The pie charts compare visitors’ responses to a survey about customer service at the Parkway Hotel in 2005 and in 2010.

It is clear that overall customer satisfaction increased considerably from 2005 to 2010.

While most hotel guests rated customer service as satisfactory or poor in 2005, a clear majority described the hotel service as good or excellent in 2010.

Looking at the positive responses first, in 2005 only 5% of the hotel visitors rated its customer service as excellent, but this figure rose to 28% in 2010.

Furthermore, while only 14% of guests described customer service in the hotel as good in 2005, almost three times as many people gave this rating five years later.

With regard to negative feedback, the proportion of guests who considered the hotel customer service to be poor fell from 21% in 2005 to only 12% in 2010.

Similarly, the proportion of people who thought customer service was very poor dropped from 15% to only 4% over the 5-year period.

Finally, a fall in the number of satisfactory ratings in 2010 reflects the fact that more people gave positive responses to the survey in that year.

Sample #38

It is generally acknowledged that families are now not as close as they used to be.
Give possible reasons and your recommendations.

model answer:

There is much discussion nowadays as to whether or not the relation-ship between family members is as close as before.

Diverse contributing factors can be identified. In the following, I would like to present my point of view.

Great changes have taken place in family life along with the development of society.

One of them is that the once-extended family tends to become smaller and smaller.

Many children have to leave their parents at an early age to study or work elsewhere.

As time passes, children become emotionally estranged from their parents.

Compared with the past, social competition is becoming increasingly fierce.

People are urged to concentrate their efforts upon work, so that they can achieve success, or at least a good standard of living.

As a result, they can’t afford to spend their leisure hours with their families. The importance of bonds of kinship is gradually fading from their minds.

In addition, the availability of various kinds of recreational facilities also diverts people from enjoying chats with the members of their families.

Their free time is mostly occupied by watching TV, surfing the Internet or playing video games.

They come to lose interest in communicating with the other members of their families.

In view of such alienation within families, urgent steps must be taken, in my opinion.

For members of families who live away from one another, regular contact on the phone can bring them the care that they need.

Family reunions on holidays or other important occasions can make a difference as well.

For those living together, it is a good idea to take some time off work or recreation periods to spend more time with each other.

In the final analysis, a close family relationship can surely be maintained as long as we realize the significant role it plays in our lives and attach importance to it.