Ielts William Harris Essays

8/16/2019 Ielts William Harris Essays

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More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life, but citylife can be extremely difficult. Explain some of the difficulties of living in a city.How can governments make urban life better for everyone?

Cities are often seen as places of opportunity, but there are also some majordrawbacks of living in a large metropolis. In my opinion, governments could do muchmore to improve city life for the average inhabitant.

The main problem for anyone who hopes to migrate to a large city is that the cost ofliving is likely to be much higher than it is in a small town or village. Inhabitants ofcities have to pay higher prices for housing, transport, and even food. Another issueis that urban areas tend to suffer from social problems such as high crime andpoverty rates in comparison with rural areas. Furthermore, the air uality in cities isoften poor, due to pollution from traffic, and the streets and public transport systemsare usually overcrowded. As a result, city life can be unhealthy and stressful.

!owever, there are various steps that governments could take to tackle theseproblems. Firstly, they could invest money in the building of affordable or socialhousing to reduce the cost of living. "econdly, politicians have the power to banvehicles from city centres and promote the use of cleaner public transport, whichwould help to reduce both air pollution and traffic congestion. In #ondon, fore$ample, the introduction of a congestion charge for drivers has helped to curb thetraffic problem. A third option would be to develop provincial towns and rural areas,by moving industry and jobs to those regions, in order to reduce the pressure onmajor cities.

In conclusion, governments could certainly implement a range of measures toenhance the uality of life for all city residents.

Internet VS newspaper

The Internet is beginning to rival newspapers as the best place to find informationabout what is happening in the world. I believe that this trend will continue, and theInternet will soon be just as important as the traditional press. %n the one hand, Ibelieve that newspapers will continue to be a vital source of information, even in theInternet age.

Firstly, newspapers are the most traditional means of communicating the news, andnot everyone wants to or is able to use the Internet instead. For e$ample, old peopleor those in rural areas might not have the ability or opportunity to get online, whilemany of us simply prefer newspapers even if we do have Internet access.

"econdly, newspapers can be trusted as reliable sources of news because theyemploy professional journalists and editors. Finally, many people like the e$perienceof holding and reading a paper rather than looking at a computer screen. !owever,the Internet is likely to become just as popular as newspapers for a variety ofreasons. The main reason is that it allows us much faster access to news in real timeand wherever we are, on different gadgets and mobile devices. Another key benefitof online news compared to newspapers is the ability to share articles, discuss them


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with other people, give our views, and even contribute with our own updates onsocial media. For e$ample, there has been an e$plosion in the use of platforms likeTwitter and &ouTube where anyone can share their news and views. A final point isthat this source of news is less damaging to the environment. In conclusion, Idisagree with the view that newspapers will continue to be the main source of news,because I believe that the Internet will soon be e ually important

In some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone nowadaysthan in the past. o you think this is a positive or negative development?

In recent years it has become far more normal for people to live alone, particularly inlarge cities in the developed world. In my opinion, this trend could have both positiveand negative conse uences in e ual measure.

The rise in one'person households can be seen as positive for both personal andbroader economic reasons. %n an individual level, people who choose to live alonemay become more independent and self'reliant than those who live with familymembers. A young adult who lives alone, for e$ample, will need to learn to cook,clean, pay bills and manage his or her budget, all of which are valuable life skills( anincrease in the number of such individuals can certainly be seen as a positivedevelopment. From an economic perspective, the trend towards living alone willresult in greater demand for housing. This is likely to benefit the constructionindustry, estate agents and a whole host of other companies that rely onhomeowners to buy their products or services.

!owever, the personal and economic arguments given above can be consideredfrom the opposite angle. Firstly, rather than the positive feeling of increasedindependence, people who live alone may e$perience feelings of loneliness, isolationand worry. They miss out on the emotional support and daily conversation that familyor flatmates can provide, and they must bear the weight of all household bills andresponsibilities( in this sense, perhaps the trend towards living alone is a negativeone. "econdly, from the financial point of view, a rise in demand for housing is likelyto push up property prices and rents. )hile this may benefit some businesses, thegeneral population, including those who live alone, will be faced with rising livingcosts.

In conclusion, the increase in one'person households will have both beneficial anddetrimental effects on individuals and on the economy.

!ome people think that all university students should study whatever theylike. "thers believe that they should only be allowed to study sub#ects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology.

iscuss both these views and give your own opinion.

*eople have different views about how much choice students should have with

regard to what they can study at university. )hile some argue that it would be better


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for students to be forced into certain key subject areas, I believe that everyoneshould be able to study the course of their choice.

There are various reasons why people believe that universities should only offersubjects that will be useful in the future. They may assert that university courses like

medicine, engineering and information technology are more likely to be beneficialthan certain art degrees. From a personal perspective, it can be argued that thesecourses provide more job opportunities, career progression, better salaries, andtherefore an improved uality of life for students who take them. %n the societallevel, by forcing people to choose particular university subjects, governments canensure that any knowledge and skill gaps in the economy are covered. Finally, afocus on technology in higher education could lead to new inventions, economicgrowth, and greater future prosperity.

In spite of these arguments, I believe that university students should be free tochoose their preferred areas of study. In my opinion, society will benefit more if ourstudents are passionate about what they are learning. +esides, nobody can reallypredict which areas of knowledge will be most useful to society in the future, and itmay be that employers begin to value creative thinking skills above practical ortechnical skills. If this were the case, perhaps we would need more students of art,history and philosophy than of science or technology.

In conclusion, although it might seem sensible for universities to focus only on themost useful subjects, I personally prefer the current system in which people have theright to study whatever they like.

!ome people who have been in prison become good citi$ens later, and it isoften argued that these are the best people to talk to teenagers about thedangers of committing a crime.%o what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is true that e$'prisoners can become normal, productive members of society. Icompletely agree with the idea that allowing such people to speak to teenagersabout their e$periences is the best way to discourage them from breaking the law.

In my opinion, teenagers are more likely to accept advice from someone who canspeak from e$perience. eformed offenders can tell young people about how theybecame involved in crime, the dangers of a criminal lifestyle, and what life in prisonis really like. They can also dispel any ideas that teenagers may have aboutcriminals leading glamorous lives. )hile adolescents are often indifferent to theguidance given by older people, I imagine that most of them would be e$tremelykeen to hear the stories of an e$'offender. The vivid and perhaps shocking nature ofthese stories is likely to have a powerful impact.

The alternatives to using reformed criminals to educate teenagers about crime wouldbe much less effective. %ne option would be for police officers to visit schools andtalk to young people. This could be useful in terms of informing teens about what

happens to lawbreakers when they are caught, but young people are often reluctantto take advice from figures of authority. A second option would be for school teachers


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to speak to their students about crime, but I doubt that students would see teachersas credible sources of information about this topic. Finally, educational films might beinformative, but there would be no opportunity for young people to interact and ask

uestions.

In conclusion, I fully support the view that people who have turned their lives aroundafter serving a prison sentence could help to deter teenagers from committingcrimes.

%he older generations tend to have very traditional ideas about how peopleshould live, think and behave. However, some people believe that these ideasare not helpful in preparing younger generations for modern life.%o what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?

It is true that many older people believe in traditional values that often seemincompatible with the needs of younger people. )hile I agree that some traditionalideas are outdated, I believe that others are still useful and should not be forgotten.

%n the one hand, many of the ideas that elderly people have about life are becomingless relevant for younger people. In the past, for e$ample, people were advised tolearn a profession and find a secure job for life, but today-s workers e$pect muchmore variety and diversity from their careers. At the same time, the rules- aroundrelationships are being eroded as young adults make their own choices about whoand when to marry. +ut perhaps the greatest disparity between the generations canbe seen in their attitudes towards gender roles. The traditional roles of men and

women, as breadwinners and housewives, are no longer accepted as necessary orappropriate by most younger people.

%n the other hand, some traditional views and values are certainly applicable to themodern world. For e$ample, older generations attach great importance to workinghard, doing one-s best, and taking pride in one-s work, and these behaviours cansurely benefit young people as they enter today-s competitive job market. %thercharacteristics that are perhaps seen as traditional are politeness and goodmanners. In our globalised world, young adults can e$pect to come into contact withpeople from a huge variety of backgrounds, and it is more important than ever totreat others with respect. Finally, I believe that young people would lead happier lives

if they had a more old'fashioned- sense of community and neighbourliness.In conclusion, although the views of older people may sometimes seem unhelpful intoday-s world, we should not dismiss all traditional ideas as irrelevant.

Many people prefer to watch foreign films rather than locally produced films.&hy could this be? !hould governments give more financial support to local film industries?

It is true that foreign films are more popular in many countries than domestically

produced films. There could be several reasons why this is the case, and I believethat governments should promote local film'making by subsidising the industry.


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road accidents by investing in better public transport, which would mean that fewerpeople would need to travel by car.

In conclusion, while punishments can help to prevent bad driving, I believe that other road safety measures should also be introduced.

%hese days more fathers stay at home and take care of their children whilemothers go out to work. &hat could be the reasons for this? o you think it isa positive or a negative development?

It is true that men are increasingly likely to take on the role of househusband, whilemore women than ever are the breadwinners in their families. There could be severalreasons for this, and I consider it to be a very positive trend.

In recent years, parents have had to adapt to various changes in our societies. 3 ual

rights movements have made great progress, and it has become normal for womento gain ualifications and pursue a career. It has also become socially acceptable formen to stay at home and look after their children. At the same time, the rising cost ofliving has meant that both marriage partners usually need to work and save moneybefore starting a family. Therefore, when couples have children, they may decidewho works and who stays at home depending on the personal preference of eachpartner, or based on which partner earns the most money.

In my view, the changes described above should be seen as progress. )e should behappy to live in a society in which men and women have e ual opportunities, and inwhich women are not put under pressure to sacrifice their careers. 3 ually, it seemsonly fair that men should be free to leave their jobs in order to assume childcareresponsibilities if this is what they wish to do. Couples should be left to make theirown decisions about which parental role each partner takes, according to theirparticular circumstances and needs.

In conclusion, the changing roles of men and women in the family are a result ofwider changes in society, and I believe that these developments are desirable.

&ild animals have no place in the '(st century, so protecting them is a wasteof resources. %o what extent do you agree or disagree?

"ome people argue that it is pointless to spend money on the protection of wildanimals because we humans have no need for them. I completely disagree with thispoint of view.

In my opinion, it is absurd to argue that wild animals have no place in the 45stcentury. I do not believe that planet 3arth e$ists only for the benefit of humans, andthere is nothing special about this particular century that means that we suddenlyhave the right to allow or encourage the e$tinction of any species. Furthermore,there is no compelling reason why we should let animals die out. )e do not need toe$ploit or destroy every last s uare metre of land in order to feed or accommodatethe world-s population. There is plenty of room for us to e$ist side by side with wildanimals, and this should be our aim.


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I also disagree with the idea that protecting animals is a waste of resources. It isusually the protection of natural habitats that ensures the survival of wild animals,and most scientists agree that these habitats are also crucial for human survival. Fore$ample, rainforests produce o$ygen, absorb carbon dio$ide and stabilise the3arth-s climate. If we destroyed these areas, the costs of managing the resultingchanges to our planet would far outweigh the costs of conservation. +y protectingwild animals and their habitats, we maintain the natural balance of all life on 3arth.

In conclusion, we have no right to decide whether or not wild animals should e$ist,and I believe that we should do everything we can to protect them.

Happiness is considered very important in life.&hy is it difficult to define? &hat factors are important in achieving happiness?

It is no doubt true that the majority of people would like to be happy in their lives.)hile the personal nature of happiness makes it difficult to describe, there do seemto be some common needs that we all share with regard to e$periencing or achievinghappiness.

!appiness is difficult to define because it means something different to eachindividual person. 0obody can fully understand or e$perience another person-sfeelings, and we all have our own particular passions from which we take pleasure."ome people, for e$ample, derive a sense of satisfaction from earning money orachieving success, whereas for others, health and family are much more important.

At the same time, a range of other feelings, from e$citement to peacefulness, may

be associated with the idea of happiness, and the same person may therefore feelhappy in a variety of different ways.

Although it seems almost impossible to give a precise definition of happiness, mostpeople would agree that there are some basic preconditions to achieving it. Firstly, itis hard for a person to be happy if he or she does not have a safe place to live andenough food to eat. %ur basic survival needs must surely be met before we can leada pleasant life. "econdly, the greatest joy in life is usually found in sharede$periences with family and friends, and it is rare to find a person who is content tolive in complete isolation. %ther key factors could be individual freedom and a senseof purpose in life.

In conclusion, happiness is difficult to define because it is particular to eachindividual, but I believe that our basic needs for shelter, food and company need tobe fulfilled before we can e$perience it.

In the last 20 years there have been significant developments in the field ofinformation technology (IT), for example the orld ide eb andcomm!nication by email" #owever, these developments in IT are li$ely tohave more negative effects than positive in the f!t!re"To what extent do yo!agree with this view%


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The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people2s lives areaffected by IT, with many advances in this field. !owever, while these technologicaladvances have brought many benefits to the world, it can be argued that thesedevelopments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive.

To begin, email has made communication, especially abroad, much simpler andfaster, resulting in numerous benefits for commerce and business. Furthermore, the)orld )ide )eb means that information on every conceivable subject is nowavailable to us. For e$ample, people can access news, medical advice, onlineeducation courses and much more via the internet. It is evident that theseimprovements have made life far easier and more convenient for large numbers ofpeople and will continue to do so for decades to come.

0evertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial. For

e$ample, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditionalforms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face'to'faceconversation. This could result in a decline in people2s basic ability to sociali6e andinteract with each other on a day'to'day basis.

In addition, the large si6e of the )eb has meant that it is nearly impossible toregulate and control. This has led to many concerns regarding children accessingunsuitable websites and viruses. 7nfortunately, this kind of problem might even getworse in the future at least until more regulated systems are set up.

In conclusion, developments in IT have brought many benefits, yet I believedevelopments relating to new technology are likely to produce many negative effectsin the future that must be addressed if we are to avoid damaging impacts onindividuals and society.

)amilies who send their children to private schools should not be re*uired to pay taxes that support the state education system.%o what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

"ome people believe that parents of children who attend private schools should notneed to contribute to state schools through ta$es. *ersonally, I completely disagreewith this view.

For a variety of reasons, it would be wrong to reduce ta$es for families who pay forprivate education. Firstly, it would be difficult to calculate the correct amount of ta$reduction for these families, and staff would be re uired to manage this comple$process. "econdly, we all pay a certain amount of ta$ for public services that we maynot use. For e$ample, most people are fortunate enough not to have to call thepolice or fire brigade at any time in their lives, but they would not e$pect a ta$reduction for this. Finally, if wealthy families were given a ta$ discount for sending

their children to private schools, we might have a situation where poorer people payhigher ta$es than the rich.


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In my opinion, we should all be happy to pay our share of the money that supportspublic schools. It is beneficial for all members of society to have a high ualityeducation system with e ual opportunities for all young people. This will result in awell'educated workforce, and in turn a more productive and prosperous nation.*arents of children in private schools may also see the advantages of this in theirown lives. For e$ample, a company owner will need well ualified and competentstaff, and a well'funded education system can provide such employees.

In conclusion, I do not believe that any financial concessions should be made forpeople who choose private education.

+owadays celebrities are more famous for their glamour and wealth than fortheir achievements, and this sets a bad example to young people.%o what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

It is true that some celebrities are known for their glamorous lifestyles rather than forthe work they do. )hile I agree that these celebrities set a bad e$ample for children,I believe that other famous people act as positive role models.

%n the one hand, many people do achieve fame without really working for it. Theymay have inherited money from parents, married a famous or wealthy person, orthey may have appeared in gossip maga6ines or on a reality T8 programme. A goode$ample would be *aris !ilton, who is rich and famous for the wrong reasons. "hespends her time attending parties and nightclubs, and her behaviour promotes theidea that appearance, glamour and media profile are more important than hard work

and good character. The message to young people is that success can be achievedeasily, and that school work is not necessary.

%n the other hand, there are at least as many celebrities whose accomplishmentsmake them e$cellent role models for young people. Actors, musicians and sportsstars become famous idols because they have worked hard and applied themselvesto develop real skills and abilities. They demonstrate great effort, determination andambition, which is re uired for someone who wants to be truly successful in theirchosen field. An e$ample is the actor and martial artist /ackie Chan, who hasbecome world famous through years of practice and hard work. This kind of self'made celebrity can inspire children to develop their talents through application and

perseverance.

&hen choosing a #ob, the salary is the most important consideration. %o whatextent do you agree or disagree?

9any people choose their jobs based on the si6e of the salary offered. *ersonally, Idisagree with the idea that money is the key consideration when deciding on acareer, because I believe that other factors are e ually important.

%n the one hand, I agree that money is necessary in order for people to meet their

basic needs. For e$ample, we all need money to pay for housing, food, bills, healthcare, and education. 9ost people consider it a priority to at least earn a salary that


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allows them to cover these needs and have a reasonable uality of life. If peoplechose their jobs based on enjoyment or other non'financial factors, they might find itdifficult to support themselves. Artists and musicians, for instance, are known forchoosing a career path that they love, but that does not always provide them withenough money to live comfortably and raise a family.

0evertheless, I believe that other considerations are just as important as what weearn in our jobs. Firstly, personal relationships and the atmosphere in a workplaceare e$tremely important when choosing a job. !aving a good manager or friendlycolleagues, for e$ample, can make a huge difference to workers- levels of happinessand general uality of life. "econdly, many people-s feelings of job satisfaction comefrom their professional achievements, the skills they learn, and the position theyreach, rather than the money they earn. Finally, some people choose a careerbecause they want to help others and contribute something positive to society.

In conclusion, while salaries certainly affect people-s choice of profession, I do notbelieve that money outweighs all other motivators.

!ome people think that in the modern world we are more dependent on eachother, while others think that people have become more independent. iscussboth views and give your own opinion.

*eople have different views about whether we are more or less dependent on othersnowadays. In my view, modern life forces us to be more independent than peoplewere in the past.

There are two main reasons why it could be argued that we are more dependent oneach other now. Firstly, life is more comple$ and difficult, especially because the costof living has increased so dramatically. For e$ample, young adults tend to rely ontheir parents for help when buying a house. *roperty prices are higher than ever, andwithout help it would be impossible for many people to pay a deposit and amortgage. "econdly, people seem to be more ambitious nowadays, and they want abetter uality of life for their families. This means that both parents usually need towork full'time, and they depend on support from grandparents and babysitters forchild care.

!owever, I would agree with those who believe that people are more independentthese days. In most countries, families are becoming smaller and more dispersed,which means that people cannot count on relatives as much as they used to. )ealso have more freedom to travel and live far away from our home towns. Fore$ample, many students choose to study abroad instead of going to their localuniversity, and this e$perience makes them more independent as they learn to livealone. Another factor in this growing independence is technology, which allows us towork alone and from any part of the world.

In conclusion, while there are some reasons to believe that people now depend oneach other more, my own view is that we are more independent than ever.


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)oreign visitors should pay more than local visitors for cultural and historicalattractions. %o what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

It is sometimes argued that tourists from overseas should be charged more thanlocal residents to visit important sites and monuments. I completely disagree with

this idea.The argument in favour of higher prices for foreign tourists would be that cultural orhistorical attractions often depend on state subsidies to keep them going, whichmeans that the resident population already pays money to these sites through theta$ system. !owever, I believe this to be a very shortsighted view. Foreign touristscontribute to the economy of the host country with the money they spend on a widerange of goods and services, including food, souvenirs, accommodation and travel.The governments and inhabitants of every country should be happy to subsidiseimportant tourist sites and encourage people from the rest of the world to visit them.

If travellers realised that they would have to pay more to visit historical and culturalattractions in a particular nation, they would perhaps decide not to go to that countryon holiday. To take the 7: as an e$ample, the tourism industry and many related

jobs rely on visitors coming to the country to see places like )indsor Castle or "aint*aul-s Cathedral. These two sites charge the same price regardless of nationality,and this helps to promote the nation-s cultural heritage. If overseas tourists stoppedcoming due to higher prices, there would be a risk of insufficient funding for themaintenance of these important buildings.

In conclusion, I believe that every effort should be made to attract tourists fromoverseas, and it would be counterproductive to make them pay more than localresidents.

!ome people think that governments should give financial support to creativeartists such as painters and musicians. "thers believe that creative artistsshould be funded by alternative sources. iscuss both views and give yourown opinion.

*eople have different views about the funding of creative artists. )hile some peopledisagree with the idea of government support for artists, I believe that money for artprojects should come from both governments and other sources.

"ome art projects definitely re uire help from the state. In the 7:, there are manyworks of art in public spaces, such as streets or s uares in city centres. In #iverpool,for e$ample, there are several new statues and sculptures in the docks area of thecity, which has been redeveloped recently. These artworks represent culture,heritage and history. They serve to educate people about the city, and act aslandmarks or talking points for visitors and tourists. ;overnments and local councilsshould pay creative artists to produce this kind of art, because without their fundingour cities would be much less interesting and attractive.

%n the other hand, I can understand the arguments against government funding forart. The main reason for this view is that governments have more importantconcerns. For e$ample, state budgets need to be spent on education, healthcare,


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infrastructure and security, among other areas. These public services are vital for acountry to function properly, whereas the work of creative artists, even in publicplaces, is a lu$ury. Another reason for this opinion is that artists do a job like anyother professional, and they should therefore earn their own money by selling theirwork.

In conclusion, there are good reasons why artists should rely on alternative sourcesof financial support, but in my opinion government help is sometimes necessary.

+owadays animal experiments are widely used to develop new medicines andto test the safety of other products. !ome people argue that these experimentsshould be banned because it is morally wrong to cause animals to suffer,while others are in favour of them because of their benefits to humanity.

iscuss both views and give your own opinion.

It is true that medicines and other products are routinely tested on animals beforethey are cleared for human use. )hile I tend towards the viewpoint that animaltesting is morally wrong, I would have to support a limited amount of animale$perimentation for the development of medicines.

%n the one hand, there are clear ethical arguments against animal e$perimentation.To use a common e$ample of this practice, laboratory mice may be given an illnessso that the effectiveness of a new drug can be measured. %pponents of suchresearch argue that humans have no right to subject animals to this kind of trauma,and that the lives of all creatures should be respected. They believe that the benefits

to humans do not justify the suffering caused, and that scientists should usealternative methods of research.

%n the other hand, reliable alternatives to animal e$perimentation may not always beavailable. "upporters of the use of animals in medical research believe that a certainamount of suffering on the part of mice or rats can be justified if human lives aresaved. They argue that opponents of such research might feel differently if a member of their own families needed a medical treatment that had been developed throughthe use of animal e$perimentation. *ersonally, I agree with the banning of animaltesting for non'medical products, but I feel that it may be a necessary evil where newdrugs and medical procedures are concerned.

In conclusion, it seems to me that it would be wrong to ban testing on animals forvital medical research until e ually effective alternatives have been developed.

In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. &hat problemswill this cause for individuals and society? !uggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of ageing populations.

It is true that people in industrialised nations can e$pect to live longer than everbefore. Although there will undoubtedly be some negative conse uences of thistrend, societies can take steps to mitigate these potential problems.

As people live longer and the populations of developed countries grow older, severalrelated problems can be anticipated. The main issue is that there will obviously be


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more people of retirement age who will be eligible to receive a pension. Theproportion of younger, working adults will be smaller, and governments will thereforereceive less money in ta$es in relation to the si6e of the population. In other words,an ageing population will mean a greater ta$ burden for working adults. Furtherpressures will include a rise in the demand for healthcare, and the fact young adultswill increasingly have to look after their elderly relatives.

There are several actions that governments could take to solve the problemsdescribed above. Firstly, a simple solution would be to increase the retirement agefor working adults, perhaps from ?. 0owadays, people of this age tend to behealthy enough to continue a productive working life. A second measure would be for governments to encourage immigration in order to increase the number of workingadults who pay ta$es. Finally, money from national budgets will need to be takenfrom other areas and spent on vital healthcare, accommodation and transportfacilities for the rising numbers of older citi6ens.

In conclusion, various measures can be taken to tackle the problems that are certainto arise as the populations of countries grow older.

Today, in many co!ntries, fewer and fewer st!dents st!dy science s!b&ects"hat are the ca!ses and effects of this problem%

Causes

' +oring subject , ' Too hard work, ' Too long to succeed

' 0ot practical in economic value3ffects

' Imbalance in work force, ' #ess creative minds, ' Fewer revolutionary inventions

There is a trend of a decline in the number of people studying science. "ome peoplethink that it is because of its lack of materialistic value while others claim that it is aboring subject. 9y essay will discuss causes and solutions to this issue.

There are several culprits of a fall in the number of science learners. It is believedthat this subject is uite dull and prosaic. Imagine when the modern world is full of

recreational activities, it would be boring to death to solely spend hours in thelaboratory researching and e$perimenting chemicals. 9eanwhile, life is aboutmaking friends, working in groups and travelling around the world. +esides, in orderto reach the 6enith of success in scientific world, it takes years and even the entirelife to con uer challenges. "ometimes, it has been historically proven that pioneerscientists had to risk their life to buttress their revolutionary researches againstbackward thinking of the contemporary world. In addition, as a result of economicurge, which drives people to have a bigger house, great career and time to enjoy life,science life hardly promises good economic results. "urveys have shown that nosooner have outstanding students in 8ietnam graduated and started working in

national science departments than they are given less than 4?? dollars for being ane$pert on their field and rarely have ability to take care of themselves, let alone their


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families. %n the contrary, the journey to become an accomplished businessman ismuch shorter, taking some years to establish companies and attract targetcustomers.

0evertheless, effects of this tendency are no good. Facts have shown that due to

immediate economic benefits, most students choose to pursue business, instead ofscience. As a conse uence, the workforce becomes imbalanced. )ere it not for theinvention of scientists, would businessmen thrive@ #et-s take an e$ample of the birthof television given a great scientist, but generating billions of dollars for businessmenby selling it for years. For this reason, the economy itself of the world is jeopardi6edwith fewer and fewer people willing to follow a life of science. 3 ually important,children grow up and become imbued with the idea of giving up their effort to nurturetheir creativity, do the impossible and just being obsessed with a materialistic life. Istill recalled a wonderful film beautiful mindB, and broke into tears to see with myeyes what a true life of scientist was. /ohn 0ash, who grew insane in his uest to dig

deeper into his favourite scientific field and was isolated by people for long, spent hiswhole life e$ploring the beauty of calculations, and came up with valuable principles.#ooking at the life of him, we' as young generation' feel inspired and become acutelyaware of the fact that without science and enduring passion for it, there would benothing interesting in the world for us to inherit and enjoy. Though scientists areclaimed to be geeks, weirdoes or whatsoever, they lead the world to a stage ofchange, revolution and uintessence.

It is important for all towns and cities to have large p!blic spaces s!ch as

s'!ares and par$s" o yo! agree or disagree with this statement%*ros' +alance ecology , ' Increase sociali6ation , ' Attract more tourists

Cons' 3$pensive, ' 0ot suitable with geography

*arks and public places are part of city-s life. "ome people think that no matter howurbani6ed big cities are, these places should be sustained like their lungs while

others claim that to establish such areas entails a great amount of cost. I stronglyagree with the statement for the following reasons.

The first reason in favour of the latter view is that the creation of public places, parksand similar areas demands a huge amount of investment. )hile governments arestill stuck with burdensome problems from illiteracy, pollution to terrorism, it sounds alu$urious to standardi6e all cities with the e$istence of such buildings. !owever, itshould be noted that cities are not physical areas for people to survive. Coming backhome after rat'race competition on a daily basis, city'dwellers e$pect somethingelse. They need sociali6ation in which they feel connected with others, talk, chat andshare e$perience with. If all cities are full of big high'ways, where will they meet tofoster such a sense of belonging. That is why some cities with wide parks and


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cycling areas are labeled with the most beautiful homes of human beings. !ere, allstress is gone with lines of individuals performing their artistic abilities along the sideof stadium, children running around the water'falls and adults enjoying thee$citement of crowds.

Another reason in support of the avoidance of big s uares relates to geographicalconsideration. "everal cities whose area is narrow and fraught with harbors findthemselves unable to afford large s uares and stadiums. &et, it might be true ofsome among thousands of cities around the world. In fact, if governments reallyprioriti6e their citi6ens- goal over the concern of geography or money, they will stillgive birth to wonderful works in form of stadium and other entertainment areas.Creative artists actually color functional and old harbors with uni ue off'shorestadiums, a uariums and middle'of'the'island s uares. Furthermore,environmentally speaking, it makes sense to retain and erect these buildings to

balance ecology. Against noise, dust and emission from traffic, factories and others isthe e$istence of parks, the lung of cities. "urveys have shown that the number ofpeople suffering respiration'related diseases in large cities has been recentlyreduced thanks to the decision of governments to sustain parks instead of movingthem far away to the countryside. Chicago is a telling e$ample of a big city whereindustriali6ation, art and green space marry each other harmoniously, followed by arising uantity of tourists from all walks of life and an e$odus of immigrants andwould'be ones.

In brief, I am greatly for the idea of creating large public places, economically,socially and environmentally.

evelopments in technology ca!se environmental problems" Some peoplethin$ that the sol!tion for everyone is to accept a simpler life" thers thin$ thattechnology can solve these problems" isc!ss both views and give yo!ropinion"

*ros of a simpler life

' 7se less electricity, ' Avoid private transportation, ' Consume fewer products, ' "topharnessing natural resources for daily purposes

*ros of technology

' efine products to make them environment'friendly, ' "treamline many processesof production and life,' "atisfy basic needs of humans, ' "pur humans- development

3nvironmental pollution endangers our world in the long term. "everal people arguethat the only remedy to tackle this burden is to welcome a simpler life while othersbelieve in the optimum power of technology as an answer to everything. 9y essaywill elaborate on both sides of the issue.


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%n the other hand, the acceptance of a rudimentary life promises environmentalpollution reduction. First, no sooner do people consume fewer products than the rateof contamination is much lower. According to social statistics, in developed nations, aday goes by with millions of garbage tons released into environment. 3lectricityusage and natural resource e$ploitation to enjoy a so'called lu$urious life arecontributors to serious pollution. %il, gas and uranium are over'harnessed to meetthe increasing demand of energy from humans around the world, followed by thee$cessive release of carbon dio$ide into atmosphere. If we turned back time and leda primitive society without such mod'cons, we would live in a healthy environment.The ambition to live faster and walk faster also e$acerbates surroundings. Imaginethat private traffic like cars dirties the entire sky every morning we get out of thehouse.

0evertheless, could we truly be ready to live in the shadow of backwardness forgood@ Despite that a simpler life is argued to ensure lower contamination, it actually

caused even more pollution than e$pected. The traditional way of producing rawbricks is a telling e$ample that disposed tons of dust into the sky. )ith the arrival ofcutting'edge technology, we can refine products to make them cheaper, safer andmore environment'friendly. Technology, in fact,

Some countries make it illegal to work past the age of 65. Do you think peopleshould be forced to retire at a certain age?

%pinions regarding what constitutes a healthy retirement age seem to vary from onecountry to another. This is manifest in nations with laws, or lack thereof, that stipulatethe age when a person is re uired to end their professional life. It is felt compulsoryretirement should not be legally enforced upon anyone e$cept those working inpositions where age could pose a significant safety risk to themselves or others. Thefollowing paragraphs will illustrate the merits of this position.

Firstly, it should be remembered that age does not necessarily affect professionalperformance negatively. In fact, as is the case with writers, age can often bring acertain wisdom that enhances the uality of an author-s work. 0oam Chomsky, atopical author now in his mid'eighties, continues to publish relevant and highlyrespected material despite his advanced years. )ere he forced to halt his professiondue to his age, his insight and decades of understanding would largely go unheard.Thus, it is clear that certain professions should be allowed to continue regardless of age.

!owever, there are other lines of work that demand strict ruling with regards toretirement. *ilots, for e$ample, must able to e$ecute decisions clearly withoutreservation or fatigue. The reduced stamina of pilots over the age of


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It can be concluded that the establishing of a mandatory retirement age should bemade specific to the profession in uestion. "uch a policy helps to ma$imi6e both theproductivity and safety of a society.

Scientists predict that future generations will be able to live well past 100 years. Some people believe this is a good thing while others believe thisdevelopment will bring about serious problems for the planet. Discuss both ofthese views and share your opinion .

3$tending human life has fascinated humankind for many millennia. This enthusiasmis today becoming EEEEa realityEEEE, as modern technology continues to maketangible improvements in its ability to postpone death. This essay will look at boththe benefits and drawbacks of e$tending human life past 5?? years.

Firstly, the benefits humanity derives through prolonging human life are obvious. +ye$tending the average human lifespan beyond 5?? years, a person would be able toaccomplish far more in a lifetime than at any other point in human evolution.Inventive and creative minds would EEflourishEEEEEE for decades longer than their predecessors, while others could be given the opportunity to enjoy e$periences theymay not have had without such advancements. Thus, it is clear that the lengtheningof lifespans has several positive facets.

%n the other hand, e$tending human life could take a significant toll on theenvironment and possibly lead to conflict. For instance, if humans were dying in

fewer and fewer numbers, the 3arth-s population would likely increase to the pointwhere the resources needed to sustain all individuals were unavailable. Thisscenario could have tremendous conse uences on global security, as violent conflictover dwindling resources would likely arise among competing groups and nations.The significant drawbacks to the delaying of death therefore can be seen.

In conclusion, while prolonging human life dramatically is a medical accomplishmentthat could lead to positive outcomes, the conse uences of such actions may bedangerous and do more harm than good. Thus, movements towards e$tendinghuman life well past 5?? years should be carefully balanced with their

EEEconse uencesEEEEE.

n some countries! many more people are choosing to live alone nowadaysthan in the past. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

In recent years it has become far more normal for people to live alone, particularly inlarge cities in the developed world. In my opinion, this trend could have both positiveand negative conse uences in e ual measure.


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The rise in one'person households can be seen as positive for both personal andbroader economic reasons. %n an individual level, people who choose to live alonemay become more independent and self'reliant than those who live with familymembers. A young adult who lives alone, for e$ample, will need to learn to cook,clean, pay bills and manage his or her budget, all of which are valuable life skills( anincrease in the number of such individuals can certainly be seen as a positivedevelopment. From an economic perspective, the trend towards living alone willresult in greater demand for housing. This is likely to benefit the constructionindustry, estate agents and a whole host of other companies that rely onhomeowners to buy their products or services.

!owever, the personal and economic arguments given above can be consideredfrom the opposite angle. Firstly, rather than the positive feeling of increasedindependence, people who live alone may e$perience feelings of loneliness, isolationand worry. They miss out on the emotional support and daily conversation that familyor flatmates can provide, and they must bear the weight of all household bills andresponsibilities( in this sense, perhaps the trend towards living alone is a negativeone. "econdly, from the financial point of view, a rise in demand for housing is likelyto push up property prices and rents. )hile this may benefit some businesses, thegeneral population, including those who live alone, will be faced with rising livingcosts.

In conclusion, the increase in one'person households will have both beneficial anddetrimental effects on individuals and on the economy.

Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like."thers believe that they should only be allowed to study sub#ects that will beuseful in the future! such as those related to science and technology.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

*eople have different views about how much choice students should have withregard to what they can study at university. )hile some argue that it would be better for students to be forced into certain key subject areas, I believe that everyone

should be able to study the course of their choice.

There are various reasons why people believe that universities should only offer subjects that will be useful in the future. They may assert that university courses likemedicine, engineering and information technology are more likely to be beneficialthan certain art degrees. From a personal perspective, it can be argued that thesecourses provide more job opportunities, career progression, better salaries, andtherefore an improved uality of life for students who take them. %n the societallevel, by forcing people to choose particular university subjects, governments canensure that any knowledge and skill gaps in the economy are covered. Finally, a

focus on technology in higher education could lead to new inventions, economicgrowth, and greater future prosperity.


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In spite of these arguments, I believe that university students should be free tochoose their preferred areas of study. In my opinion, society will benefit more if our students are passionate about what they are learning. +esides, nobody can reallypredict which areas of knowledge will be most useful to society in the future, and itmay be that employers begin to value creative thinking skills above practical or technical skills. If this were the case, perhaps we would need more students of art,history and philosophy than of science or technology.

In conclusion, although it might seem sensible for universities to focus only on themost useful subjects, I personally prefer the current system in which people have theright to study whatever they like.

Some people who have been in prison become good citi$ens later! and it isoften argued that these are the best people to talk to teenagers about thedangers of committing a crime.%o what e&tent do you agree or disagree?

It is true that ex-prisoners can become normal, productive members of society. I completely agree with the idea that allowing such people to speak to teenagersabout their experiences is the best way to discourage them from breaking the law.

In my opinion, teenagers are more likely to accept advice from someone who canspeak from experience. Reformed offenders can tell young people about how they became involved in crime, the dangers of a criminal lifestyle, and what life in prisonis really like. They can also dispel any ideas that teenagers may have about criminals leading glamorous lives. While adolescents are often indifferent to theguidance given by older people, I imagine that most of them would be extremely keen to hear the stories of an ex-offender. The vivid and perhaps shocking nature of these stories is likely to have a powerful impact.

The alternatives to using reformed criminals to educate teenagers about crime would

be much less effective. ne option would be for police officers to visit schools and talk to young people. This could be useful in terms of informing teens about what happens to lawbreakers when they are caught, but young people are often reluctant to take advice from figures of authority. ! second option would be for school teachers to speak to their students about crime, but I doubt that students would seeteachers as credible sources of information about this topic. "inally, educational filmsmight be informative, but there would be no opportunity for young people to interact and ask #uestions.

In conclusion, I fully support the view that people who have turned their lives around

after serving a prison sentence could help to deter teenagers from committing crimes.


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%he older generations tend to have very traditional ideas about how peopleshould live! think and behave. 'owever! some people believe that these ideasare not helpful in preparing younger generations for modern life.%o what e&tent do you agree or disagree with this view?

It is true that many older people believe in traditional values that often seemincompatible with the needs of younger people. While I agree that some traditional ideas are outdated, I believe that others are still useful and should not be forgotten.

n the one hand, many of the ideas that elderly people have about life are becoming less relevant for younger people. In the past, for example, people were advised tolearn a profession and find a secure $ob for life, but today%s workers expect muchmore variety and diversity from their careers. !t the same time, the &rules% around relationships are being eroded as young adults make their own choices about whoand when to marry. 'ut perhaps the greatest disparity between the generations canbe seen in their attitudes towards gender roles. The traditional roles of men and women, as breadwinners and housewives, are no longer accepted as necessary or appropriate by most younger people.

n the other hand, some traditional views and values are certainly applicable to themodern world. "or example, older generations attach great importance to working hard, doing one%s best, and taking pride in one%s work, and these behaviours cansurely benefit young people as they enter today%s competitive $ob market. ther characteristics that are perhaps seen as traditional are politeness and good manners. In our globalised world, young adults can expect to come into contact with

people from a huge variety of backgrounds, and it is more important than ever totreat others with respect. "inally, I believe that young people would lead happier livesif they had a more &old-fashioned% sense of community and neighbourliness.

In conclusion, although the views of older people may sometimes seem unhelpful intoday%s world, we should not dismiss all traditional ideas as irrelevant.

It is a moral duty of developed countries to provide aid to poorercountries. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of aiding

poorer countries?

It is generally considered that International aid practices are an integral part of globalrelations between nations. Considering this, some analysts advocate that it is themoral responsibility of affluent nations to provide necessary assistance to poorer


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countries. Although the topic of international support is controversial one, there arepeople on both sides of the argument who have very strong feelings.

There are immense benefits that poorer countries as well as rich nations canachieve. Firstly, International aid facilitated by rich countries to poorer countries canalleviate the problems that usually surround poorer nations. !unger, poverty, health,and sanitation issues are good e$amples to support the fact. The rich countries canset up a system in place that provides free healthcare to the poor, and also improvethe sanitation conditions. )ith financial support, the poor countries can spend thefunds they had set aside for education on other things like infrastructure andimproved amenities.

9oreover, International aid also helps to encourage a healthy relationship betweenboth nations. For instance, The 7nited "tates has an aid system called 7" Aid thathelps a lot of countries all across the world. This has promoted good relationshipsbetween the countries.

Despite international aid being beneficial for poorer countries, demerits of the samein some situations cannot be overlooked. Firstly, international aid can be lost due tocorruption which is prevalent in many nations nowadays. It has generally beenobserved that, politicians, government officials and other people take huge chunksfrom the aid, and when the richer countries see that little work has been done withtheir money, they withdraw their support from that country. This sours the relationshipbetween the countries as well as deprives the poor people of something good.9oreover, citi6ens of the rich countries also disapprove of this behaviour that theirhard'earned money is wasted by their government on corrupt politicians abroad.

In summary, it is an un uestionable fact to consider that international aid provided by

rich nations to poorer nations can act as boon for both( however the negative phasesof the similar policy are even detrimental that need considerable addressing.

It is a moral duty of developed countries to provide aid to poorercountries. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of aiding

poorer countries?

It is generally considered that International aid practices are an integral part of globalrelations between nations. Considering this, some analysts advocate that it is themoral responsibility of affluent nations to provide necessary assistance to poorercountries. Although the topic of international support is controversial one, there arepeople on both sides of the argument who have very strong feelings.

There are immense benefits that poorer countries as well as rich nations canachieve. Firstly, International aid facilitated by rich countries to poorer countries canalleviate the problems that usually surround poorer nations. !unger, poverty, health,and sanitation issues are good e$amples to support the fact. The rich countries canset up a system in place that provides free healthcare to the poor, and also improvethe sanitation conditions. )ith financial support, the poor countries can spend thefunds they had set aside for education on other things like infrastructure andimproved amenities.

9oreover, International aid also helps to encourage a healthy relationship betweenboth nations. For instance, The 7nited "tates has an aid system called 7" Aid that


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helps a lot of countries all across the world. This has promoted good relationshipsbetween the countries.

Despite international aid being beneficial for poorer countries, demerits of the samein some situations cannot be overlooked. Firstly, international aid can be lost due tocorruption which is prevalent in many nations nowadays. It has generally beenobserved that, politicians, government officials and other people take huge chunksfrom the aid, and when the richer countries see that little work has been done withtheir money, they withdraw their support from that country. This sours the relationshipbetween the countries as well as deprives the poor people of something good.9oreover, citi6ens of the rich countries also disapprove of this behaviour that theirhard'earned money is wasted by their government on corrupt politicians abroad.

In summary, it is an un uestionable fact to consider that international aid provided byrich nations to poorer nations can act as boon for both( however the negative phasesof the similar policy are even detrimental that need considerable addressing.

Foreign visitors should pay more than local visitors for cultural and historicalattractions. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Nowadays tourism is playing a vital part for the development of many countries’economy. However, it has detrimental effects, causing serious damages to thoseattractive places. Some people argue that there should be additional taxes, in orderto cover up those loses. Although, it is p ivotal to apply s ome extra charges t o protect

such places, there should be some release on those taxes, as will now be discussed.There is no debate about the fact that there should be a way to nd sufficientnancial support to protect t he damaged property. The maintenance charges arebecoming very expensive and some people try to do harmful activities to thoseattractive places to increase those damages. In addition to that, protection of theactual value of tourism places i s i mportant for future generations. If there is n ot muchrepairing done on damages a s a result of nancial difficulties, then there are no suchplaces f or young generation to visit in the future.

On the other hand, it seems that there should be some exibility on those highercharges from tourists. E conomically, foreign income of any region is makingconsiderable contribution to its development. If the foreigners feel that they are beingcharged heavily, they might not try to visit those places and it may lead to a reductionof foreign income, which means there are some negative effects on employees aswell. The second relevant idea is t he popularity of the place. As a result of affordablefees, a lot of people have a chance to explore the tourism places. Therefore, there isan o pportunity to become famous in those p laces a round the world.


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In conclusion, extra taxes are needed to be applied in order to run those placesproperly, meeting expenses to maintain, while setting reasonable fees on tourists toreceive h igher income to develop the economy.

Some p eople t hink that all teenagers s hould be required to do unpaid work intheir free time t o help the local community. They believe this w ould benetboth the individual teenager and society a s a whole. Discuss the a dvantagesand disadvantages a nd give your opinion.

There is a growing debate about whether all adolescents sh ould be asked to performmandatory v olunteer work in their leisure time to help assist the surrounding area.Although there are a variety o f benets a ssociated with this t opic, there are alsosome notable drawbacks, as will now be discussed.

The advantages o f teenagers d oing voluntary work a re self evident. The rst relevantidea is w ork e xperience. A valid illustration of this w ould be increasing their tangibleskills. For example, an adolescent who volunteers t o help in a customer servicedepartment will learn how to communicate e ffectively to people in different agegroups. On a psychological level, the youth’s life skills w ill also be enhanced byhaving empathy towards o thers. This ca n be demonstrated by vo lunteering andassisting families l iving in low socio economic b ackgrounds w ith their day t o daytasks.

There are, however, also drawbacks that need to be c onsidered. On a n intellectuallevel, the teenager may g et distracted from their study. This s ituation, for instance,can be seen when voluntary work is a lso being undertaken taken during schoolterms. There would be time constraints f or both areas. On a physiological level, youthmight experience fatigue as t hey are unaware of the acceptable working orvolunteering h ours a nd, as a result, sometimes t hey c an be o verworked.

In summary, we can see that this i s cl early a complex issue as t here are signicantadvantages a nd disadvantages. I personally b elieve that it would be better not toencourage youths t o do compulsory work because their studies might take t hem to ahigher level in society, whereas v olunteering could restrict this p rogress.

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Ielts William Harris Essays