PROBLEM AND SOLUTION

Obesity is a serious problem in many countries, especially in rich countries. Discuss

ways to solve the problem. Provide specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.

With the advent of urbanisation and the rise in popularity of fast food, there have
been accompanying issues with rising obesity rates – especially in developed
countries like England and the USA. After providing a careful analysis of why obesity
has risen so sharply in these countries, I shall suggest a number of ways in which
the obesity epidemic can be ameliorated.

To begin with, it should be unsurprising that fast food is incredibly popular in wealthy
countries (like England and the USA). Due to the high levels of development in these
countries, consumers possess more money and can therefore consume vast
amounts of fast food without seriously diminishing their income.

For example, the American Dietary Association found that (compared to the average
Indian household), the average American household has a six times larger budget
for food per month. Consequently, it is to be expected that obesity rates are much
higher in countries with larger amounts of wealth.

However, despite the severity of the obesity problem, there are a number of ways in
which developed countries could battle it more effectively. Firstly, developed
governments could put far more pressure on fast food outlets to provide healthy
alternatives to hamburgers, french fries and soft drinks.

Secondly, public exercise initiatives could be advertised and promoted far more
vigorously. Lastly, modules that inform teenagers about healthy dietary requirements
could be taught at schools.

In conclusion, although obesity is a serious issue in the developed world, if the

above steps are taken, the situation will surely improve in the coming years.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Is it good for children to start using computers from an early age and spend long
hours on them? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

In recent years, children, like adults, have become increasingly exposed to

computers. While some child psychologists have claimed that this is a good thing,
others have claimed that it has an overwhelmingly detrimental impact on children. In
this essay, I shall draw upon a number of studies in cognitive science and industrial
psychology that reveal the positive and negative aspects of this phenomenon.

To begin with, there are clearly reasons why computers do not allow children to
develop long attention spans. This is because computers are packed with many
supposedly child-friendly games that require minimal levels of concentration in order
to be enjoyed.
For example, a study by the New York Child Learning Association found that children
who read from picture books were 50% less likely to get distracted than children who
played educational computer games. Therefore computers almost certainly have a
negative impact on young children.

However, since the world has become heavily reliant on computers, there are also
clearly advantages to exposing children to computers. This is because children with
such exposure will stand a better chance of finding employment.

For example, after being interviewed by Yale psychologists, over 70% of young office
workers admitted that they had spent long hours on computers in their middle and
late childhood years. Therefore it is clear that computer exposure can be beneficial
to children.

In conclusion, there are advantages and disadvantages to early computer exposure.

However, if, in the future, the quality of educational gaming is increased, there is
good reason to believe that these negative consequences will fall entirely away.

OPINION

Some products can be made quickly by a machine. Other items take a long time to
be made by hand. As a buyer, which do you prefer and why? Give specific details
and examples in your answer.

Ever since the industrial revolution, mass produced goods have flooded the
consumer market. Although such goods have proved to be highly popular, it is now
becoming increasingly clear that handmade goods are more desirable for modern,
informed consumers. In this essay, I shall look at some of the ethical and
quality-based reasons for this re-evaluation.

To begin with, handmade goods can be made with far more care and attention to
detail than mass produced goods. This is because machines lack a sensitivity that
experienced craftsman evidently possess. For example, a study by the International
Consumerist Society found that handmade furniture, musical instruments and
jewellery were consistently rated as being more attractive (by consumers) than their
mass made counterparts. Therefore it is clear that buyers prefer handmade goods
for reasons that relate to quality of workmanship.

Secondly, handmade production companies have far more ethical attitudes towards
the environment. This is because factories and chemical processes heavily underpin
mass industrial production.

For example the British Green Party found that the levels of toxicity and
environmental damage outside handmade production centres were paltry compared
to the levels found outside factories used for mass production. Consequently, since
modern consumers are more environmentally conscious than ever before, these
findings have clearly contributed to their preference for handmade goods.

In conclusion, there are compelling reasons for why modern consumers favour
handmade goods. In the future, as environmental issues worsen, this preference will
no doubt grow more pronounced.

AGREE AND DISAGREE

Some people believe that technology has made man more social. To what extent do
you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Experts throughout both the developing and developed world have debated whether
the advent of sophisticated modern technology such as mobile phones, laptops and
iPad have helped to enhance and improve people's social lives or whether the
opposite has become the case.

Personally, I strongly advocate the former view. This essay will discuss both sides
using examples from the UK government and Oxford University to demonstrate
points and prove arguments.

On the one hand there is ample, powerful, almost daily evidence that such
technology can be detrimental especially to the younger generation who are more
easily affected by it’s addictive nature and which can result in people feeling more
isolated from the society.
The central reason behind this is twofold, firstly, the invention of online social media
sites and apps, such as Twitter and Facebook have reduced crucial face-to-face
interactions dramatically. Through use of these appealing and attractive mediums,
people feel in touch and connected yet lack key social skills and the ability to
communicate.

Secondly, dependence on such devices is built up frighteningly easily which may

have a damaging effect on mental health and encourage a sedentary lifestyle. For
example, recent scientific research by the UK government demonstrated that 90% of
people in their 30s spend over 20 hours per week on Messenger and similar
applications to chat with their friends instead of meeting up and spending quality time
together or doing sport. As a result, it is conclusively clear that these technology
advancements have decreased and diminished our real life interactions.

On the other hand, although there are significant downsides to technological

developments, its’ multifold advantages cannot be denied. This is largely because
the popularity of technology such as cellphones allows people to connect freely and
easily with no geographical barriers.

People are able to share any type of news, information, photos and opinions with
their loved ones whenever and wherever they want therefore keeping a feeling of
proximity and closeness. For example, an extensive study by Oxford University
illustrated that people who work, or study abroad and use applications like Facetime
and WhatsApp to chat with their families, are less likely to experience loneliness and
feel out of the loop than those who do not.

Consistent with this line of thinking is that businessmen are also undoubtedly able to
benefit from these advances by holding virtual real -time meetings using Skype
which may increase the chance of closing business deals without the need to fly.

From the arguments and examples given I firmly believe that overall communication
and mans’ sociability has been advanced enormously due to huge the huge
technological progress of the past twenty years and despite some potentially serious
health implications which governments should not fail to address, it is predicted that
its popularity will continue to flourish in the future.