This is the fifth sample article candidates of the ECPE examination (Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English of the University of Michigan) My first post to deal with articles , explains what needs to be present in this type of piece of writing. As stated, examiners are looking for articles that elaborate on ideas and have solid arguments; are well organized; make use of a wide lexical and grammatical range; have an original ring to them (in other words, readers are able to distinguish the author's unique "voice"). Before reading, take a look at the following post if you haven't already done so. It will help you focus on the vital aspects you need to be aware of while reading the article and what you should make sure to use when you write your own. The question appeared in Practice Tests for the ECPE Book 1 (revised 2021 version) and is accompanied by the following three writing prompts:
To get the most out of these sample essays and letters, please read "What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?" before reading this blog entry.
The following letter is an example of how examination candidates could tackle the subject of limiting internet access. The sample has been modeled on the University of Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) Task 1 question of the Writing section available on page 134 of the Hellenic American Union's ECCE Practice Examinations book (Book 1).
Based on the rubric, the newspaper The City Times reports that a public school official (Mr. Harding) has announced that access to certain kinds of websites that are inappropriate for children will be denied to students on all computers in schools after internet blocking devices will be installed. Although it is expected that some students will complain about this restriction, many more will see the benefit.
Candidates are asked to write a letter to the school official giving and justifying their opinion with regard to this announcement.
The letter should begin with "Dear Mr. Harding".
If you haven't already done so, read this post B2 Writing: The Basics.
Dear Mr. Harding,
Having
read an article in The City Times about your decision to block certain
websites on school computers, as a 15-year-old student I would like to express
my opinion on the issue. It is my firm belief that you are entirely right in
making such a decision.
To
begin with, the internet is a useful tool for students, but dangers lurk and
students are not always aware of this. It is usually the case that teens
browsing the net find pages by accident whose content is unsuitable for their
age. This usually happens when, for instance, they see advertisements linked to
adult sites on a page which is entirely unrelated to this, such as a sports
page or a news agency website. They may have logged on to read the news or see
the latest match scores, but find themselves tempted to click on an
inappropriate site.
Undoubtedly,
many students will say that the internet is protected by freedom of speech and
freedom of the press laws, so it is against these laws to censor websites or
prevent pupils from accessing any web page they wish. Despite the fact that
there is some truth to this, school computers are not a student’s property and
so it is not up to them to regulate what is permitted and what is not. School
computers need to be used for school work and the advancement of knowledge, so
anything that might be detrimental to both should be prohibited.
All
things considered, although blocking certain websites may seem like a
limitation of freedom, students must realize that it is the school’s right to
place restrictions on its own equipment. Anyone who disagrees with this can log
onto their home computer after school and click on any link their heart
desires.
Yours sincerely,
Mary
Black
For more sample letters or essays, click on the image below.
