Task 2

Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults.

Discuss both views and give own opinion.

280 words, 33 minutes.

There are interesting exchanges of arguments whether it is better for children to be persuaded into the sense of competition or co-operability, in order to reach success in the adulthood. It is a complicated issue which deserves a deeply evaluation before offering an opinion.

We live in a competitive world in which the pace of life is faster every day; then it is essential to give to younger people the necessary tools to face this lifestyle. That is why, it is fundamental to help children to learn to do their best, and try to work better than others to find good works and wages when they become older. However, it has some drawback such as children might be stressed and have problems to make friendships because they are always in a competition that does not have a chance to feel confident with partners.

Nevertheless, most of works need a team to be done in a proper way, and people who do not know work with others will have troubles to do good tasks. For those reasons, it is pivotal to teach children to work together in a single aim, because it is the way for them to learn to deal with and support each other. Even if, it is an important element that young people learn to make as best work as possible, it is only possible for them who are able to work with a team.

In conclusion, from my point of view, both things are important, so children need to learn to be competitive but working in groups with the same goal; it is the way to be sure about they would be ready for future.

Task 1

The chart below is a Garlsdon Town’s map which offers a global vision of that place and where there are a couple of new supermarkets.

Garlsdon is a town with a population of 65,000 people which has two industrial areas; one in the north and the other one in the south of the housing zone in the Countryside.

There is possible to find the Town Centre just in the middle of the housing one area, but a little south the whole place. There is not allowed to use any kind of motor transportation; but the railway which crossover the town from west-north to east-south is over this part of Garlsdon. One of the supermarkets is close to the way of the Railway in the Town Center; while the other one is between the housing zone and the border of the Countryside.

There are two main roads, the first one run throughout the south, and the other one run from the west-north of the Town Center to out of the town.

Task 2

Universities should accept equal number of male and female students in every subject.

To what extend do you agree or disagree?

253 words, 30 minutes (after self corrections)

Presently, most of universities around the world are allowed to register women and men; however in the past and in some primitive countries it is still an important issue which may be difficult to understand for west population and developed world, but it is essential matter in some places as well as it is part of our history. That is why, I believe that it is necessary to evaluate this point deeply before offering an opinion.

Humanity history has been full of discrimination problems for natural situations such as people skin color and gender. For instance, there was only 100 years ago when women could neither go to universities nor study in high education levels in general. Nowadays, it is same as some countries in which people think that women are not as smart as men are, and they do not deserve to have similar right and opportunities.

On the other hand, these days, the majority of universities and colleges do not take care of people gender; they are only interested in students’ skills in order to receive them there. Moreover, those place are get to having more women than men, but it is not because the gender, it is a consequence of individual features and abilities.

In conclusion, from my point of view, people gender should not be related to be accepted them or not in any kind of study place. Requirements to study at university or colleges must be only the academic ones which make people able to have success there.

Task 1

164 words, 24 minutes (after self corrections)

The chart below illustrates a century projection (between 1994 to 2040) of percentage of elderly people in three developed nations (Japan, Sweden and the US).

In the first stage, there had between 5% to 9% of senior citizens, but the highest level was in USA and the lowest in Japan, where had predicted an important decrease until later 1980s, then a slow rise for around 30 years, to reach a peak between 2030 to 2040 when this country will have the biggest proportion of old people (over 26%).

Otherwise, in the United States the amount of elderly group show fluctuation with increase and slight drops, but in the last part of the period it is expected a great rise to finish with almost  at 25% of senior citizen there.

Meanwhile, in 1940, Sweden population had around 7% of them over 65 years old. This proportion has been continually increasing with some fluctuations, to close at 25% of them at the end of the stage.

Task 2

In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

261 words, 30 minutes (after self corrections)

People are used to spending their first 25 years of life on study activities, in order to prepare themselves for adulthood. In different parts of the world parents persuade their children to travel or work a year before starting study at university or collage. This point has some arguments in favor and downside; that is why, it is necessary to evaluate it deeply before offering an opinion.

The surest way to reach success in adulthood is studying and learning all possible things related to the personal interested in each one during early years. So, school is the first stage on this road; but it is essential to continue receiving academic formation to learn specific skills for future. Moreover, people who get their degree earlier have more opportunities to find better jobs with good wages. For those reasons, it is fundamental that young people continue studying after high school.

On the other hand, school is not able to teach all important elements of the life, neither it is its aim or responsibility. Consequently, some parents want to give their children all possible chance to become as good people as they can. Some ways to do that are encouraging them to work a year after high school or to travel to know other cultures. Those experiences help them in both, to grow up and become more responsible.

In conclusion, from my point of view, taking a year either to travel or work has more positive aspect than drawback because they give people some knowledge that they cannot find into a classroom or reading.

Task 1

179 words, 24 minutes (after self corrections)

The couple of bar graphs below illustrate different topics; the first one is about the motivation to study in some age groups, while the second one is related to the percentage of support that people receive according to how old they are.

Younger people tend to chose study because they like the career, and in people under 39 years old, it is the main reason. While people are younger this proportion are used to being higher. Otherwise, people who are between 40 to 49 years old have same proportion as both reasons to study (because he career and the interest). Only people who study when they are older than 49 take this decision in most cases because their interest and just fewer than 20% of them said that it decision was related to the career.

Finally, employers who are under 26 are used to receiving more support than any other age group (over 60%); followed by workers between 26 to 29 (50%), and over 49 (over 40%); meanwhile people in their middle age (30-49) receive less help than others.

Task 2

More people use their own cars rather than public transport, so it is up to the government to encourage people to use buses and trains instead. Do you agree or disagree with the statement?

262 words, 30 minutes (after self corrections)

It is a clear trend that people prefer using their vehicles in spite of public transportation such as subways or buses. This situation is bringing some consequences, and governments are trying to convince people change their transportation habits. It is not an easy issue; that is why, I think that it is necessary to evaluate the point deeply before offering an opinion.

Some people support the idea that everyone should have the option to choose if he/she wants to use his/her car or travel in other ways. They believe that it is part of the freedom which all citizens deserve, and none government or organization have to take part of how people go either to work or travel. Moreover, these groups tend to say that using a personal car is more comfortable and easier, because people save the time of waiting the bus or in long routes which get them tired.

On the other hand, around the world, environmentalists are complaining about high pollution levels as result of the biggest car amount in the last 20 years. Furthermore their common criticism is that in most of cases each car is used only by one or two people; then it increases smoke problems. For these reasons, green groups are asking governments to take care about it; and those ones have been developing some politicians in order to avoid or drop this trouble.

In conclusion, using personal cars have positive aspects and drawback, but from my point of view, nowadays, taking care about environmental matters is essential, and a fundamental task for world leaders.