IELTS Positive/Negative Questions
IELTS Essay: Parks, Farmland, Houses
Many cities are now turning parks and farmland into new housing developments.
Is this a positive or negative development?
Some are of the belief that current initiatives to transform public parks and farms into residential areas are misguided. I am in general agreement with this contention despite its ostensible advantages in dense urban areas.
Those who argue this policy is positive point out its effects on overcrowding in cities. In the last century, mass migrations to cities have created increasingly dense urban areas. One of the best solutions for this is to expand the size of cities by subsuming nearby farmland into urban districts. For instance, large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Mexico City are only able to house their surging populations by spreading to neighboring lands. The result is that more individuals are able to live in cities and enjoy higher standards of living, better healthcare, improved economic opportunity, and various entertainments options. For the average resident, such a development is incontestably positive.
However, new housing developments neglect the primacy of the natural world. Firstly, building homes on nearby farmland not only clears away pristine natural land but also necessitates the transportation of agricultural products from greater distances. This will in turn exacerbate environmental issues and potentially lead to inflated food costs for the average person. More importantly, cities that lack parks are not providing an optimistic living environment for residents. For wealthy individuals, this is less pressing since they may be able to make frequent trips to outlying areas. However, for the least privileged classes, parks may be their only opportunities to experience nature and a life deprived of all contact with the natural world is undeniably bleak.
In conclusion, despite the positives related to population density in cities, it is an overall negative due to its effect on the natural environment and quality of life in cities. Such proposals should therefore be pursued in moderation.
Analysis
1. Some are of the belief that current initiatives to transform public parks and farms into residential areas are misguided. 2. I am in general agreement with this contention despite its ostensible advantages in dense urban areas.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. Those who argue this policy is positive point out its effects on overcrowding in cities. 2. In the last century, mass migrations to cities have created increasingly dense urban areas. 3. One of the best solutions for this is to expand the size of cities by subsuming nearby farmland into urban districts. 4. For instance, large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Mexico City are only able to house their surging populations by spreading to neighboring lands. 5. The result is that more individuals are able to live in cities and enjoy higher standards of living, better healthcare, improved economic opportunity, and various entertainments options. 6. For the average resident, such a development is incontestably positive.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- Use short and long sentences.
- Finish the paragraph strong.
1. However, new housing developments neglect the primacy of the natural world. 2. Firstly, building homes on nearby farmland not only clears away pristine natural land but also necessitates the transportation of agricultural products from greater distances. 3. This will in turn exacerbate environmental issues and potentially lead to inflated food costs for the average person. 4. More importantly, cities that lack parks are not providing an optimistic living environment for residents. 5. For wealthy individuals, this is less pressing since they may be able to make frequent trips to outlying areas. 6. However, for the least privileged classes, parks may be their only opportunities to experience nature and a life deprived of all contact with the natural world is undeniably bleak.
- 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.
- Finish strong.
1. In conclusion, despite the positives related to population density in cities, it is an overall negative due to its effect on the natural environment and quality of life in cities. 2. Such proposals should therefore be pursued in moderation.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
Some are of the belief that current initiatives to transform public parks and farms into residential areas are misguided. I am in general agreement with this contention despite its ostensible advantages in dense urban areas.
Those who argue this policy is positive point out its effects on overcrowding in cities. In the last century, mass migrations to cities have created increasingly dense urban areas. One of the best solutions for this is to expand the size of cities by subsuming nearby farmland into urban districts. For instance, large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Mexico City are only able to house their surging populations by spreading to neighboring lands. The result is that more individuals are able to live in cities and enjoy higher standards of living, better healthcare, improved economic opportunity, and various entertainments options. For the average resident, such a development is incontestably positive.
However, new housing developments neglect the primacy of the natural world. Firstly, building homes on nearby farmland not only clears away pristine natural land but also necessitates the transportation of agricultural products from greater distances. This will in turn exacerbate environmental issues and potentially lead to inflated food costs for the average person. More importantly, cities that lack parks are not providing an optimistic living environment for residents. For wealthy individuals, this is less pressing since they may be able to make frequent trips to outlying areas. However, for the least privileged classes, parks may be their only opportunities to experience nature and a life deprived of all contact with the natural world is undeniably bleak.
In conclusion, despite the positives related to population density in cities, it is an overall negative due to its effect on the natural environment and quality of life in cities. Such proposals should therefore be pursued in moderation.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
current initiatives efforts right now
transform change
public parks places for people to experience nature in cities
farms agricultural areas
residential areas places where people can live
misguided not a good idea
I am in general agreement with this contention despite I agree with the opinion regardless of
ostensible advantages seeming benefits
dense urban areas crowded cities
policy idea, way of operating
point out argue
overcrowding too many people
In the last century the last 100 years
mass migrations lots of people moving
increasingly more and more often
expand make bigger
subsuming nearby farmland into urban districts taking over nearby farms and making them part of cities
large metropolitan areas such as big cities including
house verb for live there, house
surging populations more and more people living there
spreading to neighboring lands go to places near there
enjoy higher standards of living live better
healthcare hospitals, medicine, etc.
economic opportunity job chances
various entertainments options places to have fun
the average resident normal person
incontestably positive definitely good
neglect not pay attention to
primacy central importance
natural world nature
nearby next to
clears away pristine natural land destroys nature
necessitates requires
transportation trucks, ships, etc.
agricultural products food products
greater distances further away
This will in turn exacerbate environmental issues makes climate change worse
potentially lead to inflated food costs possibly raise the price of foods
More importantly even more crucially
lack not have
providing giving
optimistic living environment positive place to live
wealthy rich
less pressing not that important
frequent trips often travel to
outlying areas regions nearby
least privileged classes poorest people
experience nature be in contact with trees, grass, etc.
a life deprived of all contact with the natural world not experiencing nature at all
undeniably bleak definitely really bad
related to concerning
density how many people in an area
overall negative due to not good because of
proposals ideas, efforts
pursued in moderation acted on carefully
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ˈkʌrənt ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪvz
trænsˈfɔːm
ˈpʌblɪk pɑːks
fɑːmz
ˌrɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl ˈeərɪəz
ˌmɪsˈgaɪdɪd
aɪ æm ɪn ˈʤɛnərəl əˈgriːmənt wɪð ðɪs kənˈtɛnʃən dɪsˈpaɪt
ɒsˈtɛnsəbl ədˈvɑːntɪʤɪz
dɛns ˈɜːbən ˈeərɪəz
ˈpɒlɪsi
pɔɪnt aʊt
ˌəʊvəˈkraʊdɪŋ
ɪn ðə lɑːst ˈsɛnʧʊri
mæs maɪˈgreɪʃənz
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli
ɪksˈpænd
səbˈsjuːmɪŋ ˈnɪəbaɪ ˈfɑːmlænd ˈɪntuː ˈɜːbən ˈdɪstrɪkts
lɑːʤ ˌmɛtrəˈpɒlɪtən ˈeərɪəz sʌʧ æz
haʊs
ˈsɜːʤɪŋ ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃənz
ˈsprɛdɪŋ tuː ˈneɪbərɪŋ lændz
ɪnˈʤɔɪ ˈhaɪə ˈstændədz ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ
ˈhɛlθkeə
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪti
ˈveərɪəs ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənts ˈɒpʃənz.
ði ˈævərɪʤ ˈrɛzɪdənt
ˌɪnkənˈtɛstəbli ˈpɒzətɪv
nɪˈglɛkt
ˈpraɪməsi
ˈnæʧrəl wɜːld
ˈnɪəbaɪ
klɪəz əˈweɪ ˈprɪstiːn ˈnæʧrəl lænd
nɪˈsɛsɪteɪts
ˌtrænspɔːˈteɪʃən
ˌægrɪˈkʌlʧərəl ˈprɒdʌkts
ˈgreɪtə ˈdɪstənsɪz
ðɪs wɪl ɪn tɜːn ɛksˈæsə(ː)beɪt ɪnˌvaɪərənˈmɛntl ˈɪʃuːz
pəʊˈtɛnʃəli liːd tuː ɪnˈfleɪtɪd fuːd kɒsts
mɔːr ɪmˈpɔːtəntli
læk
prəˈvaɪdɪŋ
ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt
ˈwɛlθi
lɛs ˈprɛsɪŋ
ˈfriːkwənt trɪps
ˈaʊtˌlaɪɪŋ ˈeərɪəz
liːst ˈprɪvɪlɪʤd ˈklɑːsɪz
ɪksˈpɪərɪəns ˈneɪʧə
ə laɪf dɪˈpraɪvd ɒv ɔːl ˈkɒntækt wɪð ðə ˈnæʧrəl wɜːld
ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbli bliːk
rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː
ˈdɛnsɪti
ˈəʊvərɔːl ˈnɛgətɪv djuː tuː
prəˈpəʊzəlz
pəˈsjuːd ɪn ˌmɒdəˈreɪʃən
Vocabulary Practice
Some are of the belief that c_____________________s to t_______________________s and f______s into r______________________s are m____________d. I____________________________________________________e its o_______________________s in d_________________s.
Those who argue this p_________y is positive p___________t its effects on o________________g in cities. I__________________________y, m_________________s to cities have created i_________________y dense urban areas. One of the best solutions for this is to e__________d the size of cities by s___________________________________________s. For instance, l_________________________________s Tokyo and Mexico City are only able to h________e their s_________________________s by s________________________________s. The result is that more individuals are able to live in cities and e________________________________g, better h________________e, improved e_________________y, and v_________________________________s. For t_________________________t, such a development is i______________________e.
However, new housing developments n__________t the p_________y of the n________d. Firstly, building homes on n________y farmland not only c_________________________________d but also n_____________s the t_______________n of a___________________________s from g__________________s. T____________________________________________s and p_____________________________________s for the average person. M__________________y, cities that l_______k parks are not p_____________g an o_____________________________t for residents. For w_____________y individuals, this is l_______________g since they may be able to make f________________s to o_______________s. However, for the l___________________________________s, parks may be their only opportunities to e___________________________e and a_____________________________________________________d is u________________k.
In conclusion, despite the positives r_____________o population d___________y in cities, it is an o______________________o its effect on the natural environment and quality of life in cities. Such p____________s should therefore be p______________________n.
Listening Practice
Reading Practice
Speaking Practice
Cities
- Have you ever lived in a city?
- What do you enjoy most about living in the city?
- Which city would you like to live in in the future?
- Do most people in your country live in cities?
Writing Practice
Today, many people do not know their neighbors in large cities.
What problems does this cause?
What can be done about this?
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