CAMBRIDGE 14

The chart below shows the value of one country’s exports in various categories during 2015 and 2016. The table shows the percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.

Sample Report

The bar graph displays how much one nation’s exports in 5 different categories were worth in 2015 and 2016, while the table illustrates how much export values for the 5 categories changed in percentage terms in 2016 as compared to 2015.

Overall, export earnings increased in 2016, in all the categories except gems and jewellery. In addition, textile exports showed the greatest percentage increase that year.

Petroleum products and engineered goods were the two most valuable exports in both years; their values were around $61 and $58 billion respectively in 2015 and then both went up to approximately $62 billion in 2016. Exports of agricultural products and of textiles also both climbed, to roughly $31 billion. Gems and jewellery, in comparison, was the only sector whose export value fell, from about $44 to $41 billion.

Of the 5 export categories, textile exports showed the largest growth in value, at 15.24 percent. This was followed by engineered goods, petroleum products and agricultural products, whose export values went up by 8.5, 3 and 0.81 percent respectively. The export value of Gems and jewellery, by contrast, experienced a drop, by 5.18 percent.

Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Sample Essay

It is argued that music is a good tool for closing cultural and generational gaps. I completely disagree with this point of view because people of different ages have different life soundtracks and people from different cultures value different ideas.

Different generations prefer different music. Songs released in the 1960s or 1970s resonate well with baby boomers because they portray things unique to that era, such as patriotism and true love. Millennials, on the other hand, may find those songs old-fashioned. Instead, they relate better to heartbreak hits by current pop artists, such as Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, since breaking up is so commonplace among them. Such different musical tastes mean that the two generations are unlikely to bond through music.

In addition, people from different cultures have different values. As a result, they are likely to interpret the same song differently. For example, in the song Who Do You Love by The Chainsmokers, the lyrics contain the line ‘you are moving different when we are making love’. While those from traditional cultures may consider the lyrics too explicit and disgraceful, westerners may think the songwriter is free to express his pain in a disloyal relationship through music. This is to say, the song has the potential to make them become disrespectful of each other’s cultures.

In conclusion, I do not think music can bridge cultural and age gaps because people who grow up in different eras have different musical preferences. Besides, people from different cultural backgrounds do not share the same values.

The plans below show a public park when it first opened in 1920 and the same park today.

Sample Report

The maps display the layout of a public park called Grange Park when it initially opened in 1920, and how it looks now.

Overall, the park has been modernized, with some natural features replaced by up-to-date facilities.

The two entrances on Arnold Avenue and Eldon Street have remained unchanged. However, the park now has an underground car park so a side entrance has been added from Eldon Street immediately to the right of the park to provide access for car park users.

Entering the park from Eldon Street, you will see the rose garden surrounded by seats at the center of the park, the central feature of which used to be a fountain. To your right, there were once a glasshouse and some seats, which have now been replaced by the water feature. Opposite the water feature are the café and children’s play area where there used to be a rose garden and pond for water plants.

A stage for musicians formerly stood on the left side of the park. It has been replaced by the amphitheater for concerts. The only feature that has remained unchanged in this area is the rose garden on the Arnold Avenue side.

Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organization.
Why might this be the case?
What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?

Today many people choose to work for themselves rather than for others. I believe this is because the corporate world offers little work/life balance. However, self-employment can cause a lot of stress.

People who are doing a corporate job often find it hard to balance their work and personal life. In the past, when there was not much competition among companies, most workers were only required to work eight hours a day, which means after work they still had plenty of time left for themselves. However, the competition is becoming more and more fierce and, as a result, many employees had to work harder and longer hours to help their employers thrive. For example, at Facebook, engineers are often asked to work during the weekend to deliver new features so that the company can stay ahead of their competitors, such as TikTok and Snapchat. Thus, many people have made the leap to self-employment, hoping they can have more control over their time.

However, being one’s own boss can be very stressful. This is because a person’s own business is like their own child. They put their heart and soul into it and thus may keep thinking about it every single minute. Take YouTubers For example. Many of them are constantly checking how many views, likes, and comments their videos have gotten, and become super depressed when the videos they spent hours and hours creating do not perform well.

In conclusion, many people become self-employed in an effort to keep their work and personal life in balance. Nevertheless, the transition can bring a lot of stress.

The diagram below shows how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Sample Report

The diagram displays how a hydroelectric power plant produces electricity.

Overall, the production of hydroelectricity is cyclical and consists of four main parts: storing water high, letting water flow downhill to generate electricity, storing water low, and pumping water back uphill for reuse.

First of all, the dam stores river water behind it in the upper reservoir that has an intake at the bottom. During the day, the intake is open, allowing water to flow through. As the water moves downhill into the lower reservoir, it passes through the turbines and turns their blades to generate mechanical energy. The spinning turbines then drive the generator to convert the mechanical power into electricity, which is subsequently delivered to the national grid through power lines.

During the night when demand for electricity is low, the turbines act as pumps that pump water kept in the lower reservoir back to the upper reservoir for reuse.

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Sample Essay

Some people argue that the extinction of certain plant and animal species is the biggest environmental issue that we confront today, while others claim that there are other environmental problems that are more important. I agree with the former viewpoint because some plant and animal species play a key role in keeping the ecosystem in balance.

On the one hand, climate change has already started affecting our lives. With rising global temperatures, natural disasters, such as wildfires and storms, are becoming more frequent and dangerous. They tear down our homes and infrastructure and even take many lives. However, I think global warming is not the most serious environmental challenge we face today since its causal relationship with natural disasters is not fully backed up by science.

On the other hand, the loss of particular animal and plant species will result in an imbalanced ecosystem. For example, if the primary predator, the lion, ceased to exist, the species it used to prey on, such as deer and giraffes, would reproduce in large numbers. This could really alter the balance of Earth’s ecosystems because they could destroy forests and also carry disease. Since we depend on a well-balanced ecosystem to provide us with crucial resources such as clean air, freshwater, and medicine, I think protecting certain species of plants and animals from becoming extinct should take the highest priority.

In conclusion, even though climate change might have started impacting our lives already, I think protecting certain plant and animal species is more urgent because their extinction will upset the balance of the ecosystem.

The charts below show the average percentages in typical meals of three types of nutrients, all of which may be unhealthy if eaten too much.

Sample Report

The pie charts display the average proportions of 3 categories of nutrients consumed in typical meals, all of which may be harmful to health if over-consumed.

Overall, while the intake of sodium and saturated fat is higher at dinner than at any other meal, added sugar is eaten most in snacks.

Sodium consumption is highest at dinner and second highest at lunch, making up 43 and 29 percent of total sodium consumption respectively. The proportions of this type of nutrient taken in at snack time and breakfast are the same, both at 14 percent. Dinner and lunch also account for the largest and the second largest proportions of total saturated fat intake respectively, at 37 and 26 percent. However, a greater proportion is eaten at snack time than at breakfast at 21 and 16 percent respectively.

Compared with the other two nutrients, added sugar has a relatively low consumption level at dinner, at 23 percent. It is snacks that are the greatest source of sugar intake, at 42 percent.  However, like the other nutrients, it is also consumed least at breakfast, at only 16 percent.

Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people claim that when there is an unsatisfying situation, the best approach is to accept it, while others feel that trying to make it better is preferable. Although accepting a bad situation means that there will be no risk, I agree with the latter point of view, because only when the situation is improved can a person become happier.

On the one hand, it can be argued that staying in an unpleasant situation allows people to avoid risks. This is because when a person makes a change, things may not turn out the way they thought they would. As a consequence, they may even lose what they had. For example, if people quit the corporate job they hate but fail to find a new one, they will even lose the income their old job provided. However, I disagree with this argument because if a person endures a bad situation for too long, they may develop mental health problems.

On the other hand, those who try to improve their unsatisfactory situations can find ultimate happiness. Working hard to change the status quo gives people a goal to achieve in life. This makes them much happier since humans are goal-driven creatures. Take for example the Chinese entrepreneur Alex Wong, who went from being broke to owning a multimillion-dollar business. He shared in an interview that the whole journey made him feel very fulfilled. I think this approach is much better because an unhappy life is not worth living.

In conclusion, although those who play safe will not face any risks, I believe people should put effort into improving the unpleasant situations they are in because this allows them to live a happier life.