Task 2

There are many different reasons that can keep a person in their workplace. Some believe that money is the main reason. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

178 words, 30 minutes.

People need money to live, and it is usual that they find a job in order to be able to cover all for their expenses; however, it is hard to say that the only reason to work is becoming rich; it is a deep issue which deserves an evaluation before offering an opinion.

It is common to hear some people saying that if they have enough money, they will never come back to their jobs, because they want to enjoy life, play sports, travel around the world and share more time with family and friends. These groups of people have the firm idea that the only reason of working is money. Nevertheless, most of them fall depressed after their retirements, because they are bored or feeling alone. To make things worse, it is usual that after long time dreaming with leaving work, when they can finally do that, they want to do some free jobs because they do not how to use their time.

On the other hand, some workers love their jobs, because it is an opportunity to develop their skills, find social recognition and enjoy their productive ages. Many people enjoy working and studying as way to feel better and to discover new things. I take my hat off to people who are able to appreciate their labor activities and being part of the workforce because they like to do whatever they do.

In conclusion, everyone has a special way to see life and in consequence they have different reasons to work, but from my point of view, the really important subject is to feel happy about personal daily activities and to use time in a satisfactory way.

Task 2

The traditional lifestyle of developing countries has been attracting an increasing number of tourists. As a side-effect this has been preventing the people in developing countries from adopting modern ways of living. Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Give your opinion and examples from personal experience.

269 words, 30 minutes.

Lifestyle has been changing day after day, and people who live in modern ways get used to visiting developing nations and places which have had traditional standard of living, consequently those places have started to be more modern, but it is not necessarily the whole true. That is why, it is an important issue which deserves a deep down evaluation before offering an opinion.

Traditional cultures which are still alive in the world are opportunities to know part of both our history and root. So people like to travel to know them, it is a culture exchanged because tourists learn about old cultures and people there discover other ways to live and think, Those new knowledge change all involved people and bring consequences in them. Some of them might believe that another culture is better or worse than their one, and start to have different behavior as result of it.

Nevertheless, everyone has different ideas about things. Some people would want to have better living condition and try to move to a big city, while others could think that nothing is better than their present place and make an effort to keep it alive. However, world and people are always changing as well as their cultures. But, every cloud has a silver lining and even if things become different people will always have special ways to see life and we will be able to share them each other.

In conclusion, from my point of view, it is possible that tourists make a high impact in traditional cultures, but some people there will want to change and others will not. 

Task 1

172 words, 21 minutes.

The chart below illustrates how nowadays environmental matters has been increased in life cycle of production. It shows seven steps in the process to create industrialized things.

In the first stage, there is time to develop ideas about the item and plan how it will be made and sold. Then, it is the moment to find all necessary materials, infrastructure and resources such as energy, human tools, etc.

After that, the production process starts, followed by packaging stuffs to distribute them in shops, markets, etc.

When they are in commercial places, they are sold to people who are interested in them.

The sixth step is when people use the product in the way they want to. In the last stage, the cycle may take either two ways, has a feedback and starts the process in step one or be recycled and go to the second phase.

It is a long process, which involve the whole production life, since the first idea until the moment when customers are not using it any more.

Task 2

Air traffic is increasingly leading to more noise, pollution and airport construction. One reason for this is the growth in low-cost passenger flights, often to holiday destination.

Some people say that government should try to reduce air traffic by taxing it more heavily.

Do you agree or disagree?

268 words, 31 minutes (after self corrections)

There is an interesting debate whether governments should increase air tickets taxes in order to reduce the amount of passengers who use airplanes to travel in both holidays and work, because the great rise of air traffic is generating lots of environmental problems. Some people support the idea that it cannot be the solution. It is a complicated issue which deserves a deep evaluation before offering an opinion.

In the last 20 years air traffic has greatly raise as well as its consequences, such as pollution noises and many natural changes. It is necessary to control this trouble before having more hazardous situations. One idea to face it has been increase the tickets cost; so that less people can buy them, and they would avoid some air travels which can be done using other transportation ways like bus or boat. This approach might has a direct impact on these problems and solve wide range of them.

On the other hand, other group of people believes that common people must not pay for those consequences and world leaders should look for different solutions to think out this trouble, such as deny using no environmental friendly aircraft or force companies to develop new more efficient machines which carry fewer problems on environment.

In conclusion, from my point of view, the easiest solution for those problems would be increase taxes on fly tickets, but it is not a good answer for them, because people ought not to be charged with the whole trouble, it may be more useful that governments look for global solutions forcing companies to offer more environmental service.

Task 1

158 words, 23 minutes (after self corrections)

The chart below illustrates the amount of overseas students in Australia who were from four countries (Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore), during 18 years between 1982 to 2000.

In the first stage, most of foreigners students were from Malaysia (around 5 thousand), while there was almost none student from other nations.

In 1984, there was some Indonesian students, and step by step all of those countries had students in Australia.

In 1990, there was higher range of overseas students, and in 1994 there was 10 thousand of students from Hong Kong and Singapore, around 12 thousand from Malaysia and almost 20 thousand from Indonesia.

At the end of the period, the sum of foreigner students from each country was between 18 thousand to 22 thousand.

Summarizing, during this period there was a great rose of overseas students in Australia which had the major increased between 1992 to 2000 though there was some fluctuation during the whole time.

Task 2

It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

271 words, 32 minutes (after self corrections)

There are an interesting exchanged of arguments whether innate talents are the most important element in the success or any young people can become in a great musician or sports person with practice. It is a complicated issue which deserves a deep evaluation before offering an opinion.

Many researchers have demonstrated that some people were born with special abilities such as better music understanding and facility to play an instrument, or higher sport skills. Scientists have found that in most cases these particular capabilities are inherited from parents who have practiced those activities; in fewest people there are not relationship between ancestors’ skills and special abilities which someone has when he/she was born. However, it is wide known that some people have “a special gift” since they were babies.

On the other hand, it is proved that even if a person has the greatest innate skill, it will not be really special without practice and hard work. For example, a child who has good soccer abilities but no interests to practice it, he/she will not develop it; otherwise, a boy who loves playing soccer and spend three hours per day practicing it will be a good player; maybe this one will be less successful than other who have “a special gift” and practice at the same time, but both of them have a chance to become great athletes.

In conclusion, from my point of view, both natural talents and effort are important in the process to develop skills, but it is not necessary to have been born with “a special gift” to reach success, it is only essential to make an effort.

Task 1

156 words, 23 minutes (after self correction)

The chart below illustrates the percentage spent in three consumer categories in five countries (Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Turkey) in 2002.

All these countries showed the biggest proportion of consume in Food/Drinks/Tobacco, but with important difference each others; for instance, Turkey which was the highest consumption spent 32,14% in those items, more than twice to Sweden that had at 15,77%.

The second more popular group of items was Clothing/Footwear, with a range between 5.40% in Sweden to 9% in Italy.

Otherwise, the fewest amount of spend in those countries was in Leisure/Education; again Turkey was the first one with 4,35% and the last one was Spain with around a quarter of the biggest percentage.

With this information at hand, it is possible to say that in those nations the major priority was related to feed and smoke, followed by dress, and then pleasure-education in which any of those countries spent less than the previous items.