Because of the global economy, many goods including what we use as daily basic produced by other counties have to be transported for a long distance. To what extent do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Written by Surjit

The global economy refers to the increasing integration of a fragmented national market for goods and services into a single global market. Kenichi Ohmae (1989), a Japanese consultant, calls global economy as the borderless world. There are many advantages and disadvantages of transporting goods over a long distance. In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Adam Smith, the Scottish economist and philosopher, stated that countries traded, because they had an absolute advantage. One nation’s workers could produce a given product more efficiently than workers in other countries. Rather than produce those products that it could produce but poorly, a country could specialize and exchange those products it produce efficiently for those produced efficiently by another country and, therefore, increase its overall wealth. The braking down of global barriers allows companies to benefit from the largest and cheapest workforces, raw materials and technology.

Other advantages that companies benefit from include: the opportunity for smaller companies to expand globally quicker, having more choice when recruiting a workforce and lastly the opportunity to target a large customer base. A global economy would also help in promoting international co-operative and piece. If countries are dependent upon one another’s economic success then armed conflict would be less likely.

One disadvantage of transporting goods and services across nations is that it has lead to the emission of green house gases. It has also resulted in the loss of domestic jobs as certain labor-intensive industries tend to shift their production from developed countries to developing countries where wages are lower.

To put it in a nutshell, it can be said that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages as we get more variety, more options, and it improves relationships between countries.

Rote Learning

Rote Learning
Written by Surjeet singh

Rote learning is also known as memorization by repetition. Rote memorization is a term for fixing information to memory through sheer repetition. Rote learning is simply necessary in some areas. A child learns the ABCs by rote learning, long before he or she knows why.

Rote learning is also necessary in learning some languages like: Chinese, Urdu etc. For instance, students of the Chinese language utilize rote learning to memorize thousands of non-alphabetic symbols. Moreover, rote learning methods are routinely used when quick memorization is required, Such as learning one line in a play or memorizing a telephone number. Another area where rote learning is widely used is in the mastery of knowledge. Examples of school topics where rote learning is frequently used are - the periodic table in chemistry, multiplication tables in mathematics, anatomy in medicine, case or statutes in law, basic formulae in any science etc. Finally, if exam papers are not well designed, it is possible for someone with good memorization techniques to pass the test without any meaningful comprehension of the subject.

The main disadvantage of rote learning is that it is boring and extremely limited. Meaningful learning refers to the concept that the learned knowledge is fully understood by the individual and that the individual knows that specific fact related to other stored facts. For understanding this concept, it is good to contrast meaningful learning with the much less desirable, rote learning. So, rote learned knowledge cannot be applied to other areas. Finally, the main disadvantage of rote learning is that it is short lived and forgotten soon.

In conclusion, Rote learning and meaningful learning are their own meaning their own definitions. Rote learning and meaningful learning are not comparable, both have their own advantages and disadvantages, both are equally important in their ways and so instead of opposing each other, both should complement each other.

Some people say that it is the responsibility of individual to save money for their own care after they retire. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Some people feel that it is better to save for the future, while others feel that one should spend money to enjoy the present. Which view do you support and why? Use specific reasons and/or examples to support your answer. ( From M.J. Ashok essay book)

I certainly support the first view. One should most definitely put aside some money for the future, and not fritter away everything to enjoy the present. One should always remember that the present would one day transform into the future, and when it eventually does, it should be safe and secure. Of what purpose is enjoyment today, if it becomes the cause of misery and worry in the future? It is so easy to spend, yet so difficult to save. Wisdom dictates that one must be discreet and stingy to save for the future. Let us consider why it is so important to save.
The mortality rate has come down and the span of life is generally longer, but the period of earning is comparatively limited. Nobody knows how long he would live, but the age of retirement is generally fixed. One cannot work indefinitely. Therefore, during his earning span, he has to make sure that he puts aside enough money that will hold him in good stead in his later years, when he will be able to work no more. Further, the requirements in old age are sometimes more than a person's needs during the period of his youth. Deteriorating health translates into higher medical bills and hospital charges. Being weak and infirm, one needs to spend more on commuting. He will need to hire assistants to help in the house.
Next come the needs of the family. One has to provide for the education and marriage expenses of the dependent members of the family, like children and even grandchildren. One has to pay one's insurance premiums, and even for the day-to-day needs of the younger members of the family, till such time as they are employed and earning.
One may incur extra expenditure on leisure activities. People generally travel more after retirement to meet their relatives and friends who may be settled and staying far away from them. Thus, there are so many needs that would surface in the future. Some may be quite unexpected and traumatic like accidents in the family, which may entail high expenditure. There would be the usual expenses on house maintenance and repair, and the payment ¬of personal and property taxes.
Therefore, it is imperative that a person plan wisely for his future. If he has save enough, he can sit back and enjoy peace and comfort in his later years and even witness the smile of joy on the faces of his children. If he has saved not, then the journey ahead would be dreary and dismal indeed.

Some people prefer to provide help and support directly to those in the local community who need it. Others, however, prefer to give money to national and international charitable organisations. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Intro:  You can begin with a quotation

“ To have enough to share; to know the joy of giving; to thrill with all the sweets of life  - is living”

Para 1: Advantages of direct help

1.      A person remains directly in touch with the needy

2.      You can see how your money is being used – no mediators and so no chances of corruption

3.      Moreover, charity begins at home

Para 2: Advantages of joining national and international organisation

1.      Can work on a larger platform – for global issues – larger platform is a must

2.      Help activities can be better spread through a larger network. You feel part of a global village.

Conclusion: Help in any form is good. Depends on the condition of the country.

International tourism has become a huge industry in the world. Do the problems of international travel outweigh its advantages?

Intro – Faster planes – cheaper flights. In developed societies – visiting exotic places is a status symbol. Tourism industry of both developing and developed countries are taking advantage.

Para 1 : Problems of international tourism

1.      Increase in crime – tourists are in unfamiliar territory and carry visible items of wealth like cameras and jewellery which can be easily disposed off for a profit.

2.      Health – spread of infectious and contagious diseases like SARS, AIDS etc.

3.      Damage to environment

 Para 2: Advantages

1.      Boost economy

Para 3: Advantages

1.      Cultural exchange

2.      Infrastructure develops which helps local people

Conclusion: 

Some people think history has nothing or little to tell us, but others think that studying the past history can help us better understand the present. Please discuss the two views and give your own opinion.

Intro:

Para 1: importance of the study of history

1.      Evolution of civilization

-          Evolution of progress

-          Evolution of technology

-          Evolution of academics

2.      Inspiration of the great men of the past

3.      So that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past

Para 2 : American and French revolution has no bearing on today’s life

Para 3 : Nevertheless they teach us

-          the value of liberty

-          the importance of self-governance

Conclusion: v. imp. To study history

In many countries more and more young people are leaving school but unable to find jobs. What problems do you think youth unemployment causes for individuals and the society? What measures should be taken to reduce the level of unemployment among youngsters?

Intro:

Para 1: Effects on individual

-          Economic loss

-          Peace of mind and feeling of security is lost

-          Self worth is lost

-          Social status and status within the family is lost

-          Mental health is affected

Para 2: Effects on society

-          Increased poverty

-          Crime

-          Political instability

-          Diminished health standards

Para 3: What can be done

-          Education system reform – many people are without jobs and many jobs are without suitable people

-          Government subsidies to those firms that take on unemployed people

-          Control of birth rate – fewer children to care for and feed

-          Set up industries based on agriculture

-          Set up cottage industries – carpets – mats – soaps

Conclusion: 

Today, the advanced science and technology have made great changes to people's life, but artists such as musicians, painters and writers are still highly valued. What can arts tell us about life that science and technology cannot?

Intro: Science and technology give us better life but arts tells us how to live that life.

Para 1: How science makes life easier

-          Living in better condition

-          Everything is very convenient

-          Good source of earning

Para 2: Art is the heartbeat of life

-          Relaxes our mind

-          Makes us realise the beauty around us

-          Provides mental satisfaction

           

Para 3: both are inseparable

-          We can have things but to arrange them we need art

-          We can fulfil body’s need but to fulfil soul’s need, we need art.

Conclusion: Artists are still valued because they provide eternal bliss. They are good stress-busters

Useful language

The limitations of science are the most evident in attempts to use scientific methods to unveil the secrets of art. Science 'knows everything' about the grand piano: the number, quality and length of its strings; the species of wood used; the composition of the glue, and the finest details of its design. Nevertheless, it is unable to explain what happens to this polished box when a virtuoso sits down to play. 

In Science truths are proved and phenomena are explained. In art they are interpreted. Logical reasoning is alien to art which substitutes the spontaneous cogency of images for rigorous proofs. 

As a rule, science can explain why this formula is good and why that theory is bad. Art can only show the fascination of music and the brilliance of a sonnet, never explaining anything completely. 

Any actor understands that he cannot reach the acme of his art without first mastering the sciences of diction, mimicry, and gesture. And only then (provided he is talented, of course!) can he create something unique and wondrous quite unconsciously.

There is an apparent complementarity in the methods utilized by art and science to know the world. Science relies routinely on the analysis of facts and search for cause-effect relations; it strives to ' ... find an eternal law in the marvellous transmutations of chance', endeavours to ' ...find a fixed pole in the endless train of phenomena'. Art, on the other hand, is largely unconscious synthesis, which finds among the same 'transmutations of chance' the only and the inimitable ones and among the same 'endless train of phenomena' infallibly selects only those that enable one to sense the harmony of the whole. 

Old generations often hold some traditional ideas on the correct way of life, thinking and behavior. However, some people think that it is not helpful for the young generations to prepare for modern life in the future. What’s your opinion?

Intro: Generation gap has been a debated issue since the dawn of civilization. Partially agree – the modern life has changed beyond recognition in many ways but still there are some traditional ideas about the correct ways of life which are useful even today.

Para 1: The elderly had a very disciplined life. For instance, they believed in sticking to one job for life. They also believed in fixed hours job. They had a stress free work life. Moreover they believed that marriage was for life. Divorces were rare. They had stable family life.

Para 2: However, in many ways the ideas of the elderly are obsolete in the times of modernity. They live like a frog in the well. They forget that change is progress. The young differ in dress, food and habits. These things were not available to the elderly. The elderly also want their children to follow the same profession. They do not give importance to aptitude. Youngsters are more intellectually evolved. They want to explore the un-trodden path to face the cut-throat competition of today.

Para 3: the elderly had less opportunities to come in contact with the western world. The earth was a big planet. Now it is a global village. The young speak a universal language, eat Italian pizza and Chinese food and wear a universal dress. The leisurely ways of the old are gone. The young have the speed of bikes, cars and planes. What can link them to the old bullock cart? The young today have to change to survive.

Conclusion: To put it in a nutshell, I pen down saying that, there are some traditional ideas of the elderly that are evergreen and will hold true for times to come. Abut, in many ways, they are obsolete in today’s time. 

The detailed description about crime will affect the people and cause many social problems. Some people say that the media should be strictly controlled. Do you agree or disagree?

 Barrons Essays from IELTS Books  – similar essay for disagree. Plan taken from that essay

Intro: Disagree. While it is true that there is violence on television, each individual has his or her own idea about how much is too much. Fortunately, we are all free to choose which TV programs we want to watch. Laws are not necessary to help us decide.

Paragraph 1: It isn't difficult to find out which programmes are on TV at any given time. Most newspapers pub­lish a schedule of TV programmes every day. Also, anyone who watches TV regularly knows which programs she likes and which she doesn't like. She knows what kinds of programs each different channel tends to have. It's easy for everyone to avoid violent programs if they want to.

Paragraph 2: Modern technology, has given us a tool for controlling the TV programs we see. Most TVs can be programmed to block certain channels. Parents use this technology to protect their children from seeing shows that are too violent.  Adults can also use this technology to avoid seeing programs that they don't want to see.

Paragraph 3: The best thing about TV is that there is a variety of programmes. There are news programs for serious people. There are films and cartoons for people who want to be entertained. The variety of TV programmes needs to be protected, even if that means allowing  some of them to show violence.

Conclusion: We each have our own ideas about what is too violent and what isn't. It would be difficult to make laws about violence on TV that would satisfy everybody. It is better to let each individ­ual make his or her own choice about what to watch.

Far too little has been done to prevent animals and plants from dying out, although people have been aware of this problem for a long time. Why do people do so little about it? Give your suggestions on how to solve this problem.

Intro: -

Paragraph 1: Why people are doing so little about it

-          Selfish

-          Busy

-          Don’t know the consequences

Paragraph 2: write about the consequences

-          Ecological chain is disturbed

Firstly, many animal species help in the survival of plant species. For example, there are many bat species that are becoming extinct. Such bats help keep the insect population in control. In addition, many animals, like rodents, help in the dispersal of plant seeds and in the pollination of plants. Some of these plants are important for medical research and the development of medicines.

Secondly, in some regions, people depend on the biological cycles as a food and income source. Larger animals often depend on smaller animals as a food source. If one source is eliminated, other animals are indirectly affected.

Paragraph 3: solutions

-          Increase awareness of people about consequences of this

-          With funding, biologists and naturalists can use their years of knowledge to help in the breeding of various animal species

-          Furthermore, since people are often responsible for habitat destruction, it is only right that they use some resources to help preserve whatever important wildlife habitats are left. Don’t cut trees for housing and furniture. Instead develop high rise buildings and use aluminium dors and windows. Instead

Conclusion:

Some people think that people moving to a new country should accept new culture in the foreign country rather than living as a separate minority group with different lifestyle. Do you agree or disagree?

Intro: Agree. It is better of both approaches but better to follow the customs

Paragraph 1: - Advantages of making a minority group – If a person is from a country with strong and old traditions, it will be difficult for him to adapt to the new customs. He can’t break the old customs. e.g food habits – certain types of clothes. Advantage – won’t suffer from culture shock.

Paragraph 2: People of new country are friendlier if the foreigners follow their customs. The traditions of every country deserve respect when one lives there. One can adapt better and make new friends.

Conclusion: 

Many people say that we have developed into a “throw-away” culture, because we are filling up our environment with so many plastic bags and rubbish that we cannot fully dispose of. To what extent do you agree with this opinion and what measures can you recommend reducing this problem?

Intro: Agree. Describe what is throw away culture – disposable culture – durability is not considered. – we don’t get things repaired. Many solutions can be there

Para 1: Plastics, waste metal, glass – recycling can be done

Para 2: discourage unnecessary packaging. Both manufacturers and consumers need to look into the matter. The onus is on the consumer. Government can make laws to regulate the amount of packing.

Para 3: Discourage consumerism. More consuming leads to more waste. But consumerism is considered to boost the economy. So the government does nothing to discourage it. In fact we are bombarded with ads.

Conclusion: 

Some people think that the news media nowadays have influenced people’s lives in negative ways. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Intro : Agree partially. Media has both, a positive as well as a negative influence.

Paragraph 1: Positive effects

1.       Educate and inform

2.       Entertain

3.       Shape opinion

4.       Link between the government and the people

5.       Provide justice

Paragraph 2: Negative effects

1.       Invade privacy of famous people – paparazzi

2.       Violence and vulgarity

3.       Shape opinion in negative ways – riots

Conclusion

Some people believe that the fittest and strongest individuals and teams always success in sports. Others think that success in sports depends on mental attitudes. Discuss both views and give your opinions.

Intro: ( this is a discuss essay, so you can give a general statement about the two opinions)

Paragraph 1: Give examples of games where fitness and strength is very important for success – rugby, soccer, wrestling, volley ball.

Paragraph 2: Give examples of games where players can succeed with positive mental attitude and good game plan. Cricket – Indian player Sachin Tendulkar is very short, yet he can do wonders with his bat. Anil Kumble is one of the best bowlers in the game of cricket. He can read the mind of the batsman opposite him and that’s why he could take 10 wickets in one match. In Hockey too, winning depends on teamwork, attitude and co-operation.

Paragraph 3: Give other examples where players have reached pinnacles of sports career inspite of severe physical limitation. Swimmer Amy Dyken suffered from asthma but went on to win 4 gold medals in Olympics. Jeff Blatnick suffered from cancer, but won gold medal in Roman wrestling in 1984. Simon Keith had a heart transplant but still he plays soccer.

Conclusion: No doubt physical fitness and strength have a role but mental attitude is also very important.

Some countries have an ever-increasing proportion of population who are aged 15 and younger. What is your opinion of the current and future effects it may have in those countries?

Intro: ( in introduction, you can list some reasons for this situation).

-          Illiteracy and poverty

-          Wars – Iraq & US war

-          Diseases like AIDS – Africa

Paragraph 1: Current effects

- illiteracy and poverty increasing further.

-          Lack of experienced people --- no one to guide children

Crime – juvenile delinquency increasing

Paragraph 2: More burden on government as this age group is dependent. More investment needed in educational institutes

Paragraph 3: Future effects

-          Unemployment

-          Crime

-          Terrorism – this age group is vulnerable enough to be lured towards terrorism

-          Other countries will invade

Conclusion: 

Some people think that schools should select pupils according to their academic abilities, while others believe that it is better to have pupils with different abilities study together. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Introduction: Different schools have different approach. Both approaches have their own merits and demerits.

Paragraph 1: advantages of grouping students according to ability ( advantages of teaching separately)

-          It helps to maintain discipline

-          All students can work at the same pace. They are not forced to wait or rush. Teachers can work more intently on those who need more help. In this way the good students will not suffer and the weak students will also get more attention.

Paragraph 2: why students should be taught together.

-          Students learn from each other

-          Once students are grouped they generally stay at the same level.

Inferiority complex develops in the mind of weak students. There is labelling, both in the mind of the teacher and student.

Paragraph 3: In my opinion teaching all students together approach. If this approach causes disorder in the class room then it is better to study the cause of disruption. Sometimes overintelligent students cause indiscipline because they grasp things quickly and then disturb others. Teachers can keep them involved in some work. Some students may have medical problems like dyslexia or family problems. Teachers should diagnose the problem and find appropriate solution.

Conclusion: It is better to teach students together.