Below is a map of the city of Brandfield.

City planners have decided to build a new shopping mall for the area, and two sites, S1 and S2 have been proposed.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Map of Brandfield with two proposed sites for a shopping mall

The map shows two potential locations (S1 and S2) for a new shopping mall in Brandfield.

S1 is in the north of the city, while S2 is located in the south-east.

The proposed site S1 has the advantage of proximity to the housing estate and to the city centre.

As site S1 is situated between the housing estate and the city centre, this means that the mall would be within easy reach of a large number of potential customers.

An existing road and railway line already pass near the planned location.

A golf course and park occupies the west of Brandfield and a river passes through the city centre.

However, neither of these features affect the proposed sites.

Although S2 is also conveniently situated near the city centre, it borders on an industrial estate.

It is relatively far from the housing area, even though there is a connecting road and railway, and another road also provides access to this site.

The mass media, including television, radio and newspapers, have great influence in shaping people's ideas.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer.

model answer:

The mass media have a powerful influence in shaping our lives.

We have come to depend on them for information and entertainment, and in doing so we let them affect important aspects of our lives.

The undeniable usefulness of the media in almost instantly providing information about events around the world is largely taken for granted.

But in our dependence on the media we have allowed them to mould our notions and opinions of events, places and people.

Though few of us probably think about it, our conceptions of, say, our elected officials spring from television images and newspaper stories.

Most of us will never meet prime ministers or presidents, but anyone who is regularly exposed to the media will have an opinion of them.

When it is time to cast our vote, we will make our decision based on how the media portray the candidates.

We are similarly swayed by coverage of wars.

The media, representing the values of their owners, societies and governments, tend to report wars with a bias; which is the 'good' side and which the 'bad' is determined for us by reporters, editors and commentators, and sure enough the public begins to form opinions that reflect the coverage they see, hear and read in the major media.

The media are also influential in the way they facilitate the spread of culture and lifestyle.

The so-called 'global youth culture', in which one finds young people around the world displaying a common interest in music, clothing styles and films, is an example of the media's enormous sway in this regard.

A popular figure such as Michael Jackson would never be so well known were it not for the media's extensive reach into every society on the globe.

Thus I would argue that the mass media's influence is certainly great.

Indeed, with technological advancements such as the Internet bringing even more forms of electronic media to our homes and workplaces, it is likely the media's influence will grow even stronger.