Writing Practice (Academic)

WRITING
WRITING TASK 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graph and table below give information about water use worldwide and water consumption in two
different countries.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Water consumption in Brazil and Congo in 2000
Country Population Irrigated land Water consumption per person
Brazil 176 million 26,500 km² 359 m³
Democratic
Republic
of Congo
5.2 million 100 km² 8 m³



0
1,000
2,000
3,000
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
km³
Global water use by sector
Agriculture
Industrial use
Domestic use

Model answer
This model has been prepared by an examiner as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just
one example out of many possible approaches.
The graph shows how the amount of water used worldwide changed between
1900 and 2000.
Throughout the century, the largest quantity of water was used for agricultural
Purposes, and this increased dramatically from about 500 km³ to around
3,000 km³ in the year 2000. Water used in the industrial and domestic sectors
also increased, but consumption was minimal until mid-century. From 1950
onwards, industrial use grew steadily to just over 1,000 km³, while domestic
use rose more slowly to only 300 km³, both far below the levels of consumption
by agriculture.
The table illustrates the differences in agriculture consumption in some areas
of the world by contrasting the amount of irrigated land in Brazil (26,500 km³)
with that in the D.R.C. (100 km²). This means that a huge amount of water is
used in agriculture in Brazil, and this is reflected in the figures for water
consumption per person: 359 m³ compared with only 8 m³ in the Congo. With a
population of 176 million, the figures for Brazil indicate how high agriculture
water consumption can be in some countries.


WRITING
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think
that change is always a good thing.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

Model answer
This model has been prepared by an examiner as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just
one example out of many possible approaches.
Over the last half century the pace of change in the life of human beings has increased beyond our
wildest expectations. This has been driven by technological and scientific breakthroughs that are
changing the whole way we view the world on an almost daily basis. This means that change is not
always a personal option, but an inescapable fact of life, and we need to constantly adapt to keep
pace with it.
Those people who believe they have achieved some security by doing the same, familiar things are
living in denial. Even when people believe they are resisting change themselves, they cannot stop
the world around them from changing. Sooner or later they will find that the familiar jobs no longer
exist, or that the ‘safe’ patterns of behaviour are no longer appropriate.
However, reaching the conclusion that change is inevitable is not the same as assuming that
‘change is always for the better’. Unfortunately, it is not always the case that new things are
promoted because they have good impacts for the majority of people. A lot of innovations are made
with the aim of making money for a few. This is because it is the rich and powerful people in our
society who are able to impose changes (such as in working conditions or property developments)
that are in their own interests.
In conclusion, I would say that change can be stimulating and energising for individuals when they
pursue it themselves, but that all change, including that which is imposed on people, does not
necessarily have good outcomes.



WRITING
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal more money than people in other important
professions. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is unfair.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

Model answer
This model has been prepared by an examiner as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just
one example out of many possible approaches.
As a result of constant media attention, sports professionals in my country have become stars and
celebrities, and those at the top are paid huge salaries. Just like movie stars, they live extravagant
lifestyles with huge houses and cars.
Many people find their rewards unfair, especially when comparing these super salaries with those of
top surgeons or research scientists, or even leading politicians who have the responsibility of
governing the country. However, sports salaries are not determined by considering the contribution
to society a person makes, or the level of responsibility he or she holds. Instead, they reflect the
public popularity of sport in general and the level of public support that successful stars can
generate. So the notion of ‘fairness’ is not the issue.
Those who feel that sports stars’ salaries are justified might argue that the number of professionals
with real talent are very few, and the money is a recognition of the skills and dedication a person
needs to be successful. Competition is constant and a player is tested every time they perform in
their relatively short career. The pressure from the media is intense and there is little privacy out of
the spotlight. So all of these factors may justify the huge earnings.
Personally, I think that the amount of money such sports stars make is more justified than the huge
earnings of movie stars, but at the same time, it indicates that our society places more value on
sport than on more essential professions and achievements.