9

WRITING

TASK1

assignment

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The line chart below shows the percentage of people in different age groups who played video games more than ten hours a week between 1984 and 2003.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

example

The chart above documents the results of a near-twenty year study of men who reported spending more than ten hours a week playing video games, taken between the years of 1984 and 2003 and divided between the ages of 7-14, 15-24, 25-34 and 35+.

Generally, the chart shows an upward trend in acceptance of video games among men of this culture, while the age categories didn’t change position in relation to each other. 15-24 year olds played the most video games overall, with just under 20% in 1984 rising to 50% in 2003. Despite some rocky patches in the 90s, no-one enjoyed video games more than 15-24 year olds, although it looked like 7-14 year olds would in 1984, when they trailed 15-24 year olds by only a few percent. However, after a steady increase, around 35% said they enjoyed them in 2003. The 25-34 year olds valiantly tried to enjoy video games, with the closest other age groups getting being 1992.

Finally, we have the over 35s, a group that started with a near 0% interest in games in 1984, but grew to 20% in 2003. One can only predict that as the current generation of gamers grows older, this number can only increase.

TASK2

assignment

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
An increasing number of people change their career and place of residence several times during their lives.
Is this a positive or negative development?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

example

In a world that has been radically changed as a result of mass communication and globalization, the ability—and need— of people to change residences and careers numerous times throughout their lives has been prominent in the current era. Personally, I see this as a liberating and beneficial practice.

To be sure, there are certain drawbacks to moving residences and getting a new job too often. Adjusting to a new city and office can be stressful and time-consuming. It may also negatively affect job prospects if potential employers see that one is not particularly loyal enough to the company to stay on board. Finally, there is a certain level of financial stability required to afford down payments on houses or apartments when one changes locations multiple times in a given period.

However, these difficulties do not detract from the sense of freedom and wealth of diverse experiences that one stands to gain from living in many different places and holding many different positions. For example, people who work abroad in various countries often learn about different cultures and become accustomed to working with different kinds of people more effectively. Similarly, frequently moving to different places teaches one to live more efficiently, giving one a better sense of budgetary control and necessary living standards.

Considering the aforementioned points, I would assert that there are certainly factors that can negatively affect people changing jobs or homes too often. However, as long as they take the time to learn how to interact with people of various backgrounds, and how to live sparingly, this lifestyle proffers a net positive to one’s quality of life.