CPE ESSAY ON QUALITY OF LIFE

CPE Writing Paper model . In the Proficiency in English Cambridge Exam (Paper 2- Writing, Part 1) you are given two pieces of text and are asked to write an essay based on the information given. #Words: 240-280

Take a look at this essay sample. Then visit our pages How to write an essay and Tips to write an essay.

Quality of life

We all have dreams of having more and longer holidays, getting a better job, being fitter and living in a wealthier place. However, it is difficult to further our dreams for several reasons. Both texts deal with the concept of «quality of life» pointing out how it influences our health and how difficult it is for some to have access to it.

According to the first passage, being healthy is not just necessary but essential. We need to be in good physical and mental condition to be able to keep a job and to participate actively in a social group. Unfortunately our health state can be influenced by factors we cannot always control such as living in a poor neighbourhood, a place with bad weather conditions or a country in which people lack political freedom.

In the same way, the second text highlights the importance of the climate, the environment and the economic situation of a country. According to very interesting studies they play a major role in improving out quality of life. It also states that very few people are ready to take the plunge and move their housing in search of these factors. The sad reality is that for most of us it is not easy to relocate for numerous reasons.

On the other hand, there are small simple things we can put into practice to improve the way we live. These little things can be various such as devoting oneself to a passion like art or music, which at the same time will boost new encounters essential to our well-being; doing a sport to keep fit and healthy, granting ourselves some small pleasures like a massage or a stroll in the forest, reorganising our house, and of course spending time with our family and friends through leisure time and holidays.


Posted by Syb
France

CPE Practice. 

Now it is your turn to practise for the CPE Cambridge Exam. Write an Essay using the task above. If you want to have your writing edited and posted in the blog, you can send it to gustavo.albarracin.q@gmail.com

TIPS TO WRITE AN ESSAY

Writing an Essay at the CPE Cambridge exam:

-   Read both pieces of text.

-   Underline the 2 key points in each paragraph , points 1+2 and 3+4.

-   Decide how far you agree with these points.

-   List some relevant ideas.

-   Plan your answer in 4 or 5 paragraphs.

Layout of an essay :

-          Introduction ( short summary of both pieces of text)

-          Paragraph 1 summarising points 1 and 2

-          Paragraph 2 summarising points 3 and 4

-          Conclusion 

Sentence openers :

-          The first text suggests that…..

-         
The second text raises the issue of …..

-          The writer is of the opinion that….

-          Additionally, it is ragued that…..

-          The two texts contrast differing views of…..

-          According to the first passage…….

-          Personaly, i …………….

-          The second text put forward……

-          I believe that………

-          In conclusuon , it is my opinion that……

Linking points and arguments

-          As opposed to

-          In the sense that…..

-          For this reason……..

Making generalisations :

-          On the whole….

-          In general…..

-          For the most part….

-          As a rule……

-          It is often that….

-          It is usually the case that…..

-          People to regard…..

-          The reality is that…..

Being specific:

-          With respect to...

-          In the case of...

-          As regards...

-          In terms of….

-          With the exception of…..

-          From the ….. point of view….

-          They are seen as…..

-          As far as ……are / is concerned……

Raising an argument:

-          Considering…..

-          On the question of….

-          No one would dispute…….

Giving one side:

-          One argument in favour of this is ….

-          In support of…..

-          It is true that……

Giving the other side:

-          At the same time….

-          In actual fact…..

-          On the other hand….

-          In contrast to….

-          Set/ weighed against this is…..

Attitude :

-          Personally...

-          Unfortunately...

-          Obviously...

-          Evidently...

-          Presumably...

-          Naturally...

-          fortunately..

Quantity:

-          a great deal of...

-          to some / a large extent...

-          a large number of….

By SYB

DISCURSIVE ESSAY OR OPINION ESSAY?

A discursive ( or "for and against" ) essay is different from an opinion essay. In an opinion essay, the writer starts out stating his/her opinion; in a discursive essay, the writer gives a balanced view and in the conclusion can either state his/her opinion or give a summary of both sides of the argument.

 

Source: "Speak Out" by Eales Frances and Oakes S.

Proficiency in English Cambidge Exam Essay Sample

In Part 1 of the CPE exam you are given two pieces of text with information on a topic and are asked to write a discursive essay in 240-280 words. 

Here there is a sample essay sent to us by Sybille a CPE student from France.

 The Importance of music (CPE Essay)

Both texts discuss the status of music in our society. They highlight the fact that music is getting more accessible to people through the Internet while at the same time its serious study is being neglected and professional musicians are suffering for it. It also argues that music is an art that exists since prehistory and is universal, even though its evolution and the way we consume it has significantly changed.

Commercial music can be heard everywhere nowadays. It is relatively easy to make and although in terms of quality is not always good, people are in high demand for it through downloads on the web. In addition to this, the music industry is always in prey for the quick-made manufactured product. The downside of this is that it is making the classical and more serious music disappear. 

There is a steady decline in high quality music, which undoubtedly hurts high-skilled musicians. Totally ignored and outnumbered by the bigger names of popular music, they can hardly draw up a project and are constantly in need for alternative ways to make a living. Besides, schools are making cuts on music lessons, which means many musicians are left without a job. 

This is sad as learning to play an instrument is highly beneficial to children. Composing is a collaborative and creative task. Music helps the youth to develop an identity, develop skills and gives them a real sense of accomplishment. For this reason music should be taught in all schools and be accessible to all families. 

All in all, music –popular and classical- is ubiquitous. It is part of our lives and is good for the mind, so it should be given the rightful place it deserves in our society.

Sybille

#words: 280

F.A.Q: What´s the difference between an article and an essay?

We asked 6 CPEs (people who have successfully passed the Cambridge Proficiency in English exam) and this is what they said to us:

CPE1: "An article is a piece of writing where a topic, either serious or light-hearted, is tackled from a personal point of view, including personal experience or arguments. Its purpose is generally to both inform and entertain. On the other hand, an essay is a piece of writing tending towards the academic: the topic in discussion is of a more serious nature and the writer is expected to provide an idea plus the arguments that discuss it. In doing so, they will have to refer to specific points about the issue in question and will generally have to use more precise language."

CPE2: "Article, informative, based on facts. Essay, develops an argument, involves opinions (so does a for an against article, oops!)."

CPE3: "As far as I´m concerned essays are more academic, you need to analyse both sides of the topic, and provide arguments to back you up, whereas articles are somehow more flexible and can have a more neutral tone."

CPE4: "I think an essay develops arguments and has always your opinion. An article gives information, although sometimes you can write your opinion."

CPE5: "As far as I know, an article is a piece of writing in which the writer chooses a topic and develops it giving his/her own opinion throughout the text. The language used can be fun and eye-catching as usually an article is meant to get as many readers as possible. An essay, on the other hand, is a rather formal piece of writing with a usually 4-5 paragraph structure, where usually the last paragraph carries the writer´s opinion."

CPE6: "Well, I think an essay is normally more academic and analytical, when the writer supports his views usually has to make reference to factual information and other people's or authors' views and findings. An article is basically aimed to inform or entertain the reader, it can be formal or informal depending on the topic and publication it appears whereas an essay is rarely informal. An article is published mainly in magazines or newspapers, for example a school´s newspaper, while an essay is normally a university assignment. Some essays might be of more than three pages, but for international exams we have to keep them short. The tone of an essay is generally serious, compared to the one of an article which might sound more relaxed and include some humour. I hope I have contributed with something."

CPE Writing Paper 2013 / Part 1 Essay by guest blogger Javi Montoliu from Barcelona

Task: Write an essay summarising and evaluating the key points from both texts. Use your own words throughout as far as possible, and include your own ideas in your answer. You should write 240-280 words. (Texts are about "Positive Psychology", see Proficiency Expert book)

Positive Psychology

Both texts discuss the way positive psychology affects people’s lives. The first one advocates that it has a beneficial effect on those who put it into practice. The second one, on the other hand, states that it might not be favourable for everyone.

The first passage argues that people who buy into positive psychology attain a more joyful life not only for themselves but also for the wider society, but claims that experts of the field compare it to the frivolous self-help books. I personally feel this last statement will resonate with many people because therapies of this kind tend to be fairly senseless and unrealistic, for they tell you what to do but not how to do it. As reported by the text, this particular psychology enhances the person’s well-being and quality of life, thereby giving rise to a much more cheerful and healthy population.

In contrast, the second text proposes that a specific group of people called defensive pessimists react negatively to positive psychology thus stating that it is not suitable for everyone. Whilst we might think these so-called defensive pessimists really expect the worse, they actually adopt a pattern of behaviour which helps them be successful in life, they trick themselves into thinking they’ve performed badly. I would agree that being pessimistic might help them reach their own targets in life; nevertheless, I feel it isn’t beneficial for them to get fully involved in this pessimism.

In conclusion, it could be argued that joy and optimism are not what make us succeed in life. In my opinion, everyone has their own quirks that help them overcome their problems; therefore, any forced beliefs or behaviour will result in an unfavourable response.

Javier Montoliu

Useful phrases for CPE/ CAE/ FCE and IELTS essays

Essays are academic documents written for a university/college class on a serious topic, such as "global warming" or "the impact of new technologies on our society". Therefore they are formal in style, contain advanced/specialised vocabulary and use a wide variety of grammatical structures.


Writing an essay for an international exam like CPE, CAE, FCE or IELTS, is usually perceived by students as a real challenge. But it shouldn´t be such a daunting task, having had the right amount of practice and counting with a couple of useful expressions up your sleeve. This post intends to provide you with some help.

Guide to write an essay: Click here!
What´s the difference between an essay and an article?
Click here!


Useful phrases for writing essays:

The following is a list of phrases that can be used when writing an essay. Notice that they have a formal style and that they do not contain contractions.

Establishing the purpose of the essay (introduction)
This essay critically examines...
The paper will review the research conducted on...
The aim of this paper is to examine...
The essay seeks to...

Giving opinions/stating facts
It is vitally important to...
I would like to point out that...
It is doubtful that...
Without a doubt...
It would be infinitely preferable to...

Giving somebody else´s opinion
It has recently been suggested that...
According to Dr...

Giving examples
In the case of...
This is an example of...
For instance...

Presenting arguments in order
Firstly...
Secondly...
In addition to what has already been mentioned...

Summarising your opinion
In the end,...
All in all,...
In conclusion,...


Visit our facebook page for more sample writings http://www.facebook.com/cpesamplewritings

CPE Essay: Alternative Energy

Alternative energy (title)

(intro/ state an argument)
It is a fact universally acknowledged that our coal and oil resources are not unlimited, reason for which it is vitally important to look for other alternatives to generate energy. It has recently been suggested by Dr Symonds that nuclear power is the best way to produce such desired energy, however, this is a highly dubious proposition.

(P1 -support your argument -idea1)

Firstly, the cost of producing nuclear energy is ridiculously expensive and in fact, totally unaffordable for developing countries. It would be infinitely preferable for scientists like Dr Symonds to take the economic factor into consideration and to suggest more realistic ideas on how to solve the lack of fuel problem.

(P2 -support your argument -idea2)

Secondly, the statement that nuclear energy is environmentally friendly, which was propose by Dr Symonds in a seminar n 12th June, is not entirely true. There is plenty of evidence that the radioactive waste produced y nuclear plants is actually a much worse polluter than CFCs and exhaust fumes.

(P3 -support your argument -idea3)

In addition to what has already been mentioned, I would like to point out that nuclear energy and radioactive waste are not completly safe. There is no need to recall the tragic incidents in Japan in which after an accident in a nuclear plant, a whole town was to suffer the lethal consequences of radioactivity, such as infertility, malformations and even death by poisoning. To make things even worse, the pollutants produced by nuclear plants are thrown into the ocean and this, far from being "environmentally friendly", will have cataclysmic effects on the planet in the not so distant future.

(conclusion)

To sum up, it is clear that the use of nuclear power has more than a few drawbacks, not only is it highly expensive but it is also dangerous both for people and the planet. Therefore, other forms of safer and more affordable energy must be pursued by the government and the scientific community. 

Gustavo Albarracín

#words: 350

Visit out Facebook Page for more exam tips.

Need more help? Try this link:

- Essay sample 1

CPE Essay: Computers, friends or enemies?

CPE Writing task: After a class discussion on computers and the future, your English teacher has asked you to write an essay entitled "Computers: friends or enemies?" for her and your classmates to read.

Computers: Friends or enemies? (title)

 (introduction)

There has come a time in which we have become too dependent on computers. We rely on them to do very delicate tasks like controlling space vessels and under-water fast trains, but we also need them to perform ridiculous others such as calculating a two-digit equation. It is yet to be known whether computers will prove to be our best friends who will make our lives easier or an enemy who will take over our places as we become useless and lazy.

Picture from the film
"A Hitchhiker´s guide to the galaxy."

(P1 Arguments pro computers)

On one hand these machines do wonders when it comes to saving up time; take travelling or printing for instance. In ancient times people would have to walk for days to go from one village to another and books had to be handwritten. Furthermore computers are used for medical reseach and was it not for them the cure for many deadly diseases would not have been discovered. They have also proved themselves invaluable in physics, chemistry and biology, where numerous experiments on DNA and even cloning are currently being carried out.

(P2 Arguments against computers)

On the other hand we have grown so fond of technology and gadgets that we do not even use our memories to store basic information such as our telephone numbers any more. What for, if we can record them in our pocket-size laptops. but even more worryingly is the fact that the development of artificial intelligence and the creating of superintelligent robots could result in a world which is controlled by computers.

(conclusion)

Even when these arguments may seem exaggerated and we may not think we are at a real risk of ending up living in a world which is entirely dominated by computers - the way it happens in science fiction B movies-, I do fear we might become so dependent on them that our abilities would be diminished. So as I see it perhaps it would be a good idea to go back to counting with fingers.

Need more help?  Try these link: http://cpesamplewritings.blogspot.com/2013/07/useful-phrases-for-cpe-cae-fce-and.html

How to write an essay