WRITING TASK 2 In Task 2 candidates are presented with a'point of view or argument or problem. Candidates are assessed on their ability to: + present the solution to a problem + present and justify an opinion eee + compare and contrast evidence, opinions and implications + evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an argument Using a computer every day can have more negative than positive effects on children, Do you agree or disagree? In today's modem world, computers are an essential part of everyday life. Around the globe, children often use computers from a very young age. Although it is important for children to participate in various well-balanced activities, in my opinion, children who use the computer daily are actually developing a critical skill for future success. The bases for my views are personal, academic, and professional. From a personal point of view, computers are an invaluable resource to help young people explore the world around them. For example, children who usé Internet to satisfy their curiosity about diverse topics are already becoming independent learners. No child with a computer is ever bored! By starting early in their lives, children feel totally at ease around computers; they are also able to take advantage of the wide range of services computers provide, From an academic viewpoint, children have no choice but to master this technological invention, For instance, when I was in university, students brought their laptops to class to take notes, do research and exchange information. They wrote assignments, created presentations and developed databases. Children who build early confidence and experience in these abilities are at a distinct advantage over those who have not. From a professional Perspective, the computer has found a permanent place in the workplace. Today, employers Still pay to provide computer training to their employees. Tomorrow, corporations will expect prospective job applicants to already possess these critical job skills. oat Parents who encourage their child to use the computer for a reasonable period of time daily are in fact investing in the child's future career. In conclusion, there is no doubt that the computer ical tool is here to stay. : ‘ The ! iputer as a technological hi literate, the better for many aspects of their future lives. (299 words - Slightly over worded)Successful sports professionals can cirn a great deal more money than people in other important professions. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is ion. unfair. Discuss both these views and give your op ‘The world of spor multimillion dollar industry. Around the globe, people flock sporting events or watch their favorite teams faithfully each week on television: yar professional sports athletes receive lng well above, for example, those of doctors, lawyers, teachers or social workers. ‘There is some debate about whether such outrageously high salaries are justified, : On the one hand, sport is viewed as a professional carcer, in which the top players should rightly earn high salaries. Athletes train rigorously from an carly age to become peak performers in their field. They face tremendous pressure in cach and every game, match or competition. Their personal lives are compromised and they los¢ all privacy. At the same time, their strong achievements bring honor and attention, not only to themselves, but also to their teams, schools, cities or countries. On the other hand, various professions contribute to making our world run smoothly. Doctors put in at least ten years of grueling study and internship: their work saves lives. Teachers educate and inspire young people to be responsible citizens: their efforts produce the citizens of tomorrow. Social workers rescue individuals facing physical, mental and psychological challenges: their intervention creates safer societies. Yet, professionals in the fields above usually struggle to get by, despite their meaningful and critical contribution to the world. In my view, paying enormous salaries to sports people is unnecessary. We need to reconsider our social priorities and eliminate the great disparity in income received by diverse professionals. By doing so, we can build societies in which each one feels valued, appreciated and appropriately compensated for their own vocation or specialization. (273 words) Many people believe that women make better parents than men and that this is why they have a greater role in raising children in most societies. Others claim that men are just as good as women at parenting. Write an essay expressing your point of view. Give reasons for your answer. aman and a woman, Both sexes play a crucial role in raising parents, in my opinion, mothers are in reality d compassionate tendencies. A child is born to two parents — the child. Although fathers can make excellent better parents based on their natural intuition an cultural reasons, women tend to have more intuitive intelligence than men, It is this intuition that enables the mother to know when her child needs her. In addition, women often know how to read non-verbal signals in human behavior, which can alert them to issues and problems in the child’s life. All of these “perceptive skills” play-a major role in making the mother a close, responsible and responsive parent. Firstly, for a wide variety of sociSecondly, most mothers share an inimitable bond with their children. Perhaps this bond ark during the nine months of pregnancy: ethaps it is reinforced through the act of breastfeeding. Whatever the cause. there offen appears to be a lifelong silver choal ar psvehie connection between mother and child. As a result. the mother is able to evaluate the child's actions from the viewpointof histher intentions. and not just results, This empathy ie priceless and cannot easily be repli Although fathers may form deep loving bonds with their children, they may not be able to mateh the depth of closeness shared by mother and child. In conclusion. although both parents are certainly capable of caring for the child, the mother often makes a better parent. Anyone who has experienced the unconditional acceptance of 2 mother’s love can bear witness to this reality. (260 words) The best way to solve the world’s environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Most people would accept that one of the highest priorities today is to find a solution to the various environmental problems facing mankind. It has been suggested that best way t achieve this is for governments to raise the price of fuel. I am, however, not sure that necessarily the case. One reason why this approach may not work is that there is not just one environmental problem the world faces today. If governments did make fuel more expensive, it might well help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we produce and so slow down the rate of global warming and air pollution. However, it would not help with other major problems such 3s intensive farming, overpopulation, the hole in the ozone layer or water pollution. For these problems we need to find other solutions. A second reason why this policy may not be the most appropriaté is that it places the emphasis on governmental policy and not individual responsibility. Ultimately, most environmental problems are the result of the way we as individuals live our lives. If we w to find a long-term and lasting solution to them, we need to lear to live in a way that itis greener or kinder to the environment, What governments need to do to make this happen is to ensure there is a global programme to educate people of all ages about the environmental consequences to their actions, In summary, I believe that increasing the level of taxation on fuel is at best a short-term solution to only one environmental problem. If we wish to provide a home for our children’s children, education is likely to be th i i ahaa ly key to making this happen. eSaries are calculated by the benefit the th also should be paid in Jn many fields of commerce, employe employce brings to the re ir students: appropriate in edtieation? yyely important factor and be inevitable, my ire a variety idea of We live in a world today where the'protit principle some traditional values are being, lost, While this belief is that education is one area that should | of arguments that can be made apainst any. prope performance related pay for teachers, sal 10 immploment the commer y, any reform in this arca is that teachers are not wholly responsible for their students ults. Indeed, there are a number of different facto can affect how students perform in exams, such as native intelligence, fa even the area in which they live.For example, in my country there are some a system where they only select the most intelligent pupils and obviously th the best results. It would not be fair if teachers from these schools were paid more than their colleagues from schools with no selection policy. The first argument for resisti hools get ‘Another strong reason to argue against this policy is that exam results are not the only measure of a teacher’s success. For instance, a teacher who helps a child improve skills and personal discipline may have done just as good a job as a teacher who helps another child to get a grade A in an exam. Again, it would be unjust if the second teach rewarded more than the first under a performance related pay scheme. So, in conclusion, I am firmly of the view that teachers’ salaries should not be calculated by their students’ results. This is one concept from commerce that has no place in education since it would be unjust on teachers who work in different contexts and help students with far more than mere examination results. (303 Words) Universities should accept equal numbers of men extent do you agree with this statement? and women in every subject. To what Gender issues have been increasing in importance through the centuries. In almost every sphere of human activity, there has been a movement towards greater equality between men’ and women. Although I agree that universities should open their doors to all students alike, in my view, they need not set a fixed limit on the number of men and women they accept in each subject. The bases for my views are psychological and personal. Psychologically-speaking, men and women are simply different, though they have the same potential for greatness. For example, women tend to be more intuitive, sensitive to others and caring, This means they may feel drawn, on the basis of their personalities, to certain kinds of professions such as teaching, nursing, or psychology, even if all fields are open to them. In such a.context, itis best for universities to choose the best applicants, regardless of gender.a {ruc calling. This is an individual matter ang ; dl by the universitis ing séats for men or women. For example, if the mann of women shy away from math or enginccring, perhaps it has to do with their upbringing which has influenced their interests. The universities will not be able to reverse this tren though they should always look out for the most qualified candidates. > In conclusion, equali 1 upon people ~ not in the area of education, employment or shout having, choices and those who prove themseive capable will qualify for university, repardle: (is only right that universities reflect and respeet these free and natural choi being, exercised by their students. ry canmot be fe (277 words) The rising levels of congestion and air pollution found in most of the world cities can be attributed directly to the rapidly increasing number of private cars in use. In order to reverse this decline in the quality of life in cities, attempts must be made to encourage people to use their ears less and public transport more, Discuss possible ways to encourage the use of public transport. To what extent do you agree with this statement? In a world of increasing environmental awareness improved public transport représents the way ofthe future. Although people do enjoy the convenience and privacy of traveling in their own private vehicles, in my opinion they may choose public transport if it fulfills certain Conditions. These conditions fall into three broad categories: attitudinal, financial and logistical. From an attitudinal perspective, people must first be ‘convinced of the benefits of public transportation, An educational or public relations campaign must be launched to sensitize those who might have disregarded this possibility before. People should be familiarized with the environmental, social and personal benefits for present and future generations. This is on step. From a financial perspective, public transportation must be a clear and viable benefit 10 consumers, In other words, it must be more affordable than driving to work every day. For example, if people know that by using bus and subway, they can save enough money to take 4a free holiday cach year, many more individuals would be persuaded to travel in this way: ‘This is another critical step. From a logistical perspective, public transportation should be convenient for commuters. City planners and transport officials must ensure that frequent and reliable public transportation iS available for each citizen. For people to make the habit of traveling by bus or subway, they must know that they will be able to get to various places on time. Transport vehicles must Be well maintained, subway and bus drivers should be customer-oriented and service must be punctual and-efficient. This is an additional important step.— a In conclusion, through a multi-pronged approach, itis possible toi jon, through a 1 2 iL s possible to inerease th : transportation, City officials and politicians ean lead the way by utilizing these tore at transport themselves and bringing about change through personal example. Then ore citizens will follow suit and we may all hope to live in a cleaner, less polluted environment B16 words) ingly important role in our lives. -se has sparked a heated debate. Jamentally heneficial influence on our detrimental effect as well. In the presen Some people argue that globali . lives, while many others contend that it hi ‘Acconvincing argument can be made about globalization not only playing a pivotal role in the development of technology and economy, but also promoting the cultural exchange 6: different countries. To start with, it is the globalization that impelled many corporate to become an international group, thereby making a contribution to the local technology and employment. Specifically, when multinational groups establish a factory in a developing, country, the new equipment, the new management skills and the job vacancies are all in the best interest of the local society. Moreover, people worldwide can get to know each other better through globalization. It is easy to see that more and more Hollywood blockbusters show cultures different from American, some recent examples are “Kungfu Panda’ and ‘Th Mummy’. ‘Admittedly, profit driven globalization has severely affected young people. Today, in the metropolises in different countries, it is very common to see teenagers wearing NIKE T-shirts and Adidas footwear, playing Hip-Hop music on Apple iPods and eating at KFC. The culture, that took a thousand years to form just seems similar in these cities; it is looks like you can only distinguish them by their language. Meanwhile, in some developing countries, sweat workshops are always a concerning issue. For instance, reports show that some teenagers employed by NIKE’s contractors work in smelly factories oVer 14 hours a day, but are only paid fifty cents per hour. obalization does come with some adverse effects.” Despite that fact, benefits created by it far outweigh the disadvantages. Overall, I am convinced that we should further promote globalization and meanwhile the local government should take measures to combat culture assimilation and sweat workshops. In summary, I would concede that gl (281 words) What factors are related to academic success in high school students? High school is a critical time in the life of young people. On the one hand, teenagers are eaBer to enjoy their freedom and independence. On the other hand, they must be disciplined enough to keep their priorities straight. In my opinion, three social institutions impact high school students the most at this vulnerable time — the family, peer group and school.a First, the family plays the eentral role by providing the backdrop in a young person's Positive family environment provides love. support and encouragement for the students ae hishher best. Simultaneously. the family aims to i pine and ambition in the child. The influence and expectations of family members remain paramount at this time and throughout a young person's life. Second, as a child tums into a teenager, the p\ s to play an increasingly important role in his/her life. The friendships one develops at this high esingeee affect ones attitude to studies. authori and the world, In the right company, young people can get involved in positive activities that support theit academic perform the wrong crowd, teenagers could develop a host of unhealthy impact not ofily their grades but all aspeets of their lives. ice. With Is which Lastly, the school itself is a deciding factor in the student's academic success. A variety of elements determine how the students feel about school: the teac! e staff, the facilities, the subjects, the text books, the method of instruction and more. All of these have a significant impact on the young person’s motivation to excel. “In conclusion, high school success is the product of various influences. We are all fortunate that, aside from a few unfortunate exceptions, the majority of students worldwide aspire to do wwell end grow up to become active and healthy participants in the world around them, 607 words) Foreign language instruction should begin in kindergarten. Discuss. According to a famous saying, “The limits of my language are the limits of my world.” Indeed, the ability to speak several languages is considered one of the hallmarks of a cultured person. From this perspective, foreign language instruction should begin as early as possible in order to achieve near-native fluency. The reasons behind this approach are intellectual, social and professional. Intellectually, learning a foreign language at a young age enables children to develop their brain. At this age, children’s minds are like sponges and their capacities are limitless. They have less inhibition or biases against learning different subjects. They can learn one, two oF three languages without confusion; it would only serve to expand their minds. Therefore, itis ideal to start teaching a foreign language in kindergarten. Socially, learning a foreign language enables the young child to enter a wider cultural world. By learning to speak, think and understand a different language, the child develops greater cross-cultural awareness. This critical ability enables the child to make friends with, identify with and empathize with others who speak the additional language. Professionally, by learning a foreign language in kindergarten, the child expands his/her future career horizons. In today’s increasingly globalized world, bilingual and multilingual individuals are in high demand. The child who achieves this fluency naturally and easily at @ young age already has an edge over others in the job market,