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
If you haven't already done so, before you read this sample essay please read
What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?
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 72 of the ECPE Book 1 Practice
Examinations textbook published by the Hellenic American Union.
Many people travel overseas to
experience new cultures and learn about the places they visit. How do you think
people’s lives are affected by their experience, in terms of their interests in
international cuisine, music or history? You may use examples from visitors’
experiences in your own country or your own experiences traveling overseas.
The
world has become smaller since the advent of seafaring vessels and even more so
with the use of aircraft. Those with means have made tourism an annual
indulgence, and traveling to far-flung corners of the earth has become
commonplace. As a result of this, enriching experiences await travelers which
affect not only their love of music and history, but also their culinary tastes
in a variety of ways.
By
catching the first plane to visit places overseas, tourists possibly expose themselves
to a different musical style. Those who visit New Orleans will undoubtedly be immersed in the jazz scene, while
those who spend a fortnight in Greece will dance the syrtaki or hear the sounds of rebetiko
songs drifting out of tavernas. Different nations undoubtedly have diverse
musical traditions and even unique musical instruments, such as for instance
the Russian balalaika, Spanish castanets or Hawaiian ukulele, all of which
broaden a tourist’s horizons in that he or she might decide to learn how to
play an instrument or join forums where people can talk about a style of music
originating from the country visited.
This
broadening of horizons is taken one step further with the study of history.
Travelers may decide to look deeper into the roots of rebetiko music and learn
about 20th century Greek history through the changes in this style
of music. Monuments and guided tours also help in learning about a nation and
make people more cognizant of the turbulent times experienced by civilians in
the past, even explaining at times the contemporary state of affairs a country
is in. The plight of many African nations, for example, can be understood by
studying colonialism, traces of which they would see in a number of buildings,
place names and museums around the world.
Finally,
tasting the local delicacies enables people to savor new tastes which will
affect them on various levels. Acquiring a taste for, say, traditional
Mediterranean cooking or sushi will decrease calorie intake and constitute a
healthier diet for those who decide to incorporate new recipes into their daily
eating habits. Others could very well go into the food industry by opening up,
for example, a Thai restaurant in a suburb of London after a short sojourn in Thailand. Whatever the case may be, individuals who bring back
new culinary experiences have added yet another enjoyable moment to their lives
they would not otherwise have done so had they not traveled abroad.
All
things considered, people are affected on a personal, professional and mental
level through new interests in music, cuisine and history gained on their
visits. They may take up a new hobby that will acquaint them with new friends,
open a business related to their new passion or be more acceptant of people and
places they have learnt more about.
Word count: approx. 450 words