Lời giải ĐỀ THI IELTS 02/02/2019

Lời giải Task 1:

The bar chart illustrates the total spending on boys and girls schools in Singapore between 2000 and 2012.  The pie chart compares the percentage of students in higher education in Singapore who gained diplomas and degrees in 2000 and 2012.

Overall, it is clear that total school expenditure rose over the period.  In addition, a higher proportion of students gained diplomas compared with those who were awarded degrees.

In Singapore, $9 million was spent on boys schools in 2000.  This figure rose steadily to $20 million and $26 million in 2004 and 2008, respectively. In 2012, spending reached a peak of $33 million. In contrast, the expenditure on girls schools was lower.  From a total of $7 million in 2000, however, spending on schools for girls also saw a steady increase, reaching a peak of $20 million at the end of the period.

There was an increase in the proportion of higher education students in Singapore who gained degrees. The percentage rose from 27% in 2000 to 32% in 2012, whereas the proportion of those who graduated with diplomas decreased from 73% in 2000 to 68% in 2012. 

188 words

Written by NgocBach

Lời giải Task 2:

It is true that a growing number of people want to buy well-known designer labels of many consumer products.While there are some obvious reasons for this trend, I believe that it is a totally negative development.

The reasons for the increasing consumer concern with brand names are simple to explain. Firstly, the marketing departments of giant corporations aim to identify their goods with a glamorous and successful lifestyle, and people are easily swayed by advertisements. Companies often use celebrity endorsement to promote their products, with famous people like Cristiano Ronaldo or Victoria Beckham. Secondly, the possession of a Mercedes car or a Gucci handbag, for example, advertises one’s own wealth and taste to others.  The idea behind owning a brand name is to make others jealous.

However, I would argue that this is a completely negative development. In terms of what ordinary people can afford, consumers are encouraged by corporations to squander their savings on designer goods which the companies promise will improve their lives and make them happy. From a social perspective, such messages are very dangerous, encouraging crime, for example to steal the latest cell phones from people in the street. The target audience is often young people, who companies seek to attract by promoting brand awareness of their products such as Coca Cola, Nike or Samsung.  These are now considered to be essential items to have in our modern global village.

In conclusion, there are some important reasons to explain why many people find brand name products so attractive.  Although famous designer labels are increasingly in demand, I would argue that this form of consumerism gives people a false idea of what is important in our lives.

281 words.

Written by NgocBach

Ghi chú

Vocabulary from Media and Advertising:

  • to be swayed by advertisements
    Meaning: to be influenced to buy things as a result of advertising
    Example: If consumers were not easily swayed by advertisements, the advertising industry would not exist.
  • celebrity endorsement
    Meaning: A form of brand or advertising campaign that involves a well-known person using their fame to help promote a product or service
    Example: Celebrity endorsement by famous TV stars is commonly used by companies to encourage consumers to trust and buy their products.
  • to promote their products
    Meaning: to make products popular by advertising them
    ​​​​​​​Example: Most large enterprises contract specialist marketing companies to promote their products.
  • target audience
    Meaning: consumers whom businesses aim at when selling their products
    ​​​​​​​Example: Companies which sell soft drinks, like Coca Cola, aim mainly at a target audience of children and adolescents.
  • brand awareness
    Meaning: the action of bringing the name of a company to the attention of the public
    Example: Advertising, not the quality of the product, is responsible for creating brand awareness among consumers, as can be seen by the success of market leaders such as Nike or Coca Cola.

Vocabulary from Business and Money:

  • to squander savings
    Meaning: to waste money by not using it to your advantage
    Example: James squandered all his savings in an unsuccessful business venture to sell ice cream in Alaska.

Other vocabulary:

  • glamorous [adjective]:
    Meaning: especially attractive, exciting and different from ordinary things
    Example: She appeared on TV in a glamorous dress.
  • consumerism [noun]:

Meaning: the act of buying or using goods or services
Example: Mary was surprised at the consumerism of Western society – everybody seemed to want to buy more and more things.