30/07/2016: The gap between the rich and the poor is increasingly wide, as rich

people become richer and poor people grow poorer. What problems could this
situation cause? What are the solutions to address those problems?

It is true that the gap between the rich and poor is growing wider in many regions of the
world. While the problems that result are complex, fundamental solutions based on
expanding education should be adopted to tackle this problem.

Increasing levels of poverty and rising wealth inequalities impact on the economic growth of
a country and the security of its citizens. In economic terms, the existence of a large mass of
unemployed or low-paid workers directly affects domestic businesses, such as local shops
and factories. As nobody has money to buy their products, they are themselves forced to
close, creating further unemployment. In terms of public security, without the means of
obtaining money through work, the poor may turn to crimes such as drug trafficking,
prostitution, robbery and violent attacks on others. Youth unemployment has, in particular,
been linked with rising crime rates.

Governments must, therefore, expand educational opportunities to benefit all their citizens, in
order to reduce the gap between rich and poor. The provision of a better standard of
schooling in slum areas of cities and in poor rural regions would enable children to reach a
higher level of educational attainment. Grants and scholarships could be used to help
students to remain in education for longer and gain qualifications. In particular, technical
education could be expanded, helping poorer children to learn trades. In construction,
engineering, and agriculture, a highly-educated workforce will be needed in the future, and
skilled workers will be able to command high salaries and enjoy a decent standard of living.
As work opportunities improve, crime rates will fall.

Thus, dealing with the problem at its roots, by expanding educational opportunities, the
authorities would be able to reduce the gap between the wealthy and poor sectors of society.

293 words.

Bach, another superb essay and my comments would be the same as your previous essay
on travelling. Band 9.

9/5/2015

Developments in technology have brought various environmental problems.

Some believe that people need to live simpler lives to solve environmental
problems. Others, however, believe technology is the way to solve these problems.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

ANSWER:
It is true that technological advances have had negative impacts on the
environment. While living simple lives is considered as a key solution to address
environmental issues, I would argue that technology can be the answer to tackle
these problems.

On the one hand, it is believed that enjoying life with the use of less sophisticated
technology could reduce negative effects of this on the environment. Firstly,
restricting the overuse of high-tech equipment which consumes electricity could
develop a  more environmentally friendly lifestyle. For example, the high level of
greenhouse gases emissions which mostly stem from a significant increase in the
use of electric devices including air – conditioners, water heaters and TV -could be
controlled if users reduce/limit their dependence on them. Secondly, instead of
chemical fertilizer, it is more beneficial for the environment if farmers use organic
manure. Despite the fact that chemicals after being processed by machinery could
be convenient and easy to stimulate plants to grow, they could pollute not only soil
but also water and air.

On the other hand, I believe that technological achievements play pivotal roles in
environmental protection. Firstly, technology can generate electricity from
alternative resources, which raises the prospect of a renewable energy era. If solar
energy, wind and wave power are all developed, people will be able to halt the
consumption of electricity produced from non-renewable resources including coal
and fuel. Secondly, thanks to technological innovations, people can take advantage
of their accomplishments to apply them in manufacturing processes in industry to
minimize irreparable damage. For instance, waste treatment systems can deal with
the problems of water pollution.

In conclusion, although living simpler lives probably resolves environmental

degradation, it seems to me that developments in technology can greatly contribute
to figure out possible solutions for this.

295 words

Phiên bản khác ngắn gọn hơn:

It is true that certain advances in technology have had negative impacts on the
environment.  While there are strong arguments that some environmental problems
should be tackled by adopting simpler lifestyles, I believe that the solutions lie in
technologies that have been, and are being, developed.

On the one hand, enjoying life with less sophisticated technology means that we
inflict less damage on the ecosystems on which all living things depend.  Firstly,
we consume energy through overuse of devices such as air-conditioning, water
heaters and the private car.  If we decrease our energy consumption, we will reduce
the emission of greenhouse gases, but this will certainly involve enjoying simpler
lives.  Secondly, organic farmers do not pollute the water or the soil which results
from the application of chemical fertilisers and weedkillers.  They encourage a
diversity of plants and wildlife on their farms.

On the other hand, I agree with those who argue that technological achievements
play a pivotal role in environmental protection.  One reason is that the use of
renewable energy sources is already starting to grow.  This raises the prospect of
decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, cleaner air and the reversal of the trend of
global warming.  Countries such as Japan are leading the way, for example, in
developing more eco-friendly cars, buses and lorries.  Another reason is that
cleaner technologies, such as waste treatment, are being introduced into many
industries, and technology is enabling plastics and other products to be recycled.

In conclusion, although living simpler lives can certainly help in tackling

environmental problems, it seems to me that advances in technology are already
providing many solutions and this trend will gather pace in the future.

278 words.