剑桥雅思 2

Test 1

Writing task 1

Topic request

The table below shows the consumer durables (telephone, refrigerator, ect.) owned in Britain from 1972 to 1983.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

 

 

Model answer

The chart shows that the percentage of British households with a range of consumer durables steadily increased between 1972 and 1983. The greatest increase was in telephone ownership, rising from 42% in 1972 to 77% in 1983. Next came central heating ownership, rising from 37% of households in 1972 to 64% in 1983. The percentage of households with a refrigerator rose 21% over the same period and of those with a washing machine by 14%. Households with vacuum-cleaners, televisions and dishwashers increased by 8%, 5% and 2% respectively. In 1983, the year of their introduction, 18% of households had a video recorder.

 

The significant social changes reflected in the statistics are that over the period the proportion of British houses with central heating rose from one to two thirds, and of those with a phone from under a half to over three-quarters. Together with the big increases in the ownership of washing machines and refrigerators, they are evidence of both rising living standards and the trend to lifestyles based on comfort and convenience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

剑桥雅思 2

Test 1

Writing task 2

Topic request

“Fatherhood ought to be emphasized as much as motherhood. The idea that women are solely responsible for deciding whether or not to have babies leads on to the idea that they are also responsible for binging the children up.”

To what extent do you agree or disagree.

 

 

Model answer

I believe that child-rearing should be the responsibility of both parents and that, whilst the roles within that partnership may be different, they are nevertheless equal in importance. In some societies, it has been made easier over the years for single parents to raise children on their own. However, this does not mean that the traditional family, with both parents providing emotional support and role-models for their children, is not the most satisfactory way of bringing up children.

 

What is of crucial importance, in my opinion, is how we define “responsible for bringing the children up.” At its simplest, it could mean giving the financial support necessary to provide a home, food and clothes and making sure the child is safe and receives an adequate education. This would be the basic definition.

 

There is, however, another possible way of defining that part of the quotation. That would say it is not just the father’s responsibility to provide the basics for his children, while his wife involves herself in the everyday activity of bringing them up. Rather, he should share those daily duties, spend as much time as his job allows within his children, play with them, read to them, help directly within their education, participate very fully in their lives and encourage them to share his.

 

It is this second, fuller, concept of “fatherhood” that I am in favor of, although I also realize how difficult it is to achieve sometimes. The economic and development situation in many countries means that jobs are getting more, not less, stressful, requiring long hours and perhaps long journeys to work as well. Therefore it may remain for many a desirable ideal rather than an achievable reality.

 

 

 

 

剑桥雅思 2

 

Test 2

Writing task 1

Topic request

The chart below shows the amount of leisure time enjoyed by men and women of different employment status.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

 

 

Model answer

The chart shows the number of hours of leisure enjoyed by men and women in a typical week in 1998-1999, according to gender and employment status.

 

Among those employed full-time, men on average had fifty hours of leisure, whereas women had approximately thirty-seven hours. There were no figures given for male part-time workers, but female part-timers had forty hours of leisure time, only slightly more than women in full-time employment, perhaps reflecting their work in the home.

 

In the unemployed and retired categories, leisure time showed an increase for both sexes, as might have been expected. Here too, men enjoyed more leisure time—over eighty hours, compared with seventy hours for women, perhaps once again reflecting the fact that women spend more time working in the home than men.

 

Lastly, housewives enjoyed approximately fifty-four hours of leisure, on average. There were no figures given for househusbands! Overall, the chart demonstrates that in the categories for which statistics on male leisure time were available, men enjoyed at least ten hours of extra leisure time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

剑桥雅思 2

Test 2

Writing task 2

Topic request

“Prevention is better than cure.”

Out of a country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventative measures.

To what extent do you agree of disagree with this statement?

 

 

Model answer

Of course it goes without saying that prevention is better than cure. That is why, in recent years, there has been a growing body of opinion in favor of putting more resources into health education and preventive measures. The argument is that ignorance of, for example, basic hygiene or the dangers of an unhealthy diet or lifestyle needs to be combated by special nationwide publicity campaigns, as well as longer-term health education.

 

Obviously, there is a strong human argument for catching any medical condition as early as possible. There is also an economic argument for doing so. Statistics demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of treating a condition in early stages, rather than delaying until more expensive and prolonged treatment is necessary. Then there are social or economic costs, perhaps in terms of loss of earnings for the family concerned or unemployed benefit paid by the state.

 

So far so good, but the difficulties start when we try to define what the “proportion” of the budget should be, particularly if the funds will be “diverted from treatment”. Decisions on exactly how much of the total health budget should be spent in this way are not a matter for the non-specialist, but should be made on the basis of an accepted health service model.

 

This is the point at which real problems occur—the formulation of the model. How do we accurately measure which health education campaigns are effective in both medical and financial terms? How do we agree about the medical efficacy of various screening programs, for example, when the medical establishment itself does not agree? A very rigorous process of evaluation is called for, so that we can make informed decisions.

 

 

剑桥雅思 2

 

Test 4

Writing task 1

Topic request

The table below shows the figures for imprisonment in five countries between 1930 and 1980.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

 

 

Model answer

The table shows that the figures for imprisonment in the five countries mentioned indicate no overall pattern of increase of decrease. In fact there is considerable fluctuation from country to country.

 

In Great Britain the numbers in prison have increased steadily from 30,000 in 1930 to 80,000 in 1980. On the other hand in Australia, and particularly in New Zealand, the numbers fell markedly from 1930 to 1940. Since then they have increased gradually, apart from in 1980 when the numbers in prison in New Zealand fell by about 30,000 from the 1970 total. Canada is the only country in which the numbers in prison have decreased over the period 1930 to 1980, although there have been fluctuations in this trend. The figures for the United States indicate the greatest number of prisoners compared to the other four countries but the population size needs to be taken into account in this analysis. The prison population in the United States increased rapidly from 1970 to 1980 and this must be a worrying trend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

剑桥雅思 2

Test 4

Writing task 2

Topic request

The position of women in society has changed markedly in the last twenty years. Many of the problems young people now experience, such as juvenile delinquency, arise from the fact that many married women now work and are not at home to care for their children.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

 

 

Model answer

It is certainly true that the position of women in society has undergone a dramatic change in the past twenty years but I do not feel that this is a direct cause of the indisputable increase in juvenile-related problems during this period.

 

It is now accepted that young women should find work on leaving school; indeed to rely totally on their parents’ financial support is no longer an option in many families. Likewise, once they get married, the majority of women continue working since the financial pressures of setting up a house and establishing a reasonable of living often require two incomes.

 

Twenty years ago it was common for women to give up work once they had children and devote their time to caring for their children. This is no longer the general rule and provision of professionally-run child care facilities and day nurseries have removed much of the responsibility for child rearing that used to fall to mothers. However, these facilities come at a cost and often require two salaries coming into a family to be afforded.

 

I do not believe that the increase in the number of working mothers has resulted in children being brought up less well than previously. Indeed it could be argued that by giving mothers the opportunity to work and earn extra money children can be better provided for than previously. There is more money for luxuries and holidays and a more secure family life is possible. Of course there are limits as to the amount of time that ideally should be spent away from home and the ideal scenario would be for one of the parents (often the wife) to have a part-time job and thus be available for their children before and after school. It is important to establish the correct balance between family life and working life.