The graph below shows US consumers' average annual expenditures on cell phone and residential phone services between 2001 and 2010.

The line graph compares average yearly spending by Americans on mobile and landline phone services from 2001 to 2010.

It is clear that spending on landline phones fell steadily over the 10-year period, while mobile phone expenditure rose quickly.

The year 2006 marks the point at which expenditure on mobile services overtook that for residential phone services.

In 2001, US consumers spent an average of nearly $700 on residential phone services, compared to only around $200 on cell phone services.

Over the following five years, average yearly spending on landlines dropped by nearly $200.

By contrast, expenditure on mobiles rose by approximately $300.

In the year 2006, the average American paid out the same amount of money on both types of phone service, spending just over $500 on each.

By 2010, expenditure on mobile phones had reached around $750, while the figure for spending on residential services had fallen to just over half this amount.

Sample #36

Some people believe that childrens leisure activities must be educational, otherwise they are a complete waste of time. Do you agree or disagree?

model answer:

Today, education has become a priority for many parents seeking to secure a good future for their children in this rapidly changing world.

They believe that if their children apply themselves and work hard at school, then they will increase their opportunities for going to higher education and eventually getting a good job.

Of course they are right, and as access to the best education and best jobs is becoming more competitive, then it is true that children have to make the best of their study time when they are young.

However, the parents who do not allow their children sufficient free time for leisure activities outside school hours, are misguided.

Such activities are far from being a waste of time for the children simply because they are not academic.

It is important to remember that children need to develop skills other than intellectual ones, and the best way to do this is through activities such as sports, games and playing with other kids.

If they cannot play make-believe games, how can they develop their imagination?

How can they learn physical co-ordination or learn important social lessons about winning and losing if they do not practise any sports?

Many children form strong, personal relationships with the friends they play with, and without the opportunity to do this, they could grow up emotionally immature or unformed.

Finally, I think it is also important to remember that children need to relax as well as work.

If everything they do must have some educational or academic relevance, then they will soon get tired of studying altogether, which is the last thing parents would want.