Task 1
The charts below show the percentage of volunteers by organizations in 2008 and 2014.
Sample Answer
The pie charts show the proportions of people volunteering in various kinds of organisations in 2008 and 2014.
It is clear that while volunteers’ participation in environmental, sport, and health care organisations increased, the opposite was true for other types of organisations. Additionally, the percentages of health care volunteers were by far the lowest during the two years.
In 2008, volunteering in educational organisations was the most common choice, accounting for nearly a quarter of all volunteers, while 21% and 18% of volunteers took part in environmental and art projects respectively. 15% of volunteers worked in sport organisations, and another 15% in other organisations, while only 6% volunteered in health care.
In 2014, significantly more volunteers worked in environmental and sport organizations compared with the other fields, at 29% and 25% respectively. Meanwhile, the figures for art and other volunteers both fell by 6%. There was also a slight fall in volunteers in educational organizations, at 17%, while volunteering in health care was still the least preferred option, at only 8%.
Band 7.0+
Task 2
Some people think that newspapers are the best way to get news. However, others believe that they can get news better through other media platforms.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Sample Answer
Opinions diverge widely on the importance of different news sources. While some people consider reading newspapers to be the most effective way to receive news, I would argue that it is no longer the best way to get the news due to the proliferation of online news sources.
Opinions diverge widely on the importance of different news sources. While some people consider reading newspapers to be the most effective way to receive news, I would argue that it is no longer the best way to get the news due to the proliferation of online news sources.
On the one hand, there are good grounds for arguing that newspapers still are the most popular among newsreaders even though we are living in a digital world. Firstly, since newspapers have existed long before the introduction of the internet, most senior citizens have developed a habit of reading a newspaper every day, and they do not want to change this habit. (1) Secondly, newspapers are considered a more reliable source of information compared to other sources nowadays. This is because newspapers are usually written by professional journalists, and are thoroughly checked, edited and censored prior to their publication.
On the other hand, the Internet has become an increasingly dominant news source these days due to the benefits it offers. (2) The first thing that attracts people to reading news online is its easy access. With the widespread presence of the Internet, people with portable devices, such as a smartphone, can access a huge storage of news in just a few clicks. Furthermore, online news channels have brought a greater reading experience to readers, thanks to the constant advancement in technology, which has made it possible to upload videos and audio recordings online. For instance, soccer fans these days can re-watch their favourite matches whenever they want with only a laptop connected to the Internet, which a mere newspaper cannot do. (3)
In conclusion, although I do agree that printed newspapers are very popular amongst certain groups of people, I disagree that it is the best way to receive the news as more and more people are drawn to using the Internet.
