Task 2

1. Doctors recommend that older people exercise regularly. However, many older people
do not exercise enough. What could be the reason for this? What can be done to
encourage them to do physical activities?

2. Some people think that famous people can help international aid organizations to draw
attention to important problems. Others believe that the celebrities can make the
problems seem less important. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
3. It is suggested that everyone should have a car, a TV and a fridge. Do the advantages of
this development for society outweigh the disadvantages?

4. Some people think that it is a waste of money for countries to host big sporting events
like the world cup, and that the money would be better spent on other things. However,
others think that hosting large sporting events has a clear, positive impact on a country.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.

5. There have been many inventions in the human history, such as the wheel. Some people
think the most important thing is the internet. To what extent do you agree or disagree
with this opinion?

6. Directors of large organizations earn much higher salaries than ordinary employees do.
Some people think it is necessary, but others hold that it is unfair. Discuss both views and
give your own opinions.
7. The unlimited use of cars may cause many problems. What are those problems? In order
to reduce this problem, should we discourage people to use cars?
8. Many people use written language in a less formal way and in a relaxed way than in the
past. Why is that so? Does this development have more advantages or disadvantages?
9. Everyone should become vegetarian because they do not need to eat meat to have a
healthy diet. Do you agree or disagree?

10. Some people think women should be allowed to join the army, the navy and the air
force just like men. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

11. All fathers should be entitled to time off from work when their children are born. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?

12. Interviews form the basic selecting criteria for most large companies. However, some
people think that the interview is not a reliable method of choosing whom to employ and
that there are other better methods. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Task 1
The chart below shows the percentage of males and females with higher education
qualifications in five countries in 2001. 

The table shows data about what people in the UK thought the government should
increase spending on.
The diagram details the process of producing olive oil.
The plan below shows the village of Pebbleton 20 years ago and now.
Many people think that interviews are not the best way to assess the suitability of a
candidate for a position. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is widely believed that interviews are not the optimum choice for seeking a potential
employee. While I acknowledge the effectiveness of this measure, this is not by far the
best option.

Body 1: benefits of interviewing

- A good way of reflecting the face-to-face communication/presentation skills and
outward behaviors/manner/ gestures of candidates prerequisites/ good
attributes/ qualities/ criteria for customer service + treat other people with proper
decorum/ propriety

Body 2: why it is not the best option

- Lack of objectivity  personal talks/ informal conversations are usually associated
with exaggerated and trivial/ peripheral details  make it hard for genuine
judgment
- A poor estimation of practical experience, which is solely seen through work
placement/ internship/ apprenticeship (training)/ probation
- Therefore, interviews should be combined with other measures, such as…., to
decide on the most favored employee.

Agree  interviews are NOT the BEST

Body 1: reasons why it is not the BEST (2 drawbacks)
Body 2: one way that is better

Disagree  Interviews are the BEST

Body 1: reasons why it is the BEST (1-2 benefits)
Body 2: other ways cannot be better
Many people think that interviews are not the best way to assess the suitability of a
candidate for a position. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is generally believed that interviews are not the optimum choice to seek a prospect for a
job. While I acknowledge the significance of such a method, I agree that it is not by far the
most desirable way.

Granted, interviews can be a reflection of individual skills, including communication and

eloquence. These are handy tools for most positions, especially those who have been
working in the hospitality industry. A prominent example can be seen in the way a waiter
using his wit and intelligence to attract and persuade customers, which is a competitive
edge for him to win other competitors. Besides, having face-to-face conversation allows
headhunters to have a deep insight into personal traits, which can be manifested in
individual gestures and mindset. In fact, not many employers want to hire those who are
quick-tempered and ill-mannered because they can be a source of conflict in the company.
Therefore, it is undeniable that interviews is somehow critically fundamental in
recruitment.

Nonetheless, there are considerable drawbacks of such a judging method with one of
them is the lack of objectivity. To elaborate, the final decision of human resource
department might be indicative of the interviewer’s comprehension and feeling so that it
can be full of bias and disorientation in favor of the favorite candidates. More importantly,
showing a perfect interview does not necessarily translate into productive employees as
many of them may exaggerate their answer in order to have a good impression on the
examiner. With these mentioned disadvantages, thereby, interviews should be combined
with other estimations, such as appraisal process, to produce a more objective feedback
on the staff’s performance.

All things considered, although interviews are beneficial to some extent, they are not the
most effective way to estimate the suitability of potential workers.
Task 1: The table below shows the percentage of first year students who gave ‘very good’
rating to the resources provided by the college, for three courses.
The table below shows population figures for 4 countries for 2003 and projected figures
for 2025 and 2050.

The table below shows population figures for 4 countries for 2003 and projected figures
for 2025 and 2050.

The table illustrates the demographic satistics of four nations; namely Argentina,
Indonesia, Italy and Korea; in 2003 and projections from 2025 to 2050.

Overall, it is clear that Indonesia has been the most populous country over the timescale.
Also, except for Italy, the figures for the remaining will have been experiencing an upward
trend.

In 2003, Indonesia had 239 million people in total, which was the highest figure and four
time higher than the second position of Italy, at 54 million. Meanwhile, the numbers of
Koreans and Argentinians were comparatively lower, at 48 million and 34 million
respectively.

Regarding the future anticipation, it is thought that Indonesia will be keeping its leading
position with its figure rising to 312 million by 2050. A similar pattern could be seen in the
population projections of Korea and Argentia as former figure will rise slightly to 52 million
in 2025 before remaing there until 2050 while the latter possibly double after all. However,
Italy will see a decline in its population with a fell of 7 million and another 2 million will be
recorded in 2025 and 2050 correspondingly.

Rehearsal
A handful of/ a score of (>10) + countable nouns
Should have + P(ed)
Exclusive(ly)