Model answers for Cambridge IELTS Book 14 Task 2 Essays. [book 15 answers here] Written by Mike Wattie, IELTS examiner and author.

Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion

Some believe that it’s important to be accepting of negative circumstances when they occur whereas others emphasise that it’s better to try to seek solutions in such situations. This essay discusses both perspectives and why I believe that the arguments for seeking solutions are stronger.

There are two main reasons why people believe that we must be accepting of bad circumstances. First of all, we often cannot avoid bad situations. Since these situations can’t always be avoided it’s best to just accept the reality. For instance, economic downturns can lead to the company we work for going bankrupt and in this case, we should not feel hard done by if we lose our job. In addition, unnecessary stress can be caused by dwelling on our current circumstances. If we are accepting of our circumstances this can allow us to maintain a positive mood and to continue enjoying our life despite a setback.

However, others argue that we should have a proactive attitude and find solutions to any negative predicament. The main benefit of this approach is that it may lead to eustress which helps to motivate us to find solutions. For instance, if we lose our job we should focus on finding a new job to solve the problem of being unemployed. Additionally, focusing on solutions can divert some of our negative emotions such as a feeling of bad luck or guilt into more positive emotions such as feelings of empowerment in our ability to solve our problems.

In conclusion, I believe both sides of the argument have merits. However, I believe it’s better to focus on finding solutions because it increases the likelihood of solving our problems and maintaining a positive mental attitude, which is far more important than the benefits of avoiding stress through being accepting of our circumstances.

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion

While many believe that the extinction of certain species is the greatest threat to our environment, others feel that there are more pressing environmental issues. This essay discusses both perspectives and why I believe that there are more critical issues than the loss of species.

There are two main reasons why people might believe that the extinction of certain plants and animals is the most serious issue. The first of these concerns the way that plants and species are interrelated and how the loss of one species can lead to the loss of other species. For instance, if coral dies many of the fish and marine life that feed off it also die. Moreover, many people note the importance of the biodiversity of the planet and point out that when a species dies this is reduced. This biodiversity is important because we are constantly finding that certain species have important applications such as in the field of medicine.

However, others consider that there are more serious environmental issues. One of the reasons is that the extinction of a species can be considered a part of nature. For instance, we know that the dinosaurs died out due to naturally changing weather patterns, and life of our planet still continues. In addition, man-made problems are emerging such as Global warming that are so serious they have the potential to wipe out all life on our planet. If the earth continues to experience rising temperatures it will start to become uninhabitable even for humans.

In conclusion, in my opinion both sides of this argument have their merits. However, it seems that man-made global warming is the most serious problem because it ultimately threatens to not only destroy certain species but also destroy all life on our planet including humans. Moreover, it seems that we are not taking enough steps to mitigate this catastrophic problem.

Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion

[Please note that this is an extremely difficult topic. It’s definitely in the top ten most difficult topics I have ever seen and I’ve seen over a thousand topics! In the end, I wrote two different types of essays. The first is structured by age and culture and it is easier to write. I think the second way of structuring by two reasons is more challenging to write but can lead to a better end result.]

model answer 1 structured by age and culture.

Many people believe that music can connect people from diverse cultures and generations together. I totally agree because people can feel closer through enjoying music and it is a medium that helps people understand each other better.

I believe music is an excellent way to break down cultural barriers. This is because people from different cultures can enjoy listening to music together and through this fun shared experience they can feel closer. For instance, we had a cultural music festival at my school and we all had fun listening to music from each other’s cultures; and by enjoying this, bonds were strengthened between students from different nationalities. Moreover, we can learn about other cultures by listening to their music and by understanding other cultures better we can feel a closer connection with them.

I also believe that music can reduce the social distance between different generations. When different generations listen to the same type of music they can have fun together and this can become a bonding experience. For example, when a family counts down the New Year and sings Auld Lang Syne together, it can be a great bonding experience and help to boost cohesion amongst the family. Moreover, when families spend quality time together they are likely to continue to do family activities more in the future and this leads to stronger bonds amongst the family.

In conclusion, listening to music can lead to social cohesion between different cultures and age groups. This is because people will feel closer when they have fun together and also because they can have a greater understanding of their differences through these shared experiences. Therefore, I believe music should be used more as a way to break down barriers amongst different types of people.
291 words

model answer 2 structured by reason

Many people believe that music can connect people from diverse cultures and generations together. I totally agree because people can feel closer by enjoying music together and it is a medium that helps people understand each other better.

The main reason why I agree is because enjoying music allows different types of people to bond. This is because people from different cultures and ages can enjoy listening to similar genres of music together and through this fun shared experience they can feel closer. For instance, at New Year large groups of people, of different cultures and ages, can count down the New Year and sing Auld Lang Syne together, and this can be a great bonding experience and break down barriers between people. After singing it is common to see people of different ages and nationalities hugging each other and genuinely wishing each other well-being and prosperity in the New Year. Consequently, it’s clearly evident, at this time, that people feel closer and more connected despite differences.

I also believe that music can increase the understanding between different cultures and generations. This is because when a person listens to the preferred music genre of another group of people they can know more about that group of people. For instance, when I listened to the famous Australian folksong called Waltzing Matilda, I was able to understand Australian culture so much more. Moreover, I could understand the struggles that previous generations faced in Australia. This increased my understanding of Australians and older generations and made me empathise with them, and understand why they behave in certain ways. Consequently, this increased my ability to bond with them.

In conclusion, I completely believe that music can bring different types of people closer together. This is because fun shared experiences lead to bonding and increased understanding of others leading to empathy and an increased ability to bond. Therefore, I believe music should be used more as a way to break down barriers amongst different types of people.

Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation.
Why might this be the case?
What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?

Many people these days decide to work for themselves instead of being employed by others. This essay discusses the reasons for this and also the drawbacks of this choice of career.

There are two main reasons why people are choosing to become self-employed. The main one is that people feel motivated to become entrepreneurs. This is because they see running their own businesses as an exciting challenge. For instance, I was bored with my regular job teaching at a school and so I started my own online IELTS teaching company in order to have a more stimulating work day. In addition, running your own business can lead to better long-term career prospects. If you work hard at your business and develop enthusiastically satisfied customers you will be deriving all the benefits rather than passing these on to an employer.

Running your own business is not without its drawbacks. The biggest downside is the risk of venturing out on your own. If the business is not successful you will not have an income. For instance, my uncle opened a restaurant, but it turned out his cooking skills were not as good as he thought and he could not attract enough customers to pay all his bills and finally, he became bankrupt. As well as this, it can be extremely stressful to run your own business. This can often be due to the lack of resources to help you with issues such as the need to run your own website.

In conclusion, many people are venturing out on their own due to their interest in running their own business and believing that they will have a better career. However, it should be kept in mind that this can be risky and stressful. Therefore, this type of career is not suited to all people.
[305 words]

Some recent Essays I corrected:

Every country should have a free health service, even if this means that the latest medical treatments may not be available through the service because they are too expensive.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people believe every nation should have free healthcare, even if this doesn’t include new medical procedures that are expensive. I completely agree with this opinion because a minimum level of protection is a human right and also because free procedures are often necessary to protect the health of an entire nation from medical emergencies.

The main reason why I believe a minimum standard of health care is needed is because it’s a human right to have some level of access to health services. In some situations, such as when a person doesn’t have a job, basic healthcare should be available. For instance, if somebody has a life-threatening car accident emergency services should be available free of charge. This is because it is not humane to let a person die just because they don’t have sufficient funds to pay for treatment in this sort of situation.

Another reason why I support the notion that free health you should pre-provided is due to the fact that it is sometimes necessary to protect the health of all citizens. Certain medical situations, such as an outbreak of a virus, require quick and widespread medical attention. This can best be achieved by having a free medical system, in order to circumvent financial issues that might prevent certain individuals from having access to treatment. For example, the current coronavirus is spreading more rapidly in countries without free healthcare because people are often reluctant or unable to seek attention if they have to pay for it.

In conclusion, I completely agree that every country should have basic minimum level of health because it is a basic human right and it’s necessary to prevent widespread medical crises such as the Corona virus.

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