MUET SAMPLE ESSAYS

Stress is a common problem among university students. Discuss. Support

your answer with examples. Give your views in not fewer that 350 words.

Stress is a normal phenomenon in university life. It is an accepted fact that stress is a

common problem for university students of different ages, disciplines of study, and
social and economic backgrounds. Furthermore, research has shown that stress has
negative impact and effects on an individuals health and lifestyle. In view of these
situations, it is essential and necessary for university students to know how they can
mange stress effectively. In my opinion, there are three ways that can effectively
reduce or eliminate stress. All these ways are inter related and bring about the
maximum positive impact to deal with stress effectively.

The first way is related to self awareness, self realization and acceptance of
stress. These qualities build a foundation that will positively nurture the appropriate
mindset and emotional attitude to deal with stress in realistic ways. The student must
be aware, realize and accept the fact that he or she is experiencing stress. Such
awareness, realization and acceptance are strong contributory factors to alert,
motivate and initiate the student to think seriously of the nature, possible causes and
potential consequences of the stress he or she is experiencing. The attention given
to these issues is a strong catalyst to direct the student to want work out the solutions
to deal with the problem or situation or people that generate the stress. Self
awareness, self realization and self acceptance of stress will generate in students the
need to confront stress with the right, positive, mental and emotional attitude.

The second way that can help university students manage stress effectively is
to educate and equip themselves with knowledge and relevant information on
approaches, methods and techniques on how to identify the symptoms of various
types of stress and stress related factors. For example, they can learn more about
the causes and effects of stress on health, personality and lifestyle. Being university
students, their maturity and mental and emotional intelligence should be their guides
in searching for the above mentioned information from authorized sources like health
reference books or the Internet. They can also seek advice from professionals
namely doctors, lectors and counselors or experienced individuals like parents and
elders. The third way relates to a holistic healthy lifestyle that involves constant
physical activity, having good eating habits, adopting positive attitudes to problems
and nurturing healthy family, social and working relationships. These characteristics
effects of stress like anxiety, frustration and health problems of poor concentration,
lack of sleep and loss of appetite.

In sum, I leave in shot note these three ways can effectively help university
students to mange stress mentally, emotionally and holistically.
SAMPLE 2

Suggest some measures that you think should be taken to prevent snatch
thefts. Support your answer with examples. Give your views in not fewer that
350 words.

Recently, there have been a lot of reports in the newspapers on the rising cases of
snatch theft. I fully agree with the writers opinions which were published in your
editorial column. In order to curb this problem, the public and the police should word
together.

One of the ways to curb this problem is the public to be more aware of their
surroundings. They should always be on the looked for suspicious-looking characters
and make a report to the police, if necessary. Often, the police rely on public
information to make a head start in solving cases. They must also learn to take better
care of themselves. For example, they should make sure that they have a friend with
them they have to walk in a deserted area. As far as possible, however, they should
avoid dark and deserted areas.

One mistake which people make is to wear a lot of jewellery or take along a
lot of money when going out. Flashy jewellery will attract the attention of snatch
thieves. In addition, they should take better care of their belongings. For example,
girls or women with handbags need to ensure that they hold on their handbags
properly so that they will not be easily snatched. They should always walk facing
oncoming traffic so that they can see what or who is approaching them. Women are
also advised not carry handbags with long straps as these are easy to snatch.

The public should also cooperate and be more civic minded in helping others.
They should try and help victims of snatch thefts and not just turn a blind eye. In
many cases of snatch thefts, not many people came up to help the victims even
though there were cries for help. The least they could have done was to try to take
down the vehicle registration number of the motorcycle or to help give a description
of the perpetrators to the police. If people look out for and each other, snatch thieves
will not have such an easy time.

Last but not least, the police should come up with preventive measures to
curb this problem. They should patrol snatch-theft prone areas such as bus stations
and LRT stations. They should also come up with posters to remind the public to be
more careful about snatch thieves. Aside from this, they can conduct seminars to
educate the public on how to avoid becoming victims of snatch thefts.

All in all, in order to curb this growing problem, it is necessary for the public and the
police to cooperate with each other. By being more responsible for their own safety
and working hand in hand with the police, the public can play a great part in helping
to reduce the number of snatch thefts
SAMPLE 3

Discuss suitable ways of eradicating disciplinary problems among secondary

school students. Support your answer with example. You should write at least
350 words.

In era of science and technology, disciplinary problems among secondary school

students are getting out of hand. It is, therefore, imperative that action be taken by all
sectors of society to eradicate these disciplinary problems.

The school authorities play an important role in this fight against disciplinary
problems in school. All teacher need to be vigilant and on the lookout for any form of
indiscipline, even those as minor as absenteeism. They also need to investigate
fights no matter how small as these are symptoms of more serious problems.
Preventive measures such as strict enforcement of school rules and appropriate
punishments are extremely necessary nowadays. Public caning and expulsion of
repeat offenders of serious misconduct such as fighting, gangsterism and extortion,
are highly recommended.

In order for the schools to effectively combat indiscipline, the full support of the
Ministry of education is necessary. The ministry could provide special training for
heads of schools and discipline teachers. In addition, discipline teachers and
counselors should be given teaching loads so that they can better carry out their
special responsibilities. Moreover, the ministry could provide financial support to
improve facilities in schools to gainfully occupy the students.

Parents are also an important group of people who can help eradicate disciplinary
problems in secondary schools. Parents have a very important role to play in
ensuring the good behavior of their children at all times. They should not leave the
responsibility of educating their children solely on the shoulders of school teachers.
They should constantly monitor their childrens whereabouts and make it a point to
get to know their childrens friends. Besides that, parents should be aware of the
activities that their children are engaged in. a good way of keeping tabs on the going-
on in schools is to play an active role in the parent-teacher association.

Finally, the police can also be called upon to combat disciplinary problems. They can
be called upon to counsel students through lecture, talks and workshops. The police
need to be allowed to patrol school compounds to make their presence felt. They
should also be empowered to arrest students suspected of being involved in serious
offences such as gang fights.

To conclude, it is obvious that action should be taken by the school authorities,

parents, the Ministry of Education and the police in order to eliminate disciplinary
problems in secondary schools.
SAMPLE 5

Foreign Workers Dilemma in Malaysia

Foreign workers cant live with them, cant live without them. . At least thats what
quite a lot of Malaysians I now feel about them. Deputy Human Resources Minister,
Senator Maznah Mazlan said that there are 1.403 million foreigners here holding the
Temporary Employment Visit Pass, which accounts for 11.2% of Malaysias total
workforce. Thats actually quite a lot of foreigners for a country with a 2.7%
unemployment rate as of last year.

But its no use denying the fact that we need them. The fact that we still dont have
minimum wage means that there are just too many jobs out there that pay too little
(from the perspective of Malaysians) and are considered not worth the trouble by
Malaysians. As our cost of living continues to rise against stagnating wages, even
fresh graduates earning around RM2,000 will sometimes find it hard to keep things
afloat living in Kuala Lumpur, let alone having to survive on a construction workers
wages.

And even now we can see foreign workers in supermarkets and restaurants, jobs that
are considered comfortable and not heavy, but more and more locals are turning
away from them simply because in the current economic climate the pay is nowhere
near good enough. On the one hand its a shame that we prefer being unemployed
rather than at least earning something, even if it means working a hard job with not
very good pay. But on the other hand its also understandable why wed prefer to
hold out and keep looking for something better, considering the economic realities
that we have to face in our daily lives.

The side effect of being dependent on foreign workers is that it puts a strain on a lot
of things public amenities and services especially. They also compete with the poor
for low cost accommodation, and the congested living conditions have also
contributed to societal and environmental problems. But blaming things on them will
not solve anything. The fact of the matter is, these are men and women trying to
make an honest living in a foreign country where their presence is not exactly
welcomed with open arms.

They had to leave their family behind, live in sometimes abominable and
unacceptable conditions, and push themselves to the limit to work as many hours as
possible in order to send as much money as they can home to their families. Try
doing that and see if you wont find yourself in similar social problems should you be
in their exact same shoes. Its easy to blame the other when youre comfortably on
the other side of the fence, but not so easy when you really look and try to empathise
with them.

Trying to combat these problems will definitely cost money, and if were being honest
with ourselves, its just like dousing a raging fire its unlikely that we can totally put a
stop to it. The only way we can avoid these problems is by not having them here or
not being too dependent on foreign workforce. Paying the 3D jobs (dirty, dangerous
and difficult) better wages to attract locals to do it is a start. A good minimum wage is
a start too. Of course companies employing foreign workers will moan that this is not
good business, but that is why we vote and have a government to think about how
best to solve this dilemma, because whats a government here for if not to take care
of its people?

SAMPLE 6

MOBILES EVERYWHERE, EVERYTHING

Malaysians are getting more and more attached to their mobile phones. I am no
different. I love my smartphone its with me from the moment I wake up to the time
I go to bed. However, like many other Malaysians, Im also starting to see real
possibilities of the mobile internet platform that my phone brings. Its much more
than just fun and games. It has progressed from a lifestyle accessory to a living
necessity. This little thing in your hand can connect you with more than 7 billion
people on the planet if you want it to. Just imagine the possibilities What if we
could apply this potential to improve the lives of fellow Malaysians as we know it?

Because I work in a telco, my friends often share with me their ideas for mobile apps
that can potentially wipe out traffic woes in the city, improve public transport
capabilities, enhance personal safety, and so on. Everyone seems to have a point of
view on one topic or another, but no one has any real plan of action, seeing this area
to be the exclusive domain of only techy geeks.

You no longer need to be a code technician to be involved in the burgeoning global

App Economy. Any regular Malaysian with a good idea can make a difference in our
local community. If you want to get started immediately, I encourage you to enter our
DiGi Challenge for Change (seewww.dgcfc.my) an exciting avenue for average
Malaysians to bring their ideas to life. We created this challenge because we know
that solutions to real life issues come from normal people, not just from software
engineers. This new innovation model involves creating collaborations between those
with ideas and those that can make the good ideas happen.

Here are some amazing facts and figures that Id like to share with you: Its estimated
that nearly 46 billion mobile apps were downloaded globally by end 2012; almost
double the 25 billion downloads in 2011. In four years (2016), this number is
predicted to grow more than six times to 310 billion downloads[1] more than 30
times the number of people on this planet! The fact that apps first appeared in the
world just 5 years ago makes this even more amazing.

I reckon we Malaysians are an opinionated and creative bunch, so can you imagine
the potential for local apps if we can each contribute some great ideas? By doing so,
we would be positively supporting our economy at the same time.

I love the MyTaxi App which allows users to book a taxi painlessly and to even track
the taxis journey to their location. It is also a win-win for the taxi driver, because it
translates into savings in time and fuel as there is less of a need to drive around
aimlessly scouring for customers when you have a greater chance of finding a
customer closest to your current location. Apps like Waze also help road users to
plan their routes better, avoiding stress-inducing traffic congestions along their drive
to a certain destination.

The way we live today has changed because of the mobile internet. Before, the
internet was seen just as an alternative channel or technology to carry out activities
like shopping, banking and general commerce. In time, it will be just how we do
things every day; no longer science fiction but just our way of life.

When we look around us, we see how mobile internet has changed the way services
are delivered in Malaysia, not to mention the savings in time and cost that these apps
have helped to bring about in the general economy. Nowadays, I no longer stand in
long queues at the bank to pay bills, or send letters through the post. All these things
now happen at my fingertips, breathing new life into dead time; freeing up precious
hours for more productive pursuits.

I cant wait to see what other useful Malaysian-inspired mobile apps will be
uncovered as part of our DiGi Challenge for Change in the next few months. If we
can convert every Malaysian armchair critic into a community-driven mobile app
advocate, we may just have started the wave of the Great Malaysian App Revolution.
SAMPLE 7

The world today is turning more to electronic communications such as the e-

mail, Facebook and Short message System (SMS). What is your opinion of this
growing trend? Discuss. You should write at least 350 words.

: Everywhere we turn today, the world is crowded with people busy typing
SMSes on their Nokias or iPhones or someone is staring unblinkingly at a Facebook
or Yahoo page on the computer screen. Whether you like it or not, the age of
Information Technology is upon us, and we can either learn new skills and adapt to
this new technology, or be forever lost and stuck in the older generation. In my
opinion, I am fully convinced that this growing trend is the way of the future, and it
brings countless benefits to mankind. In this essay, I will discuss three positive
effects of electronic communication, namely its efficiency, enhances communication
and creates a borderless world community.

First and foremost, more and more people are relying on e-mail, Facebook,
Short Message System (SMS) and other types of electronic communication tools
because of its high efficiency. This is because in today's age of globalisation, we
need information at the tip of our fingers. Moreover, with the use of these tools, we
can increase the speed of getting the necessary and relevant information within
seconds and this will increase our productivity. For example, gone are the days of
using 'snail mail' or regular letters using stamps and envelopes and many more
examples of 'old' technology because it is simply too slow and inefficient. Therefore,
these e-communication tools increases the access to important information which is
why the new generation is fully accepting this growing trend.

Secondly, this form of technology enhances communication among people

today. This means that when we use SMS, e-mails and websites like Facebook, we
are able to communicate clearly and directly to our target audience. Furthermore,
people today find that the message is more important than the form it comes in as an
e-mail in short but clear sentences is just as good or even better than a long and
formal letter. For instance, an SMS can give clear instructions in just a few words and
this communicates what needs to be done quickly and directly. Thus, when the
intended message can be spread clearly using short and clear information like in
SMSes and emails, communication can be enhanced and there will be less problems
of miscommunication.

Last but not least, e-communication creates a borderless community in the

world we live in today. This is due to the fact that the boundaries that separate each
country becomes less relevant when information is transferred without limitations. In
addition, the world would be a better place because there is a sense of 1-World
commitment, respect and tolerance for the global community through efficient and
clear e-communication. Take for example, we are able to connect with people on an
international basis using Facebook, Friendster, Tagged, Hotmail, Yahoo and others.
Hence, these tools will enhance global unity and create a more peaceful world.

In a nutshell, this growing trend has many positive effects not just to individuals
but the global society in terms of efficiency, enhancing communicative skills and
shaping a borderless community. In my opinion, I still firmly believe that this latest
trend is the best way forward and if we do not catch up, we will be left behind by the
tide of development. Our government can encourage the proper usage of electronic
communications by increasing communication amenities and broadband accessibility
especially in rural areas so that they can enjoy the same facilities as city-folks
therefore balancing the development of our country towards achieving Vision 2020.

SAMPLE 8

The rising fuel price has pushed up the price of other consumer products. How
will this affect the society? Give your opinion. You should write at least 350
words.

Money is always an issue in today's era of materialism. Most people need it for
basic survival while the lucky few indulge in luxuries without worrying about money.
In my opinion, I strongly agree that the rising fuel price has pushed up the price of
other consumer products and this will definitely affect the society. In this essay, I
would like to touch on the effects this price increase has on society today, namely
increasing vice activities, widening the gap between the rich and the poor and
affecting the population trend in the long term.

First and foremost, society will immediately be affected by the rise in fuel prices
because consumer products will be more costly and this leads to an increase of vice
activities. This is because basic necessities such as rice, flour, sugar and so on will
be in great demand and some warehouses will store or hoard the items to further
increase the price of the product. Moreover, in the newspapers today, reports of
smuggling of these items prove that this vice activity is on the rise. For example, the
recent sugar price hike caused a furor among the Malaysian society as it costs more
fuel to travel to and from the supermarket and when arriving, most places had run out
of stock even though the government had allocated 2kg of sugar to one person.
Therefore, the fuel price increase had definitely caused more hardships to society
today.

Secondly, it is undeniable that the rise in fuel prices leads to the widening of
the gap between the rich and the poor. This is due to the fact that people are greatly
affected by the price of basic necessities such as food and fuel in particular.
Furthermore, the rich people will still be able to afford such things but the poor will
face greater challenges as the popular saying goes: "The rich get richer, and the poor
get poorer." For instance, when money is used to purchase consumer products that
are necessary for survival, then less money will be spent on health and dental check-
up, educational purposes and others. Thus, it is clear that the fuel price hike will
further stress on the differences between the rich and the poor which is such a
tragedy.

Last but not least, in the long term the population trend or demographics of
the society will be greatly affected. This means that new families will consciously
decide not to have too many children in order to increase their quality of life. In
addition, society is now more aware of birth control and family planning so this will
greatly reduce the population as most families will have 1 to 5 children instead of
more. Take for example, new families with less children will surely spend less on
basic necessities like food, clothes, transport and many more. Hence, the
demographics of the whole country will be affected and this in turn will reduce our
workforce which will affect our country's productivity and prosperity.

In short, there are many short term to long term effects of a fuel price
increase which includes more crimes like hoarding and smuggling will occur and this
leads to the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor as well as a change in
the society's demographics. I still strongly believe that the rising fuel price has
pushed up the price of other consumer products and this will surely cause a negative
impact to society. The government must find a way to stabilise the fuel price at a
reasonable rate so that it does not affect the productivity of this country towards
achieving the aspirations of the nation for Vision 2020.
SAMPLE 9

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best
teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Parents play the most important role in the bringing up of their children. In my
opinion, despite some very good characteristics parents have, they cant be the best
teachers of their children.

First of all, parents are able to have knowledge in some fields, but not all the fields.
It is not true that parents know everything in the world. Sometimes, they just have a
passing acquaintance of some subjects. They shouldnt teach their children
something that they dont know thoroughly. For example, a very famous physicist
cant teach his children chemistry though he is very good at physics because his
knowledge of chemistry isnt enough to teach his children. So thats why parents
always search for good teachers to teach their children what they need to learn
properly.

Secondly, parents want to teach their children by their ways/EXAMOLE. They are
right, and they are wrong sometimes. For those who arent be educated how to be
good teachers, it might be a very big problem. They can be good parents, but hardly
good teachers. For instance, its not simply to telling children what they should do
and what they shouldnt. If the children dont follow, their parents might get angry. In
that case, they lose their temper, and they just want their children to obey them
without any decent explanation for their behavior. Parents should help their children
be aware of right and wrong in order that they will know why their parents want them
to follow their advice.

Thirdly, parents can easily be wrong in educating their children in that they have a
lot of emotion. In their eyes, their children are obviously the best ones. They praise
their children and encourage them to keep doing things though in other people's
eyes, the children should stop behaving like that. Consequently, parents should be
strict and thoughtful in some situations. As children dont recognize what is right and
wrong, they do anything they like. Parents should always watch on their children and
guide them to do the right thing instead of letting them do whatever they want.

In brief, parents arent always good teachers though they might be good parents.
To be good teachers, it is the way they educate their children, which they should be
concerned with rather than the way they love their children.
SAMPLE 10

You have enough money to purchase either a house or a business. Which

would you choose to buy? Give specific reasons to explain your choice.

People always have to decide how they will invest their money after they have saved
it for a while. Some people invest in a house but some people invest in a business. If
I have enough money, I will purchase a house as it has no any disadvantage to me.

Purchasing a house means that it belongs to me as my property. I can feel that I do

not waste my money. It is just turned into a house. Besides, the house price is
rising higher and higher so this is a good investment. If I have my children, they will
not have to purchase a new house. They can take one of mine. If I let them find
money and afford a house themselves, I can not imagine how the house price will be
at that time, and how hard my children will have to work to earn enough money.
Moreover, I can either move to the new house after I get bored with the old one.
Some people in my country have more than one house. One is in the city near their
workplaces. Another is quite far away from the city so they can have their rest
there on weekends. In addition, I can let other people rent this house if I do not need
to live there that time. By doing this, I can also have income from my house.

On the other hand, purchasing a business is full of risk. As I am not good at

business, I need to take time in studying the business to purchase one. Even if I have
studied well on the business, it is still risky. I would rather not try on my own business
although I can make more profit on it.

It is obvious for me which choice I will choose after compare two options, to
purchase a house or a business. Purchasing a house is surely my last answer.

SAMPLE 11

Nowadays, food has become easier to prepare. Has this change improved the
way people live? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

1:

With the advancement of technology and science, many instruments and

equipments are being introduced in our daily life. One of their benefits is processing
of food material faster and easily. this has brought some changes in the people life.
 Firstly, due to the advent of food preparing machines like mixers, microwave,
pressure cookers , making food items have become easier and faster. This help the
people who have busy schedules like the proffesionals and research scientists. So
people do not have to schedule much time preparing the food and food can be
quickly served. So the change has adapted with the fast life of the people.

Also, the people who do not have families and live life singly, particularly the
bachelor guys, feel these equipments easier and more convenient . Generally they
do not have the knowledge of making food dishes, but with the help of the modern
machines and technologies they can easily prepare food. So they now prefer to lead
life alone rather than in families and concentrates more in their career.

But, the machines and equipments have also made people little bit lazy due to the
easiness and fastness. People do not work hard to make food, which have the
changed the conventional ives and mothers. Still, the easiness to prepare food have
changed to people life positively in respect of development, accceleration, career,
and time management .

2.

Nowadays, wherever we turn our gaze, we can see different types of food that are
easier to prepare. It cannot be doubted that our eating style has encountered a
revolutionary change in the last few decades. It is the change in the type of food that
has had the greatest influence. For instance, we can buy frozen food in a
supermarket and just prepare it in a couple of minutes, whereas before it could have
taken us maybe hours to prepare this kind of meal. Not only have the recipes of
certain food types have been altered, but also new ones have been created.
Examples include yet are not restricted to beef hamburgers, potato chips, ready
made available yoghurt, frozen meat and cold drinks. I would accept that this so
called improvement changed our lives, but i believe there are some drawbacks as
well.

It is true that these kinds of food do not involve hard work to prepare, but food that
is easy to prepare generally has some artificial ingredients mixed in it that makes it
"easy to prepare." If we take time to read the ingredients, we would definitely come
across the words like preservatives or artificial flavorings. Many newly emerged types
of food have not the essence of a "complete meal" as defined by the nutritionists. To
add to the problem, these food types are often served alone. In fact, there are many
medical reports warning people from dependingupon such fast meals in their food.
Other reports indicate a high potential of malnutrition among those who are
"addicted to the common duet of burgers and colas.
SAMPLE 12

SHOULD WE BEAT CHILDREN?

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT Effective when used wisely

Many parents use physical punishment to discipline their children. Others prefer to
use different methods to reward good behavior or punish misbehavior. This essay will
look at some of the arguments for and against physical punishment of children.

It is often claimed that physical punishment will damage children in later life.
Opponents of corporal punishment claim that the children will grow up to become
delinquents or even beat their wives.

However, many happily married adults today were slapped when they were
younger but have never hit their spouses. Another point often made is that physical
punishment teaches children that you can use force to make others do what you
want. In fact children brought up well soon learn that force by itself is nothing - it must
be associated with right. Finally, some people say that punishing a child by smacking
him will damage the relationship between the child and the parents. This is clearly
wrong. Children who understand the reasons for rules will be happier than children
who are not given clear guidelines.

There are definitely concerns about physical punishment. Some parents lose
control and can injure children - even breaking bones or causing bruises. Others can
use violence excessively or as the only method of discipline. In this case, the child
will be hurt, fearful and anxious and will not learn to distinguish right from wrong. The
biggest problem with physical violence is when it is not appropriate to the age of the
child. It can be very effective to quickly smack a two-year-old who is screaming.
However, it is not effective to beat a 16-year-old who is late for school once again.

In conclusion, physical punishment can be a useful method of discipline. However

it should be the last choice for parents. If we want to build a world with less violence
we must begin at home, and we must teach our children to be responsible.
SAMPLE 13

Question:

Nowadays, food has become easier to prepare. Has this change improved the
way people live? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

1:

With the advancement of technology and science, many instruments and

equipments are being introduced in our daily life. One of their benefits is processing
of food material faster and easily. this has brought some changes in the people life.

Firstly, due to the advent of food preparing machines like mixers, microwave,
pressure cookers , making food items have become easier and faster. This help the
people who have busy schedules like the proffesionals and research scientists. So
people do not have to schedule much time preparing the food and food can be
quickly served. So the change has adapted with the fast life of the people.

Also, the people who do not have families and live life singly, particularly the
bachelor guys, feel these equipments easier and more convenient . Generally they
do not have the knowledge of making food dishes, but with the help of the modern
machines and technologies they can easily prepare food. So they now prefer to lead
life alone rather than in families and concentrates more in their career.

But, the machines and equipments have also made people little bit lazy due to the
easiness and fastness. People do not work hard to make food, which have the
changed the conventional ives and mothers. Still, the easiness to prepare food have
changed to people life positively in respect of development, accceleration, career,
and time management .

2.

Nowadays, wherever we turn our gaze, we can see different types of food that
are easier to prepare. It cannot be doubted that our eating style has encountered a
revolutionary change in the last few decades. It is the change in the type of food that
has had the greatest influence. For instance, we can buy frozen food in a
supermarket and just prepare it in a couple of minutes, whereas before it could have
taken us maybe hours to prepare this kind of meal. Not only have the recipes of
certain food types have been altered, but also new ones have been created.
Examples include yet are not restricted to beef hamburgers, potato chips, ready
made available yoghurt, frozen meat and cold drinks. I would accept that this so
called improvement changed our lives, but i believe there are some drawbacks as
well.
 It is true that these kinds of food do not involve hard work to prepare, but food that
is easy to prepare generally has some artificial ingredients mixed in it that makes it
"easy to prepare." If we take time to read the ingredients, we would definitely come
across the words like preservatives or artificial flavorings. Many newly emerged types
of food have not the essence of a "complete meal" as defined by the nutritionists. To
add to the problem, these food types are often served alone. In fact, there are many
medical reports warning people from dependingupon such fast meals in their food.
Other reports indicate a high potential of malnutrition among those who are
"addicted to the common duet of burgers and colas.

Not having to cook has also taken the fun out of cooking. Cooking is an art, but in
today's world, this is no more true. People are so busy in their work that they just rely
on these simple foods. The invention and production of these foods have made
people lazy not only for cooking but also for a well family get together. It was not like
former times when families would sit together and eat freshly baked food. With the
absence of regular family get together, relationships are likely to be weaker.

People think that fast prepared food types dp improve our style of life. This opinion
comes especially from bust people, working wives, and younger people. They believe
that we have many things in life more important than eating. Time spent on food
preparation is considered waste by them. Wives will have more time to care of their
families' souls not just stomachs. Family relationships will get stronger. Business men
and women will have more time to concentrate on their arrangements. In general,
people will have a greater opportunity to take care of their minds and hearts.

I agree with that food preparation should take its necessary time and care.
Otherwise, the time saved in food preparation can lead to longer times of headache
or even of staying in hospitals suffering from malnutrition.

SAMPLE 14

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best
teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Parents play the most important role in the bringing up of their children. In my
opinion, despite some very good characteristics parents have, they cant be the best
teachers of their children.

First of all, parents are able to have knowledge in some fields, but not all the fields.
It is not true that parents know everything in the world. Sometimes, they just have a
passing acquaintance of some subjects. They shouldnt teach their children
something that they dont know thoroughly. For example, a very famous physicist
cant teach his children chemistry though he is very good at physics because his
knowledge of chemistry isnt enough to teach his children. So thats why parents
always search for good teachers to teach their children what they need to learn
properly.

Secondly, parents want to teach their children by their ways/EXAMOLE. They are
right, and they are wrong sometimes. For those who arent be educated how to be
good teachers, it might be a very big problem. They can be good parents, but hardly
good teachers. For instance, its not simply to telling children what they should do
and what they shouldnt. If the children dont follow, their parents might get angry. In
that case, they lose their temper, and they just want their children to obey them
without any decent explanation for their behavior. Parents should help their children
be aware of right and wrong in order that they will know why their parents want them
to follow their advice.

Thirdly, parents can easily be wrong in educating their children in that they have a
lot of emotion. In their eyes, their children are obviously the best ones. They praise
their children and encourage them to keep doing things though in other people's
eyes, the children should stop behaving like that. Consequently, parents should be
strict and thoughtful in some situations. As children dont recognize what is right and
wrong, they do anything they like. Parents should always watch on their children and
guide them to do the right thing instead of letting them do whatever they want.

In brief, parents arent always good teachers though they might be good parents. To
be good teachers, it is the way they educate their

children, which they should be concerned with rather than the way they love their
children.

2#:

I definitely agree that parents are the perfect teachers. They have superiority over
the others due to a few explicit reasons: the connection between parents and
children is exceptionally firm; parents teach children filled with desire and
benevolence; children spend more time with their own parents than other people.
Occasionally, the generation gap impedes the conception of the communication
problem or some parents don't care about the bringing up of their own children.

Recently, there was a survey in our school. The matter was whether our parents
spend a part of their spare time to develop our general knowledge. The results were
positive - most of us are satisfied with their concern. Similar surveys were held in
other schools and the returns were according to the expectations. One week ago I
had a conversation with a friend of mine. Now he is learning in a math School. He
told me that he had taken the exam with excellence due to his father, who had been
interested in math when a boy. His father explained to him plainly and
understandably all mathematical problems. My friend was also obliged to solve
definite numbers of problems every day to gain an insight into math gradually. After
the exam's results he was very grateful to his father for helping him constantly.

Unfortunately, some children haven't got responsible parents. The latter leave their
children bring up alone because they are too busy with work or have no will to
communicate each other. A social poll was held in my city few days ago. The query
was "Why the connection between parents and children is fading away today?" and
most of the parents answered that they hadn't got time to pay attention to them
despite their will to. Therefore, they must hire a domestic or a tutor to bring up or
educate them. These latter people won't live forever with the children in comparison
with parents in spite of that they can be experienced teachers. Yesterday my best
friend told me that he couldn't comprehend why his parents compel him to tide up his
room every day or why whenever he goes out he should be in formal clothes without
caring a rucksack. I told him that it is normal there to be a distinction between the
generations, but parents are one of our closest friends and what they do they do for
us.

In spite of these few shortcomings parents always direct their children to the true
way and they build the foundation of children's future life by teaching them. I believe
that they have the ability to teach them in the most adequate way.

SAMPLE 15

"Friends Should Never Hide Anything From Each Other." Do You Agree?

No man is an island. Everyone depends on his friends to a certain extent. Ever since
man formed a system of verbal communication, all people have been in constant
chatter with one another.

Relationships are important to man, so much that people may shape their entire
lifestyles simply to find favor with their clique or circle of friends. Therefore, much
caution must be applied when dealing with our friends, especially in our speech. So
then, must we always tell our friends the whole truth and nothing but the truth or is it
sometimes simply none of their business?

One thing is clear: finding out that your friend has lied to you always hurts. In cases
where lies have been told to hurt you or other parties on purpose, the friendship will
never be the same. If the lie caused you great damage, the friendship will not be
salvageable. Who would want a treacherous person for a friend? Yet, even when the
matter is not of great importance, little lies can lead to the spoiling of relationships. I
have a friend who often tells little untruths.

Sometimes, he exaggerates circumstances a little, just to impress others, sometimes

he tells half-truths to get out of trouble, sometimes, he makes up stories just to
entertain his friends. Personally, I just do not feel comfortable with him. You see, I
just never know whether he is telling the truth or one more of his little lies.

Apart from the question of maintaining credibility, sharing one's problems and joys
with a friend can also be helpful as we deal with the problems of daily living. As the
saying goes, shared joy is double the joy and shared sorrow is half the sorrow.
Sharing the good times can brighten up a friend's day if he feels down. Sharing one's
problems and despairs with a friend will bring forth the encouragement and advice we
need to hear. Sometimes simply having an ear to hear our heart's cries and knowing
that someone understands us will make us feel better. People have been saved from
suicide just by having a friend to listen to their troubles.

It is clear, then, that some things need to be said to our friends without any twisting of
the truth. However, there are times when telling a friend too much can also lead to
problems. An all-too-common example of such a time is when one hears rumors.
Gossip can start simply because someone thought a rumor was true and shared all
her thoughts on the rumor with a friend. The friend, who actually had no real
knowledge of the matter, passed all her thoughts and ideas to another friend and so
on and so forth. The final result can be a mangled product which could really hurt the
parties involved. The thing to do about rumors is not to spread them, even if you have
strong opinions, about them.

Another noteworthy fact is that sometimes, telling the truth may be worse than saying
nothing. If an ugly girl with an inferiority complex were to ask you if she was
unattractive, it would be a very bad idea to tell her just how unattractive she was. One
must use his discretion in such situations, stressing on her good qualities, of course.
Telling the whole truth in this case would destroy her remaining shreds of confidence.

In conclusion, I feel that friends, even the closest of friends, need not tell each other
everything they know or feel. Some matters, of course, should be discussed with
friends, while some others should be hidden. We have to balance our love for truth
with the practicalities of the situation. Not being perfect, we are bound to make
mistakes, of course. So, one must then be prepared to make up with our friends,
apologizing for our verbal blunders and forgiving them for theirs. Well, that's what
friendship is really about -- accepting people for what they are, imperfections and all.

SAMPLE 16

Question: Today the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power
of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold.
What are your views on this? Give reasons for your answer and include any
relevant examples from your own knowledge on experience.

Nowadays millions of companies produce billions of products and the role of

advertising is quite obvious. Ads help consumers to find the goods or services of their
needs. However, do our needs grow equally fast as the number of products? Some
market analysts insist modern commercials are not merely matchmakers of a product
and a consumer, but actively interfere with buyers desires, developing artificial
needs.

Undoubtedly, advertisement guides people through the market, serves those who
do not have time to learn differences between goods. These products are probably
the same, but loyalty to a particular brand, formed by a commercial helps make a
choice. When a person buys one mobile phone out of 50 models, he thinks he made
his choice himself. But that was a commercial who told him about the features of this
phone.

Nevertheless, ads not only inform us about new goods, but force people to want
them. This can be even useful, for example for someone who suffers from back pains
and without commercials he would never imagine there are new mattresses which
could ease their pains.

Unfortunately, promoters now operate our minds more aggressively.

Commercials no longer promote products, but lifestyles. They told us to purchase
things just because they are fashionable or up to date with the image of successful
person. And we buy new cars, gadgets and clothes in order to match this image and
not because old ones are no longer usable.

Personally I think that high sales of popular commodities are the result of new
promotional technologies. The best illustration of that is that everyone now is
concerned mostly about how a new mobile phone will reflect his personality, a new
shirt his image, or will a new car make colleagues feel jealous.

Nowadays, there are lots of advertisements on television or on the streets. Some

people think that the advertising boosts the sales of goods and it encourages people
to buy things unnecessarily. This arguments may be true. In my country, many
advertising companies produce advertisements with famous and popular actors or
singers. People, especially youngsters, buy goods that their favourite singer
advertise, although they do not really need the products.

Also, on the television screen, a product may look gorgeous and good quality. As a
result of it, people often buy goods without enough consideration. Consumers may
not actually need it but they buy goods impulsively soon after they watch the
advertising. Furthermore, as many customers buy a particular product due to its
advertising campaign, the other people may be affected by the trend, even if the
product is not of the real needs of the society.

On the other hand, there are various aspects against these arguments.
Moreover, it is people's choice to make a decision to buy goods. Advertising may be
not a cause of customers' buying habits. Individuals have their own spending habits.
If they have got enough disposable Income then the right to mane a decisions given
to them. No one actually can fudge whether the goods sold are the real needs of the
society or not.

In addition, as there should be a limited amount of disposable income

consumers are able to spend, people try to allocate their budgets. They cannot be
simply swayed by those advertisements.

In conclusion, as customers have their own strong opinions and standard of

good quality goods, its better to leave them to make their own decision in buy goods.
Its fairly difficult to say everyones swayed by advertising and buy good impulsively.
However, in sensitive area of businesses such as toy industries, it may be necessary
to band advertising to those children as children have not got enough ability to
control themselves or to know what they need.
SAMPLE 17

Many people have a close relationship with their pets. These people treat their
birds, cats, or other animals as members of their family. In your opinion, are
such relationships good? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples
to support your answer.

Sample 1#

Being near a pet, with a lot of people, always has positive and negative effects.
There are a few people who do not want to have a close relationship with their pets
and treat them as members of their family. But in my own experience, if we do
that,we gain more than we lose.

When we are have a pet, it means we are have a great and loyal friend. Lets take
one example. After a hard-working day, I often get stressed and tense. But when I
come home, my dog wags its tail and barks to welcome me home. It often makes me
feel a bit better. I frequently take my dog to the park near my house. That is the time
for me to relax, enjoy the fresh air, and escape from my problems in real life.

Besides, you can learn a lot from taking care of your pets. Throughout a long time
taking care of my dog, I know how hard it is to raise and teach it to do the right things.
And it reminds me about my parents, who always take care of me, stand by me when
I need them. So, this can also teach us more about responsibility, love, etc.

In contrast, having a pet also brings with it a lot of troubles. You need to go to buy
food when it is hungry, medicine when it is sick. It really takes you a lot of time to take
care of them every day.

To sum up, I support the idea of a close relationship with our pets. If we treat them
with a kind heart, they will love us back the same way.

2#
 Everyone has normally had a pet at one point or another in their life. While some
people may view their pets as nothing more than a toy that can be discarded at
anytime, others believe that their pets are members of their family. I believe that pets
are part of the family and should be treated as such because animals foster
emotional development and help people's mental health.

First, pets encourage emotional development. As society becomes increasingly

chaotic and global, people find it difficult to foster relationships. The lack of
relationships will result in people feeling lonely at all hours of the day.

However, if someone has a pet, the attention they can give and get in return will
ease their feelings of loneliness and isolation. A lack of interaction with other people
will cause people to become less emotionally developed. Having a pet helps people
not forget feelings of love, affection or other emotions. Pets prevent people from
becoming emotionally distant and emotionless, still capable of having a relationship.

In addition, pets are good for people's mental health. These days, most people
live hectic and chaotic lives, with little time to relax and relieve stress. A constant
build up of stress can seriously affect someone's mental health. Knowing that a pet
will be waiting at the door, almost smiling and saying welcome home can ease this
mental burden. A hungry pet may follow an owner around as soon as they get home;
even try opening the food cupboard. These actions will amuse the pet's owners,
helping them relax and unwind by the humorous( antics of a pet. For example, as
soon as I get home from school my cat likes to sit on my shoulders and cry until I
take him for a ride in the car. He enjoys it when I put the window down so he can put
his head out, his tongue hanging out like a dog. The looks I get at stop lights when
other drivers see a 20 pound cat sitting on my shoulders sticking his head out of the
window and purring softly always makes me smile and forget about the stress of
exams and studying.

In conclusion, many people through out the world do not realize the value of pets
and treat them like toys. Pets are very important and should be treated like a member
of the family since they foster emotional development and help people maintain
balanced mental health. A pets love and antics ensure people are able to relate to
the world and don't become emotionally distant.
SAMPLE 18

The Absence Of Sporting Spirit And Its Consequences

The world from the dawn of civilization has been enjoying sports. One of the
pastimes of the rulers was to arrange for periodical sports. It may be hunting,
chariot race , horse riding, wrestling and boxing. Organized sports were popular in
Greece, especially Olympia from which modem Olympic games have derived their
names. Sports were for fun and frolics . In the middle ages sports were very popular
in European countries. Sports are supposed to develop many good qualities. There
may be healthy competition and rivalry and never enmity or bitterness. It is and
should be for the sports' sake and not for winning the laurels . This is the real
sporting spirit. There are rules and regulations in play and games. The sporting spirit
implies the following of rules whether one wins or loses. The outcome or the result is
not the important thing but how the game is played.

A real sportsman takes things easy. Take for instance, an angler sitting by the
river side from morning till evening, casting his line into the water. He may not
always be lucky to have a catch. Still he whistles back home happy in the evening
when the night sets in. It is not the catch that is the point but the angler's attitude. He
cannot grow angry and break the fishing rod. Then he has lost the fun. So too in any
game the winner or the loser, much more so the latter must be able to take things
easy. A real sportsman does not lose his head when he wins nor is he bowled over
when he loses.

The crux of the problem is whether a sportsman plays the game; in other words if
he strictly follows the rules of the game and never adopts foul means to get a win.
But unfortunately this point is missing. In certain modem sports, games like horse
racing, they dope the horses. The Olympic games where one expects the ideas to
prevail seems to be no exception. There are instances of doping and impersonation
and hence vigorous tests are given and the competitors are checked seriously.

When the sporting spirit is absent or missing, naturally very unpleasant

consequences can ensue. Very ugly scenes are more often the rule in football
matches. Referees are manhandled and the crowd become partisan Cricket was a
king of games where such behavior was unheard of. But of late, even in cricket
unpleasant things do happen; when a player is signaled out by the umpire , he loses
his temper and grimaces at the umpire and so on and makes a show of his
unpleasantness. Bowlers are being very often warned. All these result from lack of
sporting spirit.

A good sportsman knows his game rather than the rules of the game and follows
them willingly. In whatever position he is placed he plays his part. He cooperates with
all the members of the team and works always for the good of the team of which he
forms a part. He develops espirit de corps morale) and in and outside the field he
shows this sporting spirit. He never plays foul though there are few who turn
mercenary and wreck the fortune of their team for the sake of money or other
considerations

This sportsman's spirit may be developed in ordinary life. In whatever walk of life
one finds himself he must be able to do his duty. Material gains apart, he must be
able to deliver the goods. He must be reliable and a good companion() to his
comrades. He is faithful and obedient to his superiors . He goes about his duty
without gossiping and scandal mongering . Then people call him a good sportsman.
Such people are scarce but they are assets wherever they are found.

If people do know the value of the sporting spirit why then the rarity or the
absence of it ? Simply it is because of selfishness. For personal glory or ownership
or name, one grows selfish. The selfishness gets started in early childhood. Jealousy
and rivalry and sometimes even lack of security lead to selfishness. Very often
children do not want to part with their play things or share them with, others. When
this selfishness grows into life, there will be absence of sporting spirit. Such people
keep themselves in isolation and they never mix freely with others. Temperamentally
they are non-companionable and they are never happy nor add to the happiness of
others. So we see that this sporting spirit must be developed even when they are
children. Here comes the Cubs, Girl Guides and Boy Scouts movement which
develop in their incumbents all the good qualities of a sportsman.