CAE essay
Essay guide
You have attended a panel discussion on ways in which the needs of an aging population can be met. You have made the notes below.
Ways in which the needs of an aging population can be met.
More residential care homes
More jobs available for elderly people
More entertainment
Some opinions expressed in the discussion:
I'd rather get help in my own home than move into a care home
Work gives people a way of organizing their day
Too many forms of entertainment are intended for young people
Exam essay 1
You have listened to a discussion on how people in richer countries can be made more aware of poverty in other parts of the world. You have made the notes below:
Ways of raising awareness of poverty as a global issue.
Education
Campaigns by charities
Increased media coverage
Some opinions expressed in the discussion:
Schools should teach every child the terrible effects of poverty.
We should support charities that expose the awful reality of poverty.
People would be shocked if they saw real poverty on TV every evening.
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the approaches in your notes. You should explain which approach you think would be more effective, giving reasons to support your opinion.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion, but you should use your words as far as possible.
Example
There exists today an ever-widening wealth gap between different parts of the world, with an increasing number of people living in extreme poverty. Urgent measures are needed, and the first step must surely be to raise awareness in teacher countries of just how desperate the situation is. To achieve this, there would appear to be two possible approaches.
Firstly, the media could cover world poverty much more frequently and in far greater depth. Currently, television rarely focuses on this human tragedy, despite the awful conditions in which hundreds of millions of people spend their entire lives. Regular in-depth reports, however, would surely bring it home to viewers that this appalling situation never goes away, leading to greater pressure on governments to take steps such as increasing overseas aid.
Schools could also have an important role to play. Although it is essential that pupils are taught about the social problems of their own country, attention should also be paid to the difficulties of those, especially children, in poorer nations. Students need to learn why such terrible living conditions exist, both by studying the history of those countries and by locking at the political, economic and social factors that make poverty so difficult to eliminate.
Nevertheless, relying on the education system would take many years to bring results, whereas change is needed right now. It should also involve the whole population, not just young people. Only the media can have this immediate impact, and nowadays it is only the media that almost everyone pays attention to.
Essay 2
Your class has attended a debate on how governments around the world should help protect endangered species. You have made the notes below.
Ways governments could help protect endangered species:
Education
Protected zones
Legislation
Some opinions expressed in the discussion:
People should be shown how they can help conserve wildlife
We can help endangered animal populations recover by improving their environment
It ought to be illegal to harm animals or damage the places where they live
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the points in your notes. You should explain which way you think would be more effective, giving reasons to support your opinion. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible,
Example:
At no time in recorded history have so many species of animals faced extinction. Alarmingly, scientists say that our planet is currently undergoing a mass extinction episode, brought about by a combination of factors that include habitat destruction, diseases, pollution, uncontrolled hunting, and –above all– climate change.
One solution is to pass struct laws protecting both wildlife and their habitats. Not only must the hunting or capturing of endangered or threatened species be made a criminal offence, the sale, export, or import of products for those animals should also be prohibited worldwide. Clearly, such regulations will be difficult to enforce in certain countries, but they are essential if the trade in ivory, for instance, is to be stopped. In addition, the law must prevent damage to natural habitats by pollution, uncontrolled building or the use of pesticides.
Another approach would be to create protected zones where a recovery plan would enable endangered animals, especially those most affected by habitat loss, to return to their previous population levels. Crucially, such zones would be kept free from water contamination, illegal hunting and invasive species, while wildlife-friendly land management practices would be encouraged and animals relocated there from less safe environments.
On balance, however, I would prefer to see legislation. Unfortunately, there simply are not the resources available to establish protected zones for all the animals at risk, and the loss of one species inevitably leads to the extinction of others within the ecosystem. The law, on the other hand, can be applied globally to combat what is now, undeniably, a global crisis.
Essay 3
You have watched a discussion on factors that help determine an individual’s personality. You have made the notes below:
Influences that determine personality
Genetics
Family life
Society in general
Some opinions expressed in the discussion:
Just as physical characteristics come from our genes, so do psychological ones.
Children imitate their parents' behavior and eventually become similar people.
School life has an enormous role in forming a child’s character.
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the factors in your notes. You should explain which factor you think is more important in determining personality, giving reasons to support your opinion. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion, but you should use your own words as far as possible.
Example
The so-called nature versus nurture debate is one of the most divisive in Psychology. On the one hand, some maintain that our personality and consequently our behavior are the result of inherited characteristics, while others believe we are entirely the product of society.
According to the latter, the human mind at birth is a complete blank which later develops certain traits as a result of life’s experiences. Of particular importance is the school environment, where the child’s way of interacting, their response to rules and how they are treated by others all help shape their character. society ‘s values also play a significant part. For instance, certain cultures encourage individuals to cooperate, whereas in others the emphasis is on competition.
In contrast, some scientists claim that our DNA not only determines attributes like our height or life expectancy, it also affects traits such as how open, extrovert or conscientious we are. They believe we are born destined to grow into a certain kind of person with certain abilities, no matter what our environment. Others on the nature side of the argument include Freud, who believed humans to be innately aggressive, and Chomsky, who stated we are born with a set of innate rules for learning language.
My own view is that we may have inborn characteristics and abilities, but their modification by our environment is an even more powerful force. Siblings, however similar their DNA, often have completely different personalities. And recent research indicates that having a good sense of humor is learned from those around us, not determined genetically.
Essay 4
Your class has been watching a TV documentary about the impact of advertising on society. You made the notes below.
Areas affected by advertisement
Our everyday lives
What we buy
The economy
Some opinions expressed in the discussion:
Some of the ads on TV are really funny
It makes people spend money on things they don't really need
A lot of people work in advertising companies
Write the essay for your tutor discussing the effects on two of the areas in your notes. You should explain which area you think is affected more and provide reasons to support your opinion. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion, but you should use your own words as far as possible.
Example
Advertising is the business of trying to persuade people to buy producers or services and it has increasingly profound and wide-ranging effects on present-day society. The effects on consumer preferences and on the economy in general are particularly significant.
It is difficult to evaluate the influence of advertising campaigns on consumer choice but it must be substantial or companies would not spend so much on them. Firstly, they inform people about new products, special offers and so forth. In addition, the increase demand by showing brands being used by people like you – or by people you want to be like. This may, however, indicate that consumers are being sold unnecessary items. Secondly, some advertising works subconsciously, so people don't even know why they are choosing particular brands.
Advertising is a major industry. Besides employing thousands of people itself, it stimulates demand for products which in turn leads to higher production and more jobs. What is more, the revenues it generates help support newspapers, television channels and even top football clubs. Advertising, though, is expensive, and ultimately the cost is passed on to the consumer. Also, the large salaries it pays attract some of the country’s brightest and most creative young people, who could otherwise be employed in more productive or socially useful sectors.
My own view is that the biggest effect of advertising is on the economy, as it creates employment both directly and indirectly. Its influence on what people choose, conversely, may have been exaggerated, especially as nowadays more objective sources of information about products are available online.
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