This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of traditional festivals from the real IELTS exam.
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IELTS Essay: Traditional Festivals
In some parts of the world traditional festivals and celebrations have disappeared or are disappearing.
What problems is this causing?
What measures could be taken to counter this situation?
Around the world, many traditional festivals these days are at risk of becoming outdated and irrelevant. In my opinion, this contributes to issues concerning cultural disintegration and should be countered by citizens in concert with governments.
The main issues resulting from abandoning traditional festivals concern culture. More commercial holidays such as Black Friday and Christmas are gaining in popularity which naturally threatens smaller cultural groups and their festivals. For example, in China there are numerous ethnic groups living in remote areas that struggle to preserve their traditions over time as locals learn more about the outside world and leave their hometowns. As these groups disperse further both physically and virtually it will be a challenge for old traditions to persist and the results may impact the stories they hand down through generations, their language, traditional dishes and other aspects of culture.
The optimal remedies for the weakening of traditional cultures are for governments and individuals to actively encourage traditional festivals. Governments can make the greatest difference. For instance, states could fund organizations that aim to promote traditional festivals by staging local events and reaching out to older members of the community. Younger people could likewise attempt to engage more with their roots and connect with the sources of their culture. This occurs to some extent already when traditional festivals are advertised on social media to bring in a wider audience and greater attention.
In conclusion, the loss of traditional festivals is a boon to globalization and injures the cultural identity of various groups. This development must be confronted by locals of their own individual initiative and encouraged by governments.
Analysis
1. Around the world, many traditional festivals these days are at risk of becoming outdated and irrelevant. 2. In my opinion, this contributes to issues concerning cultural disintegration and should be countered by citizens in concert with governments.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. The main issues resulting from abandoning traditional festivals concern culture. 2. More commercial holidays such as Black Friday and Christmas are gaining in popularity which naturally threatens smaller cultural groups and their festivals. 3. For example, in China there are numerous ethnic groups living in remote areas that struggle to preserve their traditions over time as locals learn more about the outside world and leave their hometowns. 4. As these groups disperse further both physically and virtually it will be a challenge for old traditions to persist and the results may impact the stories they hand down through generations, their language, traditional dishes and other aspects of culture.
- 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.
1. The optimal remedies for the weakening of traditional cultures are for governments and individuals to actively encourage traditional festivals. 2. Governments can make the greatest difference. 3. For instance, states could fund organizations that aim to promote traditional festivals by staging local events and reaching out to older members of the community. 4. Younger people could likewise attempt to engage more with their roots and connect with the sources of their culture. 5. This occurs to some extent already when traditional festivals are advertised on social media to bring in a wider audience and greater attention.
- 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.
- Continue your development.
1. In conclusion, the loss of traditional festivals is a boon to globalization and injures the cultural identity of various groups. 2. This development must be confronted by locals of their own individual initiative and encouraged by governments.
- 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.
Around the world, many traditional festivals these days are at risk of becoming outdated and irrelevant. In my opinion, this contributes to issues concerning cultural disintegration and should be countered by citizens in concert with governments.
The main issues resulting from abandoning traditional festivals concern culture. More commercial holidays such as Black Friday and Christmas are gaining in popularity which naturally threatens smaller cultural groups and their festivals. For example, in China there are numerous ethnic groups living in remote areas that struggle to preserve their traditions over time as locals learn more about the outside world and leave their hometowns. As these groups disperse further both physically and virtually it will be a challenge for old traditions to persist and the results may impact the stories they hand down through generations, their language, traditional dishes and other aspects of culture.
The optimal remedies for the weakening of traditional cultures are for governments and individuals to actively encourage traditional festivals. Governments can make the greatest difference. For instance, states could fund organizations that aim to promote traditional festivals by staging local events and reaching out to older members of the community. Younger people could likewise attempt to engage more with their roots and connect with the sources of their culture. This occurs to some extent already when traditional festivals are advertised on social media to bring in a wider audience and greater attention.
In conclusion, the loss of traditional festivals is a boon to globalization and injures the cultural identity of various groups. This development must be confronted by locals of their own individual initiative and encouraged by governments.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
Around the world globally
traditional festivals cultural celebrations
at risk of becoming outdated and irrelevant might start to be forgotten
contributes adds to
issues concerning cultural disintegration problems relating to cultures being lost
countered remedied
citizens in concert with governments people working together with the state
resulting from abandoning traditional festivals concern culture caused by not celebrating older festivals relate to tradition
commercial holidays festivals mainly concerned with making money
Black Friday the day after Thanksgiving when there are many sales
Christmas the holiday about the birth of Jesus
naturally threatens smaller cultural groups of course cause problems for minorities
numerous ethnic groups living in remote areas smaller cultural groups in less populated areas
struggle have difficulty
preserve keep alive
outside world the rest of the world
leave their hometowns move away
As these groups disperse further both physically and virtually when these peoples move to new places or learn more about the world
persist continue
impact effect
hand down through generations teach their children, grandchildren
traditional dishes older cuisines
aspects of culture related to culture
optimal remedies best fixes
weakening not getting stronger
actively encourage traditional festivals go out of their way to help older celebrations
make the greatest difference have the biggest impact
fund organizations give money to groups
aim try to
promote encourage
staging local events putting on celebrations
reaching out to older members of the community talking to one’s elders
likewise attempt to engage more with their roots similarly try to learn more about tradition
connect with the sources of get back into contact with the origins of
to some extent already to a degree
advertised marketed
social media Facebook, Instagram, etc.
bring in a wider audience and greater attention make more people notice it
loss disappearance
boon good for
globalization everyone around the world connecting
injures the cultural identity of various groups harms how groups of people see themselves
confronted by fought by
initiative efforts
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
əˈraʊnd ðə wɜːld,
trəˈdɪʃənl ˈfɛstəvəlz
æt rɪsk ɒv bɪˈkʌmɪŋ aʊtˈdeɪtɪd ænd ɪˈrɛlɪvənt
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)ts
ˈɪʃuːz kənˈsɜːnɪŋ ˈkʌlʧərəl dɪsˌɪntɪˈgreɪʃən
ˈkaʊntəd
ˈsɪtɪznz ɪn ˈkɒnsə(ː)t wɪð ˈgʌvnmənts
rɪˈzʌltɪŋ frɒm əˈbændənɪŋ trəˈdɪʃənl ˈfɛstəvəlz kənˈsɜːn ˈkʌlʧə
kəˈmɜːʃəl ˈhɒlədeɪz
blæk ˈfraɪdeɪ
ˈkrɪsməs
ˈnæʧrəli ˈθrɛtnz ˈsmɔːlə ˈkʌlʧərəl gruːps
ˈnjuːmərəs ˈɛθnɪk gruːps ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn rɪˈməʊt ˈeərɪəz
ˈstrʌgl
prɪˈzɜːv tiː
ˌaʊtˈsaɪd wɜːld
liːv ðeə ˈhəʊmˈtaʊnz
æz ðiːz gruːps dɪsˈpɜːs ˈfɜːðə bəʊθ ˈfɪzɪkəli ænd ˈvɜːtjʊəli
pəˈsɪst
ˈɪmpækt
hænd daʊn θruː ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃənz
trəˈdɪʃənl ˈdɪʃɪz
ˈæspɛkts ɒv ˈkʌlʧə
ˈɒptɪməl ˈrɛmɪdiz
ˈwiːkənɪŋ
ˈæktɪvli ɪnˈkʌrɪʤ trəˈdɪʃənl ˈfɛstəvəlz
meɪk ðə ˈgreɪtɪst ˈdɪfrəns
fʌnd ˌɔːgənaɪˈzeɪʃənz
eɪm
prəˈməʊt
ˈsteɪʤɪŋ ˈləʊkəl ɪˈvɛnts
ˈriːʧɪŋ aʊt tuː ˈəʊldə ˈmɛmbəz ɒv ðə kəˈmjuːnɪti
ˈlaɪkwaɪz əˈtɛmpt tuː ɪnˈgeɪʤ mɔː wɪð ðeə ruːts
kəˈnɛkt wɪð ðə ˈsɔːsɪz ɒv
tuː sʌm ɪksˈtɛnt ɔːlˈrɛdi
ˈædvətaɪzd
ˈsəʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə
brɪŋ ɪn ə ˈwaɪdər ˈɔːdiəns ænd ˈgreɪtər əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n
lɒs
buːn
ˌgləʊb(ə)laɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n
ˈɪnʤəz ðə ˈkʌlʧərəl aɪˈdɛntɪti ɒv ˈveərɪəs gruːps
kənˈfrʌntɪd baɪ
ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪv
Vocabulary Practice
A__________________________d, many t______________________s these days are a__________________________________________________t. In my opinion, this c_____________s to i__________________________________________n and should be c____________d by c_________________________________s.
The main issues r_________________________________________________________e. More c_____________________s such as B_________________y and C____________s are gaining in popularity which n_______________________________________________s and their festivals. For example, in China there are n____________________________________________________s that s__________e to p____________e their traditions over time as locals learn more about the o________________d and l___________________s. A________________________________________________________y it will be a challenge for old traditions to p_________t and the results may i________t the stories they h__________________________________________s, their language, t____________________s and other a___________________e.
The o____________________s for the w______________g of traditional cultures are for governments and individuals to a_____________________________________________s. Governments can m______________________________e. For instance, states could f_____________________s that a__m to p________________e traditional festivals by s____________________________s and r_______________________________________________y. Younger people could l__________________________________________s and c________________________________f their culture. This occurs t_____________________________y when traditional festivals are a____________d on s________________a to b_______________________________________________n.
In conclusion, the l___s of traditional festivals is a b____n to g________________n and i___________________________________________s. This development must be c___________________y locals of their own individual i____________e and encouraged by governments.
Listening Practice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrrW3rO51ak
Reading Practice
https://worldexpeditions.com/blog/cultural-festivals-around-the-world
Speaking Practice
Culture
- How are traditional cultures in your country changing today?
- Do people still celebrate traditional festivals in your country?
- Do you think people will become more similar culturally in the future around the world?
- Are there many ethnic groups in your country that have preserved their ways of living?
- What can governments and individual citizens do to support local ethnic minority groups?
Writing Practice
Some people say that it is possible to tell a lot about a person’s culture and character from their choice of clothes.
Do you agree or disagree?
https://howtodoielts.com/ielts-essay-clothes-culture-character/
Ancient ceremonies are being faded away in some countries. in my opinion, the root of this phenomenon is globalization and in order to mitigate it the local government should save these festivals by doing some measures.
Globalization phenomenon affects our behaviors, traditions, and even perspective about the world. dominant cultures like western ones are shown in Hollywood movies almost every day. Nowadays with the prevalence of smartphones and internet public hotspots, it is easy for average people to download and watch American TV series or movies all around the world. in this context, American festivals are getting popular. this often results in disappearing celebrations and festivals belonging to weaker cultures. For instance, in the past lots of people in the Middle East countries didn’t know anything about the Halloween but you can see different festivals related to this ceremony in these countries right now. According to the Iranian Heritage Organizations reports, statistics show that the number of Iranian people participating in the Halloween were more than the Bonfire Night festival- a traditional Persian ceremony on the last year’s Wednesday night-
Traditional ceremonies and festivals should be endorsed by the local government. all ancient celebrations should be recorded and presented to people. furthermore, students should know about these events in the school. A good way to introduce these festivals is to advertise them on international news channels like CNN, so people all around the world will know about them. Turkey is a good example in this field. Some decades ago only a few people knew about the Sama Dancing festival but these days thousands of people from different countries go to Turkey to participate in this festival.
To sum up, if the government does not take real steps to support cultural ceremonies, they will be faded away soon. as lots of these celebrations are part of global heritage, all people are responsible to save them.