In the minds of ESL exam candidates, e ssay writing is one of the most daunting tasks they are required to complete, regardless of the level of the exam, the administering body or the ease with which they themselves use the language. The same applies to students who are asked to write an essay by their teachers at school. In the previous sample essays posted on the blog, the main point I stress is the need to become acquainted with this form of writing (as opposed to writing a letter, review or report, for instance), to get a feel of what authorial voice is and how to organize and progressively express the arguments you wish to make in a coherent manner. Unfortunately, the best way to prepare for exam writing or learn how to write good essays for school is to read as many essays from as many sources as possible, then write as
The following is a sample essay based on the Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) writing section. The question can be found on page 32 of the ECPE Book 1 Practice Examinations textbook published by the Hellenic American Union (date of publication 2012, now no longer in circulation).
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Astrology continues to be of great interest, particularly to young people. Why do you think psychic phenomena are so popular in a rapidly developing technological society?
The supernatural is undeniably a field which has been the epicenter of countless case studies, books and documentaries, not only in the last century but well before it. One specific subcategory of the supernatural is astrology, or the belief that the stars through some magical power exert an influence over the human condition. The reasons for the continued fascination individuals and especially young people have with astrology, despite the technological developments they are surrounded by, are in my view indicators of the unchanging nature of the human mind.
To begin with, the unknown has always lured us. Life has become so transparent through science that virtually nothing remains a secret for long because some expert is bound to find an explanation for why such and such a strange occurrence manifests itself in such and such peculiar conditions. Likewise, young people turn to the internet for answers to all their questions, therefore nothing provides them with a sense of mystery or suspense as potently as the stars in the heavens do. No wonder they seek advice from astrologists or reverently read daily horoscopes, since both provide them with the possibility of the unpredictable, the novelty or element of surprise which transcends scientific reasoning and human logic. In sum, youngsters are tired of mundane explanations based on facts when their impulsive nature yearns for an unanticipated windfall.
In addition to this, people are dreamers at heart and owing to this steadfastly believe in luck, which astrology is founded on. The random alignment of the planets affecting different sectors of one’s life makes one believe that fortune may favor one. Accordingly, should your day go miserably wrong, it is not your fault, but the stars’ failing. Why, under such circumstances, would we not want to believe the precepts of astrology, when favorable planetary orbits might bring auspicious results and cheerless days be blamed on anything but our own actions?
All things considered, as senseless as astrology may seem, it caters to the dreamers in all of us and offers consolation in difficult times by explaining obstacles as transitory difficulties which could be overturned in a day through the miraculous and advantageous alignment of the stars. Human nature has not changed ever since mankind sought to foretell our fates by turning to the constellations for answers, nor is it likely to do so in the near future.
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