Test your ability to analyze and write effective General Training Task 2 essays about lifestyle, family, community, travel, and work. This quiz covers key themes, essay structures, and techniques commonly found in previous exam questions.
In recent years, family sizes have decreased in many countries. Which is a common reason for this change mentioned in Task 2 essays?
Explanation: Rising cost of living is frequently cited as a key reason why families are having fewer children, as it makes raising a large family more challenging. Increase in local festivals and longer school holidays are unrelated to family size trends. Decrease in internet usage is not typically connected to this topic in essay contexts.
Some believe employers should help staff achieve a balance between work duties and home life. What is one essay argument in favor of this view?
Explanation: Supporting work-life balance can improve employee well-being by reducing stress and promoting satisfaction at work and at home. Increasing weekly deadlines, decreasing job security, and encouraging overtime are negative or unrelated consequences, not arguments in favor of employer support.
In some cultures, elderly people live with their extended families. What is a commonly suggested benefit of this arrangement in essays?
Explanation: Greater emotional support is a widely recognized benefit of elderly people living with family, promoting stronger relationships and reducing loneliness. Reduced access to education and increased traffic congestion are irrelevant to this family setting. Delayed retirement age does not directly relate to living arrangements.
Many Task 2 questions discuss travel. Which of the following is a common positive effect of international travel mentioned in essays?
Explanation: International travel often leads to broader cultural awareness, helping people understand and respect different ways of life. More noise pollution and longer commutes are negative side effects not uniquely associated with travel. Fewer local festivals is not a typical consequence of increased travel.
How is modern technology generally believed to have impacted community interaction, according to essay topics?
Explanation: Many essays argue that technology, such as smartphones and social media, has made face-to-face contact less frequent, weakening some community bonds. Technology has typically reduced, not increased, library visits and printed map use. Reduced social media access is the opposite of the observed effect.
Why do Task 2 essays often support improving public transportation in cities?
Explanation: Improving public transportation lowers traffic congestion and pollution, common points in IELTS essays about urban living. Gym memberships, housing prices, and school start times are not directly impacted by city transport improvements and are not common arguments in this context.
Which is often presented as an advantage of participating in community leisure activities?
Explanation: Community leisure activities help people create friendships and a sense of belonging, improving social connections. Here, decreased life expectancy, higher food prices, and reduced use of parks do not relate or are potential negatives instead of positives.
Why do many Task 2 essays say working from home is becoming popular?
Explanation: Advances in digital communication technologies like video conferencing support remote work, making it possible for many jobs. Limits on online shopping, growth of physical mail, and shorter weekends are unrelated to the rise of working from home.
What is a commonly cited drawback of rural to urban migration in essays?
Explanation: A major drawback of rural to urban migration is overcrowding in cities, leading to pressure on housing and infrastructure. Faster countryside trains and increase in farm size are not usually mentioned results, and reducing urban hospitals is not a direct effect of migration to cities.
Some essays claim that too much parental control can lead to which negative outcome for children?
Explanation: High levels of parental control may stifle children's independence and decision-making skills. Greater athletic ability, better school attendance, and more outdoor time are either positive attributes or unrelated to overprotection by parents.
What potential problem with increased tourism is often highlighted in essays?
Explanation: Tourism can bring economic benefits but is sometimes blamed for causing a loss of traditional local culture as destinations cater to foreign tastes. Lower transport use, higher postal rates, and reduced job opportunities are not direct effects of increased tourism.
According to essays, what is a possible effect of people changing jobs more frequently nowadays?
Explanation: Changing jobs often exposes people to new roles and industries, resulting in broader skill sets. Lower food production and decreased birthday parties are not relevant, and increased travel expenses may result but is less central in Task 2 essay discussions.
Why do essays sometimes argue that both parents should share responsibility for childcare?
Explanation: Sharing childcare responsibilities supports gender equality by giving both parents an active family role. Encouraging rivalry and decreasing home safety are negative and less relevant. Reducing career success is incorrect, as equality can enhance both parents’ opportunities.
How does volunteering benefit communities, according to Task 2 essay topics?
Explanation: Volunteering helps address local needs through collective action, making communities stronger and more supportive. Limiting outdoor play, increasing traffic delays, and reducing green spaces are incorrect and are not linked to volunteering's main advantages.
Which approach is often suggested in essays for learning about other cultures without traveling abroad?
Explanation: Attending local cultural events helps individuals learn about other cultures in their own city or country, making it a practical suggestion. Closing libraries and avoiding museums reduce opportunities for cultural learning, and using only local textbooks narrows one's perspective.
What is a frequently cited advantage of flexible working hours in the workplace?
Explanation: Flexible working hours allow employees to better manage their time, leading to improved job satisfaction. Longer commutes and delayed deadlines are disadvantages or unrelated, while fewer training sessions is not a direct benefit of flexible schedules.