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This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of international stars and historic figures and why young people are more interested in celebrities from the real IELTS exam.
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IELTS Essay: International Stars and Historic Figures
Many young people today know more about international pop or movie stars than about famous people in the history of their own country.
Why is this?
What can be done to increase young people’s interest in famous people in the history of their country?
Younger generations today are often more interested in international celebrities rather than figures from their country’s past. In my opinion, this is a natural tendency related to mass media and can be mitigated by improving history lessons in schools.
Younger people today organically gravitate towards individuals they resonate with and see in entertainment. This applies equally to those in the film and music industries. For example, one of the most popular singers for the last decade has been Taylor Swift, an artist who prolifically releases albums, updates her Instagram, and is generally present online and in the entertainment world. Young people listen to her songs and identify with her and then follow her personal life closely in order to enjoy a vicarious, uplifting feeling. This stands in marked contrast to historical figures who no longer contribute or offer any present value.
This tendency to value current stars can be countered with more engaging history classes. History lessons in most contexts focus on dry facts and propaganda. However, there are historians who can enliven historical events such as in Robert Caro’s non-fiction or Hilary Mantel’s historical fiction. If students were introduced to passages from those sources, there is a stronger likelihood that it would instill in them a lifelong passion for the study of history and the figures that have shaped our current world. If such lessons were combined with more relevant current events lessons, then students might be more compelled to understand, respect, and continue researching great historical actors.
In conclusion, though there is a natural inclination to pay more attention to contemporary pop culture figures, an emphasis on quality texts could encourage young people to care more about individuals from the past. This will not cause a seismic shift but could have a marginal impact.
Analysis
1. Younger generations today are often more interested in international celebrities rather than figures from their country’s past. 2. In my opinion, this is a natural tendency related to mass media and can be mitigated by improving history lessons in schools.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. Younger people today organically gravitate towards individuals they resonate with and see in entertainment. 2. This applies equally to those in the film and music industries. 3. For example, one of the most popular singers for the last decade has been Taylor Swift, an artist who prolifically releases albums, updates her Instagram, and is generally present online and in the entertainment world. 4. Young people listen to her songs and identify with her and then follow her personal life closely in order to enjoy a vicarious, uplifting feeling. 5. This stands in marked contrast to historical figures who no longer contribute or offer any present value.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
- Start a second method.
- Keep developing it fully.
1. This tendency to value current stars can be countered with more engaging history classes. 2. History lessons in most contexts focus on dry facts and propaganda. 3. However, there are historians who can enliven historical events such as in Robert Caro’s non-fiction or Hilary Mantel’s historical fiction. 4. If students were introduced to passages from those sources, there is a stronger likelihood that it would instill in them a lifelong passion for the study of history and the figures that have shaped our current world. 5. If such lessons were combined with more relevant current events lessons, then students might be more compelled to understand, respect, and continue researching great historical actors.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
- Develop the example fully.
1. In conclusion, though there is a natural inclination to pay more attention to contemporary pop culture figures, an emphasis on quality texts could encourage young people to care more about individuals from the past. 2. This will not cause a seismic shift but could have a marginal impact.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.
Younger generations today are often more interested in international celebrities rather than figures from their country’s past. In my opinion, this is a natural tendency related to mass media and can be mitigated by improving history lessons in schools.
Younger people today organically gravitate towards individuals they resonate with and see in entertainment. This applies equally to those in the film and music industries. For example, one of the most popular singers for the last decade has been Taylor Swift, an artist who prolifically releases albums, updates her Instagram, and is generally present online and in the entertainment world. Young people listen to her songs and identify with her and then follow her personal life closely in order to enjoy a vicarious, uplifting feeling. This stands in marked contrast to historical figures who no longer contribute or offer any present value.
This tendency to value current stars can be countered with more engaging history classes. History lessons in most contexts focus on dry facts and propaganda. However, there are historians who can enliven historical events such as in Robert Caro’s non-fiction or Hilary Mantel’s historical fiction. If students were introduced to passages from those sources, there is a stronger likelihood that it would instill in them a lifelong passion for the study of history and the figures that have shaped our current world. If such lessons were combined with more relevant current events lessons, then students might be more compelled to understand, respect, and continue researching great historical actors.
In conclusion, though there is a natural inclination to pay more attention to contemporary pop culture figures, an emphasis on quality texts could encourage young people to care more about individuals from the past. This will not cause a seismic shift but could have a marginal impact.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
younger generations people who are not old – under the age of 25 or so
interested in care about
international celebrities stars
rather than instead of
figures important people
natural tendency organic desire
related to concerning
mass media entertainment, news, etc.
mitigated lessened
improving made better
organically gravitate towards naturally go in the direction of
resonate with connect with
entertainment movies, music, etc.
equally the same as
last decade last 10 years
artist singer, musician, etc.
prolifically releases albums make a lot of music
updates new posts
generally present online all over the internet
entertainment world people in music, film, etc.
identify connect with
follow her personal life closely pay attention to her life
in order to so that
vicarious living through others
uplifting enjoyable
This stands in marked contrast to this is very different from
no longer contribute not add to any more
offer any present value means something now
tendency likelihood
countered with fought with
engaging paying attention to
in most contexts in many situations
dry facts boring information
propaganda self-serving and biased information about a country
historians people who study history
enliven historical events bring history to life
non-fiction true, reality
historical fiction books based in history but not 100% true
introduced first shown
passages texts
stronger likelihood better chance
instill engender
lifelong passion care about your whole life
shaped cultivated
current world right now
combined with put together with
relevant current events lessons classes about news now
compelled encouraged
continue researching great historical actors keep looking up people from the past
natural inclination organic desire
pay more attention to care more about
contemporary pop culture figures stars famous now
emphasis focus on
quality texts good books
encourage reinforce
seismic shift big change
marginal impact small effect
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ˈjʌŋə ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃənz
ˈɪntrɪstɪd ɪn
ˌɪntə(ː)ˈnæʃənl sɪˈlɛbrɪtiz
ˈrɑːðə ðæn
ˈfɪgəz
ˈnæʧrəl ˈtɛndənsi
rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː
mæs ˈmiːdiə
ˈmɪtɪgeɪtɪd
ɪmˈpruːvɪŋ
ɔːˈgænɪk(ə)li ˈgrævɪteɪt təˈwɔːdz
ˈrɛzəˌneɪt wɪð
ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt
ˈiːkwəli
lɑːst ˈdɛkeɪd
ˈɑːtɪst
prəʊˈlɪfɪk(ə)li rɪˈliːsɪz ˈælbəmz
ʌpˈdeɪts
ˈʤɛnərəli ˈprɛznt ˈɒnˌlaɪn
ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt wɜːld
aɪˈdɛntɪfaɪ
ˈfɒləʊ hɜː ˈpɜːsnl laɪf ˈkləʊsli
ɪn ˈɔːdə tuː
vaɪˈkeərɪəs
ʌpˈlɪftɪŋ
ðɪs stændz ɪn mɑːkt ˈkɒntrɑːst tuː
nəʊ ˈlɒŋgə kənˈtrɪbju(ː)t
ˈɒfər ˈɛni ˈprɛznt ˈvæljuː
ˈtɛndənsi
ˈkaʊntəd wɪð
ɪnˈgeɪʤɪŋ
ɪn məʊst ˈkɒntɛksts
draɪ fækts
ˌprɒpəˈgændə
hɪsˈtɔːrɪənz
ɪnˈlaɪvn hɪsˈtɒrɪkəl ɪˈvɛnts
nɒn-ˈfɪkʃən
hɪsˈtɒrɪkəl ˈfɪkʃən
ˌɪntrəˈdjuːst
ˈpæsɪʤɪz
ˈstrɒŋgə ˈlaɪklɪhʊd
ɪnˈstɪl
ˈlaɪflɒŋ ˈpæʃən
ʃeɪpt
ˈkʌrənt wɜːld
kəmˈbaɪnd wɪð
ˈrɛlɪvənt ˈkʌrənt ɪˈvɛnts ˈlɛsnz
kəmˈpɛld
kənˈtɪnju(ː) rɪˈsɜːʧɪŋ greɪt hɪsˈtɒrɪkəl ˈæktəz
ˈnæʧrəl ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən
peɪ mɔːr əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n tuː
kənˈtɛmpərəri pɒp ˈkʌlʧə ˈfɪgəz
ˈɛmfəsɪs
ˈkwɒlɪti tɛksts
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤ
ˈsaɪzmɪk ʃɪft
ˈmɑːʤɪnəl ˈɪmpækt
Vocabulary Practice
Y____________________s today are often more i_________________n i______________________s r______________n f___________s from their country’s past. In my opinion, this is a n_________________y r____________o m_____________a and can be m____________d by i________________g history lessons in schools.
Younger people today o__________________________s individuals they r_________________h and see in e_________________t. This applies e________y to those in the film and music industries. For example, one of the most popular singers for the l_____________e has been Taylor Swift, an a_______t who p__________________________s, u____________s her Instagram, and is g_________________________e and in the e______________________d. Young people listen to her songs and i___________y with her and then f______________________________y i_______________o enjoy a v___________s, u____________g feeling. T_______________________________________o historical figures who n___________________e or o______________________e.
This t___________y to value current stars can be c___________________h more e____________g history classes. History lessons i___________________s focus on d__________s and p_____________a. However, there are h_______________s who can e________________________s such as in Robert Caro’s n_____________n or Hilary Mantel’s h_________________n. If students were i_____________d to p__________s from those sources, there is a s__________________d that it would i_______l in them a l___________________n for the study of history and the figures that have s_________d our c_____________d. If such lessons were c______________h more r_____________________________s, then students might be more c____________d to understand, respect, and c_____________________________________s.
In conclusion, though there is a n__________________n to p________________________o c____________________________s, an e____________s on q_____________s could e_________e young people to care more about individuals from the past. This will not cause a s_____________t but could have a m_________________t.
Listening Practice
Reading Practice
https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/top-most-instagram-followers/
Speaking Practice
Famous People
- Have you ever met a celebrity?
- What kinds of celebrities are you interested in?
- Are there any celebrities you would want to interview?
Writing Practice
Some people think that famous people can help international aid organizations to draw attention to important problems. Others believe that the celebrities can make the problems seem less important.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
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