IELTS Essays by Ngoc Bach

08/11/2014 Some people believe that a crime is a result of social problems and poverty, others think that crime is a result of bad person’s nature. Discuss both views and give your opinion ANSWER Many people consider that innate characteristics are responsible for the fact that some people choose to turn to a career of crime. However, I would argue that crime is a consequence of social issues and poverty. There is a belief that a person’s nature determines whether or not they become a criminal. Firstly, they argue that an individual who is cruel turns to crime more easily than a kind person. For instance, a child bullying other boys or girls at school may turn into a violent criminal in the future. Secondly, bad characteristics such as laziness or selfishness could also breed future offenders, who seek to acquire easy money without working for it. A number of youngsters choose to steal from others, instead of working hard to make an honest living. These are strong reasons for thinking that those who have an inborn bad nature are more likely to break the law. Nevertheless, it seems to me that social issues and poverty are the main causes behind crime. There are many problems in society which might lead to an increase in the crime rate. For example, unemployment pushes people intoresorting to crime because they simply cannot find a job. As a consequence, the number of offenders has climbed in many countries over recent decades. Another reason is that, more broadly, poverty in general leads to a rise in crime. If people do not have enough money to make ends meet, they will be tempted to pursue illegal activities just to support themselves and their families. In conclusion, while a number of people think that a person's nature is the primary cause of crimes, I would argue that they are the results of social issues and poverty. 291 words

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 1

Question in 11/10/2014: Today more and more people are using mobile phones and computers. Thus, people are losing the ability to communicate face to face. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Answer: It is true that cell phones and computers play crucial roles in our lives. Some people claim that this is the reason for declining communication skills. While I accept that modern technologies make our lives more convenient, I believe that they have some negative effects on our communication ability. On the one hand, there are several advantages of using these electronic devices. The biggest advantage is that cell phones and computers allow people to communicate with each other more quickly and conveniently. For example, thanks to the Internet, managers can utilize computers to contact their partners from other countries. As a result, they can save more time and money to do other vital work of their business. Furthermore, many mobile phones and computers now have Skype and therefore we can talk to friends and family who are far away. We can actually see them, whereas before we had to rely on expensive long-distance calls or letters which took ages to arrive. On the other hand, this trend may have some drawbacks. Firstly, although people can make many new friends via the Internet easily, they rarely meet and talk directly with each other. This will let people be under illusions about their acquaintances in the virtual world. Secondly, because of extreme focusing on cell phones or computers, people no longer want to spend time with their true friends and their families. My close friend, for instance, is so addicted to chatting and playing games on her smart phone that she ignores everyone when we gather and talk about funny stories together. In conclusion, although modern technologies bring us numerous benefits, it is true that the communication ability of people will be improved if they restrict their usage of mobile phones and computers.

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 2

Đề 12/07/2014 Nowadays more and more young people hold the important positions in the government. Some people think that is a good thing while others argue that it is not suitable . Discuss both view and give your opinion Answer: It is true that the number of young people who hold the fundamental posts in the government is growing. While some people believe are opposed to this idea, I would argue that this trend is beneficial at present. On the one hand, this trend also carries some remarkable drawbacks. The main issue is that it is really hard for the young to make older people accept their leadership, especially in some Eastern nations. Young leaders are always thought to have inefficient capabilities to manage. In addition, all of them are short of real experience. If they have not faced many challenges in their career, they could easily make mistakes, which can affect the lives of many people. On the other hand, it seems to me that young people are becoming an increasingly important part of the government and bring a lot of benefits . One reason is that their youth is a huge advantage which allows them to be creative and up-to-date. This is likely to result in many new breakthrough policies and styles of management. Furthermore, the young have a very long period of time to contribute to their nations. For example, with the same abilities and qualifications, a younger candidate is more likely to be elected than an older counterpart in some countries because of his longer time of devotion in the future In conclusion, I believe that more and more young people should be chosen to play some vital roles in the government although this trend is disadvantageous to some extent. (254 words)

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 3

IELTS Writing task 2 Vietnam 16/8/2014 Topic: In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and business to move out of the large cities and into the regional areas. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

ANSWER: It is true that the governments of some countries are supporting the idea of moving many industrial factories and business companies from large urban areas to the countryside. In my opinion, this has more benefits than drawbacks On the one hand, the industrialization in local/rural areas will have some disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that traditional work will be lost. For example, in many villages of Vietnam, most people are farmers. In order to build many factories, companies need more land. As a result, if farmers do not have enough land to plant rice fields, they will have to change their jobs to support their family. Another issue is that the environment in regional areas will be affected. Many industrial factories will release hazardous waste into the river or the environment. Consequently, the air and the river in local areas will be polluted. On the other hand, I believe that there are more benefits in the industrialization of local areas than disadvantages. The first reason is that the living standards of local citizens will increase. They will have more chance to get higher salary jobs. This may lead to parents having more money to support their families and encouraging their children to pursue higher education. The second reason is that modernization will occur. Governments are willing to build a lot of new public transportation and buildings. Thus people will have more access to new technologies and their life will be more comfortable. In conclusion, although the industrialization in local areas creates several disadvantages, it seems to me that the benefits of it are higher. 264 words. Corrected by Ngoc Bach (band~8.0)

NOTE: Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 4

We need a noun or noun phrase after 'lead to', not a verb. So, here are some some ways that you could rewrite the sentences: 1. Consumerism can lead to a more successful economy. 2. Tourism can lead to the destruction of natural habitats. 3. A competitive atmosphere in lessons motivates students. Notice that in sentence 3 it is better to keep the verb 'motivates' and miss out 'leads to'.

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 5

(210315) Some people believe famous people's support towards international aid organizations draws attention to problems. Others think celebrities make the problems less important. Discuss both views and give your opinion. The involvement of well-known people may raise the profile of a global aid organisation through increased publicity. While some argue that their participation may downplay the significance of aid work, I believe that it does have a positive impact overall. On the one hand, celebrities may distract attention from the real issues. In the eyes of many critics, their involvement is too often designed to enhance their own reputations. In an effort to publicise themselves, it is argued that famous people have no real passion or interest in the work of the international charity they support. Also, their association may simply trivialise the serious work which the organisation is carrying out. Consequently, it is true that we should question their motives for involvement. On the other hand, I strongly agree with those who think that famous people can raise support for international organisations. Firstly, they have a huge number of fans who follow their activities and may be inspired by them. For example, when My Tam- a Vietnamese legendary singer took part in a project to help underprivileged children in mountainous areas, thousands of youngsters from her fan clubs joined in this project by donating money and working as volunteers thanks to her encouragement. Secondly, celebrities are often respected by local and international communities. This may promote awareness of the work of the international aid organisation with which they are linked and increase public support in terms either of volunteering or donations. In conclusion, although there are some admitted drawbacks to the participation of celebrities in international aid organisations, I consider that they make a valuable contribution to such aid work.

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 6

Đề 21/09/2014: Governments in developing countries can best improve people’s quality of life by introducing new technology. However, others believe that free education should be offered for all. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Answer: It is true that to make people’s lives better, governments in developing nations should invest more money in education. While exemption from tuition fees brings numerous benefits for citizens, I would argue that it is better to provide new technology for them. On the one hand, it is undeniable that there are several advantages of free education. The first advantage is that a number of people in developing countries are so poor that they can hardly afford tuition fees despite their talent and deep passion for studying. If the governments support them in this case, these youngsters will be encouraged to pursue their dreams. Therefore, they can definitely devote their knowledge and abilities to their countries in the future. In addition, education without fees attracts outstanding students from all over the world. If they are treated well, they will stay and contribute to the countries’ development. On the other hand, I believe that technology is more beneficial in human life. Firstly, it helps people work more effectively. For example, many companies which apply cutting-edge technology in their assembly-line can increase productivity rapidly. As a result, the companies get much more profits and their employees can earn a higher salary without hard manual labor. Secondly, innovative technology makes life more convenient for people. The Internet allows people to stay in touch with each other regardless of the distance in recent years. Consequently, people can save more time and money since they do not need to pay for transportation and to travel anymore. For the reasons mentioned above, it seems to me that although free education also brings some pros to people, life is more likely to be improved if the governments enhance and develop new technology.

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 7

31-01-2015 Some people say that too much attention and too many resources are given in the protection of wild animals and birds. Do you agree or disagree about this opinion?

It is argued that protecting wild animals and birds is drawing/attracting too much concern and too many resources of society. Personally, I totally agree with this point of view. There are two main reasons why I think people have paid too much attention to the protection of animals. One reason is that many non-governmental organizations have been established in order to protect animals all over the world. However, they are too concerned about animal-related activities in many parts of the world. For example, it is unreasonable that PETA, an an animal protection organization, accused Katy Perry of using tigers and elephants in her own music video ‘Roar’ for commercial purposes while she did not. Furthermore, news about wild animals can be shared rapidly on the Internet. If a bear is imprisoned somewhere, this news will be widespread on social networks such as Facebook on a large scale immediately. In addition, people have also spent too many resources protecting wild birds. Firstly, a great deal of money is required to carry out any project to protect wild birds, in which infrastructure and research are the two most expensive. The more difficult research to preserve the DNA of wild birds is, the more it costs. Secondly, the expenditure for this protection is quite unnecessary to some extent. While funds should be raised to improve the living standards in some regions, investment in bird protection appears to be a waste of money. In conclusion, it seems to me that both concern and resources are focused too much on the protection of wild animals and birds in this modern world. 264 words

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 8

The pie charts compare the UK and the US in terms of different categories of expenditures. Overall, spending on rent and food accounts for the largest proportions of expenses in both the UK and the US. In addition, the British and American expenditures on the other categories are similar. The percentage of spending on DVDs is exactly the same in both nations, 10%. Likewise, people in the UK and America spend 15% of their expenditures on transport. 15% of total expenses is how much people in the UK and the US both spend on going out. (The proportion of expenditure on transport and going out is exactly the same in both countries at 15%. Likewise, the percentage of spending on DVDs is also identical – 10% in the UK and the USA) 30% of expenses in the UK, which accounts for the largest part, is for rent while the figure for the US is one fifth. In terms of food, the figure for the US is slightly higher/slightly more than that for the UK, at 25% and 18% respectively. However, the proportion of books in the expenditure of Americans is 3% more than that in expenses of inhabitants in the UK.

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 9

(17/01/2015) Some people think that there should be some strict controls about noise. Others think that they could just make as much noise as they want. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

ANSWER

It is argued that some essential meaures should be applied to control noise. While some individuals say that they have the freedom to make noise as they like, I would argue that it would be better to reduce noise . On the one hand, some people like to make as much noise as they want for various reasons. Firstly, many of them feel more comfortable and free when creating noise from different activities while working or entertaining. For example, turning the volume louder to enjoy favourite songs makes them feel relaxed after a long busy day, although it may disturb their next-door neighbours. Secondly, people often consider noise as a part of the industrialization and modernization process, therefore it is unavoidable. Traffic noise or engine noise seems to have become more familiar to urban citizens. As a result, they feel that there are no particular reasons to control noise. On the other hand, I believe that it is more beneficial to impose some laws to strictly control noise. The first reason is that noise has harmful impacts on people‘s health. For instance, some of my friends cannot sleep at night because of intrusive sounds from a nearby industrial zone . If this situation lasts for a long time, it will definitely lead to a deterioration in their mental and physical health. Furthermore, the productivity of work may be reduced as a consequence of noise. A lot of white-collar workers report that they cannot fully concentrate on their tasks because of the constant noise from vehicles in the street. In conclusion, it seems to me that noise should be limited in order to have a better life, although some people insist on making a lot of noise without any consideration for others. (291 words)

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 10

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The table illustrates the proportion of monthly household income five European countries spend on food and drink, housing, clothing and entertainment. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Proportion of household income five European countries spend on food and drink, housing, clothing and entertainment.

France

Food and drink 25%

Germany

22%

33%

15%

19%

UK

27%

37%

11%

11%

Turkey

36%

20%

12%

10%

Spain

31%

18%

8%

15%

Housing

Clothing

Entertainment

31%

7%

13%

The table compares the percentage of income which residents in five European nations spend monthly on four different categories of expenditure. Overall, in all five countries, citizens spend the highest proportion of their incomes on the first two categories – food and drink, and housing. Their percentage of expenditure on clothing and entertainment, in contrast, is significantly less. Households in Turkey and Spain spend the highest proportions of their monthly income on food and drink, with 36% and 31% respectively. However, in UK, French and German households these figures are significantly less at 27%, 25% and 22% respectively. The proportion spent on housing accounts for 37% of monthly income in the UK, 31% in France and 33% in Germany. These figures are much higher than monthly housing expenditure in Turkey [20%] and Spain [18%]. The proportion of their income which households in these countries spend on the last two categories is much lower. Spending on clothing is just 7% in France and 8% in Spain, while German households spend the highest proportion at 15%. The range of expenditure on entertainment varies from only 10% in Turkey to 19% in Germany.

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0

Page 11