Sample 03 - IELTS task 02 - Government investment in arts and theater is a waste of money

Government investment in the arts, such as music and theater, is a waste of money. Governments must invest this money in public services instead. To what extent do you agree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. You should write at least 250 words.

In the modern world, as the cities are constantly expanding, it has been lately observed that along with a considerable attention towards the construction of public services by the government, a lot of monetary aids are being provided to establish leisure time activities such as arts, music and theatre. Wherein, some people believe that this investment in arts and music by the government is a waste of money, and that it should be diverted towards more useful purposes such as the development of schools, hospitals and better infrastructure in any given region; there are others who contradict this opinion. I firmly believe that, as each coin has two sides, the above argument two has its own pros and cons, which will be discussed in the following essay.

To begin with, the investment being done by the government for the development of public services, it is highly essential for the development of any society. Public services are necessities such as hospitals, schools and roads, and betterment of such services helps in improving the quality of life in any given area. In addition to it, investing more on public services like education and health, by the government will help lessen the burden on families with financial disadvantage, and ensure that they are able to benefit from them in an effective manner. At the same time, it will also enable these public bodies to expand their services and provide better facilities to the citizens.

On the contrary, the role of governments in nurturing and developing arts and theatre in a given area can also be not neglected. Arts such as music and theatres also improve the quality of life for a country as it highlights vivid cultures and enables cross-cultural interaction between communities. Also, at times it is observed that these institutions operate on a non-profit basis and thus cannot sustain if the aids from the government bodies are not granted. Furthermore, these institutes can also be the first dedicated point of learning for individuals and allow them to witness the transformations within a society, thus changing their perceptions about the life of people.

To conclude, it can be stated that there are clear benefits of ensuring a large amount of investment goes into public services as this influences the quality of life for all the citizens. That said, I do not believe spending money on the arts is a waste of money as this too provides important benefits.  

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

Speaking Full Length Test 01 - Sri Lanka Jan 2014

Dear Students,

Here is an IELTS Speaking test from Sri Lanka - January 2014. These are some of the possible answers that you can give during your IELTS Speaking exam if the questions asked are of the similar fashion -

Speaking test

Interview

- What is your full name?

My full name is XYZ [Alternatively you can also say that you first name is ABC and your last name is XYZ]

- Can I see your ID?

Yes Sir/ Madam, here it is.

- Where are you from?

I am from Bhopal, which is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh and is also known as the city of lakes

- Do you work or study?

I am presently a student. I have recently finished by Bachelors in Business Administration from Bhopal School of Social Sciences, and then prepared for my IELTS examination.

- Is the city you come from is a small or a big one?

I would prefer to term my city as a big city, as it is presently in the development phase. In the past few years, many developmental activities have taken place in terms of the infrastructure and other facilities provided to the citizens. For example - better public transportation and entertainment zones are now a part of our city as well.

- How long have you been living there?

As I was born in Bhopal itself, and have done my entire studies from this city, I have been living here for nearly 26 years.

- Did you sing as a child?

Yes, I indeed used to sing when I was a child. I remember singing my very first song in a school function, and then have regularly performed in various family gatherings.

- Who is your favorite singer? Why?

My favorite singer is Arjit Singh. He is an Indian Singer and the reason I really like him is because, he is highly versatile. He has been known over the years for singing varied genres of musical composition with same ease and emotions, which always allure the listeners.

- How often do you walk?

I do not walk much often, but generally, when I want to relax myself from a busy day, I prefer to walk a few minutes near to my home.

- Do you walk in the city or in the countryside? Why?

As I live in the city, I am bound to walk in the city environment itself. Usually when I go for a walk, I choose a calm and peaceful place such as a garden, which is far less noisy as compared to the city's rush traffic.

- What should we do to improve walking tracks in cities?

I believe that in order to improve the walking tracks, dedicated walkers lanes should be developed in the city at some of the busiest places or near residential colonies. Moreover, improving the condition of the footpaths along the roads will also help in uplifting the condition of walking tracks in the cities.

- Do you think you’ll walk more often in the future? Why?

Yes, I personally feel that I will walk more often in future as I am planning to study abroad; and being a student I either will have the luxury of the public transportation or will have to walk to cover the distance.

Cue Card

·        Talk about a house/apartment that you have visited recently and liked. Please say

-         Whose house/apartment was it?

-         Where is it located?

-         Why did you like it so much?

Houses or apartments are one of the most basic amenities required by humans for living comfortable in the present world. Depending upon their architectural style, these houses can be categorized as Modern or traditional. One house which I recently visited and I really liked is that of my maternal grandmother. I visited this house, last week when we went there for celebrating my uncle's 50th Birthday.

The house is located at the countryside, just outskirts to the city of Bhopal. I really like this house because of many reasons. Firstlyas the house is located away from the noises and the busy city environment, it feels quiet peaceful to live at that particular place. In addition to it, the house in itself is quiet spacious. It was originally built nearly 30 years back, and since then had required minimal maintenance. There are nearly five bedrooms and a living area, where the entire family can gather at the same time for any family function. Moreover,it also includes two guest rooms, which are towards the rear end of the house, to make the visitors comfortable during the stay.

Although the most attractive feature of this house is its lush green garden. The house spaces, two separate lawns, which are well maintained. The front lawn has more than 50 varieties of plants, which specifically include nearly 13 different varieties of rose plants itself. Apart from that the rear garden, or the so called kitchen garden has a lot of herbal, fruits and vegetable plants and trees, which add up to the delicious flavor of the cuisines that are served there.

I really like this house so much because of all the sweet memories of me and my family associated with this place. I distinctly remember thatalmost all our family celebrations have taken place at this particular house and I have relived each and every moment spent at this place, a million times already in mind.

Tips for answering this Cue Card Sample:

Describing a house does not have to be an exact match with the house you actually recently visited and liked. You can talk about -

• Who the house belongs to
• How he/she is associated with your family / you
• The ambiance and the location
• The environment within the house
• Some sweet memories associated with the house - can be the reason why you like the house so much
• The number of rooms/ lawn/ or the space within the house
• You can even talk about the architectural style of the house - if the house was traditionally built or modern built

Discussion:

- Do you think the government spends a lot of taxpayers’ money to repair old buildings in your country?

Well I believe that at times government, does spend a lot of money for repairing and maintaing the old building within my country. Every other week, we read news about the renovation works being done at some place or the other, in order to restore the ancient buildings in their real look, which I believe has it's own merits and demerits.

- Is it good or bad in your opinion?

In my personal opinion it is more better or good than being bad, because these ancient buildings, such as palaces and other buildings of religious importance serve as a mirror to the world, which reflects a place's cultural and traditional heritage. This is the best way to showcase any other person from a different place, that how diverse and rich our roots are. In addition, it also reminds the citizens of that country, where they have come from and thus they value their historical traditions and cultural values.