would be

eliminated if this subject was taught in schools. Being careless or even reckless is often a feature of being

young, something which teaching alone cannot overcome. There are also very practical problems too be

faced. The cost of such a programme would almost certainly be prohibitive. Books are hard enough to obtain

in the current educational system; the cost of cars would be an impossible extra burden on schools.

For these reasons, the idea of teaching driving in schools is unfortunately impractical and must therefore be

rejected.

It is a fact nowadays that many young drivers are killed in accident. This situation is strictly related to the

attitude that young drivers have and in which the initial problem has its origin. The reasons that causes the

accidents must be examined carefully so as to have more solutions.

Young drivers are involved in accidents, which are caused because they are careless and overconfident but

also because of their attitudes and mentality which is still immature. Alcohol and the maximum volume of

music when they drive, is a combination that could cause problems and accidents, and an attitude that shows

the lack of respect for human’s life. Also, the high speed and the races with cars, can also cause accidents. At

last another reason of the existence of accidents is the ignorance or even the unknowledge of rules.

When a young driver is involved in an accident that is an unpleasant experience that will always carry. For that

reason, the young driver must become aware of the extend of the serious problem, and change his behaviour.

That can only happen if the driver engages responsibilities for his actions and understand that he is not only

responsible for himself but also for the life of other people, and so show respect to bath cases.

The most important task, though, it is the teach of right attitude against accidents. An appropriate attitude can

be taught by showing respect to life and being responsible. Another way that could eliminate accidents is the

teaching of traffic rules at schools, or even impose taxes those who cause an accident, or harder sanctions.

Accidents by young drivers can be avoided in a long term period, although it is a hard task, which demands the

participation of school family and state, who would inspire the young drivers to be more careful

Motorcycle production spanning the half a century from 1940 -1990 in Britain, the USA, Japan, Germany and

France is detailed in this report

As can be seen in the graph, until the early 1950s, all five countries constructed 250,000 or fewer motorbikes

annually but then production rose in all nations from the middle years of the decade.

The most dramatic expansion was seen in the USA where production shot up to over three million machines

by the mid 1970s but following that saw a steady decline to around two million by 1990. Japan and Germany

also experienced rapid rises in their motorbike manufacture from 1940, reaching three and two and a quarter

million machines respectively by 1990. Britain and France, however, made far fewer machines than the other

three nations although Britain did experience a similar boom in production until the mid 19701 when, after

hitting a peak of just under one million machines, the numbers of motorbikes constructed fell steadily to half a

million by 1990. In France, on the other hand, production was minimal as the numbers of machines assembled

rose only slightly from 1940, reaching a plateau of around 200,000 bikes from 1960 to 1980. After this there

was a slight but steady decrease until 1990 when very few machines were being produced.

This report describes the motorcycle production during the period 1940-1990 in five different countries: Britain,

the USA, Japan, Germany and France.

According to the graph, the motorcycle production in France has been quite steady since 1940 showing a.

slight increase between the 1960s and 19801 and ending up this 50 year period at around the same levels as

it started, below 500 thousands motorcycles per year.

In Britain there has been a gradual rise in the 1960s when a significant rise took place and the production hit a

peak in the mid-70s by doubling the number of produced motorcycles to about 900 thousand. Until the 1980s

there has been a slight decrease, while during the I980s and till 1990 the production decreased steadily a little

below 500 thousand pieces.

In Germany, on the other hand, the motorcycle production raised slightly during the first 20 years remaining

steadily below 500,000 pieces, but from 1960 until 1980 a dramatic increase took place. The production hit a

peak in 1980 by reaching an annual figure of almost two million bikes and has continued rising gradually since

then to approximately 2 million and 200 thousand pieces.

The increase of production in Japan was considerably more rapid from 250 thousand in the 1940s to 3 million

pieces in 1990. Similarly in the USA, from almost zero production until the early 1950$, motorcycle production

following a dramatic upward trend, hit a peak with more than 3 million pieces annually in the middle of the

decade between 1970 and 1980.

However, since then, there has been a significant reduction reaching an annual production of just below 2

thousand pieces.

Remembering the past is not easy. Even recent events can be recalled quite differently by the people who

were involved in them. The events which have shaped our national development occurred many hundreds of

years ago, before they could even be written down, so the past is not remembered but reinvented by every

generation

Just as it is natural for the recollections of different individuals to reflect their particular interests, so various

countries give a different interpretation of events to suit their national myths. For example, it is clearly very

important for Americans to remember the creation of their country as a war of independence, a triumph of

liberty over oppression. Viewed from a different perspective this was liberty only for some rich, white men and

if you happened to be block in America at that time, then you merely exchanged one oppressor for another.

Nonetheless, even for the black population in the USA today, this idea of a nation freeing itself from a colonial

power is a very important part of their heritage.

These events from the past can be vital to the stability and well being of a country. Remembering them can

bond an otherwise disparate community thus helping to unite the country in times of difficulty, such as war or

economic crises.

Yet, if countries remember events in their past where there was conflict with another country, resentment and

bitterness may remain and sour present day relations and attitudes with the former enemy. Therefore,

remembering the past can prove to have a destructive effect on present day life.

In conclusion, countries should indeed remember their past, as everyone must be aware of their previous

achievements and triumphs as well as failures. However, it must also be remembered that the past cannot be

dwell upon and that previous animosities should not affect contemporary relationships.

I largely agree with this statement. A country must remember its past for several reasons. Every country has a

own past and some people are proud of it and some are ashamed. I will talk about why the countries must

remember its past

First a country may have something in its past which should not be forgotten because it is bad. Sometimes it is

too bad to forget. In some countries there are terrible crimes and we should teach our children about it. So I

agree with this idea.

Secondly, sometimes there are also good things in the past which we should celebrate. In my country .we

celebrate the birthday of our strongest president about one hundred years

ago. This day is when everyone forgets their troubles and their arguments with neighbours for a day. So all the

trouble in our country is not for one day.

Furthermore, every child who lives in a country must to know about its past We all have customs that come

from our especial past like in my country we have the birth day of our president. It is important that we to know

this is an important day.

One the other hand, some people make too much out of these things. Then we see countries arguing and

fighting about something from the past In fact most arguments start in the past! In my Country, old people do

not forget so much. So I think every country needs to remember its past but we should not make too much out

of these things.

The table shows the different ways in which five European countries generate their electricity. It shows the

amount they generate from each of four sources, and the total amount of electricity they produce. The five

countries included are: France, Spain, Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom.

The figures show that Germany generates the most electricity with over 500 billion kilowatt hours, followed by

France, the UK, Spain and Norway which produces the least with just over 100 billion overall with very little

electricity from hydro and geothermal sources.

France creates over three-quarters of its electricity from nuclear power while there is less thermal production

than hydr0electricity at 38.1 and 61.6 billion respectively. In Germany and the UK the proportions are quite

different. In both these countries about two thirds of their electricity is from thermal sources followed by nuclear

power. In Spain thermal electricity is also the greatest source with 89.4 billion kilowatt hours and again

followed by nuclear power. with 525 kilowatt hours. Norway differs from the other countries in that almost all its

electricity, over 99 percent comes from hydro-electricity with only small amounts of thermal sources and no

nuclear power.

This report describes the sources from which five European countries produce electricity.

According to the table, thermal power is widely used for the production of electricity in Germany and the United

Kingdom. In both countries it represents more than fifty per cent of the total electricity generated. The situation

is approximately the same in Spain. France, on the other hand, produces less than ten per cent of its electricity

in that way, but that is a lot compared to Norway's almost nil thermally produced electricity.

It's worth mentioning that Norway generates virtually all the electric power it needs using hydropower. As can

be seen from the diagram France and Spain also use hydro electricity,

whereas Germany and the UK make little use of this source. Nuclear plants are the main source of electricity

for France; at the same time Germany, Spain and the UK produce by nuclear power about the some

percentage of electricity compared to their total amounts. Norway seems to say 'no' to nuclear power.

Geothermal and other alterative sources of generated electricity are used at a percentage of no more than two

percent in all cases.

The increasing dependence of the public on the car as the main means of transportation has resulted in higher

levels of air pollution and damage to the environment One suggestion which has been put forward to lessen

the severity of this problem is to increase taxes on petrol and diesel fuel

If the government insisted on raising taxes, many people would have to consider alterative methods of

transport as they could no longer afford to use so much petrol This would mean that emissions of toxic fumes

from cars into the atmosphere would fall and so air pollution would be at a more acceptable level With fewer

cars on the roads, 'Cities would have less traffic congestion, which has been a major problem in urban areas in

recent years. Also, if people walked to work instead of travelling by car, they would become healthier and fitter.

However, there are others ways to discourage drivers from using their vehicles so often To lower congestion, a

tax could be imposed on cars entering the centre of cities and parking charges could be raised. In some

countries, cars are only allowed into city centres on specific days or people are fined if they travel alone in their

But inflicting such a tax on people would affect certain members of the public more than others. Those living in

the country are dependent on their cars as public transportation to these areas is often inadequate and so

without their own vehicles their ability to move around would be severely restricted. Small businesses would

suffer if their transportation costs were increased and some would be forced to close, thus raising levels of

unemployment.

In conclusion, I believe that imposing higher taxes on fuel would not be an effective way of reducing the usage

of private cars and rather than forcing the public to pay extra charges, fines or taxes, the government should

endeavor to upgrade the public transportation system with lower fares and a more frequent service in order to

persuade the public to abandon their cars.

Oil is one of the sources that. is used widely for the generation of energy. Having oil for someone's needs is a

very strong advantage, in which the economy of a country is based on. Oil is a fuel which is disposable and

that means that its management must be done within logical space and by management. Nowadays, oil is the

most valuable source of energy, and productivity is based on its existence, and any activity is based on it.

Oil is also used in transport systems, not always having so many profit. Of course, using oil is cheaper solution

for fuel but the question is what extent is that appropriate or no. Taxation on petrol is thought to increased, so

that private cars would reduce its use. A result of this action would be the immediate respond of the

consumers, who would reconsider the use of oil in all ranges. As a consequence, new types of vehicles must

be created using alternative types of energy sources. That would cause new places for work as well as more

available sources for industry in general Also pollution will decrease and the money that governments will gain

for the taxes would be used for environmental purposes.

The overprice of oil by increased taxes can also cause the overprize of many products as it will be more

expensive to produce a product Also, many companies will be forced to close, and as a result unemployment

would increase with a simultaneous increase of criminality.

If taxes on oil do not increase, there is also disadvantage, which affect the economy. If the needs of oil are

increased a general disorder and more war will happen in order to claim the sources of oil. Also the increase of

the use of oil will result in saturation of products with the following results in the economy of a country.

The fact that must be understood is that increasing the taxes in oil is not only affecting the specific territory of

drivers, but causes general disorders in the economy of a country. For those reason, though, it would be better

if the problem was examined globularly and not in a specific way. Thinking the above advantages and

disadvantages, it would be preferable not to increase the taxes on oil because from that kind of action there

will be general problems.

The invention of the television and computer has not only completely altered employment in the modem world,

but has also affected entertainment too. However, it is generally believed that these means of communication

can have a negative influence on people, particularly children and it has been suggested that parents should

place restrictions on their use.

One reason to regulate children using the new technology concerns their health. Being in front of a screen can

damage their eyesight and also, if they are sitting for long periods instead of playing in the fresh air, their

general health can be endangered. Another point is that children need to learn to communicate with other

people and not merely be occupied with solitary pastimes. Finally, this technology sometimes shows subjects

that are not appropriate for children and could harm them emotionally or morally.

Yet television and computers also have many benefits for children. Firstly, they are a valuable source of

learning about new subjects and the World in general. Also, without some knowledge of technology, no one in

the younger generation will stand a chance of finding a decent job. Lastly, in cities, life has become

increasingly dangerous and it is no longer safe to allow children to play freely in their neighborhoods so

computers and televisions can provide a more secure means of entertainment within their own homes.

In my opinion, children should be permitted to watch TV or use a computer but with certain restrictions. They

should not watch whatever they want whenever they want, but their parents ought to limit the number of hours

of viewing and use special devices to block certain websites which may be harmful

Many problems are from the widespread use of private cars in most large cities. Everywhere we seethe twin

evils of private car use, cost and danger, and they affect both individuals and society.

The economic costs of cars are high for society: they include the continuing upkeep of road networks and the

health care associated with car-crash injuries. But the damage and danger caused by cars are perhaps more

severe. In the first place, car exhausts contribute considerably to atmospheric pollution. Cars also disturb the

public's peace as motorway noise is audible up to 10 kilometers away. In addition, many people face

respiratory problems due to pollution, and accidents result in many deaths every year.

However, despite these problems, cars are clearly still a popular choice in virtually all travel situations because

cars are swift, comfortable and comparatively cheap. Drivers can choose their route and can stop wherever

they want.

Unfortunately, the car is used so much because there are so few viable alterative. These days rail networks

are being replaced by motorways and air travel is expensive. For short journeys, people are forced to use their

cars as public transport is so badly organized with a lack of government funding.

To sum up, despite the fact that the car damages the environment and in the wrong hands, is dangerous,

most people would choose to travel by car mainly for the convenience and independence it offers to the driver.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 111 TASK 2 ( academic writing practice for ielts )

The so-called 'brain drain' from poor to rich countries is now robbing poorer countries of essential workers like

doctors, nurses, engineers, and the trend will continue, if not to get worse.

Some people say this movement of people around the world is not new. People have always been attracted by

the wider choice of employment and greater opportunity in big cities in their own countries and abroad. As the

technological age advances, richer countries do not have enough workers to keep up with the development.

So they turn to other parts of the world to find the workers they need. Many richer European countries, for

example, are now trying to attract skilled IT workers from my home country India by offering higher salaries

than they could get at home. With globalization, many people feel that the process cannot be stopped.

Others like myself think that measures should be taken to improve the situation. For example, rich countries

could compensate poorer countries for the loss of investment in the people they have trained, like doctors,

nurses, teachers and dentists. However, this may be difficult to organize, but an attempt could be made to get

it started. Another step, which has already begun to happen, is to use the forces of globalization itself. Western

countries could encourage people to stay in their own countries by direct investment in projects like computer

factories. Or they could send more patients abroad for treatment, as is already happening.

It is obviously difficult to stop the movement around the world and it is probably foolish to try to stop it, but

attempts should be made to improve the situation.

Word Count: 273 words

Possible Band: 7

The so-called 'brain drain' from poor to rich countries is now robbing poorer countries of essential personnel

like doctors, nurses, engineers, and the trend is set to continue, if not to get worse.

Some people say this movement of people around the world is not a new phenomenon. Migrant workers have

always been attracted by the wider choice of employment and greater opportunity in major cities in their own

countries and abroad. Recently, as the technological age has advanced and as richer countries find

themselves with not enough workers to feed their development, they have had to turn to other parts of the

world to find the necessary manpower. Many richer European countries, for example are now trying to attract

skilled IT workers from my home country India by offering higher salaries than they could hope to earn at

home. With the globalization of the world economy, many people feel that the process cannot be stopped.

Others, myself included, are of the opinion that measures should be taken to address the problem, by

compensating poorer countries financially for the loss of investment in the people they have trained, like

doctors and nurses. Admittedly, this may be cumbersome to administer, but an attempt could be made to get it

off the ground. Another step, which in part has already begun to happen, is to use the forces of globalization

itself. Western countries could encourage people to stay in their own countries by direct investment in projects

like computer factories or by sending patients abroad for treatment, as is already happening.

It is obviously difficult to restrict the movement of people around the world and it is probably foolish to try to

stop it, but attempts should be made to redress the imbalance.

Possible Band: 9

The chart shows the results of a survey of theatre-goers as to what annoys them most during a theatre

performance.

As we can see from the diagram, there is a number of irritants for theatre-goers. Rustling sweet papers is the

most irritating action for 90% of the people who were part of the survey of theatre-goers and Coughing is the

next highest at 75%. Whispering comes next at 60% and then Sneezing at 45%. Of this group, Snoring is

annoying to 30% of the theatre-goers. Mobile phones annoy 50% of people and Bleeps annoy 40%. These are

all about noise.

There are also some irritants in the survey of theatre-goers that are not about noise. Arriving late at 70% is the

main one. The next highest in this group is Tall people who disturb 30% of the theatre-goers and Big hairdos is

next at 23%. Flash photography irritates 25% of people. but the lowest in this group is Armrest hogging at

Possible Band: 7

The chart shows the results of a survey of theatre-goers about what annoys them most during a theatre

performance.

As can be seen from the diagram, there are two main groups of irritants: those which are related to noise and

non-noise irritants, and of the two the second is the larger. Rustling sweet papers is the most irritating action

for 90% of those in the sample, and Coughing is the next at 75%. Whispering comes next at 60% and

Sneezing at 45%. In this group. Snoring is mentioned as annoying to 30% of those in the sample. Mobile

phones annoy 50% of the people and Bleeps 40%.

As for non-noise irritants, Arriving late at 70% is the main one. The next highest in this category is Tall people

who disturb 30% of those in the sample and Big hairdos next at 23%. Flash photography disturbs 25% of

theatre-goers, but the lowest in this group is Armrest hogging at 20%.

Word count: 162

The criticism that alternative energy sources such as wind power etc. cause as much environmental damage

as fossil fuel has some justification Some people, for example, are strongly against the use of wind power.

Indeed, the large wind farms in some European countries have come in for strong criticism and not just from

environmentalists. They are very ugly. even if they are in the sea far away from the coast. Burning household

waste for fuel also causes problems, because of the harmful fumes that are the by-product of the process. So

while the amount of waste put into landfill sites is reduced thus preserving the environment, the air is being

polluted instead! However, in my opinion, such sources need to be encouraged as a means of replacing fossil

fuel as they have considerable advantages.

First of all, as the technology for using alternative sources of energy is becoming more and more

sophisticated, any harmful by-product will be minimized. Moreover, the cost of producing the necessary

equipment will decline. Take solar energy, for example. In the past, the panels that were needed to utilize

energy from the sun were huge and not very environmentally friendly. Now, however, the same panels are

small enough not to be noticed or are made to look like say roof tiles or normal parts of vehicles. The same will

apply to wind farms as the giant turbines become smaller and less obvious.

Energy from water also comes in for a lot of criticism. This has come about from the many high profile dam

projects around the world where huge areas have been destroyed both for people and local flora and fauna.

However, it is a safer alternative to nuclear energy and a price that has to be paid.

Whilst any form of energy that we seek to utilize is going to cause some damage, I feel that wind, sun and

water have to be harnessed for the good of the environment.

Word count: 325

Possible Band: 8

The chart shows the value in dollars of three companies selling farming equipment every five years from 1960

until 2000 and their projected value up to 2012.

Greenacres Ltd increased its value by more than double between 1960 and the year 1990. The value rose

from 2 million dollars to over 4 million dollars. The value dropped by about 25% by 1995 and then by another

million by the year 2000. Then it was valued at 2 million dollars. The trend for Carsons Limited was steady and

upwards with fluctuations and it doubled its value from 500,000 dollars to one million dollars by 2000. Farm

Implements Ltd, existed for the first time in 1980. However, by the year 2000, its value was about 2 million

dollars, which was up from its value of I million dollars in '1980. Farm Implements Ltd, will increase in value

gradually until 2012.

Greenacres Ltd and Carsons Ltd will both increase in value until 2012 and Greenacres Ltd will recover to the

peak of just above 4 million dollars in 1990. And Carsons Ltd is expected to continue its increase to a value of

1.5 million dollars by 2012.

Word count: 194

Possible Band: 6

The chart shows the value in dollars of three companies selling farming equipment every five years from 1960

until 2000 and their projected value up to 2012.

Whilst Greenacres Ltd more than doubled in value between 1960 and the year 1990, rising from 2 million

dollars to just over 4 million, the value dropped by approximately 25% by 1995 and then by another third by the

year 2000. when it was valued at 2 million dollars. In contrast, the trend for Carsons Limited was steadily

upwards with some fluctuations and a doubling in value from 500,000 dollars to one million by the year 2000.

The third company, Farm Implements Ltd, was not set up until 1980. However, by the year 2000, its value

stood at approximately 2 million dollars, doubling from its 1980 value of I million. Farm Implements Ltd, is

expected to increase in value gradually until 2012.

Until 2012, Greenacres Ltd and Carsons Ltd are both expected to increase in value with the former recovering

to match the peak of just above 4 million dollars last seen in 1990. Similarly, Carsons Ltd is set to continue its

steady increase reaching a value of 1.5 million dollars by 2012.

Word count: 200

Possible Band: 8

The debate about how to assess students at university has been raging as long as such institutions have

existed. In one group are those who believe that the only sure way to test the ability to study or achievement is

through formal examinations.

The increased use of the internet has shown the difficulty that teachers have in assessing their students'

course work. Students can download vast amounts of material from the web. In fact, it is impossible for a

teacher to know whether the student did, in fact, do the work himself. The student may have done part of the

work for a project, but it is difficult for the tutor to assess the student properly. The problem then is that if the

teacher ignores the possibility that the student stole the ideas from somewhere else, a body of workers will be

produced who are not really up to the job.

In the other group, are those who feel that formal written exams are wrong and that assessment should be

continuous throughout a course. There are students who do not perform well under pressure in exams. They

may know the information that they are asked to write about very well, but may not be able to perform. So it

would be wrong to destroy someone's career just because of this. Furthermore, the numbers here are not

insignificant, so the effect on the job market would be high.

The answer, I feel, lies somewhere in the middle. A university degree should be based on a combination of

both forms of assessment. The proportion of marks given to each type of assessment could depend on the

nature of the course. For example, a particular course, say an MA, may be more research based work, which

would be better assessed by course work like essays etc. In this case however, it is still wise to have an

examination like an oral or a viva where the student is examined in detail about the content of what they have

written.

Word count: 336 words

Possible Band: 7

The table shows the percentage of pupils who secured places at higher educational establishments from 1995

to 1996 inclusive.

Of the five schools, Harble Secondary made the most significant improvement, with the percentage of higher

education entrants increasing from 30 to 80 students by the end of the period. Greystone High, on the other

hand, which sent three times the number of entrants on to higher education as Harble Secondary in 1991,

experienced a significant drop in percentage terms to 40 in 2001.

The other three secondary schools followed similar patterns with numbers from Fairfield Girls on the rise from

65 to 79 and Royston Academy climbing from 50 to 60 places secured.

Crackend Boys was the only school where the number of entrants to higher education remained approximately

at the same level throughout the period, ending up just two percent in 1995.

Generally speaking, four out of the five secondary schools increased the number of pupils they sent on to

higher education over the period.

Possible Band: 7 [Note that the data in the description is factually incorrect. If the data were corrected, it would

be a possible Band 9. Does the table give numbers or percentages?]

Travelling like everything has two sides. For some people, it only serves to confirm their prejudices, whereas

for others it acts as a means of education and broadens the mind.

First of all, visiting other countries abroad can help people of all ages learn languages, so that they broaden

their experiences. For example, learning a language in the country in which it is spoken is very different from

studying it in one's home country. For myself, coming to this country has enabled me to improve my .English

and meet new friends. Similarly, while moving around a country, travellers can learn about the geography and

local culture rather than relying on books or other media as sources of information. For my own part, having

first hand knowledge of the United Kingdom has been invaluable. I understand the culture more and can make

decisions for myself rather than have them made for me by other people.

Unfortunately, there is a downside to travelling. People frequently feel nervous when they travel, either through

excitement or through anxiety about what is to come. In such circumstances people tend to be more critical of

the treatment they receive. How often has one heard: where I come from it isn't done like this or we do it this

way? It is hardly surprising that this happens when the same thing occurs with people visiting others in

different parts of their own country. Think what happens when people get married !

Travelling will continue to enrich the minds of some, but, unfortunately, it will confirm the prejudices of others.

This is human nature.

Possible Band: 7

The diagram shows the results of a survey carried out on a sample of 1,000 people on the different sources of

noise, which are a nuisance.

The information may be divided into four categories according to their degree of annoyance. There is nothing

in the Not annoying category. Four sources of noise fall within the largest category, Extremely annoying. Of

these, the noise source which people found the most irritating was Barking dogs, followed closely by DIY and

then Mobile phones. The least annoying cause of noise in this group was Music.

Moving on to the second category, Very annoying, it contains two items: Radios and Aeroplanes with the first

causing more of a disturbance than the second.

In the third category, Annoying, it can be seen that TVs cause more of a nuisance than Radios. As for Pianos,

they were considered as only being Fairly annoying by those in the sample.

It is clear that Barking dogs is the most annoying noise source.

Word Count: 164

Possible Band: 7

Throughout the world, the populations of the major cities are increasing at a fast rate and where land for

building is not available, there is enormous pressure to build upwards rather than sideways.

The main advantage of building higher buildings is that they can take the pressure off the need to build just

outside large cities, thus preventing the spread outwards and the destruction of the countryside. In smaller

countries, land is very expensive and so it makes sense to build upwards. In London, for example, property

prices are rising rapidly and will continue to do so for years to come unless more homes are built. Both

options, building in the greenbelt around the city and constructing skyscrapers are controversial, but tall

buildings are the less damaging alternative.

Another benefit is more accommodation and workspace inside cities, as it shortens the distance that people

have to travel to work. Stress is reduced by this and people feel healthier. Moreover, as it is possible to provide

more accommodation in a smaller ground space by building upwards, the cost of living is cheaper.

However, some people are against the idea of building skyscrapers to solve the lack of space problem. High

blocks of flats in the past have been the source of a lot of social ills. People feel cut off from the environment

and feel better if they have a garden, however small. People also object to tall buildings, because they feel

trapped in them and they worry about escaping if something goes wrong. Although I understand the

reservations that people have, I feel that it is better to preserve the countryside and build upwards rather than

sideways.

Word Count: 277

Possible Band: 7

Nowadays the populations of the major cities are growing fast. Where there is no land for building, there is big

pressure to build up and not sideways.

The first benefit of building higher buildings is that they reduce the need to build outside big cities. This stops

the spread outwards and stops the destruction of the countryside. In smaller countries, land is very expensive.

It makes sense to build upwards. In London, for example, property prices are rising rapidly and will continue.

More homes need to be built. Building in the greenbelt around the city and building high buildings is

controversial, but the tall buildings are less damaging.

Another benefit is more accommodation and workspace inside cities. It shortens the distance that people have

to travel to work. Stress is reduced by this and people feel healthier. Moreover, it is possible to provide more

accommodation in a smaller ground space with tall buildings and so the cost of living is cheaper.

But some people are against building skyscrapers to solve the lack of space problem. High blocks of flats in

the past were the source of a lot of social problems. People feel separate from the environment and feel better

if they have a garden, even if it is small. People also do not like tall buildings, because they feel trapped in

them. They also worry about escaping if something goes wrong. I understand why people do not like tall

buildings, but I feel that it is better to keep the countryside and build upwards.

Word Count: 255

Possible Band: 6

The maps show the changes in the size and in the value of the land per hectare of West Farm over a period of

90 years from 1900 to 1990.

In 1900, the area covered by West Farm was 5,000 hectares and the value of one hectare was one dollar. By

the year 1925, while the size of the farm was 850 hectares, the value of the land had leapt to 20 dollars a

hectare, which gave a total of 17,000 dollars. Fifteen years later, however, the farm had increased in size to

1,700 hectares, but the value of a hectare had only increased by 25% to 25 dollars. The property was,

nevertheless valued at 42,500 dollars.

In 1970, while West Farm with only 500 hectares was much smaller than it had been in the previous 70 years,

the value of the property was higher than ever before at 50,000 dollars.

The size of West Farm had jumped to 3,500 hectares by 1990 with the value per hectare climbing by 25% to

125 dollars, totalling 437,500 dollars.

It is clear that the value of West Farm increased significantly over the period.

Word Count: 191 words.

Possible Band: 7

Nowadays woods and forests in all countries in the world are losing trees as more land is needed for building

and farming and more wood is needed for the construction industry, for fuel and for paper. However, we need

trees and plants to provide us with the oxygen we breathe. So the destruction of trees is a threat to our

survival.

The matter is not just in the hands of governments and big companies. The solution to the problem is one of

partnership between governments and big companies and ordinary individuals. Take newspapers, for

example. Newspapers are made from paper which comes from wood pulp. However, there is little need for

them to be made totally from wood pulp. In fact, in many cases, papers are now made from over 60% recycled

paper. This has come about through pressure from the government to encourage recycling and from the

environmentalists made up of individuals. Stricter controls could be placed on companies to ensure that the

remaining 40 percent comes from more recycled paper and from forests that are renewed. However, the final

responsibility here is on individuals to put pressure on the governments and big companies and in the end to

collect paper for recycling.

A very simple measure is for individuals, groups like schools and companies to sponsor the planting of new

trees. When a lot of people come together in this way, it can be very effective. Trees could be planted in

schools and children could be taught to look after and care for them By appreciating the value of trees, young

people will learn to respect them more and, therefore, not want, to destroy them.

It is, therefore, clear that individuals have as much a part to playas larger organizations in preserving

woodlands and forests. .

Word Count: 298 Possible Band: 7

The graph illustrates the actual and estimated visitors to a new art gallery between 1990 and 2001 and the pie

charts give their satisfaction rating of the gallery in two years 1990 and 2001.

It was estimated that visitor numbers would be just under 500,000 in the first year rising gradually to double

that number by the end of the period. While there were some fluctuations in the actual number of people

visiting the gallery, attendances more than doubled from 1.5 million to just under 3.5 million in 2001.

Visitor numbers were influenced by three events during the period. In 1991, the director of the gallery was

sacked with numbers dropping from approximately 2.25 million in 1991 to under 2 million the following year. By

1994 numbers had dropped to their 1990 level, when they started to rise. In 1995, when a new shop opened,

numbers had gone up to almost 2.5 million. By the time the new director was appointed in 1995, numbers had

reached 3 million. After that they slipped back, but then rose again.

The pie charts show that the Satisfaction rating for the gallery increased from 30% to 70% between 1990 and

It is clear from the graph that the actual number of people who visited the gallery exceeded expectations by a

wide margin.

Word Count: 219 Possible Band: 7

The graph shows the satisfaction rating of the staff in four colleges from 1991 to 2002

Of the four institutions only one, College C, improved Its rating significantly over the period from just below

29%, the lowest rating, in 1991 to 80%, the highest rating, in 2002. Between 1991 and 1995, the rating for

College C hovered below the 30% level, falling to a low of just over 10% in 1998. In 1999, the rating rocketed

to just under 70%, rising gradually thereafter to finish the period at 80%.

The satisfaction trend for College B over the period fluctuated, but was still upward, climbing from just over

50% in 1991 to 70% in 2002. College A, by contrast, showed a gradual decline over the period from a 60%

satisfaction rating in 1991 to 40% in 2002. Similarly, the fourth institution, College D's rating after hovering

around the 40% level until 1997, declined gradually to 20% by 2002.

Word Count: 156. Possible Band: 7

The graph shows the satisfaction rating of the staff in four colleges, College A, College B, College C and

College D from 1991 to 2002.

Only one college, College C, increased its rating over the period from about 29%, which was the lowest rating

in 1991 to 80%, which was the highest rating, in 2002. Between 1991 and 1995, the rating for College Cstayed

below 30% and fell to a low of just 10% in 1998. In 1999, the rating of College C rose to just under 70%, and it

rose gradually to 80% in 2002.

The satisfaction rating for College B over the period went up and down. It was still upward. It climbed from just

over 50% in 1991 to 70% in 2002. College A went down gradually over the period from 60% in 1991 to 40% in

2002. The fourth institution, College D, stayed around 40% until 1997, and then it went down gradually to 20%

by 2002.

Word Count: 162.

Possible Band: 6

The graph show the satisfaction rating of the staff in four colleges, College A, College B, College C and

College D from 1991 to 2002.

One college, College C, increased rating over period from about 29%, which was lowest rating in 1991 to 80%,

which was highest rating, in 2002. Between 1991 to 1995, rating for College C stay below 30% and fell to low

of just 10 in 1998. In 1999, the rating of College C raised to just under 70%, and it raised gradually to 80% in

Satisfaction rating for College B over the period go up and down. It was still upward. It climb from just over

50% in 1991 to 70% in 2002. College A fell down gradually from 60% at 1991 to 40% at 2002. The fourth

college, College D, stay around 40% until 1997, and then it go down gradually to 20% by 2002.

Possible Band: 5

The bar chart shows the results of a survey of young professionals aged 20-30, who were asked to state which

factors they thought gave them an incentive to succeed.

The factors divide into three main groups. These are personal (both positive and negative) and external, and the personal group is the larger. In the first group, Personal satisfaction and Ambition are mentioned by 80% of the people who were asked and 50% of people give Desire for material things and 45% give Money. Of the more negative personal things, Rivalry is mentioned by 50% of the people in the sample as a factor that motivates them to succeed. Other factors that are in this second sub-group are Feeling inadequate, Envy/ Jealousy and Fear of failure. which are given as 34%, 30% and 25%.

Turning now to the external factors, the highest amount goes to Family pressure. which is stated by 70% of the poll sample, followed by Pressure from society at 60% and Peer pressure at 45%.

It is clear that success among young professionals depends mainly on self-motivating factors.

Word Count: 179 words Possible Band: 7

The bar chart shows the results of a survey of young professionals aged 20-30, who were asked to state which

factors they thought gave them an incentive to succeed.

The factors divide into three main groups, namely: personal (both positive and negative) and external, with the

former being the larger of the two. In the first group, Personal satisfaction and Ambition are mentioned by 80%

of those surveyed with Desire for material things and Money being given by 50% and 45%, respectively. Of the

more negative personal factors, Rivalry is cited by 50% of respondents as being a factor motivating them to

succeed. Other factors that make up this latter sub-group are Feeling inadequate. Envy/ Jealousy and Fear of

failure at 34%, 30% and 25% respectively.

Among the external factors. the highest rating goes to Family pressure, which is quoted by 70% of the poll

sample, followed by Pressure from society at 60% and Peer pressure at 45%.

It is clear that success among young professionals depends mainly on self-motivating factors.

Possible Band: 8

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 132 TASK 1 ( 202 useful exercises for ielts )

The table shows the sales figures of fiction books, non-fiction books, and magazines in a college bookshop for

February 2000. The figures are divided into two groups: sales to non- Book Club members and to Book Club

members. The non- Book Club member figures comprise sales to college staff, college students, and members

of the public. College staff bought 332 magazines, 44 fiction and 29 non-fiction books. College students bought

1249 magazines, 194 non-fiction and 31 fiction hooks. More magazines were sold to college students than to

any other group of customers. Although no fiction books were sold to members of the public, they purchased

122 non-fiction books and 82 magazines.

Book Club members bought more fiction (76) and non-fiction books (942) than other customers. On the other

hand, magazine sales to Club members (33) were fewer than for any other type of customer.

The total number of publications sold for the month was 3134 (1474 to college students, 405 to staff, 204 to

the public, and 1051 to Book Club members). Of this figure, 151 items were fiction books and 1287 were non-

fiction. Therefore, magazines accounted for the greatest number of sales (1696). (194 words)

A bicycle is a machine designed to transport a person by means of his or her own physical effort. It is,

therefore, almost entirely environmentally-friendly. Since the amount of friction generated is much reduced, It

is also extremely efficient

It consists of four main sections: the two spoked wheels, a set of handlebars, and a revolving cog, held

together by a metal frame. The cyclist, who is balanced on top of a seat covered by a soft saddle, leans

forwards and grips the handlebars, pushing down with his or her feet on the pedals which rotate up and down.

They drive a central notched cog which is connected by a metal chain to the back wheel hub. Alternative gear

positions are available by operating a gear lever at hand level. Also on the handlebars is the brake lever, which

is linked by a cable to a set of brakes on the back wheel.

Accessories include an air pump, with which the rubber tyres are filed periodically with air, a speedometer,

and a headlamp for use at night. (177 words)

According to the bar chart, students from four European countries (Sweden, Spain, France and Germany) and

one Middle Eastern country (Syria) are taking Graphic Design at the college. Some students are enrolled In

the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) core option; the others are taking Photography.

Overall, Sweden has the largest number of enrolled students (17) and Syria the smallest (5). France and Spain

both have 12 students; Germany has 11. It Is noticeable that France and Germany have similar profiles.

Students from all five countries are enrolled In CAD, but more males are taking this option than females (21

and 9 respectively). For each nationality the males taking CAD outnumber the females, except In the case of

the Syrians with 3 females to only 1 male. Sweden has the most students studying CAD (9); Spain Is next with

7, while France has 6. Germany and Syria have 4 CAD students each.

As for the photography option, more females than males are enrolled from every country except Syria. In fact,

no female Syrian students are taking Photographic Design. Only 1 male from each country is enrolled in

Photography, except for 2 males from Spain. (192 words)

The graph shows the four quarters of the 2000 financial year and the monthly profit of Acme Sports Cars

and Branson Motors for 12 months. The former was making almost twice the profit at the beginning than at the

end of the financial year. There was a three-fold increase in the latter's monthly profit over the same period.

During the first quarter, Acme Sports Cars' monthly profit decreased slightly from $70,000 to $60,000, but

rose sharply to $80,000 by the end of June. Branson Motors' monthly profit, however, doubled from $20,000 to

$40,000.

Due to the introduction of a luxury goods tax, Acme Sports Cars' monthly profit fell dramatically during the

second quarter from $80,000 to only $10,000, whereas that of Branson Motors continued to rise, peaking at

just over $60,000 by the end of September.

In the third quarter, Acme Sports Cars' monthly profit increased steadily to $20,000 and remained stable,

while Branson Motors' monthly profits fluctuated between just over $60,000 and $40,000. At the beginning of

the last quarter, a boost in the economy meant the monthly profit of both Acme Sports Cars and Branson

Motors gradually increased to $40,000 and $60,000 respectively by the financial year's end. (200 words)

Social welfare is an essential element of an advanced society. Good systems are always abused, but that

does not mean they are faulty. In my opinion, the two main reasons why welfare payments are necessary are

as follows:

First of all, critics forget that there are many forms of welfare besides payments to the unemployed. Their

negative opinions harm those who are not capable of earning a wage, such as single-parent mothers, the

disabled, and the sick. Moreover, the unemployed have the right to an Income, too. They are not always at

fault for not having a job, and In most cases the tax they have paid in the past endless them to assistance.

The second reason Is that crime Increases when people have no means of support. The desperately poor

Inevitably turn to crime, which is not only dangerous but costly. Policing the streets Is more expensive than

providing welfare. A policeman's wage Is four or five times higher than a 'dole' payment.

Certain member of society believe that people should look after themselves. They point out that welfare

Increases dependency on others and destroys dignity. This may be true, but In the case of the unemployed,

the relief payments are usually temporary. It is surely the fault of the government If there are long-term

unemployed. Welfare critics also believe that it Is the responsibility of a victim's family to provide financial

assistance. However, it is too expensive to provide complete help for a severely disabled person.

To conclude, it is vital to understand the need for welfare In a modern democratic society. Without welfare

payments the poor are destined to become poorer. The first duty of a government Is to provide a financial

safety net for all disadvantaged persons, and that Includes those without work. (297 words)

For this university course an essay is completed in six stages. The first stage is a private tutorial in which the

task and topic are fully discussed with the tutor. A reading list should be obtained, detailing useful resource

material.

The second stage involves conducting suitable research. Notes are taken from available literature at the

library, and data collected from questionnaires, interviews and surveys. Writing the first draft is the third stage.

First, it is necessary to organize the content of the essay and produce a brief outline. Next, the draft is written

in the acceptable formal academic style and checked for appropriate language.

Stage number four is another tutorial or study group discussion, during which problem areas are analyzed and

further ideas and suggestions are noted. The fifth stage includes reading the resource material again before

writing a second draft, using suggestions from stage four. Once completed, all quotations should be checked

for errors.

The sixth stage consists of writing the final draft of the essay. A spell check is required before adding a title

page and compiling a bibliography. The essay should then be submitted before the deadline for completion.

(192 words)

Youth drug abuse is a serious problem nowadays in many cultures. Not only Is illegal drug use on the

rise, but children as young as 10 years old are experimenting with alcohol and tobacco. The reasons for this

behavior are unclear, but certain sociologists blame the examples set by their elders.

Parents who drink and smoke to excess are, in effect, telling their children that it Is acceptable to abuse

their bodies with drugs. Consequently, children may have a similar view towards illegal drugs even If their

parents are against their use. In addition, drug use shown on television and In mms can only confuse children

who are also taught at school that drug abuse Is wrong.

The pressure on young people to perform well at school in order to compete for jobs Is a possible cause of

the problem. Many believe they cannot live up to their parents' expectations and feel a sense of hopelessness.

Also. the widespread availability of drugs means teenagers are faced with the temptation to experiment Drugs

are used as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the pressures they face in society.

The effects of drug abuse are well known. Many young people's talents are wasted and addiction to hard

drugs can cost a user his or her life. Furthermore, those who drink and drive may be Involved In fatal road

accidents. The cost to society Is great, and enormous amounts of money are spent on convicting drug dealers

and on education programmes.

To conclude, I recommend that the only sensible way to solve this problem Is to educate young people

about the dangers of drug use and to take steps to reduce the pressure of competition placed upon them.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 139 TASK 1 ( ielts test builder )

The graph shows the number of hits to two new music sites on the web, measured in thousands over a period

of fifteen days. As far as Music Choice is concerned, the number of visits to the site fluctuated between 20,000

and 40,000 in the first eleven days, except for Day 3 when they reached 60,000. By contrast, visits to the Pop

Parade site fell erratically from approximately 120,000 hits on Day 1 to around 40,000 on Day 7.

Between days 11 and 15 visits to Music Choice fluctuated dramatically, hitting a peak of over 120,000 on Day

14. Despite a drop to less than 40,000 hits, Pop Parade saw a huge increase in the number of hits between

Days 9 and 11, reaching a total of over 150,000 hits on Day 11. At the end of the fifteen-day period the number

of hits to Pop Parade peaked at around 170,00, whereas those for Music Choice showed a marked decline to

around 70,000.

The bar chart indicates these factor are divided into two different age groups on the factors contributing to

make their environment pleasant for working.

These factors are divided into external and internal factors. The internal factors are team spirit, competent

boss, respect from colleagues and job satisfaction. The external factors are chance for personal development,

job security, promotional prospects and money.

On the internal factors above 50% in both age group agreed that team spirit, competent boss and job

satisfaction are essential to make their environment pleasant. Whereas on the external factors, there are

contrasting results. On the chance for personal development and promotional aspects, 80% to 90% of the

younger group were in favor while only less than 50% of the older group thought so. A similar pattern is also

noted on job security. With regards to money, 69% to 70% on both age group said it is essential

In conclusion, the internal factors have similar responses from the two age groups while they had dissimilar

responses on the external factors.

Possible band 7.

Other people feel that keeping animals at home as pets is beneficial. They can help children and adults relate

to animals and nature more. If children bond with animals early in life, they are more likely to treat them better

when they become adults. My father, for example, was an only child, but in his early years he grew up with

dogs, cats and birds as his companions. When he became an adult, he became a trainer for guide dogs for the

blind. So having animals around can be beneficial to both humans and animals.

Moreover, pets can act as companions for people who would otherwise be living alone, and not just the

elderly. There are at least two additional benefits here. Dogs need lots of exercise, which is beneficial for the

health of the owner. Also, while out walking there is the opportunity to meet people, thus decreasing isolation

and loneliness.

I do agree with the arguments put forward by the first group of people to a certain extent. However, I

personally agree more with the second group of people. The world might be a better place if more people kept

pets. As more and more people move away from direct contact with nature and see animals as a source of

food or enjoyment, pets can provide a link between humans and nature.

Despite integration of traditional (agricultural) form of families, people in many parts of the world, specially in

the western countries are interested to keep an animal (normally dogs and cats, with themselves. Some

people believe that pets are no longer so beneficial as the past but others argue that they are useful in many

ways and should be kept in certain circumstances. I, generally, am inclined with the later group for many

reasons.

The most important reason is that pet in some situations benefit people to a large extent. According to their

abilities they could have great benefits. For example, a blind person who need some support, can benefit from

a pet in term to go shopping, banking and other intercity journeys. Another good example is using pets by the

police and rescue teams. In many situations where human senses are not able to diagnosis the problem, for

instance smuggling the drug, finding victims under rumbles of a ruins after an event a dog would be a better

choice.

The second reason is that the mankind always need a friend and it is proven that dogs are good fried for the

human. Living a pet with a family could have a positive impact on children besides elderly people. In some

conditions pets have rescued kids and other family members from a dangerous condition like firing and so on.

On the other hand, some people assert that keeping pets are belong to the past and should not be kept with

families, because they are source for many disadvantages like diseases, some dangerous states specially for

newborn and toddlers and also their highly cost expenditure. For example they refer to some special diseases

like toxoplasmosis which can led to miscarriage near pregnant women, and also they bring some facts about

being struck and even eaten kids by pets.

All in all believe pets have more advantages and people can benefit them in special circumstances.

Possible band 7. There is a clear introduction and arguments for and against with some valid examples.

However, the conclusion fails to develop 'the special circumstances' in which keeping pets is justified. Good

range of vocabulary relevant to the task, but there are some lexical inaccuracies which affect meaning (an

agricultural form of families, a pet in term, rumbles of ruin). There are also frequent grammatical errors which

do not necessarily affect meaning (interested to keep, pets are belong, living a pet with a

family, diagnosis the problem, firing, source for many disadvantages, highly cost) and some spelling mistakes

(resue, smuggling, fried [friend], dangerouse, reffer, struk).

How much people in certain jobs should be paid is a constant subject of debate with each profession extolling

its own worth. Nobody can deny that there are certain professionals like nurses, doctors and teachers who are

essential to the fabric of society, and who should therefore be rewarded accordingly. However, except in rare

circumstances. this is seldom the case with professionals languishing at the bottom of the pay league. When

we look at the salaries and fees commanded by certain film stars and actresses and people who run large

companies, this does not seem fair.

However, there are certain things that need to be taken into consideration here. First of all, not all film stars

earn huge sums of money. In fact, at anyone time in the UK, for example, roughly 80 per cent of actors are out

of work and on top of that the number who are paid so-called telephone number fees is even smaller. One

must also remember that the career of many actors is very short and that therefore the money they earn has to

be spread over many years. The same applies to company bosses, but there are certain circumstances where

this latter group does earn excessive salaries that quite often cannot be justified.

Stating a set of criteria as to how much people should be paid is not easy. The idea of performance-related

pay is very much in vogue at the moment with employees having a basic salary which is topped up according

to how much they achieve. Rewarding people according to qualifications has long been used as a yardstick for

paying people, but it is not a consistently good measure. Another is years of relevant experience, but there are

many cases where a younger person can perform a task better than someone with lots of experience.

Whatever criteria are used to assess salaries, an on-going cycle will develop. As one group of professionals

catches up with or overtakes another in salary terms. this will create pressure in other areas. This considered,

generally I feel that certain key professionals should have their salaries assessed by independent review

bodies on an on-going basis so that they do not fall behind.

The table shows the average number of vehicles using three roads from 1993 to 2002.

Between 1993 and 1998, the average number of cars using Harper Lane climbed from just under an average

of 100 vehicles per hour to over 900: a nine fold increase. Great York Way saw barely any increase in traffic,

increasing from an hourly rate of 600 vehicles to around 700. The traffic travelling down Long Lane increased

by 75% in the same period, from 400 to 700 vehicles.

After the traffic calming was introduced in Harper Lane at the beginning of 1999, the volume of traffic fell

dramatically to an hourly average of 204 cars, considerably fewer than in 1998. Thereafter, the number of cars

stabilized at just below the 1999 level and Long Lane witnessed a significant increase in vehicle numbers with

the hourly average soaring to 1,400 in 2002. As regards Great York Way, numbers rose, but much less

significantly, reaching around 900 vehicles in 1999 and hovering at this level till the year 2002.

It can be seen from the data that traffic calming had the desired effect.

The data illustrates the conclusion of a study of the average number of cars passing on three different roads

between 1993 and 2002. In general the trend was upward over the period.

The most striking feature is that there was a dramatic increase in the number of cars passed on Long Lane

from 1993 to 2001, during which the number increased from 400 cars in 1993 to 1400 cars in 2001.

However, the number was fixed stable during the following year at 1400 cars.

The evidence reveals that the number of cars on Harper Lane rose between 1993 and 1998. One year before

the introduction of a traffic calming the number declined with a slight fluctuation.

The facts show that the average number passed on Great York Way increased significantly from 1993 to 1999

the year in which traffic calming was introduced. There were 600 cars in 1993 and 911 cars in 1999. However,

there was a very slight reduction in the number of cars during the following years.

To sum up the introduction of traffic calming had a non significant impact on cars passing on roads Long Lane

and Great York Way. In comparison there was a slight effect on the cars passing on Harper Lane.

Possible band 6. The candidate shows an ability to organize the answer and attempts to report notable trends

displayed in the table. However, some ideas could be more clearly expressed. There is awareness of the

language of movement, such as trend, a dramatic increase, slight fluctuation, declined and increased

significantly. Although there are some lexical and grammatical errors (upword, passed on, fixed stable, a traffic

calming, non significant), they do not generally affect meaning.

Whether workers like doctors and teachers are undervalued or not is a debatable issue. However, I believe

that workers such as teachers and doctors should be paid more money for a countless reasons.

First of all, in my opinion, workers like teachers are more important for the society than actors. Therefore, they

should be paid large sums of money to keep them educating people. Education is very essential for any

society to progress and develop. Therefore teachers play an important role for performing this necessary

aspect of development. Without teachers it will be impossible to know the basic levels of education, so

teachers build students progress socially, intellectually and educationally. As a consequence of this teachers

should valued according to this very essential role for the society.

Secondly, I personally believe that film actors/actresses do not play the same role as doctors. Doctors protect

people from spread of infections diseases which could damage not only the health of the general public, but

also can deteriorate all aspects of our life. Without doctors, many well educated and productive people may be

killed by diseases. Therefore, the doctors are very useful in health and progress which are necessary for any

nation in the world wide. As a result of this position they should be paid some more money to keep the general

public health and productive.

Thirdly, I largely disagree that film actors/actresses are important. I think they do not take part in developing a

nation's health and progress. Although they receive huge sums of money, they do not achieve any significant

development for the society. I believe that their job is not as essential as health, economic progress and

technological achievement. In contrast, progress and technological development as well as health of the nation

depend mostly on teachers and health care works. Therefore, the latter should be more respected and paid to

them the amount of money they deserve.

To sum up, I strongly be that works such as teachers and doctors are more important than film

actors/actresses. Therefore, the former should be considered more than the latter and paid to them

accordingly to this essential role they do for the society.

Possible band 7. A full, well organized answer with well supported arguments. There is awareness of

vocabulary and collocation relevant to the topic (well educated, huge sums of money, general public) and good

use of linking devices (first of all, secondly, thirdly, to sum up, therefore, as a consequence/result of this) and

language of opinion (in my opinion, I personally believe, I largely disagree). However there are frequent

inappropriacies (a countless reasons, infections diseases, students progress, acleresses, can deteriorate all

aspects of our life, I strongly be that).

The bar chart shows the estimated sales nationally of silver goods in 'OOOs of units for two companies next

It is anticipated that purchases of silver goods at Meteor Products Ltd will rise from 150,000 units in January to

approximately 500,000 units in August. and will remain there until November. For December, sales are

expected to be in the region of 600,000 units.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that the sales of silver goods for Mark Jones Ltd will begin the year at around

450,000 units in January, falling to about 250,000, before increasing to around 400,000 in June. For the next

two months until August, sales are forecast to remain steady at this level, after which they are expected to rise

steadily to hit a peak of approximately 900,000 units in December.

The pie chart shows that, at the end of next year, the anticipated market share for Meteor Products Ltd and

Mark Jones Ltd is 20% and 30% respectively.

As can be seen from the chart, the overall sales trends for both companies are forecast to be upwards.

The bar chart shows the predicted sales of silver goods in 'OOOs of units for two companies; Meteor Products

Ltd and Mark Jones Ltd for next year.

The most striking feature is that sales will increase for both companies, It is anticipated that sales of Mark

Jones Ltd will start at 450,000 units in January decreasing by 200,000 units following month with a gradual

recover over the subsequent four months reaching 400,000 units in June. Those of Mark Jones Ltd are

predicted to be stable until

August picking up to 600,000 units in September and October. Sales of Mark Jones will reach a pick of

900,000 in December, For those of Meteor Products Ltd is forecasted a gradual increase with the largest sale

of 600,000 units in December. In the beginning of the next year those of Meteor Products Ltd will stand at

150,000 units falling back to 100,000 units in February, rising steadily to 250,000 in June, In subsequent

months sales will reach 450,000 units increasing to 500,000 units in August, staying stable until November,

Regarding the pie chart the sales of Mark Jones Ltd will share 30% of market whereas those of Meteor

Products Ltd 20%.50% of market is set to be shared by other companies,

Possible band 8. The candidate demonstrates the ability to organize the answer; there is clear progression

from the introduction to the conclusion. The information contained in the bar chart and pie chart is clearly

described. The candidate demonstrates a good command of phrases to describe notable trends and future

trends (The most striking feature is, It is anticipated that, predicted to be). Although there are occasional

grammatical and lexical errors (following month [the following month], recover[y], pick [peak], is forecasted a

gradual increase, stadely), they do not generally affect meaning.

Whether or not education is a responsibility which only government should deal with and private education

should be banned arouses some controversy. From my point of view, to some extent both types of education

in a society are necessary.

The primary argument for the opposite group is that education is not a privilege for only a group of people.

From their view, private education can be a picture of discrimination between rich and poor families. For

example, low income families who are not able to spend money for private schools would be deprived of

studying and academic education. Also, people should be treated like each others and being affluent should

not create any borders among pupils.

On the other hand, looking at the issue from another aspect, highlights some points. Undoubtedly, the quality

of education is quite wide in every society. Also, it is very likely that parents are not able to find a suitable

school for their offspring. As a result they would be urged to look for private education. Furthermore, it is

completely natural for parents to be concerned about their children's classmates, friends and even teachers.

Therefore, they strive to select the best environment and best people for their children's education. It is a

common belief among a most of the parents to that investing in a students education can be the ultimate

project and the most they invest the best the result will be. Moreover, pointing to the first argument for the

issue again, until the day when government provides a sound quality education in every parts of the country,

the necessity of private education would be understandable.

To conclude, in my opinion, in order to have a fruitful there should be a balance between both type of

education.

Possible band 7. The candidate generally presents his/her ideas clearly and organizes the text. There is a

wide range of relevant vocabulary and linking

devices (controversy, discrimination, low income families, deprived, affluent, offspring, classmates, strive to

select, on the other hand, as a result, therefore, moreover, to conclude) and some words and phrases used in

the rubric have

been rephrased (deal with, primary argument). There is awareness of set phrases but there are frequent

inaccuracies in their use (be a picture of discrimination, create any borders among pupils, a sound quality

education, to have a fruitful).

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 150 TASK 1 (preparation and practice test )

There were 4,459,510 visitors in 1999, representing a 7% increase in visitor arrivals from 1998. This increase

indicates a recovery from the 3.5% decline in visitor arrivals experienced in 1998, which was uncharacteristic

of the high increases recorded earlier in the decade.

While the number of foreign visitors coming to Australia increased in 1999 after a fall in 1998, the number of

Australian residents departing for overseas has been increasing over the last six years. Until 1996 the annual

percentage increase in Australians visiting overseas was smaller than the increase in visitor arrivals. However,

in 1997 and 1998 the percentage increase in Australians travelling abroad was greater than the increase in

international visitors coming to Australia, with those departing up by 7% and 8% respectively when compared

with visitors arriving (up 4% in 1997, and down 4% in 1998). In 1999 the 7% increase of inbound visitors

compared with only a 1.5% increase in outbound visitors. The number of inbound visitors remained higher than

the number of outbound visitors, by just over 1.2 million persons in 1999.

(177 words)

Comment

This response covers the information adequately. It would get a high score. Note the way the

information is covered, with greater concentration on comparing numbers leaving and departing,

rather than focusing on each group individually. This makes a better response, as it does more than

just repeat in words the information given in numbers in the tables. You should study the language

used to make these comparisons and practise using it. Also note the use of appropriate vocabulary

such as 'inbound' and 'outbound' to vary the language.

Most of Australia's population is concentrated in two widely separated coastal regions. By far the largest of

these, in terms of area and population, lies in the south-east and east. The smaller of the two regions is in the

south-west of the continent. In both coastal regions the population is concentrated in urban centres,

particularly the State and Territory capital cities. Half the area of the continent contains only 0.3% of the

population, and the most densely populated 1% of the continent contains 84% of the population.

While New South Wales remains the most populous State, with 6.4 million people at June 1999, the fastest

growth has occurred in the Northern Territory and Queensland, with increases of 11.3% and 10.2%

respectively in the five years to 1999. In contrast, the population of South Australia grew by just 1.8% over the

same period and Tasmania declined by 0.6% (see table 5.16).

(150 words)

The main factor changing the distribution of Australia's population might be migration. For example,

Tasmania's population declined by about 1,400 people, as natural increase in the State was offset by

continued interstate loss.

(183 words)

Comment

This response is more appropriate, with an introduction that immediately focuses on the topic and the

division of Australia in terms of that topic-population. Also, rather than trying to cover all the

information about each state, a few salient points have been picked out and emphasized. All this has

been done in 150 words. The only information that might have been added would be a short comment

about the total growth. If the candidate had done this, she/he would have had an almost perfect score.

The additional 33 words of speculation as to the reasons for the population growth would detract

slightly from an IELTS response, as this information is not provided in the map or the table. This

inclusion of speculation would detract slightly from the score for task fulfillment as the examiner has

no way of gauging how accurate the information is.

The bar chart shows time usage, divided into four categories, for Australian men and women. There is not a

great deal of difference in the amount of time women and men spend on activities necessary for survival and

free time. The prime difference between how men and women spend their time lies in the amount devoted to

'contracted time', which is paid work, and 'committed time', which is basically unpaid work. Men contract about

20% of their time, while women contract only about 11%. In contrast women commit over 20% of their time

while men commit only about 12% of theirs.

(101 words)

The graph shows how much of their free time Australians devote to watching TV between the hours of 6am

and midnight. The pattern is similar for all age groups given, in that not much TV is watched early in the

morning with the amount of time spent viewing gradually rising throughout the day until around 5pm when

there is a steep increase in the amount of viewing. This begins to drop off around 9pm until very few people

are watching at midnight. Overall, the data indicate that older people watch more TV than younger ones do.

(96 words)

In 1997, Australians spent an average of 46% of their time on necessary time activities, 22% on free time

activities. 16% on committed time activities and 15% on contracted time activities. The time spent by men and

women was similar for necessary time activities and free time activities. Men spent almost twice as much time.

on average, as women on contracted time activities (19% compared with 11%), while women spent nearly

twice as much time as men on committed time activities (21% compared with 12%) (table I).

Most television viewing occurred between 6 pm and 10 pm. Peak viewing times were 8 pm for 15-24 year oIds

and those aged 60 years and over and 9 pm for those aged 25-59 years. A relatively high proportion of

persons aged 60 years and over watched television during the afternoon (table 24).

Many people. especially in developed countries feel that they are working longer hours and have less free

time. while at the same time these people are being encouraged to be more active in their free time rather than

watching TV and playing with computers. This essay is a brief description of how peoples time is divided up

and how they use their free time.

Both men and women spend approximately the same amount of time-a little less than 50% - engaged in

necessary tasks-sleeping. eating etc. However men spend more of their time than women doing contracted

work such as paid jobs while women spend almost double the amount of time than men doing tasks which

they have promised to do but does not include payment. Both men and women have a similar amount of free

large proportion of people's free time is spent watching television with the 6.00-9.00pm period being the most

popular for all age groups. A larger percentage of older people watch TV during this time than any other age

group. Surprisingly. only 40% of 15-24 year olds use this time to watch TV

(332 words)

Every country in the world has its own national events. These might be the day independence was achieved,

an Armed Forces day, a city birthday or some other special day for the nation. They are all events to celebrate.

National events are something special for everybody in every country and it is always good for the citizens to

remember what they represent.

However all these different celebrations tend to cost a lot of money to make them spectacular or unforgettable.

But spending a lot of money for only a day seems to be wasteful, especially for developing countries such as

Indonesia. For example, in Indonesia, we have Independence day, and all the people make their preparations

for a celebration for about 2 months in advance. The people always want to make each year's celebration

better than the previous year's, so every household has to contribute about Rupiah 10,000-20,000 (A$2-A$4)

for their neighborhood celebration. Often the government will contribute money to make the ceremonial more

amazing.

As suggested above, such excessive spending is wasteful. The money could better be spent on other social

needs to improve education and health services or to alleviate poverty. If every household could spend that

Rp.10,000-20,000 every 2 months with the government support it can help increase the budget for education

or health.

In conclusion, while it is good to remember or to celebrate national events, the best way is not through a

spectacular celebration, but rather through services to make the country better in every way.

(255 words)

Comment

While this may not be a very exciting response, it does fulfill the requirements for a fairly good grade

on the test. The ideas are all taken from the previous response, but have been ordered in such a way

as to present a clear argument and point of view. If the idea for alternative methods of celebrating that

was suggested in the crossed-out sentence above were developed and included this would expand the

essay a little and help make it more interesting. We suggest you study this re-construction of the

original essay to analyze the changes made and how they make the writing more effective. Also, study

the sample response below, written by another candidate. There are still problems with this response,

such as the reference to 'our country' without naming the country, and it is very long. However, since

overlength responses are no longer penalized on the IELTS, it would probably score quite well.

The only focus of education should be preparing individuals for participation in the work force.

Sample Response

Education is very important for everyone. Especially in the modern world. Without a good education it will be

very hard to find a good job with a high salary. However, education is important for many reasons-not just to

get a good job.

In my country the government doesn't spend very much money on education and so only rich people get a

good education and good jobs but everyone should have the same chance.

In many countries women don't get the same chances to go to school and university but they still responsible

for families, earning money and looking after everything in the house. If women had a good education they

could get good jobs but also they would know how to read and get information about many things that would

help them and everyone in their family.

Secondly, people also need a good education to be able to understand what is happening in their country and

around the world so they can participate in government and make decisions for their country.

Finally, people need education for things like understanding contracts, like bank loans, and renting or buying a

house etc. If they can't read these contracts and understand them they will lose money and have a lot of

problems.

A good education is important for many reasons not just to participate in the workforce.

(226 words)

Comment

The introduction includes a clear statement in response to the essay question; however, the sentences

are short and very simple. The second paragraph is not relevant to the essay question. The next three

paragraphs attempt to provide three examples to support the statement made in the introduction-that

is that education is important for a number of reasons other than gaining a job. However, the

arguments, sentences and vocabulary are all still quite basic. The concluding paragraph is very short,

not providing a summary or restatement of the arguments, but does leave the reader with a clear

statement of opinion with regard to the essay question.

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 156 TASK 1 (step up to ielts)

(First paragraph explains what the diagrams show and describes the first diagram.)

The two diagrams illustrate the shape and formation of the land under the sea. The first profile provides a

cross section of the coast of a continent beneath the surface of the sea, and illustrates that the continental

shelf goes to a depth of approximately 200 metres below sea level. The land then drops abruptly to the bottom

of the ocean, which is known as the sea floor.

(Second paragraph describes second diagram).

The second diagram focuses on the depth of the ocean and the amount of light that penetrates to the bottom.

Sea level is shown as 0 m and the first 200 m below the surface is referred to as the sunlight zone. This is

where the continental shelf ends. Below this is the twilight zone, which descends for 800m. The water

temperature shown is approximately 50C in this zone. The area between 1,000 m and 4,000 m is known as the

dark zone, with a water temperature of 1-20C. Almost no light can penetrate this far down.

(160 words)

Note: This answer is less than 150 words because this first Step-up task is not a full exam question.

(The opening paragraph states what the graph shows and describes the main trend.)

The graph is about the number of people in China who own vehicles. It provides figures between 1987 and

1999 and it shows that the number of privately owned vehicles increased significantly over this period.

(The next two paragraphs describe the trend in more detail and highlight it with data from the graph.)

Between 1987 and 1991, this rise was gradual. For example, there were just under 500 vehicles per million of

the population in 1987 and this figure rose to 1,000 in 1992.

However, over the next eight years the increase was much greater and between 1992 and 1999, there was a

sharp rise in vehicle ownership. By the end of 1999, there were just

over 4,000 vehicles per million of the population.

(The final sentence draws a simp1e conclusion from the data.)

Judging from the data in this graph, the trend is likely to continue' in the future.

(122 words)

This is a full answer.

(The first two sentences from the opening paragraph that states what the chart shows and describes the main

trends.)

The chart shows the changes in the sales of video material/DVDs, games software and CDs around the world

in billions of dollars over a three-year period. It can be seen that the sales of videos/DVDs and games software

have increased, while the sales of CDs have gone down slightly.

(The next two paragraphs describe the trends in more detail and highlight them with data from the chart.)

Between 2000 and 2003, the sales of videos and DVDs rose by approximately 13 billion dollars. In 2000, just

under 20 billion dollars worth of these items were sold, but in 2003, this figure had risen to a little over 30 Dillon

dollars.

The sales of games software also rose during this period, but less sharply. Sales increased from about 13

billion dollars in 2000 to just under 20 billion dollars three years later. By contrast, during the same time period,

the sale of CDs fell from 35 billion dollars in 2000 to about 32.5 billion dollars in 2003.

(152 words)

(The first sentence introduces the topic of the pie chart and graph.)

The pie chart shows the worldwide distribution of sales of Coca-Cola in the year 2000 and the graph shows the

change in share prices between 1996 and 2001.

(The second paragraph describes the pie chart. As there is not a lot of data in the pie chart, it is possible to

mention it all.)

In the year 2000, Coca-Cola sold a total of 17.1 billion cases of their fizzy drink product worldwide. The largest

consumer was North America, where 30.4 per cent of the total volume was purchased. The second largest

consumer was Latin America. Europe and Asia purchased 20.5 and 16.4 per cent of the total volume

respectively, while Africa and the Middle East remained fairly small consumers at 7 per cent of the total volume

of sales.

(The third paragraph describes the graph and outlines the trend over the five-year period. Note that not all the

data is mentioned. No obvious conclusion can be drawn from the data )

Since 1996, share prices for Coca-Cola have fluctuated. In that year, shares were valued at approximately

$35. Between 1996 and 1997, however, prices rose significantly to $70 per share. They dipped a little in mid-

1997 and then peaked at $80 per share in mid-98. From then until 2000 their value fell consistently but there

was a slight rise in mid-2000.

(166 words)

(Opening paragraph gives factual information about the popularity of the cinema, using examples,)

The cinema has been a popular form of entertainment for many decades. Even the silent films of the early

twentieth century were loved by audiences around the world. Hollywood is now an enormous business and film

stars like the Australian actress Nicole Kidman earn millions of dollars.

(Second paragraph focuses on the advantages of DVD and video ,)

People think that going to the cinema will become out of . date because of the increase in the production of

DVDs and videos. It's certainly true that we can all stay at home now and watch films in comfort. Also, the cost

of these films is cheaper for a big family than going to the cinema. Young people enjoy spending a night at

home and watching a DVD or video. And small children adore videos because they can watch them over and

over again.

(Third paragraph provides evidence to show that cinema is still very popular and explains why,)

However, the cinemas in my home country are still full every weekend and when a new film is released we are

all very keen to go and watch it. In fact, many small cinemas have been rebuilt and we can now go to large

centers that have six or eight cinema screens and show up to ten different films a night. An evening out at the

cinema is fun and some films, particularly horror and science fiction films, are much better on the big screen.

(Final paragraph sums up,)

So it seems that we are enjoying both the cinema and the facilities that technology can offer us and that each

of these has its merits. In my view, people will never stop going to the cinema but they will watch DVDs as

well. (260 words)

Every city has its architectural character, but the similarities between cities are more obvious these days than

in the past. In my opinion, one reason for this is the high price of land.

In most large cities, land is scarce and consequently it is very valuable. This has led to the construction of tall

buildings which occupy only a small area of land while providing lots of floor space where people can live or

work. Buildings of this type are made of concrete and steel and can be built comparatively quickly using pre-

fabricated materials. They do not use local materials, such as stone, timber or brick, which used to give cities

their individual character. In consequence, many cities now look very much the same and you might not know

whether you were in Brisbane, Bangkok or Berlin when you are on the street.

While I realize that we cannot stand in the way of progress, I believe that cities should try to keep some

individuality. For example, in Paris it is prohibited to build very tall buildings in the center of the city, as this

would spoil the overall appearance of the skyline.

Other cities have chosen to design unique buildings to ensure they look different. The twin towers in Kuala

Lumpur or the Opera House in Sydney are examples of this approach, and I agree with this kind of initiative.

All in all, although it is regrettable that modem cities look similar, I tend to feel that this is unavoidable.

However, it can be argued that, even if the buildings are similar, cities will maintain their own character as a

result of cultural diversity, the terrain and the climate, which ultimately determine how people live.

(286 words)

(Introduction: mention that public buildings exist in all cities and towns, large and small, e.g. post office, court

house, places of worship, theatre)

A public building is a building that belongs in some way to the state. The number of public buildings in any

town or village will depend on the size of that community and its needs. For example, you will usually find a

town hall of some sort, a school and a place of worship at the least. In larger communities there will be a police

station, law courts, a library and maybe a theatre funded by the state.

(Pros: city pride, beautiful to look at, useful/necessary buildings, create a city center.)

The desire to build impressive buildings is not new. The ancient cities of the Middle East and South America

were designed with large public buildings to impress visitors and enemies and give a sense of pride. In modem

times, outstanding public buildings still create a great sense of local and national pride. They are what gives a

city its character and they form a social center, a place where people like to meet.

(Cons: waste of public money, intimidating, nationalistic. Give opinion on whether they stop us from building

houses or whether they can be compatible.)

However, some people argue that governments have constructed unnecessary, and sometimes ugly, buildings

simply to make themselves feel important. I tend to feel that such buildings may be a waste of public money

but I am not sure we can claim that they prevent houses from being built, because these governments have

often ensured that adequate housing was also available. Houses and public buildings can exist side by side.

(Conclusion - sum up the two parts to the answer. Leave the reader thinking.)

The answer lies in finding the right balance. We want to feel pride in our town, but we also want our citizens to

have comfortable homes. It is hard to please everyone.

(252 words)

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 164TASK 1 (step up to ielts)

(Clear statement followed by a question based on the premise.)

Language is linked to the identity of a nation, and speakers of a common language share many things, but

does this give governments the right to restrict the way a language is used or taught?

(Concession made to the 'For' case, but followed by the 'Against' point of view. An example is given which

comments on the likely effectiveness of such a policy)

It can be argued that a nation maintains its culture through its language, and so there is a need to restrict the

use of foreign words and changes in pronunciation. However, in reality this approach is fruitless, because

language is a living thing and it is impossible to stop it from changing. This policy has been tried in some

countries, but it never works. People, especially young people, will use the language that they hear around

them, and which separates them from others; stopping the use of certain words will only make them appear

more attractive.

(Puts the case 'Against' governments preventing spelling reform, but concedes it may be useful.)

As for spelling, we all know that the English system is irregular and, I believe, it would benefit from

simplification so that children and other learners do not waste time learning to read and write. On the other

hand, some people may feel, perhaps rightly, that it is important to keep the original spelling of words as a link

with the past and this view is also held by speakers of languages which do not use the Roman alphabet.

(Puts both sides of the argument about which language to use in schools)

While it is important for people who speak a minority language to be able to learn and use that language, it is

practical for education to be in a common language. This creates national pride and links people within the

society. Realistically, schools are the best place for this to start.

(Ends with a clear statement)

Ultimately, there is a role for governments to play in the area of language planning, particularly in education,

but at no time should governments impose regulations which restrict people's linguistic freedom.

(292 words)

Academic Writing Task 1 - Sample Band 9 answer The table shows the reasons why people in Dangleford use

their cars in the town and the pie chart explains what type of transport people prefer to use most of the time.

(Introduces the information and explains what 'it shows.)

Looking at the pie chart first, it is clear that the car is the most popular form of transport in this town. Fifty per

cent of the people say that they prefer to travel by car. The second most popular form of transport is the bus,

while motorbikes and bicycles are the main means of transport for the rest of the people.

(Describes the main features of the pie chart.)

The table gives more detailed information about why people use their cars. Surprisingly, 55 per cent of people

need to take their children to school by car. Cars are also used a lot for work or business purposes. Only 15

per cent of drivers are doing their shopping and, similarly, 15 per cent need to travel by car for leisure.

(Describes the main features of the table.)

Overall, people in Dangleford make good use of alternative methods of transport but there is a heavy

dependence on cars for school.

(Short summing up that is relevant to the data.)

(176 words)

This is a well-organized answer because it deals with the pie chart first (which is logical) and then

describes the table. It is well paragraphed and both the introduction and the closing paragraphs are

relevant and appropriate. The use of adverbs such as 'surprisingly' and 'similarly' help explain the data

and there are some figures to support the points made.

Task 2 - Sample Band 9 answer

Newspapers and magazines are full of stories about famous people and the wonderful lifestyles that they

enjoy. I think it's something that we get used to. We expect to see them wearing very expensive clothes and,

going to amazing parties. It seems natural that if you have a lot of money, you will spend it in these ways.

(Opening paragraph agrees with first part of premise.)

Some people who are rich and famous do manage to have a happy life as well. They get married 'and have

children and, although they have to work hard, they still have time to give to their family. Victoria and David

Beckham are just one example of a happy celebrity couple.

(Second paragraph disputes second part of premise.)

However, money doesn't always bring happiness. In fact, sometimes the opposite is true. Stars often talk to

the press about the pressures of being rich and famous. Some of them end up drinking too much or taking too

many drugs. The actress Elizabeth Taylor, for example, has been in clinics many times for these problems.

The divorce rate is also very high among celebrities. Often their marriages last only a short period of time and

they re-marry very quickly but the same thing happens again.

(Third paragraph agrees and gives two clear examples.)

Ultimately, I think it depends on the person. I don't really believe that being unhappy is a consequence of fame

but I do think that it may be very difficult to cope with having a lot of money and fame. Celebrities are ordinary

people underneath and perhaps some of them are not strong enough to deal with their fame.

(Conclusion provides a possible explanation and gives a personal view.)

(254 words)

PRACTICE WRITING TEST 167 TASK 2 (prepare for ielts)

Although a balanced diet is important, there are other factors which contribute to a healthy life. People in some

cultures do not eat a balanced diet, but use limited food sources. In addition, lack of stress could well be as

important as diet.

One culture-related reason concerns environmental or climatic conditions.

The Inuit, in the Arctic Circle, live in harsh surroundings and their major source of food for many months of the

ear is fish. Nutritionists in industrialized countries would not consider 1eir diet balanced or even healthy, yet

Inuit people have flourished on food from the se1 for centuries. Another cultural reason is religion-based. Man

Hindus are ;"Vegetarian because of their religion. Again, many dieticians claim that vegetarianism is

unbalanced because humans need protein, especially from anima. Hindus, however, seem to be quite healthy,

suffering no ill effects from the lack of animal protein.

The major reason for disagreeing with the balanced diet argument, however, is to do with stress. Even though

people in the past did not always have a balanced diet, sometimes existing only on potatoes and bread, they

lived healthy lives because there was little or no stress of the kind that afflicts urban residents today. Secondly,

there is a large percentage of contemporary people who do their jobs, then relax in front of the TV, and quite

often eat junk food, but seem healthy enough. They may be spared disease by their relatively stress-free lives.

In conclusion , balanced diet in the morden word nowadays is really important for almost everybody to have a

good heath and good shape

Although it is true that a sedentary life is not good for people's health, it would be far-fetched to suggest that

doing an office job is directly responsible for the diseases which afflict office workers.

A sedentary lifestyle may indeed lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks, but people often balance the

hours they spend sitting at a desk by joining fitness clubs where they can exercise or play sport. These clubs

encourage their members to watch their diet and to take part in physical activities: for instance, a fitness club

may be affiliated with another sporting body like a rowing club. People who do not want to join these clubs will

often take walks during their lunch hour, or even jog. The very fact that they do these things means that they

have a sedentary job, but not a sedentary lifestyle.

One might ask, what are the diseases which afflict office workers which do not afflict other people? It is very

hard to think of an illness which is peculiar to office workers. They are prone to the same diseases as

everyone else, and are protected from many of the hazards which afflict other workers. Working at a desk is

far safer than mining or being a professional racing car driver,

and is more comfortable than either.

It seems to be fair to say that, although an office worker spends a lot of time sitting down, he or she does not

have to have a sedentary lifestyle. I cannot agree that the office worker is doomed to disease simply because

he or she is an office worker.

Road accidents are responsible for the deaths of an ever-increasing number of people. Before solutions to this

problem can be found it is necessary to examine the main causes of accidents: vehicle road worthiness, road

conditions and human error.

Many accidents are caused by inadequate vehicle maintenance, for example driving with defective brakes or

bald tyres which increase the stopping time. Regular mechanical inspections would help reduce the number of

unworthy vehicles on the road.

Road conditions also contribute to accidents. Heavy rain, fog or snow, can make roads slippery and accidents

can occur. In addition, narrow, winding roads and road surfaces which are in a state of disrepair contribute to

the number of road fatalities. A greater proportion of money needs to be designated to improving roads and

providing clear road signs.

The third cause of accidents is driver error. Drunken driving and excessive speed are frequently the cause of

drivers misjudging distance i1nct losing control of their vehicles. Other examples are drivers failing to signal a

turn and overtaking other cars without due care. Although these problems of human error are the most difficult

to resolve, advertising campaigns have proved effective in educating drivers about road hazards. Furthermore,

harsher penalties such as heavy fines and suspension of licences could be applied to discourage such

dangerous behaviour.

In conclusion, although it is inevitable that some accidents will occur, there are ways to reduce their frequency.

Governments need to put in place stricter vehicle tests and penalize careless drivers more severely. It is also

necessary to allocate more money to maintaining and upgrading roads and educating drivers. By implementing

these measures, the roads will be safer for everyone.

In all aspects of life planning has a role to play. It is especially important in major projects such as developing

cities. This essay will provide some reasons why careful planning is important in the development of cities.

Careful planning is important in the development of infrastructure. For example, all cities need efficient water

delivery services and hygienic sewage disposal systems. Planning can ensure that when services are built

they form an integrated, efficient system. As well, public transport infrastructure needs to be carefully planned

to ensure it provides a useful alternative to private vehicles.

Careful planning is also important in building developments. In most cities, more and more homes and

industrial areas are being built as populations increase. Without planning, the results of this building boom

could be disastrous, leading to a situation which satisfies no-one. Furthermore, planning the building of homes

and factories can also allow for better integration of old and new, thus retaining the original character of the

city while accommodating increases in population.

Lifestyle issues also benefit from proper planning. The provision of parks, open spaces and sporting facilities

enhances the quality of life of the inhabitants of cities. However, these recreation areas need to be planned,

otherwise urban sprawl wiIl leave no room for them. In addition, with careful planning a clean environment can

be provided more easily.

To sum up, careful planning is important in the development of cities as it can provide efficient and effective

infrastructure, lead to better building practices and contribute to the quality of life of the city's inhabitants.

Consequently, planning should be a high priority in all areas of development in cities.

274 words

In order to answer this question, it is necessary to examine the problems experienced by unplanned cities, and

then show how careful planning could have prevented those problems. Cities like Bangkok and Jakarta

present typical examples of problems due to lack of planning.

The results of this are apparent - severe traffic congestion, an increase in respiratory diseases, and deaths

caused by traffic accidents. The growth of Bangkok has been rapid and huge, resulting in more motor cars

than the road system can support. Careful planning may have forecast this growth and measures could have

been taken such as road building and traffic control systems. Other measures could have been the provision of

better public transport such as a light rail system to discourage car buying.

An increase in population is usually associated with high urban growth. Planners should consider housing

projects to cater for the needs of this growing population, served with good transport links to areas of work and

shopping.

Another result of urban growth is pressure on sewerage and water supply systems. If more sophisticated

sewerage and water systems were built, future problems could be prevented. With increased growth comes

waste disposal problems and consequent damage to outlying areas where waste is dumped, as well as

polluted waterways. Planners need to consider waste treatment and disposal.

Lastly, the quality of life suffers when planning fails to consider the urban environment. Open spaces, gardens

and parks need to be preserved or created in order to prevent overcrowding.

In conclusion, planning measures must consider the needs and desires of the urban population to ensure a

healthy, comfortable, safe and fulfilling urban environment.

We could argue that children go to school to study so that they may become fully productive adults and good

citizens. We should ask whether playing sport helps children to become better people. If so, sport is not a

waste of time.

No sensible person will deny that it is important that students study hard. The school day is broken up so that

students can attend classes in different subjects in order to learn what areas they are most likely to enjoy and

succeed at in later life. It is very important that the schools offer a wide range of subjects to cater to all the

students in their care. After all, the school is preparing the students for life and for the workforce.

However, it is also true that students need more than the knowledge of a subject. They need to know how to

work in groups to achieve a mutual goal, how to work as a team. Where better to learn those skills than on the

sports field? Any of the team sports involve coordination with other players, understanding and adopting a

team mentality. These skills are too useful to be ignored.

Furthermore, it is important that people be healthy, and good health is not so easily achieved in a sedentary

society. Sport gets students outside and gives them good reason to run about, thus countering hours spent

sitting still.

So, although school studies are undeniably important, we should regard time spent playing sport as time well

spent.

250 words

Data collection is a fact of modern life. Some argue that data collection is endangering the rights of individuals,

though others see it as a useful tool which increases efficiency. This essay will discuss both sides of this issue.

Data collection can violate the right to privacy. When data about a person is collected and stored in a computer

then it is open to misuse. For example, the information may be sold to unauthorized persons such as credit

agencies or insurance companies. Furthermore, some computer users who have no right to see the data may

be able to gain access.

A further problem with data stored on computer is accuracy. Information stored in a computer may be out of

date, or simple wrong. This can seriously affect a person's rights if decisions are made on the basis of false

information.

On the other hand, databases provide a very useful tool. Large databases which contain information on many

individuals can enable more effective decisions to be made. Institutions such as government departments and

police rely on data collection in order to operate efficiently, and hospitals use computerised records to help in

their fight against disease.

Databases stored on computer can also be very efficient. Information can be rapidly updated or added, and

retrieval of information is extremely fast. Moreover, data which has been collected in one area can be sent

anywhere in the world almost instantly. This means that those who have legitimate access to this data can

work very efficiently.

In summary, although it is possible that unauthorised access or incorrect information may endanger the rights

of individuals, the benefits far outweigh these risks. Consequently data collection on individuals can be

justified, although all possible measures should be taken to minimise the risks.

293 words

Disabled people living in our cities daily face challenging and potentially difficult situations which society must

consider. This essay will offer suggestions as to how conditions may be improved for people with a physical

disability.

One of the most important ways in which life can be improved for disabled people is the provision of financial

support. Some disabled people may have difficulties due to the cost of special equipment or care which they

require. The government could offer assistance through a range of measures including tax deductions for

equipment such as wheelchairs, or loan assistance for major purchases. Even such small measures as

concession passes for transport or entertainment would assist in improving life for the disabled.

The special needs of people with disabilities must be taken into account by the education system and

appropriate services provided. For example, the visually impaired would benefit from access to computers

which convert text to voice. The hearing impaired may need special tutors skilled in sign language. The goal,

however, would be the integration of the disabled into the regular school system while maintaining these

services.

Employment is a third factor which must be considered. In order that disabled people can be given equal

opportunity to work and contribute to society in every possible field, the government could establish quotas for

disabled workers in large companies. Moreover, financial incentives such as tax rebates could be offered to

smaller companies who hire disabled workers.

Thus, conditions for the physically disabled can be improved in a number of ways including providing financial

support, adequate educational services and equal employment opportunities. Through the pursuit of these

goals, society can ensure that life for the disabled is rewarding and fulfilling.

283 words

Cities act as magnets to many from rural areas. A consequence of this migration is the strain placed on

infrastructure in the cities. This essay will discuss whether or not the infrastructure will collapse.

A city's infrastructure is certainly put under pressure by continuing migration from rural areas. For example, as

more and more people crowd into cities, water delivery and sewage disposal systems are often found to be

inadequate to cope with demand. Moreover, unlicensed construction of dwellings usually leads to further

problems for water and sewerage systems.

Roads and transport services also suffer when they are overused. As more and more people attempt to travel,

the roads quickly become overcrowded and the traffic flow slows. Examples of this situation can be found in

many cities throughout the world.

However, infrastructure problems are not inevitable. The water and sewerage systems can be effectively

planned taking into account future projections of population growth, and systems can be put in place to deal

with this increase.

Traffic infrastructure problems can also be dealt with. A regulatory system which limits the number of cars and

trucks on the roads could be introduced. There are no doubt several ways in which this could be

accomplished. In fact, such a system is already in force in Singapore.

In conclusion, infrastructure such as water, sewerage and transport is certainly under strain from rapid

migration. Nevertheless, with careful planning many of these problems can be minimized. Consequently, it is

not inevitable that the infrastructure will collapse, though action should be taken as early as possible.

259 words

Every day we see newspaper and television reports which give details of road accidents. We are saddened by

the loss of human life and the pain of the victims' injuries, but we tend to forget the terrible cost to society of

these events. This essay wilI try to suggest ways we Can cut the road toll by considering the road, safety

devices in the vehicle and, most importantly, people.

Prevention is better than cure: we should concentrate upon ways to prevent these accidents. Well-built roads

are a great aid to calm and safe traffic flow. Imagine roads without blind corners or potholes, with excellent

road sign sand properly planned intersections. These roads reduce the risk to both motorist and pedestrian.

Pedestrians are frequently hurt on the roads. City roads should have enough well-marked pedestrian crossings

so people are not tempted to wander across the road just anywhere. Ideal road management would segregate

cyclists from motorists. A truly lethal combination is a road with a rough edge which makes bicycling difficult

and tempts the cyclist toward the centre of the road and into the path of cars.

Inside the car, the seat belt does save lives. So does the baby's safety seat and the increasingly popular air

bag. Cars can be designed to withstand impact from the side as well as from the front or rear. Helmets help

protect cyclists and motor cyclists.

Good road design and well-planned safety devices will only work if people choose to use them properly, and

the ultimate responsibility must come back to drivers, riders and pedestrians. One impatient driver driving

through a red light can cause terrible damage: it is indeed up to everyone to use the road responsibly.

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