Ielts writing task 2 file 2

Personally, I disagree with this school of thought given its impracticality and the stultifying effects it has on many young people.. 300 words - By Kien Luyen 8899 Some educationalists

All children must stay at school until 18 Do you agree or disagree?

There is an opinion that not until the age of eighteen should children be allowed to leave school Personally, I disagree with this school of thought given its impracticality and the stultifying effects it has

on many young people

Granted, one might argue that forcing every child to finish high school education confers substantial benefits, on both personal and societal levels This is predicated on the assumption that those under the age of 18 are usually not mature enough, and thus cannot sufficiently protect themselves As a result,

they may fall prey to exploitation, which is a poor preparation for their adulthood, or may be tricked into committing crimes, which could destabilize society However, this line of reasoning is not sound because

it fails to factor in the plight of many children For homeless children, for example, their only worry is probably about when or even whether they have their next meal, and so it would be almost entirely fruitless to force them to go to school There are also question marks over who would pay their school fees, food and perhaps shelter, if they were to forcibly stay at school full-time

In addition to the questions regarding the efficacy and plausibility of this proposal, I note that children with special abilities and passions should be permitted to leave school earlier For example, children who

are musically talented and wish to become singers in the future should spend their precious time making music, perfecting their pitch or building their reputation rather than learning academic subjects Of course, that is not to say that they should downplay the importance of academic subjects like Maths, Physics or Biology However, their ability to perform on the stage later on is what matters the most, not their academic knowledge

In conclusion, forcing everyone to stay at school until 18 years of age would simply be impractical and could hinder the development of many children Therefore, I strongly feel that such a proposal should not be adopted ( By Kien Luyen)

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Intelligence is the most important quality for a leader Do you agree or disagree?

Leadership certainly consists of a range of qualities, among which intelligence is sometimes regarded as the most important While I accept that it is difficult for one to be a good leader without being intelligent, one’s management skills are arguably of equal significance

It is undoubtedly true that a leader’s main job is to make decisions, which invariably affect the future of the business, organization or country, and making fruitful decisions unequivocally requires one to be smart This is because the decision-making process requires one to wisely access the situation, and then come up with careful plans or innovative ideas to address the problem(s) at hand or seize the opportunity that is presenting itself Indeed, these tasks cannot

be done properly if the leader is notsmart enough Evidence for this can be seen in cases of highly intelligent individuals such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, who are unquestionably great leaders of our time

However, to say that one’s level of intelligence is the most essential attribute is to downplay the

importance of one’s management skills In fact, many leaders have failed miserably due to their inability to manage their staff For example, Steve Jobs, who was extremely smart, was kicked out of Apple, the very company that he founded, because of his aggressive management style A sizable proportion of his employees felt that they could not think creatively and failed to work to the best of their ability due to the extreme level of stress that they had to endure every day under Steve’s reign

In conclusion, although it would be decidedly challenging for one to be an effective leader without a high level of intelligence, one’s management skills are surely of equal importance (300 words - By Kien Luyen)

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Some educationalists believe that international student exchange visits are good for all teenagers Do the advantages of this outweigh disadvantages?

Some scholars assert that global student exchange trips are beneficial for all students In my opinion, the merits of this scheme overshadow its drawbacks

There are some concerns related to the implementation of this initiative The costs incurred seem overwhelming, especially for developing countries If national coffers fail to back such a scheme, students have to bear all the costs involved Those from financially disadvantaged families do not stand a chance to participate in this project, hence discrimination between them and their affluent peers There are also worries about the learning autonomy and discipline of students without supervision in a new learning environment These worries are not unfounded since students might indulge themselves in distractions like partying and gaming

However, the upsides of this program are far more significant because students can be exposed

to different pedagogical methods and can choose what is suitable for them For example, the current curriculum in some Asian countries such as Vietnam seems fairly rigid and stereotypical, emphasizing heavily on natural science subjects like Maths Those who are artistically gifted may

be neglected and are looked down upon when they are judged based on their ability to solve math problems If those students can take part in a student exchange trip in a Western country, they might find appropriate aptitude classes like fine arts or dancing, helping them develop their talents to the fullest

In conclusion, although there are concerns associated with student exchange programs, the chance of being exposed to a suitable learning environment seems far more significant to me

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Countries with a longer average working day are more likely to be economically successful, but may suffer from negative social consequences as a result To what extent do you agree or disagree with these views?

A country’s economic success is certainly affected by a wide range of factors, among which is the length of people’s working hours I totally agree with the statement that countries whose

average working hours are longer tend to be prosperous, but they consequently have to deal with many social problems

There is no doubt in my mind that countries in which people work longer hours are more likely

to enjoy economic prosperity Evidence for this can be seen in Japan, where people’s working hours range from 65 to 80, depending on gender and occupations Although this country’s economy had been devastated after World War II, it has made a recovery to become unquestionably one of the most powerful economic powerhouses in the world There is general agreement among historians and economists that this feat was the direct result of the country’s

strong work ethic

However, economic success achieved in this way presents such countries with a litany of social issues For example, the birth rate in Japan has stagnated and is now at an all time low due to the stress caused by people’s excessively long working hours This is predicted to grind the economy of the country to a halt, with the population consisting of a large proportion of old and infirm people Similarly, China, known for its brutal 9-9-6 working culture (that is, starting the working day at 9 AM, leaving work at 9 PM, and repeating this cycle six days a week), has the highest suicide rate in the world

In conclusion, countries with longer working days are more likely to thrive economically;

however, such economic prosperity often comes with numerous serious social problems (289 words - By Kien Luyen)

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Museums and art galleries should concentrate on works that show the history and culture of their own country rather than works of the other parts in the world To what extent do you agree or

disagree?

Opinions are divided on whether museums and art shows should place sole emphasis on national works.

I believe that national and international themes are important in their own way, and should be both embraced

Of course, some museums and art shows justifiably pay more attention to presenting artifacts, relics and works of art of their own nation This approach attracts overseas visitors who are curious about an alien culture, and allows local visitors to learn about their country A good example is that of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, which annually receives millions of both foreign and local visits Most visitors gave positive feedback regarding the organization of the institution - each area solely shows the culture of each ethnic minority group in Vietnam Thus, this theme can promote the culture of the country to overseas friends, while instilling national identity in domestic visitors

However, museums or art galleries with a national or local focus are more often than not visited by foreign visitors rather than local ones An international focus, on the other hand, offers a sense of novelty and consequently may appeal to more people regardless of their nationality Furthermore, museums and art institutions with a global emphasis allow visitors to gain a more comprehensive understanding of cultures around the world, which is in and of itself beneficial given the ever-globalized

world we are living in Therefore, it is necessary that there should be museums and art galleries catering for people whose interest is in international works

In conclusion, while some museums and art shows should focus on national heritage, many others should be allowed to show artifacts and art works from other countries (276 words - By Kien Luyen)

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Studies have found that many criminals have a low level of education For this reason, some people think that the best way to reduce crime is to provide criminals in prison with education so that they can get a job after they leave prison To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Criminologists have found that a sizable proportion of criminals did not receive proper education Given this,

it is argued that the most effective method to combat crime is to educate prisoners so that they can find employment after they are released While this approach can work to a certain extent, it is by no means the best solution there is to deal with crime

It is certainly true that the provision of educational programs can render inmates more employable This is because the recipients of these programs will have a better understanding of the law and possess important job skills It is likely that they, as a result, will become law-abiding citizens and productive members of society after their prison terms Therefore, they are less likely to reoffend, leading to lower rates of

recidivism

However, this measure fails to address the root causes of crime such as poverty In fact, a large proportion of

convicted offenders were living under the poverty line, which suggests that they were forced to take what they did not have in order to sustain their lives and provide for their families Thus, it can be argued that they might not have committed crime in the first place, if there had been more job opportunities

A related point is that early education, or the lack thereof, is another underlying cause of crime Education is indeed unaffordable for a section of the population, which means that a great number of children are not taught properly They are educated on the streets rather than at school Given this concerning situation, if education were made more accessible to these financially disadvantaged children, they could be steered away from a criminal lifestyle and stand a better chance of securing a job, preemptively eliminating their motivation to commit crimes

In conclusion, although providing criminals with rehabilitation and educational programs can help them turn their lives around and become productive workers, potentially lowering crime rates, addressing the problem

of poverty is definitively more fruitful given its fundamental importance in early crime prevention (339 words - By Kien Luyen)

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Many people believe that it is easier to have a healthy lifestyle in the countryside Others believe that living

in cities has more health benefits Discuss both views and give your opinion

Opinions are divided on whether it is easier for city or rural dwellers to lead a healthy lifestyle There is indeed a strong case to be made for both sides of the debate, which I will discuss now

Supporters of rural life often point to the more pedestrian lifestyle rural people lead Indeed, city life is more stressful because of the much higher costs of living, and so it is common for city residents to work overtime to cover these costs Therefore, it is reasonable to say that people living in the countryside are less prone to stress and anxiety, for example On this side of the debate, people also emphasize that most cities now are nothing short of concrete jungles that are plagued with problems such as air pollution and congestion Meanwhile, these problems are hardly found in rural places

Those preferring living in cities often argue that the easier access to decidedly more advanced healthcare services makes it easier for city inhabitants to lead a healthy lifestyle It is certainly true that hospitals in cities are equipped with more modern medical technologies and have more skilled doctors and nurses, while healthcare facilities in rural areas are sometimes even non-existent Thus, people living in urban areas will be treated better if they get sick Furthermore, the wide availability of entertainment facilities such as shopping malls, movie theaters and amusement parks allows city residents to relieve stress more easily Again, these facilities are often not found in rural places

Personally, I feel that city life can be beneficial to people’s health, with all the advantages of modern healthcare and entertainment facilities, and this choice is often appealing to young people Living in the countryside, by contrast, can indeed have health benefits, and is generally more suitable for older people So,

it is rather unwise to make such a blanket statement that living in the countryside is healthier than in the city, and vice versa (326 words - by Kien Luyen)

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Some people say that cheap air travel gives ordinary people more freedom to travel further Other people say that it adds to the world’s environmental problems and therefore should be made more expensive to discourage people from traveling too much Discuss both views and give your opinion

Opinions are divided on the advent of cheap flights, with a school of thought holding that this development allows ordinary people to travel more However, other people express their reservations, saying that environmental problems will be exacerbated unless flights become more expensive There is indeed a strong case to be made for both sides of the debate, which will be discussed now

Supporters of air transportation often argue that it confers substantial benefits to individuals They say that the increasing affordability of flights gives people, especially those in low-income brackets, the opportunity to broaden their horizons by traveling to other countries to learn about their cultures and landscapes For example, without cheap air travel, it would be nigh on impossible for low-income earners

in the US to admire scenic and dramatic views in mountainous areas in the north of Vietnam, with fast flowing, winding rivers and mountains towering above them, along with numerous exotic cultural activities such as making Chung cake during Tet holiday

However, there are certainly concerns associated with this trend It is true that the problem of air pollution can be worsened, with flights emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases into the air This can accelerate the process of climate change as well as the depletion of natural resources given how much fuels the air travel industry consumes These are indeed legitimate concerns often shared by environmentalists and environmentally conscious individuals

Personally, it is rather unwise to forego the benefits of cheap air travel given how it gives us the chance

to broaden our understanding Were flights to become unaffordable for the masses for the sake of the environment, people on low income would be excluded, adding further to inequality Instead, we should all try to lead a greener lifestyle to curb our overall carbon footprint, and it is imperative that the air travel industry try to make their flights more energy-efficient to reduce its negative impact on the environment (322 words - By Kien Luyen)

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In the past, knowledge was stored in books However, knowledge is stored on the internet Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Past societies have invented different ways to store knowledge, notably the invention of clay tablets and books However, knowledge is being digitized in our present-day society This development, albeit causing certain problems, is tremendously positive.

The digitization of information is sometimes thought to bring about the loss of certain traditional activities that many people hold dear For example, book lovers tend to go to public libraries to make friends and exchange profundities, but the advent of online libraries discourages these people from frequenting such places However, this problem is arguably more than compensated for by the availability faof online forums, such as Reddit and countless Facebook groups, where avid readers can conveniently interact and share their love for reading without geographical barriers

Besides this, knowledge stored online is undeniably not susceptible to wear and tear, which is a hitherto insoluble issue associated with physical books, regardless of how much care and maintenance are involved In fact, researchers, historians and archeologists often have a hard time finding reliable physical evidence of past civilizations due to the fact that most of it was destroyed by fires and floods

Another point worth mentioning is that storing knowledge in books means a large number of trees need

to be cut down to produce paper, which in part contributes to deforestation and habitat losses It is reasonable to say that these problems can be alleviated in our increasingly paperless world - where information is stored in cloud storages rather than physical means such as books

In conclusion, it is my firm conviction that digitizing knowledge is indeed a sensible course of action, with unequivocal individual, practical and environmental advantages (273 words - by Kien Luyen) 9988

TASK: There are many factors which motivate us in the workplace Of these, money is the most important To what extent do you agree or disagree?

There are a range of factors giving employees the motivation to work, chief among which is often thought to be money In my opinion, although it is true that money is an important motivator when working, there are also other factors which are worth taking into account

On the one hand, I accept that money has an indispensable role to play in motivating employees

to continue with their work Given the ever-increasing cost of living, and the soaring property prices, without adequate financial means, workers would have great difficulty in leading a decent and comfortable life In fact, money is needed to pay for accommodation, food, bills and education, all of which are basic human necessities which need to be met before any thought could be given to work As a result, with high salaries, workers could have a sense of security in terms of financial stability, concentrate more on work and work to their maximum productivity

On the other hand, I believe that other factors are of equal importance in a workplace First of all, a job needs to give employees the opportunity to rise through the ranks and challenge themselves In this way, they can accumulate more experience, take on senior roles and grow as

a person, rather than being stuck in well-paid, yet monotonous, repetitive and entry-level jobs Secondly, a positive work environment can also make a huge difference to one’s motivation at work Supportive employers and friendly colleagues can enable a comfortable work

environment, boost workers’ mental health and therefore lead to higher levels of staff retention and motivation Lastly, some people choose a job because it allows them the chance

to make meaningful contributions to society, such as being a doctor or a firefighter to save people’s lives

In conclusion, while it is understandable that money is considered to be important in making staff feel motivated at work, I believe that other considerations, namely the chance for growth and career advancement, a positive workplace and a sense of purpose, are equally important (338 words - By Tan Tai Vo 8.5 Writing - An IELTS teacher at IELTS thầy Kiên) 8998

Some people believe that international aid organizations’ priority is to

maintain a supply of clean water Others believe that international aid

should be put to better uses (building schools, hospitals, etc, )

Discuss both views and give your own opinion

Many people strongly hold onto the belief that ensuring a stable supply of clean water is the utmost duty of international aid organizations In this essay, I will challenge this stream of thought, for I believe that given the present world’s situation, such action’s justification pales in comparison to others’

One might argue that an abundant supply of clean water is the core factor that decides the development of a nation This is predicated on the assumption that without water, barely any civilization could survive within a short stint of years, let alone thrive for centuries to come Granted, were a nation to lack a main influx of water, its agriculture would suffer severely, which results in scarcity of agricultural products Consequently, the total mass of raw material coming from farming and irrigation would be insufficient to feed the anchor industries of that nation, foreshadowing its foreseeable demise

However, this line of reasoning fails to factor in the fact that in the race for industrialization, the majority of present-day developing countries can effortlessly sustain a source of clean water What these countries are missing is a qualified human resource that could help their nations make progress in all fields Since I believe that men are the key factor in any industrial revolution, their well-being should be, first and foremost, ensured Therefore, I strongly suggest that international funds be dedicated to building facilities that would raise the citizen’s standard of living More schools should be established to guarantee not only children’s proper education but also the country’s future; more hospitals should be built for the sake of the city dwellers’ health, and more malls and entertainment centers should be erected to satisfy the citizens’ demand for recreation Only in such ideal milieu would it be believable that a nation can thrive in the long run for industrialization

In conclusion, it is my conviction that global funding can be put to better use by being invested

in facilities that enhance the standard of living (346 words - By Hieu Le 8.5 Writing - Former Teaching Assistant at IELTS thầy Kiên)

Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is widely recognized that citizens the world over are facing a litany of problems, chief among which are traffic congestion and environmental pollution Given this, how to reduce these two vexing issues has garnered a great deal of publicity, with some proposing levying higher prices

on petrol as the optimal answer While acknowledging the reasons underpinning this thinking, I believe there are particular superior solutions

Proponents of raising petrol prices might argue that this legislation can lead to a decrease in the demand for private vehicles, thereby reducing the pressure on roads By the same token, the discharge of CO2 and other toxic pollutants, one of the chief culprits behind air pollution, would

be curbed However, this scenario would hardly happen In the face of petrol price increases as

of late, a sizable portion of people have still opted for their personal means of transport for their superior flexibility This means modifying fuel prices has little bearing on the status quo of traffic congestion and pollution In addition to this, raising the price of petrol would inevitably entail inflation, considering higher transport cost and its concomitant increase in prices on products and services across the board Given these limitations, the feasibility of increasing petrol prices is rendered questionable at best

In my opinion, launching awareness-raising campaigns and investing more in public transit can

be more practical in mitigating the aforementioned problems Regarding the former, the state should mount more campaigns that raise public awareness about how the excessive use of private vehicles is aggravating the deterioration of the environment Once they are well aware

of these dire repercussions, they would be more likely to limit their use of personal vehicles Such an initiative should be implemented with immensely investing in mass transit, which could incentivize people to gradually shift to riding public transport This two-pronged measure could curb not only traffic jams but also the volume of exhaust fumes from private cars and motorbikes

To summarize, I am of the opinion that raising fuel prices is not a practical approach to cope with pollution and growing traffic Instead, governments should intensify awareness campaigns

in parallel with allocating more funding to upgrading public transport systems (365 words - By Thanh Nguyen - a student at IELTS thầy Kiên)

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Some people feel that manufacturers and supermarkets have the responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging of goods, while others argue that customers should avoid buying goods with a lot of packaging

In light of mounting environmental problems, it is unequivocal that reducing product packaging

is not only advisable but almost indispensable However, people remain divided over whom this responsibility should rest with While one school of thought holds that it is producers and retail

chains that are in charge of minimizing packaging, others argue that consumers should also contribute by shying away from companies that use excessive packaging In my opinion, cutting back on goods packaging requires concerted effort between the supply and demand sides

On the one hand, it is true that manufacturers and supermarkets should be actively involved in reducing the amount of packaging on goods Clearly, packaging is taking a heavy toll on the environment as evidenced by how it spawns innumerable landfills that contain mostly non biodegradable waste Given how factories and retailers are directly responsible for putting excessive packaging on products, it only seems right for them to do something about it Furthermore, these organizations have the power to reduce how much packaging there is on merchandise Conventional boxes and wrapping papers, for example, could be eschewed in favor of environmentally friendly alternatives, and retail giants could create a profound impact

by charging for nylon bags and encouraging its customers to switch to reusable canvas totes

On the other hand, consumers do have a role to play in reducing product packaging While theoretically manufacturers and supermarkets have the ability to make a change, in reality, they often are hesitant to do so Doing away with packaging risks reducing the visual appeal of products, and the colossal investment in green packaging technology is another key driver behind such hesitance In this case, consumers wield the power to push businesses in the direction of sustainability because the latter is heavily influenced by the former’s changes in tastes and preferences The fact that food and beverage companies, most notably the coffee behemoth Starbucks, are rapidly switching to paper bags and getting rid of plastic ornaments in response to their rapidly growing group of environment-conscious patrons is a powerful testament to how consumers can make a meaningful contribution to reducing packaging

Personally, I believe cutting down on packaging is a massive undertaking that warrants collective effort of both the producing and the consuming ends Producers and supermarkets, who are responsible for the bulk of packaging, must take steps to curtail the amount of packaging that they use on their products Consumers, meanwhile, can pressure companies to make a switch to more sustainable business practices (415 words - By Thanh Nguyen - a student at IELTS thầy Kiên) 9999

Governments should make laws about people’s nutrition and food choices Others argue that

it is their choice Discuss both views and give your opinion

Whilst one school of thought holds that people’s choices of food and nutrition should be regulated, others are adamant that they should be entitled to choose what they eat This essay will first closely scrutinize both views before concluding that I agree with the latter

Granted, one might argue that government intervention in people’s dietary choices could help address health problems related to eating habits, thereby improving public health at large For instance, the number of obese patients is on the rise in many countries due to the regular consumption of fast food If the state banned food of this kind, the obesity rate could be significantly reduced, and this is anticipated to generate a healthier population

However, the aforementioned proposal seems impractical as there would be an uphill task of monitoring each person’s food intake on a daily basis Of course, this can still be executed, but not without a colossal amount of money as well as effort poured into it, which is arguably not feasible in developing and impoverished countries, where financial and human resources are often meager

Furthermore, there is a stronger case to be made for allowing individuals to make their own food and nutrition choices Apparently, everyone has the right to do whatever they want, provided that their actions are not illicit or harmful to others Therefore, if the choice of diet does not violate laws or jeopardize any lives, it will be absurd for the state to interfere with it It

is also noteworthy that depriving people of their freedom to choose what to consume could instill in them a sense of resentment, which might possibly escalate into social discontentment

In conclusion, while there are justifications to extol the introduction of certain dietary laws, I am convinced that this legislation is largely unfeasible and might become the breeding ground for social discontentment Considering this, people should be given the leeway to choose their own diets (327 words - By Thanh Nguyen - A student at IELTS thầy Kiên)

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Some think that only those people who have worked for a company for many years should be

promoted to a higher position Do you agree?

There is an opinion that primarily staff members who have dedicated many years to working for a particular company should be given executive positions in a company I disagree with this viewpoint inasmuch as younger workers may have more skills and if not provided with an opportunity for a promotion, they will become demotivated

Although senior employees have proved to be reliable and loyal, more often than not, it is novices who have a wider cluster of actual skills This is because young specialists exert their full effort in mastering their hard and soft skills in order to meet the requirements of today’s highly competitive job market Therefore, having been promoted, such workers may bring innovation and help to better incorporate the latest technological advances into business processes, which is irreplaceable for every company to flourish For example, the average age of a new hire at Facebook is only 23, for this very purpose

Yet another reason why less experienced staff members should have even chances for a promotion is that otherwise they will not be motivated to do their best Knowing that however hard they try, they still will not be given a higher position in a company, young employees are likely to grow reluctant to go the extra mile, which may negatively affect a company’s revenue and curb its development To illustrate, a prominent IT entrepreneur, Pavel Durov, had to leave his first workplace since despite his outstanding abilities, he was not rewarded with a leading role As a result, he has successfully set up his own business, while his employer lost his company due to a lack of highly qualified workers

To sum up, even though individuals who have worked fewer years for a particular company might be less trustworthy, they should be equally promoted as they have up-to-date knowledge and skill sets Besides