Task 1 - Main Reasons for Migration To/From the UK (2007)

You should spend about 20 minute on this task.

The pie charts show the main reasons for migration to and from the UK in 2007.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features , and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

NOTES:

Immigration (going in the UK) - immigrate

-1st main reason - definite job (30%) - just under a third

-2nd main reason - for formal studies (26%) - just over a fourth/a little over quarter

- lowest/insignificant factors - no reason stated and other

Emigration (going out of the UK) - emigrate

-1st main reason - definite job (29%) - just under a third - WORTH NOTING that it’s the same

-2nd main reason - looking for work/employment (22%) - approximately a quarter

-3rd main reason - no reason stated (18%) - approaching a fifth

-lowest/insignificant factors - formal study, other, accompany/to join

Worth noting:

• As compared to immigration, formal studies is insignificant for emigration
• Other - similar for both charts

(Good) Other is also a significant factor that is similar for both travelling in and out of the UK.

(Better) People who travel in and out of UK also significantly considered other reasons for doing so.

Remember to use the following words to make comparison:

Similarly…similar to...the same as...

On the contrary,...as opposed to...

MODEL ESSAY:

The pie charts illustrate major reasons why people moved in and out of the UK in 2007. Overall, people immigrate mainly for the purpose of employment, which is closely followed by formal education, while people emigrate primarily to look for a definite job and better employment. 

As can be seen in the first chart, the most influential reason why people came into the UK was because of definite job, accounting for just under a third, while a little over a quarter relocated into the country in order to further their education. With statistics similar to each other at a little over a tenth would be to join or accompany someone and to look for employment. It can be noted that an insignificant proportion stated no obvious reasons for doing so.

On the other hand, a little less than a third left the UK in search of a definite job, whose number is similar to immigration, whilst approximately a quarter lefty looked for employment elsewhere. A small fraction accompanied or joined others, while about the same percentage went out for other reasons. A minute number went out the UK for formal studies while almost a fifth did not specify a reason for doing so.

203 words

Task 1 - Cambridge 14 Test 4 - Grange Park (2 Maps)

You should spend about 20 minute on this task.

The plans below show a public park when it first opened in 1920 and the same park today.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features , and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

MODEL ESSAY:

The maps illustrate Grange Park in between Arnold Avenue and Eldon Street during  its initial opening in 1920 and at present.

Overall, we can see that there were drastic changes over the time period such as the fountain being replaced by rose garden, the stage for musicians by an ampitheatre for concerts, and the pond for water plants by a children’s play area. Minor modifications have also been done around the park to make it look what it does today.

Firstly, it is noticeable that the water fountain at the center was remodeled into a rose garden, which is surrounded by seats. The stage to the left of the fountain was developed into an ampitheatre where concerts are held, whereas the pond is now an area where children can play. The glasshouse has also been removed and turned into a water display.

In can be noticed that the seats around Grange Park have been removed, and today, it already has an underground car park whose entrance can be found in the south-east of the park.

175 words

Task 2 - Cambridge 1 Test 1 - Why We Need Music; Traditional Music vs. International Music (Two-part Question)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic.

There are many types of music in the world today. Why do we need music? Is the traditional music of a country more important than the international music that is heard everywhere nowadays?

Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples based on your knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words

MODEL ESSAY:

The world is full of different kinds of music which we all need because they are nourishing to the human soul. I believe that traditional music is more rewarding than international music because the former unites people and help individuals to learn how to be better with their social life.

We need music because it helps us express our emotions in a way that words alone cannot. Music can also easily help individuals to focus better and allow additional concentration capabilities. For example, when a hospital ward has a number of patients suffering from stress-related conditions, playing smooth, relaxing music will help in the reduction of stress levels. Moreover, even an irritated crying baby who cannot communicate verbally is bound to be put in a relaxing, quiet and peaceful mood, under the effects of smooth music. Therefore, music both arouses and expresses our hidden emotions positively, and that is why music is essential in people’s lives.

In addition, traditional music should be valued over international music because the latter is basically created for fun and entertainment. Traditional music, by contrast, expresses culture, customs, and history of a country. Furthermore, it helps the younger generation to build a sense of cultural identity, which will help them to always appreciate their roots. For instance, singing the national anthem before a national event in a foreign land will make people have that sense of security and belonging.

In conclusion, music is undeniably an inevitable part of people's life and will always have benefits to the human health and soul.

256 words

Mercy

FUN FACTS! 

10 Benefits of Music

Though more studies are needed to confirm the potential health benefits of music, some studies suggest that listening to music can have the following positive effects on health.

1. Improves mood. Studies show that listening to music can benefit overall well-being, help regulate emotions, and create happiness and relaxation in everyday life.
2. Reduces stress. Listening to ‘relaxing’ music (generally considered to have slow tempo, low pitch, and no lyrics) has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in healthy people and in people undergoing medical procedures (e.g., surgery, dental, colonoscopy).
3. Lessens anxiety. In studies of people with cancer, listening to music combined with standard care reduced anxiety compared to those who received standard care alone.
4. Improves exercise. Studies suggest that music can enhance aerobic exercise, boost mental and physical stimulation, and increase overall performance.
5. Improves memory. Research has shown that the repetitive elements of rhythm and melody help our brains form patterns that enhance memory. In a study of stroke survivors, listening to music helped them experience more verbal memory, less confusion, and better focused attention.
6. Eases pain. In studies of patients recovering from surgery, those who listened to music before, during, or after surgery had less pain and more overall satisfaction compared with patients who did not listen to music as part of their care.
7. Provides comfort. Music therapy has also been used to help enhance communication, coping, and expression of feelings such as fear, loneliness, and anger in patients who have a serious illness, and who are in end-of-life care.
8. Improves cognition. Listening to music can also help people with Alzheimer’s recall seemingly lost memories and even help maintain some mental abilities.
9. Helps children with autism spectrum disorder. Studies of children with autism spectrum disorder who received music therapy showed improvement in social responses, communication skills, and attention skills.
10. Soothes premature babies. Live music and lullabies may impact vital signs, improve feeding behaviors and sucking patterns in premature infants, and may increase prolonged periods of quiet–alert states.

SOURCE: www.gethealthystayhealthy.com

Task 1 - Cambridge 6 Test 1 - Water use worldwide and water consumption in Brazil and Congo (Pie Chart + Table)

You should spend about 20 minute on this task.

The graph and table below give information about water use worldwide and water consumption in two different countries.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features , and make comparisons where relevant.


Write at least 150 words.

MODEL ESSAY:

The line graph and the table compare water usage globally in three sectors (agriculture, industrial and domestic), and in Brazil and DR Congo from 1900 to 2000. Overall, it is noticeable that water usage was highest in the agriculture sector than the industrial and domestic sectors over the 100 year-period. In contrast, Brazil holds the majority of water consumption in terms of population, land surface and average consumption per person.

In 1900, agriculture used almost 500 km³ of water. The figure rose to approximately 1,700 km³ over the next 60 years. Industrial and domestic consumed the same amount of about 100 km³ in 1900. Agriculture saw the highest water usage with 3000 km³, while industrial and domestic gradually increased in consumption, with just above 1000 km³ and around 200 km³ respectively. By contrast, the domestic sector recorded the least water usage globally.

The table shows that Brazil had a much higher population (176 million) compared to the marginal population of DR Congo. Brazil watered a land area of 26,500 km² and DR Congo just 100 km². Water usage per head was significantly lower in DR Congo, whereas, in Brazil there had a considerable usage of 359 m³ of water.

199 words

Band 8

Ruben

Task 2 - Academic Purposes Test 3 - Education versus Experience (Agree Disagree)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic.

Many people say that the only way to guarantee getting a good job is to complete a course of university education. Others claim that it is better to start work after school and gain experience in the world of work.

How far do you agree or disagree with the above views?

Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples based on your knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words

MODEL ESSAY:

A growing number of people are saying that getting a good job is guaranteed, only after finishing a university education course while others are claiming that, starting work after school is better since it gives an experience in the field of work. I strongly agree with the statement that, it is by far good to start work after school to attain some level of knowledge in working.

The idea that starting to work after school is better as it is key to gaining knowledge in the field of work. This is because working after school means getting an upper hand in the scope of work. Unlike undergraduates with no experience of work but only a mere theory knowledge, starting a job after school is far reasonable since most companies are interested in professionals, rather than undergraduates. Professionals really have the skills it takes to work but undergraduates only know about the work. Most often, professionals with working experience fit well in the employment world with an outstanding performance at work. For instance, an engineering company offering a good job will ask for practical competency. This is to confirm the ability of the candidate having any knowledge about engineering apart from a mere theory.

On the other hand, many people try to finish college and get a degree. This partly sounds convincing in that university education is the basis for every job, but this is not enough to get a good job or to maintain it. I believe knowledge is more powerful than any form of requirement. Taking my friend for instance, who had first class in mathematics as a requirement to teach but has no experience in teaching was rejected by the students after few months.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that although education certificate is important in all things, having a better experience together with education is the right tool to unlock a good job.

316 words

Band 7

Ruben


Reality Check!

"65% graduates in Philippines found unemployable in the careers of their choice!"

Philippines National Employability Report (Graduates) - 2017

Aspiring Minds Philippines National Employability Report – 2017 is an in-depth analysis of the job-readiness of the youth of Philippines across various industry roles. Its findings are based on the study of 60,000 students from 80+ colleges through the country.

Key insights from the report:

• 65% candidates are unemployable in the roles of their choice
• Only 14.15% graduates are employable for outbound sales and 21.90% for inbound customer service roles in the BPO sector
• Lack of adequate domain skills is the key reason for low employability in BFSI sector
• 64% of employable graduates lie beyond the Top 50 colleges in Philippines
• No gender-wise disparity observed in employability numbers

SOURCE: https://www.aspiringminds.com/research-reports/philippines-national-employability-report-graduates-2017

Task 2 - Cambridge 11 Test 1 - Spending More Money on Railways than Roads (Agree Disagree)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic.

Governments should spend more money on railways rather than roads.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples based on your knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words


MODEL ESSAY:

Technology is fast-growing and environmental issues, as well as their effect on climate change, are highly discussed around the globe. For these reasons and much more, I highly agree that governments should concentrate their finances more on constructing railways than roads for the simple reason that the former is much more environmentally and economically friendly.

To begin with, if governments invest in road construction, this will lead to increased pollution of the atmosphere. The reason is that cars and buses use fossil fuels such as petrol, benzine, gas oil, and eventually release toxic gases into the atmosphere. Trains, on the contrary, use electricity which is less harmful to the environment. Secondly, in these modern times, there is high competition in the world which requires that people move faster, get to their destinations quicker in order to gain time and money. Trains are for certain much faster and more effective than roads. For example, a traffic jam in a city will take a longer time to resolve than a railway breakdown. Finally, if governments invest more money on roads, communication will be made much easier as well as transportation in and out of cities and countries.

In my opinion, railways are more effective and more environmentally friendly than roads. It will cost less for governments to invest in railway maintenance than in road maintenance. Furthermore, railways have a capacity to cross overseas and borders which may not be very practical with roads.

In conclusion, I agree with the point of view that governments should invest much more in constructing intercity railways as they would use up less time, energy and money.

270 words

Band 8

Ya-Ngoye

Task 1 Cambridge 11 Test 1 - Percentage of Water for Different Purposes in 6 Areas of the World (Pie Charts)

You should spend about 20 minute on this task.

The charts below show the percentage of water used for different purposes in six areas of the world.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features , and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

MODEL ESSAY:

The six pie charts compare the water usage for three different purposes in six regions of the world, namely, Europe, South America, South East Asia, Central Asia, Africa, North America.

Overall, water is mostly consumed for agricultural purposes. Central Asia leads with the highest percentage of water consumption among the six regions of the world.

Taking a closer look at the information, it can be seen that Africa with a consumption rate of 84%, followed closely by South East Asia 81% also use high amounts of water for agricultural reasons. On the contrary, in Europe only 39% of water is used for the same purpose. Similarly, North America has a lower water consumption for agricultural reasons. However, though North America and Europe do not use up much water for crop planting they do use large amounts of water for industrial reasons;48% and 53% respectively. Comparatively, Central Asia (5%) and Africa (7%) show the least water consumption for industrial use.

On the other hand, the region with the highest amount of water consumption for domestic purposes is South America. Central Asia and South Asia have the least consumption for domestic purposes. They both have a percentage use of only 7% each.

197 words

Band 9

Ya-Ngoye

Task 2 - Nature versus Nurture (Discussion)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic.

It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance, for sports or music and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples based on your  knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words

MODEL ESSAY:

It is widely accepted that talents are naturally born gifts that people possess like sports or music, whiles others are not as gifted. However, it is often said that any child can be nurtured to master a craft or talent such as being a good sportsperson or musician. In this essay, I would discuss both views and give my opinion.

Firstly, the talents certain people possess have immensely improved their game being in sports or music. It is true that people with innate talent can not be really compared to any person not born with it but tries to learn. Musicians like Bob Marley took the world by storm with reggae music  and his choice of words or lyrics differentiate him from all musicians. I do not think there is a song from him that does not spear the heart when people listen. His talent to make such good music is incomparable and to date his songs still remain top notch.

However, there have been circumstances where people learned to become good sports persons or musicians who have defied odds to become great. These people use hard work to beat talent. Proof of importance is between the two football giants Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. For a decade both players have won the most prestigious football award, which is the world’s best player ten times with both receiving the award five times each. As a football fanatic I witnessed the emergence of how talented Messi is and he has proved on several occasions how talented he is with the ball. Ronaldo embodies the true definition of hard work and a person who liked the sports and learned it. He has gone to- to-toe with Messi and might even surpass him.

In conclusion, I think people born with talents do the impossible with ease but people can be taught to become successful in a particular sports, music or profession.

318 words

Band 8

Nsiah

Fun Facts!

The nature versus nurture debate is about the relative influence of an individual's innate attributes as opposed to the experiences from the environment one is brought up in, in determining individual differences in physical and behavioral traits. The philosophy that humans acquire all or most of their behavioral traits from "nurture" is known as tabula rasa ("blank slate").

In recent years, both types of factors have come to be recognized as playing interacting roles in development. So several modern psychologists consider the question naive and representing an outdated state of knowledge. The famous psychologist, Donald Hebb, is said to have once answered a journalist's question of "Which, nature or nurture, contributes more to personality?" by asking in response, "Which contributes more to the area of a rectangle, its length or its width?"

SOURCE: diffen.com

Task 1 Cambridge 6 - Brick Manufacturing

You should spend about 20 minute on this task.

The diagram illustrated the process that is used to manufacture bricks for the building industry.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features , and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

MODEL ESSAY:

The diagram is outlining the process of manufacturing bricks by the building industry. Overall, there are seven stages in this process, starting from the digging of clay and ending with delivery.

At the beginning of the process, clay is dug from the ground by a huge digger. It is then put through a metal grid before being passed on a roller where it is mixed with sand and water.  After that, the clay is either passed through a wire cutter, or put in a mould to shape the bricks.

In the next stage, the shaped bricks are then placed in a drying oven for one or two days. Thereafter, they are then heated in a kiln at a moderate temperature between (200 and 900 degrees Celsius). The bricks will then be moved to the next kiln with a higher temperature ranging between (870 degrees Celsius to 1300 degrees Celsius).

At the fifth stage of the process, the bricks will be stored in a cooling chamber for two to three days. Lastly, they will be packaged and sent for delivery by a truck.

182 words

Band 8

Mercy

Fun Facts!

A brick is building material used to make walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Traditionally, the term brick referred to a unit composed of clay, but it is now used to denote rectangular units made of clay-bearing soil, sand, and lime, or concrete materials. Bricks can be joined together using mortar, adhesives or by interlocking them.Bricks are produced in numerous classes, types, materials, and sizes which vary with region and time period, and are produced in bulk quantities. Two basic categories of bricks are fired and non-fired bricks.

Block is a similar term referring to a rectangular building unit composed of similar materials, but is usually larger than a brick. Lightweight bricks (also called lightweight blocks) are made from expanded clay aggregate.

Fired bricks are one of the longest-lasting and strongest building materials, sometimes referred to as artificial stone, and have been used since circa 4000 BC. Air-dried bricks, also known as mudbricks, have a history older than fired bricks, and have an additional ingredient of a mechanical binder such as straw.

Bricks are laid in courses and numerous patterns known as bonds, collectively known as brickwork, and may be laid in various kinds of mortar to hold the bricks together to make a durable structure.

SOURCE: Wikipedia

Task 1 Academic Purposes - Automatic Photo Booth

You should spend about 20 minute on this task.

The diagram below shows an automatic phone booth.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features , and make comparisons where relevant.

MODEL ESSAY:

The illustration demonstrates the process of taking a photograph in an automatic photo booth. It is a linear process which begins by preparing oneself for the photograph and ends with the production of the type of photograph desired.

It is clear that there are nine stages from the preparatory phase to the end product. It can be seen that the stages succeed each other and that each stage is important to get a good result.

Firstly, a right sitting position needs to be taken so that the eye level is adjusted to the camera accordingly. However before the flash light is activated the blind needs to be closed. It is important to wait for the single light flash which comes after 3 seconds only.

Following this stage, the right information has to be entered into the apparatus. This information should include details such as the dimension of the photos required and the colour desired. Whereas other photos could be coloured or black and white, passport photos in particular should be coloured. Subsequently, coins are inserted into the machine. Unlike the first five stages that take place inside the booth, these last five stages take place on the exterior side corner of the booth. Finally, the photos are delivered within 60 seconds in a delivery pan.

215 words
Band 8
by Ya-Ngoye

Task 1 Cambridge 14 - Average percentage of nutrients in Typical Meals in the USA

You should spend about 20 minute on this task.

The charts below show the average percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features , and make comparisons where relevant.

MODEL ESSAY:

The pie charts illustrate the average percentage amount of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in typical meals in America, which are not good for the health if ingested excessively.

Overall, it can be seen that dinner and snacks are the least healthy meals based on recorded amounts of sodium and saturated fat, while breakfast is healthiest.

Firstly, the consumption of sodium in dinner recorded the highest representing 43%, then followed by lunch at 29%. Snacks and breakfast recorded the lowest under sodium accounting for just 14% in both.

Moreover, the highest percentage under saturated fat was dinner with 37%, lunch with 26% and then followed by snacks with 21%.The lowest percentage in the category is breakfast representing just 16%.

Additionally, under added sugar the percentages changed with snacks leading with 42%, and then followed by 23% for dinner, while breakfast and lunch recorded the lowest with 16% and 19% respectively.

Band 7