Model answers for Cambridge IELTS Book 15 Task 2 Essays. Written by Mike Wattie, ex-IELTS examiner and author.
In some countries owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people
Why might this be the case?
Do you think this is a positive or negative situation?
In many nations, home ownership is considered to be of great significance. This essay discusses the reasons for this and why I believe it brings merits.
There are two main reasons why owning a house is considered to be of high importance. The main motivation behind its popularity is because it is seen as providing a more stable base for a family. This is because the family home becomes the key place where different generations of a family gather and build cherished memories. For instance, every time I return to my family home it reminds me of all the fun times I have had with my family there, and this makes me feel closer to them. Moreover, houses are seen as a good form of investment. This is because real estate prices usually increase over the long-term.
I believe owner-occupancy can be seen as leading to positive outcomes. First, the stability that it provides to families is paramount to social stability. When the bonds between family members are strong, this alleviates problems such as social isolation and depression. This is because when people are surrounded by their family, they feel loved. In addition, property owners build equity in their homes, and this assists them to retire comfortably. They are also better placed to ride out any financial hardship. For instance, during this current pandemic, people who lose their job but have their own house will not be evicted due to not being able to pay rent.
In conclusion, the main motivations behind home ownership are a desire for a stable family environment and a sound form of investment. This is in my view, highly beneficial as it results in strong social cohesion and financial security.
[285 words]
In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Some believe that newspapers and books in printed form will become obsolete as people will be able to read all that they desire, free of charge, on the internet. I totally disagree because there will always be people that will buy printed material because of the aesthetic appeal of it and due to its collectability.
The main reason why I disagree is because there is some sort of aesthetic appeal to actually holding printed material in your hands when reading. There is always going to be people who will want to buy a novel or paper as they find it to be a more pleasurable experience than reading on an electronic gadget. For instance, many people find it easier to read words off a page instead of a screen.
Another
reason why I believe printed material will always be purchased is its popularity
with collectors. We can often see bookcases full of books when we enter
someone’s home as they are an artefact just like a painting on a wall. Moreover,
there are organizations, such as libraries, that serve to collect books and
newspapers as a form of public archives.
In conclusion, I completely disagree that there will ever be a time when people no longer buy books or papers. This is because I believe there will always be people willing to buy printed material due to its physical appeal and there will always be people and organisations that want to collect books and papers. Given this situation, it seems that printed materials will always be available.
Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Some believe that commercials induce people to make purchases; others feel that advertisements have become so commonplace that we simply ignore them. This essay discusses both of these perspectives, and why I believe that the case for the power of advertising is stronger.
There are two main arguments to support the strong influence of advertising. The first is that whatever gets advertised heavily seems to get purchased the most. We can see that the most popular brands of products that are advertised on TV and the Internet also seem to be the ones people are purchasing. Another popular argument is that companies would not advertise if it did not lead to sales. Commercials are extremely expensive and as companies keep running them, they must be successful otherwise the expenditure could not be justified.
However, some argue that we no longer pay attention to adverts. They argue that people do not see commercials on television because they switch to other tasks whenever they appear. For instance, when there is a commercial break during a TV show people often use it as an opportunity for a food run. Moreover, when people cannot avoid advertising they just ignore it. For instance, people have become so accustomed to popups and marketing content on the right side of the computer screen that they tend to just ignore anything that occupies this space.
In conclusion, I believe that both sides of the argument have merits. However, the case for the power of advertising is stronger. I think this is because advertising constantly evolves and finds creative ways to attract our attention and convince us of the need to buy a product.
[277 words]
In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?
In many societies, youngsters are given the message that anything can be achieved through diligence. This essay discusses the merits and drawbacks of expressing this philosophy.
There are two main benefits of telling children anything is possible with sufficient persistence. The first of these is that it can be a powerful source of motivation. This is because it will encourage young people to work hard towards achieving their goals and to be tenacious when goals seem unachievable. Furthermore, this can inspire young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with hope. For instance, children from poor families might find solace in the notion that studying hard can lead to a prosperous career.
However, there are also drawbacks of this approach. The most significant is that it can cause a great deal of stress. This is because children who are unable to achieve a goal may burnout due to working increasingly harder in the pursuit of an unattainable goal. Another limitation is that may lead to youngsters wasting their time. To illustrate, if a child is pursuing a goal that is truly unachievable, this time may be better spent on something else.
In conclusion, giving children the message that they can achieve anything through hard work is highly beneficial, as it becomes a source of inspiration and comfort. However, it can also lead to considerable levels of stress and time-wasting brought about by attempting to reach unachievable goals. Therefore, it seems that children need to be given some sort of parameters regarding the situations when hard work can lead to positive outcomes in order to prevent the deleterious effects.
[265 words]
See model answers for other parts of CAMBRIDGE 15 IELTS BOOK