Write 250 words on the following topic, give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
In modern days people are heavily influenced by other cultures. Is this cultural invasion a positive development or a negative development?
Sample Answer
In these modern times when the world has become so united and accepting to one another it baffles me how some individuals still view accepting different cultures and customs as a threat. Most of the modern cities are filled with people from different backgrounds and various corners of the earth. If we take a tradition from a different culture and make it our own it does not do any harm.
Locals have become more accepting nowadays and it gives them a chance to learn something new about a culture that is not their own. I have seen people who have got so intrigued by different customs and traditions that they ended up visiting the land of their origin to find out how it is originally celebrated there.
Chinese New Year is one such event where people from all walks of life come together to celebrate a new year which is not even their own. Toronto, New York, London, Paris and all other major cities in the world have a place called Chinatown. People of Chinese origin have moved and settled there and they along with the local population celebrate the festival and enjoy the festivities. It is a very welcoming sign that modern day societies are so welcoming to one another’s customs.
There are some individuals in the society who view everything that is not their own as a threat to their culture. These pupils fail to realize that as a society we are continuously evolving and any change that takes us towards a more united and well informed world is a step in the right direction.
Clothing, also known as apparel, attire or clothes is a collective term for items worn on the body. Wearing clothes is restricted to human beings and is a feature of all human societies. The amount and type of clothing worn depend on body type, gender, social and geographical considerations. Apart from making us look and feel good, clothes also serve as a protection from harsh weather, insects, microbes and various human activities. Let us look at a cue card which asks us to talk about clothes that you wear on special occasions.
IELTS Cue Card # Clothes you like to wear on special occasions
What is it
On what occasion you wear this
Do other people wear the same dress on special occasions
Explain why you like to wear this dress.
Sample Answer:
Although I like to dress up casually on a day to day basis, I love to wear a sari for a social event, celebration or festivity. Saree is a female garment for the Indian subcontinent that consists of a drape varying from five to nine yards. It is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end hanging over the shoulder. It is one of the oldest and perhaps the only surviving unstitched garment of the past.
A majority of Indian women wear saree as a traditional dress which has a great cultural significance. Over the years it has not only become sensuous, glamorous all-time-wear for women , but also the canvas for printers and weavers to create artistic weaves, prints and jeweled embellishments. Saree is one of the most graceful dresses as it elegantly covers the entire body by showing natural curves in the most dignified way.
Whenever I wear a saree, I feel delicate and feminine. I particularly like the ones which are made of soft flowing materials as they are easy to drape. On festivals and other formal occasions I love to wear the traditionally woven silk sarees like Kantha, Baluchari and Paithani. These are sarees hand woven in different states of India. Each one of them has ethnic weaves typical of that region.
The best thing about sarees is that they never go out of fashion. What’s more, designers have come up with sarees with modern twist which are even easier to wear and handle. There are semi stitched versions available which can be draped in lesser time than the unstitched ones.
Follow Up Questions
Q1.Do you enjoy buying clothes? Ans. Till a few years back, I loved shopping for clothes and other stuff with my friends. It was more of a fun day having a bit of shopping, sightseeing and spending quality time with loved ones. However, nowadays I prefer online shopping as it is less time consuming and cheaper than going personally to the shopping malls for purchasing garments. Also, there is a vast variety of clothes one can choose from these shopping websites. Q2.What kinds of clothes you like to wear? Ans. On a daily basis, I prefer getting dressed up in casual wear like jeans and T-shirt but for special occasions, I stick to formal wear like a saree or salwar suit. I believe that it’s really important to wear clothes according to the occasion so as to be a part of your social group. Q3.What factors do you think affect the clothes we choose to wear? Ans. I personally believe that there are many factors that determine our choice of clothes. Firstly, we purchase clothing according to our liking and comfort level. Then comes, the amount of money we want to spend while selecting our clothes for particular occasions. Lastly, we choose to wear our attire according to weather and geographical location. I would also like to add here that in certain circumstances, religion determines what one wears. For instance, muslim women have to wear hijab or burkha while sikh men wear a headgear called turban. Q4.Is it possible to look good without spending too much on clothes? Ans.I feel that it dosen’t necessarily mean that only expensive clothes look good. The way that the wearer carries himself or herself matters the most. Also, if one knows the skill to mix and match different items of clothing that go well together, one can actually generate many new looks without spending much. Adding a few accessories can accentuate the dress which is otherwise simple and inexpensive.
You should spend 40 minutes on this task.
Some people say it is okay to use animals for our benefit while others believe it is not right to exploit them.
Discuss both the point of views and give your opinion.
You should write at least 250 words.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Over a period of two centuries, we have advanced exponentially in the area of medicine. From cancer to tuberculosis, we have almost cured everything with the help of animals. Although some people believe that it must be illegal to use animals for the testing of drugs, others argue that it is for the benefit of humanity.
The major medical treatments have been made possible through animal testing including cancer and HIV. Testing new drugs often has several side effects, sometimes even causing death. Considering this, it could be very strenuous to get human volunteers for testing, hence hampering the progress. Secondly, we as humans share similarities with animals. Testing drugs on any other species would not give the expected results.
However, with animals being used for testing, countless animals are experimented on and then killed after their use. Others are injured and have to live their remaining life in captivity. Even more, often many drugs never see the light of public use. Most animal activists stand against the death of innocent animals because many times the tests fail without any positive outcome. In addition, animal testing often costs an enormous amount of money as animals must be fed, housed and cared for testing.
Overall, in my opinion, each animal is an integral part of our Earth’s ecosystem. The ongoing experimentation on animals can have devastating implications in the long rung. Keeping in mind that many animal species are becoming endangered, this issue deserves immediate attention. We should start looking for alternatives of testing drugs on animals.
Some countries motivate students to take up part-time jobs while others disagree. Give your opinion and explain both sides.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Education without any practical knowledge is often considered a waste, while an improper knowledge leads to unskilled individuals. Most countries across the world motivate the students to take up part-time jobs related to their field of study. However, in some countries, the focus is entirely on the curriculum of the school. Although both the approaches have their cons and pros, in my opinion, working part-time has more benefits to the students than the later.
Working part-time along with studying helps students in building inter-personal skills along with communication skills. Even more, when students at early age understand how hard it is to earn money, they tend to use their financial resources more cautiously. In addition, most students have dim clarity about their future job, taking on several part-time jobs allows them to take a better future decision. Part-time jobs have allowed teenagers to build positive ramifications in their lives.
In contradiction, for teenagers, the highest priority must be their assignments and learning. Working often shifts their concentration from learning towards money-making, which has its detrimental effects later in the future. In addition, the nature of the job has a very high impact on the individuals. For instance, a teenager doing a manual labor job along with studies might get distracted from studies.
Overall, part-time jobs do have their pros and cons for individuals. But, if the nature of the work is taken into consideration, it can do wonders for students. Doing a job for skills can not only put them in a better place for future decisions, it can also broaden their perspectives.
