TASK 1
The diagrams show total global population between 1900 and 2000, and its proportions according to region.
Global population from 1900 to 2000
Report Plan:
- Paraphrase paragraph: (make one sentence for each type of show>give information about/illustrate; global>world; proportion>percentage
- diagram):
- Overview/summary: (1) line graph – world population increased rapidly after 1970 (2) pie charts – the region with the highest proportion was Asia
- Paragraph 3: report figures and trends for world population (line graph)
- Paragraph 4: report figures and changes for the two largest regions (Asia and Europe)
- Paragraph 5: contrast figures and trends for the other regions.
Report:
The line graph gives information about total world population from 1900 to 2000. The pie charts illustrate the percentage of the world population in this period in terms of regions.
Overall, it is clear that global population rose dramatically after 1970. The region with the highest proportion of people in the world was Asia.
From 1.6 billion in 1900, the world population fluctuated until 1950. It then increased significantly, reaching 3 billion in 1980 and doubling to 6 billion by 2000.
According to the pie charts, 60% of global population lived in Asia in 1900, although this fell to 54% at the end of the period. The proportion of global population also fell in Europe (including Russia) from 25% in 1900 to 14% in 2000.
By contrast, in Africa the proportion of world population over the period more than doubled to reach 10%. There was a similar increase in Latin America, from 3% in 1900 to 8% in 2000. The proportion of global population in North America and ‘Others’ remained constant at 5% and 3%, respectively. Finally, a new region is shown in the chart for 2000, the Middle East with 6% of world population.
195 words
TASK 2
Government should invest in teaching science subjects rather than other subjects in order for a country to develop and progress . To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Essay Plan:
Introduction: refer to the essay question; own opinion – science subjects are important, but other subjects are important too.
Paragraph 2: arguments for investing in science education. Students must have a good knowledge of science and recent technological breakthroughs e.g. genetics and medicine. They can then contribute to the development of scientific knowledge
Paragraph 3: other subjects are important. Progress is not economic growth. (1) develop creative talents – study of art, music, literature (2) develop critical skills – study of history, philosophy, languages
Conclusion: investing in science subjects is important, but investing in other subjects is also necessary.
Essay:
It is true that investment in science education in schools and universities should be high on the agenda of all governments. However, while this is important, I disagree that this should be the only priority, because it is also important to allocate resources to the teaching of other subjects.
It is clearly essential to provide funding for the study of science subjects. Recent discoveries in science have been applied to bring about changes in such fields as health, food production and, above all, communications. For example, genetics based on the research of biologists is revolutionising the treatment of diseases such as cancer. Therefore, governments must invest heavily in science subjects in order to ensure that the knowledge of science graduates is up-to-date. If this is done, the international scientific community will, for instance, be able to find solutions to pressing environmental challenges facing the world today.
However, government investment in science education must not be at the expense of neglecting other subjects. Progress and development do not mean economic growth. Firstly, schools should encourage students to express themselves through art, literature and music and develop those talents which are a part of our cultural life. Secondly, if it were not for the study of subjects such as history, philosophy and languages, then nobody would be able to see the big picture. Ethical social questions concerning how people might live in harmony with one another in a sustainable way would never be discussed.
In conclusion, it is necessary for governments to invest in science education, but they must also promote the study of other subjects to develop the creativity and critical thinking of students.
273 words
Vocabulary from government:
- high on the agenda
Meaning: something which is among the first things in the list of actions to be taken
Example: The rehabilitation of prisoners must be high on the agenda of prison authorities everywhere. - to allocate resources to
Meaning: to make money and materials available to do something
Example: If governments allocate more resources to improving public transport, this will reduce the problem of traffic congestion in cities. - to provide funding for
Meaning: to give money to enable something to be done
Example: Providing funding for health care must be a priority of governments.
Vocabulary from technology:
- to apply something to something
Meaning: to use something or make something work in a particular situation
Example:The new technology applied to farming has led to a huge reduction in the agricultural workforce.
Vocabulary from the arts:
- to express oneself
Meaning: to communicate some idea or emotion through speech, writing, painting, music or some other form of art
Example: Schools should encourage pupils to express themselves through art, music or creative writing in order to stimulate their imagination.
Vocabulary from communication and personality:
- to see the big picture
Meaning: to understand all the important aspects of a situation
Example: Students sometimes get confused with so many details to remember, but our history teacher is able to make us see the big picture. - to live in harmony with one another
Meaning: to live with others in a way which avoids conflict or disagreement
Example: The students who share the house are all good friends and they are able to live in harmony with one another.
