IELTSWRITING TASK 2The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think thisnew century will bring? Use examples and details in youranswer.

Man, through the ages, has undergone many changes from the timewhen he depicted a herd of mammoths on the walls of his cave tothese days when he can create beautiful pictures and even makecoffee by use of computer technologies without leaving hisfavorite chair. The 20th century made huge steps in developingcomputer technologies and reached many goals that made our lifemuch easier. What should we expect in the 21st century?

First of all, I think that the pace of our life will speed up: we willmove faster from one place to another, from one continent toanother using high speed jet airplanes. Second of all, I believe thatwe will be able to do many things that take much time now withoutleaving our house. Computers will be everywhere including out

clothes. Many people will have chips and mini computers insertedin their heads to hold huge amount of information and have a quickaccess to it.

But what will be the most amazing thing in the 21st century is theflights to the outer space and Mars that will be available to allpeople. Scientists say that Mars has many things similar to theEarth's. Moreover, they say that with the help of moderntechnology people can artificially create conditions that will allowpeople to live there on the constant basis.

To sum up, I am sure that many amazing changes will be broughtby the 21st century. Furthermore, I think that with the help of thecontemporary technologies people can do many things that wereeven difficult to imagine a century ago. So, nowadays it is ratherdifficult and even impossible to imagine all changes that willhappen in the next decades.

Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy thingswe really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell usabout new products that may improve our lives. Whichviewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons andexamples to support your answer.

I think that everyone can divide all advertising products andservices into useless ones and useful ones. It is like lookingthrough an information desk when you pay attention to thosemessages that interest you. Take me for example.

I do not like jewelry. It does not mean I do not have it at all, I havea couple of inexpensive rings as gifts from my parents. I just think,people pay too much attention to this stuff. I believe it is the resultof mass advertising. Every day when I am watching TV, listeningto the radio or reading the paper I notice many ads about getting anexpensive ring, chain, necklace or ear-rings. From my point ofview these kinds of advertising contaminate people's minds. In thiscase you are encouraged to buy things you do not really need. Theymake you believe you need such products in order to succeed or behappy.

From the other side, I think that advertisements of the newdetergents with up-to-date formulas to help you maintain yourcloth in perfect conditions, the new cars with some extra futuresthat make your traveling more comfortable and sports goods thatmake your life healthier may help you to improve your life.

Recently my husband and I saw an ad on the Internet about a veryinteresting and inexpensive vocation to Japan for a week. Is not itawesome? We like traveling. So now we are planning to find outmore about it and, may be, make reservations. I belief that withoutadvertisements we would be unaware about plenty of oppotunitiesthat may make your life happier, easier and less stressful.

My point is that every person has his own scale of values. So if heis vegetarian he will consider an ad about meat products useless forhim.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?Advertising can tell you a lot about a country. Use specificreasons and examples to support your answer.

Every country has its own culture and traditions. There is no doubtthat an advertising campaign conducted in Russia will not have the

same affect here in the United States. Let us take for exampleadvertisement of food and restaurants.

A huge amount of fast food stands suggest their services forbreakfast, lunch, dinner and supper here in Houston. Thecompetition is very strong. Every week you get in your mail-boxan envelope with different types of discounts in exchange forvisiting them or ordering pizza. Watching TV you are also from

time to time invited to visit a restaurant in order to taste somedelicious food. It is not because it is easy to make money cookingbut because the demand for such service is high. First of all, peoplelike to go out sometimes to have dinner with friends. Second of all,it is often impossible to drive home for lunch. It can be timeconsuming.

As for Russia, it is a great tradition to have dinner at home with thefamily and go to the restaurant for big holidays. Additionally fastfood is not popular in Russia. So you will see advertisements of

yogurts, coffee, dairy products and juice instead of restaurants andfast food stands.

In conclusion I would like to add that in order to succeed inadvertising campaign especially on the international marketcompany must know traditions, language and history of thecountry.

What gift would you give to help a child develop? Why? Usereasons and specific examples to support your choice.

People learn and develop throughout their entire lives. I think thatin our modern world it is very essential to be familiar withcomputer technology. So, if I had a chance to give a child a gift itwould be a computer. I think that computers play an essential rolein our lives and they bring many benefits to our society. Moreover,children can learn by use of computers. In the followingparagraphs I will give my reasons to support my answer.

First of all, by use of computers children can play many games,which help to improve children's ability to think logically, thinkabout their next step, etc. Moreover, playing games develop manyimportant qualities such as attention, patience, persistent, etc.Second of all, computers help children to learn more aboutanything by use of Internet. They can find new friends even fromanother country. Children will improve their communication skills,gain more knowledge and experience. Also, children have a greatopportunity to learn more about other countries, their history,

traditions and customs. Finally, computer skills can help a child tofind his or her first job. A child can find an ad in the Internet abouta job offer or he or she can make a resume and place it in theInternet. Personally, I think it is a great experience and big stepforward towards a future career.

In addition to those practical benefits, computer technology helpschildren to do their homework faster. They can type their data intothe computer, easily check the grammar, correct mistakes and thenprint it out. Moreover, there are plenty different kinds ofeducational programs that can help children learn how to read,write, draw and even how to behave and speak a foreign language. To sum up, I believe that children should learn how to usecomputer because this knowledge will help them in the future to bemore self-confident and enterprising. Furthermore, computers cangreatly improve and simplify their lives if children know how touse them.

Would you prefer to live in a traditional house or in a modernapartment building? Use specific reasons and details tosupport your choice.

If I was asked where I would I prefer to live in a traditional houseor in a modern apartment building, I think, I would hesitate toanswer. This question, from my point of view, is a controversialone. In the following paragraphs I will analyze both these optionsand present my view.

From the one side, living in a modern apartment building bringsmany benefits. First of all, it is cheaper then living in a traditionalhouse and paying different kinds of fees I am not familiar with. Forinstance, my friend, who recently bought a new house for hisfamily, said me that it is much easier to live in an apartment and Itend to believe him when I see his bills. So, living in an apartmentwill definitely help me to save some money. Second of all, since Ilive alone I do not need a big house with many rooms. I just need abedroom and a living room where I can take my guests and havemy work place. Another important benefit of living in an apartmentis that I will not have to buy much cumbersome furniture in orderto furnish all rooms.

However, living in a modern apartment building can have a fewdisadvantages too. Firstly, it can be noisy and, secondly, I will nothave any privacy outside my apartment, for example, in a pool orgym.

From the other side, living in a traditional house have someadvantages too. For example, I can have my own pool, gym and agarden where I can relax and be alone. However, living in a houseis usually more expensive and requires more time to maintain ahouse. For instance, I will most likely have to hire someone tomow my lawn and clean my pool not to mention all householdtasks inside the house.

In conclusion, I think at this moment I would prefer to live in anapartment. It can help me save some money and allows me tospend more time studying because I will not have to do manyhousehold tasks.

If you could study a subject that you have never had theopportunity to study, what would you choose? Explain yourchoice, using specific reasons and details.

If I would have the opportunity to study a subject I do not knowyet I would choose to study the outer space. I have a Bachelordegree in Management and I like to have the possibilities to workin this field. However, I was always interested in the spaceexploration.

I think, it is a very interesting and challenging job to work on aspace ship, gathering different kinds of information, probes and

specimens. Many people think that these kinds of experiments area waste of money and time. Nevertheless, I believe that humankindis making steps forward by domesticating space. We need to knowwhat is beyond our solar system. We need to know what is beyondour universe.

Another important aspect of studding the space is that scientists arealways about to make new discoveries there and they do them. Ithink it is a great feeling to give people new knowledge,opportunities and experience. Scientists often find and study newconstellations, they launch satellites and monitor them from land.

When I was a child I collected stamps and cards with a space

subject and I dreamed that someday I would be able to make aflight into an outer space. However, my plans changed but mydream has not vanished. I believe that in a few years people will beable to visit the space just like they go to a museum now.

To sum up, I think that studding a space would give me self-realization, more opportunities to grow and more goals to achieve.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?Attending a live performance (for example, a play, concert, orsporting event) is more enjoyable than watching the sameevent on television. Use specific reasons and examples tosupport your opinion.

The issue whether to attend a live performance or enjoy watchingthe same event on TV is a controversial one. However, in myopinion an intermediate position can be taken. I base mysuggestion on the following points. But before I begin I think Ineed to clarify what kind of live performances I like. I mostlyattend concerts and prefer to see sport events on TV.

First of all, watching an event on TV can bring many advantages.One can relax and settle in his favorite chair, eating a cake orhaving a drink. One does not have to spend time driving to theplace where an event takes place. Also, he does not spend money

on a ticket. Moreover, sometimes sitting in front of a TV set one islikely to see more interesting parts of a show more clearly with thehelp of an operator. Second of all, the weather is no longer of thatimportance. He does not care that it is rainy or chilly outside.

From the other side, attending a live performance has manyadvantages too. Firstly, people can enjoy the songs as they are in areal time. Personally, I like to attend a live performance becausethey give much positive energy and many beautiful moments.Frankly, watching a show at home does not give me that. One canenjoy loud music, the closeness of his favorite stars and shout thesongs he likes.

In summary, I prefer to attend live performances in the case of aconcert and show. However, in contrast, I prefer to watch sportevents on television at home.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Peopleshould read only those books that are about real events, realpeople, and established facts. Use specific reasons and detailsto support your opinion.

Some people think that fiction books have no use at all. They claim

that people should read about real events that took place, realpeople, and established facts. I have to totally disagree with thisstatement. From my everyday experience and observation I canstand that fiction, miracles and fairy tails are required in our life.For several reasons, which I will mention below, I believe thatfiction books play an essential role in our life.

First of all, it is kind of difficult to imagine a six year old child

reading about politics or history with the real facts that are notalways pleasant. I think that children need miracles and SantaClaus because the real world is too complicated for them. They aretoo innocent and inexperienced to know the real facts andunderstand what is a real life about. In addition, I am sure thatmaking a child read only non-fiction books can result in shock. Inaddition to these benefits,

Second of all, following this statement about refusing from readingbooks about fiction events we also should refuse from festivals,parades, and celebration such holidays as Halloween because most

of the characters there are fictional. Moreover, comic books willdisappear as well as animated films and fiction movies. Thedisadvantage of non-fiction lies in the facts that nothing happens toexcite the mind and spirit. From the other side, fiction provides agreat slope for a mind to think creatively.

In conclusion, I think that people need miracles. We can not besatisfied with only naked truth. Human kind must believe insomething and this believe helps people break limits and make newinventions.

It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained inbooks.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained fromexperience with knowledge gained from books. In youropinion, which source is more important? Why?

People are learning and practicing through their entire life. Ibelieve that life experience and practice are the basic reasons of thehumankind's evolution. However, in my opinion, knowledgegained from books plays a very important role in the modern life.

The most obviously important advantage of books is that they holdall knowledge gained by previous generations. People write booksabout their discoveries and inventions, which are gained throughpractice and experience. This knowledge is accumulated in booksthat are passed from generation to generation. So, basically, peopleget all knowledge about the previous achievements from books,analyze it and than, according to their experience and new data,

write new books. In this case, books are the holders ofhumankind's experience.

For example, at old times people thought that the Earth was flat. Itwas concluded from observations and studdying. However, thenext generations, using the experience of their ancestors, provedthat the Earth was round.

Personally, I think that books are very important because they areable to give people the basic and fundamental knowledge. Booksstore history, the important events and discoveries. Without them itis difficult and sometimes impossible to move forward, make newdiscoveries and inventions.

To summarize, I think a person should take basic knowledge frombooks because it will help him to make his own inventions,conclusions and discoveries. Only using both books and one’sexperience one can move forward.

It is sometimes said that borrowing money from a friend canharm or damage the friendship. Do you agree? Why or whynot? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.

I think that borrowing money from a friend has some negativeaspects and can harm or damage the friendship in some cases. Forexample, a person borrowed some money from his or her friendand did not return it. However, I believe that borrowing moneyfrom a friend and returning it on time can not harm friendship.Moreover, it even can strengthen the relationships between them.For several reasons, which I will mention bellow, I thinkborrowing money from a friend and returning it do not damage thefriendship.

I think that borrowing money from a person who is close to one isnormal. Imagine that someone needs help and no doubt that his orher friends will offer it. For example, when my friend asks me tobaby-sit her child while she is taking her classes I agree because Iknow that she desperately needs my help in order to finish herdegree and save some money. Furthermore, I am sure that she will

be there for me if I need help. The same thing is with the money,sometimes we borrow money from each other but we always returnit to each other. I think it is very important to return moneyborrowed from a friend. I am glad that I can lend her some moneywhen she needs it because I am sure that she will return it as soonas possible.

In addition, I believe that when friends lend and borrow moneyfrom each other it means that they trust each other. However, Icannot disagree with the fact that money often can cause the end ofthe friendship. For example, a person, who borrowed money fromhis or her friend and did not return it, will try to avoid any contactswith the second person. At the same time, a person who lent themoney to his or her friend and did not get it back will have morelikely an unpleasant feeling about the situation too. As a resultfriends will fall apart.

In conclusion, I think that borrowing money and returning it willhelp to keep friends together.

What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)?Use specific details and examples to explain why these qualitiesare important.

Many people have to work under somebody's supervision. In mostcases an employee does not choose his or her boss, unless asupervisor is elected. In the following paragraphs I will list themost important qualities of my "ideal boss".

First of all, he must be impartial. I believe that it is very important

to make a technical decision, think about somebody's promotion,etc. impartially. For instance, my friend is a supervisor on a dairymill. It is his family's business so a lot of his relatives work there.But he never promotes someone because he or she is his family. Ithink it is a good quality for a boss.

Second of all, my "ideal boss" must be honest, patient andattentive. He should pay attention to people's feelings, encouragethem by increasing their salary, listen to their suggestions aboutimproving labor conditions and productivity. For instance, if hedoes not satisfied with the result he should understand the origin of

the problem and explain people how to fix it. In addition, he mustknow how to solve conflicts that can arise between employees.

Another important quality of a boss is the ability to choose theright decisions and to learn on somebody's mistakes.

Finally, I think a good boss must value his or her employees

because the profit directly depends on the people who work there.

In conclusion, I think a good boss should be able to make hispeople enjoy the work they are doing and encourage theirdiligence.

The government has announced that it plans to build a newuniversity. Some people think that your community would be agood place to locate the university. Compare the advantagesand disadvantages of establishing a new university in yourcommunity. Use specific details in your discussion.

I think it is a great idea to build a new university in my community.However, I think it is a controversial question whether the buildingof a new university will bring only benefits to our community. Inthis essay I will analyze advantages and disadvantages of this issueand present my view in favor of establishing a new university inmy community.

From the one side, establishing a new university in my communitybrings many benefits. First of all, a new construction means morejob opportunities. I think it would be good for my communitybecause many people have to spend much time driving to theirwork day in and day out because they could not find a job in ourneighborhood. Second of all, a new university is a good chance tomeet new people and I like this opportunity. Many students willlive in our community. Finally, if a new university is built in my

community there is a big chance that I will be willing to enroll init. I think it is great because it is not far from my place and I do nothave to move to another part of the city. Another important aspectof this is that people from my community will have a chance to usenew libraries and facilities of a new university. For example somepeople can take courses and classes there.

From the other side, building a new university can bring somedisadvantages. A new construction means noise, traffic jams anddifferent kinds of pollution. In addition to these disadvantages,many young people in our community can cause more noiseespecially in the evenings.

To sum up, I think that I would support the decision of thegovernment of establishing a new university in my communitydespite a few disadvantages that could follow this construction. Ibelieve that a new university will increase a chance of many youngpeople to get a higher education, gain more knowledge andexperience, which will help them to succeed in today’s world.

A company has announced that it wishes to build a largefactory near your community. Discuss the advantages anddisadvantages of this new influence on your community. Do

you support or oppose the factory? Explain your position.

I am from Saint-Petersburg, Russia. I believe that building a largefactory near my community has advantages as well as

disadvantages. In the following paragraphs I will list basic benefitsand losses that will be brought by a new factory.

For several reasons, I think that a new factory will not be a goodaddition to my neighborhood. First of all, factories often bringpollution. They are prone to contaminating the local air and water.Second of all, factories make noise. Another important aspect ofbuilding a new factory near by is that it will make the local trafficheavy. As a result of this, the amount of traffic congestions willincrease, as well as contamination of the air. So, all these obviouslywill not make one's life happier and healthier in my community.

From the other side, I believe that a new factory will bring someadvantages to my community. First of all, it will bring new job

opportunities. Many specialists will be required to work there.Second of all, I think many local community facilities will have tobe renovated to obtain reliable supply of water and electricity. So,some old pipes may be changed. Another important benefit of thisis that the local roads in order to manage the increasing traffic willbe rebuilt and widened.

However, I do not think that listed above benefits are worth allthese troubles including water contamination and the constantpollution of air. From my point of view all factories must be builtfar from the people communities because they can be reallyharmful for people's health.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?Businesses should do anything they can to make a profit. Usespecific reasons and examples to support your position.

I do not agree with the statement that businesses should doanything they can to make a profit. I state my opinion on thefollowing points.

First of all, every company must have its moral code. It means thata company should treat its clients properly and respect their rights.Of cause a company may lose a part of its profit but security of itsclients must be on the first place. Otherwise, clients will switch toanother company and never be back. For instance, a few years ago"Jonson&Jonson" produced a new type of painkillers.Unfortunately, this product was not tested properly. As a result ofthis many people died and received injures. The president of thecompany made a crucial decision to call back all painkillers fromall distributors and pay to all injured customers for their treatment.

It cost a lot of money for the company but it saved its image andclients. It was a very difficult decision, but the president of thecompany understood that it would cost him even more in the futurebecause he would not be able to return clients' respect. Loosingcustomers means for a company loosing its profit.

Second of all, in order to succeed in the modern world companieshave to compete with each other. Many companies lose their profitdecreasing prices on their products. They do not aspire for extraprofit but for clients' satisfaction. Companies do it because theywant their products sold and their customers satisfied. They offerdiscounts, free delivery, free service, free Internet access, goodreturn service, etc. All these are done to make their old customershappy and attract new clients.

To sum up, I think a company, which the only goal is profit willnot succeed nowadays. Otherwise, companies that respect theirclients and want to see them satisfied will make a fortune.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Highschools should allow students to study the courses that studentswant to study. Use specific reasons and examples to supportyour opinion.

The question whether high school should allow students to studythe courses that students want to study is the one that is open fordebate. Some people believe that students in high school shouldhave the right to study the courses they like. However, other peopledisagree and stand that teenagers can not totally be sure what theylike and what they need to know at their age. In this essay I willanalyze these points and present my view in favor of people whobelieve that some courses must be required to study by students.

From the one side, having a chance to choose what one likes tostudy can bring many benefits. First of all, a student can be betterprepared for the career he likes because he can spend more timestudying what he is interested in. Second of all, students will learnwith more enthusiasm because they will learn what they like.

From the other side, teenagers often can not completely understandwhat they want to do in the future. So, given a chance to choose,they can choose classes, which are easy to learn and do not takemuch time to study. As a result of this after graduation manystudents can be unprepared to enroll in universities and, of cause,make careers. Personally, I think that some courses such asmathematics, literature, writing English must be required forstudying by students. This will helps them to gain more knowledgeand experience, develop ability to think logically, improve writingskills, etc. So, students will be better prepared for the real worldand independence life.

To sum up, I think that high school should have required coursesbecause it is essential for a student to have a good base for thefuture life. Required courses as a rule are more complicated butthey give the opportunity for students to extend their range ofinterests and help them to develop many important characteristicssuch as self-confident, persistent, patience, etc.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?Classmates are a more important influence than parents on achild’s success in school. Use specific reasons and examples tosupport your answer.

I can not completely agree with the statement that classmates are amore important influence than parents on a child's success inschool. In this essay I will first focus on the reasons why I agreewith this statement and then list a few points why from my opinionin some cases is not true.

From the one side, classmates have a significant influence onchild's behavior and his or her success in school. First of all,children spend much time at school. Classmates have many thingsin common such as age, interests, homework and classes after all.So, they discuss their impressions about a new teacher, solveproblems together, learn their homework, gain new knowledge andexperience and even make their own discoveries. Sharing all thesemakes them closer. Some of them become friends and they spendafter-school time together. In addition friends tend to copy eachother's habits and manners. For instance, my little sister became

friends with the girl who did not have good grades at school at thattime. It does not mean she could not have better grades; she justhad many friends who did not care about their grades. So, whenthey started to spend their time together and share their interests,girl's grades improved. They did their homework together, sharedtheir dreams and exciting moments. From this point I must agreethat classmates can change child’s attitude towards school.

From the other side, parents have a great influence on children'success in school too. For example if parents show an interest in

their child's progress and talk to him or her about the importance oflearning I think their child will listen to them and do his or herbest.

Personally, I believe that relationships between parents and a childplay an essential role in child's success in school. If theserelationships are close and wholehearted I am sure that parentsshould not be afraid of bad influence from the outside.

Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think.Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain.Which type of movie do you prefer? Use specific reasons andexamples to support your answer.

Different people like different types of movies. Some people liketo watch a movie that makes them think. They prefer movies witha murder investigation or some kind of intricate plot. Other peopleprefer movies that make them laugh. Personally, I like morecomedies, but sometimes my husband insists on watching afantastic or a scary movie just to diversify our repertory.

Comedies make one laugh. People can just relax, buy a bottle ofcoda and some popcorn and enjoy those moments. It is a means ofeliminating stress and tension. Usually, we go to the movie theatreonce a month because in this case we always find new comedies towatch. I like those moments when it is dark and one just can

enjoys the actions from a large screen.

I do not want to say that I do not like movies that make me think.Sometimes I really like the plot or performance. For example,"Traffic", a movie about drugs and young people, is very touchingand topical. From my point of view, every family should watch thismovie together and discuss the important aspects of it. One moreexample of this kind of movies is "Mister G". It is about a littleboy who needed a surgery to live. His heart did not work properly,so a boy needed another one to survive . Basically, the movie isabout a family that faces many difficulties and obstacles, trying tosave their only child. I think that humankind needs such movies.First of all, they help people enjoy their life and be grateful.Second of all, they help people realize that they are a big family.

In summary, I think that every movie must teach us be kind, strongand grateful.

When people need to complain about a product or poorservice, some prefer to complain in writing and others prefer tocomplain in person. Which way do you prefer? Use specificreasons and examples to support your answer.

It is rather difficult for me to answer the question how I prefer tocomplain: in writing or in person because sometimes I just do nothave a choice. For example, if I order a product using the Internetfrom another state or even country I will more likely have theopportunity to speak to a representative of a company in person.So, in some cases I choose to speak in person and in others I preferto complain in writing. However, I believe that every option has itsadvantages.

From the one side, complaining in writing brings many benefits.First of all, one does not have to spend his precious time driving,waiting for his turn and talking with a representative. He can justsend mail or e-mail and get all explanation he needs. Second ofall, I think it is the best way to avoid an unpleasant conversation.Personally, I do not like to complain about anything especially, inperson. Finally, sometimes it is impossible to have a face-to-faceconversation because a company which provided a poor product orservice is too far away.

From the other side, complaining in person has some benefits too.First, this type of complaining provides an immediate feedback.So, if I have some complains about company's products I willreceive all information and explanation right away. However,sending a company a letter and getting a feedback can take morethen a month. Second, face-to-face conversation is often moreeffective. People talk to each other, see each other facial gesturesand body movements, which can tell a lot about a person. Inaddition to these practical benefits, in the case if one can notreceive creditable explanation from one representative he alwayscan require to talk to another person. For instance, my husbandrecently had some extra withdraws from his account by his bankand he was not aware of it. So, he went to the bank and explainedto the bank's representative the situation and they together foundthe solution and those money was given back to my husband'saccount. I think, in this case face-to-face conversation is the bestway to complain and get feedback fast.

In conclusion, I think that if I have to complain about a product orpoor service I will do it in person. However, if face-to-faceconversation is impossible I think I have nothing left but to send aletter or write an e-mail there.

Some people say that computers have made life easier andmore convenient. Other people say that computers have madelife more complex and stressful. What is your opinion? Usespecific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Some people say that the invention of computers is one of thegreatest humankind's inventions. However, other people think that

computers make their life more stressful. I agree with those peoplewho think that computers brought many benefits and play a veryimportant role in our modern life.

First of all, every company nowadays uses a computer to store itsdata and make different kinds of operations. It is very difficult toimagine life without computers. A company would have to storemillions of papers and documents. Moreover, a customer would

have to wait hours to check his balance or get a piece ofinformation about his transactions at his bank, while an employeewas looking trough those papers. Another important aspect of thisis that people are able to type all their information, makecorrections, print or send documents using computers. It makes lifemuch easier. One can spend the rest of the time watching TV withhis family or working on something new.

We use computers every day sometimes even not knowing it.When we go to a store and use our credit cards many computersprocess our information and perform transactions. When we needto get some cash we use money access machines that arecomputerized too.

Second of all, computers provided a great means ofcommunication - the Internet. I think it is the most easiest andcheapest way to get in touch with relatives, friends, businesscolleagues, etc. Nowadays the world becomes smaller and smaller.When I was a little girl, I could not imagine that it would be

possible to communicate with people from all around the world inso easy way. A person can get latest news, become friends withsomeone from another country, find his old friends, ask for a pieceof advice, etc.

Finally, in addition to these practical benefits people can shoppingwithout leaving their house. They just use an Internet access, acomputer and their cards to make a payment. It is kind of difficultto imagine that a few years ago people had to spend their time inlines buying tickets. Now, a person can choose a destination,company, date and time and get tickets delivered to his door. Ithink it is amazing.

To sum up, I believe that computers made our lives easier. Theychange our attitude towards life. I think with the invention ofcomputers people became closer and friendlier.

It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of itsmembers. Compare the contributions of artists to society withthe contributions of scientists to society. Which type ofcontribution do you think is valued more by your society? Givespecific reasons to support your answer.

From my everyday experience and observation I think that artistsas well as scientists brings many benefits to society. It is acontroversial question weather the contributions of artists are moreor less then the contributions of scientists to the society. For

several reasons, which I will mention bellow, I think that bothtypes are valuable, priceless and irreplaceable for every society.

The contributions of artists to the society are very essential. Artforms people's spiritual sense, their views and personalities. Peoplelearn history, the traditions of their country trough the art. We alsowatch movies that entertain and at the same time extend our rangeof interests. Another important aspect of this is that art is anancient means of communication. In old times people depicted theherds of mammoths on the walls of their caves. They performeddifferent rituals around the fireplace asking their gods for health,

good harvest and weather. Our language is a result of people's needto communicate.

From the other side, the contribution of scientists is could not beexaggerated. All humankind is indebted to the scientists because oftheir work and achievements. Scientists make our life easier. Wehave cars and airplanes to move fast from one place to another. Wehave microwaves and a bunch of preprocessed food to make thecooking much easier. We have different devices that simplify all

we do. Finally, scientists are making great achievements inmedicine that make our life longer and happier. Nowadays peoplehave a great opportunity to do many things faster by use ofcomputers.

To sup up, I believe that artists nourish our souls when scientistsand technology feed our minds. So, we can not eliminate orunderestimate one of them.

We all work or will work in our jobs with many different kindsof people. In your opinion, what are some importantcharacteristics of a co-worker (someone you work closelywith)? Use reasons and specific examples to explain why thesecharacteristics are important. A large number of people spend most of their time at work. Ourlife is divided into three equal parts: 8 hours - sleep, 8 hours -work, 8 hours - family time. So, in the most cases, one's co-workerplays an important role in one's life. From my opinion, theessential characteristics of a co-worker are the following.

First of all, a person who works closely with me must like his job. Ithink it is very important for a person to feel satisfaction with hisjob. My husband is a software developer. He is fond of his job andpeople enjoy working with him because they see how many energyhe puts into his job.

Second of all, my co-worker must be persistent and never give up.

I like when people who came across a problem try to solve it, finda good decision instead of looking for another person to hand itover. Another important aspect of this is that a good worker shouldalways ask himself "What can be improved?" and suggests newsolutions.

In addition, he must be a good team player. In the modern worldgood communication skills and the ability to work in a team areamong the common position requirements. Personally, I think it isgreat to help each other, share new ideas, develop new solutions,etc. It helps to create a team spirit and improve a laborproductivity.

Finally, my co-worker must be punctual. He or she should finishthe job on time I think that It is unacceptable to make the rest of ateam wait while a person finishes his or her job. Also, my "idealco-worker" should always be ready to offer his or her help and besupportive.

To summarize, I think if a co-worker possesses all of these

qualities mentioned above he can make work with him reallyenjoyable and productive.

Holidays honor people or events. If you could create a newholiday, what person or event would it honor and how wouldyou want people to celebrate it? Use specific reasons anddetails to support your answer.

Every country has holidays. If I could create a new holiday itwould be "Day of Health". I belief that many countries alreadyhave this day, but I think that my day will be more beneficialbecause it will be celebrated at the beginning of every month. Inthis essay I will give the reasons and outline the benefits of thisholiday.

First of all, to celebrate this day people do not have to go to arestaurant or to a movie, but they will go to the nearest park andcelebrate it by walking, jogging, line-skating or bicycling. Somepeople will go to a fitness center or a pool. Smoking will beprohibited everywhere on this day. Also this will be a day ofhealthy food, fresh squeezed juice and a lot of smiling faces. This

day will inspire people with energy for the rest of the month.

Second of all, people will be called to use their car as less aspossible in order to prevent the air pollution and to keep air fresh.Every car has a large impact on the environment. People oftendrive their car to the nearest store to buy food when they can spend5 minutes more and get there by foot or bicycle.

Finally, "Day of Health" will help people to relax, to slow downthe pace of their life. Life is very stressful these days. People arecompeting for better job, companies and countries are competingfor a market and business. So, this day will help people to enjoythe moments of their life, to leave their troubles behind andappreciate all they have.

In summary, I belief my holiday would make people friendlier,healthier and happier.

Describe a custom from your country that you would likepeople from other countries to adopt. Explain your choice,using specific reasons and examples.

In our modern stressful world we often forget about our customsand traditions. However, I think that people should keep theirtraditions because they help to remember our forefathers and valuethe beautiful moments we have in our lives.

In my country we have a great custom called "Maslenica". It is aholiday, which is celebrated at the end of the winter. Many peoplegather on the biggest square of the city and see of the winter. Theysay to the winter good-bye and ask the spring to change the winter.They celebrate the beginning of the life when everything starts togrow.

People at this holiday bake pancakes and treat each other withthem. Also, many people gathered on the square play differentgames. For example, the most well-known game "pulling a rope"

subsists in that two teams pull a rope. The winner is the team,witch has a longer rope. Other people craw on the icy pole. Peoplehave fun at this holiday even if they just observe those games anddo not participate.

In conclusion, I am sure that "Maslenica" would benefit manycountries all over the world. People have the opportunity to relax,

leave their troubles and worries behind and have fun. Also, thisholiday helps people to find out more about each other,communicate and meet new people. In addition to those practicalbenefits, "Maslenica" helps people to slow down their life pace andenjoy the present moments that are irreplaceable and beautiful.

Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to newexperiences. Others like their lives to stay the same, and theydo not change their usual habits. Compare these twoapproaches to life. Which approach do you prefer? Explainwhy.

Some people like to live in the same house, have the same job andhabits all their lives. However, others aspire to changes and newexperience. Personally, for the several reasons, which I will explainbellow, I prefer the first approach to life.

First of all, changes in one's life bring many benefits. One triesnew things, gains new knowledge and experience. I think it is greatbecause without changes life becomes boring. I always try to makechanges in my life. Moreover, when I feel that my life is boring Ido not feel well about it. I feel like I spent those days for nothing. Idid not do anything exiting, I learnt nothing interesting and I justwaisted my time.

Second of all, people need changes. Furthermore, we needobstacles to overcome and reach our goals. I believe that changesmake us stronger, more persistent, more self-confident, and morepatient. Also, I feel that all people who succeeded in life likechanges and new experience because it is impossible to be the bestat some field without perfecting the present knowledge and gainnew experience. People catch every opportunity to learn more andchange their life for the best.

From the other side, people who like their lives to stay the sameare very permanent. They have the same job all their life, the samehabits, the same week-ends and even the same years in years out. Ithink it is boring. What will they tell their children about theirlives? What kind of contribution will they make for the society? Ithink such people are just afraid of changes.

I think curiosity and aspiration to the new experience are two ofthe main reasons of human evolution. People always wanted tobreak limits and gain more knowledge and experience. So, peoplewho enjoy change are the engine of human development.

Some people think that children should begin their formaleducation at a very early age and should spend most of theirtime on school studies. Others believe that young children

should spend most of their time playing. Compare these twoviews. Which view do you agree with? Why?

People learn through their entire lives. Curiosity was always thebasic characteristic of a human being. We always want to breaklimits and learn more. At this point some people think that childrenshould begin their formal education at a very early age and spendmost of their time on school studies. This will help them tosucceed in the future. However, for several reasons, which I willexplain bellow, I think that children should not study at a veryearly age.

Of cause, children who begin to study at a very early age havemore chances to succeed in the future. They gain more knowledgeand experience which are priceless and valuable. In addition,studying more now they will give them the opportunity to perfecttheir knowledge in the future and become better professionals.

However, I think that every child must have his or her childhood.Children should learn through playing and communication withtheir friends and parents. I think that such basic qualities askindness, self-confidence and just a good sense of humor can notbe gained from studying. Children should more time spend withtheir family, playing and learning with their parents. Imagine that achild instead of playing with his friends does his homework andfeel exhausted and tired. Another important aspect of this is thatchildren at their early ages need more exercise because at this agethe development of their body is a very essential aspect. Childrenfirst of all must be healthy.

To sum up, I think that children should have their carelesschildhood with no responsibilities. Moreover, I am sure thatplaying helps them develop not only their bones and muscles buttheir ability to make decisions, analyze things, make conclusions,which is very good for their future.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?Watching television is bad for children. Use specific details andexamples to support your answer.

Some parents believe that watching television is bad for theirchildren. So, they try to restrict their children from watching TV.However, other parents think that there is nothing bad in watchingTV. Personally, I think that watching TV brings children onlybenefits unless they spend in front of TV set less then a couple ofhours daily. For the following reasons, which I will mentionbellow, I believe that television plays an essential role in child's

development.

First of all, television helps a child to extent his or her range ofinterests. Children can find out many new things and make manyexiting discoveries for themselves. In addition to these practicalbenefits television improves children's vocabulary, their memoryand gives them the opportunity to gain more knowledge. I think itis very essential for a child. Of cause, someone can say that thereare plenty of different recourses of information such as books andteachers. But, I think, in our modern world children must learnfaster and use all contemporary technology in order to succeed.Second of all, watching cognitive programs helps children to learn

more about wild life, our environment and about the importance ofpreserving our forest and wild animals that live there.

Scientists say that a child should not watch TV more then 40minutes successively. For example, my mother always made ushave a break after watching TV more then half an hour and let oureyes rest for several minutes before turning on the TV again. Ithink it is the best solution.

To sum up, I believe that television gives children and all people

the opportunity to learn what can not be learn from books.Television and movies in particular allow people to feel the realityand see what they will most likely not be able to see in their lives.Personally, when I was a child I liked to watch cognitive programsabout wild animals. Unfortunately, my family had only one TV, butthese programs were the only ones we all wanted to watch. So, wegathered in our living room and watched them in complete silenceand I always remember those moments with a smile on my face.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?Children should begin learning a foreign language as soon asthey start school. Use specific reasons and examples to supportyour position.

Language is the best means of communication. In the modernglobalization era it is not enough to be able to speak one languageto communicate with the outside world. I strongly support the ideathat children should begin learning a foreign language as soon asthey start school. They faster become familiar with a strangelanguage, improve their hearing ability to understand new words astime goes by and learn new words. In the following paragraphs Iwill list some reasons to support my position.

First of all, if one wants to see outcome soon, one must startsooner. So, the early children begin to learn new language the

better will be the result. Scientists say that a child does not confusetwo different languages but learns them more effectively.

Second of all, adults are often afraid to make mistakes when theyare speaking in a new language. This fear is one of the biggestbarriers for a person in his efforts to speak freely. Otherwise,children do not afraid of making grammatical mistakes becausebasically they just repeat words and sentences in the way they hearthem. Also, children have a better chance to get rid of an accent.They faster get used to the right pronunciation and better feel themelody of a language.

To sum up, I think that it is very essential for children to beginlearning a foreign language in their early ages. It is brings manybenefits such as great pronunciation. Also, it help a child developand gain more knowledge which is good for a long run.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?Dancing plays an important role in a culture. Use specificreasons and examples to support your answer.

Dancing is one of the ancient means of communication. People ofevery country have their own national music and dances. In oldtimes people perform special rituals to make bad spirits go awayand ask gods for fertile soil, good harvest, health and goodweather. So, dancing plays an important role in a culture.Moreover, dancing of a particular country reflects its traditions,customs and history. In the following paragraphs I will give myreasons to support my answer.

First of all, the reason why dancing of a particular country is sounique because many art forms are put together. People needmusic, costumes, singers to perform, players and of cause dancers.

Each of these art forms is unique and singular for every country. Inold times people gathered to celebrate or mourn and everyoccasion had its own music and costumes. For example, ancienttribes painted their faces with ugly and strange patterns, put oncolorful clothes and make strange movements around the fireplace.

Second of all, dancing is a combination of body movements thatare peculiar for every nation. People of different nations havedifferent bodily movements because dancing is one of the firstmeans of communication. People differently express their feelingssuch as happiness, sadness, joy and sorrow though movements oftheir bodies.

To sum up, I think that dancing keeps people's traditions alivethrough the ages.

Why do you think some people are attracted to dangeroussports or other dangerous activities? Use specific reasons andexamples to support your answer.

Nowadays many people attracted to dangerous sports and otherdangerous activities. From my everyday experience andobservation I think it is a result of dramatic changes in people'slife.

Just imagine at old times men had to hunt for food, fight, facemany challenges and obstacles. Now our days are quite ordinarywith a cup of coffee, donut, computer, desk table and TV.Basically, we do not have to straggle every day for our life and wehave nutritious meal without any efforts. So, all we have to do is tocontemplate out life. However, I must confess it can be boring. All

improvements created for the past centuries made our life easier.Nowadays people look for adventure. They want to face achallenge, prove themselves something, conquer the world, etc.

Personally, I think that every person sees different goals in doingdangerous activities. Some people want to add some stress andtension to their lives. From the other side, other people want toeliminate stress and tension gained from their everyday lives. Theycan forget about all troubles and leave them behind. I believe thatdangerous activities give one freedom, happiness, feeling ofindependence and tone.

To sum up, I think that dangerous sports and activities areirreplaceable in our life. Without them out life would be miserableand boring.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parentsor other adult relatives should make important decisions fortheir (15 to 18 year-old) teenage children. Use specific reasonsand examples to support your opinion.

Parents are in most cases our first teachers and friends. From myeveryday experience I have to agree with the statement thatimportant decisions should be made by our parents or adultrelatives. In the following paragraphs I will give my reasons tosupport this statement.

First of all, teenage children have the tendency to live in their ownfantasies. They does not clearly understand the rules of a real life.When I was 18 years old I thought that the world was perfect andeverything seemed to be simple. Teenagers are basicallyinexperienced, they aspire for independence and try to make theirfirst steps towards freedom. I think that it is like starting to walkwhen a baby needs its parents for support. An independent life is abig and significant part in a person's life. So, my point is that it is

very important to make this step right.

Second of all, I think that parents have right to interfere in theirchildren's lives. They need to know what kind of friends theirchildren have and how children spend their spare time. Forexample I had an eighteen years old friend who got really angrywith his parents when they prohibited him to be friends with ayoung man. Somehow his parents found out that that young manwas occasionally taking drugs. That man was dead in a yearbecause of drug abuse. After that accident my friend thanked hisparents for that interference.

Finally, I think teenage children should be more open-minded withtheir parents. It will help them to make the right choice and avoidmany mistakes.

To sum up, I believe that young people should trust their parentsbecause they wish their children only the best.

Some people believe that a college or university educationshould be available to all students. Others believe that highereducation should be available only to good students. Discussthese views. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.

People learn through their entire lives. They constantly improvetheir knowledge and develop. I think that a college or universityeducation should be available to all students because every personhas the right to choose the way to self-perfection. Bellow I willgive some of my reasons to support my position.

First of all, every person should have the chance to get a higher

degree, gain new knowledge and experience. However, somepeople believe that higher education should be available only togood students. I think it is silly. It is like to make unavailabletraveling for one who does not have IQ high enough.

Second of all, some young people do not do well at school but theyhave great personality and ability to learn. They are self-confident,persistent and patient. With these qualities they can get highergrades then their classmates who are talented but lazy. Imagine forexample situation when a teenager gets high grades because his orher parents constantly make him or her study and help to do mostof the homework. In this case a child does very good at school butI think a college can show the opposite results.

Finally, it is a discrimination against students to make availablehigher education only for good ones. So, if a students does poor and gets low grades he/she should besent down. But if a person was never given a chance to tryhimself/herself at college what to do in this case?

To sum up, I think that all young people should have the chance toget a higher education. To take or not this chance must be up tothem.

People recognize a difference between children and adults.What events (experiences or ceremonies) make a person anadult? Use specific reasons and examples to explain youranswer.I think the question what events make a person an adult is the onethat is open for debate. Some people think that the graduation ofhigh school makes a person an adult. Others think that the age of21 is the age when childhood is replaced by adulthood. However,from my everyday experience and observation I can stand threemajor events that make a person an adult.

The first event that makes a person an adult is getting a job. Theability to earn his own money gives a person the opportunity tolive independently from his parents. Personally, I think the first jobis a very important experience in person's life and it has a greatimpact on his personality. He learns how to manage his expensesand how to save money for the more important things. In additionto those benefits, one learns how to arrange his time in order tohave all done on time.

The second event, which from my opinion deserves an attention, isthe graduation from a college or university. I think it is a veryessential step in one's life because this means the beginning of anew life with more responsibilities.

Finally, I believe that marriage has a great impact on person's life.Marriage means an independent life from one's parents with a newperson. It is a very great experience. Two persons create a newfamily and they face new difficulties and responsibilities.

In conclusion, I think that the list of events that make a person anadult can be continued. For example, getting a driving license hassometimes a very great impact on person's life. Another importantevent in a person's life is the army. I know many young men whoserved in the Army that changed them very much. They becamemore serious, self-confident and independent people. So, my pointis that every person has different events that influenced his life andmake him an adult.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Mostexperiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the timebecome valuable lessons for the future. Use reasons andspecific examples to support your answer.

From my everyday experience and observation I have to agree with

the statement that our present experiences become valuable lessonsfor the future. Someone said that today's problems will be the bestexperience in the future. Below I will give some examples tosupport my position.

First of all, I want to say that obstacles make people stronger. Byovercoming difficulties people gain priceless and essential

knowledge and experience. If one has to struggle with a disease hebecomes stronger may be not in a physical way but in a mentalway. A person becomes more patient, more self-confident andmore attentive. These qualities will help him to win his disease.

Success has nothing to do with luck. People have to work hard inorder to reach their goals. They face challenges and failures andoften they lose. However, people do not give up. They use theirprevious experience and knowledge to try again and again. I thinkthat difficulties teach us very valuable lessons. Only a man whounderstands this fact and knows how to use it in the future can

succeed. Failures bring us wisdom and new experience. Personally,I always try to analyze my mistakes and make conclusions. If I amnot succeed I know that next time I will avoid these mistakes anddo my best.

To sum up, I think that human evolution and development are aresult of constant efforts based on previous experience andknowledge.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face communication is better than other types ofcommunication, such as letters, email, or telephone calls. Usespecific reasons and details to support your answer.

Humankind, through the ages, has undergone many changes fromthe time when people communicated only face-to-face tonowadays when a person has in use many types of communicationmeans. Some people still prefer to use face-to-face communicationdespite many other sometimes more convenient ones such asphone, mail, e-mail and fax. I think to continue this essay it isessential to clarify what kind of conversation we are talking about.

For example, if people are negotiating it is very important to havea face-to-face communication. It is very important to see during anegotiation how one's opponent is moving, is he nervous orrelaxed, what he is doing, etc. Scientists say that the body language

and facial gestures can say many thing about a person, his strongand weak sides, his traits, manners and even habits. To know whatkind of man one is dealing with is very essential aspect innegotiation. Many managers prefer to have with the futureemployees face-to-face conversation. So, in this case they see howa person behaves.

From the other side, if I need to notify my bank that I am going toclose an account I do not want to spend my time driving there,waiting for my turn and talking with a representative. It is easierfor me just to call or e-mail them. It saves my time and my bank'stoo.

To summarize, from my opinion all important issues better bediscussed in face-to-face conversation. It will eliminate manyfarther misunderstandings and bring only benefits to both sides.

Some famous athletes and entertainers earn millions of dollarsevery year. Do you think these people deserve such high salaries?Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Some people think that famous athletes and entertainers have toohigh salaries for their work. However, others believe that thesepeople deserve such high salary. Personally, I think that it is acontroversial question and it is open for debate. For severalreasons, which I will mention bellow, I think that famous athletesand entertainers have a great impact on our social life and make abig contribution to our society and, hense, deserve high salary.

The first reason why I think that such high salary is deserved byfamous athletes and entertainers because we all need them.Entertainment plays an essential role in our everyday's life. Weneed to relax, watching TV with our favorite TV stars or favoritefootball players. Entertainment is one of the best ways to eliminatestress and tension and leave all troubles behind. For example, I cannot stay home all day long without watching TV. So, basically, Ibelieve that famous athletes and entertainers have such highsalaries because we need them. They like doctors for our mindsand soles. Scientists say that people usually spend the sameamount of money for their food and entertainment. I think this facttells a lot.

The second reason for this is that famous athletes have to workhard in order to get good results. I am sure that achievements theymake is the result of hard work, persistence and pain. Theysometimes risk their lives and health. For example, I am a big funof L. Amstrong, the most famous cyclist in world's history. Hefaced probably, the most challenging difficulty in his life, cancer.He was very young for this disease. Amstrong was in his early

twenties when he found out about it. I read a book about his life,and what impressed me were his words after his victory in France.He said: "Cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me ".Hedefeated the disease only because he believed in himself and didnot give up. I think such person deserves to have a high salary andbe loved by many people through out the world.

In conclusions, I want to say that if people get high salaries itmeans they are needed and their contribution to the society is huge.

Nowadays, food has becomeeasier to prepare. Has thischange improved the waypeople live? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

Man, through the ages, hasundergone many changes, from aperiod when he hunted for foodto the present time, when he buyspreprocessed food in the shopcenters. Some people say that thefact our food are easier to preparethese days has definitelyimproved our life. However,other people belief that thischange has some negativeaspects. In this essay I will leastsome advantages and

disadvantages of such a change.

First of all, when people use apreprocessed food it definitelysaves time. One does not have tospend much time in the kitchenwashing, peeling, cutting andcooking vegetables, etc. All onehas to do is just to use amicrowave or a stove to warm upa ready for use food. Frankly, Ithink it is a very good benefit.People can more enjoy thingsthey like to do like spending timewith the loved ones, exercising,watching TV or walking with adog.

Second of all, if one has a goodsalary he can allow himself to goto a restaurant every day. It is agreat opportunity to have a fresh

cooked meal with excellentservice, meet friends and newpeople. One more reason to havedinner at a restaurant becauseone can taste different anddelicious food from all over theworld from Chinese to Mexican.

However, some people think thata preprocessed food has negativeaspects. Unfortunately, preprocessed food has lessvitamins and minerals than freshcooked food. Besides, it has

more preservatives and unnaturalingredient that can not be goodfor man's health. In addition, thenumber of diseases such asobesity, fatigue, reflux diseaseetc. is rising.

Cooking is a great tradition. It isa means of eliminating stress andtension. Personally, I believe thatpeople should not forget thistradition and do not abuse fastfood.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Games are as important foradults as they are for children.Use specific reasons andexamples to support youranswer.

Games as the ultimate form ofmental and physical relief areimportant for adults as they arefor children. People learn how tobehave, control their emotions,follow the rules. The mostobviously essential aspect of thisis that people realize that our lifeis a big game with its own rules.In the next paragraphs I will give

the reasons to support myanswer.

Basically, there are two types ofgames. The first type is mentalgames that help us to upgrade ourmental abilities. The second typeis the games that involvephysical activities. They keeppeople fit and healthy.

Mental games for adults play asignificant role. Adults learn co-operation, discipline, team work,self-confidence. Scientists saythat the brain cells of grown uppeople can grow with the help ofmind exercising. The mostsimple way to exercise one's

mind is through mental games.For example, playing chessmakes people think, try to predictevents, follow the strategy of anopponent.

From the other side, physicalgames help adults to stay in agood shape, relax, eliminatestress and tension. Also, it is aperfect way to lose weight.

Mental games for children alsoplay an important role. They help

children to understand the realworld more quickly and adapt tothe reality. In addition to thosepractical benefits mental gamesteach children how to behave, besupportive and patient. Physicalgames from the other hand,strengthening children' bones,health and teach discipline.

To sum up, I am sure that peopleneed games and it is notimportant how old one is.

Some people think thatgovernments should spend asmuch money as possible ondeveloping or buying computertechnology. Other peopledisagree and think that thismoney should be spent on morebasic needs. Which one of theseopinions do you agree with?Use specific reasons and detailsto support your answer.

Man, through the ages hasundergone many changes fromthe time when he depicted a herdof mammoths on the walls of acave to nowadays when he canchart with anyone across the sea

by use of modern means ofcommunication. Some peoplethink that in today's worldgovernment should spend moremoney on computers. However,others think that it isinappropriate and governmentshould spend more money onfood and shelters for poor people,medicine, education, etc. Thesetwo options are very differentand controversial. But I think thatdeveloping computer technologybrings people more advantagesthen they think it does.

First of all, humankind nowadaysmore and more depends oncomputers. We often do not

suspect the presence ofcomputers around us. Forexample, when we withdrawmoney from cash machines, getsome gasoline on the gas stationand pay with our credit cards inthe stores. So, nowadayscomputer technology plays anessential role in our everydaylife. Second of all, computertechnology brings more jobopportunities. For a countrycomputer technology meanspower, knowledge and constantdevelopment. In addition to thosepractical benefits, thedevelopment of computertechnology brings a lot of moneyto the country.

From the other side, government

should not forget about poorpeople, who can not affordcomputers but need food andshelters. However, I think thatcomputers help people gain moreknowledge and experience andfind a job to provide food andhome for his family. So,basically, computers give peoplethe opportunity to reach theirgoals and be innovative.

To sum up, I think that computertechnology gives people manybenefits including theopportunity to improve one'sknowledge and be more self-confident, persistent andexperienced in this world.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Grades (marks) encouragestudents to learn. Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your opinion

From my everyday experienceand observation I can stand thatgrades are very good indicatorsof knowledge. For several

reasons that I will mentionbellow I believe that gradesencourage students to learn.

First of all, grades show students'knowledge. If a person gets ahigh grade on an exam it meansthat he understands that subjectvery well. Otherwise, if a studentgets a low grade on an exam itmeans that he does notunderstand it completely.

Personally, when I get a lowergrade on an exam then I expectedI know that I could be betterprepared. So, next time I willspend more time and efforts tofix my lack of knowledge and domy best on the exam. In this caselow grades encourage me to learnmore. I try to analyze mymistakes and avoid them nexttime. Also, I try to arrange mytime more effectively. I knowexactly that I can do better thanthat, so I collect all my strengthand focus on the incoming exam.It is like a new goal or obstaclethat one should overcome inorder to continue his path. Whenfinally I get a higher grade on anexam I feel satisfaction and I amproud of myself. I think it is agreat feeling. I feel stronger,more self-confident and patient. Ithink these qualities are essentialfor a person who wants to

achieve something and succeedin the future.

Second of all, students havesome kind of competition amongeach other for higher grades.When a student gets a highergrade then another one, thesecond student asks himself:"Why do not I have this grade? Isit something wrong with me? Ishe better then me? ". I thinkevery student at least one timeasked himself this question.

To sup up, I think there is nodoubt that grades encouragestudents to learn, gain moreexperience, knowledge, be moreself-confident and persistent.Moreover, I am sure that thesesmall victories will help studentsto win and succeed in the future.

Groups or organizations are animportant part of somepeople’s lives. Why are groupsor organizations important topeople? Use specific reasonsand examples to explain youranswer.

Man, through the ages, hasundergone many changes fromthe time when he lived in thecaves to nowadays when he livesin a comfortable apartment. Butone thing that remains the sameis that people always lived in

groups and organizations such asfamilies, the smallest group, andtribes, the bigger group. I thinkthat the reason why people live ingroups is because we needcommunication and what is moreimportant we need support tosurvive. So, from old times tonowadays people merged ingroups because it made themstronger and helped to overcomemany obstacles and difficulties.In the following paragraphs I willgive my reasons and examples tosupport my answer.

First of all, people need tocommunicate with each other.We need to share out ideas andthoughts with each other. I thinkit is very important to know thatsomeone think the same way onedoes and supports one. Inaddition, communication is oneof the features of reasonableanimals. All animals that cancommunicate with each otherlive in herds and support eachother when one of them is in

need.

The second reason, why I thinkgroups and organization areimportant to people is becausethey make us stronger. Forexample, football team playsbetter then one player. Anotherexample is the ancient hunters.At old times people gathered inorder to get food and survive insevere conditions. It wasimpossible for one man to kill abig animal, but when peoplegathered in groups their chancesincreased. Scientists say thatpeople survived because theylived together and supported eachother.

For the reasons, which Imentioned above, I believegroups and organizations play anessential role in our life.Moreover, people's evolutionwould not be possible withoutthem.

It is better for children to growup in the countryside than in abig city. Do you agree or

disagree? Use specific reasonsand examples to develop youressay.

Some people believe that it isbetter for children to grow up inthe countryside than in a big city.However, other people think thata big city gives moreopportunities and it is good forthe long run. Personally, forseveral reasons I think that it isbetter for children's health togrow up in the country.

First of all, it is very importantfor a child to grow up in ahealthy environment. Childrenneed fresh air, not polluted by thehuge amount of cars andfactories of the modern city. Inthe country they can spend moretime exercising and walking withtheir friends. Scientists say thatnow children spend the sameamount of time watching TV asthey do at school. Probably, thepossibility to join their friendsfor a play will change thisproportion. Another importantaspect of this is that parents willhave more time to spend withtheir children as a result ofeliminating traffic jams anddecreasing driving time as awhole.

From the other side, childrenhave some advantages living in abig city. For example, they havemore opportunities to choosefrom what they want to do. Theycan choose to attend balletschool, school of art, gymnastics,etc. For the long run, it is goodfor them. They will be betterprepared for a live in a "realworld" and they will have morechances to make a good careerand succeed. Moreover, a big cityusually has many entertainingcenters with movie theatres andplay stations. When I was a childI liked to go to the movie theatrewith my parents to watch apremiere.

One more reason to choose a bigcity for a child is that a cityprovide better live conditions andservices such as medical, dental,etc. My friend lived in thecountry for a while and one timehe and his family had to drive acouple of hours to the nearestmedical center when his child gota heavy cough.

To summarize, I agree with those

people who want to raise theirchildren in a city. The plenty ofopportunities offered by a cityhelps children to find what theyreally like and be the best at it.Moreover, despite the air

pollution, children get a bettermedical service that is good fortheir health.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Children should be required tohelp with household tasks assoon as they are able to do so.Use specific reasons andexamples to support youranswer.

The issue about whether childrenshould help with household tasksas soon as they are able to do sois open for debate. Some peoplesay that children should devotemore time for playing with theirfriends, watching TV andstudying. However, other peoplebelieve that children should helptheir parents with householdtasks. Personally, for severalreasons, which I will explainbellow, I adhere to the latterpoint of view.

First of all, I think that everychild should have his or her own

responsibilities. When I was achild my parents taught me howto make breakfast in the morning.So, I woke up, went to thekitchen and prepared a couple oftoasts for breakfast. It was easyand I enjoyed doing it because Iliked the way my parents thankedme and I felt that they wereproud of me. Also, my momalways wanted me to know howto cook, clean and iron my cloth.Thanks to the learning,nowadays, when my maid cannot come to my house I handleall household tasks myself.

Second of all, performinghousehold tasks teaches childrento value the job of people whodid it. When I was a child I didnot imagine that cleaning housecould be so time and energyconsuming. So, when I began todo some of the household tasksby myself I began to respect thejob of others and tryed to collect

all my toys after my playing withthem.

Finally, doing household tasksteaches children to arrange theirtime. In addition to thosepractical benefits, help fromchildren allows parents to havemore spare time for theirpersonal lives and for thechildren. A family can have moretime to spend with each other

talking, watching movies or justenjoying the beautiful moments.

To sum up, I think that childrenshould help their parents withhousehold tasks. Doinghousehold tasks helps them togrow into independent, self-confident, and attentive personswho respect their parents.

Should governments spendmore money on improvingroads and highways, or shouldgovernments spend moremoney on improving publictransportation (buses, trains,subways)? Why? Use specificreasons and details to developyour essay.

Many people believe thatgovernments should spend moremoney on improving roads andhighways. However, other peoplethink that more money should bespent on improving publictransportation. Personally, I thinkthat both of these opinions havetheir advantages and

disadvantages.

The first reason for improvingpublic transportation isoverpopulation. The amount ofcars is rising dramatically. As aresult of this fact thecontemplation of air is increasingthat leads to irreversibleaftereffects such as the presenceof acid rains and different kindsof human diseases. So, theimproving of publictransportation will reducepollution.

The second reason for this is thepossibility to decrease theamount of traffic jams that alsohave a huge influence on airpollution. Moreover, it will save

time and people's money. Onedoes not have to pay for gas forhis car, car insurance, repair, oilchange and etc.

The third reason for this is asharp decrease in the level of caraccidents. People will feel moresecure in this case.

However, despite all theseadvantages this decision has afew disadvantages. First of all,public transportation means thepresence of schedule andworking hours. So, one has towait for a bus or for a train in asubway or call for a taxi in orderto get somewhere. Second of all,it is a big chance that one has tospend some time getting to thenearest bus stop or subway

entrance.

As for roads and highways, Ithink it is a very important andtopical issue. A personal car inthis modern world is an essentialvehicle. It gives one freedom andindependence. Improving roadsand highways governments willdecrease the number of caraccidents and traffic jams. Ibelieve that in several years airpollution can be dramaticallyreduced by using sun energy torefuel our cars.

Finally, I think that governmentsshould spend money onimproving public transportationas well as on roads and highwaysbecause it will benefit all people.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? It ismore important for students tostudy history and literaturethan it is for them to studyscience and mathematics. Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your opinion.

Some people believe that

students should study morehistory and literature. However,other people think that studyingscience and mathematics is moreimportant. From my experienceand observation I think thatstudents should study bothscience and history. Bellow I willoutline some basic reasons tosupport my opinion.

First of all, I believe thatstudying history and literature isimportant for the range ofinterests of students and peopleon the whole. It extends therange of interests and teachpeople to analyze their history.Every person should know thehistory of the country where heor she was born. Knowledge ofone's roots and origins gives theopportunity to understand manythings that are around. Second ofall, I think that this kind ofknowledge is essential forstudents who are going to belawyers, newspapermen, politicalfigures, etc. One more reason tostudy history is that it helps oneto analyze mistakes made byancestors or learn from their wisedecisions.

From the other side, I think that itis also important for students tostudy science. Personally, I likestudding mathematics becausefor me it is very interesting towork with figures, analyze them,

develop different ways to solvethe problem. It teaches one tothink logically and improvesone's ability to think non-typically. I think it is great.

Studding of science allowspeople to improve their lifeconditions, make discoveries,develop innovations, etc.Scientists work on new vaccinesand pills to make our life longerand happier. They makeresearches in different fieldsfrom medicine to space. Becauseof this kind of knowledgehumankind has opportunities towatch TV, fly, using jet airplanes,surf an Internet, play computergames, watch movies, drive cars,etc.

In conclusion, I think thatstudents must study many thingsincluding science and literaturein order to succeed in the modernworld.

Many teachers assignhomework to students every

day. Do you think that dailyhomework is necessary forstudents? Use specific reasonsand details to support your

answer.

Homework helps students tounderstand material more deeply.However, some people believethat homework does not bringany benefits. Personally, I thinkthat this issue has someadvantages and disadvantages. Inthis essay first I will focus on thereasons why I support this ideaabout daily homework and then Iwill move on to analyzing itsdisadvantages.

From the one side, dailyhomework brings many benefits.As I already mentioned, it helpsstudents understand subjectsmore deeply. Also, young peoplelearn how to arrange their time tohave all things done on time. Inaddition to those practicalbenefits daily homework teachesstudents how to make their ownresearch if something is not clear.Curiosity is one of the mainreasons that leads a person to asuccess. Students learn to maketheir research, work with

different kinds of informationalresources such as an Internet,books, magazines, journals andnewspapers. I think it is a greatexperience and it is very good fora long run.

From the other side, dailyhomework can bring manydisadvantages. For instance, if aperson has no interest in biology,but has a huge interest in musiche has to spend his precious timedoing his homework and readinguninteresting books instead ofspending this time practicing newmelodies. Another importantaspect of this that a student canhave no time for his physicalactivities. So, basically, doingdaily homework will not keephim in a good shape.

To sum up, I think that anintermediate position can betaken. For example, a studentwill have to do his dailyhomework if he is going tospecialize in this field in thefuture.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? Aperson should never make an

important decision alone. Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your answer.

From my everyday experienceand observation I can claim thatdiscussion of an importantdecision with other people bringmany benefits. In the followingparagraphs I will give myreasons to defend this statement.

First of all, different people havedifferent opinions. In order tomake the right choice peopleshould discuss every possibledecision and its consequences.Making an important decisionalone can bring many negativeaspects. For instance, a personcan reveal his selfishness orimpatience and the consequencesof that decision can effect manypeople in the future. I think that agood and wise decision can beborn only in discussion becausepeople can share their knowledgeand experiences a look at the

problem from different sides andaspects.

Second of all, I think that makingdecision alone is unacceptableespecially for a company.Imagine that a chief makes thedecision about increasing aproduction line withoutdiscussing it with his employees.In this case a part of company'sprofit will be spend on extendedpurchase of raw materials. So,share holders will be left withoutdividends. This decision maylead to getting rid of company'sshares and as a result of thisdeclining the value of a companyas a whole.

To sum up, I think that a personshould always consult hisrelatives or colleges whenmaking an important decision toavoid possible mistakes.

Plants can provide food,shelter, clothing, or medicine.What is one kind of plant thatis important to you or the

people in your country? Usespecific reasons and details toexplain your choice.

Plants play a very important role

in our everyday life. They giveus oxygen, provide withmedicine, clothing and food.Every country has its own staplefood that dominates in the diet ofdwellers of that country. Forexample, the staple food forJapan and Korea is rice. As forme, I am from Russia. I believethat our staple plants are potatoand wheat.

Some people believe that wheatis the most important plantbecause it provides full andnutritious meal. People bakebread and cookies, cook kashaand soup. At old times people inRussia raised wheat and prayedfor the good harvest in order tosurvive. Millet has a goodstorage time so it gives theopportunity to consume it awhole year.

However, nowadays bread is nolonger of that importance. Aperson has more products tochoose from. Besides, somepeople tend to exclude breadfrom their diet in order todecrease the amount of dailycalories and lose some weight.Personally, I think that potato ismore important plant then wheat.Virtually, every Russian haspotato every day at least once.One can boil, fry, bake or mashit. My favorite meal is bakedpotato with cheese and a glass ofmilk. I think it is delicious and itdoes not take much time to cookit. Moreover, potato is easier toraise and store.

To summarize, I think that potatoby far is the most important plantin Russia.

What are the importantqualities of a good son ordaughter? Have these qualitieschanged or remained the sameover time in your culture? Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your answer.

I am from Russia. I think thatqualities of a good son anddaughter almost have notchanged for the past severalcenturies. However, I believe thatsome qualities have changed. Iwill give the following reasons to

support my answer.

Parents always expect from theirchildren love, respect and help. Ithink these qualities remainunchanged. However, at oldtimes parents expected from theirdaughter to be a good andpractical woman because in thiscase she can marry a good andperspective man. Nowadays, Ithink parents' expectations fromtheir daughter have changed.Now a woman has the samerights and opportunities to makea great career, make money andbe successful at equal terms witha man. It means that now parentsare not so worried about a futureperspective husband. They knowthat their daughter can take careof herself and be happy.Nowadays parents teach theirdaughter to believe in herself, be

motivated and strong. They wantto be proud of her.

As for a son, I think expectationsremain the same. Parents seetheir son as a clever, motivatedand successful man.

To sum up, parents wish theirchildren be more successful thenthemselves, achieve more goals.So, they with great patience passdown their knowledge andexperience to their children.They teach them only goodthings and expect respect andlove in return. Also, parents try toteach their children how to avoidmistakes they have made in theirlives. I think the main quality ofa good son or daughter is tomake their parents proud.

What do you consider to be themost important room in ahouse? Why is this room moreimportant to you than anyother room? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your opinion.

My husband and I live in anapartment, which include abedroom, living room, bath roomand kitchen. We do not havechildren yet, so our apartment ispretty small but it is cheap andcozy. If I would have to choosethe most important room in ahouse I think it would be living

room. In the followingparagraphs I will present myreasons to support my answer.

First of all, living room is theplace where we take our guests.It is the main and the biggestroom in our apartment and we tryto keep it clean and cozy. Forexample, my husband vacuums itevery other day especially whenit is wet outside and our dogmakes dirty sports on the carpetwith its paws after a walk.Second of all, I think that livingroom is the most important roomin our house because we spendmost of our time there watchingTV, having our dinner and justtalking with each other. Finally, our living room is aplace where we study. Since ourapartment is rather small we donot have a room for studying, soI have my table with thecomputer on it in our living

room. I like to study therebecause the room is perfectlylight with the large windows andthe beautiful view from them.

My parents have a much biggerhouse with six rooms, largekitchen and two floors. However,I think that my mother wouldagree with me that their livingroom is the most important roomin the house. When we visit themwe always gather there, lay thetable, and have a long talk. Mymother makes delicious cakesand aromatic tea. I like thosemoments.

To sum up, I think many peoplewill agree with me that livingroom is the most important roomin a house because it is the roomwhere people spend most of theretime at home.

You have decided to giveseveral hours of your time eachmonth to improve thecommunity where you live.What is one thing you will doto improve your community?

Why? Use specific reasons anddetails to explain your choice.

I think the question what would Ido if I had a chance to improvemy community is difficult. I havein my mind many things, the

improvement of which will makeour community better place tolive but they all require theparticipation of many people and,moreover, they requireinvestments, which I can notprovide. For example, mycommunity is quite noisy. Wehave the huge mall just in frontof our community, so traffic jamsare very common for this place. Ithink that the construction of afew pass-by roads will benefit allpeople who live here as well aspeople who drive by every day.

Unfortunately, the question iswhat I can do for my communitygiving a few hours of my timeevery month. I think I can not domuch, but I still can helpsomeone in my community. Forexample, I can baby-sit. I know acouple of families with littlechildren, who can not afford tospend much money on the baby-sitter. One of these families is asingle mom with a little girl.Julia, this is her name, is awaitress in a restaurant. She is agreat person and we became

close friends. So, sometimes Ioffer her help with her childwhen she has to work in theevenings. Another family has twofunny little twins. One time theirparents asked me to baby-sit theirchildren because they had toattend an unexpectedpresentation.

I think this kind of help bringsmany benefits to my community.First of all, people becomefriendlier. For example, thosefamilies, which I mentionedabove, became friends after Iintroduced them to each other.Second of all, people get to knoweach other and feel more securein their houses and apartments.Finally, I am ready to help thosepeople because I am sure thatthey will help me too. One time Ilost the keys from my car andJulia offered me her car for awhile.

To sum up, I believe that baby-sitting is a great way to help mycommunity in many aspects.

Some people say that theInternet provides people with alot of valuable information.

Others think access to so muchinformation creates problems.Which view do you agree with?Use specific reasons andexamples to support youropinion.

There is no doubt that theInternet is one of the greatesthumankind's inventions of thelast century. It is fast and easyway to get a lot of valuableinformation. However, somepeople believe that the Internetcreates many problems. From mypoint of view I think that theInternet brings us advantages aswell as disadvantages.

First of all, I think that theInternet brings us many benefits.People can have access to thelatest news, weather, traffic, bid-and-asked quotations, etc.Another important benefit is thatthe Internet is a great means ofcommunication. A few years agoit was rather difficult to imaginethat it would be possible tocommunicate with people fromall around the world. Studentshave the opportunity to speak tothe professors from prestigious

universities, ask their opinionsand extend their range ofinterests. People have theopportunity to communicate withthe people from other countries,find out their customs, traditionsand even visit each other. I thinkthat the Internet makes our worldsmaller and friendlier. We' ve gotthe chance to learn more aboutthe world's history, ourforefathers and gain moreknowledge.

From the other hand, manyquestions and difficulties arosewith the appearance of theInternet. For example, childrengot the easy access to theinformation they are notsupposed to read. Also, people'ssecurity and privacy are oftenviolated through steeling andgathering information aboutpeople and then selling it. Manybanks had to increase theirInternet security because ofhacking.

However, I believe that Internetgave us more advantages andopportunities than disadvantagesand problems.

Which would you choose: ahigh-paying job with longhours that would give you littletime with family and friends ora lower-paying job with shorterhours that would give youmore time with family andfriends? Explain your choice,using specific reasons anddetails.

If I was asked to make a choicebetween a high-paying job withlong hours and a lower-payingjob with shorter hours I wouldhesitate to answer. I did notdecide for my self yet what Iwant in my life more my familyor my career. I think that theseoptions are very different onesand one needs time to make aright decision.

From the one side, a high-payingjob with long hours gives onemore opportunities to make agreat career and succeed in life.Another important aspect of thisis that one can earn more moneyfor his family. In addition tothese practical benefits, a person

can get satisfaction and self-realization that are veryimportant in one's life. I thinkthat it is a very great andessential feeling to be a part ofprogress, make difference and besatisfied with the job. However, ahigh-paying job with long hoursbrings many disadvantages too.For example, a person will haveless time for his family andfriends. Secondly, the job will bemore stressful and bring moreresponsibilities. A person willhave to sacrifice many things tohis job.

From the other side, lower-paying job with shorter hours canbring many benefits. One canspend more time with his familyand have many pleasant andbeautiful moments together.Also, a job will be less stressfuland not require to sacrifice one'sspare time to get it done.However, a person most likelywill not be able to make a careerand make much money.Moreover, one's salary may benot enough to pay for hischildren's education.

To sum up, I think that everyperson at least one time in his liferealize this and make a decision

whether he or she wants a careeror great family. And I did notmake this decision yet.

Some people trust their firstimpressions about a person’scharacter because they believethese judgments are generallycorrect. Other people do notjudge a person’s characterquickly because they believefirst impressions are oftenwrong. Compare these twoattitudes. Which attitude doyou agree with? Support yourchoice with specific examples.

Some people think that firstimpression about a person is themost correct. However, otherpeople disagree and believe thatfirst impression is often wrong.From my everyday experienceand observation I can stand thatthe first impression about aperson is very often incorrect. Inthe following paragraphs I willlist my reasons to support myanswer.

First of all, when people meet forthe first time they often do not

have time to get to know eachother or even have aconversation. So, sometimes allthey remember is how theylooked. Personally, I often myselfjudge a person by his or herexternal appearance. Fortunately,I many times made sure of theincorrectness of my judgments.For example, when I met myfuture husband for the first timehe made an impression of frownand not talkative person and,frankly speaking, I did not likehim at all. We did not have achance to talk, but his cloth andmanners gave me thatimpression. However, after wewere introduced to each otherand had a long talk I changed myopinion about him. He happenedto be a very sensitive and kindperson.

Second of all, I believe that thetrue impression about a personcan be made only after peoplespent at least a few weeks witheach other and were in different

situations including extreme anddanger ones. I think that a personshows his or her internalcharacteristics when in danger.Moreover, some people,especially celebrities, tend tohide their weaknesses and notattractive sides in order to pleasean audience.

In conclusion, I believe that firstimpression is very often wrong. Imust confess that I unconsciouslyjudge a person by his or her firstappearance but I tell my self thatthis is subject to change and tryto keep my opinion with me.

You need to travel from yourhome to a place 40 miles (64kilometers) away. Compare thedifferent kinds oftransportation you could use.Tell which method of travel youwould choose. Give specificreasons for your choice.

If I had to travel 40 miles awayfrom my home I would beconsidering the following meansof transportations: a car, bicycleand bus. Every of this methods oftransportation has advantages aswell as disadvantages. In thisessay I will analyze all of themand present my view in favor oftraveling by a car.

Traveling by bus brings manybenefits. First of all, one does not

have to drive. So, I can just relaxand enjoy the view from mywindow. Second of all, it ischeaper. I will not have to buygasoline or pay for the carinsurance. However, traveling bybus has a few disadvantages aswell. For example, I will have tofollow the bus schedule. Anotherimportant aspect, I will not beable to arrange the speed or makea stop when I need to.

From the other hand, traveling bybicycle is a great exercise.Secondly, it is pollution free.However, It can take too muchtime and at the end of my trip Iwill be tired and exhausted. Inaddition, I will most likely need ashower and some rest.

In contrast, traveling by car

brings many advantages. First ofall, I can arrange my speed as Iwant to. If I am in a hurry I willspeed up a little. Otherwise, if Iam not in a hurry, I can makesome stops and enjoy thesurroundings or have a lunch inthe nearest bar. Second of all, Ido not depend on a schedule likewith traveling by bus. So, I canstart my trip when and where Iwant to. In addition to thosepractical benefits, traveling bycar is the fastest way. Anotherimportant aspect of this if I am

traveling with my friends, we cantalk, listen to the radio we likeand discuss everything we want.A car can give us privacy. Ofcause, I will have to pay forgasoline and traveling by car isnot as save as traveling bybicycle or bus but I think it cannot change my mind.

To sum up, I think that I wouldchoose to travel by car. It is moreconvenient and offers a greatamount of advantages.

In your country, is there moreneed for land to be left in itsnatural condition or is theremore need for land to bedeveloped for housing andindustry? Use specific reasonsand examples to support youranswer.

I am from Saint-Petersburg,Russia. I think that the questionabout whether land should be leftin it is natural condition or theremore need for land to bedeveloped for housing andindustry is the one that is openfor debate. Personally, I believe

that it is a controversial question,because every option has itsadvantages. However, in thissituation an intermediate positioncan be taken. In the followingparagraphs I will give myreasons to support the answer.

From the one side, saving land inits natural condition brings manybenefits. First of all, many wildanimals will thrive in our forests.Unfortunately, nowadays manywild animals are endangeredbecause they do not have place tolive and there are not enoughfood for them. Second of all, ourchildren will be able to learn

about animals not only frombooks but also from observingthem in their naturalenvironment. In addition to thosebenefits our air will be cleanerbecause many forests will cleanit from pollution and make itfresher.

From the other side, deforestingour land and building many newconstructions can have a fewpositive aspects. For example,building new industrial buildingsmay have a positive impact onthe country's economy. Manynew companies will have theopportunity to produce moregoods and as the result of this thecountry will receive more moneyfrom abroad and this will lead tothe improvement of the economyon the whole.

To sum up all mentioned above, I

think that we need to be morecareful with the natural resourceswe consume and, moreover, wecan do something to preservethem. For example, companiesthat produce lumber can alsoresume the resources of wood byplanting new trees there. Thisway we can preserve our landand save it from defrosting. Imust agree that it is difficult forRussia at this moment not todevelop land for housing andindustry because the countryneeds money and strongeconomy, but I believe that manynew factories can replace the oldones without developing newland. So, my point is that wemust extend the production ofnew goods but not at the expenseof the wild animals and theirland.

Some people prefer to work fora large company. Others preferto work for a small company.Which would you prefer? Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your choice.

The issue whether working for alarge company is better thanworking for a small company is acontroversial one. From myeveryday experience andobservation I think that everyoption has its advantages and

disadvantages. I base my opinionon the following points.

From the one side working for alarge company brings manybenefits. First of all, one hasbetter medical insurance, highersalary. Often employees of alarge company has lessresponsibilities. Moreover, theyfeel more secure because theircompany has more clients andthis means better chance tosurvive on the modern market.However, one working for a largecompany has less chance to bepromoted because one's managerdoes not want to lose his or herjob unless she or he is promotedtoo. Also, from my observation,managers of a large company donot pay much attention to one'ssolutions and suggestions.

From the other side working for asmall company has manyadvantages too. Firstly, one has

better chance to be promoted.Secondly, one can talk to theowner of the company about anyimprovements that can be donein order to get more profit.Another important aspect ofworking for a small company isthe opportunities to find out moreabout how company works. As aresult of this one can gain moreexperience and get betterrecommendations. However, thisalso has some disadvantages. Forinstance, one can get less salary,worse medical benefits, etc.

To sum up, I think that everyperson chooses for himself whathe or she wants. If one wantsbetter career and moreresponsibilities then a smallcompany is better choice.Otherwise, working for a largecompany may be a good optiontoo.

Films can tell us a lot about thecountry where they were made.What have you learned about acountry from watching itsmovies? Use specific examples

and details to support yourresponse.

Movies were always verypopular and there are manyreasons for this. First of all,

movies are one of the mainresources of entertainment. Amovie is a perfect way to relaxafter stressful day or week.Another important reason whymovies are so popular is becausethey are the easiest way to learn.For example, when people watcha movie that was made in anothercountry they unconsciously learnabout country's traditions,customs, people, language,nature and even climate. In thefollowing paragraphs I will givea couple of examples to supportmy answer.

I am from Saint-Petersburg,Russia. When I was a little girland watched movies about TexasI had an impression that Texaswas a large and arid desert withbig cactuses and hot-temperedcowboys. So, when my husbandwas invited to work here in Texastwo years ago I was absolutelysure that we would live in thedesert. However, when I firstarrived in Austin I was impressedand nicely surprised because Idid not expect to see suchbeautiful nature with denseforests and blue lakes. It was a

real discovery for me that Texashas such beautiful and greenplaces. This is an example howpeople learn about climate fromwatching movies.

Also, people learn from moviesabout customs and traditions ofanother country. For example,living in Russia I learned manythings about USA from itsmovies. I found out about theholidays such as Halloween andThanksgiving Day, which arecelebrated by the Americans. Ilearnt about many history eventssuch as Civil War and the War ofIndependence watching "Gonewith the wind" and "Patriot".

In conclusion, I think that noteverything that is learnt frommovies is true about the country.Many movie makers tend toexaggerate and even make upmany facts about the country inorder to please the audience. So,my point is that people shouldlearn about the country fromdifferent resources such as booksand magazines as well as frommovies.

Learning about the past has novalue for those of us living inthe present. Do you agree ordisagree? Use specific reasonsand examples to support youranswer.

Man, through the ages, hasundergone many changes, fromthe times when he depicted aherd of mammoth on a wall of acave to nowadays when he drivesa car, watches TV and surfs anInternet. I believe that allachievements that were made byhumankind are possible onlybecause people always learntfrom their past. In fact, thedefinition of learning includesthe idea of accumulation ofexperiences from the past withpresent knowledge. So, I musttotally disagree with thestatement above that learningabout the past has no value.

The first reason for this is thathuman evolution was possibleonly because peopleaccumulated their experience andknowledge of ancestors and it

helped them to make a stepforward. Second of all, theyanalyzed their mistakes and triedto avoid them next time. Peopletried to improve their life bylearning from the past. Justimagine that every one wouldhave to discover by himself that2 + 2 = 4 or that fire can beharmful. Furthermore, allknowledge that we have now is aresult of the constant work of ourancestors.

Another important aspect of thefact that our past is essential isthat past makes us doubt. Takefor example the fact that a fewcenturies ago people were surethat the Earth was flat. Nextgenerations with their newexperience proved that the Earthwas round. I believe that ithappened not because scientistsdid not know about previousachievements in this area butbecause their new observationsmade them doubt about the well-known fact and they developedthe new theory.

In addition, if follow the

statement that our past has novalue for us then we should nottake experience and any advicesfrom our parents. Imagine, thatwe learn by ourselves how tospeak, walk, drive car, cook,read, etc.

To summarize, I think thatlearning from the past is evenmore important then our ownexperience. One can not moveforward if he does not realizewhy and where he is now.

Some people believe that thebest way of learning about lifeis by listening to the advice offamily and friends. Otherpeople believe that the best wayof learning about life isthrough personal experience.Compare the advantages ofthese two different ways oflearning about life. Which doyou think is preferable? Usespecific examples to supportyour preference.

From my everyday experienceand observation I can stand thatthe best way of learning aboutlife is through personalexperience. However, somepeople think that it is wiser tolearn about life through listeningto the advice of family andfriends. It does not mean I totallydisagree with this way of

learning. Moreover, I think that itis wise for a person to take anintermediate position becauseeach of these ways has its ownadvantages. Bellow I will givemy reasons to support my pointof view.

From the one side, learningthrough one's personalexperience brings many benefits.First of all, scientists say thatpersonal experience has greaterimpact on a person. I have toagree with this. Take for examplechildren. They will not believetheir parents that something canhurt them until they try it andmake sure in it. Furthermore,most likely they will rememberthis experience longer. Second ofall, people learn how to analyzetheir mistakes, make conclusionsand next time try to avoid them.So, I think it is a great experience

that makes people stronger, moreself-confident and persistent.They gain more knowledge andexperience that will be veryhelpful and valuable in thefuture.

From the other side, listening tothe advice of family and friendsbrings many benefits too. Parentswith great patience pass downtheir knowledge and experienceto their children. They teachthem all they know and theywant their children do not makethe same mistakes. In addition tothose practical benefits, learningfrom someone's advice is

painless. For example, parentsnowadays very often talk to theirchildren about drugs. I think it isa great example when one shouldnot try drugs in order to gain newexperience. I think it is a casewhen children must trust theirparents.

To sum up, I think it is wise tocombine both of these ways tolearn and try to analyze personalmistakes as well as not personal.I think together they can greatlysimplify one's life and make theway to success shorter.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Universities should give thesame amount of money to theirstudents’ sports activities asthey give to their universitylibraries. Use specific reasonsand examples to support youropinion.

Some people believe thatuniversities should give moremoney for the sports activities.They claim that importance of

libraries and sports are the same.I can not completely agree withthis statement. In the followingparagraphs I will give some basicreasons why I think that way.

I am a former student and I knowall advantages that can be givenby libraries. First for all, it is thecheapest way to prepare for theincoming lecture, to do thehomework, to make a researchand just to read some books.From my point of view, it is veryimportant to supply the libraries

with the new books, magazines,journals and newspaper. Secondof all, libraries are the placeswhere students can spend a fewhours reading between lectures iftheir schedule does not allowthem to go home. So, librariesmust be light and large enough,have comfortable chairs andtables. A third reason, why agood library is so significant fora student, is that it is a freeaccess to computers and anInternet. If a student can notallow to buy himself a computeror an access to the Internet hecan use it there. I like librariesbecause it is a good place tomeet and communicate with eachother, serf the Internet lookingfor the last news, read somebooks that you do not want tobuy and just relax to theaccompaniment of the pages.

As for sports activities, I think itmust be up to a person. First ofall, he or she goes to a university

to gain knowledge, not lose someweight or work out. Second ofall, a student must arrange his orher time in order to have time toexercise. However, I must saythat every university should havea few playing-fields, a pool and afitness center where students mayhave a rest after strained days.

One more reason to have reallygood libraries is that it can savenot only money but time forstudents. A person has not todrive to the bookstore to getmaterials he or she is looking for.So, a library can save time thatthen can be spent on a sport.

To summarize, I think librariesmust stay the main resource ofknowledge. So, if a universityhas some extra money theyshould be spent on the newbooks, new software and newequipment for the libraries.

Some people believe thatstudents should be given onelong vacation each year. Othersbelieve that students should

have several short vacationsthroughout the year. Whichviewpoint do you agree with?Use specific reasons andexamples to support your

choice.

The issue whether studentsshould be given one longvacation each year or they shouldhave several vacationsthroughout the year is the onethat is open for debate. Somepeople believe that studentsshould have a few shortvacations. However, othersbelieve that one long vacationeach year have more benefits forstudents. Personally, I think thatevery position has advantages aswell as disadvantages. In thefollowing paragraphs I willanalyze these opinions andpresent my view which is thatstudents should have one shortvacation and one long vacationevery year.

From the one side, one longvacation every year can bringmany benefits to the students.First of all, students will have theopportunity to work full timeduring this vacation. They will beable to earn some pocket moneyor even money to cover the costof their education. I think it is agreat experience. Moreover,

students will be able to be moreindependent, they will learn howto earn money and how to spendthem more carefully. I am fromRussia. Unfortunately, I do nothave any experience in the USAin this field, but in my countrystudents can barely combine theireducation with their jobs. So,basically, students in Russia havethe opportunity to earn somemoney only during longvacation. Second of all, one longvocation gives students a greatopportunity to travel, to learnmore about other countries, theirtraditions and customs, gainmore knowledge and experience.

From the other side, several shortvocations bring a few benefitstoo. First of all, students have theopportunity to have a restthroughout the year. They canspend more time exercising,muster their strength for anotherterm and then get higher grades.Second of all, during shortvocations students usually havebetter opportunity to prepare forthe incoming exams. Finally,usually a long vocation has anegative aspect: from my own

experience students tend to forgetmany subjects they studiedearlier. So, a couple of firstweeks is usually spent onreviewing an old material.

To sum up, I think that in thiscase an intermediate position canbe taken. Students should haveone long vocation in summer andone short vocation in winter.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Modern technology is creatinga single world culture. Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your opinion.

Man, through the ages, hasundergone many changes fromthe time when he depicted a herdof mammoths on the walls of thecave to these days when he canchart with someone on the otherside of the globe. Moderntechnology is rapidly changingthe world's living standards thatresults in creating a single worldculture. New technologiesincluding Internet, television,electronic media, means oftransportation, etc has a greatimpact on creating a similarculture all around the globe.Bellow I will list my reasons tosupport my opinion.

First of all, Internet and e-mailhave changed the way peoplecommunicate to each other.Internet brought many benefits. Itis a new means ofcommunication, a fast access toinformation and news. Peoplecommunicate with each other,share their ideas, happiness anddifficulties. We have a greatopportunity to find out moreabout countries and their history.

Second of all, the modern meansof transportation allows people tomove from one place to anothervery quickly. A few centuries agoit was impossible to imagine towake up in one country and fallasleep in another.

Finally, as a result of allmentioned above the boundariesbetween countries, theirtraditions and customs areerased. Many people migrateduring their lives. Some of them

are looking for a better place tolive, others want to get newexperience and knowledge or justpleasure. So, many families arecreated between people fromdifferent countries. Traditionsfuse and evolve into other onesor just vanish.

To sup up, modern technologyhas a great impact on the waypeople live now. It is creating anew single world culture wheretraditions and distances are nolonger of that importance.

How do movies influencepeople’s behavior?

I believe that television andespecially movies are one of themajor and outstandingachievements of humankind. Ilike movies. They help you leaveyour troubles behind, relax andenjoy your life. I must confessthat most of all I like comediesand historical films. Comediesmake me laugh and if I am not ina good mood they help me to

cheer up. As for historical moviesbecause it is interesting to findout more about some historicalevents.

Every movie makes animpression on people. How bigthis impression depends on aperson, his characteristicfeatures, his weak and strongsides. For instance, my sisterlikes serial “Friends” and she is afan of “Chandler”. I can not sayshe looks like him after all she isfemale but they have a lot incommon. She is smart and

resilient. She makes faces justlike he does. She has a similarsense of humor and she tries toimitate his habits. It is like shehas a very close friend who is onthe other side of the screen.

As far as I am concerned, I amterribly afraid of dark. Last timemy husband and I were watchinga scary film called “Spiders”. Itis a horror movie with the largespiders creeping around andkilling people in the dark. Theonly light in our apartment wasthe dim light of the TV screen.

So when the movie was over Icould not fall asleep. I heardrustling of dry leaf and it seemedto me that millions of spiderswere crawling towards my bed. Ifelt tingles down my spine. Forseveral days I was afraid of everyshadow and every rustlereminded me of that disgustingnoise.

In conclusion I want to point thatmovies have great influence onpeople’s behavior and it is notalways positive.

People listen to music fordifferent reasons and atdifferent times. Why is musicimportant to many people? Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your choice.

Music plays an essential role inour everyday life. We listen tomusic every day and evensometimes do not realize it.There are many resources wherewe can listen to music. We listento the radio while driving ourcars. We turn on the TV andwatch movies where music

influences our mind and makespeople's tremble at the fear. Forseveral reasons, which I willmention bellow, I believe thatmusic is important to humankind.

First of all, music is one of thebest way to relax after stressfulday. Many people prefer to listento music in the evenings. Forexample, my cousin likes tolisten to the classic music. He hasa great collection of CD diskswith many famous musicalcompositions. In old days peoplegathered around a fireplace andplayed and listened to music.

Second of all, music often helpspeople to cheer up. Personally,when something is bothering meI prefer to turn on my radio andlisten to some of my favoritesongs. It helps me to feel betterabout everything, leave mytroubles behind and enjoy mylife. I am sure that many peoplewill agree with me on this issue.

Finally, music plays an essentialrole in different ceremonies. Forexample, I think it is ratherdifficult to imagine a wedding

without solemn music or theOlympic Games withoutanthems.

In conclusion, I think that musicis the unique language, which isunderstood by everyone all overthe planet. Music is a great wayof communication and people allover the world listen to the musicof other nations and understandwhat an author wanted to tell byit.

Neighbors are the people wholive near us. In your opinion,what are the qualities of a goodneighbor? Use specific detailsand examples in your answer.

I think that my neighbor at leastmust be friendly. In the morningwhen I meet my neighbor he orshe should greet me and wish meto have a great day. Also, itwould be great if he did notsmoke. I do not smoke and I donot like to smell a smoke fromcigarettes in the morning in mybedroom if I leave the windows

opened. A few years ago I livedin a small community. One of myneighbors smoked every morningin front of my windows while hisdog was trampling down abeautiful lawn. It was really aterrible experience, because I didnot need my alarm clock toawake any more. I was awakeexactly in a few seconds aftermy neighbor began to smoke.

From my point of view, the idealneighbor must always be ready tooffer help. For instance, If I needto go somewhere he would offerme to baby-sit my children and

borrow his car. One more thing, Ithink it would be great if hepicked up my mail and wateredmy plants while I was onvocation.

Finally, I think that goodneighbors are those who becomefriends. From my opinion it is sufficient.

However, if talk about my "ideal"neighbor I can add some extraqualities. First of all, he shouldallow me to listen to loud music.I think it would be great if he didnot call a police if I decided to

turn on my radio fully in the lateevening or in the early morning.Second of all, my "ideal"neighbor should allow me to usehis backyard for my party. Iunderstand that it is almostimpossible to find such a goodneighbor, but if at least half ofmy requirements are satisfied Iwill appreciate it.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? Oneshould never judge a person byexternal appearances. Usespecific reasons and details tosupport your answer.

I believe that one should notjudge a person by externalappearances while he does notknow a person well. When wemeet a person for the first timewe unconsciously make a firstimpression about him. Somepeople believe that the first

impression about a person is theright one. However, from myeveryday experience andobservation I can stand thatexternal appearances are oftenillusive. I can give severalreasons to support my opinion.

First of all, different people havedifferent opinions about animportance of person'sappearance. Some people dress,behave themselves, wear haircutsto make an impression, feelbetter about themselves and evento make self-realization. But this

does not make them kinder,clever and more experienced.Unfortunately, people tend toassociate these qualities withexternal appearances.

However, other people do notcare much about theirappearances. Personally, I do notcare about my clothes as long asthey are clean, knit andcomfortable. But, to tell the truth,I often judge a person by hisexternal appearances. I can notsay it is wrong. I think that it isnormal as long as it is just thefirst impression. I think thatpeople should remember that a

first impression can be replacedby another one very quickly,which is not always the betterone.

When people begin tocommunicate and get to knoweach other, the first impression isreplaced by the deeper one. Onebegins to see the bad and goodsides of a person under hisclothes, make up, and evenmanners.

To sum up, I believe that oneshould not judge a person beforeone gets to know him well.

Every generation of people isdifferent in important ways.How is your generationdifferent from your parents’generation? Use specificreasons and examples toexplain your answer.

Man, through the ages, hasundergone many changes fromthe time he depicted a herd ofmammoths on the walls of hiscave to these days when he canuse personal computers to create

a new pattern for his carpet, sende-mail to his friend and evenmake him a cup of coffee withoutleaving his chair. There is nodoubt that every generation isdifferent in many ways from theold ones. In the followingparagraphs I will list somedifferences, which I believe existbetween my generation and myparents' generation.

First of all, I think that mygeneration is more familiar withthe modern technology then my

parents' generation. For example,my mother learnt from me aboutthe Internet. I was the first personwho explained my parents whatthe Internet is and how to use it.

Second of all, people of mygeneration have differentinterests and different opinionsabout many things. For example,my parents and I have differentviews about decision made bythe government. My motherthinks that more money shouldbe spend on books and librariesfor the children, and I think thatmore money should be spend oncomputer technologies.

Finally, I think that people of mygeneration tend to forget manytraditions and customs of the

country they were born in. Weoften forget about the meaning ofthe holidays our parentscelebrate. I cannot say that it iswrong I just think it is normalwhen recent historical events arecelebrated with more enthusiasm.However, I believe that allpeople should remember theirhistory and pass it down to thenext generation because thisknowledge is irreplaceable andpriceless for every person.

To sum up, there is no doubt thatnext generation is always betterprepared for the future than theold one, and this means that ourchildren will also be moreexperienced than we do now.And I think it is for the best.

A university plans to develop anew research center in yourcountry. Some people want acenter for business research.Other people want a center forresearch in agriculture(farming). Which of these twokinds of research centers doyou recommend for yourcountry? Use specific reasons

in your recommendation.

In my country, Russia, I thinkthat the question about whetherto establish a new research centerin business or in agriculture is acontroversial one.

First of all, because I think thatboth these centers must worktogether and cooperate. For

example, a business researchcenter can collect informationabout what kind of cereal peopleprefer more and how much of itthey consume every year. Thenthis information can be used byan agriculture research center,which in its turn will provide thecompany engaged in farmingwith essential information.

Second of all, it is rather difficultto decide which research centerwill bring more benefits to mycountry. From the one side,business research center canmake very interesting andessential research for theeconomy of the country. It cangather information about thesmall business in the country,about consumer's preferences andwhat can be done to decrease thestate debt. When I was in mythird year in the university we (Iand my classmates) makeresearch regarding how manypeople use urban transportation

every day and how much theyspend on it monthly. I was reallyan amazing experience. Wecalculated numbers, learnt howto make conclusions andsuggestions. From the other side,an agriculture research center canbe very helpful in studying theconditions, under which theharvest of wheat or potato can bebetter or the quality of vegetablescan be improved. The increasedharvest of wheat will bring moremoney to the companies engagedin farming.

With regard to mention above, Ithink that if I would have tochoose what research center willbe more useful for my country itwould be an agriculture researchcenter. Because, nowadays I tendto think that good harvest is moreimportant for people of mycountry than knowing howadvertising influence the people'sbehavior.

A foreign visitor has only oneday to spend in your country.Where should this visitor go onthat day? Why? Use specific

reasons and details to supportyour choice.

Traveling is a good way to findout more about different

countries with different traditionsand customs. Some travelersprefer to spend in one countryjust a few days or one day andthen leave for another country.This way of traveling allowspeople to visit more countries inless days. Unfortunately, in thiscase such travelers have to hurryin order to visit more places.

I am from Saint-Petersburg,Russia. So, if a foreign visitorhas only one day to spend in mycountry I think I would advicehim to visit the "Hermitage" - themost well known and amazingmuseum in Russia. The"Hermitage" has 3 floors andmore then 100 halls. It is reallyamazing to visit that place. Manypeople from all over the worldevery day enter its walls. Someof the rooms devoted to thehistory of other countries. Othersdevoted to the art of a famous

painter and the history of his life.However, most of the hallsconclude many things such aspaintings, royal belongings,sculptures from Russian history.

Some people say that it isimpossible to feel deeply and seeall these amazing historicalvalues for one visit. I have tocompletely agree with thisstatement. When I first visitedthe "Hermitage" I was 14 yearsold. It impressed me so muchthat I was back next day to seewhat I had not been able to seethe day before.

The "Hermitage" is animpressive and beautifulmuseum. I think it is worth tospend there a whole day and Ibelieve that after that a foreignvisitor can claim with a proudthat he or she saw Russia.

Some people thinkgovernments should spend asmuch money as possibleexploring outer space (forexample, traveling to the Moonand to other planets). Other

people disagree and thinkgovernments should spend thismoney for our basic needs onEarth. Which of these twoopinions do you agree with?Use specific reasons and detailsto support your answer.

Curiosity is one of the greatqualities of a human being. Aman always wanted to break thelimits and learn more. Curiositycased many inventions anddiscoveries made by man.Nowadays a huge amount ofmoney is spent on exploringouter space. Some people thinkthat governments should spend asmuch money as possible onspace researches. However,others disagree and think that thismoney should be better spent onpeople's basic needs. Personally,I think that this question is acontroversial one. For severalreasons, which I will mentionbellow, I think that anintermediate position can betaken: governments shouldcontinue invests money in spaceresearch but this money shouldnot be spent very carefully. Atthe same time, governmentsshould spend more money onuplifting the living standards,improving facilities, developingthe modern technology andhelping people in need.

Exploring outer space without

any doubts will bring importantresults in the future. Butnowadays we do not move muchforward. Humankind made ahuge step in exploring the spacea half of the century ago. So, mypoint is that money should bespent very carefully.

From the other side, I think thatnowadays the Earth and peopleneed more attention then ever.People breath polluted air anddrink contaminated water. Manyanimals are at danger ofdisappearance. People sufferfrom hunger, diseases andpoverty. I think that governmentsshould pay more attention tothese problems, mentionedabove. They need to createprograms for saving theenvironment and animals.Another important aspect of thisthat governments should sponsormore programs connected withthe improving educationalsystem.

To sum up, I believe that weshould not stop exploring outerspace but we need to make ourEarth healthier.

Some people prefer to work forthemselves or own a business.Others prefer to work for anemployer. Would you rather beself-employed, work forsomeone else, or own abusiness? Use specific reasonsto explain your choice.

Basically, people work formoney and self-realization.However, some people prefer tobe self-employed and othersprefer to work for an employer.These two options are verydifferent ones and I did not makemy choice yet. I think that eachof them has its own advantagesand disadvantages.

Working as an employee bringsmany benefits. First of all, onecan spend more time with hisfamily helping his child do hishomework, fishing with thewhole family, etc. Second of all,one has less responsibilities. Hejust does his job and does notcare about the market,competitors and expected profit.

One taking a vocation can forgetabout all troubles, relax and notworry about who does his jobduring his absence. Finally, anemployee can always find a moreinteresting job with a highersalary.

From the other side, be self-employed have many benefitstoo. First of all, one knows themore he works the more he gets.Another important reason ofbeing self-employed isindependence. One does not haveto report to anyone except one'sself. However, in addition tothese practical benefits one getsmore responsibilities to take careof.

To sum up, I think that be self-employed is not as easy as it mayseem. A person must be self-confident, strong, patient. Hemust know exactly what hewants and be ready to sacrificeall his spare time to it. I have afamily and at this moment I amnot sure that I am ready tosacrifice my time to the job.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Parents are the best teachers.Use specific reasons andexamples to support youranswer.

Obviously, the first teachers wehave in our lives in most casesare our parents. They teach us tospeak, walk, ride a bike, behaveourselves etc. From my everydayexperience and observation I cantotally agree with the statementthat parents are the best teachers.In the following paragraphs I willtry to support my answer withsome reasons and examples.

First of all, I would say thatparents are our very firstteachers. They with greatpatience pass down the essentialknowledge that we need in orderto join "the real world". Childrenoften copy their parents' habitsand traits because children aresure that parents do only rightthings. Often children's first wishis to be like their mother offather. Parents are the bestteachers because they wish their

children a success and they donot teach them bad things.

However in order to succeed intoday’s world children need morethan just to know good mannersand be able to read and write.They need real teachers whowould teach them logic,mathematics, literature, foreignlanguage, management etc.Moreover, they need tocommunicate with the children ofthe same age. Adolescence is aperiod when children learn morefrom their friends then from theirparents. At this age many youngpeople reject their parents'advices and warnings. Theybegin to learn from their ownexperience, make conclusionsand analyze their first mistakes.It is very important for parents inthis period to be supportive andpatient. Children may slam doorand refuse to do some thingsbecause they want to feelindependence.

Another important aspect of thisis that parents are the first peoplewho must worn their childrenabout the danger of drugs and

cigarettes and how to avoid andsay "No" when they need to. Inthe modern world parents musttalk with their children abouteverything because it can savetheir life and make them happier.So, the role of parents is reallyimportant because it gives thestrength and understanding the

real world.

In conclusion, I think that parentsare the best teachers because theygive their knowledge that can notbe taken from books when itneeds to be known by children.

When people move to anothercountry, some of them decide tofollow the customs of the newcountry. Others prefer to keeptheir own customs. Comparethese two choices. Which onedo you prefer? Support youranswer with specific details.

People may choose to keep theirold traditions from their nativecountry or to accept new ones.Keeping the old customs willhelp one to overcome the culturalshock and the change of theenvironment. From the otherside, accepting the new traditionswill help one to adapt and makenew friends with residents. Inthis essay I will give differentreasons why people decide tofollow the customs of the newcountry or to keep their own

customs.

If one is from the country withstrong and old traditions, I thinkit will be rather difficult for himto adapt to the new customs andmoreover to reject his own. Thatis why some people from thesame country try to live togetherand to create their owncommunity where the oldtraditions are kept. They can notbreak the customs that werecreated by their ancestors. Forexample, some nations arerestricted in certain kinds of foodby their traditions. So, they donot go to the restaurants unlesstheir traditional food is servedthere. Some nations according totheir customs have to wearcertain types of cloth becausetheir religion tells them to do so.

From the other side, if one isfrom the country with traditionssimilar to ones of the newcountry it will be easy for him toadopt and to follow the customsof the new place. He will not feelmuch difference. Probably, themost difficult part of hisrelocation will be to accustom tothe new climate.

I think that people of the newcountry are friendlier when theysee that foreigner follows theircustoms. I belief that traditions ofevery country deserve respect,especially, when one lives there.In summary, I think that everycountry has its own beauty and ifone wants to find out more aboutit he will love it.

In general, people are livinglonger now. Discuss the causesof this phenomenon.Use specific reasons and detailsto develop your essay.

Statistics shows that people areliving longer now. There areseveral reasons for this. I willpoint out a few of them below.

First of all, a few hundred yearsago mankind suffered from manydifferent kinds of diseases whichare very well cured now. Theachievements of contemporarymedicine allow people to livewith artificial arms, hands, legsand even hearts. Recently I reada few articles in the magazines

about a man with an implantedartificial heart and a woman whohad an implanted chipset in herhead to make her happier.Additionally, many viruses aredefeated nowadays with themodern vaccines and many pillshelp us to relief pain.

Second of all, the conditions oflive are greatly improved. A manchiefly does not have to sleep onthe wet and cold ground, defensehimself from predators in thewild forests and fight for his life.The wide extension of fast foodstands, buffets and restaurantsgives people the oppotunity tohave full and nutritious mealwhenever they need to.

Many entertaining centers offer a

wide variety of services whereyou can leave your troublesbehind and just relax.

All of these things mentionedabove allow people to maintain

healthy life, spend more timewith his family and friends andmake their life longer andhappier.

Do you agree with thefollowing statement? Peopleare never satisfied with whatthey have, they always wantsomething more or somethingdifferent. Use specific reasonsto support your answer.

"People are never satisfied withwhat they have, they always wantsomething more or somethingdifferent". I would have to agreewith this statement entirely. Ourlife would not be so full andexiting without goals. In thisessay I will give different reasonswhy I agree with the abovestatement.

The dissatisfaction, needs andwant start in a very young age. Achild is never satisfied with histoys, he always want more newones. Scientists say that if onegives a child a familiar toy, he

will play it for awhile and forgetabout it. In the case one gives achild a new toy, he will becomemore enthusiastic and play it twodays.

Ones we grow older our goalsbecame less material. A son or adaughter wants to get mother'sapproval of father’s pride. He orshe may achieve this by gettinghigh marks at school or byhelping them. Ones we grow oldenough to take care of ourselvesour goals change. First of all, wewant to be happy and succeed,secondly, we want our parents tobe proud of us.

Some people think that richpeople have everything they needand they have nothing to wishfor. I think it is not true. Themore money one has, the moreone wants and can afford.Besides, there are some things noone can buy like love, friendship

and health. So, a rich person maywant to loose some weight andlooks like some guy from a coverof the magazine or he wants togo out with a girl who is notinterested in him and his money.

In my opinion life would not beworth living without goals. Ifpeople would be satisfied with allthey had we probably wouldhave to live in caves. So, it doesnot matter how many goals wereachieved we will find new onesin order to accomplish them allover again.

Some people think that theycan learn better by themselvesthan with a teacher. Othersthink that it is always better tohave a teacher. Which do youprefer? Use specific reasons todevelop your essay.

People are learning through theirentire life. Our first teachers inmost cases are our parents. Theyteach us to walk, speak, behaveourselves, etc. They with greatpatience pass down theirknowledge and experience to

their children. There is no doubtthat we need our parents to learnessential things. Parents givingtheir knowledge prepare childrento join the "real world". So, atthis point we need teachers tolearn some basic things.

When children go to a school orcollege they have there manyteachers who help them studymore difficult and complicatedthings. Personally, I think thatyoung people need teachersbecause in most cases theybasically do not understand yet

the importance of learning some"uninteresting things" such aslogic, literature, grammatics, etc.So, teachers keep children ontrack and sometimes make themlearn. I think, at adolescenceyoung people need teachersbecause they help them developand improve themselves in orderto succeed in life.

However, I believe that when aperson is no longer a child and hehas a job and lives anindependent life he can choosehow he is going to study. As forme, my choice between studdingby myself or with somebody'shelp depends on a teacher. If ateacher has very interestinglectures and gives many

examples from differentresources I will attend his or herclasses with great pleasure.However, if a teacher has dry andboring lectures and does not tryto make them interesting I willget some books and study thissubject by myself. It saves metime and probably some money ifI take books in a library.

So, basically, some teachers cangive their students so much in ashort period of time that it isworth to spend one's timeattending lectures. At the sametime, from my point of view,other teachers can not give methe knowledge I need at my pace.

Businesses should hireemployees for their entire lives.Do you agree or disagree? Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your answer.

I would have to completelydisagree with the statementabove. In the followingparagraphs I will outline thebasic concepts of my position.

First of all, I will least the majordisadvantages for employers. Onthe today's market a companymust be very flexible in order tocompete with other firms. So,imagine the situation when acompany can not fire itsemployees to stay on the market.It will lead to loosing not only aprofit, but the clients, marketshare and competitive ability.

Now, imagine the situation whena company is growing fast,everything is good and the nextfew years are going to beexcellent. So, employers needmore people to extend theproduction. However, nobodycan tell what will happen in afew years. In this case,employers will be afraid to hirenew people and extend theirbusiness because they will not beable to fire them if somethinggoes wrong. Another importantaspect of this is that a companycan not have the best employees.It can not hire the better onewithout dismissing anotheremployee.

What kind of disadvantages willhave an employee in exchangefor this kind of job security? Firstof all, it will be very difficult tofind a job if one is not the best,because an employer does not

want to spend money on one'seducation. Besides, employerwill not have a chance to fire oneif he does not do his job well.Second of all, employees withthis kind of security tend not toperfect themselves because afterthey are hired they can not losetheir job.

In conclusion, I would like to addthat this statement has somepositive aspects too such asconstancy, a strong spirit of thecompany, etc. This system takesplace in Japan and somecompanies succeeded in it. But Ithink that the reason of it subsistsin the Japanese traditions, theparticular cultural features, habitsand customs. However, ontoday's market here in the UnitedStates a company can not affordto hire employees for their entirelife.

People learn in different ways.Some people learn by doingthings; other people learn byreading about things; otherslearn by listening to people talkabout things. Which of these

methods of learning is best foryou? Use specific examples tosupport your choice.

People learn through their entirelives. Some people prefer to readmany books and gain knowledge

from them. Others prefer to learnfrom their own experience. Also,there are people who prefer tolearn from others by listening totheir advice and analyzing theirmistakes. For several reasons,which I will mention bellow, Ithink that each of these ways tolearn new things has manyadvantages. Personally, I thinkthat the combination of theseways is the best way to learn andgain more knowledge andexperience.

Undoubtedly, learning by doingthings is the best way to learn.First of all, one can gain his ownexperience, which is pricelessand valuable. Moreover, somethings are impossible to learnwithout practicing. For example,when children learn how to readthey can not perfect in it withouteveryday practice. Or when astudent learn how to type on acomputer. He can not just listento someone or read books aboutit and then type very quickly.Many things in our life requirepractice and own experience.Personally, I think that mostly Ilearn how to do things by doing

them not by reading about them.

However, there are some thingsthat are impossible to be learntby doing them. For example,students learn many things fromthe books and other differentrecourses like Internet,magazines, newspapers and eventhrough conversations. Take forexample our history or spaceexploration. People learn aboutthem from books and TVprograms. We can not get back intime and experience differenthistorical events except that wedo it in our imagination.

In conclusion, I think that thecombination of these ways willgive the best results. However,there is no doubt that personalexperience is priceless andirreplaceable, because it gives thegreat opportunity to analyzeone's mistakes, make conclusionsand avoid them next time. So, inmy case I try to learn thing bydoing them if it is possible and ifit is not then I use other ways tolean them.

Some people prefer to eat atfood stands or restaurants.Other people prefer to prepareand eat food at home. Whichdo you prefer? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

Man, through the ages, hasundergone any changes from thetime when he had to haunt forfood to these days when he has tobuy it. Some people prefer to buyfresh vegetables, meat and fruitsand prepare food at home.However, other people prefer toskip that step with cooking andhave dinner at a restaurant. Ithink that both of these choiceshave some advantages anddisadvantages. Bellow I will givesome reasons to support myanswer.

Personally, I do not like fastfood. So, my choice is alwaysbetween a restaurant and myhome. First of all, I would like tosay that cooking is a greattradition. It helps people to relax,reflect on some pleasant

moments while peeling or cuttingthe vegetables. It is a means ofeliminating one's stress andtension. Second of all, sometimesI do not want to have somethingtoo complicated for my dinner. Ijust want to have light food like asalad and a glass of milk. So, oneof the reasons why I like to eat athome is because I can have whatI want at this moment. One moregreat things about eating at homeis that I can sit in front of the TVand watch an interesting programor a movie. Finally, havingdinner at home allows a familycommunicate with each other, becloser and share some good andbad moments that happenedearlier that day. Besides, eating athome is a great way to save somemoney.

As for restaurants, I see somepositive aspects about eatingthere too. First of all, Isometimes get tired from peeling,cutting, washing, frying, etc. Itdoes not mean I do it a lot.Sometimes I just use themicrowave and a preprocessedfood that I bought earlier. I wantto have something more delicious

than I have in my refrigerator,something that is time-consuming to prepare at home.So, for me it is a good reason togo to a restaurant. There one maymeet old friends or just has agreat time listening to music andtasting some delicious meats.

Also, restaurants are a good placeto celebrate something. One does

not have to prepare food for allfriend who are coming, washdish, put in order all that messafter the party, etc.

In conclusion, I think that it doesnot important where one hasone's dinner. What important isthat it must be full and nutritious.

Some people prefer to planactivities for their free timevery carefully. Others choosenot to make any plans at all fortheir free time. Compare thebenefits of planning free-timeactivities with the benefits ofnot making plans. Which doyou prefer - planning or notplanning for your leisure time?Use specific reasons andexamples to explain yourchoice.

Nowadays people have so manythings to do that they almostalways do not have enough timefor it. When we go to bed wecarefully think and plan our nextday and it continues day in andday out. We wake up, recollect

our checklist with things to doand in a few minutes we arealready in a car on our way to theoffice. Often people do not havetime for themselves. So, whenpeople have some spare timethey want to use it wisely. Somepeople prefer to plan activitiesfor their free time very carefully.However, others prefer not tomake any plans. In this essay Iwill analyze both cases andpresent my view in favor ofplanning free-time activities.

From the one side, not makingany plans and just letting the timepass by for some time have somebenefits. First of all, a person canjust relax, enjoy the beautifulmoments, spend his or her timewith loved ones, watch a movie,

listen to relaxing music, observethe flowers in bloom from thewindow, contemplate about hisor her life and just slow down thepace of life. I think it is a verygood way to eliminate one'sstress and tension and just leaveall troubles and worries behind.

From the other side, carefulplanning can bring many benefitstoo. First of all, one can travel.However, traveling requiressome planning to be made. Forexample, one most likely willneed a hotel room. So, thereservation should be madebeforehand. Also, it is wise tocheck one's car to avoidbreakdowns and have anuninterrupted worry-free trip.Second of all, planning one'sactivities allows to spend one's

free time the way he/she likes.For instance, if I want to playtennis on incoming week-end Iwill certainly make a reservationfor a court because in this case Iwill not be disappointed with thewaste of my time. Personally, Iprefer to make plans for my freetime because it allows me tospend my vacation or week-endsthe way I want it.

To sum up, I think carefulplanning allows people to derivemaximum benefits from theirfree time. However, I mustconfess sometimes I allow myself just to stay at home with myfriends and family and not makeany plans.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Playing a game is fun onlywhen you win. Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

Playing games is one of the mosteffective ways to eliminate

stress, tension and to learn manythings. However, I know somepeople who like to play onlywhen they win. Personally, Iagree with those people who playgames in order not to win but tohave fun. So, for several reasons,which I will mention bellow, Ihave to totally disagree with thestatement above that playing a

game is fun only for one whowins.

First of all, I think that peopleshould understand the mainreason of playing a game. In oldtimes people gathered and playeddifferent games. It was a greatway to find out more about eachother, to communicate and learnnew. Nowadays, I think that thereason why people play games isthe same.

Second of all, in addition to thementioned above benefit playinggames is a perfect way to gainmore knowledge and experience.It is not important who wins butit is important that everyonemakes conclusions and learns toanalyze one's mistakes and triesto avoid them next time.

Finally, mental and physicalgames help to develop brain and

body. Mental games improveone's ability to think logically,make conclusions and analyze.Also, it improves one's memory.From the other side, physicalgames help to strengthen one'sbones, develop muscles andimprove one's health.

Of cause, I must confess that it isfun to win and feel the victory.However, I think that theparticipation in a game is moreimportant then the victory itself.People play games to relax, toeliminate stress and leave theirtroubles behind and gain moreknowledge. One more reasonwhy people play games is thatavoiding games or playing themonly when one is sure that he is awinner does not make one better.Only when people see theirmistakes they can work on themand reach their goals.

Many parts of the world arelosing important naturalresources, such as forests,animals, or clean water. Chooseone resource that isdisappearing and explain why

it needs to be saved. Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your opinion.

As human's population isdramatically rising every year,people's requirements are

increasing too. We need morefood, more fresh water, moreplace to live. As a result of thismany parts of the world arelosing essential and sometimesirreplaceable resources, such asforest, animals, or fresh water. Inthis essay I will focus on thethreat of disappearing many wildanimals.

The reason why I think thatanimals should be preserved isthat all living creatures on thisplanet are connected with eachother. So, the disappearance ofonly one species can causedramatic changes in the planetand even death of many otherliving creatures. For example, thedisappearance of bats will causethe huge increasing of insectpopulation and this will reflecton all animals and plants.Another example is that if thepopulation of bats increases, thepopulation of insects willdecrease significantly, and thiswill cause the disappearance ofmany plants because insects arethe main pollinators. So, I think itis very important to preserve allspecies on our planet and live in

harmony with our environment.

Another important reason why Ithink that animals should besaved is that I, personally, do notwant my child to learn aboutdifferent animals from books andnot be able to see them alive. Ithink it is shameful forhumankind to explain ourchildren that we are the reasonwhy those animals disappeared.

In conclusion, I would like to saythat the issue about losingimportant natural resources istopical and open for debatenowadays. I believe that togetherpeople can make a difference.From my point of view, the firstproblem we should find asolution for is human'soverpopulation. As I mentionedabove people's demands aregrowing and this means weconsume more and more naturalresources. The second question,which is on the list of mostimportant issues, is pollutionincluding the air pollution, waterpollution, etc.

Should a city try to preserve itsold, historic buildings ordestroy them and replace themwith modern buildings? Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your opinion.

Some people think that old,historic buildings are no need forthe city and they should bedestroyed and replaced withmodern ones. However, otherpeople believe that historicbuildings must be preserved inorder to know and remember ourpast. For several reasons that Iwill mention bellow I agree withthose people who want topreserve old, historical buildings.

First of all, by preservinghistorical buildings we pass ourhistory to our future generations.I think that out children shouldknow their history, learn from itand respect it. People need toknow their traditions andcustoms, which are priceless andirreplaceable. Our history is ourknowledge and power. From myopinion we need to preserve andrestore historical buildings. By

destroying them we show ourdisrespect to our forefathers andtheir traditions.

Second of all, by by preservinghistorical buildings a city canattract many travelers.Welcoming tourists a city can getmany benefits including money,which can be spent on preservinghistorical buildings as well as onimproving roads and facilities.

Also, many tourists means a lotof new business opportunities.Another important aspect of thisis that businessmen will bewilling to build new recreationalcenters, hotels, movie theaters,shopping centers to make a citymore attractive for travelers. Inaddition to those practicalbenefits, many people will havethe opportunity to get a job. Allthis is good for the economy ofthe city.

To sum up, I believe thatpreserving old, historicalbuildings can bring only benefitsto a city and all humankind.

When students move to a newschool, they sometimes faceproblems. How can schoolshelp these students with theirproblems? Use specific reasonsand examples to explain youranswer.

When a student moves to a newschool he or she can face someproblems. I think that almost allpeople had to move from oneplace to another in their lives andI am not an exception. My familymoved twice during mychildhood. My father is anarchitect, so, my family had tomove from one place to anotherwhen the old construction wasover and my father was offeredto develop a new project. Twomajor problems I had to face in anew school were "no friends"and "a huge amount of newpeople". In the followingparagraphs I will analyze theseproblems and make suggestionsabout how a school can help astudent in this situation.

The first difficulty I had to facein a new school was a huge

amount of new people such asteachers and classmates, whohave no idea who I am. It waseasy with the teachers, I usuallystayed after the class, introducedmyself to him or her and askedabout their curriculum. However,with my new classmates it was alittle more difficult. I had tostand up for myself a few timesbecause this is the way studentsget to know each other. However,I believe that there is a betterway to get to know each other. Ithink that schools shouldparticipate in this process. Forexample, they can organize somekind of welcome class, wherenew students will have theopportunity to meet their newclassmates and introducethemselves.

The second problem I had to facein a new school was that I had nofriends. I could not meet my oldfriends because they were too faraway and I did not have a chanceto make new friends. Nowadays,I think it is much easier, becausealmost every student has anInternet access, so, he can chartwith his old friends.

Unfortunately, I did not havesuch an opportunity when I was astudent. I believe that schools canhelp newcomers by helping themto merge faster with their newclasses. For example, a schoolcan attach someone to anewcomer and the first one willhelp a new student to accustomhimself to a new environment.

In conclusion, I would like to

add, that moving from one schoolto another brings not onlyproblems but also many benefits.For example, I learnt how tomake new friends fast and how toovercome obstacles. I think thatit made me stronger as a personand I am glad that I had thisexperience in my life.

Do you agree or disagree thatprogress is always good?

The main idea of progress isperfection. A man who is makingprogress in studying, a childwho is speaking his/her firstwords, a scientist who has madea discovery, or an economy ofsome country is making progress,all of them are aspects of hugehuman progress. There is nodoubt that progress is good forthe humanity as a whole butwhether it is good for the world.

For example, being anxious forsuccess mankind often forgetsabout the environment. Everycountry has numerous fabrics

with smoke rising form them.Needless to say, the amount ofcars is increasing every day.World economy is makingprogress in creating differenttypes of machines, vehicles thatmake easier our conditions oflife. As a result we have manydevices that make our life easierand at the same time we haveacid rains, polluted lakes andrivers, our food does not have asmany important vitamins as itused to, but it has nitrates,preservatives and unnaturalcomponents and ingredients.

As a result of human progress,now humanity has to deal withthe problem of overpopulation.

It is my opinion that now it istime for humanity to think moreabout the making progress insolving the problems of airpollution, overpopulation andwater contamination.

Many students have to livewith roommates while going toschool or university. What aresome of the important qualitiesof a good roommate? Usespecific reasons and examplesto explain why these qualitiesare important.

When I was a student at aRussian University I lived withmy friend Tonia. Franklyspeaking, she was not my friendat first. I mean that we meatwhen we were in our first year atuniversity. She was looking for aplace to live and I offered her tostay at my place because I livedalone and it was quite expensivefor me at that time. I mustconfess that I never felt regretabout my decision because Toniaturned out to be a greatroommate. Moreover, we becamefriends and now after two yearsfrom my graduation we still call

each other, care about each otherand chart through the Internet.Unfortunately, now we live indifferent cities even in differentcountries, but I hope ourfriendship will continue.

In this essay I will list the mainqualities of a good roommatewhich from my point of view areessential. Furthermore, I mustinform that Tonia possesses allthese qualities and I am proud tohave such a great friend.

First of all, a roommate must bekind and generous. It is easier todeal with a person who is kindand ready to offer a hand. Forexample, kindness andunderstanding are very essentialqualities if one of them got ill.Second of all, roommates musthave common interests because itwill help them to find moresubjects to discuss. I think thatwhen people have nothing to talk

about they should not livetogether because it will bedifficult for both of them. Inaddition, a roommate must befunny but at the same time she orhe must be attentive andunderstanding. Selfishness is nota good quality for a roommatebecause people who live togethershould be attentive to eachother's feelings and be ready tosacrifice their time to each other.

In short, I think that roommatesmust be friends becausefriendship means understandingand sympathy.

If you could ask a famousperson one question, whatwould you ask? Why? Usespecific reasons and details tosupport your answer.

Many people like to knowdifferent things about thecelebrities. For example, whatpets do they have, what is theirfavorite meal or color and howdid they lose some weight, etc.However, I think that these typesof questions do not allow peopleto learn more about a famousperson, his or her personality. Ibelieve that if I would be given achance to ask a famous personone question I would ask him orher about the meaning of life.

Some people live withoutthinking about why they are here.Others contemplate about the lifeand think about the meaning ofit. I think that the answer to thequestion about the meaning oflife for a famous person wouldsatisfied people more then justhis or her pets and habits. First ofall, famous people often are nothonest about their private lives

and only want to look good infront of the audience. However,the single question about themeaning of the live could givethe audience more things to thinkof and reveal more about thespeaker's personality.

Second of all, in addition to thosebenefits, mentioned above, fromthe answer to this questionpeople can learn about thespeaker's points of view, his orher attutude towards life. I thinkthat this information could helpmany people to reconsider theirattitudes and be more positiveabout their present and future.

To sum up, I think that theanswer to the question "Why amI here and what the meaning ofmy life" can reveal manyinteresting thoughts to share withthe audience. Also, people wouldbe less material. I mean that frommy position it is not importanthow many carats a famousperson has in his/her watch, orwhat is his or her preferences infood. What important is what heor she think about her/his destinyand the meaning of life.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Reading fiction (such as novelsand short stories) is moreenjoyable than watchingmovies. Use specific reasonsand examples to explain yourposition.

Some people prefer to readfiction. However, others like towatch movies. Personally, I thinkthat the question whether readingfiction is more enjoyable thanwatching movies is acontroversial one. For severalreasons, which I will mentionbellow, I think each of theseoptions has its advantages.

From the one side, readingfiction brings many benefits.First of all, a book can be takenanywhere one goes. For example,while traveling or just taking abus one can read a book. When Iwas a student a couple years agoI used to read books while takinga boring lecture. Second of all,reading extends one's vocabulary,improves reading and even

writing skills. Reading isessential for children. It extendstheir range of interests, improvetheir imagination and helps themgain more knowledge andexperience through books. WhenI was a child my mom alwaysmade me read a lot of books.Thanks to her I did not have aproblem with writing differentkind of essay in the school and Igot only high grades.

From the other side, watchingmovies has many benefits too.Firstly, movies usually havemore influence on people, theirbehavior and mood. In addition,watching a movie in a movietheatre gives many advantagessuch as sound effects, a largescreen, etc. Secondly, it is a goodway to relax with one's friends,eliminate stress and tension andjust have a good time. Myhusband and I like to watch amovie on Sunday evenings. Wedrink coffee, eat grapes or applesand make comments whilewatching the movie. In additionto these benefits, watching movieusually takes less time then

reading the whole book.

In conclusion, I think that there isno doubt that watching a movieis more enjoyable and impressivethen reading a book. However,reading a book brings morebenefits for people in general.

Moreover, children should spendmore time reading books thenwatching different kinds ofmovies because scientists saythat watching movies has muchless use for the growing child.

Many people have a closerelationship with their pets.These people treat their birds,cats, or other animals asmembers of their family. Inyour opinion, are suchrelationships good? Why orwhy not? Use specific reasonsand examples to support youranswer.

Some people do not have anypets in their house, except forunwanted ones such as a raccoonor mouse. These people thinkthat there is no place for animalsin their places. However, otherpeople have animals such asdogs, cats, and birds in theirfamilies and they have a closerelationship with their pets.Personally, I belong to the peoplewho treat their pets as membersof their family. For several

reasons, which I will mentionbellow, I think that suchrelationships between a man andan animal bring many benefits.

First of all, when people treattheir pets as members of theirfamilies it means that they feelresponsibilities for their littleones. As a result of this peoplecare about their pets' health, theirdiet and shape, and I think bothsides benefit from this kind ofrelationships. People do not feelalone and pets are in good hands.Personally, I think that pets givepeople a great opportunity to feelthey are needed by these little butat the same time very courageousanimals. Second of all, pets teachpeople, especially children,kindness and devotion. Childrengrow up kinder, more attentiveand friendlier. Finally, often petsare the closest and most devoted

friends of people and I am surethat we return them the samefeelings. I think it is great andmakes everyone a little bithappier. For example, when Iwas a child my family had abeautiful cat named "Nikola". Weloved him very much and treathim as a member of our family.So, when he died we could notget used to the fact that he wasnot home. It was the feeling likewe lost some of our family. Sincethen we did not have the cat.

Now my parents have a bird anda couple of golden fish.

In conclusion, I think that petsplay a very important role in oureveryday life. There are plenty ofexamples when animals savedpeople's lives and helped us inout fight with evil such as drugsand violence. So, I believe thatour pets deserve the best we canoffer them our love and devotion.

Some people think that humanneeds for farmland, housing,and industry are moreimportant than saving land forendangered animals. Do youagree or disagree with thispoint of view? Why or whynot? Use specific reasons andexamples to support youranswer.

As human population issignificantly rising every year,people's requirements areincreasing too. We need morefood, more machines, more placeto live. As a result of this peopleneed more land to satisfy their

requirements. We cultivate andirrigate more and more land toplant vegetables, build newbuildings, airports, roads, etc. Ithink sometimes we forget thatwe are not alone on this planet. Ihave to disagree with thosepeople who think that humanneeds are more important thansaving land for endangeredanimals. I base my opinion onthe following points.

First of all, as I alreadymentioned, we are not alone onthis planet. A few centuries agowe were the part of wild nature. Ithink we need to remember thisfact and respect all creatures

around us.

Second of all, I believe that weall need to think of the problemof overpopulation. The humanpopulation is dramaticallyincreasing and we have to dosomething about it. From myopinion, every family shouldhave no more than two children.

It will help to stop the growth ofpopulation, decrease humanneeds for farmland, housing andindustry.

In conclusion, I think it is a verytopical question nowadays. Mypoint is that all people shouldanswer this question and find thesolution.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? Boysand girls should attendseparate schools. Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

Whether boys and girls shouldattend separate schools is acontroversial issue. Some peoplebelieve that it brings manybenefits. However, others believethat it is not good for the futureof our children. I agree withthose people who think thatchildren should attend the sameschools. In the followingparagraphs I will give myreasons to support my opinion.

First of all, children from thevery beginning should learn how

to communicate with each other.They need to learn social skills,be supportive and understandeach other. Second of all, Ibelieve that now women and menshould be treated in the sameway. A woman nowadays has thesame rights as a man. She alsowants to make a good career andsucceed. So, it is essential in themodern world to understand thatknowledge has nothing to dowith a sex. Every one has thesame access to the knowledgeand experience and it is only upto a person how hard he or shewants to work to reach his or hergoals.

Another important aspect of thisis that if children attend separateschools they do not havecommon interests. They do not

know what a person of anopposite sex likes, how he or shespends her or his spare time, etc.I think that it is not good for along run. Some of them willcreate a family someday and theymost likely will not haveanything to share. They will nothave common interests. Theywill have different friends andopinions about things. We hadsuch experience a few centuriesago. Women grow up theirchildren and men worked andgathered in the men' clubs in the

evenings. I think it is not the wayit should be. A family has manybeautiful moments to sharetogether.

To sup up, I think that childrenshould attend the same schoolsbecause it will help them tobecome great, attentive and kindpersons. Moreover, they willlearn how to respect each other'sinterests.

Some high schools require allstudents to wear schooluniforms. Other high schoolspermit students to decide whatto wear to school. Which ofthese two school policies do youthink is better? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your opinion.

I think that the issue aboutwhether all students must berequired to wear school uniformis the one that is open for debate.Some people think that allstudents must wear the schooluniform. However, others think

that students should decide whatto wear to school themselves.Personally, I believe that studentsshould wear what they like. Forseveral reasons, which I willmention bellow, I think thatschool uniforms should not berequired to wear at high school.

First of all, if students do nothave school uniforms they canwear what they like to school.Personally, I like to wear cloththat is comfortable. Also, I am afemale and I like to wear jeansand shorts, and as far as I knowgirls must wear skirts as a part oftheir uniform. I think many

female students will agree withme that jeans much morecomfortable then skirts.

Second of all, I believe thatschool uniforms must not causeany discomfort. For example,some international students willfind unacceptable wearing someof the uniform's parts.

I am from Russia. When I was astudent of the elementary schoolI was required to wear the schooluniform that included a dark blueskirt and a white or light blueshirt. I did not like it very much,because I did not like the fact

that all students were dressed inthe same color. We dressed thesame way and we were permittedto wear any adornments.Personally, I did not like the factthat girls always had to wearskirts and it was not convenientespecially in cold weather.

In short, I think that studentsshould wear to school what theywant. Otherwise, if a high schoolrequires students to wear schooluniforms, I think that uniformsmust be comfortable for allstudents.

What is a very important skilla person should learn in orderto be successful in the worldtoday? Choose one skill anduse specific reasons andexamples to support yourchoice.

Some people believe that in orderto succeed in today's world oneneeds luck. However, I agreewith those people who think thatluck has nothing to do with thesuccess, only hard work and

belief in one's self can get onethrough all obstacles andovercome difficulties. There is aword for such a skill it ispersistent. I believe that peoplewho are persistent can doeverything they want because cannot give up and go with the tide.

Of cause, there is a bunch ofdifferent skills that people needto succeed. However, my point isthat persistent is the mostobviously importantcharacteristic of successful

persons. Take for example afamous actress W. Goldberg. Shehad many refusals at thebeginning of her career. But shealways believed in herself anddid not stop looking for the newopportunities. Now she is one ofhighly paid actress in the moviebusiness.

Or take for example Disney. I donot remember his first name. Hewas a poor guy who liked todraw fairy heroes. Before hissuccess he got through many

failures but did not stop doingwhat he liked and enjoyed. Hissuccess came with a little mousecalled Mikky.

I belief that people whoovercame many obstaclesbecome stronger and wiser. So,basicly, persistent teach peoplebelieve in themselves, analyzetheir previous mistakes and learnto avoid them next time, bepatient, curious and optimistic.

In some countries, people areno longer allowed to smoke inmany public places and officebuildings. Do you think this is agood rule or a bad rule? Usespecific reasons and details tosupport your position.

The question about whetherpeople should be allowed tosmoke in public places is the onethat is open for debate. Allpeople can be devided on twogroups: smokers and notsmokers. Smokers agree that theydo not benefit the society bysmoking, but think that they

should have some special placesin office buildings or publicplaces where they can smoke.However, others believe thatsmokers should not be allowed tosmoke in any places except theirown apartments. Personally, Icompletely agree with the lastopinion. For the followingreasons, which I will mentionbellow, I think that smokersshould not contaminate the airother people breathe.

The first reason for this is thatsmokers not only damage theirown health but actually causedamage to the health of others.

Scientists say that people who donot smoke, but regulary breathein the smoke of cigarettes, so-called "passive smokers", poisontheir health more then smokersthemselves. For example, when Iwas a student I lived with theroommate who was a chainsmoker. First I did not knowwhat to do, I smelled that smokeeverywhere and I could notbreathe freely, but in a few weeksI got used to it. Now I think that Iwas a real smoker because of thefact that I regulary breathed in somuch smoke.

Second of all, I think that peopleshould not be allowed to smokein public places and in officebuildings because this rule willforce them to quit. Smokers willhave to quit smoking or at leastwill do it less often and this

benefits all people smokers aswell as not smokers.

Finally, smoking in public placescontributes to the growth ofnumber of smokers becausemany people seeing smokersmay feel a desire to take acigarette and join them. Theadvertisement of cigarettes isalready prohibited by the law andI think it is a good sign becausemany people become smokersonly because they see otherpeople do it.

In conclusion, I think that thisrule will benefit the society ofevery country and our world onthe whole.

Your city has decided to build astatue or monument to honor afamous person in your country.Who would you choose? Usereasons and specific examplesto support your choice.

I am from Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Recently, my city has decided tobuild a statue to honor a famousdoctor Michail Belui. I totallysupport this idea. In thefollowing paragraphs I will givemy reasons to support myanswer.

First of all, Michail Belui was a

great surgeon. He saved manypeople during his life. During theWourld War II he was one of themost famous surgeons. After 25years from his death manypeople still bring a lot of flowersto the place where he was buried.I think he was a great man wholiked his job and sacrificedeverything to it. Michail Beluihad many sleepless nightsbecause the stream of woundedsoldiers was endless. He did notcare about himself, he caredabout people and always wasready to help. Also, he was agreat father. He had two sonswho inherited his talent forsurgery and became greatdoctors.

Second of all, Michail Belui wasa very kind and attentive person.

My grandma remembers him as astrong, tall and charming manwho had a very good sense ofhumor.

I am sure that our moderngeneration has many things tolearn from this man. Moreover, Ibelieve that our country needs toremember such great people andbe proud of them.

To sup up, I think thathumankind must know its historyand pass down all its knowledgeand experience to the nextgenerations. A statue ormonument is a a simple and goodway to remember and value ourhistory and people who played anessential role in it.

In some countries, teenagershave jobs while they are stillstudents. Do you think this is agood idea? Support youropinion by using specificreasons and details.

Some people think that teenagersneed to work while they are

students. However, Other peoplebelieve that young people shouldnot combine their education witha job. These two options arecontroversial ones. In myopinion, they both havedisadvantages and advantages. Ibase my opinion on the followingpoints.

From one side, a working studenthas many benefits. First of all, aperson learns how to arrangetime to be able to combine hisstudding and earning money.Personally, I think it is a veryimportant benefit a person canget from this. Second of all, astudent learns how to savemoney and keep his budget. Aperson gains new experience andknowledge working with the newpeople. He feels moreindependently and spends his orher money more careful.

From the other side, a person canhave not enough time to meet hisor her course requirements.Sometimes it may result in afailure on an exam and a waste ofmoney and time. From myeveryday experience and

observation some people requiremore time to study new materialsand prepare for an exam. Others,at the same, can easy understandnew materials. So, my point isthat a person should decide forhimself whether he will be ableto combine his studding and hisworking.

Another important aspect ofgetting a job is that a studentmost likely will have no time forparties, movies and his friends. Ithink that he or she shouldunderstand this fact.

To summarize, I believe that aworking experience will give astudent more benefits in thefuture than it takes from him orher in the present.

Some people believe thatuniversity students should berequired to attend classes.Others believe that going toclasses should be optional forstudents. Which point of viewdo you agree with? Use specificreasons and details to explainyour answer.

There are two points of view tothis question. Some peoplebelieve that students are adultsand they have their ownresponsibilities. So, they shouldhave freedom in arranging theirtime. Other people think thatoptional attendance has acorruption effect on the

educational system as a whole.Personally, I think that thisquestion is more complicated.

First of all, many students havealready children. So, theysometimes have to skip a class ortwo in order to perform theirresponsibilities. Second of all,many students do not haveenough money for their needsand they have to work more thanother students. In this case,optional attendance is well-taken.Another important aspect of thissubject that sometimes lecturesof a particular teacher may be dryand uninteresting. I believe that itis reasonably to skip thoseclasses and learn all by one's self.It can save time, so a person canspend it on a research orpreparation for a coming test.

From the other side, I think thatsome students who does not haveany responsibilities may skipclasses without any reason. Theycan have more time to attend

clubs and parties. It has anegative affect on their grades.So, it can result in a waste ofmoney and time. Students maytake the same classes more thanone time to meet therequirements of their program. Itis a waste of money for both agovernment and a family. Agovernment will lose moneybecause they are spent oneducation and it means they aretax free. At the same time,parents will have to pay foreducation of their child one moretime. Another important aspect ofthis that students will not learnhow to arrange their time in orderto have all things done on time.

To summarize, I think thatstudents must attend classes.However, some students withchildren or who have excellentgrades and already work in thefield of their major should beallowed to skip a particularamount of classes.

Students at universities oftenhave a choice of places to live.They may choose to live in

university dormitories, or theymay choose to live inapartments in the community.Compare the advantages of

living in university housingwith the advantages of living inan apartment in thecommunity. Where would youprefer to live? Give reasons foryour preference.

Some students prefer to live inuniversity dormitories. However,other students choose to live inapartments in the community. Ithink both of these options haveadvantages. Bellow I will givemy reasons to support myanswer.

From the one side, living in adormitory have many benefits.First of all, for a foreign studentit is a good chance to improve hisor her communication skills andfind new friends. Second of all, adormitory has many usefulfacilities such as libraries, acanteen, Internet access, etc. Inaddition to these practicalbenefits living in a dormitory isoften cheaper. So, it helpsstudents save some money whatis important at the beginning oftheir independent life. Finally,living in a dormitory givesstudents the opportunity to ask

for help each other if somethingwas not clear on the lecturepresented in a class. This, in it'sturn, lead to higher grades. Also,students have many commonsubject and interests to discusswith each other. So, basically,living in a dormitory helpsstudents to become more sociableand good team-players and gainnew knowledge and experienceby use of labraries and groupdiscussion.

From the other side, living inapartments in the communityalso have a few benefits.Students can have more privacyand, also, they can choose acommunity according to itsconvenience and location. It issometimes may be an essentialbecause of a person's job.

In conclusion, I think that livingin a dormitory brings studentsmore benefits then it does livingin a community. Students learn toget along with each other, beready to help and make friends.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? Allstudents should be required tostudy art and music insecondary school. Use specificreasons to support youranswer.

The issue about whether allstudents should be required tostudy art and music in secondaryschool is the one that is open fordebate. Some people believe thatstudents should take theseclasses. However, others thinkthat it must be up to a student. Inthis essay I will analyze boththese positions and present myopinion in favor of the peoplewho think that studying art andmusic should not be required insecondary school.

From the one side, studying artand music brings many benefitsto the students. First of all, itextends their range of interests.Second of all, studying art andmusic helps to reveal hiddentalents and possibilities. Inaddition to these benefits, it helpsa growing child develop his or

her perception of the real world.

However, from the other side,studying art and music also hassome negative aspects.Personally, I think that a personwho is interested in mathematicsshould not spend his or herprecious time taking classes inart or music. For example, whenI was a student a couple yearsago I did not like to attend someof the art classes because it wastoo boring for me. I wasted mytime and money because I wasrequired to pay for these classesand attend them. So, my point isthat students should have theright to make a decision forthemselves whether they shouldtake classes in art and music orthey should not. For instance,there were a couple of optionalclasses in music in myuniversity. Many students tookthose classes and every one wassatisfied.

To sum up, I think that studyingart and music is very essential fora person. However, I think thatclasses in art and music must beoptional, because if a student is

dreaming about a career ofdentist and spends all his sparetime reading about the newtechnologies and inventions inthis field I think it is not fair to

make him attend classes when hedoes not want to. It is likemaking a person sing when he isgood at swimming.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Onlypeople who earn a lot of money are successful. Use specificreasons and examples to support your answer.

I think that the question whether money is a main indicator ofpeople's success is a controversial one. Some people believe thatonly one who earns a lot of money is successful. However, otherpeople think one who does not earn a lot of money can besuccessful too. For several reasons, which I will list bellow, I agreewith those people who think that money is an indicator of success.

First of all, if a person earns a lot of money it means he or she hasunique knowledge and experience and people want to pay forthese. For example, a good lawyer is often paid a very high salary,because he or she has won many cases and people are ready to paybig money for his knowledge.A second example is that a salary of a surgeon simpliciter dependson his experience and knowledge and on how many surgeries hehas completed successfully. In this case surgeon's salary simpliciterdepends on surgeon's success. Second of all, a high salary is in an indicator of a prosperous careerand profession. People change their jobs, move from one place toanother looking for a more interesting and better paid job. Ofcause, some people do not care about salary as long as they liketheir job, but from my everyday experience and observation I canstate that the majority of people who are not satisfied with theirrevenue would exchange their current job for another one withhigher salary.

Finally, money plays, may be unfortunately, a very essential role inour modern life. So, people who earn a lot of money by working

hard are considered to be successful.

May be it sounds a little mercenary but I think that success must beencouraged financially otherwise it is not a success.

Some people believe thatsuccess in life comes fromtaking risks or chances. Othersbelieve that success resultsfrom careful planning. In youropinion, what does successcome from? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

Some people think that takingrisks and chances will lead themto success. From my everydayexperience and observation Ibelieve that success results fromcareful planning. I base myposition on the following points.

First of all, I believe that carefulplanning help a person to analyzehis goal more deeply and makerealistic goals. He knows exactlywhat he wants. Taking chances,from the other hand, does notgive the opportunity to clearlyunderstand a goal. A person justwants to do something to move

forward and he takes risk whenthere is no need in it.

Second of all, careful planningteaches people to arrange theirtime more carefully in order toreach their goals. They becomemore patient and calm. They planevery step. This allows people tofind easier way to reach theirgoals and faster move forward.From the other hand, people whoprefer to take risks withoutplanning may spend more timewithout any improvementswaiting for a chance to take. Takesportsmen for example. Theyexercise a lot before theirperformance to be in shape, doall their best and improve theirprevious results.

Finally, careful planning teachesthem not to give up, try to findother ways to reach their goals inthe case of failure.

To sum up, personally, I think

that all people who succeeded inlife would agree with me thattheir success came with the hard

work and careful planning.

A company is going to givesome money either to supportthe arts or to protect theenvironment. Which do youthink the company shouldchoose? Use specific reasonsand examples to support youranswer.

Man, through the ages, hasundergone many changes fromthe time when he depicted a herdof mammoths on the walls of thecave to nowadays when the artsare more complicated. Ourattitude towards the environmentis changed too. A few centuriesago people did not care aboutpollution, erosion, animalextinction, etc. However,nowadays people again and againtalk about this and try to make adifference. I think that moneydonation for environmentprotection must take priority overthe support of the arts. Bellow Iwill give my reasons to supportmy answer.

The invention of the automobileis undoubtedly one of thehumankind's greatest inventions.However, the automobile broughtus many disadvantages as well.The air nowadays is polluted bymillions of cars every day. Everyday clouds of exhaust are risingfrom the ground contaminatingall around. So, I think that moneyfrom a company can be used tomake our air fresher and cleaner.

Another important aspect of thisis the contamination of water.Water is an essential recourse ofall living creatures. Nothing willsurvive without it. Unfortunately,we spend fresh water sometimesvery carelessly. Also, manyfactories wash away their usedresources in the nearest riverpoisoning everything alive there.I think that money donationswould be helpful for cleaning ourwater resources from oil, garbageand chemical matters.

Finally, I think that nowhumankind faced the problem of

overpopulation. The populationis dramatically rising. We needmore food, shelters, clothes,construction materials and space.So, many animals areextinguishing. So, I believe thatthis money could be spent onconducting a campaign againstoverpopulation.

To sum up, I think that in orderto make our children happy weshould be more careful with theresources that we take from thenature and if it is possiblerestore them.

Schools should ask students toevaluate their teachers. Do youagree or disagree? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

I think the idea about evaluationteachers by their students is verygood. This kind of evaluation canbring many benefits to teachers,students as well as to school. Inthe following paragraphs O willgive my reasons to support myanswer.

First of all, teachers have theopportunity to find out from thiskind of test how good andclearly their students understandthe lectures. It will help them toimprove and perfect theirknowledge and experience. Also,teachers who get high grades

must be rewarded financially orotherwise. On the other hand, theteachers who receive low gradesmust be sanctioned, for exampleby lowing their salary. So, thiscan help to uplift the level ofprofessionalism among theteachers.

Second of all, students will moreoften attend lectures because theywill be asked to evaluate theirteachers. Students will have theopportunity to choose the bestteachers because if a teacher getsa low grade he or she may befired and replaced with the betterone.

Finally, the quality of educationwill increase dramatically.Students will be getting moreinteresting and professionallectures. Also, they will

constantly attend classes in orderto listen to an amazing lectureand make an evaluation of thecurrent teacher. In addition tothose practical benefits, a schoolwill be better funded by it issponsors and appreciated in thecommunity. This, in its turn, willattract more students because itwill be an honor to study in such

a school.

To sup up, I think that evaluationof teachers by their students willbring many benefits and allowstudents as well as teachers togain more knowledge andexperience.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Teachers should be paidaccording to how much theirstudents learn. Give specificreasons and examples tosupport your opinion.

I think that I have to disagreewith the statement above thatteachers should be paidaccording to how much theirstudents learn. In the followingparagraphs I will give myreasons to support my opinion.

First of all, all people aredifferent and they have differentabilities to learn and understandthe given subjects. Some studentshave to spend many hoursstudding a subject. At the same

time, other students need half anhour to deeply understand thegiven lecture. Second of all, weall have different goals inattending schools. Some studentswant to gain more knowledgeand experience that will helpthem in the future to succeed andmake a great career. Others areforced to go to a school by theirparents, so, basically, they do notcare about their grades andstudding.

I think that lowing or rewardingteachers depending on how muchtheir students have learn is notfair.However, I believe thatevaluation of teachers by theirstudents is make sense. Teacherswho get high grades from theirstudents deserve to be rewarded

financially or otherwise.Otherwise, teachers who get lowgrades must be sanctioned. Thiswill forced teachers to constantlyimprove their knowledge to gethigher salary and simultaneouslywill improve the learningprocess. Students will have theopportunity to have the bestteachers and get more interestingand comprehensive lectures.

To sum up, I think that teachersshould be paid according to thequantity of hours given and thegrades received from thestudents. From my everydayexperience and observation thequality of the lectures given bythe teacher often does not reflecthow much a student learn orwants to learn.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?Television has destroyedcommunication among friendsand family. Use specific reasonsand examples to support youropinion.

The invention of television isundoubtedly one of humankind'sgreatest inventions. It is a way ofcommunication among people ofone country and differentcountries and nations. Peoplewatch TV to find out about thelatest news, weather, sports, etc.It is a great way to learn new andextend one's range of interests.Scientists say that children spendthe same amount of hours in

front of TV as they do in school.I think that this can be said aboutmany grown people too. Also,television is a great means ofeliminating stress and tension.One can relax and leave one'stroubles behind lying on one'sfavorite sofa and watching acomedy. However, some peoplebelieve that television hasdestroyed communication amongfriends and family.

Personally, I do not agree withthis statement. A couple centuriesago people spent their timegambling, reading, gossiping orplaying chess. I do not think thattelevision is a cause of destroyedcommunication among familymembers and friends. First of all,

if members of a family havecommon interests and they wantto make each other happy theywill always find many ways tospend their time together and beclose. Otherwise, if people avoideach other and they do not haveanything to share with each otherthey will find television a greatway to escape from thismiserable existence. I believethat many people chose familyand their friends over some soapoperas or a movie.

Second of all, I think thattelevision can be a great resourceof subjects to discuss. Manypeople watch differenteducational programs to find outmore about their environment,nature, wild life animals,economic situations, etc. So,when they gather with theirfriends they discuss importantissues and arque with each other

in looking for the truth.

My husband and I often watchthe news channel to keep abreastof the latest news. After that wealways discuss some issues weconcerned about. Also, we like towatch a TV show "the funniestanimals". We like this programbecause it makes us laugh. I cannot imagine how these programscan prevent our communicationand be harmful to our relations.

To summarize, I would like toadd that if people want tocommunicate with each otherthey will find a way to do it.Otherwise, if television were notexistent, people would find otherescapes and reasons not to bewith each other such as drugs,gambling, etc.

Some people prefer to spendtime with one or two closefriends. Others choose to spendtime with a large number offriends. Compare theadvantages of each choice.

Which of these two ways ofspending time do you prefer?Use specific reasons to supportyour answer.

Friends are people who supportus through our lives. Some

people prefer to have one or twoclose friends. However, othersprefer to spent their time withmany friends. I think that thenumber of friends depends onone's personality. Personally, Iprefer to have a couple of closefriends. In this essay I willanalyze both cases and presentmy view in favor of having a fewclose friends.

First of all, a person can establishcloser relationships with a fewfriends. They can spend theirtime together, relax, watch amovie in a silence that does notfeel awkward. Second of all,close friends have more familiaratmosphere. They can sharemany beautiful moments andthoughts. For example, I haveonly two close friends - myhusband and my class-mate. I canshare my worries and great newsand can tell everything to them.

From the other side, having manyfriends can be hard and stressful.One has to spend his or her timewith each of them. I think it isnot healthy because a person

does not have time to relax andcontemplate about his/her ownlife. I know this type of people.They like to be in the center ofeveryone's attention. They talk alot, make jokes, tell stories andrumors. Unfortunately, theybasically do not have truefriends. They just play andpretend to be friends with otherpeople. There is no doubt theysucceed in it, but they spend somuch time listening to other'sworries and troubles andentertaining them that theypractically do not have time forthemselves. In addition, it isdifficult and almost impossible torelax, discuss interesting issuesand just be oneself.

To sum up, I am totally agreewith the statement that "a friendin need is a friend indeed". I amsure that my close friends willalways help me and never betrayor turn me down. However, alarge number of friends does notallow to establish close and deeprelationships.

Is the ability to read and write

more important today than inthe past? Why or why not? Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your answer.

Man, through the ages, hasundergone many changes fromthe time when he depictedmammoth herds on the walls of acave to nowadays when he workson a computer with a largeamount of information. From myeveryday experience andobservation I can state severalfactors, which defend thestatement that the ability to readand write is very important today.

At old times people did notdepend on information thatmuch. They did not have to fillout many application forms,write a lot, read news from anewspaper about an economicsituation, etc. Now situation haschanged. Knowledge and theability to analyze information aremore important now than man'sphysical strength.

First of all, it is essential for aperson to be literate inInformational Age. Everyday one

needs to withdraw money fromcash machines, to pay a bill, towrite out a check, to fill someforms, to read instructions, ads,job requirements andapplications. It is almostimpossible to survive in modernsociety without these basicabilities. Almost every jobrequires these important skills.Imagine that one does not havethem and one has a family to careabout. So, one's first step is tofind a job. One can do it eitherthrough newspapers or asking forhelp from one's friends. One cannot read, so one chooses thesecond way. Second step is topass a job interview and fill outsome forms. Moreover, one hasto sign a job contract - animportant document thatconcludes all one's rights andterms. So, basically, it is almostimpossible to get a job for aliterate person in modern worldespecially in developedcountries.

Second of all, the amount of jobsthat do not require the ability toread and write, is dramaticallydecreasing. Almost every

employer wants to have anemployee with basiccommunication and computerskills. In fact, more jobs on thelabor market are for literatepersons. A lot of primitive jobsare done by machines nowadays.So, it is a very good chance for

illiterate people to be constantlyon unemployment lists.

In conclusion, I think that everycountry must have strongprograms against illiteracy.

It has recently been announcedthat a new movie theater maybe built in your neighborhood.Do you support or oppose thisplan? Why? Use specificreasons and details to supportyour answer.

I live in a small community.From my everyday experienceand observation I can say that theidea about building a new theatrein my neighborhood has someadvantages as well asdisadvantages. In this essay I willfirst focus on the reasons why Isupport this idea and then moveon to analyzing why I oppose it.

First of all, I like movies and myhusband and I sometimes go tothe movie theatre to watchpremieres. Unfortunately, it istime-consuming for us. We have

to drive about 50 minutes to thenearest movies theatre. So, theidea of having a movie theatre inour neighborhood seems veryattractive. It would save us anhour just to get there and anotherhour to get back home. Anotherimportant aspect of it is that inthis case we will be able to get tothe movie theatre by foot. I mustto confess that we always haveparking troubles in the parkingspace near the movie theatre.

Second of all, new movie theatreis a very good place for studentswho want to earn some money.My husband and I live near astudent community, so I think itwould be a great news for them.In addition to this practicalbenefit students will be able towatch all movies free of charge. Isuppose it is a great way to savesome money.

Finally, there are usually manyrestaurants and entertainingcenters around a movie theatre.There people can have dinner orplay game machines.

In contrast, I think that thebuilding of a new movie theatrewill destroy the silence and

beauty of out community. Suchentertaining centers are oftennoisy. Moreover, traffic jams willprobably be the result of it.

In conclusion, I think that if thequestion was about building anew movie theatre in the nextneighborhood I wouldcompletely agree.

What discovery in the last 100years has been most beneficialfor people in your country? Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your choice.

I am from Russia. From myopinion the most beneficialdiscovery for people in ourcountry has been the discoveryof the outer space. Russia is thefirst country that launched aspacecraft with a man on theboard into the space. This eventwas a big step towards the newdiscoveries and brought manybenefits not only for people inmy country. Bellow I will givemy reasons to support myanswer.

First of all, all humankind made

a huge step towards the mysteryof our creation. Scientists had theopportunity to do the newresearch and experiments. Manynew discoveries were made onthe boards of the spacecrafts inthe outer space. People from allover the world watched theseevents. Many books with realcolorful photos were writtenabout the beginning of the spaceexploration. Nowadays we havea big station called "Mir" in theouter space created on the base ofcollaboration USA and Russia.Many people work there doingamazing experiments.

Second of all, the world became"smaller". People learnt how toexchange information veryquickly by use of satellites.Television is broadcasted all over

the world by use of satellites.Here in Houston I can watchRussian programs. People got theopportunity to exchange newsvery quickly.

To sum up, I believe that space

exploration will bring much morebenefits in the future andsomeday we will learn what isbeyond our current galaxy.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement?People should sometimes dothings that they do not enjoydoing. Use specific reasons andexamples to support youranswer.

I absolutely agree with thestatement that sometimes peopleshould do things they do notinjoy doing. Take me forexample.

I hate to get up early. It is sorelaxing to wake up without thehelp of an alarm clock and to liefifteen minutes more recallingyour dreams. Nevertheless I get

up at 6 o'clock every morning,put on my T-shirt and shorts andgo jogging. Sometimes when Ihear the sound of my alarm clockI have a strong wish to put myhead under the pillow and fallasleep. Now and then I wake upat night and look at my wristwatch to check how many hours Ihave left. And I am the happiestperson in the whole worldbecause I have a few more hoursto sleep. You may ask me "Whydo I do it every morning?".Because more than I hate to getup early I love to feel freshnessof the morning air. I love to feel alittle bit tired and at the sametime to be so full of energy. Ithelps me to feel better all daylong.

Moreover, I hate shopping. It ismy opinion that shopping takestoo much time which I can spenddoing things I enjoy doing.Nevertheless every week I go tothe nearest supermarket becauseotherwise my refrigerator will beempty and I can not afford tohave dinner at the restaurantevery day. Besides I like to cook.

So, a few hours spent onshopping makes me happy forthe whole week. Is not it great?

From my point of view when aman has to do things he does notlike to he becomes stronger,more responsible and can injoylife.

Choose one of the followingtransportation vehicles andexplain why you think it haschanged people’s lives.Automobiles, bicycles,airplanes. Use specific reasonsand examples to support youranswer.

The invention of the automobileis undoubtedly one of thehumankind's greatest inventions.It had a great impact on people'slives. For several reasons thatwill be mentioned bellow I thinkthat the invention of theautomobile dramatically changedthe way people lived before.

First of all, automobile allowed

people to move faster from oneplace to another. This in one'sturn dramatically increasedpeople's life pace. Distance wasno longer of that importance. Itwas a new means ofcommunication.

Second of all, nowadays it israther difficult to imagine lifewithout a car. People can not dovirtually anything without a car.Just imagine for a moment thatone does not have a car. Oneneeds to go an office, get ahaircut, buy some food, watch amovie, meet one's friend, etc. Toget all these done he uses a car tomove fast from one place toanother.

In addition, people can travelusing their own vehicle. It isgreat because one can travelindependently, without any trainschedules.

Finally, I think that the inventionof the automobile wasinescapable. People could notcontinue using trains and horsesto meet their life requirements.Moreover, just imagine for amoment how many horses peoplewould need nowadays. I think wewould talk about horseoverpopulation as well as humanoverpopulation.

Unfortunately, the invention of

the automobile has somenegative aspects. The mostobvious aspect of this is roadaccident. Many people every daysuffer from different injuries.Also, with the invention of theautomobile humankind cameacross with a problem of airpollution. A huge amount of carsevery day throw out manypoisonous matters in the air. Ibelieve that soon we all will beable to exchange our cars forthose, which use sun energyinstead of fuel.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? Thebest way to travel is in a groupled by a tour guide. Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

Traveling is the best way torelax, leave one's troubles behindand enjoy the beautiful moments.Some people prefer to travelalone. However, other people

prefer to take a tour. I think thatthese options have their ownbenefits. In the followingparagraphs I will give myreasons to support my answer.

First of all, traveling in a groupled by a tour guide gives one theopportunity to meet new people,communicate, have a great timein the company. Second of all,one does not have to spend histime looking for historical placesthat he wants to visit. A

professional guide leads groupfrom one place to another. Also,it is very interesting to hear froma guide about historical eventsthat took places there. In additionto these benefits a group led by atour guide does not feeluncomfortable because of aforeign language. All the touristsneed they can ask their tourguide. So, this allows to avoiddifficulties to communicate withdwellers of that country.

From the other hand, sometimespeople like to explore countrieswithout the help of a guide. They

like to make their owndiscoveries, be independent, feelfreedom and stay in one town aslong as they need. Personally, Ithink it is a great feeling.Sometimes I want to be alone tocontemplate about my life, toforget all troubles that bother meand just relax.

To sum up, I believe that it isreally up to a person how he orshe prefers to travel. Somepeople even like to alternatetraveling alone with traveling ina group led by a tour guide.

Some people like to travel witha companion. Other peopleprefer to travel alone. Whichdo you prefer? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your choice.

Some people prefer to travel witha companion. However, otherpeople like to travel alone.Personally, I think these twooptions have their advantagesand disadvantages. I state myopinion on the following points.

From the one side, traveling witha companion can bring manybenefits. First of all, travelingwith a companion is safer forseveral reasons. If travelers gotlost in a strange city it is easier tofind a way back. They cansupport and help each other ifsomething happened and one ofthem is hurt. As for me I prefer totravel with a companion if wetravel by car. I think it is verydangerous to be on a strange roadby one's self. One more reason tohave a companion in a car is thatthey can change each other if one

of them is tired. Second of all,traveling with a companion ismore exciting and interesting.They can share all beautifulmoments and new experiences.Finally, it helps to save somemoney because companions canshare all expenses on gas, hotels,etc.

From the other side, travelingalone can bring many benefitstoo. For example, one does nothave to do things he does notwant to. If one is tired he doesnot have to go to a bar with his

friend only because he does notwant to leave him alone.Moreover, sometimes Ipersonally want to be alone andenjoy all beauty around me. I canrelax and contemplate about mylife sitting on a beautiful cliff.

To sum up, I think traveling witha companion is better. However,sometimes I prefer to be alone bymy self in a strange city. It givesme the feeling of adventure and Ilike that.

Some people like to do onlywhat they already do well.Other people prefer to try newthings and take risks. Which doyou prefer? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your choice.

Form my everyday experienceand observation I think that allpeople who succeeded in life hadto work hard and gain moreknowledge and experience inorder to reach their goals. Fromthe other hand, people who alltheir life do things they already

do well and do not improve theirknowledge do not move forward.I base my statement on thefollowing points.

First of all, people who want tosucceed must constantly improvetheir knowledge and gain moreexperience. Moreover, they mustbe the best at their profession.So, they need to try new things,take risks sometimes and workhard .

Second of all, it is impossible tolive without trying new things.Imagine one wants to learn how

to drive. He will never be able todo it without learning new thingssuch as driving rules.

Personally, I think that it is veryinteresting to learn new, to gainmore experience, to make newgoals and reach them. Life is tooshort to stay on one place. Peopleneed changes because they makeour lives more beautiful andexiting. We find out new things,learn new things and dream toknow other things. People need

challenges because whileovercoming obstacles we makenew discoveries, becomestronger, perfect ourselves andmove forward.

To sum up, I believe that people'saspiration for learning new thingsis the main reason the way welive now. People make manydiscoveries and inventions thatmake our lives easier, happierand longer.

Some universities requirestudents to take classes inmany subjects. Otheruniversities require students tospecialize in one subject.Which is better? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

I think the issue about what isbetter to specialize in manysubjects or choose the one is acontroversial one. Each optionhas its own advantages anddisadvantages. Some peopleprefer to specialize in one subjectand know it very well. However,

others prefer to extend theirrange of interests and specializein many subjects but not indetail. Bellow I will give reasonsto support my position.

From the one side, learningsomething in detail brings manybenefits. First of all, people gainmore knowledge and experiencein this area. So, after graduationthey are well prepared for theirfurther career in this field.Second of all, they do not spendtheir precious time on othersubjects. This gives them theopportunity to focus on onesubject.

From the other side, people whospecialize in many subjects havemore options to choose from. Forexample, if a person does notmake a decision about what he isgoing to do after graduation it isa very good chance for him to trymany fields of study and makethe right decision. In addition tothis practical benefit a personhave the opportunity to extendhis range of interests, hiscommunication skills and have

better conceptions of thingsaround. Also, a person has abetter chance to choose what hereally likes to do and make self-realization.

To sup up, I think that everyperson should have a chance tochoose. Does he want tospecialize in one subject or hewants to take classes in manysubjects.

You have the opportunity tovisit a foreign country for twoweeks. Which country wouldyou like to visit? Use specificreasons and details to explainyour choice.

I am a person who likes to travel.I think traveling is a greatopportunity to meet new people,gain more knowledge andexperience, learn new customsand traditions. I did not travel alot yet, but I am sure I will have achance to do it. So, if I had theopportunity to visit a foreigncountry I would visit Egypt. Ithink it is a great and veryinteresting country with

marvellous history. In thefollowing paragraphs I will givesome reasons to support mychoice.

First of all, I always dreamed tovisit Egypt pyramids. My auntvisited Egypt a few years ago.She was very excited after thattrip and said that she wouldreturn there one more time at anycost. She said that Egypt hadimpressed her very much with itsglorious pyramids and ancientbuildings. Second of all, I thinkthat in that country one can touchhistory, feel the hard breath ofworkers building a pyramidunder the parching sun, see thechain of camels walking in the

desert with the huge trunks fullof presents for Cleopatra on theirhumps. Finally, I want to see areal dessert and ride the camel.All my friends who rode thecamel say that it is anunforgettable experience.

I believe that I will have a chanceto visit this beautiful countrysomeday. Unfortunately, now Ihave plenty of plans and things todo, so, I am afraid that I will notbe able to travel for the next twoyears. I want to finish myeducation and then find a job,

and these things have higherpriority then traveling. Myhusband wants to visit thiscountry too and we made anagreement to make our trip toEgypt on our five yearsanniversary which is in twoyears.

In conclusion, I want to add thatafter my trip to Egypt I willdefinitely visit Australia. Thiscountry is the second one on mylist the most wanted to see.

A person you know is planningto move to your town or city.What do you think this personwould like and dislike aboutliving in your town or city?Why? Use specific reasons anddetails to develop your essay.

I am from Saint-Petersburg,Russia. It is a very beautiful citythat attract many people everyyear. My close friend is going tomove here after her graduation.She already found a job and sheasked me to help her with anapartment. Knowing her very

well I think I can enumerate themajority of things she will likeand dislike about my city.

First of all, I believe she will likea huge amount of museums,theatres, movie theatres, etc. Myfriend is from a small town, so,she can not enjoy all thesebenefits at her native town.Second of all, it seems to me thatshe will like the way people livehere. The pace of life is muchfaster here then in a small town.People are always in a hurry,they try to catch a bus, then theyrun to the nearest subway station,

go to an office, meet new people,etc. Also, I think my friend willlike people here. They are veryfriendly and ready to offer a helpto those in need.

Unfortunately, my friend will notsurely like some things. As aresult of a huge amount of carsand factories the air is pollutedhere. One more thing she willdefinitely not like is the weather.It is quite humid here.

However, I think she will also

like the public transport here.The bus service are run by theGovernment and it is quiteregular. If one in a hurry he cantake a taxi, which also is quitecheap and provide a goodtransport.

In conclusion, I believe that inspite of all mentioned abovedisadvantages she will like thiscity.

People attend college oruniversity for many differentreasons (for example, newexperiences, careerpreparation, increasedknowledge). Why do you thinkpeople attend college oruniversity? Use specific reasonsand examples to support youranswer.

College is a place where peoplego to increase their knowledge,to prepare for a future career, toget a new experience, to meetnew people. Of cause, differentpeople have different reasons to

attend college, but all of themwant to change their life forbetter. In this essay I will give thebasic reasons and explain whypeople go to college.

First of all, every person wants toimprove his or her life. So,college is one of the places thathelps one get more from his life,to meet more opportunities.Knowledge is a power that canbe gotten through studding. Aftergraduation people may get betterjob and completely change theircareer and life.

Second of all, people go to a

college to get a new lifeexperience, which is veryimportant because students learnto take care of themselves. Manyof them work during theircollege years and earn their firstmoney. It is really great andexiting. They learn how to savemoney and keep house, how toarrange their time in order to getall things done etc.

Additionally, students learn howto co-operate and communicatewith each other. Many of themhave to live with a roommate.

From the first sight, it may seemdifficult to live with acompletely strange person, but ithelps one to be friendlier, moresupportive and it helps you savesome money.

In summary, I would like to addthat graduation is one of themajor goals people try toaccomplish in their life, becauseafter that many beautiful,exciting changes will happen.That changes will make a personproud of himself.

Some people spend their entirelives in one place. Others movea number of times throughouttheir lives, looking for a betterjob, house, community, or evenclimate. Which do you prefer:staying in one place or movingin search of another place? Usereasons and specific examplesto support your opinion.

It seems like world is becomingsmaller and smaller almost by theminutes. When I was a child Icould not imagine to meetsomeone from another part of the

planet. However, now I have afew friends from Africa, I canmeet many Chinese people onthe streets, have dinner at aMexican restaurant, buy somedelicious cookies at a cafe run bythe French. It is really wonderfuland amazing to see people fromall over the world, communicateand work with them. I agree withthose people who move a numberof times throughout their lives.However, I believe that peoplewho spend their entire lives inone place have many advantagestoo. First of all, I will focus onthe reasons why I support the

idea about moving and then I willmove on to analyzing theopportunities that people havestaying at one place.

Personally, I think that the firstand most obvious reason to movefrom one place to another is tosee the world. Of cause, this canbe obtained by traveling.Nevertheless, traveling does notgive the opportunity to immersedinto traditions, customs and justthe way of life of the country. Itis like seeing beautiful lookingboots on a show-window anddoes not try them on to see ifthey are comfortable.

The second reason for moving isthe opportunity to gain newexperience and knowledge. Onecan meet new people and newfriends, extend one's range oninterests. Also, one can find abetter job, life conditions andeven climate. For example, myhusband like warm and sunnyweather. So his dream is to livehere in Texas a half of the yearand move to Australia for anotherhalf of the year to catch warmmonths. One more example, my

aunt does not feel good in sultryand humid weather. So she had tomove several times to find aplace where she feelscomfortable.

From the other side, this way oflife has some disadvantages. Forinstance, it is difficult to make agood career if one is constantlymoving. Of cause, it does notconcern celebrities on their tours.Also, it is not good for childrenbecause they will have to changetheir schools a few times.

Staying in one place has a plentyof advantages too. I must confessthat I am closer to the peoplewho do not move much. I preferto have a permanent home withmy old and favorite things, havea dog and a beautiful view fromthe window.

In conclusion, I think that everyperson is always looking forsomething better than he alreadyhas. So, if people live in oneplace through their entire lives itmeans that they are looking forsomething else.

People work because they needmoney to live. What are someother reasons that peoplework? Discuss one or more ofthese reasons. Use specificexamples and details to supportyour answer.

I think there are two types ofpeople. The first type is peoplewho work for money, anothertype is people who work for self-realization. I state my position onthe following points.

First of all, people who work forself-realization like their job.Money is not important for them,they need satisfaction. I believethat this kind of people makesour evolution and history. Theyaspire after new inventions anddiscoveries overcoming allobstacles on their ways. I thinkthat these people are veryinteresting because they know alot, read many books and havetheir own life experience. Of

course they need money for someessential needs such as food andcloth, but they do not need themfor luxury houses or expensivefurnishings. Many scientists arepeople who devote their lives tonew knowledge and discoveries.

Second of all, I believe thatpeople need self-realization. Itgives them opportunity tocontribute in world's history andshare their knowledge andexperience with other people. Ithink it helps them to realize thatthey are needed by humankindand will not be forgotten. This ispriceless.

To sum up, I think that people'saspiration after self-realization isthe main reason why we havenow good medicine, differentmeans of communications, manydevices to make our lives easier,etc.

People remember special giftsor presents that they have

received. Why? Use specificreasons and examples tosupport your answer.

Receiving gifts is always veryexciting. I think that all peoplelike to receive presents from theirrelatives, friends, co-workers,etc. Personally, I am sure that aperson does not remember allgifts he has received because it isimpossible. However, I knowthat all people remember a fewgifts that were special. Whypeople remember those specialgifts?

First of all, I believe that peopleremember special gifts becausethey were from very close anddear people. For example, Iremember my parents presentedme a ring when I was sixteenyears old. It was not anexpensive ring but it was veryvaluable for me and when I leftmy home and moved to anothercity I often looked at that ringand felt like my parents weresomewhere near me. I felt theirsupport and understanding. It islike people who are close to usgive their small parts of their solewith that gift. They want us toremember them and they want to

make us happy. These gifts arevery valuable for people of allcountries and nationalities.

Another reason why peopleremember special gifts becausethey were exactly what peoplewanted to have for a long time,but for some reasons, forexample, they just could notafford those things, they did notbuy them. So, when they receivethose things as gifts it makesthem very happy and theyremember those moments for along time. When I was a childmy mother could not buy me abicycle because we did not haveenough money at that time. So,when my grandfather bought memy first bicycle it was thehappiest moment in my life.Moreover, he personally taughtme how to ride and I spent all myspare time after that eventcycling.

To sum up, I think that peopleremember special gifts becausethey presented with love

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? Withthe help of technology, studentsnowadays can learn moreinformation and learn it morequickly. Use specific reasonsand examples to support youranswer.

From my everyday experienceand observation I can stateseveral factors, which defend thestatement that with the help oftechnology, students nowadayscan learn more information andlearn it more quickly.

First of all, the latest inventionsof humankind dramaticallyimproved our life. Nowadays wecan move from one place toanother more quickly, we do notspend much time cooking, wehave many different recourses ofinformation and means ofcommunication. So, our life nowis more dynamic and changeable.During our day we receive ahuge amount of information andprocess it. Students at the sametime have more resources to getinformation they need. They cango to a library, the nearest

bookstore, or borrow it from afriend or even download it froman Internet. I think It is great.Instead of waiting for one's turnto get a book in a library, one canprint it from a file downloadedearlier. The great thing about itthat one can print only thosepages he is interested in and alsomake marks on the pages to markimportant ideas.

Another important aspect of thisis the advantages of usingcomputer the greatest inventionof the last century. Students donot have to spend their time bywriting and re-writing manypapers. It is really time-consuming. They just typeinformation in and may use manyuseful features such as "copy","past", "delete", "save", etc. Also,sometimes students do not haveto write down lectures becausethey already have them on theircomputers.

Internet plays an important rolein our life now. We cancommunicate with the peoplewho are on another part of theplanet. We also can get the latest

news very quickly. People canask for a piece of advice or finddifferent kinds of information onthe Internet. Students can gettheir degree on-line, register forclasses, communicate withprofessors, take tests and evenlisten to a lecture.I think the great part in it thatstudents may more effectivelyarrange their time. They can get

their task by e-mail and stayhome to do it. It really saves timeand make studying more funespecially if a person has to workin order to pay his or her tuition.

To summarize, I think that manylast inventions improvedstudents' life and allowed them toconcentrate more on studying.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? Thereis nothing that young peoplecan teach older people. Usespecific reasons and examplesto support your position.

I have to totally disagree with thestatement that there is nothingthat young people can teach olderpeople. For several reasons,which I will mention bellow, Ithink that young people can teacholder people many things.

First of all, young people intendto learn new things faster. Theyfaster learn new technologies.Second of all, young people aremore motivated. They aspire tosucceed and make a good career,

which requires good knowledgeand experience. So, they try toget more knowledge andexperience from different sourceslike Internet, books, newspaper,magazines and of cause fromconversations with other people.In addition to this young peoplebring many fresh ideas to theteam they are working in. Forexample, when my friend washired as a software developer hesurprised everybody with hisenergy, a bunch of new and freshideas about what could be doneto improve the process. He wasthe youngest person in the teambut everybody listened to himand it was like a fresh air, animpulse, which made everyonework harder.

Finally, young people often knowmore about new technologies.For example, my husband is 26years old and he is a goodprofessional in softwaredevelopment. So, he is oftenasked to read a lecture fordifferent companies andaudience. Needless to say, themajority of people who attendthose lectures are older than myhusband.

To sum up, I think that young

people have many things to teacholder people. Moreover, I thinkthat people from everygeneration have something tolearn from each other. Peoplelearn trough their entire livesfrom books that hold theexperience and the history ofprevious generations as well asfrom their own experience andexperience of the youngerpeople.

Do you agree or disagree withthe following statement? A zoohas no useful purpose. Usespecific reasons and examplesto explain your answer.

I think that the question aboutwhether a zoo has no usefulpurpose is the one that is openfor debate. It is a topical questionnowadays. Some people believethat a zoo has an essential andcognitive purpose. However,other people believe that a zoohas no useful purpose and peopleshould observe wild animals intheir nature. Personally, I thinkthat both options have their

advantages. In the followingparagraphs I will analyze thesepoints and present my own viewin favor of people who think thatanimals should not be kept in azoo.

From the one side, a zoo hasmany benefits for people. First ofall, children can learn aboutanimals not only from books andTV programs but from actuallywatching them alive. They cansee animals, touch them and evenfeed them. I think it is anamazing experience for a child.He gains more knowledge andexperience from this"communication" with an animal.

Second of all, a zoo is a perfectplace for adults to see manyanimals that people are not ableto see in their lives.

However, from the other side, Ikeep asking myself "What kindof benefits wild animals havefrom a zoo?". Unfortunately, Ican not find any of them. I thinkthat wild animals should live intheir nature environment.Moreover, I think that we shouldobserve them through TVprograms sitting in our favoritechairs, or people who likedanger should try to observethem in the native environment. I

think that animals are not toys. Iknow that most zoos try to keeptheir animals in the environmentwhich is close to their native, butthey can not give them as muchfreedom as animals want to.

To sum up, I think that wildanimals should not be kept in azoo. Personally, I enjoy morewatching "Discovery Channel"then watching a black bear whodoes not know where to hidefrom the scorching sun in a Texaszoo.

IELTS Sample Essays

Dear professor Moss:

I am Sandy Lee, anundergraduate student of thedepartment of Electrical andComputer Engineering. At thebeginning of this semester, Iregistered one of your courses,African Literature and Culture. Itis a two-hour course held onevery Thursday afternoon.

Yesterday, I received a noticefrom my department that a majorcourse, Computer Principle,would be changed to Thursdayafternoon. This major courseconspicuously influences mycredits and it is every importantto me. Unfortunately, I can notstudy your course this semester.

Because of your reputation andmy enthusiasm in literature, Ihope I could study this course innext semester. I also heard thatanother course of yours, China

Literature, is held every Fridayafternoon. If the registration ofthis course hasn't closed yet, Iwill be so glad to participate inyour class.

Sorry to bother you, your helpwill be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely yours,

Sandy Lee

2. LETTER - AS ARESTAURANT WORKER,MAKE SUGGESTIONS TOTHE RESTAURANT

Dear General Manager,

As a staff of Sales Department,I'm very glad to see the rapiddevelopment of our hotel. Withthe coming of New Year, I amwriting to you to pre I think moreon the further improvement ofour hotelĂêto establish a websiteof our own to attract moreclients.

Firstly, with the development ofInternet, more and more people

are willing to go to the outsideworld through the information onInternet. Thus if we couldestablish our own website andintroduce ourselves on it, morefriends, especially foreignfriends, could know our latestpromotion at home wheneverthey want. Secondly, accordingto the statistics of World HotelAssociation, 33% of clients madehotel reservation through theInternet last year. And theproportion will largely increasein year 2000. Thus if we couldintroduce reservation system onour homepage, clients couldcontact us and make reservationdirectly. Finally, hotel promotionon Internet could reduce ouroperation cost greatly.

As someone says that Internetshorten the distance of the world,I believe that the one who couldmake use of Internet effectivelytoday will be the winnertomorrow. We will get a lot andhave a brilliant future.

Yours sincerely,

Livia Lim

3. TO IMPROVETRANSPORTATION BYBUILDING MORE ROADSUSING TAX PAYER'S MONEY

To construct and maintain roadsis a public service administeredby the government. However,where does the money comefrom? Somebody believe that thegovernment should allocatemoney from national finance onthe roadconstruction; but others think thatthe roads are constructed forpeople, so every tax-payer hasthe responsibility forconstructing and maintaining theroads. It is so called ðWhat istaken from the people is used inthe interests of the people.ñ

To the first opinion, sincegovernment is the administrativeorgan, it has responsibility to dooverall plan on those publicservices of city construction,including constructing the road.They think that the governmentshould do plan and allocate everypenny on all things concerningpeople's life.

However in reality, thegovernment cannot do allspecific plans and moneyallocations on every detailconcerning the society running. Itonly has the right of macro-adjustment and control. To bespecific on the road construction,many people believe that basedon the principle above, since theroad is constructed for theconvenience of peoplethemselves, every tax-payer hasduty to devote a little on the roadconstruction, which is not onlyfor the city overall plan, but alsofor their own use fundamentally.Once the constructionsfinish, the roads will be widerand longer, the facilities alongthe roads will be better in use, bythen people could furtherimprove their working efficiency,etc..

As I know, the second opinion ismore reasonable and feasible,because it has two advantages: 1.The government could reduceheavy burdens, simplify andmake clear the usage of money;2. Tax-payers are clear about the

usage of money they turn over,thus improve the transparency.Therefore, it is a good measurefor both sides to allocate moneyfrom the tax paid by people onthe road construction.

4. LOST SOMETHING ON ANAIRPLANE AND WIRTE TOTHE AIRPORT FOR HELP

Dear officer:

In 01/01/2000, I took flightCA983 from Beijing to LosAngeles. When the flight arrivedat Los Angeles, because of mycarelessness, I left my handbag, ablack leathered bag, on my seat.There are some important thingsin it, including my passport, IDcard, credit card, some checksand one thousand US Dollars.But the most important thing ismy business address book, inwhich record all my clients'phone numbers and appointmentagenda in the following twoweeks.

Since this bag is very importantto me, my friends told me that I

should contact your departmentto seek help, so I write this letterto you anxiously. Hope you andyour staff can help me find mylost bag. Your meticulous andwarmhearted help will be greatlyappreciated.

For information about my lostthing, please contact me in thefollowing ways.

Mobile phone: 13901160626

Home phone: 82326258

Office phone: 82326255

Yours sincerely

Will Smith

01/04/2000