IELTS writing task 2: Explain some of the ways in which humans are damaging the environment. What can governments do to address these problems? What can individual people do?

Outline

Opening:

- Paraphrase: humans damage environment = environmental issues increase because of human hands

- actions can be taken

Body:

Problems: People corrupt environment in many ways

- more industrial zones -> air pollution

  -> air pollution also due to more private vehicles

  -> emission in Beijing and L.A. -> rising temperature -> threat Earth's inhabitants

- industrialization -> water sources <- waste dumped in water sources

- animals become extinct <- deforestation and urbanization take away habitats

Solutions: There are several solutions

- more funding for environment conservation

  -> spend more money to purify water

- build shelters for endangered animals

- punish illegal logging

- people should stop littering + tell others

   -> change <- awareness

Conclusion:

- Paraphrase opening

It is clear that environmental issues are inexorably piling up with the help of none other than the human hands. As severe as these issues are, a host of definite actions can be taken by both the world's authorities and its individuals.

People are corrupting the environment in numerable ways. The proliferation of industrial zones and manufacturing plants has driven air pollution to an alarming level. This is further contributed by an exponential increase in private vehicle ownership. The amounts of exhaust fumes emitted by streams of cars circulating daily in metropolises like Beijing or Los Angeles are causing an ever-rising global surface temperature, making climate change the most immediate threat to earth's inhabitants. Industrialization is also to blame for contaminating water sources, as an immeasurable amount of manufacturing wastes is dumped into rivers and lakes around the world everyday. Also, a growing number of animals, especially forest-dependent species, are under the threat of extinction as deforestation and urbanization deprive them of their living habitats.

However, several measures can be adopted to alleviate the situation described above. Governments could dedicate more funding to the conservation of the environment. In particular, more generous investments in water and air purification should be encouraged. Local authorities in various regions around the world could also provide shelters for endangered animals while at the same time administer severe punishments on illegal logging and wildlife smuggling offences. On the personal level, each individual must do away with littering and remind others to do the same. Changes are often initiated by awareness, thus more efforts should be put in by both governments and people to promote better stewardship of nature.

In conclusion, humans are to blame for the damages to the natural environment, and they are responsible for relieving these damages.

Word count: 294

Written by IELTS Fighters

Good vocabulary

- inexorable (inexorably): continuing and cannot be stopped

- proliferate (proliferation): to increase a lot and suddenly in number

- exponential increase: increase by multiple times

- contaminate (water): to make water poisonous

- deprive ... of sth: take away something from somebody

- alleviate: to make a bad situation better

- administer punishments: to make sure someone is punished

- do away with something: to stop doing something

- initiate: to start something

- relieve (damages): to deal with the negative consequences of something

IELTS Writing task 2: Many people believe that international tourism is a bad thing for their country. What are the reasons? Solutions to change negative attitudes?

Outline

Opening:

- Paraphrase: international tourism = destinations welcome more foreign visitors

   -> Local people find this displeasing

- reasons behind this thinking + ways to change this view

Body:

Reasons: many reasons

1st reason: - more visitors = increased pollution

  -> tourists throw garbage, not care for environment

  -> New Zealand demolish "Lord of the Rings" castle -> fear tourists come and litter

2nd reason: disease outbreak

  -> past cases of virus spread

  -> Ebola: from Africa to other countries -> death

Solutions:

- instruct tourists not to litter

- health inspection at airports

  -> quarantine infected tourists

  -> make locals feel safer

Conclusion:

- Paraphrase opening

Sample answer

            Today, travel destinations all over the world welcome a growing influx of foreign visitors every year. Many people living in these places are, however, finding this development particularly displeasing. This essay will examine the reasons behind this thinking before suggesting some ways to change the hostile view towards international tourism.

            There are a host of factors to which this hostility can be attributed. Firstly, the arrival of foreign visitors is often accompanied by an increased level of pollution. Many tourists dispose of garbage at their own convenience, with complete disregard for the surrounding environment. For this reason, New Zealand's government had ordered for the castle that was built for the filming of "Lord of the Rings" to be immediately demolished upon completion of the movie, for fear that , should its existence be resumed, travel enthusiasts would flock to the castle and litter all over the place.

            Another fear that the locals harbor against foreign visitors is the possibility of a disease outbreak. This fear is rooted in past incidents when viruses and diseases were spread from one territory to another by tourists. An example of this is the recent Ebola outbreak, where infected travelers carried the virus from Africa to a number of other countries, causing a significant number of casualties.

            However, these problems are not without solutions. Concerns that tourists may harm the environment can be addressed by properly instructing them not to litter and be mindful of their surroundings. In addition, governments should continue to conduct thorough health inspection at international airports. Healthy travelers should be educated on the symptoms of contagious viruses while those who exhibit these symptoms must immediately be quarantined. This would certainly help local residents to feel more at ease about the presence of tourists.

            In conclusion, while there are legitimate reasons as to why locals view tourists unfavorably, a number of steps can be taken to banish these negative feelings.

Written by IELTS Fighter (318 words)

Good vocabulary

- influx of ... visitors: foreign people who come enter a country

- a host of (factors): many factors

- to accompany: to go with

- at their own convenience: whenever they want

- to demolish: to remove a building

- disease outbreak: when a disease spread to another place

- casualty: death by an incident

- to be mindful of: to care about

- quarantine: to keep a sick person in a separate place

- banish... feelings: to remove a feeling/thinking

IELTS Writing Task 2: The use of mobile phone is as antisocial as smoking. Smoking is banned in certain places so mobile phone should be banned like smoking. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The use of mobile phone is as antisocial as smoking. Smoking is banned in certain places so mobile phone should be banned like smoking. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is true that the use of mobile phones is sometimes disruptive to many people. However, it should not be banned in public places as in the case of smoking.

I agree that mobile phones can be as antisocial as smoking. Many people do not care about others when they are in public areas. For example, I often see passengers talking loudly via their phones on buses and trains while a number of individuals are reading books or simply having a short rest. I believe that these ‘noisy’ people create the same unpleasant feeling as smokers do to those who are around.

Nevertheless, it would be too strict to prohibit mobile phones in some places. Firstly, the length of a conversation is not often too long, meaning that it causes little disturbance to other people. Secondly, a ban on the use of mobile phones, even in some designated areas, merely hinders the convenience of the users. Many people depend on cell phones to work, and they may find it difficult to finish job tasks without phone calls.

Instead of restricting the use of mobile phones, the government should find ways to raise public awareness of using these portable devices in public places. For instance, posters or warnings ought to be displayed on buses, trains or stations to make sure that mobile phone users are aware of other people when making or receiving a phone call.

In conclusion, I believe that the government should consider other alternatives rather than imposing a ban on the use of mobile phones in public places.

(260 words – by ielts.vinh@gmail.com) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists but not local people. Why is this the case and what can be done to attract more local people to visit these places?

Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists but not local people. Why is this the case and what can be done to attract more local people to visit these places?

There are a number of factors that explain why many museums and historical sites fail to attract the attention of the locals. However, this issue can be resolved by adopting a number of solutions, as will now be discussed.

Perhaps the primary reason is that local inhabitants often do not have interest in visiting these places as they tend not to be attracted by places and objects that are familiar to their cultural backgrounds. For example, many museums in Ho Chi Minh City welcome thousands of travelers from Hanoi annually, in contrast to the number of local residents who visit the museums and historical sites here in my home city of Hanoi.

Another reason stems from historical attractions themselves. They are often poorly conserved due to a low budget for operation while the authority does not make an attempt to improve the situation. Take the Air Defense museum in Hanoi as an example. For years, there has been no change for the better, at least visually, to attract the locals, and this is the reason why most of its visitors are tourists.

However, a range of available options can be taken to tackle the problem. The simplest one is that the authority should continue campaigns aiming at encouraging local people to visit these attractions. They could also consider rearranging and redecorating historical places to make them more interesting and attractive for all visitors. To achieve this, the government ought to allocate more public money to the conservation of these places.

In conclusion, various measures need to be taken to gain back local residents’ interest in museums and historical sites.

(269 words – written by ielts.vinh@gmail.com) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some people think that having these people to give a talk to school students is the best way to tell them about dangers of committing a crime. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some people think that having these people to give a talk to school students is the best way to tell them about dangers of committing a crime. Do you agree or disagree?

Crime education is of paramount importance in any country, but the way it can be conducted is often a subject of debate in society. While I agree that asking those who are released from prison to have a talk to school students is a good education method, I also believe that there are better alternatives to the problem, as will now be discussed.

On the one hand, I agree that students may be aware of the consequences of engaging in criminal activities when attending a talk given by ex-prisoners. Their life stories are often vivid and persuasive, and this can attract the attention of school students easily. These ex- criminals are real examples that people have to pay for their unlawful activities, which can raise awareness about law-abiding citizens among young people. The success of a series of educational programs on Vietnamese Television channels about the price that offenders have to pay proves that the narrative forms of crime education can work. It is hoped that a speech of used-to-be wrongdoers is promoted at all school levels in future.

However, I believe that a combination of different education methods would produce a more desirable result compared to a former prisoner holding a talk. Primarily, parents should act as pioneers to educate children at an early age about social evils and how to avoid them. It has long been acknowledged that the home environment has a profound effect on the development of a child, and a significant percentage of juvenile crime stems from insufficient education criminals receive in their childhood. Teachers at schools also play an important role in raising the awareness of students about crime. Moral lessons ought not to be neglected in the classroom, and a positive education environment should be promoted, contributing to crime prevention.

In conclusion, it is my opinion that a talk given by ex-offenders, albeit effective, is not the best education method for crime education.

(319 words – by ielts.vinh@gmail.com)