Writing Task 2
In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with that statement?
Sample Answer:
Many people claim that in the future, printed newspapers or books will become obsolete because online reading materials are available for everyone. Personally, I firmly disagree with this conviction because printed newspapers and books will always have a place in our lives and not all online reading materials are free of charge.
To begin with, saying that people can freely read anything is fallacious. I admit that there are many websites that allow people to read their contents without having to pay anything. However, popular online newspapers, such as The Economist or New Scientist, offer subscription plans for full access to premium features while non-subcribers are limited to only a small number of articles. Similarly, most ebooks and other types of online contents, if legally distributed, are only available for purchase.
In addition, there will always be people who prefer to buy printed newspapers and books for many reasons. Reading free articles on a screen is oftentimes a test of concentration due to the disturbance from constant pop-up advertisements or message notifications. Furthermore, many people buy printed materials because they value the experience of reading and collecting physical books. Some people love the smell of papers and are appealed to holding a book when reading it. Or others seek to buy every paperback written their favorite authors simply because they enjoy building their own physical collections.
In conclusion, I strongly disagree with the statement that people will no longer pay for printed newspapers and books. Besides, it is flawed to claim that people can read everything on the Internet for free.
Estimated scores
TR: 7.0
CC: 8.0
LR: 8.0
GRA: 8.0
Overall: 7.5
