IELTS Task 2 Sample · IELTS Writing Task 2 Intensive Notes Content ⚫ Distribution of Common...
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IELTS Writing Task 2 Intensive Notes
Content
⚫ Distribution of Common Topics, Question Types
and Past Exam Questions ◼ Common Topics ◼ Question Types ◼ Past Exam Questions
⚫ How to Improve Coherence ◼ Standard Structure of Every Paragraph ◼ How to Expand Ideas (RICE)
⚫ Question Type: Agree or Disagree ◼ Introduction Template ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Question Type: Discuss Two Views ◼ General Reminders ◼ Introduction Template ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Question Type: Advantages and Disadvantages ◼ General Reminders ◼ Introduction Template ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Question Type: Problems/ Causes and Solutions ◼ General Reminders
Sample
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◼ Introduction Template ◼ How To Write About Problems ◼ How To Write About Solutions ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Common Topic: Education ◼ Past Paper Questions ◼ Versatile Points and Template Sentences ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Common Topic: Environment ◼ Past Paper Questions ◼ Versatile Points and Template Sentences ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Common Topic: Technology, News and Media ◼ Past Paper Questions ◼ Versatile Points and Template Sentences ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Common Topic: Government Spending ◼ Past Paper Questions ◼ Versatile Points and Template Sentences ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Common Topic: Tourism/ Travel ◼ Past Paper Questions ◼ Versatile Points and Template Sentences ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Common Topic: Crime
Sample
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◼ Past Paper Questions ◼ Versatile Points and Template Sentences ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Common Topic: Advertising ◼ Past Paper Questions ◼ Versatile Points and Template Sentences ◼ Sample Essays
⚫ Common Topic: Health ◼ Past Paper Questions ◼ Versatile Points and Template Sentences ◼ Sample Essays
Sample
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IELTS Writing Task 2
How to Improve Coherence
Standard Structure of Every Paragraph
1. T____________________
2. S____________________
3. S____________________
T____________________
First paragraph
Of all the reasons why SVO,
The reasons to which my viewpoint can be ascribed are manifold.
+
None are as significant as the fact that + SVO.
One very strong argument for this issue is that + SVO.
Among all the reasons for this matter, the foremost reason is that +
SVO.
Additional paragraphs
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Sample
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________________________________________ + SVO.
What comes next should be that + SVO.
________________________________________ + SVO.
________________________________________ + SVO.
It cannot be too often restated that + SVO.
It is of paramount importance that we understand that + SVO.
It is equally important to take a glance at the fact that + SVO.
________________________________________________________
____________________________________________+ SVO.
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Sample
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S____________________
How to expand the ideas: ____________________
R____________________
I____________________
C____________________
E____________________
R____________________
⚫ In a sense that/ given that/ on the grounds that SVO, SVO.
⚫ Owing to/ thanks to/ due to [Noun/ noun phrase], SVO.
⚫ The rationale behind is that SVO.
⚫ [result] stems from [cause].
⚫ [result] can be ascribed to [cause].
⚫ [sb] contributes the [effect] to [cause].
⚫ [noun phrase] is so [adj] that [SVO].
⚫ It is not that difficult to understand the reason why SVO.
I____________________
[NP (cause)] [contributes to/ bring about/ lead to/ trigger/ give rise
to/ cause] [NP (effect)].
⚫ In this way/ In this manner, ......
⚫ With this in mind, ......
⚫ Under this line of thinking, ......
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Sample
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⚫ This in turn......
⚫ SVO, as a consequence, SVO.
⚫ Accordingly/ Consequently/ Hence/ Therefore/ As a result/ For
this very reason, ......
C____________________
⚫ On the contrary
⚫ In sharp contrast with
⚫ In contradistinction to
⚫ Conversely,
⚫ Without XXX, SVO. However, with XXX, SVO.
C____________________
⚫ In the past, ...... As of now/ In this day and age, ......
⚫ Gone are the days when SVO. Nowadays, ......
⚫ Unlike XXX in the past, SVO.
C____________________
⚫ At first glance, XXX. On closer examination, XXX.
⚫ On the face of it, XXX. Indeed, XXX.
⚫ However/ Nonetheless/ Nevertheless/ Yet/ Still
⚫ Despite/ In spite of/ Irrespective of/ Regardless of
⚫ By the same token/ likewise/ similarly
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⚫ Meanwhile/ At the meantime
E____________________
SVO, ranging from A, B and C to D.
A flawless/ striking illustration of the point is that SVO.
XXX is a case in point
XXX is a classic/ evident/ vivid/ striking/ phenomenal/ forceful
example
An illustration of the point is that SVO.
We can refer to a survey conducted by XXX. It reflects/ shows/
indicates/ demonstrates that SVO.
Elaboration lengthening
⚫ What I mean is that…
⚫ In other words…
⚫ This is to say that…
⚫ That is no doubt that/ it is without a doubt that/ No one can deny
the fact that/ it is irrefutable that/ it is beyond dispute that…
⚫ It is universally acknowledged that…
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IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types
Agree or Disagree
Introduction Templates
If you completely agree or completely disagree (recommended)
1. Paraphrase the background provided by the question
⚫ The phenomenon of/ that XXX
_____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________.
⚫ The issue of whether XXX ________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_______________________.
⚫ XXX has come under ______________/ hit the_____________.
⚫ The rising tide of XXX is sweeping across the country/ the city.
2. Your thesis
⚫ _____________________________________________________
⚫ _____________________________________________________
+
⚫ I totally agree/ disagree with the idea that XXX.
⚫ I am prone to support the idea that XXX.
⚫ I hold the view that XXX.
Sample
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⚫ There is no shortage of reasons for my stance.
3. Outline (Optional; write it at last)
Blood sports have become a hot topic for debate in recent years. As
society develops it is increasingly seen as an uncivilized activity and
cruel to the helpless animals that are killed. Blood sports should be
banned. To what extent to you agree or disagree?
Example template:
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
If you partly agree (Not recommended for weaker candidates):
1. Paraphrase the background provided by the question
⚫ The phenomenon of/ that XXX
_____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________.
⚫ The issue of whether XXX ________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Sample
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_______________________.
⚫ XXX has come under ______________/ hit the_____________.
⚫ The rising tide of XXX is sweeping across the country/ the city.
2. Your thesis
⚫ Although I accept that XXX, I disagree with the idea that YYY.
⚫ On the one hand, _______________... / On the other
hand, ______________________________...
⚫ _____________________________________________.
3. Outline (Optional; write it at last)
Example question:
Early technological developments helped ordinary people and
changed their lives more than recent developments. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?
Example Template:
People have various views about whether or not governments
should help senior citizens. Although I accept that we all have a
responsibility to save money for retirement, I disagree with the idea
that elderly people should receive no support from the state.
Sample
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Sample Essays
Nowadays, a large amount of advertising is aimed at children. Some
people think this can have negative effects on children and should
be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
I completely agree that a large amount of advertising can have
negative effects on children and should be banned.
____________________________ advertisements aimed at children
should be banned, _________________________________________
_________________________ advertisements may likely promote
consumer culture to children since a young age. We are now living in
a consumer culture, where we are encouraged to keep abreast of the
latest trend. ___________________ gain peer recognition and to
fulfill their sense of vanity, children will likely persuade their parents
to buy whatever they see on advertisements.
____________________, when they see children in a television
advertisement are entertaining themselves with the newest models
of electronic gadget, they would also like to get one so that they can
show it off to their peers – even when they already own a lot of
Sample
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other gadgets. It may instill the concept into children that they
should blinding follow the trend and when they grow up, consuming
too many goods may ______________ financial problems.
Apart from promoting consumer culture among children,
________________________________________________________
that advertisements targeted at children may communicate
inappropriate messages or values to them. ____ children are still at a
tender age and are at a developmental stage, they are susceptible to
advertisements. ______________, when they see junk food being
advertised as good-looking scrumptious food, they may ignore the
nutritional value and persuade their parents to buy them junk food.
Also, ______________ persuade people to buy a product,
advertisements often create unrealistic expectations with
exaggerated effects, manipulating children at the end of the day. The
gap between the ideal self and the real self may widen
______________ messages and values conveyed by advertisements,
____________________________ low self esteem of some children.
As children are still at a developmental stage and are susceptible to
values conveyed to them and advertisements are likely to convey
inappropriate messages and values, a large amount of advertising
can have negative effects on children and should be banned.
Sample
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Problem/Causes and Solution
General Structure
1. Introduction
2. Problems (2-3 small problems in the same paragraph)
3. Solutions (2-3)
4. Conclusion
* Why not use one-problem-followed-by-one-solution approach?
Introduction
1. Paraphrase the background provided by the question
Sample
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⚫ The phenomenon of/ that XXX has aroused wide concern among
various circles.
⚫ The issue of whether XXX has stirred up much
controversy/remains to be controversial/ disputable/ debatable.
⚫ XXX has come under spotlight/ hit the headlines.
⚫ The rising tide of XXX is sweeping across the country/ the city.
2. Mention about the problem and state that it can be lessened by
some stakeholders
Sample
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3. At the beginning of paragraph 3, remember to add a sentence to
link up the problems and the solutions.
Sample
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How to write about problems?
Types of Problems
* HERSIS
- H__________ (awareness, values, attitude, opposition, cultures)
- E_________ (timing, feasibility)
- R__________ (human, money, technology)
- S__________ (wrong tactics)
- I__________ (financial, intrinsic motivation)
- S__________ (monitoring, guidelines, regulations)
You only need 2-3 problems as remember you do not have much
time and you need to explain the problems. Each problem should
include:
1. The problem
2. Elaboration (RICE)
3. Effects (Impact in RICE is a must)
Sample
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How to write about solutions?
a) Stakeholder approach
When you come to brainstorm your solutions, think of the
stakeholders. It is usually governments and individuals in some way
or another.
Common stakeholders & corresponding solutions:
⚫ General public
⚫ Government
⚫ NGOs/ Global organizations
Sample
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⚫ Business sector
b) Respond to the problems
* HERSIS
- H__________ : increase training, consultation, increase awareness
- E_________: increase penalty, tighten the law, increase inspection
- R__________: increase subsidy, improve technology, sponsorship
- S__________: learn from foreign countries, focus more on
precautionary tasks
Sample
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- I__________: tax and subsidy
- S__________: new guidelines, amend laws and
c) Steps of writing a suggestion
Steps 1+2+3 (SAD): Stakeholder + Actual Suggestion + Details (How)
e.g. [_______________] The government should [_______________]
provide more social welfare to the rural residents,
[_______________] such as reducing their tax payment and
providing them with medical service subsidy. They should set an
income line, say for example if the household income is less than 500
RMB per month, they will be granted with a sum of extra subsidy and
income tax will be waived. Education subsidies may also be provided
to children living in rural areas, such as exempting their school fees
and subsidizing them to purchase text books, so that they may have a
higher chance to climb up the social ladder in the future.
Step 4: Effectiveness of the solution
- how can the suggestion CHANGE the current situation?
- Keyword: By this means, as a result, in this way
- Aspects:
- L_______________/ _______________
SampleSample
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- T______________________________
- A_______________/ P_______________
- C_______________
- S_______________
e.g. _______________, the net income after subsidy of rural
residents will increase and they will feel that the government does
not turn a blind eye to their problems, but instead attempts to help
them. The income gap between the rural areas and the urban areas
will be narrowed, alleviating the problem of social dissension and
polarization.
Sample
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Writing Task 2 Topics
Technology, News and Media
Sample Questions
- Today many children spend a lot of time playing computer games
and little time on sports. Why is it? Is it a positive or negative
development?
- Some people say watching television is bad for children in all ways.
Others say it is good for children to gain knowledge. Discuss both
views and give your opinion.
- Some people think reading stories in book is better than watching
television or playing computer games for children. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?
- Some people say that communication by using computers and
phones will have negative effects on young people’s writing and
reading skills. Do you agree or disagree?
- The news media have become more influential in people’s lives.
Some people think it is a negative development. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?
- With the development of technology, children are now living in a
world that is completely different to what it was 50 years ago. What
problems does this cause for society and the family?
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- When a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and
ways of life die out. It is pointless to try and keep them alive. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
- We live today in an electronic information age. It is easier to be
connected by technology yet many people seem no closer to feeling
happy in their lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Some people think that news has no connection to people’s lives, so
it is a waste of time to read the news in the newspaper and watch
television news programmes. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
- Advances in science and technology and other areas of society in
the last 100 years have transformed the way we live as well as
postponing the day we die. There is no better time to be alive than
now. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
- Some people say that the Internet is making the world smaller by
bringing people together. To what extent do you agree that the
Internet is making it easier for people to communicate with one
another?
Sample
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Positive side of the Internet
Efficient way of finding information
- The Internet has become an expedient way for people to find
information instantly.
- An illustration is that Wikipedia is an online, open-source
encyclopedia that lets people browse for factual knowledge, and
SCMP.com is a website which lets people catch up on the latest
news.
- People are able to quickly find accurate information and news
without having to look through books and newspapers.
- The Internet has allowed us to get instant access to information on
almost any subject.
The Internet has made our lives more convenient
- Online shopping has become more and more prevalent – people
can complete the whole shopping process from selecting items to
paying by Paypal or credit cards within minutes. People can get their
needs and desires fulfilled without stepping out of the door.
- Shops and other services are now available online, which has
enable people to buy goods and services from the comfort of their
homes.
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- People can receive and send emails, browse websites, download
games and videos, book flight ticket and complete bank transactions
– as long as they are connected to the Internet.
Facilitate communication across boundaries
- The Internet has revolutionized the way we communicate, allowing
us to stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues wherever and
whenever we are, eliminating geographical boundaries.
- As people no longer need to travel to maintain contact with friends
and relatives living in other parts of the world, they can save money
and time.
- The Internet has become a powerful and convenient tool for
multinational companies because branches in different parts of the
world can interact and cooperate with each other effectively with
the help of the Internet. For example, videoconference has become
more prevalent for business meetings, facilitating business decisions
and improving efficiency.
Negative side of the Internet
Dangerous Sites
- Children and teenagers are still at their developmental stages so
they have impressionable mind which can easily be affected by
inappropriate values conveyed by information on the Internet.
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- Children may surf on websites which contain violent or sexual
images. People at a tender age may not be capable of differentiating
right from wrong and are susceptible to inappropriate sex or violent
concepts.
- There is no doubt that distorted values on adult websites will affect
their thoughts and development, which is a detrimental impact for
the children and for society.
- Compared with traditional media like television, it is more difficult
for parents to control what their children see online.
Children/ Teenagers may easily get addicted to the Internet
- Children/ Teenagers tend to surf on the Internet all day long and
are reluctant to get involved in other social or sports activities. For
example, children rather glue their eyes to the computer screen than
to participate in outdoor sports – obesity and cardiovascular diseases
among children are not uncommon due to the lack of exercise.
- People’s social life will also be reduced when they spend too much
time surfing on the Internet because they are involved in less
face-to-face direct communication with other people.
- People can enjoy excitement when they are indulged in the virtual
world. They are allowed to get their pulse racing and their adrenaline
pumping even when they are just sitting in front of the computer.
For example, players are often required to complete some tasks
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151
within a certain time limit, where the excitement level is amplified by
sense of urgency.
- Online games can give people a sense of accomplishment and they
become easily addicted to them. A lot of computer games are
equipped with the “level up” element, where they usually start off
easy but then the difficulty gradually increase and players can earn
“rewards”, like unlocking special elements and acquiring new skills,
when they reach a certain level.
- Gaming can be highly addictive because users are constantly given
scores, new targets and frequent rewards to keep them playing.
Many children now spend hours each day trying to progress through
the levels of a game or to get a higher score than their friends. This
type of addiction can in turn bring about detrimental impacts ranging
from lack of sleep to problems at school, when homework is
sacrificed for a few more hours on the computer or console.
Privacy and Crime issues
- Electronic messages sent over the Internet can easily be tracked
and a lot of websites require people to fill in personal information
such as email or even phone number before they can register as a
member to enjoy privileged functions.
- The collected information may fall into the hands of unscrupulous
people and privacy will be significantly infringed.
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175
Writing Task 2 Topic
Government Spending
Sample Questions
- When new towns are planed, it is important to build more public
parks or sports facilities than shopping centers for people top spend
their free time. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- The government should spend money in promoting sport and art in
school, rather than sponsoring professional sports and art events in
communities. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Some people think people working in creative arts should be
financially supported by the government. Others think they should
find financial support from other sources. Discuss both sides and give
your opinion.
- Some people think that the government should give money to
creative people, such as artists and musicians. To what extent do you
agree?
- The government should lower the budget on the arts in order to
allocate more money to education. To what extent do you agree?
- Some people believe that the government should support funding
for the arts, while some others suggest that the money should be
used for public health and education. Discuss both views and give
your opinion.
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- Some people think governments should focus on reducing
environmental pollution and housing problems to help people
prevent illness and disease. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Some people think that governments should give financial support
to creative artists such as painters and musicians. Others believe that
creative artists should be funded by alternative sources. Discuss both
views and give your own opinion.
- Several languages are in danger of extinction because they are
spoken by very small numbers of people. Some people say that
governments should spend public money on saving these languages,
while others believe that would be a waste of money. Discuss both
these views and give your opinion.
- A government has a responsibility to its citizens to ensure their
safety. Therefore, some people think that the government should
increase spending on defense but spend less on social benefits. To
what extent do you agree?
Reasons why the government should spend money on
practical things (e.g. education/ public health)
- The government’s funds come from taxpayers so the government
should exert itself to improve the quality of living of citizens. Public
funds should be made use of effectively and wisely so that people’s
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177
hard-earned money will not go down the drains.
- The interest of the majority should take precedence over the
minority when it comes to major public policies. This is not to say
that we should turn a blind eye to the minority, but since the
government is using taxpayers’ hard-earned money, most public
policies should be beneficial to society at large, rather than to cater
to the needs of a small group of people.
- One of the most important roles of the government is to boost
social productivity in the long term, so that our society will be more
sustainable and prosperous in the future.
- An example of spending money practically is to improve education,
such as extending the number of years of free compulsory education
and increasing the number of quotas of higher education. As
education passes on knowledge and skills to people, they will
become more productive at work and are more likely to be inspired
of innovative ideas through the process of learning.
- An example of spending money practically is to improve the public
health system, like increasing medical resources and training more
talents in the medical field.
- Public services are vital for a country to function properly, whereas
the work of creative artists, even in public places, is a luxury.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, physiological and safety
needs always take precedence over elements of higher hierarchy, like
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178
the sense of belonging. If basic needs like healthcare services and
national security cannot be fulfilled, it is pointless to sponsor artists
even if their artworks can help increase the sense of belonging of
citizens.
Reasons why the government should spend money on the creative
industry/ other new industries/ music/ art/ language/ cultures
- Music and Art represent culture, heritage and history, which in turn
serve to educate people about the city, and act as landmarks or
talking points for visitors and tourists.
- The cultural implication behind music and art can increase the
cohesion among citizens and thus enhance their sense of belonging
to the country. Without them, our cities would be much less
captivating and attractive.
- In metropolitan cities like Hong Kong, the government attaches
inordinate importance to a single industry – Finance. However, with
the fluctuating economic situation in recent years, as indicated by
disastrous global financial crisis like the financial tsunami in 2008, the
European bank crisis in 2014 and Brexit in 2016. It in facts puts the
city at risk when it solely relies on one industry only so the
government should subsidize people to develop new industries.
- A language is much more than simply a means of communication -
it has an indispensable connection with the cultural identity of the
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Sample Essays (Government Spending)
Several languages are in danger of extinction because they are
spoken by very small numbers of people. Some people say that
governments should spend public money on saving these languages,
while others believe that would be a waste of money. Discuss both
these views and give your opinion.
It is undeniably true that some minority languages may disappear in
the near future. Although some people suggested that preserving
these languages is merely a waste of money, I believe that there are
strong and significant reasons why the government should strive to
protect them.
There are justifiable reasons why some people opined that the
government should not spend money on preserving minority
languages. Probably the most significant reason is that if a language
is only spoken by a small number of people, expensive education
programs will be needed to make sure that more people learn it. The
government will in turn have to pay for facilities and teachers at a
high cost, which might be better spent on other public services,
ranging from healthcare and transportation to infrastructure projects.
Since the government is using taxpayers’ hard-earned money, most
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public policies should be beneficial to society at large, instead of
catering to the needs of a small group of people. An example of
spending money practically is to improve the public health system,
like increasing medical resources and training more talents in the
medical field. The government, rather than to spend money on
preserving some less spoken language, should spend money on
something more practical.
Despite the above arguments, I believe that governments should
make an endeavor to preserve languages that are less widely spoken.
A language is much more than simply a means of communication - it
has an indispensable connection with the cultural identity of the
people who speak it, which in turn enhances the sense of belonging
as well as cohesion among citizens. If a language disappears, we will
in turn lose the rich cultural diversity that makes societies more
attractive and fascinating. Governments can also preserve traditions,
customs and behaviors that are part of a country’s history saving
minority languages as language represents the root of a country’s
culture.
Under this line of thinking, although the cost of preserving minority
languages is undeniably high and may be deemed useless by some
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Writing Task 2 Topic
Crime
Sample Questions
- A recent newspaper article reported that a 12-year-old boy who
seriously destroyed his school got a punishment to clean streets
instead of being sent to the prison. Do you agree that young
criminals should be sent to the jail?
- Many people are afraid to leave their homes because of their fear
of crime. Some people believe that more actions should be taken to
prevent crime, but others feel that little can be done. Discuss both
views and give your own opinion.
- Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later.
Some people think that they are the best people to talk to school
students the danger of committing a crime. Do you agree or
disagree?
- Many people do not feel safe either at home or they are out. What
are the causes, and what can be done to make people feel safer?
- In some countries, a high proportion of criminal acts are committed
by teenagers. Why has this happened? What can be done to deal
with this?
- Today, prison is the most common solution for crime. But some
people think that it would be more effective to provide people with
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better education to prevent them from being criminals. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
- Some people believe that if a police force carries guns, it would
cause a high level of violence in that society. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
- Films and computer games containing violence are popular. Some
people say they have negative effects on society and should be
banned. Others say it is just a harmless way of relaxing. Discuss both
sides and give your opinion.
- Many people prefer not to leave their homes because of their fear
of crime. Some people believe that more action should be taken to
prevent crime, but others feel little can be done. What is your
opinion?
Crime Prevention
- Safety is of paramount importance to public and the government
should make every endeavor to prevent crimes, or else it will put us
in jeopardy, bringing about a myriad of detrimental impacts to
society, like the general public may lose confidence in the
government and foreign investors may reduce investments.
- Prevention takes precedence over punishment because the effects
of committed crimes are usually irreversible – if the victim is
murdered, even when the offender is sent to prison, the victim will
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still not resurrect.
- The number of police officers should be increased and they should
receive better training, as they bear the responsibilities to arrest
criminals and protect the general public from harm.
- The government should assign social workers to schools so that
students who encounter psychological problems will less likely resort
to committing crimes. The school should also instill the concept that
committing crimes can never solve problems to students through
proactive education and teachers should pay particular attention to
students with complicated family background, emotional problems
and students who are on the binge of dropping out of school.
Positive side of sending people to prisons
- Some people who have committed crimes may continue to harm
other people if they are not sent to prison, so isolating them from
the public is to ensure safety.
- Imprisonment means the loss of freedom, which serves as a form of
punishments and convey the message to the public that people who
commit crimes will have to bear responsibilities.
- Prisoners will undergo rehabilitation, where they will receive
education of specific practical skills and vocational training,
equipping them with essential life skills so that they can reintegrate
into society more easily when they are released. It also reduces the
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opportunity for them to commit crimes again in the future as
rehabilitation can likely make them become better citizens.
Negative side of sending people to prisons
- People who have committed serious crimes, such as murder,
manslaughter and assault, are usually sent to prisons, in an attempt
to punish them and to ensure the safety of other citizens.
- However, solely sending people to prisons is insufficient because
some criminals may not realize that committing crimes and posing
harm to other people are inappropriate so they may commit crimes
again when they are released.
- Since prisoners have a criminal record, it will be insurmountably
difficult for them to find a job like ordinary people. This implies that
they may not be able to support themselves financially and some of
them may resort to committing crime again.
Alternative to prison: community service
- People who have committed less serious crimes may be required to
do community service, like cleaning the streets, instead of being sent
to prison. This avoids the chance of prison overcrowding and reduces
the social of imprisonment.
- It provides criminals with an opportunity to reform and to
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contribute to society.
Reasons to support Capital Punishment
- Some people may say that sending criminals who have committed
serious offences to prison is insufficient – stricter punishments like
capital punishment should be adopted to demonstrate to the public
that there is zero tolerance to crime and establish a strong deterrent
effect.
- Criminals who have committed serious crime like murder can no
longer pose a threat to the general public, as some criminals may be
serial murderers and may continue to commit serious crimes when
they are released from prison.
- Criminals who are living in prisons are actually using social
resources and taxpayers’ hard-earned money – If they have to face
capital punishment, the cost of imprisonment can be saved and more
resources can be devoted to other indispensable areas like education
and infrastructure.
Reasons against capital punishment
- The primary reason of using capital punishment is to increase the
deterrent effect in order to reduce the number of crimes. However, it
is deplorable that the crime rate will not necessarily decline even if
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