The table below gives information on visitor statistics for 1996, 1998 and 2000 for various World Heritage sites in Australia
Write at least 150 words.
Some people are born to be leaders, while others believe leadership can be learnt.
Discuss both views and give 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 table illustrates the number of people visiting six World Heritage sites in Australia between 1996 and 2000.
It is clear that the total number of visitors to those places showed an upward trend. Also, the Great Barrier Reef was the most attractive tourist destination over the period shown.
In 1996, 1,670,000 tourists paid a visit to the Great Barrier Reef, double the figure for the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserve. Over the next two years, there was a dramatic increase of almost twice as many visitors to Great Barrier Reef, followed by another slight increase of about 200,000 people in 2000. In contrast, the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserve saw about 20,000 less visitors every two years.
Among the remaining destinations with much fewer travelers compared to the two first ones, the Blue Mountains and the Tasmanian Wilderness were more popular, with approximately 500,000 visitors in 1996. The figures then increased to approximately 600,000 and 500,000 after 4 years. In comparison, 84,000 travelers chose to visit Shark Bay in 1996, exponentially higher than the figure for Macquarie Island with only 350 visitors. While the former experienced a rise to 89,000, the latter dropped slightly to only 330 by the end of the period.
(202 words)
WRITING TASK 2
Some people think that great leaders are born and not made. Others, however, feel that leadership skills are developed over time through training, experience and mentoring. In my opinion, good leadership is a combination of both natural abilities and persistent practice.
Those who feel that leadership is a characteristic that some people are born with might argue that good leaders possess optimism and energy that will encourage others to work together effectively. In fact, some studies have shown that these characteristics are genetic, as are certain individual talents that one may be blessed with at birth. Furthermore, people such as Barack Obama, have a certain charisma that allows them to inspire passion and energy in others, and this particular trait is also believed to be innate.
Nevertheless, many people consider that leadership is a skill that can be learnt. There are other elements that make someone a great leader, such as discipline and resourcefulness, which can definitely be developed through one’s childhood up-bringing. Furthermore, the credibility of a true leader is built on his self-confidence and mastery of his area of expertise which only emerge after a great deal of time and experience. Without these qualities, a leader’s capability may be questioned, and as a result, people are unlikely to heed the leader’s direction.
Personally, I think the skills and attributes of a good leader are both genetic and enhanced through training, experience and a lot of persistent hard work. There are many people born without natural leadership skills that can still become good leaders in the future.
(258 words)