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BEST IELTS Writing Task 2, 30th May
IELTS WRITING TASK 2
IELTS WRITING TASK 2
Is there any value in studying academic subjects that are not ‘useful’ in terms of generating wealth for the country?
SAMPLE ANSWER
Many people these days claim that a useful education is one that prepares graduates for occupations that create wealth. However, when we evaluate the usefulness of an academic subject we should think carefully about how we define the term ‘useful’. In this essay, I argue that many academic subjects that do not directly generate great wealth can still be very useful.
Some subjects can be useful because they create knowledge that can be applied in related fields. Linguists, for example, study the way language works. Their analyses can be used to create more effective methods of language teaching. Improved international communication can result in better trading relations, which can in turn generate wealth. Archaeologists investigate the lives of people in the past through their artifacts. Many of these will be displayed in museums, which can attract tourists who generate income for hoteliers, restaurants and so on.
Many academic subjects can also be “useful’ in terms of contributing to people’s quality of life. Some people pursue hobbies in fields such as geology in order to have a better understanding of the planet we live on. Others with an interest in stars and planets may become amateur astronomers. Curiosity is an important human trait, and many academic subjects allow people to satisfy this need.
In short, there is a little evidence that simply educating people to be efficient workers makes them happier or richer in the broader sense. Human curiosity and the unpredictable nature of knowledge creation mean that a variety of academic disciplines should be valued.
