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WRITING SAMPLES
TEST 1
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be between 100 and 120 words.
Hunger is a result of poverty, but it also causes poverty. In many countries, women, although they do
much of the farming, lack access to training, credit or land. Conflict, poor or corrupt management of
natural resources, displacement of small farmers by natural disasters, and financial and economic
crises that eliminate jobs at the lowest levels, all contribute to creating conditions that push the poorest
into hunger.
To break this vicious cycle, the United States launched, in 2010, Feed the Future Initiative, which aims
to reduce global hunger, poverty, and undernutrition by focusing on smallholders, increasing
investments in agriculture and supporting country-owned plans for improving food security and
nutrition while generating opportunities for economic growth and trade. Back then, the U.S.
government selected 19 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to participate in the initiative, based
on 5 criteria. Since 2010, Feed the Future has helped 9 million people living in the participating
countries pull themselves out of poverty.
The passage of the U.S. Global Food Security Act of 2016 endorsed Feed the Future's approach and
ushered in a new era of the U.S. government global food security investment. A new, corresponding
global food security strategy developed by the U.S. government is guiding Feed the Future's work as
the initiative into its second phase. On August 31st, USAID Administrator Mark Green announced that
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and
Uganda were selected to participate in this new phase of Feed the Future.
"With the participation of these 12 countries, the second phase of Feed the Future will be focusing its
efforts on promoting long-term, sustainable development that brings partners together to help people
harness the power of smart agriculture to jump-start their local economies and lift themselves out of
poverty," said Administrator Green. "By equipping people with the tools to feed themselves over the
long term, Feed the Future is addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty. This long-term
investment builds communities that are more resilient to drought, famine and other natural disasters,
and less dependent on emergency food assistance."
Part 2. The bar chart shows the number of heat-related illnesses suffered by high school
students per 100,000 sports events in central US states. The line graph shows the average
temperatures for one year in a central US state. Summarize the information by selecting and
reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write about
200 words.

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Part 3. Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic.

Some people say that developed countries should be the major force to curb global issues such
as pollution, global warming or pandemic.
Discuss the statement and give your opinion.
Part 1.
The passage describes in detail the two stages of Feed the Future, an American initiative intended to
combat world hunger and poverty. The first stage began in 2010 with the participation of 19 countries
from less developed parts of the world. By concentrating on smallholders and agricultural finance,
helping nations with their programmes on food security and nutrition, and fostering economic
development, the initiative successfully saved millions of people from poverty. Feed the Future entered
its second stage in 2016. This time, it aimed to tackle the root causes of poverty by adopting a long-
term strategy, which has utilized smart agricultural practices in 12 chosen countries to build
sustainable economies and develop self-reliance in times of disaster.
Part 2.
The given bar chart illustrates the number of heat-related illness cases reported among high-schoolers
in every 100,000 sporting events in central US states in one year, while the line graph shows the average
temperatures in Fahrenheit over the course of a calendar year in one of those states. Overall, the
majority of heat-related cases were recorded in the second half of the year with its peak in August. In
addition, there was an inconsistent link between temperature records and the number of illnesses
caused by heat.
Specifically, August saw a record high of students affected by heat-related illnesses, at slightly under 70
cases per 100,000 events. This was also one of the hottest months, with temperatures ranging from
68℉ to 92℉. From September to December, the number of illnesses experienced a constant drop from
approximately 12 cases to merely 2 cases. Likewise, the temperatures during the same period
decreased steadily from just above 80℉ in September to around half that figure at the end of the year
for the high range and from exactly 60℉ to just about 25℉ for the low range.
However, during the first half of the year, there was no correlation between illnesses and average
temperatures. While the temperatures in January were at their lowest for the whole year, the number
of heat-related illnesses reported in this month was relatively high (about 7 incidences). Meanwhile,
recorded diseases dropped to zero in February and May when the registered temperatures ranged from
25°F to 45°F for the former and 55°F to 75°F for the latter. The figures for illnesses in March, April, June
and July were largely the same, hovering around 2 cases.
Part 3.

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With a simple Internet search, one may be bombarded with aerial footage of the Great Pacific garbage
patch, a floating mass of marine debris that has threatened the well-being and existence of many
creatures including man. As alarming as the situation is, controversy remains concerning who should
be in charge, as with other pressing global issues, namely climate change or disease outbreaks. It is
sometimes believed that the developed world should take the main responsibility for solving global
problems. From my perspective, the duty must be equally shared by all nations.
On the one hand, some people argue that developed countries are mainly responsible for resolving
matters of global concern. The primary reason is that such nations are overwhelmingly to blame for
certain global catastrophes. For example, Western countries contribute to soaring pollution levels by
burning fossil fuels and emitting greenhouse gasses disproportionately into the environment, driving
the planet toward serious ecological disasters. Accordingly, it is sound that these developed countries
take the lead in addressing the consequences. Furthermore, developed countries generally possess
more capabilities in handling global issues. Many first-world nations enjoy the privilege of sustainable
economies and modern technological advances, thus, would have the financial and technical availability
to deal with pressing threats more effectively than their less-developed counterparts. For instance,
first-world countries are highly capable of providing humanitarian aid to lift people out of hunger or
giving poorer regions access to vital medical goods at affordable prices during pandemics. Meanwhile,
many African nations are still struggling to feed their citizens and ensure basic living standards, let
alone cope with other matters.
However, it is my firm belief that the developed world should not be in charge of global problems alone
and such responsibility should be fairly divided among all nations. Firstly, it is not only developed
countries that trigger global issues but mankind altogether. For instance, compared to the rich nations’
notorious overexploitation of natural resources for their industrial activities, many impoverished parts
of the world, particularly in South and Central Africa, also contribute to environmental pollution
through spontaneous urbanization. Therefore, it is reasonable that countries join hands to curb the
contamination and disasters of which they are the culprit. Secondly, joint efforts and collaboration from
all sides are more likely to put international problems under control. A larger number of nations
working together towards world matters will mean more investment and resources being devoted to
finding effective resolutions than just individual, separate attempts from certain countries. Although
the developed world tends to take the lead in vaccine development, the reporting and sharing of
laboratory samples from seemingly unprivileged regions are no less critical. The genomic data of
Omicron, one of the most transmissible COVID-19 variants, was first publicized by South African
researchers as soon as they noticed the mutation in 2021. Without such contribution amidst the
pandemic peak, even first-world nations would have had much more difficulties containing the upsurge
of infections in time.
In conclusion, while people may maintain several reasons why the developed world should be at the
forefront of addressing world issues, I strongly believe that this should be the shared duty of all nations.
Therefore, it is essential that global cooperation for sustainable development be widely encouraged
and embraced to ensure a brighter, more promising future for mankind.

TEST 2
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be between 100 and 120 words.
The Sahel zone lies between the Sahara desert and the fertile savannahs of northern Nigeria and
southern Sudan. The word sahel comes from Arabic and means marginal or transitional, and this is a
good description of these semiarid lands, which occupy much of the West African countries of Mall,
Mauritania, Niger, and Chad.
Unfortunately, over the last century the Sahara desert has steadily crept southwards eating into once
productive Sahel lands. United Nations surveys show that over 70 percent of the dry land in agricultural
use in Africa has deteriorated over the last 30 years. Droughts have become more prolonged and more
severe, the most recent lasting over twenty years in parts of the Sahel region. The same process of
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desertification is taking place across southern Africa as the Kalahari desert advances into Botswana
and parts of South Africa.
One of the major causes of this desert advance is poor agricultural land use, driven by the pressures of
increasing population. Overgrazing - keeping too many farm animals on the land - means that grasses
and other plants cannot recover, and scarce water supplies are exhausted. Overcultivation - trying to
grow too many crops on poor land - results in the soil becoming even less fertile and drier, and
beginning to break up. Soil erosion follows, and the land turns into desert.
Another cause of desertification is loss of tree cover. Trees are cut down for use as fuel and to clear land
for agricultural use. Tree roots help to bind the soil together, to conserve moisture, and to provide a
habitat for other plants and animals. When trees are cut down, the soil begins to dry and loosen, wind
and rain erosion increase, other plant species die, and eventually the fertile topsoil may be almost
entirely lost, leaving only bare rock and dust.
The effects of loss of topsoil and increased drought are irreversible. They are, however, preventable.
Careful conservation of tree cover and sustainable agricultural land use have been shown to halt
deterioration of soils and lessen the effects of shortage of rainfall. One project in Kita in south-west Mali
funded by the UNDP has involved local communities in sustainable management of forest, while at the
same time providing a viable agricultural economy based on the production of soaps, bee-keeping, and
marketing shea nuts. This may be a model for similar projects In other West African countries.
Part 2. The pie and bar charts below show the percentage of water consumption and use in
Australia in 2004. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant. You should write about 200 words.

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Part 3. Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic.

Many people think that donating money is the most beneficial for those in need. However, others
argue that it is better to participate in charity organizations.
What is your opinion? Give reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
Part 1.
The passage discusses the problem of desertification in the Sahel zone and puts forward the solutions.
Over time, the Sahara desert has constantly expanded, degrading the majority of African agricultural
land and leading to serious droughts in Sahel. One major cause is unsustainable land-management
practices in the backdrop of a growing population, as erosion occurs due to overgrazing and over-
cultivation. Another culprit is the disappearance of forest cover. Driven by demands for fuels and
agricultural land, deforestation results in the lack of soil consistency, loss of plant life and seriously
denudes the topsoil. Desertification can be curbed with tree cover protection and proper land use, as
in the successful Kita project. Its approach of cooperating with locals and stabilizing the agricultural
economy through extra commodities has proved exemplary for other regions.
Part 2.
The given pie chart illustrates the purposes of water consumption in Australia in 2004 and the bar chart
highlights data on different residential uses of water. (OR The charts compare the use of water for
different purposes in Australia in 2004 with a further breakdown into residential water consumption).
Overall, the majority of water consumed was dedicated to homes and apartments combined. It is also
noticeable that gardens and bathrooms accounted for the largest proportions of residential water
usage.
Looking first at the pie chart, water consumption varied greatly by sector. Nearly three-fourths of the
total water (70%) went into households, which comprised 50% from houses and the rest from
apartments. The proportions of water consumed by industries and businesses were much lower, at
around one-tenth of the total each, followed by governmental consumption with 6%, which was exactly
twice the figure for other consumers.
Turning to the bar chart, a significant portion of the water used in residential areas was consumed in
gardens and bathrooms, at 28% and 27%, respectively. Meanwhile, a fifth of the total water used was
for washing clothes, which was 5% higher than the share of toilets (15%). Kitchens were the area with
the least consumption of water, constituting only 10%.
Part 3.
From ancient times, pure altruism has been one of the basic moral qualities that are deeply ingrained
in the minds and hearts of people, often present in the form of charity. However, there have been mixed
opinions on how this should be carried out. While some people believe that giving money is the best for
needy people, others would argue that partaking in philanthropic organizations has more desirable
impacts. This essay aims to express my personal position in favor of the latter viewpoint and point out
the risks involved in financial donations.
On the one hand, taking part in charitable programs can wield a proper, reliable influence on how
philanthropy is conducted. Firstly, participants of humanitarian associations can increase manpower
and provide support for organizations operating for a good cause, thereby making an impact on society.
Considering the fact that many charitable campaigns and projects are undermanned, the decision to
join humanitarian organizations would provide the much-needed backing and render charity more
propitious. To illustrate, those working for Feed the Children organization can devote themselves to
combating global child hunger, while members of Direct Relief contribute to providing essential
medical aid for the vulnerable. Such contributions in various key areas will likely facilitate positive
results and shape a more livable world. Secondly, people who take part in philanthropic organizations
can have a say in how activities are fulfilled. For example, participants can influence how donations are
distributed and ensure that they are going to the right place. Thanks to this, members of society who
are genuinely enthusiastic about helping their less fortunate fellows are able to devote themselves to
the transparency and efficacy of the charity.
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Granted, advocates of money donations might argue that providing financial aid for charity can help the
underprivileged to have sufficient resources to overcome difficulties more effectively. However, such a
viewpoint turns out to be rather short-sighted, since donating money poses various intermediary risks
and does not always ensure that support can reach the needy. There is no guarantee that managers of
humanitarian funds would not be lured by the tantalizing amounts poured into charity and exploit
these for personal gains. In fact, according to 2021 Charity Commission figures, an enormous loss of
over £8.5m was reported in the financial year due to charity fraud. Such incidences of embezzlement
and corruption would be unfair for both givers and the rightful recipients, making all previous efforts
to assist people in need go to waste. Therefore, it can be suggested that people donate necessities and
supplies instead of money to limit the chances of fraud and nefarious deeds, as donations in the form
of sustenance or clothes are less likely to be targeted.
In conclusion, I firmly hold the view that taking part in charity associations, rather than donating
money, is a more appropriate way to assist the disadvantaged population. Indeed, the willingness and
enthusiasm to contribute to humanitarian organizations should be channeled in the right direction in
the best interests of society as a whole.

TEST 3
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be between 100 and 120 words.
The teacher as an inspirer of vision provides a vision of greatness for her students. She perceives their
varied and abundant potential as human beings. She believes in the rich possibilities of this human
material with which she works. She is inspired by the thought that teaching at its best has always been
in essence the educing, releasing, and development of that which is in the learner.
The teacher as a provider of a vision of greatness becomes skillful in communicating to students of all
ages this conception of the worth and significance of each individual. Every phase of the educative
process comes to contribute to this vision of greatness of man. Even the routine skills, and the drills
that may be necessary to refine them, if properly related to vision, achieve purpose and meaning and
cease to be drudgery. Reading, number, composition, philosophy, literature, science are the living
means and the luring goals that both express and release man's potential.
Perceiving themselves in terms of the varied qualities of their full nature, students rapidly grow toward
that perception. Imprisoned by age-old distortions of what they are and what they can be, students
perform in terms of those distortions. Hence, perhaps the teacher's most significant function is to
provide a vision of greatness.
This conception of the rich potential of man is extremely difficult to make clear, meaningful and
convincing. All of us are part of the history of man. In spite of our best efforts to spring free, we embody
in our ways of thinking and even in our deepest assumptions the results of that history, including its
major misconceptions. Teachers have not escaped from these historical preconceptions; indeed, they
bring them into the classrooms of the world.
Until relatively recent times the whole framework of civilized society rested upon the institution of
human slavery. Even where the system of slavery was not so evident and gross, as it was in ancient
Rome, the conceptions of the nature of man were equally degrading and the exploitation almost as
gross. By a long process, societies had come to accept and live with a view of man that only a small
minority were of worth beyond the worth of other chattels or other things to be used and discarded at
will.
Part 2. The charts give data on the proportion of time and the places people of different age
groups in Fantasia spend and go for information on a weekly basis. Summarise the information
by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write
about 200 words.

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Part 3. Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic.

“No field of study can advance significantly unless outsiders bring their knowledge and
experience to that field of study.”
To what extent do you agree with the statement? Give specific examples to support your answer.
Part 1.
The passage accentuates the role of teachers as providers of a vision of greatness to students and
explains why teachers have not fulfilled this role. To carry out their mission, teachers need to be aware
of the vision, perceiving and believing in infinite realms of possibilities and feeling motivated to help
students realize their full potential. Teachers are also supposed to turn awareness into action. They
need to deliver the message regarding the significance of self-esteem to students and direct every
aspect of the teaching process towards instilling the mindset of greatness into students, so that students
head in the right direction. However, the vision has yet to be adopted among teachers. This is
attributable to the legacy of slavery on modern society. Contemporary educators, like almost any other
people, are heavily influenced by the established norms and beliefs of slavery which significantly
devalued the worth of human.
Part 2.
The given pie charts illustrate the time allocated to different sources of weekly information among
three age groups in Fantasia.
Overall, e-news is the predominant source of information among the youth and middle-aged while
being the least popular choice among retirees. Meanwhile, retired people seek information mostly from
televised news.
Internet-based news makes up the highest percentage of news time among young and middle-aged
people, at 56% and 40% respectively, the former of which is more than quadruple the retired’s
proportion of time spent on this platform (16%). Meanwhile, broadcast news serves as the leading
source of information among the eldest group, accounting for 38% of their time spent on news per
week and being more than double the figures for the other categories.
As regards the remaining categories of news outlets, the time devoted to printed newspapers and
magazines tends to decline with age, with the retired population’s figure (27%) being roughly twice as
much as that of the youth (13%). By comparison, the figures for other sources of news ranged from
15% to 24% in each age group.
Part 3.

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From the Internet to artificial intelligence, from forensics to nuclear weapons, each is based on different
scientific approaches. The focus of multiple perspectives on a study field is all too familiar in the
scientific realm, and believed to be crucial if that field wants to progress further. Personally, I
completely agree with this view.
Firstly, the need for interrelation between fields stems from the nature of science. It is prompted by
human innate desire to discover and make sense of the world around them. As there are countless
phenomena and each comprises numerous aspects, multiple areas of knowledge are needed and new
disciplines are thus created to enable flexible interpretations. This proves why all branches of science
must co-exist to facilitate human understanding of their environment. For example, in order to help
police solve crimes, forensics emerges as a way to track the right criminals. To do so, various knowledge
fields must come into play: from chemistry for evidence analysis, human anatomy for autopsy
procedures, to technology for data-tracking.
Secondly, introducing external views to a field of study can help remove obstacles within and outside
it. Such approach allows each aspect of that field to be thoroughly scrutinised and rectified, with
contributory knowledge from various domains. In the process, one can learn about methods previously
unknown to his field and use them to address its issues. Therefore, a problem is questioned from
various standpoints, each with a number of corresponding solutions. For instance, climate change
cannot be eradicated if it is a matter restricted only to climatology. To effectively resolve it, the
phenomenon must also be viewed in relation to agriculture, economics or policymaking, each of which
helps to address part of the issue and thus mitigate its overall effects. Undoubtedly, the convergence of
different domains allows them to rid each other of riddles, paving clear paths for advancement.
Thirdly, fusing various principles into a particular study field can boost its own credibility and its
researchers' creativity, yielding more chances for development. When different fields are brought
together, ideas are exchanged and if compatible, combined to produce new ones. For the latter to occur,
experts must fully understand each other's specialisations, which in turn requires creativity and critical
thinking. The process also generates new disciplines that broaden the scope of science, thus increasing
its prevalence and applicability. This makes science in general and any discipline in particular more
comprehensive and diverse, hence greater advancement.
To conclude, interdisciplinary approach is central to the advancement of any study field due to the
former’s ability to minimise errors and enhance scientific prestige, as well as our need for multiple
interpretations to understand life. As new disciplines are bound to emerge, such approach will strongly
unite the world of science and aim its specialties towards completeness.

TEST 4
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be between 100 and 120 words.
Scientists have identified two ways in which species disappear. The first is through ordinary or
background extinctions, where species that fail to adapt are slowly replaced by more adaptable life
forms. The second is when a large number of species go to the wall in relatively short periods of
biological time. There have been five such extinctions, each provoked by cataclysmic evolutionary
events caused by some geological eruption, climate shift, or space junk slamming into the earth.
Scientists now believe that another mass extinction of species is currently under way – and this time
human fingerprints are on the trigger. How are we doing it? Simply by demanding more and more space
for ourselves. In our assault on the ecosystems around us we have used a number of tools, from spear
and gun to bulldozer and chainsaw. Certain especially rich ecosystems have proved the most
vulnerable. In Hawaii more than half of the native birds are now gone - some 50 species. Such carnage
took place all across the island communities of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. While many were hunted
to extinction, others simply succumbed to the 'introduced predators' that humans brought with them:
the cat, the dog, the pig and the rat. Today the tempo of extinction is picking up speed. Hunting is no
longer the major culprit, although rare birds and animals continue to be butchered for their skin,
feathers, tusks and internal organs, or taken as cage pets. Today the main threat comes from the
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destruction of the habitat that wild plants, animals and insects need to survive. The draining and
damming of wetland and river courses threatens the aquatic food chain and our own seafood industry.
Overfishing and the destruction of fragile coral reefs destroy ocean biodiversity. Deforestation is taking
a staggering toll particularly in the tropics where the most global biodiversity is at stake. The shrinking
rainforest cover of the Congo and Amazon river-basins and such places as Borneo and Madagascar, has
a wealth of species per hectare existing nowhere else. As those precious hectares are drowned or
turned into arid pasture and cropland, such species disappear forever.
Part 2. The graph below shows different sources of air pollutants in the UK from 1990 to 2005.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.

Part 3. Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic.

Some people view conflict between teenagers and parents as a necessary part of growing up,
while others view it as something negative which should be avoided.
Discuss the statement and give your opinion.
Part 1.
The given extract aims to disseminate the principal culprits of extinction, with a special focus on man-
made menaces. In the realm of natural factors, a precipitous deceleration in any species’ survival rates
can be triggered by either their maladaptation or the calamitous disasters, including eruption and
changing weather patterns. In terms of anthropogenic factors, as a result of humanity’s ongoing quest
for land, encroachment equipped with weapons and the introduction of pestilential alien predators
have jeopardized many vulnerable ecosystems, among which is the island of Hawaii. It is, however,
natural habitat degradation, rather than poaching, that is deteriorating the status quo. Destruction of
aquatic biodiversity caused by overfishing, bleaching, damming and deforestation in South America are
among a few examples that force many peculiar species to vanquish from the Mother nature.
Part 2.
The given line graph compares air pollution contribution from three anthropogenic sources, including
industry, transportation and households in the UK within a span of 15 years, commencing in 1990.
Overall, while there was a downward trend in the quantity of atmospheric contaminants generated by
both the industrial and transportation sector, the opposite is true for domestic activities. Furthermore,
the main source of air pollutants came from the industry.
In 1990, around 7 million tonnes of air contaminants were released from all the three different sources,
followed by a significant drop to approximately 4 million tonnes in 1999 and then a further decline to
about 3 million tonnes by the end of the period.
Contaminants released from industrial activities and vehicles shrunk, albeit to different extents. From
the lowest starting point of about 0.8 million tonnes in 1990, the amount of air contaminants
introduced into the atmosphere by transportation had reduced to approximately 0.2 million tonnes by
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2005, making a discrepancy of around 0.6 million tonnes. The decline was even more pronounced in
the case of industrial processes (3.5 million tonnes). By contrast, a marginal rise of around 0.2 million
tonnes to 1 million tonnes was observed in the quantity of household-related emissions.
In addition, industrial activities remained the dominant air pollution contributor over the investigation
period. In 1990, it was the emitter of a massive 5.5 million tonnes of pollutants, outnumbering the two
remaining sources combined by nearly threefold. By the end of the period, the amount of air pollutants
released from the industry still exceeded that of households – the second greatest emitter, by around 1
million tonnes.
Part 3.
‘I can’t control my child!’. This is the frequent complaint from parents who are frustrated with their
child’s behaviors and the difficulty of containing continual conflicts with them . Throughout one’s life,
adolescence is a period of robust biological and psychosocial adjustments, which induce a salient
impact on parent–child relationships. Despite possessing several latent negative implications on both
teenagers and the family as a whole, I hold the opinion that conflicts between youngsters and adults
plays is of immense importance in the development of teenagers.
On the one hand, oppositions between parents and teenagers can wreak irreversible havoc on both
adolescents and the domestic environment. Firstly, long-term exposure to conflicts with their parents,
especially those who are conservative and controlling, might be physically and psychologically
detrimental for youngsters. Instead of learning how to manage their own behavior, impulsive teenagers
may feel disrespected when their viewpoint is unrecognized. They may externalize their distress in the
form of aggression, anti-social and non-compliant behavior, or internalize it in the form of depression,
and withdrawal. Secondly, conflicts that mount to aggression and violence can exacerbate the family
relationship. In fact, provoked parents and adolescents often resort to verbal insults and domestic
violence rather than ironing out their differences. This, however, can lead to a vicious circle of further
dispute and undermine any possibility of harmony.
Despite the aforementioned demerits, I highly believe that the role played by parent-teen discord in
guiding adolescents to adulthood can hardly be marginalized. Indeed, rebellion is part of human
development in young adults in order for them to develop an identity independent from their parents
and a capacity for independent decision-making. Nevertheless, parents may disagree about the
timelines for these independence milestones, primarily disbelieving in teens’ ability to self-regulate.
Such gaps between teenagers’ expectations and their parents’ readiness to relinquish control are the
spaces ripe for conflict, yet being indispensable for teenagers’ growth at the same time. Furthermore,
conflicts with parents can indirectly assist youngsters in building up concrete relationships with their
parents. For instance, constructive fighting that respects boundaries but allows both sides to express
themselves and unleash anger can strengthen the relationship while increasing trust, reciprocity and
equality between the two generations.
‘Families are like branches on a tree, growing in different directions yet their roots remain as one’. Such
differences in lifestyles, personalities and beliefs can give rise to parent-teen conflict, yet it cannot
undermine the importance of a family to teenagers. Discord is unavoidable as adolescents grow up, but
how parents handle that conflict goes a long way in setting the foundation for an ideal development for
their soon-to-be-adult children.

TEST 5
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be between 100 and 120 words.
The terms "productive vocabulary" and "receptive vocabulary" perhaps need explanation. The
distinction between them is certainly essential for teaching purposes. Native speakers and foreign
language learners alike recognize and understand more words than they actually use. The words they
recognize but do not use are the items by which their receptive vocabularies exceed their productive
ones. The native speaker normally hears and sees a word many times in many slightly differing contexts
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and collocations before he begins to use it. It is recorded in his mind before it comes to the tip of his
tongue or pen. In early life when the language is first being learnt, the incubation period is very lengthy.
The eminent British foreign language teaching methodologist H. E. Palmer tells the story of a boy
brought up by bilingual parents in Alsace who spoke French in the home; six months before the child
began to speak, they moved into Germany and switched the home language to German. The baby's first
words six months afterwards were nonetheless French.
As greater mastery of the language is achieved, words pass more rapidly and easily from receptive
knowledge to productive use when the need arises, and in teaching English to native English-speakers
no sharp distinction between receptive and productive use is normally made. The foreign language
learner, however, wishes to reach general fluency as rapidly as possible and if he can do so within a
limited vocabulary which is nevertheless satisfactory for all general purposes, time will be saved.
Moreover, if the active vocabulary is also a good foundation for reading unsimplified English, he will be
able to go on learning new words for himself, and the natural process of movement at need from
receptive to productive use can be allowed to take place unforced and, as far as the student is
concerned, almost unperceived.

Part 3. Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic.

In the circumstances of the present-day world, children should be given every encouragement
to regard the learning of several languages as normal, to suggest the contrary seems both
prejudiced and harmful.
Discuss the statement and give your opinion
Part 1.
The passage discusses the importance of laying emphasis on productive vocabulary rather than
receptive vocabulary as part of language acquisition. While the latter refers to words within the
learners’ realms of mere recognition, the former encompasses the vocabulary they can actively put into
language production. Enhanced expertise in any language is synonymous with transforming receptive
words into proactively applied ones at ease. While oftentimes, not much distinction between these two
types of vocabulary is required among native language learners, a solid foundation of productive
vocabulary, whether with a small or wide range of words, would assist foreign students in attaining
fluency quickly as well as mastering other new words, while making the transition from receptive to
productive use more natural.
Part 2.

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The tables provide information on the average earnings and spending as well as the structure of
expenses on different categories among four age brackets in Fantasia in 2016.
Overall, those aged between 51 and 60 earned and spent the largest amount of money among four
groups in the given year. In addition, while spending on health care generally increased with age, older
groups had a tendency to spend less on the two categories, namely accommodation and food,
entertainment and others.
It can be seen from the first table that in 2016, the 51-60 age group on average made and spent up to
$50,846 and $41,891 respectively, which were the highest figures recorded across the table. By
comparison, while ranking second in terms of income ($41,585), those in their 40s registered the
smallest expenditure of $38,667. Whereas the earnings of the oldest and youngest groups were just
over $35,000 each, their average payments amounted to roughly $40,000.
Looking at the second table, accommodation accounted for a larger share of the expenses covered by
younger groups, with those from 31 to 50 allocating almost one-third of their budget to housing,
exceeding the two older groups’ figures by a margin of 10 to 15%. The same trend applies to food,
recreational activities and others, registering 26.8% for the youngest group and 18.3% for the oldest
group. By contrast, the proportion of money paid to health care services ranged from 10.6 to 35.8%,
being significantly higher among older groups. Meanwhile, there were only small differences in the
percentage of money spent on transportation services among the four age cohorts.
Part 3.
There has been much controversy revolving around the opinion that in this 4.0 era, the acquisition of
multiple languages should be so promoted that it is deemed normal among children, while reinforcing
the opposite idea is detrimental. I concur with this view, the rationale of which would be provided in
the following parts of this essay.
On the one hand, directing children to viewing multiple-language learning as ordinary would provide
them with the much-needed confidence in themselves over the course of their growth. It is undeniable
that in many parts of the world, learning foreign languages has acquired itself a reputation of being a
strenuous and exceptionally challenging task among many of the young. Together with other so-called
problems like fear of failure, lack of time or life management skills, all of which are seemingly
contributory excuses for mere procrastination, students usually become less motivated to give new
languages a chance for immersion. However, upon normalizing the fluency in multiple languages
through methods like communication campaigns or media, such preconception of multilingual learning
as an “impossible task” would possibly weaken over time. This is likely to foster a positive trend among
students who would willingly follow their peers and give these languages a try, nurturing their belief
in themselves and debunking myths surrounding the tasks they once deemed impossible.
On the other hand, when mastery of multiple languages is deemed abnormal, this would likely result in
a change in the attitude of “the majority” towards the “minority”. Too often in a language class, a
multilingual student might become the target of bullies after raising hands, asking questions
proactively, overperforming their peers academically and gaining the teacher’s favor, whether
accidentally or purposefully. This would throw the pupil into endless cycles of shaming, humiliation or
even abuse rather than let them pursue their well-deserved path to success. Therefore, by actively
encouraging young children to see multilingual abilities as normal, “ordinary students” would possibly
be equipped with a much more rational sense of respect towards “talents” in language.
In conclusion, obtaining multiple languages should be perceived as a normal, achievable ability rather
than an inconceivably challenging skill, thanks to the practical benefits that this notion brings to
children’s individual development of self-esteem and respect towards other people.

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SPEAKING SAMPLES
Topic 1: Many people assume that the goal of every country should be to produce more materials
and goods. To what extent do you agree or disagree that constantly increasing production is an
appropriate goal?
Agree: generation of commodity is beneficial for national stability and development.
increase in population and upgrade in standards of living  more demands for resources 
manufacturing provides citizens with basic needs, the means to work and make money  contribute
to national prosperity.
expansion of the industry  able to export products overseas  further profit-making and
consolidation of the nation’s reputation in the international market
Disagree: manufacturing should occur in moderation natural resources serving as fuels are not endless
 take time to recover and regenerate.  unsustainable manufacturing may leave future generations
struggling with resource shortage. Augmentation of production and mass consumption could
exacerbate the situation as it leads to the throw-away society characterized by businesses creating new
lines of product, consumers keep purchasing the latest models and disposing the current items.
environmental consequences accompany the industry (ignition of fossil fuels  pollute the atmosphere
extraction of underground ores  disturb the lithosphere and animals’ livelihood.)
 devastate the Earth’s ecology, possibly contributing to global warming
employees are pressurized to meet growing demands  increase in workload may cause stress-related
illnesses.

Topic 2: Some people believe that competition for high grades motivates students to excel in the
classroom. Others believe that such competition seriously limits the quality of real learning.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Agree: Scoring helps students gather motivation to make progress in their studies.
High achievers: praised, rewarded for their excellent performance  a boost to their confidence, giving
them mental strength to make further progress
Poorer performers: put under peer pressure  desire to attain a decent score not to keep pace with
their friends  encouraged to work more assiduously  Competition can fire students with learning
enthusiasm and encourage participation in learning activities, irrespective of their level of
performance.
Competition assists students in unlocking/discovering their inner potentials
A timid, self-effacing student can transmute into an active, energetic learner and group activist after
competing for high grades.
 without a grading system to motivate personal efforts, students may fail to realize their hidden
strengths  stifle determination in making improvements.
Disagree:
In-class competition may bring about undesired and insidious repercussions students can easily
misinterpret the ultimate aim of education as achieving the highest grades possible students bribe
teachers, examiners to know the test beforehand or to ask for a good academic transcript  unfair
competition, lack of sound knowledge of the subject matter.
students become discouraged from seeking an in-depth understanding of their lessons, shift their focus
to rote memorization just to achieve a decent result. Less emphasis is laid upon hands-on applications
and more on attempting the exams. deterioration in educational quality.
Youngsters motivated by high scores become preoccupied with bookish knowledge  compromise
their social life and activities
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Opinion: A rethink on the grading system is necessary.

Teachers should not use grading to judge student’s memorization ability but to evaluate students’
passion and attitude towards learning.
Teachers should accentuate the importance the ability to truly understand and put subject matters into
practice.
 promote healthy and unbiased competition for high grades while fostering the core values of
learning.

Topic 3: Genetic engineering is an important issue in society today. Some people think that it
will improve people’s lives in many ways. Others feel that it may be a threat to life on earth.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
The effects of genetic engineering are often discussed in terms of two key areas, which are food
production and medication.
Food production:
Positive:
With genetic engineering, scientists can add traits like being insect-resistant, drought-resistant or
vitamin-rich into plants and animals -> increase yield -> lower food shortage and malnutrition.
Example: 500000 children go blind each year due to vitamin A deficiency -> a trait called ‘the Golden
Rice’ has been deployed, which contains enough vitamins to cure those children.
Negative:
Genetic engineering can trigger gene flow, meaning GMOs could mix with traditional crops and
introduce unwanted new characteristics into them -> powerful, exotic species/ superbugs -> ecological
imbalance.
Medication
Positive:
Genetic engineering is opening the door to incredible medical applications like genome sequencing and
gene therapies to fight cancer and other chronic diseases.
Example: RNA has been deployed to make Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which has changed the
course of the pandemic and ensure the general well-being of the society
Example: Genetically modified bacteria can be used to provide proteins such as insulin or human
growth, which can be given to people suffering from diabetes and dwarfism, respectively.
Negative:
Issues of individual liberty may arise alongside with the rise of designer-baby and cloned humans
Designer baby: (1) Parents may use money to manipulate the genes of their children for certain traits
such as high IQ + attractive appearance +… when the children themselves cannot give consent/ (2) Only
parents from the highest social class can afford manipulating their children’s genes -> inequality

Topic 4: International tourism has brought enormous benefit to many places. At the same time,
there is concern about its impact on local inhabitants and the environment. Do the
disadvantages of international tourism outweigh the advantages?
International tourism can yield significant value to both individuals and the society as a whole.
At individual level:
- Journeys to exotic places in foreign countries can be exciting and fulfilling. → Tourists themselves
should derive pleasure and satisfaction from a trip to the tropical savanna in Africa where they can go
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on a wildlife safari or view tribal life. → While people can find our similar information via televisions
programmes, books or journals, the feeling should be incomparable to being present at the destination.
- International travel allows for cross-border cultural exchange and deeper mutual understanding
between visitors and local people → A Vietnamese holidaymaker who spends a vacation in Italy should
enrich his or her culinary knowledge by sampling unique Italian spaghetti in Rome or develop his or
her aesthetic appreciation while gazing at exquisite sculptures in Florence. → Italian hosts should
broaden their horizon by observing how the Vietnamese visitor holds and uses chopsticks skillfully. →
People become more open-minded and show more respect towards cultural diversity.
At social level:
- There is an inherent link between tourism development and enormous socio-economic benefits that
countries can receive. → As the whole tourism process involves the consumption of services and
products, it obviously generates income for individuals and businesses who operate in tourism and
related industries. → Tourism also contributes to the national budget in the form of taxes or charges,
which should be in turn reinvested into the maintenance and upgrade of the national infrastructure.
- Tourism industry creates employment opportunities as there are strong demands for labours in travel
agencies, tour operators, hotels, airlines or cruises.
- International tourism helps promote world peace. → It paves the way for deeper understanding
among nations. → One country should better understand the core values of another → This allows for
diplomatic relations among the international community to be strengthened and tensions, if any, to be
eased rather than aggravated.
- Tourism is also conducive to the promotion of natural wildlife and historical sites. → To boost tourism
appeal, it is necessary for central governments and local authorities to establish and preserve national
parks, marine ecosystems, monuments or museums.
Tourism, if managed unsustainably, could be detrimental to society in various aspects.
- Cultural aspects have become increasingly commercialized as a way to boost profitability → The
prevalence of cultural commodification might result in the loss of authentic cultural values. → For
instance, ceremonies and rituals might be curtailed to save time while traditional dress and handicrafts
could be amended to cater to the specified taste of foreign visitors. → Such modification robs cultural
practices and artifacts their originality and sacredness, while giving foreign tourists a false impression
of the significance attached to these elements of culture.
- There is also a link between international tourism and cultural erosion. Exposure to tourists from
different cultural backgrounds might lead to changes in ways of life among the locals, particularly from
younger members of the community. → They can begin to mimic and replicate the cultures of the
tourists and gradually abandon the customs and traditions of their own culture.
- Sporadic conflicts and tensions between local people and foreigners should also be taken into account
→ Whether intentionally or unintentionally, tourists can offend locals by dressing inappropriately or
not being aware of culturally unacceptable behaviours. → Foreign visitors feel upset by such hostile and
unwelcoming attitudes from locals and inevitably form a negative impression on the host country.
- There are also grave concerns about the physical damage to cultural heritage. → Having people tramp
through old paths, touch rock walls and lean on sites can cause irreversible erosion and destruction. →
Place of worships or cultural significance are also suffering from the deliberate actions of littering,
scrawling graffiti or even taking pieces of the site home.
- Unsustainable tourism could have adverse environmental implications. Building are constructed at
the expense of large areas of primary forest and untouched natural landscapes. Activities in tourism
could be detrimental to fragile natural areas. Hiking in the rainforest, snorkelling in coral reefs and
climbing alpine mountains are just some of the many activities that can physically impact and damage
the natural environment.

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- Tourism as an industry requires intense use of resources. Swimming pools and golf courses demand
large amounts of water while cooling and heating large hotels and resort complexes consume massive
energy.

Topic 5: What are the causes of declining mental health among youngsters? What can be done
to solve this problem?
Causes:
The youth’s deteriorating mental fitness can arise from both objective and subjective factors. For
objective causes, the detrimental impact of social media should be primarily concerned. Some kids too
often squander valuable time playing games, watching TV or over-indulging in the virtual world to the
detriment of social gatherings or physical activities. As a result, they may suffer from chronic isolation
and loneliness. Another objective cause should be the heavy workload and intense academic
competition that children have to endure at school. Children who are exhausted at school, are even sent
to extra classes as part of the rat race with their peers. Consequently, they tend to be moody or volatile
and may end up taking suicide as an escape from the stressful and boring life. Regarding subjective
reasons, the need to impress others and demonstrate personal identity can also attributed to growing
pressure among youngsters. The youth in general have greater desire to achieve self-esteem, status or
recognition. They are more likely to spend lavishly on the latest trends, including flashy clothing and
tech gadgets. They see this as a way to express individual personality and difference. This could exert
enormous stress on children themselves.
Solutions
To fully address this problem, a mutual effort between different members of the society is necessary.
Parents should beware of what their kids are doing online and give timely warnings and admonitions
once boys or girls overstep the limit. In addition, parents can act as role models, reinforcing healthy
lifestyle behaviours in their kids. The role of schools is also of paramount importance. A proper learning
environment with a meticulously planned programme is essential in the formation of right routines
and manners. By introducing physical education and extracurricular activities as compulsory parts of
the formal curriculum, schools can encourage students to stay active and robust. Governments can also
partly contribute to tackling this problem. For instance, authorities can eliminate harmful agents by
dint of sound policies. Websites should be censored heavily in case they spread malicious and addictive
contents to lure children. Finally, children themselves need to develop right attitude towards life and
work. Self-esteem and recognition are important but they should not be at the expense of health and
comfort.

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