13864 Resources
IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic
Essay question: Natural Resources
Essay by Jeenn Lee Hsieh 谢振礼
ielts360toefl@hotmail.com
IELTS Writing Topic:
>Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? "Natural resources cannot sustain economic growth." Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience to support your opinion.
Example Answer by Jeenn Lee Hsieh:
Whether natural resources can sustain economic growth may largely depend on an effective strategy to deal with the issue. In recent years, much of the attention of the policy-making community has become focused on sustainability. The global strategy is meant to promote the fulfillment of our basic needs for the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Our strategy for sustainability is not based on the debate whether economic growth is intrinsically good or bad. Actually, it is good to the extent that it increases quality of life, and bad to the extent that it undermines it in the long run through adverse environmental effects as a result of over-consumption of natural resources. Further, sustainability does not mean that resources (both renewable and non-renewable) must remain untouched, rather it means that their rates of use should be chosen so as not to jeopardize future generations. In the case of non-renewable resources, this implies using the extracted resources in such a way that it contributes to the long-run economic and social health of the population. For renewable resources, it means establishing rates of use that are coordinated with the natural productivity rates affecting the way the resources grow and decline. Altogether, sustainable development does not prohibit the use of natural resources but does restrict their use in such a way that enough, or as much as possible, is left for the generations to come.
Thus, the economic dimension of sustainable development aims to seek answer to the question: "If society is to maximize the welfare of all generations, present and future, how should it allocate natural resources over time?" Consider the case of non-renewable or exhaustible resources, for example. What can be the optimal consumption path for these resources? For that matter, the challenges facing the world today are many and most of them are increasingly being recognized as interlinked. These challenges range from oil supply to water stress to food security, and the interplay of different factors may only lead to a future full of risks. At this point, there is growing evidence that it is urgent at present to use natural resources wisely and responsibly, otherwise the extremes could meet and the economic growth might backfire.
In sum, the big picture is that the exhaustible natural resources provide limit to economic growth but human consumerism knows no limit. It behooves policy-makers across the world to find solutions to ensure that resources can sustain growth at a safe level. Of course, future generations will have more technology than present generations, knowing very well, however, that they cannot download food, water or petroleum. (Essay created by Jeenn Lee Hsieh 谢振礼, ielts360toefl@hotmail.com 作文通信教程 )
*Practice writing an essay on the following topic and send it toielts360toefl@hotmail.com for comments.
IELTS Writing Prompt: (20130824 China)
>Some people think that in the modern world people are getting dependent of each other. Others think that the modern world gets more independent of each other. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example from your knowledge or experience to support your opinion.
>Similar Essay Topic (2008):
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? "People in the past used to be more dependent on one another, whereas today they lead a more independent life."
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience to support your opinion.
Writing Step-by-step: Multi-paragraph Practice@Jeenn Lee Hsieh
This is a study program, designed by Jeenn Lee Hsieh, to respond to essay questions and writing prompts on standardized tests such as IELTS or TOEFL. Many students become anxious when faced with a multi-paragraph writing task because they have difficulty deciding what to write in the Introduction, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusion.
Jeenn Lee Hsieh will address the independent writing task by dividing the components of an essay into smaller, more manageable parts--step by step.
Be methodical and logical: the three main parts of a four-paragraph (opinion) essay are Conclusion, Body (Paragraphs A and B), Conclusion.
1>Introduction: Say what you are going to say to answer the essay question.
Thesis
Focus
Signposts A and B
2>Body Paragraph A: Say (your Opinion) A with evidence.
Topic Sentence (Signpost A)
Supporting Sentences (Examples and Details or explanations)
3>Body Paragraph B: Say (your Opinion) B with evidence.
Topic Sentence (Signpost B)
Supporting Sentences (Examples and Details or explanations)
4>Conclusion: Say what you have said.
Signposts A and B
Focus
Thesis
谢振礼 ielts360toefl@hotmail.com 热线信箱
Please take a moment to answer all of the questions below, if you want to receive @ writing preparation materials from Jeenn Lee Hsieh:
When is your next IELTS or TOEFL exam?
What are your goal scores? (reading/listening/speaking/writing)
What is your name?
Where are you from?
If you have taken the IELTS or TOEFL before, please indicate when your last test was and what your scores in each section were.
Do you have someone check your writing carefully with feedback?
@Notes for Chinese-speaking students:
》论说文的三件事：【立场】=Position, 【支持】=Support, 【抽象】=Abstract Ideas
立场 产生主题 (主题Thesis--焦点Focus--指标Signposts)
支持 支持主题(理由Reasons--例子Examples--细节Details)
抽象 属于意见(不是事实。既然是意见，则需要论证)Opinions, Not Facts
》论说文的三部分：【引言】=起。【主体】=承+转。【结论】=合。
引言Introduction 申论主题 集中焦点 话分两头 (Say what you are going to say.)
主体Body A and B 两段对应 分头论证 支持主题 (Say it, with evidence.)
结论Conclusion 二合为一 还原焦点 重申主题 (Say what you have said.)
》前呼后应：【引言】前呼 【结论】后应; Introduction and Conclusion--each has the other in mind.
起=引言 话题范围 由宽而细 (起中有合--主题Thesis 焦点Focus 指标SignpostsA+B)
合=结论 话题范围 由细而宽 (合中有起--指标Signposts A+B 焦点Focus 主题Thesis)
》话分两头：分头论证 (中体承段A 中体转段B)
承段指标=Topic Sentence 意见Opinion指标Signpost A(+举例说明Examples+细节补充Details)
转段指标=Topic Sentence 意见Opinion指标Signpost B(+举例说明Examples+细节补充Details)
