• Writing IELTS: How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress?

    دی ۱, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Many old buildings protected by law are part of a nation’s history. Some people think they should be knocked down and replaced by news ones.

    How important is it to maintain old buildings?

    Should history stand in the way of progress?

    Most nations around the world have at least some, or possibly many, old buildings such as temples, churches and houses in their cities, villages and surrounding areas which have historical significance. In my opinion, it is very important to maintain these, but this does not mean progress should stop.

    Preserving certain old buildings is important for several reasons. Firstly, these structures provide an insight into the history of our countries, showing us how people many centuries ago lived their lives. Without them, we could only learn by books, and it would undoubtedly be sad if this were the only way to see them. Many of these buildings are also very beautiful. Take for example the many religious buildings such as churches and temples that we see around the world. Not only this, but on a more practical level, many of these buildings provide important income to a country as many tourists visit them in great numbers.

    However, this certainly does not mean that modernization should be discouraged. I believe that old buildings can be protected in tandem with progress. For example, in many circumstances we see old historic buildings being renovated whilst maintaining their original character, and being used for modern purposes. Also, in no way does history hinder progress, and in fact it is the opposite. By studying and learning about our history, we understand more about the world we live in, and this helps us to build a better future.

    To conclude, I believe that it is very important to protect and preserve old buildings as we can learn about our history as can others from other countries. Such knowledge can also help us to understand how to modernize our countries in the best way. 

  • Writing IELTS: buildings should be built in a way that serves their purpose OR represent art

    آذر ۲۶, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Writing IELTS
    Some believe buildings should be built in a way that serves their purpose rather than just look beautiful. Others, however, say buildings should represent art too. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

    IELTS Band 8.5 Essay

    Constructing buildings is a complex process that needs to cater to the primary purpose of the construction as well as the requirement of looking distinguished. While some buildings successfully integrate both, some however are inclined towards only one of the two factors. This essay shall discuss the relevant conditions for constructing a building.

    There are a lot of examples in the world regarding buildings that are artistically rich as well as sturdy in their construction. The Florence Cathedral in Italy, the Taj Mahal in India, the palace of Westminster in England are renowned examples of cultural symbols and works of art in the field of architecture, along with being sufficiently equipped to serve the primary cause of their establishment. These buildings are many decades old but are still standing strong and for this reason they are famous worldwide. Therefore we can say that building any structure with both purpose and art is not rare.

    On the contrary, the world has also seen many architectural disasters that were caused due to poor planning and construction, even though they were intended to be assembly of artwork. A near-accurate guess can be that the architects put so much emphasis on the appearance of the building that they neglected the other important features that need to be well thought-out as well. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a stark example of how the foundations of the building weren’t paid adequate attention, resulting that the building couldn’t hold up its own weight.  Many such buildings have suffered collapses due to serious miscalculations in the architectural planning. These illustrations make us wonder whether appearance should totally be sidelined for structural stability of any building.

    In my view, I feel a building should be a combination of style and stability. The primary purpose of a building and the appearance both should be kept in mind while planning and equal weight age should be given to both.

    (318 words)

  • Writing IELTS: When a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and ways of life die out.

    آذر ۲۱, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Writing IELTS

    When a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and ways of life die out. It is pointless to try and keep them alive.

     To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

    Nowadays, technological advances and their rapid and wide applications are having a significant impact on a nation’s traditional skills and ways of life. Some argue that such impact is so extraordinary that it would make conventional skills and life styles obsolete. However, I believe they would continue to thrive by providing alternatives to modern ways of life, and innovative ideas for modern technologies.

    First of all, traditional skills and ways of life are becoming an alternative solution to the problems caused by “mainstreamed” ways of life which are greatly influenced by modern technologies. For instance, a cozy restaurant where traditional, home-brewed beer is served, offers another experience to people who are bored with branded beers that have the same flavor and come out of mass production with new technologies. It is in such a venue where traditional skills are preserved, people become relaxed and educated. Providing diversity and thus enriching modern ways of life, such traditional skills and ways of life would continue to have their place.

    Furthermore, conventional skills provide innovative ideas to the development of modern technologies. For example, sparkled by how the word “Love” is traditionally knitted into a sweater by some ethnic minority women in some parts of Asia, some business managers from textile industry have developed some production lines by applying the traditional skills to Computer-Aided Designs (CAD). The products have boosted the companies’ sales which in turn have increased their investment in preserving traditional skills for further developing their technologies.

    To conclude, traditional skills and life styles are increasingly becoming a useful alternative to the homogeneity brought by global applications of modern technologies. However, the evolution of technologies is a selection process, whereby some would become obsolete, but there is no doubt that some would thrive when their roles are appreciated.

  • IELTS Writing: Do the dangers derived from the use of chemicals in food production and preservation outweigh the advantages?

    آذر ۱۹, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    IELTS Writing:
    Do the dangers derived from the use of chemicals in food production and preservation outweigh the advantages?

    Most foods that are purchased these days in small stores and supermarkets have chemicals in them as these are used to improve production and ensure the food lasts for longer. However, there are concerns that these have harmful effects.  In my opinion, the potential dangers from this are greater than the benefits we receive.

    There are several reasons why chemicals are placed in food. Firstly, it is to improve the product to the eye, and this is achieved via the use of colourings which encourage people to purchase food that may otherwise not look tempting to eat. Another reason is to preserve the food. Much of the food we eat would not actually last that long if it were not for chemicals they contain, so again this is an advantage to the companies that sell food as their products have a longer shelf life.

    From this evidence, it is clear to me that the main benefits are, therefore, to the companies and not to the customer. Although companies claim these food additives are safe and they have research to support this, the research is quite possibly biased as it comes from their own companies or people with connections to these companies. It is common to read reports these days in the press about possible links to various health issues such as cancer. Food additives have also been linked to problems such as hyperactivity in children.

    To conclude, despite the fact that there are benefits to placing chemicals in food, I believe that these principally help the companies but could be a danger to the public. It is unlikely that this practice can be stopped, so food must be clearly labeled and it is my hope that organic products will become more readily available at reasonable prices to all.

     

  • IELTS Letter Writing: Your-have a full-time job and are also doing a part-time evening course. You naive find that you cannot continue the course.

    آذر ۱۸, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    IELTS Letter Writing:

    You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

    Your-have a full-time job and are also doing a part-time evening course. You naive find that you cannot continue the course.

    Write a letter to your neighbours. In your letter

           describe the situation

           explain why you cannot continue at this time

           say what action you would like to take

    Write at least 150 words.

    You do NOT need to write any addresses.

    Begin your letter as follows:

    Dear …………….. ,

    model answer:

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    My name is Muhamad Abdul. I am taking a part-time evening course. I am having a hard time keeping up with this course. I am afraid I cannot continue the course.
    My problem is, I have a full-time job, from 9am – ۵pm. Sometimes, I am asked to stay extra hours, to finish up the rest of the work. That is because the holidays are coming up soon. Also I have to do some work preparations for the next day.

    At night when I get home, I am too tired to even prepare a dinner for myself. Also I have no time to study for this course.
    I would like drop this course this quarter. Then take it again the next quarter. So, please accept my situation.

    Thank you for your cooperation

    Sincerely

    M. Abdul

    (135 words)

  • Writing IELTS: animal experiments are widely used to develop new medicines

    آبان ۳۰, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Writing IELTS:  animal experiments are widely used to develop new medicines

    Nowadays animal experiments are widely used to develop new medicines and to test the safety of other products. Some people argue that these experiments should be banned because it is morally wrong to cause animals to suffer, while others are in favour of them because of their benefits to humanity.

    Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

    It is true that medicines and other products are routinely tested on animals before they are cleared for human use. While I tend towards the viewpoint that animal testing is morally wrong, I would have to support a limited amount of animal experimentation for the development of medicines.

    On the one hand, opponents of animal testing opine that there are clear ethical arguments against animal experimentation. To use a common example of this practice, laboratory mice may be given an illness so that the effectiveness of a new drug can be measured. Opponents of such research argue that humans have no right to subject animals to this kind of trauma, and that the lives of all creatures should be respected. They believe that the benefits to humans do not justify the suffering caused, and that scientists should use alternative methods of research.

    On the other hand, supporters of the use of animals in medical research believe that a certain amount of suffering on the part of mice or rats can be justified if human lives are saved. To put it simply, reliable alternatives to animal experimentation may not always be available, so this issue may be a necessary evil where new drugs and medical procedures are concerned. They argue that opponents of such research might feel differently if a member of their own families needed a medical treatment that had been developed through the use of animal experimentation.

    To sum up, I personally agree with the banning of animal testing for non-medical products except for vital medical research until equally effective alternatives have been developed.

  • The most useful academic collocations Part 4

    آبان ۳۰, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    The most useful academic collocations Part 4

    40. Reach a consensus - develop a general agreement

     E.g. “A consensus conference was organized to evaluate the data and reach a consensus on optimal treatment protocols”.

     

    ۴۱٫ Reciprocal relationship - benefiting both parties equally

     E.g. “The aim of the present study is to examine the reciprocal relationship between parental attachment and adolescent internalising and externalising problem behaviour”.

     

    ۴۲٫ Seem plausible - appear possible or likely

     E.g. “Again, even though the results seem plausible, they are hard to interpret in the absence of a theory”.

     

    ۴۳٫ Specific examples - focussed examples

     E.g. “The specific examples used are shown to have a substantial biasing effect on diagnostic accuracy”.

     

    ۴۴٫ Theoretical approach - focussing on theories rather than practical application

     E.g. “A new theoretical approach to language has emerged in the past 10–۱۵ years that allows linguistic observations about form–meaning pairings, known as ‘constructions’, to be stated directly”.

     

    ۴۵٫ Typical example - an example which is common or expected in its outcome

     E.g. “A typical example would be the design of a trial to evaluate the benefits of specialist stroke units”.

     

    ۴۶٫ Underlying assumption - a belief which dictates other beliefs

     E.g. “Much of ecological theory is based on the underlying assumption of equilibrium population dynamics”.

     

    ۴۷٫ Universally accepted - an assumption which is not commonly disputed

     E.g. “The idea of a biological root to human nature was almost universally accepted at the turn of the century”.

     

    ۴۸٫ Vary considerably - to be widely different in form or features

     E.g. “The results of these procedures vary considerably among patients”.

     

    ۴۹٫ Vast majority - an overwhelming amount

     E.g. “The vast majority of cases occur in developing countries, mainly because of lack of screening”. 

  • Writing IELTS: The football World Cup and other international sporting occasions

    آبان ۲۸, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Writing IELTS: The football World Cup and other international sporting occasions

    Popular events like the football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are essential in easing international tensions and releasing patriotic emotions in a safe way.

    Every four years, the whole world stops to watch international sporting events such as the Olympics and the Football World Cup in which athletes show their best performance to make their country proud of them. These sporting occasions have proved to be helpful in easing international tensions in difficult times when powerful leaders were trying to control the world?s economy and other governments were fighting over land.

    The Olympic Games are one of the best examples which prove how sporting events can bring nations together, at least temporarily. From ancient History, when Greeks and Romans would interrupt battles to participate in the games, to the more recent international disputes, when athletes from Palestine and Israel would forget their differences, compete pacifically and even embrace each other after an event. Moreover, these popular events have called the world?s attention to the terrible consequences of wars; thus some leaders have tried to accept agreements to end their dispute and live peacefully.

    Similarly, international sporting events show benefits in some developing countries which live in a daily internal civil war. For example, Brazil has a high rate of unemployment, lack of education, hunger, crime, poverty and corruption which leads to an immense embarrassment of being Brazilian and a low self-esteem. However, when the Football World Cup starts, the Brazilian squad, which is considered the best team in the world, provokes an amazing feeling of pride in their country. Most people seem to forget all their problems and even the criminal activity decreases. They paint roads with the national colors, use wear the Brazilian team shirt and buy national flags. Moreover, the competition brings families and neighbors together and even rival gangs watch the games and celebrate peacefully.

    In conclusion, popular sporting events play an important role in decreasing international tensions and liberating patriotic feelings as History has shown.

    This is a great essay, the ideas, language, structure of paragraphs and sentences, grammar show high level of English. In my opinion it is Band 8. Keep up the good work.

  • The most useful academic collocations Part 3

    آبان ۲۸, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    The most useful academic collocations Part 3

    21. Immediately apparent - obvious and clear at that moment

     E.g. “The reasons for this are not immediately apparent and deserve further investigation”.

     

    ۲۲٫ Increase the likelihood - to make more likely or plausible

     E.g. “Numerous high school students engage in behaviours that increase their likelihood of death from these four causes”.

     

    ۲۳٫ Key element - a main or fundamental component

     E.g. “Provisional restorations represent a key element in the realization of extensive esthetic rehabilitations”.

     

    ۲۴٫ Largely confined - focussed in a particular area

     E.g. “The metabolic syndrome is largely confined to overweight and obese adults”.

     

    ۲۵٫ Literal interpretation - a non-metaphorical or figurative reading

     E.g. “In Experiment 2, targets were phrases that could be given either an idiomatic or a literal interpretation”.

     

    ۲۶٫ Major challenge - a large or fundamental problem

     E.g. “Keeping up with the population increase is a major challenge for urban areas”.

     

    ۲۷٫ Markedly different - noticeably distinct

     E.g. “The spectrum of pyridine coordinately bonded to the surface is markedly different from that of the pyridinium ion”.

     

    ۲۸٫ Negative connotation - suggesting something bad or wrong

     E.g. “The label placebo was avoided because of its negative connotation”.

     

    ۲۹٫ Newly emerging - novel or original concept first being introduced

     E.g. “This is a book about a newly emerging area of research in instructional technology”.

     

    ۳۰٫ Offer insight - present a deep or original analysis

     E.g. “This study reveals what those practices are and may offer insight for how they fit into future workplaces”.

  • Writing IELTS Task 2: Why criminal acts are committed by teenagers?

    آبان ۲۶, ۱۳۹۶ نام: حمید ملازاده

    Writing IELTS Task 2:
    In some countries, a high proportion of criminal acts are committed by teenagers. Why has this happened? What can be done to deal with this?

     

    Today, youth crime is rife. Theft, burglary or even murder are now committed by people of younger and younger ages. The aim of this essay is to investigate the factors responsible for the increase in juvenile delinquency and put forward a number of ways to appropriately punish young offenders.

    It is observed that extreme behaviours are exhibited by most children from dysfunctional families. Without the supervision from parents or caregivers, children’s extreme behaviours such as aggression, hostility or defiance are given free rein to develop in their later lives. In addition, there is a direct correlation between the lack of engagement in educational activities and serious criminal offending in children. Out of boredom, children befriend with antisocial peers and will gradually copy their behaviours. Media also plays an enormous role in shaping children’s criminality. For example, games such as grand theft auto can desensitise younger players to extreme acts of violence and cruelty, encourage them to commit crimes while giving them the impression that it is morally acceptable to do so.

    Imprisonment is often cited as a way to punish juvenile offenders. However, it is my view that this approach can produce extremely destructive effects. The youth can potentially be victims of physical or sexual abuse from older prisoners, as well as can adopt their negative behaviours. I feel that the better cure for young criminals is rehabilitation. Throughout education and training, the youth can realise their wrongful actions and be given opportunities to turn over a new leaf and transform themselves into useful members of society later in life.

    There are reasons to explain why today antisocial behaviour among the youth nowadays has reached a historically unprecedented high and rehabilitation is the answer for this. 

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