The pie chart below shows information about where coffee is produced, consumed and where is profit goes.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
The news media have become too much influence in people lives today and this is a negative development.
To what extent do you agree or 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 pie charts show a breakdown of the production and consumption of coffee in particular regions, and how the profits are distributed.
The initial impression from the charts is that whilst Central America is recorded to be the number one coffee producing region, it is Europe that consumed that highest amount of coffee. Additionally, the majority of the profit earned from this industry goes to the shippers.
As far as coffee production is concerned, 44% of coffee is produced in South America, making it the leading supplier of coffee world-wide. This is followed by Africa (19%), Asia (18%) and Central America (17%). Meanwhile, Oceania only constituted a modest 2% of the total coffee production. Regarding coffee consumption, Europeans appear to consume the most coffee, with the figure accounting for more than half. This is in marked contrast to the figures for North America and Japan at only around 10%. The remaining 27% belongs to other unspecified regions.
Profits made from the production, transport and sale of coffee are not evenly shared among the all those involved in the process. Shippers received as much as 55% of the profits, which is also the highest proportion of the profits. Sellers ranked second with 25%, while the remaining 20% is evenly divided between explorers and producers.
(213 words)
WRITING TASK 2
The news media have long been a great part of our lives. In my opinion, contrary to its original objective of ‘spreading factual news to people’, the media nowadays do more harm than good.
Television and the press, whether conventional or online-based, have influenced virtually every aspect of our lives. Pop fans rely on tabloids to keep themselves informed of their idols’ lives. Those who are more concerned with global affairs say that the tensions between Israel and Palestine could not reach them without the assistance of the news media. Indeed, the media have become our extended eyes and ears, and it is not an overstatement to say that a day without reading a paper or surfing the internet and we would be completely ignorant of what’s happening in the surrounding world.
Sadly, such great influences have gradually driven our society in a negative way. Firstly, the media submerge our society in a horrendous, ever-changing whirlwind of terror and anxiety. Too much news coverage of terrorism, war, killings and racism can be found on every news site on the internet, and its impact is so strong that it causes great distress to citizens and can incite violence among many individuals. Furthermore, our perceptions and perspectives are likely to be manipulated by the news media, for they are our only source of information. Indeed, we form our opinions about a particular event based on what we gather from media reports, regardless of the degree of authenticity. Distorted news leads to distorted minds, social unrest, unjust judgment and global conflicts; which all take their roots from distorted news.
In conclusion, I believe that the news media has a direct influence on our minds and lives, and it appears to be detrimental to our way of thinking. Therefore, people need to make good judgments over what they read in their daily newspaper.
(309 words)
