TEST 12

In the future, it is expected that there will be a higher proportion of older people in some countries. Is this positive or negative development?

            Developments in medical technology and health care systems, among many other factors, are leading to people having longer life expectancy than before. As this trend continues, in the future, we can expect the number of old people will be much greater than that of young people. In several ways, society may benefit from a growing proportion of senior citizens. However, I believe the rest of the world population would have to shoulder much more responsibilities and the global economy would face a serious labor crisis.

            On the positive side, an increase in the number of old people means a greater pool of volunteers for community and government projects. These people are usually more financially comfortable and therefore more willing to contribute free labor to ameliorating their communities. For example, we often see old people in developed countries engage in charity work to provide shelter and food for the homeless in their neighborhoods. Such an act also instils a great sense of responsibility and altruism into the young generation. This is, in fact, globally recognized to be advantageous in a world where selfishness hinders one from taking action for the sake of others.

            Nevertheless, aging populations will place the whole world under many pressures. Both governments and businesses will have to pay for increased retirement pensions and health care costs, which means tax-payers will have to bear a greater financial burden and the young workforce will have to work harder and care for the elderly at the same time. Furthermore, lack of young labor workforce would cause stagnation for the growth of individual businesses and the global economy as a whole because little innovation may take place in this circumstance.  As a matter of fact, many first world countries whose proportion of senior citizens is higher than that of young people, such as Japan, are already experiencing these undesirable impacts.

In conclusion, an aging population is beneficial in certain ways. However, the benefits society may reap from an aging population cannot match the damage it inflicts. It is important that the world governments should not underestimate the complexity of this problem and take immediate action to reduce its future influences.

TEST 13

People have little understanding of the importance of the natural world. What are the reasons and how can people learn more about the natural world?

            These days, many people do not fully comprehend how absolutely important nature is for the existence of human beings. This essay will discuss some reasons why people do not understand its importance, and some ways they can learn more about it.

            In modern societies, most people have a severe lack of understanding when it comes to the role that nature plays in their lives, and this can be attributed to a number of reasons. Firstly, most modern cites these days are nothing more than concrete jungles, devoid of any significant amount of nature. As a consequence, people are not close to nature and therefore do not appreciate or understand its significance. Kids these days spend their free time playing computer games or staring at a smartphone or TV screen, while adults are endlessly working or pursuing other leisure activities, which tends to disconnect them from the natural world. Another possible reason for this lack of understanding may be that it is not taught in schools. For example, biology is not one of the subjects that holds great importance in most schools these days.

            However, there are various solutions to this problem. Firstly, cites need to become greener. Local governments need to incorporate larger green spaces into cites so that people are encouraged to spend more time in nature on a daily basis. The streets must be lined with trees, and there must be large parks in every single neighbourhood. Furthermore, there must be large communal spaces where people can learn about gardening and growing food. In addition, and most importantly, children need to be taught about the importance of nature in school. Such subjects need to be a compulsory part of every child’s education in order to ensure that future generations are well aware of the importance of nature and how to live in harmony with it.

            In conclusion, being close to nature and learning about it in school or elsewhere is of vital importance to future generations. Without a deep understanding and appreciation of nature the human race will face catastrophic consequences.