SAMPLE ESSAY

01. Essay 01
More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life, but city life can be extremely
difficult.
Explain some of the difficulties of living in a city. How can governments make urban life better for
everyone?

Cities are often seen as places of opportunity, but there are also some major drawbacks of living in a large

metropolis. In my opinion, governments could do much more to improve city life for the average inhabitant.

The main problem for anyone who hopes to migrate to a large city is that the cost of living is likely to be

much higher than it is in a small town or village. Inhabitants of cities have to pay higher prices for housing,

transport, and even food. Another issue is that urban areas tend to suffer from social problems such as

high crime and poverty rates in comparison with rural areas. Furthermore, the air quality in cities is often

poor, due to pollution from traffic, and the streets and public transport systems are usually overcrowded.

As a result, city life can be unhealthy and stressful.

However, there are various steps that governments could take to tackle these problems. Firstly, they could

invest more money in building affordable or social housing to reduce the cost of living. Secondly, politicians

have the power to ban vehicles from city centers and promote the use of cleaner public transport, which

would help to reduce both air pollution and traffic congestion. In London, for example, the introduction of a

congestion charge for drivers has helped to curb the traffic problem. A third option would be to develop

provincial towns and rural areas, by moving industry and jobs to those regions, in order to reduce the

pressure on major cities.

In conclusion, governments could certainly implement a range of measures to enhance the quality of life

for all city residents.

Vocabulary Essay 01:

1. Metropolis /məˈtrɒp.əl.ɪs/ [n] : đô thị

2. Inhabitant /ɪnˈhæb.ɪ.tənt/ [n] : cư dân

3. Migrate /maɪˈɡreɪt/ [v] : di cư

4. Overcrowded /ˌəʊ.vəˈkraʊ.dɪd/ : đông đúc

5. Tackle /ˈtæk.əl/ : giải quyết

6. Curb /kɜːb/ : hạn chế

7. Implement /ˈɪm.plɪ.ment/ : thực hiện

02. Essay 02
Many people prefer to watch foreign films than locally produced films.
Why could this be? Should governments give more financial support to local film industries?

It is true that foreign films are more popular in many countries than domestically produced films. There

could be several reasons why this is the case, and I believe that governments should promote local

filmmaking by subsidizing the industry.

There are various reasons why many people find foreign films more enjoyable than films produced in

their own countries. Firstly, the established film industries in certain countries have huge budgets for action,

special effects, and shooting scenes in spectacular locations. Hollywood blockbusters like Avatar or the

Jame Bond films are examples of such productions, and their global appeal is undeniable. Another reason

why these big-budget films are so successful is that they often star the most famous actors and actresses,

and they are made by the most accomplished producers and directors. The poor quality, low-budget

filmmaking in many countries suffers in comparison.

In my view, governments should support local film industries financially. In every country, there may be

talented amateur filmmakers who just need to be given the opportunity to prove themselves. To compete

with big-budget productions from overseas, these people need money to pay for film crews, actors, and a

host of other costs related to producing high-quality films. If governments did help with these costs, they

would see an increase in employment in the film industry, income from film sales, and perhaps even a rise

in tourist numbers. New Zealand, for example, has seen an increase in tourism related to the ‘Lord of Rings’

films, which were partly funded by government subsidies.

In conclusion, I believe that increased financial support could help to raise the quality of locally made

films and allow them to compete with the foreign productions that currently dominate the market.

.
Vocabulary Essay 02:

1. Domestically produced films /dəˈmes.tɪ.kəl.i /prəˈdʒuːs/ /fɪlm/ : phim sản xuất trong nước

2. Subsidize /ˈsʌb.sɪ.daɪz/ [v] : trợ cấp

3. Spectacular location /spekˈtæk.jə.lər/ /ləʊˈkeɪ.ʃən/ : địa điểm ngoạn mục

4. Blockbuster /ˈblɒkˌbʌs.tər/ [n] : phim bom tấn

5. Global appeal /ˈɡləʊ.bəl/ /əˈpiːl/ : sự hấp dẫn toàn cầu

6. Undeniable /ˌʌn.dɪˈnaɪ.ə.bəl/ [adj] : không thể phủ nhận

7. Star /stɑːr/ [v] : có (diễn viên…) đóng vai chính

8. Accomplished producer /əˈkʌm.plɪʃt/ /prəˈdʒuː.sər/ : nhà sản xuất thành đạt

9. Amateur /ˈæm.ə.tər/ [adj] : nghiệp dư

10. Film crew /fɪlm/ /kruː/ : đoàn làm phim

11. A host of + N(countable) : một lượng lớn…

03. Essay 03

In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems will this cause for

individuals and society?

Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of aging populations.

It is true that people in industrialized nations can expect to live longer than ever before. Although there

will undoubtedly be some negative consequences of this trend, societies can take steps to mitigate

these potential problems.

As people live longer and the populations of developed countries grow older, several related problems

can be anticipated. The main issue is that there will obviously be more people of retirement age who will

be eligible to receive a pension. The proportion of younger, working adults will be smaller, and governments

will therefore receive less money in taxes in relation to the size of the population. In other words, an aging

population will mean a greater tax burden for working adults. Further pressures will include a rise in the

demand for healthcare and the fact young adults will increasingly have to look after their elderly relatives.

There are several actions that governments could take to solve the problems described above.

Firstly, a simple solution would be to increase the retirement age for young adults, perhaps from 65 to

70. Nowadays, people of this age tend to be healthy enough to continue a productive working life. A second

measure would be for governments to encourage immigration in order to increase the number of working

adults who pay taxes. Finally, money from national budgets will need to be taken from other areas and

spent on vital healthcare, accommodation, and transport facilities for the rising numbers of older citizens.

In conclusion, various measures can be taken to tackle the problems that are certain to arise as the

populations of countries grow older.

.
Vocabulary Essay 03:

1. Average life expectancy /ˈæv.ər.ɪdʒ/ /laɪf/ /ɪkˈspek.tən.si/ : tuổi thọ trung bình

2. Undoubtedly /ʌnˈdaʊ.tɪd.li/ [adv] : chắc chắn

3. Mitigate /ˈmɪt.ɪ.ɡeɪt/ [v] : giảm thiểu

4. Anticipate /ænˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/ [v] : đoán trước

5. Eligible /ˈel.ɪ.dʒə.bəl/ [adj] : đủ tư cách

6. Pension /ˈpen.ʃən/ [n] : lương hưu

7. Aging population /ˈeɪ.dʒɪŋ /ˌpɒp.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ : dân số già

8. Tax burden /tæks/ /ˈbɜː.dən/ : gánh nặng thuế

9. Immigration /ˌɪm.ɪˈɡreɪ.ʃən/ [n] : sự nhập cư

04. Essay 04
Explain some of the ways in which humans are damaging the environment.
What can governments do to address these problems? What can individual people do?

Humans are responsible for a variety of environmental problems, but we can also take steps to reduce the

damage that we are causing to the planet. This essay will discuss environmental problems and the

measures that governments and individuals can take to address these problems.

Two of the biggest threats to the environment are air and waste. Gas emissions from factories and

exhaust fumes from vehicles lead to global warming, which may have a devastating effect on the planet in

the future. As the human population increases, we are also producing ever greater quantities of waste,

which contaminates the earth and pollutes rivers and oceans.

Governments could certainly make more effort to reduce air pollution. They could introduce laws to limit

emissions from factories or to force companies to use renewable energy from solar, wind, or water power.

They could also impose green taxes on drivers and airplane companies. In this way, people would be

encouraged to use public transport and to take fewer flights abroad, therefore reducing emissions.

Individuals should also take responsibility for the impact they have on the environment. They can take

public transport rather than driving, choose products with less packaging, and recycle as much as possible.

Most supermarkets now provide reusable bags for shoppers as well as banks for recycling glass, plastic,

and paper in their car parks. By reusing and recycling, we can help to reduce waste.

In conclusion, both national governments and individuals must play their part in looking after the

environment.

.
Vocabulary Essay 04:

1. Address /əˈdres/ [v] : giải quyết

2. Emission /iˈmɪʃ.ən/ [n] : khí thải

3. Exhaust fume /ɪɡˈzɔːst//fjuːm/ : khí thải

4. Devastating effect on /ˈdev.ə.steɪ.tɪŋ//ɪˈfekt//ɒn/ : tác động tàn phá đối với

5. Contaminate /kənˈtæm.ɪ.neɪt/ [v] : làm nhiễm

6. Renewable energy /rɪˈnjuː.ə.bəl/ /ˈen.ə.dʒi/ : năng lượng tái tạo

7. Impose /ɪmˈpəʊz/ : áp đặt

8. Reusable /ˌriːˈjuː.zə.bəl/ : có thể dùng lại được

DISCUSS BOTH VIEWS + OPINION
05. Essay 05
Some people believe that school children should not be given homework by their teachers,
whereas others argue that homework plays an important role in the education of the children.
Discuss both of these views and give your own opinion.

People’s opinions differ as to whether or not school children should be given homework. While there

are some strong arguments against the setting of homework, I still believe that it is a necessary aspect

of education.

There are several reasons why people might argue that homework is an unnecessary burden on children.

Firstly, there is evidence to support the idea that homework does nothing to improve educational outcomes.

Countries such as Finland, where school children are do not given homework, regularly top international

educational league tables and outperform nations where setting homework is the norm. Secondly, many

parents would agree that the school day is already long enough and leaves their children too tired to do

further study when they return home. Finally, it is recognised that play time is just as beneficial as study

time from the perspective of brain development.

In spite of the above arguments, I support the view that homework has an important role to play in the

schooling of children. The main benefit of homework is that it encourages independent learning and

problem solving, as children are challenged to work through tasks alone and in their own space. In doing

so, students must apply the knowledge that they have learned in the classroon. For example, by doing

mathematics exercises at home, students consolidate their understanding of the concepts taught by their

teachers at school. In my view, it is important for children to develop an independent study habit because

this prepares them to work alone as adults.

In conclusion, homework certainly has its drawbacks, but I believe that the benefits outweigh them

in the long time.

Vocabulary Essay 05:

1. Educational league table /ˌedʒ.ʊˈkeɪ.ʃən.əl/ /liːɡ/ /ˈteɪ.bəl/ : bảng xếp hạng giáo dục

2. Outperform /ˌaʊt.pəˈfɔːm/ [v] : làm tốt hơn

3. Leave /liːv/ [v] : để lại

4. Schooling /ˈskuː.lɪŋ/ [n] : giáo dục ở trường

5. Consolidate /kənˈsɒl.ɪ.deɪt/ [v] : củng cố

06. Essay 06
In many countries, a small number of people earn extremely high salaries. Some people believe
that this is good for the country, but others think that governments should not allow salaries above
a certain level. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People have different views about whether governments should introduce a maximum wage. While in

some ways it may seem reasonable to allow people to earn as much as companies are willing to pay, I

personally believe that employee remuneration should be capped at a certain level.

There are various reasons why it may be considered beneficial to allow people to be paid extremely high

salaries. If companies offer excellent pay packages, they can attract the most talented people in their

fields to work for them. For example, technology companies like Google are able to employ the best

programmers because of the huge sums that they are willing to pay. Furthermore, these well-paid

employees are likely to be highly motivated to work hard and therefore drive their business successfully. In

theory, this should result in a thriving economy and increased tax revenues, which means that paying high

salaries benefits everyone.

However, I agree with those who argue that there should be a maximum wage. By introducing a limit on

earnings, the pay gap between bosses and employees can be reduced. Currently, the difference between

normal and top salaries is huge, and this can demotivate workers who feel that the situation is unfair. With

lower executive salaries, it may become feasible to introduce higher minimum wages, and everybody would

be better off. One possible consequence of greater equality could be that poverty and crime rates fall

because the general population will experience an improved standard of living.

In conclusion, it seems to me that it would be better, on balance, for governments to set a limit on the wages

of the highest earners in society.

Vocabulary Essay 06:

1. Maximum wage /ˈmæk.sɪ.məm//weɪdʒ/ : mức lương tối đa

2. Remuneration /rɪˌmjuː.nərˈeɪ.ʃən/ [n] : sự trả công

3. Be capped /kæpt/ [v] : bị giới hạn

4. Thriving economy /ˈθraɪ.vɪŋ/ /iˈkɒn.ə.mi/ : nền kinh tế thịnh vượng

5. Tax revenue /tæks/ /ˈrev.ən.juː/ : thuế thu nhập

6. Pay gap /peɪ/ /ɡæp/ : chênh lệch lương

7. Executive salary /ɪɡˈzek.jə.tɪv//ˈsæl.ər.i/ : lương điều hành

07. Essay 07
Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that
they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related
to science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People have different views about whether governments should introduce a maximum wage. While in

some ways it may seem reasonable to allow people to earn as much as companies are willing to pay, I

personally believe that employee remuneration should be capped at a certain level.

There are various reasons why it may be considered beneficial to allow people to be paid extremely high

salaries. If companies offer excellent pay packages, they can attract the most talented people in their

fields to work for them. For example, technology companies like Google are able to employ the best

programmers because of the huge sums that they are willing to pay. Furthermore, these well-paid

employees are likely to be highly motivated to work hard and therefore drive their business successfully. In

theory, this should result in a thriving economy and increased tax revenues, which means that paying high

salaries benefits everyone.

However, I agree with those who argue that there should be a maximum wage. By introducing a limit on

earnings, the pay gap between bosses and employees can be reduced. Currently, the difference between

normal and top salaries is huge, and this can demotivate workers who feel that the situation is unfair. With

lower executive salaries, it may become feasible to introduce higher minimum wages, and everybody would

be better off. One possible consequence of greater equality could be that poverty and crime rates fall

because the general population will experience an improved standard of living.

In conclusion, it seems to me that it would be better, on balance, for governments to set a limit on the wages

of the highest earners in society.

Vocabulary Essay 07:

1. Maximum wage /ˈmæk.sɪ.məm//weɪdʒ/ : mức lương tối đa

2. Remuneration /rɪˌmjuː.nərˈeɪ.ʃən/ [n] : sự trả công

3. Be capped /kæpt/ [v] : bị giới hạn

4. Thriving economy /ˈθraɪ.vɪŋ/ /iˈkɒn.ə.mi/ : nền kinh tế thịnh vượng

5. Tax revenue /tæks/ /ˈrev.ən.juː/ : thuế thu nhập

6. Pay gap /peɪ/ /ɡæp/ : chênh lệch lương

7. Executive salary /ɪɡˈzek.jə.tɪv//ˈsæl.ər.i/ : lương điều hành