The chart below shows the unemployment rate and the number of people
leaving Ireland from 1988 to 2008.
Write at least 150 words.
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task
Write about the following topic:
Some people say cultural traditions are destroyed when they are used as money-making attractions aimed at tourists. Others say this is the only way to save such traditions.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
WRITING TASK 1
The bar chart illustrates changes in the number of emigrants from Ireland, and the
percentage of unemployed people between 1988 and 2008.
In general, the unemployment rate declined significantly over the surveyed period.
Additionally, there were substantial changes in the percentage of people leaving Ireland
during this time.
In 1998, the unemployment rate stood at approximately 17%. It then dropped sharply
to 13% in 1990 before increasing again to 15% in 1992. From 1992 to 2000 the figure
fell substantially to around 5%. Over the later part of the surveyed period, the figure
remained stable before rising slightly to 6% in 2008.
In 1988, there were just over 60,000 people leaving Ireland. This number fell by almost
half over the following four years, which was then followed by a gradual decline to
around 25,000 people in 2002. Over the next 6 years the figure practically doubled,
reaching 50,000 people in 2008.
(151 words – Band 8.0)
WRITING TASK 2
Some people feel that cultural traditions are ruined when people use them to make
money from tourists. Others claim that using these traditions as money-making ventures
is the only way to save them. In my opinion, both views are true to a certain extent.
To begin with, many traditional customs are modified for commercialization, and
eventually lose their originality and value. For example, Vietnamese traditional dances
such as the lion dance, which were traditionally performed only by martial artists during
special occasions, are now often poorly performed by amateurs at tourist sites across
the country. Such changes not only give foreign visitors a false impression, but can
also make the dance less meaningful to the local people. Also, many traditionally sacred
sites are heavily damaged by the irresponsible behaviors of tourists. For instance, a
well-known Youtuber named Logan Paul visited Japan and filmed himself dumping a bag
of coins into a sacred well, where people often drop coins for luck, and did permanent
damage to one of Japan’s most famous iconic traditions.
On the other hand, there are several reasons why making money from cultural traditions
is the only way to protect them. Firstly, the revenue could be used for the preservation
of such traditions. For example, many people in Bat Trang village in Vietnam make their
living from selling traditional ceramic products, and thus are able to continue one of the
oldest traditions in Vietnam. Secondly, by putting cultural traditions on public display,
the government could heighten people’s awareness of preserving these traditions. For
instance, the Vietnamese government has built several museums around the country that solely exhibit examples of ethnic minority cultures in an attempt to protect cultural
values without affecting the lives of these ethnic people, yet successfully gathering
much public attention and support.
In conclusion, using cultural traditions as money-making attractions has both positive
and negative impacts on the preservation of such traditions.
(317 words – Band 8.5)