Summary - Choice of Clothes - Autumn 2015

The choice of clothes by adolescents is important because these clothes demonstrate who they are - they are an expression of young people’s identities and they can demonstrate that they are different. Type of clothes can also affect communication as looking the same allows peers to interact easier and this will allow youths to be accepted into groups. However, there are some negative effects. Others may look down upon people who are wearing different or unusual clothing. If young people, don’t wear a particular style of clothes, they won’t be accepted into groups. Therefore, young people make focus on brand-name clothing, leading to buying things that they cannot afford.

The Beauty of Books (Autumn 2013)

Many people get to know about the plots and characters in books solely by watching the subsequent movie. However, I believe that rather than watching the movie, it is much more beneficial to read the book first for a number of reasons.

First of all, films only tell the story at a superficial level whereas books go into more detail about the characters, the setting and the plot. In addition, you have time to reflect while reading books; for example, when you reach a thought-provoking part of the story, you can set the book aside to think more deeply about what the author is trying to say. It is difficult to do this with films. Moreover, films are just interpretations of the original book. Directors and script writers manipulate the story so as it fits in with what they think the audience is looking for, resulting in the original intentions of the author to be lost or distorted; by reading the book, you can better understand the original meaning of the author.

While there is no doubt that films based on books can be highly entertaining and thought-provoking, in my opinion there is no better sense of satisfaction than winding the day away with a really enjoyable book.

A Surprise Party (Oct/Nov 2013)

Hi Mary,

How are you? I hope your examinations went well. I’m sorry that I haven’t written for such a long time but I was really busy organising a surprise homecoming party for my brother. Anyway, I’m writing to tell you about the event.

As you know, Joe has been working abroad and recently got a fantastic promotion, so we all wanted to congratulate him personally with a big party. It was a lot of work. First, we had to tidy the house from top to bottom. Then, we spent hours in the kitchen cooking all his favourite foods such as Thai curry, Japanese sushi and Mexican burritos. To top it off, we made a sumptuous chocolate cheesecake for desert. Dad picked him up at the airport, with not a squeak from him about the party. When Joe entered the house, all the lights were out. Suddenly, Dad turned on the lights to reveal a room full of friends and relatives. Joe was totally surprised but after the initial shock he was beaming with delight. He couldn’t stop smiling all evening.

It’s a pity you weren’t there, but hopefully you can pay us a visit in the not too distant future. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Best wishes
Sue

Space Exploration - An Expensive Folly? - Summer 2017

Mankind has always been fascinated by the stars, and with advances in technology we now have the ability to explore deeper and deeper into space. This technology is expensive though, and some people argue that the money used could be better spent on things such as education and healthcare. However, in my opinion, we shouldn’t cut back on funding space exploration for a number of reasons.

From a long-term perspective, at the rate we are destroying the earth, either through overpopulation, pollution or weapons development, the time may come when the earth is no longer habitable. Space exploration allows us to discover new potential worlds to which we can relocate and how the body will react on the long trips needed to get to these new worlds. From a short-term perspective, the technology being developed for space exploration can be used for more terrestrial needs. For example, this technology has allowed us to develop better aircraft, better computing systems and better solar technologies. Furthermore, space exploration, such as the deployment of the Hubble telescope, allows us to better understand the origins of the universe and how Earth was formed.

In conclusion, while education and healthcare should not be left underfunded, I believe that benefits derived from space exploration justify the costs.

(216 words)

Work Experience - Summer 2017

Hi Leo,

How are you? I hope you're doing well. I’m sorry that I haven’t written for a while but I was busy doing work experience. Anyway, I’m writing to tell you about what I did.

My father knows the general manager of the local hotel, so he was able to get me a job for the summer. My main task was to welcome guests and take their luggage to and from their rooms. However, towards the end of the summer, I also worked in reception. Even though the working day was long, I generally enjoyed my time there. One main benefit was that my English really improved as most of the guests were from overseas. While working as a receptionist, I had many opportunities to have longer conversations as guests needed a lot of information about the area. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the job was talking with the younger guests and finding out about youth culture in their countries.

Have you ever done work experience? If so, please write soon to tell me about it. Looking forward to hearing from you.

All the best,
Pei Pei

Summary - Why are we shrinking? - Summer 2013

One reason that we have shrunk over the last 10,000 years is due to lifestyle changes, such as switching from hunting to agriculture. Another reason is linked to diet; cereals lacked micronutrients and vitamins. A final reason is social inequality as the ruling classes took most of the better food from the poorer classes. Our brains has also diminished in size mainly due to need to be more efficient. Scientists believe that the brain needs to conserve energy to be better able to do the different types of tasks required in modern societies. However, they also believe that smaller brains don’t make us less intelligent.

Letter - A Charity Event - Summer 2013

Hi Barry,

How are you? I hope you are well. I’m really sorry that I haven’t written to you for such a long time but I’ve been really busy organising an event for a local charity. Anyway, I’m writing to tell you about how it went.

We decided to select the “Hand2Hand Foundation” because it is doing great work with underprivileged children in the area. At first, we couldn’t decide what to do, but then we agreed on doing a cake sale. It was a lot of work as we had to reserve the school hall and then set it up. This involved a lot of heavy work as we had to move a lot of tables and chairs into the hall. We also had to do a lot of campaigning to ensure that students in the school would help bake cakes and come to the event itself. Overall, I believe that the event was quite successful as we raised almost 10,000 baht for the charity; however, next time I would like to get more parents involved in the bake.

Have you done anything like this? If so, please let me know what you did. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Jim
(205 words)

Article - The Power of Music - Oct/Nov 2009

We are surrounded by music, be it from the television or radio or, more recently, from our mobile devices and youtube. While there is no doubt that listening to music has many benefits, it also has the potential to be disruptive too.

One of the many benefits of music is that it has the power to change our moods. For example, if we are feeling sluggish, listening to an upbeat rock or pop song can give us an energy boost. Or if we are feeling stressed, music can help us to relax and unwind. In addition, listening to music can educate us as it allows us to hear what other people are thinking or saying. Furthermore, if the creator of the music is from another culture, we can get a deeper understanding of the world in which we live.

However, what one person may consider as music is what another may consider as noise. Therefore, we should be considerate when playing music. It should never be played too loud, particularly when in public places. Also, there are some songs with questionable lyrics that might offend others.

In conclusion, music has the power to uplift us but we must always be sensitive to the needs of others when we play it.

Summary - Game-based Learning - Oct/Nov 2009

Rodriguez Diaz believed that students would benefit from game-based learning in a number of ways. First, they would be more motivated and develop a better aptitude for learning. In addition, students would be more relaxed while learning and they would develop social skills. Furthermore, game-based learning would cater for all types of learners. In fact, game-based learning enabled students to advance in mathematics, to help younger students develop vocabulary, reading and creative writing skills, and to help students, particularly boys, develop more complex dialogues.

Summary - Free Diving - Oct/Nov 2009 (Core)

Free diving differs from scuba diving no breathing apparatus is needed, air bubbles aren’t released and fish aren’t scared. However, when free diving you need to ensure safety by wearing the correct weight, staying calm, diving with a ‘spotter and having experts on alert nearby. Finally, the aim of free diving is to dive for as deep and as long as possible and to continually train to be the best.

Letter - World Youth Group - May/June 2009

Dear Form,

I am writing to tell you about an exciting invitation that we have received from the Association of World Youth Groups. They are looking for us to send a team on students to participate in the building of a small clinic in Nepal. 

In order to be considered for the project, you will need a number of core skills. First, you must be good at communicating and socialising. Next, it is desirable, though not necessary, that you have some ability to design and construct. In addition, the ability to speak other languages, particularly Hindi, would be beneficial. However, perhaps the most important skills needed are the abilities to work hard, be flexible and be open-minded. Finally, while staying in Nepal will be free, it is expected that participants pay for their own flights and bring a small amount of pocket money.

If you are interested in joining, please send me an essay by the end of the week outlining the reasons why you should be selected. Team members will be selected based on this letter and subsequent interviews. If you would like further details, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,
John Smith

Article - Are dangerous sports worth the risk? (Oct/Nov 2008)

Recently, more and more people have been ending up in hospitals due to accidents resulting from dangerous or risky sports and activities. There have been calls to limit access to these activities; however, I believe that with proper regulation, people should be encouraged to participate as much as possible.

First of all, people have become bored with traditional sports and are looking for new challenges. Without access to more adventurous sports, they might give up on doing any exercise, which in the long run will lead to more hospital admissions. Furthermore, these challenges add spice to people’s lives, making them happier which will ultimately result in people leading more productive lives. Moreover, these new activities are a boon to the economy, particularly in rural areas. They create extra employment and bring much needed money into local communities, both rural and urban.

So I believe that we should not restrict people for doing these so-called ‘dangerous’ activities. Instead, we should ensure that there is a system of rules and regulations in place, which is properly enforced, to minimise the number of accidents. By doing this, we can reap all the benefits that these activities provide.

Summary - Jake Meyer, mountaineer - May/June 2008 (Core) V1

Not only is Jake Meyer one of the world’s quickest climbers, he is the youngest Brit to climb Everest and the youngest man to summit each continent’s highest mountain. He trains hard, relying of how he feels and young age, stops very rarely, sets higher targets and ignores pain. However, there are still dangers and on his last adventure in America he had to be careful with altitude, wild animals and road accidents.

Formal Letter - Legal age for learning to drive - SI Pg 80

Dear Editor,

Recently, the government has proposed that the legal age for learning to drive should be increased by five years. I’m writing this letter to you as I’m strongly opposed to this for a number of reasons.

First of all, for those people living in rural areas, being able to drive at a younger age is a necessity, not a luxury. In addition, putting an age on people’s levels of maturity is impossible. It is quite feasible that some 17-year-olds would be more mature than some 30-year-olds, therefore better able to drive. Furthermore, by not allowing younger people to drive, their independence would be restricted as they would be dependent on older members of their family for lifts. This is particularly the case for those young people who have already started working. One final reason is that it is an infringement on young people’s human rights. After all, they are able to get married at 16, smoke, drink alcohol and vote at 18, so why shouldn’t they be allowed to drive.

In conclusion, while I agree with the fact that young people are involved in more accidents, I still believe that the age limit for learning to drive should remain the same.

Yours faithfully,
Sean Dowling

Summary - Causes and effects of insomnia

Insomnia can be caused by surrounding factors such as an uncomfortable bed or living in a noisy neighbourhood. Our emotions, such as anxiety, anger or resentment, can also keep us awake at night. In addition, a medical condition called sleep apnoea, which interrupts breathing and consequently sleeping through a lack of oxygen. Finally, stimulants such as certain foods, coffee and fizzy drinks can keep us awake at night. Insomnia can have many debilitating effects on our lifestyles. For example, it can lead to road accidents. Furthermore, it can weaken our immune systems leading to serious diseases. It can also lead to overeating and to premature ageing.

(Original article: Success International - Pg 62)

Summary - I went down four sizes

Before Sheila lost weight she felt depressed about gaining weight but did not face the problem. She enjoyed cooking for her family and entertaining at home. The house was always stocked with tempting food. At work she ate food the patients gave her or other snacks. After work she would feel exhausted and do no exercise. Since she lost weight, she has more self-respect, more energy and more enthusiasm for life. She find the dieting plan suits her because she and her family can still eat things they enjoy, and she enjoys the fitness classes.

(Original article - Success International Pg. 59)

Summary: Teenagers and Texting

Here's a summary for the "Teenagers and Texting" article (click here for original). Note the use of linking/transition words.

Texting is a simple, cheap way to stay in touch with classmates and friends. It is also less intimidating than talking. However, texting can result in many problems. For example, access to texts at night disrupts sleeping. In addition, constant texting can cause hand injuries, particularly to the thumbs. Furthermore, texting during class time causes students to lose concentration and stop listening to the teacher. Moreover, the ease of texting leads to students being unable to make their decisions, thereby making them less independent. Finally, as texting uses abbreviations, this can lead to poor development of spelling.