• IELTS Writing Task 2: Early adopter of new technologies

    اسفند ۲۱, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being an early adopter of new technologies.

     

    State-of-the-art technology has dramatically impacted a wide range of issues ranging from economy to culture in different nations. There is still no general consensus on pros and cons of being an early adopter of cutting-edge technological breakthroughs as it can have as many advantages as disadvantages.

    With regard to plus points, early adopters of modern equipment are likely to take advantage of having access to what may or may not be accessible to others in coming years, meaning they are one step ahead of their potential rivals. An illustration of this is all commercial enterprises that pioneered the field of artificial intelligent and virtual reality. Had they not taken the lead, they would not be market leaders. Moreover, first buyers of cool and awesome gadgets might be entitled to special terms and conditions in exchange not only for dealing with the bugs that most early-stage products have but also for their word-of-mouth marketing for a new device that might bolster its reputation.

    Nevertheless, those who order newest high-tech gadgets as soon as they are released run the risk of paying maximum price that the product will ever be worth. Indeed, despite the fact that they are being charged exorbitantly, they would rarely be able to fetch the same price were they to resell it. Furthermore, early adopters might fall victim to an overhyped release whether it is a PC game or a high-tech gadget. In other words, the product may not be what they expected it to be that explains why as an early adopters, you are probably shooting in the dark. The last but not least, when new innovations come onto the scene, they are bound to come with compatibility issues that can prove inconvenient at best or unusable at worst. For example, when USB 3.0 first came out, it required a new port.

    To sum it all up in one word, it would be uncertainty. I personally am willing to concede early adoption would appear more like a desperate gamble and I am not the one who takes it.

    Hamid Mollazadeh

    Time: 55′

    Word count: 345

  • IELTS Writing, Task 2: to use energy-saving modes of transportation like hybrid cars

    اسفند ۸, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

     Some prefer to use energy-saving modes of transportation like hybrid cars.

     

    Discuss pros and cons of this mode of transportation.

     

    Popularity of oft-mentioned hybrid cars, which can switch between a fossil fuel and an alternate energy source, has grown immensely over the last decade. Hybrid automobiles not only conserve fuel but also emit less environmentally-unfriendly gases namely carbon dioxide. Nevertheless, green cars’ high cost and low power might be cited as major drawbacks.

     

    To begin with, the most distinct advantage of hybrid cars over gasoline-powered vehicles is that they run cleaner because of which they are exempted from traffic congestion scheme charges in metropolises. For instance in Tehran in addition to emergency response vehicles including police, fire and ambulance services, hybrid means of transport is also allowed to enter banned areas for free whereas fossil fuel powered cars are either levied monthly charges or not permitted in the commercial and business center of the city. Moreover, energy-saving vehicles have better gas mileage, meaning despite covering longer distances than regular automobiles, they are bound to consume much less petrol that is one of the main culprits and contributors behind the worsening air pollution.

     

    In contrast, looking at downside of eco-friendly forms of transport, it might be argued that they are less powerful than single engine cars. Translation: they are suited neither for racing nor for carrying heavy goods, which explains why their market share is limited compared to that of traditional cars. Furthermore, they are seemingly highly priced and a significant proportion of the world population is unlikely to be able to afford them. Take Iran, a nation of 80 million people, as a case in point. Close to 20 million cars are possessed by a wide range of households in this country, of which less than 1% is hybrid due to their exorbitant prices.

     

    Having considered all the above-mentioned facts, I personally concede that there is a promising future for green energy fueled vehicles, although they may not be economically viable in a large number of countries for the time being. 

     

     

    Hamid Mollazadeh

    Time: 50′

    Word count: 340

  • IELTS Exam: Practical structures

    اسفند ۵, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Must-Used Structures in the IETLS Exam

     ۱٫ Passive

    It is believed that stress is the root cause of so many mental and physical disorders.

    Stress is believed / thought to be the root cause of a large number of chronic diseases.

    It is assumed that tourism cannot boom unless host countries make visitors feel at home.

    Tourism is assumed / suggested to have both merits and drawbacks.

    2. Conditional sentences + inversion

    Had it not been for the surveillance camera, the police would not be able to identify the kidnappers.

    If I were a celebrity, I would organize a charity dinner and hold an auction to help the needy in the country.

    Should noise pollution be not tackled, it can cause irreparable damage.

    Were the government to create jobs, adolescents would not opt for criminal activities.

    3. Of which / of whom

    Adopting one-child policy has some drawbacks the most noteworthy of which is gender imbalance.

    There are a large number of infamous politicians the most notorious of whom is Hitler.

    4. Not only … but also …

    Not only can carpooling provide individuals with financial benefits, but also it can protect the environment against eco-unfriendly fuels namely gasoline and diesel.

    Not only is being fashionable waste of time, but also it is kind of squandering money.

    5. Moreover, … however, … therefore …

    The Internet has made communication more effective; moreover, educational methods have profoundly been affected by the technology.

    PC games stretch children’s imagination. However, getting addicted to them can totally destroy their future.

    Mothers have always played a key role in nurturing their offsprings; therefore, literacy campaigns must be conducted to abolish illiteracy among them.

    Corruption prevails among public officials. Furthermore, bribery is common in many areas of everyday life, including politics, the legal system, business, the entertainment industry, medicine, and sports, to name but a few.

    6. Participle phrases

    Not believing in luck, I have always made concerted efforts to fulfill my dreams.

    Having had limited sources of fossil fuels, most European states have invested heavily in renewables to harness the power of wind and sun.

    7. Noun clause as the subject

    What divorce does is shattering kids’ confidence and threatening their future.

    The fact that carrying guns has a detrimental effect on providing security for the city dwellers is glaringly obvious.

    Whether homeschooling is more advantageous than traditional one has triggered heated debates.

    8. Perfect modals

    The government should have introduced family planning schemes much earlier.

    Terrorist attacks in London could have had much more disastrous consequences.

    Brain drain should have been addressed long time ago.

    The suicide bombers must have been brainwashed into carrying out suicide attacks.

    9. Distancing / expressing uncertainty

    It would appear that the less children sleep, the more likely they are to behave badly.

     There are said to be three major reasons for the rampant inflation.

    Seemingly, there is nothing we can do to root out widespread corruption in the government.

    10. Gerund phrases + infinitive phrases

    His having been accused of breaking anti-doping rules will damage his reputation.

    My being a vegetarian for a long time has helped me fight lots of incurable diseases.

    My friend’s having been involved in different businesses has taught him not to trust anyone.

    Juvenile delinquency seems to have become an epidemic in metropolitan cities.

    Global warming seems to be getting worse.

    11. Present perfect continuous

    Astronauts have been exploring the distant regions of outer space with the help of robotic spacecrafts for a long time.

    Environmentalists have been running major campaigns to stop unloading nuclear waste in landfills.

    12. Emphatic structures

    Opponents of animal testing do insist that animal experimentation is both cruel and unethical.

    Officials themselves believe that corruption occurs most frequently in taxes evasion and customs duties.

    13. Nor

    I do not approve of mercy killing, nor do I agree with capital punishment.

    Business is not booming, nor is inflation decreasing.

  • IELTS Essay Sample: The Upside & Downside of Social Media

    بهمن ۲۴, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    The Upside & Downside of Social Media

    Cyber-based, social media tools namely Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram, without a shadow of doubt, have revolutionized the way people communicate with one another. There are virtues and drawbacks to everything and as this essay will discuss, social networking applications are no exceptions.

      

    On the plus side, social media seem to have the potential to assist individuals in building relationships and strengthening their connections. Twitter, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, as well as a plethora of other similar sites can help an array of people not only be reunited with old intimates but also pour out troubles anonymously. To be precise, remaining anonymous while sharing concerns with whomever you may or may not know is another distinct advantage of interacting with others via the newly- emerged mediums as some find it more relaxing to express their problems openly when nobody is aware of their real identity. For instance, there are those in developing countries, suffering from sexually transmitted infections like AIDS, who would easily seek for specialists’ help with a false identity on social media chatting services.

     

      Nevertheless, the very same features that convert social media into practical tools are likely to make them potentially hazardous. Take anonymity as a case in point that might result in a number of cyber-crimes, the most hideous of which are cyber-bullying and phishing, which could be especially problematic for vulnerable adolescents should they not be careful enough. Furthermore, social websites and applications are bound to be addictive. According to World Health Organization issued reports in 2017, internet addiction has been classified among psychological disorders, leading to sedentary lifestyles and sleep deprivation in a large number of juveniles even in far-flung corners of the world.

      

    All things considered, whether internet-based media is healthy or unhealthy would directly be contingent upon how they are utilized. The key to reaping benefits of the cutting-edge technology while evading problems is to take advantage of such tools productively and in moderation.

     

     Hamid Mollazadeh

    Word count: 330

    Time: 55′

  • IELTS Essay Sample: Superstition arises from ignorance

    بهمن ۹, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Superstition arises from ignorance, but why do you think the advancement of science and modern education has not yet been able to eradicate such baseless beliefs?

    Taking superstitions seriously has been a source of contention for long as not everybody believes in irrational beliefs and supernatural influences, especially when they may lead to good or bad luck. No matter how developed science and technology are or will be in the future, I concede superstations are here to stay due to the reasons this essay will discuss.

    To begin with, superstitions are deeply ingrained in most people from an early age. Across the globe, young boys and girls are taught methodically to have faith in and show reverence for such creeds; in other words, they are indispensable parts of most cultures regardless of modern education systems they might use. Take Iran as a case in point where adolescents learn not only to avoid being jinxed but also to ward off evil eyes by burning esfand, a century-old tradition that is still in practice.

    Furthermore, widely held but scientifically unproven belief in supernatural influences can be a soothing control mechanism. To put it simply, some feel desperate to find reasons for the misfortunes they suffer. Were it not for superstitions, they would not be able to hide their mistakes by putting the blame on luck that in their viewpoint can only be controlled by paranormal forces. According to recent surveys, a large proportion of Sri Lankans believe in the paranormal in some form, one of which is performing animal sacrifices to soothe away their discomfort by asking the supernatural for good luck.

    To sum up, deeply rooted in people’s belief system, superstitions are as old as human history; as a result, they are unlikely to fade away in a foreseeable future no matter how much science and technology advance.

    Hamid Mollazdeh

    Word count: 300

    Time: 45′

  • IELTS Essay Sample: High Time to Pull the Plug on Dam Constructions

    بهمن ۷, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    High Time to Pull the Plug on Dam Constructions

     

    The mind boggles when officials take turns in proudly announcing that plans are underway to complete 120 dams across the country, of which 43 “must” be ready by 2022. Of the 172 dams in Iran close to 96 are running out of water.

     

    Due to the systemic decline in rainfall, especially in the central and southern regions, more than half (54%) the dams, except for those in Kermanshah Province, are less than 40% full.

     

    Each of the 120 incomplete dams needs minimum $50 million to be up and running. Given that average annual precipitation (200 millimeters) declined by 50% during the last decade, academia, environmentalists and water experts ask one simple question: Why do officials insist on building more dams when they know very well that there is no water to store.

     

    It is obvious that those in charge in Tehran know that the rate at which dams are built in the world has plunged from almost 1,000 a year in the mid-1970s to about 250 in the early 2000s.

     

    Moreover, the World Commission on Dams has found out that dams at best have been marginally viable in economic terms. The average cost overrun of dams is 56. Translation: when a dam is predicted to cost $1 billion, it ends up costing $1.56 billion. In many cases, the burden of uneconomic dams falls on the shoulders of the people of that country while the project contractors walk away with a tidy profit and another project to add to their portfolio. 

     

    Nonetheless, some officials, including Mohammad Hajrasouliha, chief executive of Iran’s Water Resources Management Company (a subsidiary of the Energy Ministry) justify their pro-dam policy and say that the 43 dams that should become operational at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion in the next three years are crucial for potable water supply.

     

    ***Alternatives

     

    Authorities seem to be oblivious of the fact that building dams is not the only way to meet rising demand, especially when it is said that 700 million cubic meters of water is wasted in the country every year. Thus, no matter how many dams are built, a huge amount of water will be wasted unless dilapidated underground piping systems in cities and towns are either repaired or replaced.

     

    Moreover, helping farmers upgrade their outdated irrigation systems in the deprived areas, taking advantage of treated sewage, gray-water, storm-water for non-potable purposes such as farming, recharging underground water sources during a wet year or a season (often winter) when water is available as well as promoting judicious consumption patterns are among alternatives that have been ignored and not attracted half the attention as dam building.

     

    Farming and growing crops generally is wasteful, especially in the poorer regions. Experts say the cheapest and most effective way of providing more water to cities and small towns is to increase and augment water efficiency it he key agro sector. Alleviating seepage and waste in the urban water supply networks must also top the priority list.

     

    Problems of dams namely ecological disruption and seepage and evaporation notwithstanding, in Iran’s rent-based economy dam construction is still profitable because such projects are not necessarily undertaken by one or two contractors. The norm is that more than 10 contractors are involved as they keep changing and work gets delayed.

     

    According to Paris-based International Commission on Large Dams, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the sharing of professional information and knowledge of the design and construction, Iran is ranked second after Turkey in building dams. It merits mention that the average annual precipitation in the neighboring country at 600 millimeters is three times of Iran.

     

    The bottom line is that dams, though crucial sources of water and electricity, are not the optimal solution to alleviate Iran’s water crisis under the present conditions.

     

    True, it is not possible to eliminate all dams. But concerted efforts must be made to pull the plug on dam constructions. Failing to do so will indeed create dangerous illusions of water abundance and make a bad situation worse.

     

    Hamid Mollazadeh

    Word count: 650

    Time: 1:30′

     

     

  • IELTS Writing Task 2: Air pollution

    بهمن ۳, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Air pollution is the largest environmentally-related global health risk of our time.

    What is the menace rooted in?

    What are the health impacts?

    What steps should be followed to face the constant threat?

    The fact that air pollution jeopardizes the lives of a large number of children, adolescents and adults across the globe is glaringly evident. The grave danger could be attributed not only to burning fossil fuels but also to exhaust emissions of factories and industries. This essay will also discuss both detrimental effects and efficient ways to counter the serious threat.

    Focusing on contributing factors, a great deal of air pollution comes from energy consumption and production. To put it simply, burning fossil fuels like coal and other factory combustibles releases an array of greenhouse gases and hazardous chemicals into the air, the most lethal of which are sulfur and carbon dioxide. Moreover, pollutants released from vehicles including planes, dilapidated cars and smog-inducing gas-guzzlers that have long outlived their usefulness produce immense amount of toxic fumes, resulting in the death of estimated 4.2 million people per annum according to World Health Organization data issued in 2016.

    Regarding the negative impacts, in the young as well as in the elderly, both short- and long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to respiratory infections and aggravated asthma. Adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight in addition to pre-term labor during pregnancy are associated with being exposed to ambient air pollution. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests diesel fumes may develop diabetes and neurological disorders in young boys and girls.

    Moving on to much-needed steps to tackle the issue, on a personal level, driving and flying less, recycling and energy conservation can help reduce people’s carbon footprint—the amount of carbon dioxide a person is responsible for putting into the atmosphere. On a larger scale, governments ought to be required to limit vehicle and industrial emissions by putting direct taxes on carbon emissions or imposing higher levies on gasoline so that city dwellers and industrial complexes will have greater incentives to conserve energy and pollute less. Needless to say, restrictions on old trucks and buses can help improve air quality, especially in the cold season when pollution levels peak.

    The bottom line is that manmade pollution intensified by weather conditions is here to stay and take a heavy toll unless both officials and ordinary citizens do their fair share to help alleviate the worsening crisis.

    Mollazadeh

    Word count: 380

    Time: 60′

  • IELTS Writing Task 2: Noise pollution

    دی ۲۴, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Noise pollution affects both health and behavior.

    What are the main causes for noise pollution?

    What measures can be taken to counter the growing menace?

    The last decade has witnessed a rise in the amount of unwanted sound levels which has exacerbated psychological health as well as causing hypertension, high stress levels, hearing loss and sleep disturbances, to name but a few. Transportation as well as industrial and commercial activities will be discussed in this essay as the major contributing factors leading to noise pollution. Moreover, some practical solutions will be proposed to tackle the issue.

    With regard to transport, the most noise nuisance in cities originates from cars and motorcycles. Millions of vehicles including a plethora of clunkers ply the over congested and overcrowded urban and suburban areas, resulting in high noise level in most residential places neighboring motorways where automobile owners keep honking their horns day in day out. In big cities like Tehran and Mumbai an array of problems has arisen from gas-guzzlers’ ear-splitting noise, making people, especially adolescents, live a miserable and stressful life. Moreover, dwellers in areas close to manufacturing facilities report intense sound levels that can damage hearing ability. Take the noise from pneumatic drills, saws, and rotating belts in construction work and civil engineering projects which produce ear-piercing sound.

    Concerning measures to maintain the noise level as low as possible, it is vital to implement a number of strategies namely installing sound barriers that can help eliminate the sound waves that hit them. Other remedies to check noise nuisance could be creating sound-sensitive zones in the vicinity of educational and medical centers that would make the maximum permissible noise level for the zone at 55 decibel, a safe noise exposure level to reduce the risk of hearing loss. Moreover, allowable decibel levels for motor vehicles should be revised and be set on par with global standards in terms of noise from exhaust systems, engines, horns, brakes and sound systems.

    Given the current state of affairs and the realities of modern life, this conclusion can be made that deafening noises created in our world are not going to fall silent overnight. Instead, it is recommended that we find realistic and sustainable ways to manage and reduce them.

    Mollazadeh

    Word count: 350

    Time: 45′

  • IELTS Writing Task 2: fast food

    دی ۲۴, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    In some countries, an increasing number of people are suffering from health problems as a result of eating too much fast food. It is, therefore, necessary for governments to impose a higher tax on this kind of food. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

    People tend to spend much time at work and have little time to come home for a proper meal with their families. Fast foods appear ideal for them to maintain their energy to keep on working through these are not truly healthy foods. Some people believe that government should regulate this food industry by imposing a higher tax on the business on this type of food in order to restrict its potential harm. However, I absolutely disagree with this opinion.

    To start with, fast food could not completely be considered as drug or tobacco. The reason for this is because the letter is used for leisure and thy themselves are the products that can make the users end up becoming addictive. Meanwhile, people have fast foods because they do not have enough time to prepare a lunch or dinner in their own kitchens. They are all likely to have other choices of what and where to eat provided that they could help them to save time.

    Second, fast food or junk foods are considered unhealthy due to the ways to process them. Instead of imposing a higher tax on the outlet owners, the government should have programmers that encourage producers and cooks to alter their methods of cooking. For example, the frying process could be replaced by steaming. More vegetable or fruits could be added to the food items so that they become more nutritious. This solution might take much time to be implemented but it is not quite impossible.

    The final way for the government to tackle the issue could be that they should have more campaign to boost citizens to exercise. Cardiovascular, obese or diabetes could be of genetic or age or other reasons apart from merely having junk foods. Only when people work out regularly are they able to prevent evitable health problems. My cousin who eats hamburgers, spaghetti and pizzas virtually every other day is not only fine in health but also in body shape just because he plays badminton three times a week.

    In conclusion, a certain legal action is taken by the government to mitigate public opinion on fast food is deservedly applauded. I think, however, imposing a higher tax on fast-food producers and outlet owners could not be the most reasonable way to be engaged.

  • IELTS Writing Task 2: Water scarcity prevails in most countries in the world and half a billion people face severe water shortage all year round.

    دی ۱۵, ۱۳۹۷ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Water scarcity prevails in most countries in the world and half a billion people face severe water shortage all year round.

    What is the root cause of the crisis?  What can be done to alleviate the problem?

     

    The last few decades have witnessed an upward trend in the number of people who do not have access to enough water supplies in order to meet their daily needs. The water stress being experienced by the earth is fueled not only by injudicious consumption patterns but also by outdated farming methods. This essay will discuss two underlying causes plus some pragmatic approaches to redress the worrying situation.

     

    To begin with, the critical issue seems to be deeply rooted in unsustainable water consumption habits which have heavily taken their toll on water supplies all around the globe, especially in sprawling capitals where people are blessed with a steady supply of clean water; nonetheless, they often take the privilege for granted. For example, most household consumers keep water running when washing fruits or while taking a shower although they may know that a running tap uses about 16 liters of water per minute. Moreover, farms and their wasteful systems could be considered major contributors to water scarcity all over the globe. To put it simply, in developing and underdeveloped regions agriculture irrigation techniques are pretty inefficient, resulting in large quantities of precious water to be wasted. Take Iran as a case in point in which some 37 million residents are living in water-stressed areas because 92% of the country’s water resources are used up by unsustainable farming practices, which should have been changed long ago.

     

    Turning to solutions, raising people’s awareness of their imprudent water consumption patterns could play a key role in this regard as it can warn them should water consumption habits not change, many parts of the world will turn into barren desert and entire towns and villages will become uninhabitable. Furthermore, installing water desalination units that is tapping into seawater to provide people with potable water is a sensible approach to sustain a steady supply of water rather than deplete the already dwindling underground water resources. Close to 9 billion cubic meters of the Persian Gulf water is desalinated per year, of which 5 bcm are consumed by Saudi Arabia and the rest is used by Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Iran.

     

    To sum up, water crisis has never before threatened people so cruelly and the growing menace will continue doing irreparable harm unless appropriate measures are taken sooner rather than later.

     

    Mollazadeh

    Time: 60′

    Word count: 400 

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