The line graph compares figures for daily travel by workers in the UK using three different forms of transport over a period of 60 years.

It is clear that the car is by far the most popular means of transport for UK commuters throughout the period shown.

Also, while the numbers of people who use the car and train increase gradually, the number of bus users falls steadily.

In 1970, around 5 million UK commuters travelled by car on a daily basis, while the bus and train were used by about 4 million and 2 million people respectively.

In the year 2000, the number of those driving to work rose to 7 million and the number of commuting rail passengers reached 3 million.

However, there was a small drop of approximately 0.5 million in the number of bus users.

By 2030, the number of people who commute by car is expected to reach almost 9 million, and the number of train users is also predicted to rise, to nearly 5 million.

By contrast, buses are predicted to become a less popular choice, with only 3 million daily users.

Sample #33

Television has had a significant influence on the culture of many societies.

To what extent would you say that television has positively or negatively affected the cultural development of your society?

model answer:

It has been around forty years since television was first introduced into Australian households and people today still have mixed views on whether it has a positive or a negative influence on the society.

Many people believe that television damages culture.

It promotes the stronger cultures of countries such as Britain and North America and weakens the cultures of less wealthy countries.

This is because the stronger, wealthier countries are able to assert their own culture by producing more programs that are shown widely around the world.

 These programs then influence people, particularly young people, in the countries where they are shown.

Also, because television networks need to attract large audiences to secure their financial survival, they must produce programs which are interesting to a broad range of people.

In Australia this range is very broad because we are a multicultural society and people of all ages like to watch television.

To interest all these different people, most television programs are short in length, full of action and excitement, do not require much intelligence or knowledge to understand, and follow universal themes common to all cultures, such as love and crime.

Television programs which concentrate on or develop themes pertinent to one particular culture are not so successful because they interest a smaller audience.

Nevertheless we much acknowledge that television does have some positive effects on the cultures within a society as well.

People who do not live within their own culture can, in a limited way, access it through the multicultural station on the television.

For example, Aboriginal children who have grown up in white families, or migrants and international students living in Australia, can watch programs from their own culture on the television.

In conclusion, I hold the view that television promotes and strengthens those cultures that are wealthy and influential while it weakens the cultures that are already in a weakened position.