Newspapers and books are outdated. Why do some people believe this? What is your
opinion?
As we move into the twenty- first century an increasing number of people are relying on new
forms of technology. A possible consequence of this is that traditional media such as books
and newspapers are not just less popular but are considered by some to be outdated.
Personally, I disagree with this point of view.
The principal reason why some people take this view is fairly clear in the case of newspapers.
It is generally much easier and quicker to discover what is happening in the world from the
internet or the television than from a newspaper. If you use Google or another search engine
or simply switch on the television, you can instantly get the latest news bulletin. A newspaper,
by contrast, is out of date the moment it is published because it contains yesterday’s news.
It is perhaps less obvious why books are said to be out of fashion. One possibility is that fewer
people choose to read for pleasure nowadays because they prefer the instant gratification and
thrills of modern technology. There is less effort involved in enjoying a 3D movie or playing
a computer game than in turning the pages of a book.
My own view and conclusion is that books and newspapers will never go completely out of
fashion or become redundant. The reason for this is that they serve basic human needs. I
believe that people will always want to read about the news and escape into the imaginary
worlds of great novels. However, books and newspapers may need to change to meet the new
demands of twenty-first century consumers. We can already see this happening with the
arrival of the audio-book and the various free newspaper internet sites. (292 words)
As we move into the twenty- first century an increasing number of people are relying on new forms
of technology. A possible consequence of this is that traditional media such as books and
newspapers are not just less popular but are considered by some to be outdated. Personally, I
disagree with this point of view.
The principal reason why some people take this view is fairly clear in the case of newspapers. It is
generally much easier and quicker to discover what is happening in the world from the internet or
the television than from a newspaper. If you use Google or another search engine or simply switch
on the television, you can instantly get the latest news bulletin. A newspaper, by contrast, is out of
date the moment it is published because it contains yesterday’s news.
It is perhaps less obvious why books are said to be out of fashion. One possibility is that fewer
people choose to read for pleasure nowadays because they prefer the instant gratification and thrills
of modern technology. There is less effort involved in enjoying a 3D movie or playing a computer
game than in turning the pages of a book.
My own view and conclusion is that books and newspapers will never go completely out of fashion
or become redundant. The reason for this is that they serve basic human needs. I believe that people
will always want to read about the news and escape into the imaginary worlds of great novels.
However, books and newspapers may need to change to meet the new demands of twenty-first
century consumers. We can already see this happening with the arrival of the audio-book and the
various free newspaper internet sites.
SAMPLE ESSAYS
Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements from competing
companies. To what extent do you think are consumers influenced by advertisements?
What measures can be taken to protect them?
In today’s material world, we are inundated with various forms of advertising. In my view,
this can be dangerous as it encourages us to spend without thinking and young people, in
particular, need some protection from it.
The first point to make is that advertising does make us spend money we do not need to.
There are nowadays so many different ways companies promote their products and services,
ranging from television commercials to simple flyers that we cannot escape it. If, for
example, you watch a football match on television, you will see the logos of the tournament
sponsors. Likewise, if you watch the latest blockbuster movie, very probably you will see a
product placed in the film by some advertising agency. The volume of this advertising means
that we, as consumers, tend to be profoundly influenced by it and buy without thinking.
It is not easy to decide how to regulate advertising. Clearly, governments ought to restrict
advertisements for harmful products such as alcohol and tobacco. They do not have the power,
however, to control other forms of advertising. This means we need to use our common sense
when we go to the shops, and ask ourselves whether we really need to make that purchase.
Parents should, however, ensure that young people are protected from too much exposure to
advertising. This can mean simply explaining that it is not in fact necessary to buy the newest
Xbox, or simply turning the television off.
My conclusion is that while we cannot escape advertising or its effects in the modern world,
children should be encouraged not to pay too much attention to it.
Many people want their country to host an international sporting event. Others believe
that international sporting events bring more problems than benefits. Discuss both views
and state your opinion.
There is frequently great competition to host international sporting events. Not everyone,
however, believes that the price involved in hosting such events is worthwhile. For me, this is
an understandable point of view and perhaps not every country should try and stage
international sporting events.
The major argument against hosting international sporting events is financial. Typically, it
can cost several million pounds to build the arenas and modernise the infrastructure so that it
can cater for the athletes and the spectators. This money, it is argued, would be better spent
on welfare and education programmes that provide direct support for the population. Indeed,
some governments have incurred so much debt through hosting the Olympic Games that they
have had to reduce spending on other social programmes.
While there is some merit in that argument, hosting sporting events does also bring significant
benefits. First among these is the honour and prestige it brings to the host country because that
country will be the centre of the sporting world for the duration of the event. For many people
this is beyond any price. More than that, if the authorities plan carefully, they can use the
occasion of the sporting event to help finance public works that benefit the whole population
in the long term. For example, the village for the athletes can be transformed into public
housing and the various stadia can be used to build a sporting legacy for future generations.
My own view is that it is an honour for a country to host a major sporting event. However, if a
government wishes to bid for an international event to be staged in its country, it
should ensure it has sufficient funds to maintain spending on other projects.
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