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Some people think that all children should learn geography in school. However, some others think that learning subjects more relevant to life is more important.
With constant modifications in school curriculum and constant changes in society the question of whether to maintain or drop geography is an interesting topic. I believe there would be severe consequences if geography were to disappear, mainly due to the understanding and open-mindedness that is derived from such studies.
Firstly, with evermore complex geopolitic strategies being played out, it can be considered extremely valuable to have the ability to identify the location of these events without checking on a map. Religious and border conflicts are amongst the most common sources of news events and a lack of knowledge as to where these events are being played out can be considered ignorant. For example, areas such as the middle east are constantly in the news. Therefore, by being merely aware of their location in the world, readers or viewers can greatly increase their understanding of the conflict.
Secondly, making geography compulsory in the schools would most likely encourage students to travel later in life. This is because geography can bring to light options you may not have known existed previously. For example, historically England has been the top destination to learn English, however, in recent times students have learnt about more economical options such as Malta or Ireland. Therefore, without a sound geographical knowledge of Europe, these options could have been overlooked.
To conclude, removing geography from the school curricula would reduce a student’s ability to fully assimilate global events in the media. Furthermore, removing the subject could indirectly reduce the amount of perceived options available to students.
(257 Words, band 9)
Space exploration is much too expensive and the money should be spent on more important things. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
There is an argument that exploring space is a waste of money and that there are more urgent needs to be addressed on earth, such as reducing poverty and preventing environmental destruction. However, I completely disagree with this opinion for two reasons.
First of all, many of the technologies we take for granted today were originated thanks to space research. Take satellite technology, for example, which we depend on for broadcasting and weather forecasting. Without satellites, we would not be able to follow global events as they happen, nor give populations any warning of approaching storms. Space research has also led to the development of new lightweight materials that offer us heat protection and enable food preservation. Therefore, the challenge of sending human beings into space has often driven the development of new technologies that benefit our everyday lives.
Second, we cannot foresee the distant future, so we ought to develop the capability to escape from the earth. Gradually, we are learning how humans can survive for long periods in space and even travel to other planets in the future. If space exploration is halted, this valuable knowledge will never be acquired. It is true that environmental destruction is also a serious issue, but it is also true that we remain dependent on our environment if we never accept the challenge of exploring other worlds.
In conclusion, while we undoubtedly face serious problems on our own planet, it is imperative that we continue to explore space. This will promote further technological advances as well as provide a possible means of escape should earth become uninhabitable in future. Ideally, all nations should cooperate in the advancement of space research. (278 words, IELTS 8.5)
Task response: The introduction effectively paraphrases the question and presents a clear opinion. The writer’s opinion is supported in the body of the essay. Concrete examples are given. The conclusion restates the writer’s opinion and ends with a recommendation.
It is sometimes argued that too many students go to university, while others claim that a university education should be a universal right. Discuss both sides of the argument and give your own opinion.
In some advanced countries, it is not unusual for more than 50% of young adults to attend college or university. Critics, however, claim that many university courses are worthless and young people would be better off gaining skills in the workplace. In this essay, I will examine both sides of this argument and try to reach a conclusion.
There are several reasons why university has become a popular choice for young people. First, growing prosperity in many parts of the world has increased the number of families with money to invest in their children’s future. At the same time, falling birthrates mean that one- or two-child families have become common, increasing the level of investment in each child. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that young people are willing to let their families support them until the age of 21 or 22. Furthermore, millions of new jobs have been created in knowledge industries, and these jobs are typically open only to university graduates.
However, it often appears that graduates end up in occupations unrelated to their university studies. It is not uncommon for an English literature major to end up working in sales, or an engineering graduate to retrain as a teacher, for example. Some critics have suggested that young people are just delaying their entry into the workplace, rather than developing professional skills. A more serious problem is that the high cost of a university education will mean that many families are reluctant to have more than one child, exacerbating the falling birthrates in certain countries.
In conclusion, while it can be argued that too much emphasis is placed on a university education, my own opinion is that the university years are a crucial time for personal development. If people enter the workplace aged 18, their future options may be severely restricted. Attending university allows them time to learn more about themselves and make a more appropriate choice of career.
(320 words. IELTS 9.0)
Task response: The model answer fully answers the question by stating several arguments both for and against the expansion of higher education. The candidate’s position is clearly expressed in the conclusion. The style is appropriate to academic writing and the answer is at least 250 words in length.
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