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This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of violent entertainment (games and movies) from the real general training IELTS exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Violent Entertainment (Games and Movies)
Movies and computer games containing violence are popular. Some people say they have a negative effect on society and should be censored. Others say they are just harmless relaxation.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Some feel that violence in entertainment is a root cause of problems in society and should thus be censored. In my opinion, while there is legitimate cause to establish reasonable boundaries, such content has little actual negative impact.
On the one hand, there is a general level of acceptance that gratuitous violence should be restricted. This is particularly the case if films are being broadcast on public channels or it is possible to gain easy access to violent games. In most nations, programming during the daytime has higher thresholds for acceptable content due to fears of influencing impressionable children. The worry is that very young children and teenagers will become desensitized to violence and potentially establish either a confrontational way of interacting or, in extreme cases, a pattern of behavior. Studies have not shown much evidence for these claims however they possess a commonsensical logic.
On the other hand, the majority of individuals have no difficulty distinguishing between fiction and reality. Consumers of violent entertainment are simply passing the time or experiencing a vicarious thrill. There is even the slight chance that by watching violent entertainment, audiences will be dissuaded from such behavior or feel their need for violence has been sufficiently expressed. For instance, an individual who plays violent computer games or is obsessed with horror films, according to research, is no more likely to commit a violent crime or display abnormal behavior. The actual causes of problems in society relate to employment, economics, discrimination, income inequality, and various systemic barriers.
In conclusion, though there are certain levels of violence that should be censored depending on the context, most explicit content ought to be permitted in games and movies. Efforts to heavily censor would be short-sighted and misguided.
Analysis
1. Some feel that violence in entertainment is a root cause of problems in society and should thus be censored. 2. In my opinion, while there is legitimate cause to establish reasonable boundaries, such content has little actual negative impact.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. On the one hand, there is a general level of acceptance that gratuitous violence should be restricted. 2. This is particularly the case if films are being broadcast on public channels or it is possible to gain easy access to violent games. 3. In most nations, programming during the daytime has higher thresholds for acceptable content due to fears of influencing impressionable children. 4. The worry is that very young children and teenagers will become desensitized to violence and potentially establish either a confrontational way of interacting or, in extreme cases, a pattern of behavior. 5. Studies have not shown much evidence for these claims however they possess a commonsensical logic.
- 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.
- The more support, the higher your task achievement mark!
1. On the other hand, the majority of individuals have no difficulty distinguishing between fiction and reality. 2. Consumers of violent entertainment are simply passing the time or experiencing a vicarious thrill. 3. There is even the slight chance that by watching violent entertainment, audiences will be dissuaded from such behavior or feel their need for violence has been sufficiently expressed. 4. For instance, an individual who plays violent computer games or is obsessed with horror films, according to research, is no more likely to commit a violent crime or display abnormal behavior. 5. The actual causes of problems in society relate to employment, economics, discrimination, income inequality, and various systemic barriers.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Continue developing it…
- as fully as possible!
1. In conclusion, though there are certain levels of violence that should be censored depending on the context, most explicit content ought to be permitted in games and movies. 2. Efforts to heavily censor would be short-sighted and misguided.
- 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.
Some feel that violence in entertainment is a root cause of problems in society and should thus be censored. In my opinion, while there is legitimate cause to establish reasonable boundaries, such content has little actual negative impact.
On the one hand, there is a general level of acceptance that gratuitous violence should be restricted. This is particularly the case if films are being broadcast on public channels or it is possible to gain easy access to violent games. In most nations, programming during the daytime has higher thresholds for acceptable content due to fears of influencing impressionable children. The worry is that very young children and teenagers will become desensitized to violence and potentially establish either a confrontational way of interacting or, in extreme cases, a pattern of behavior. Studies have not shown much evidence for these claims however they possess a commonsensical logic.
On the other hand, the majority of individuals have no difficulty distinguishing between fiction and reality. Consumers of violent entertainment are simply passing the time or experiencing a vicarious thrill. There is even the slight chance that by watching violent entertainment, audiences will be dissuaded from such behavior or feel their need for violence has been sufficiently expressed. For instance, an individual who plays violent computer games or is obsessed with horror films, according to research, is no more likely to commit a violent crime or display abnormal behavior. The actual causes of problems in society relate to employment, economics, discrimination, income inequality, and various systemic barriers.
In conclusion, though there are certain levels of violence that should be censored depending on the context, most explicit content ought to be permitted in games and movies. Efforts to heavily censor would be short-sighted and misguided.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
violence hitting, killing, hurting, etc.
root cause base reason
censored limited, some areas cut out
while although
legitimate cause real reason
establish reasonable boundaries set clear limits
content what is in shows, games, movies, etc.
little actual negative impact doesn’t actually hurt
on the one hand on one side
general level overall amount
acceptance believed in
gratuitous not for any real purpose
restricted contained
particularly the case especially true
broadcast show
public channels TV stations open to all
possible can happen
gain easy access not hard to get
in most nations in many countries
programming what’s on TV
higher thresholds more difficult to meet the standards
acceptable content appopriate stuff
fears worries
influencing impressionable children having an effect on kids
worry fear
desensitized stop being deeply affected by
potentially establish possibly create
confrontational way of interacting aggressive
in extreme cases in rare exceptions
pattern trend
behavior way of acting
claims arguments
possess have
commonsensical logic make sense
on the other hand however
majority most of
no difficulty distinguishing between fiction and reality cant tell apart the real and not real world
consumers people who buy things
passing the time occupying yourself
experiencing going through
vicarious thrill experiencing through others
slight chance small probability
dissuaded not encouraged to do it
sufficiently expressed fully done
obsessed care a lot about
according to research studies have shown
commit do
violent crime murder, etc.
display abnormal behavior
actual real
relate to employment concern jobs
economics finances
discrimination prejudice
income inequality people not earning equal amounts of money
various systemic barriers areas of society opposing people
levels amount of something
depending on having to do with
context situation
explicit very visual
permitted allowed to
efforts attempts
heavily strongly
short-sighted not looking at the long-term
misguided badly intentioned
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ˈvaɪələns
ruːt kɔːz
ˈsɛnsəd
waɪl
lɪˈʤɪtɪmɪt kɔːz
ɪsˈtæblɪʃ ˈriːznəbl ˈbaʊndəriz
ˈkɒntɛnt
ˈlɪtl ˈækʧʊəl ˈnɛgətɪv ˈɪmpækt
ɒn ðə wʌn hænd
ˈʤɛnərəl ˈlɛvl
əkˈsɛptəns
grəˈtju(ː)ɪtəs
rɪsˈtrɪktɪd
pəˈtɪkjʊləli ðə keɪs
ˈbrɔːdkɑːst
ˈpʌblɪk ˈʧænlz
ˈpɒsəbl
geɪn ˈiːzi ˈæksɛs
ɪn məʊst ˈneɪʃənz
ˈprəʊgræmɪŋ
ˈhaɪə ˈθrɛʃˌhəʊldz
əkˈsɛptəbl ˈkɒntɛnt
fɪəz
ˈɪnflʊənsɪŋ ɪmˈprɛʃnəbl ˈʧɪldrən
ˈwʌri
ˌdiːˈsɛnsɪtaɪzd
pəʊˈtɛnʃəli ɪsˈtæblɪʃ
ˌkɒnfrʌnˈteɪʃən(ə)l weɪ ɒv ˌɪntərˈæktɪŋ
ɪn ɪksˈtriːm ˈkeɪsɪz,
ˈpætən
bɪˈheɪvjə
kleɪmz
pəˈzɛs
ˈkɒmənsɛnsikəl ˈlɒʤɪk
ɒn ði ˈʌðə hænd
məˈʤɒrɪti
nəʊ ˈdɪfɪkəlti dɪsˈtɪŋgwɪʃɪŋ bɪˈtwiːn ˈfɪkʃən ænd ri(ː)ˈælɪti
kənˈsjuːməz
ˈpɑːsɪŋ ðə taɪm
ɪksˈpɪərɪənsɪŋ
vaɪˈkeərɪəs θrɪl
slaɪt ʧɑːns
dɪˈsweɪdɪd
səˈfɪʃəntli ɪksˈprɛst
əbˈsɛst
əˈkɔːdɪŋ tuː rɪˈsɜːʧ
kəˈmɪt
ˈvaɪələnt kraɪm
dɪsˈpleɪ æbˈnɔːməl bɪˈheɪvjə
ˈækʧʊəl
rɪˈleɪt tuː ɪmˈplɔɪmənt
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪks
dɪsˌkrɪmɪˈneɪʃən
ˈɪnkʌm ˌɪni(ː)ˈkwɒlɪti
ˈveərɪəs sɪˈstɛmɪk ˈbærɪəz
ˈlɛvlz
dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɒn
ˈkɒntɛkst
ɪksˈplɪsɪt
pəˈmɪtɪd
ˈɛfəts
ˈhɛvɪli
ʃɔːt-ˈsaɪtɪd
ˌmɪsˈgaɪdɪd
Vocabulary Practice
I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:
Some feel that v____________e in entertainment is a r_____________e of problems in society and should thus be c______________d. In my opinion, w_____e there is l_________________e to e______________________________s, such c__________t has l__________________________________t.
O_________________d, there is a g_________________l of a____________e that g_____________s violence should be r______________d. This is p____________________e if films are being b______________t on p____________________s or it is p___________e to g________________s to violent games. I__________________s, p_________________g during the daytime has h____________________s for a____________________t due to f_______s of i______________________________n. The w___y is that very young children and teenagers will become d_____________d to violence and p___________________h either a c______________________________g or, i___________________s, a p_________n of b__________r. Studies have not shown much evidence for these claims however they p__________s a c___________________________c.
O__________________d, the m___________y of individuals have n_____________________________________________y. C_______________s of violent entertainment are simply p_____________________e or e__________________g a v________________l. There is even the s___________________e that by watching violent entertainment, audiences will be d_______________d from such behavior or feel their need for violence has been s______________________d. For instance, an individual who plays violent computer games or is o_______________d with horror films, a_____________________________h, is no more likely to c_________t a v_____________e or d_____________________________r. The a____________l causes of problems in society r______________o e_________________t, e____________s, d_______________n, i_____________________________y, and v________________________s.
In conclusion, though there are certain l_______s of violence that should be censored d________________n the c__________t, most e_________t content ought to be p______________d in games and movies. E_________s to h__________y censor would be s_______________d and m__________d.
Listening Practice
Learn more about this topic by watching videos from The New York Times YouTube channel below and practice with these activities:
Reading Practice
Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Film/Movie Star
- Who is your favourite film star?
- Would you like to be a film star?
- Have you ever met a film star in person?
- Are film stars popular in your country?
Writing Practice
Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:
Many adults nowadays prefer spending their free time playing computer games.
Why do they do this?
Is this a positive or negative development?
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