The table shows the cost of water in 5 cities in Australia
Write at least 150 words.
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task
Write about the following topic:
Students should be taught academic knowledge so that they can pass exams, and skills such as cooking or dressing should not be taught. To what extent do you agree/disagree?
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 table compares secondary and high school teachers’ salaries in five countries in
2009.
Overall, while teachers in Luxembourg were the most well-paid, teachers from Australia
were the lowest-paid. In addition, the amount of time it took for a teacher in Denmark
to earn the maximum salary was much faster than most other countries.
Secondary and high school teachers in Luxembourg were paid a starting salary of
$80,000 a year, while the figure for teachers in Denmark was significantly lower, at
$45,000. Additionally, the starting salary for an inexperienced teacher in other countries
stood at around $30,000.
However, teachers with at least 15 years of experience in Luxembourg earned up to
$119,000 a year, while teachers in Denmark and Japan with the same level of experience
only made salaries of $54,000 and $65,000 respectively. Meanwhile, Australian and
Korean teachers with at least 15 years’ experience were paid the lowest salaries, at $48,000 a year. Also worth noting is that it only took teachers in Australia and Denmark
less than 10 years to receive their maximum salary, while teachers in the other countries
had to wait for at least 30 years.
(188 words – Band 8.5)
WRITING TASK 2
Some people hold a belief that schools should be a place where students study academic
subjects to pass examinations rather than learn skills such as dressing and cookery. In
my opinion, despite the significance of academic study and exams, students should also
be taught fundamental life skills.
On the one hand, studying academic knowledge is vital for students in many ways. First,
examination results are essential for students’ academic record. With good results,
they will have an advantage in the national high school exams in which their academic
performance after many years of study is considered. Second, academic subjects
equip students with fundamental knowledge that will be used in tertiary education.
For example, most undergraduates in Vietnam are supposed to pass subjects, such as
Microeconomics and Advanced Mathematics, which are comprised of mathematical
knowledge taught at high school. Without a deep understanding, students may fail the
final exams and have to study these subjects again, which is time-consuming and costly.
However, there are several reasons why students still need to learn practical skills. For
instance, when college students live far from family, life skills such as cooking will be
helpful since students will be able to prepare healthy and affordable meals on their own
instead of eating out at restaurants. Attending skill building classes at school is also an
effective way for students to unwind after many hours of studying academic subjects.
Through a wide range of activities, students are able to relax and as a result perform
better in exams.
In conclusion, I disagree that students should only study academic subjects because
both academic knowledge and practical skills are equally important and should be
taught at school.
(278 words – Band 8.0)