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 topic was taken from a Michigan State University English Language Examinations publication (Go For MSU - CELP (C2), Super Course System). As you will notice, the topic is similar to what candidates would expect in any other C2 level examination in that examiners expect a well-organized, coherent and cohesive discussion of the issue with arguments, explanations and examples.
If you are not taking an exam but need ideas on the topic of eating disorders and unhealthy eating habits, then read on and note down what you deem useful. Don't forget: paraphrase to avoid plagiarism!
MSU –CELP Writing Sample
Essay
Nowadays, teenagers seem
to be suffering from a variety of eating disorders. On the one hand, obesity
amongst the young is at record levels while at the same time, anorexia nervosa
is becoming more and more common, sometimes with fatal results. Why have young
people’s eating habits become so unbalanced? What could parents and teachers do
to ensure young people have healthier diets? Support your opinion with examples
and explanations.
The pace of life is such in
our days that our lifestyles have become hectic, stressful and a persistent
race against the clock. Nutrition, it would seem, is one area which has
suffered as a result of this hustle and bustle of daily life, with teenagers
becoming susceptible to eating disorders such as obesity or anorexia. The
causes behind such disorders are not complicated to deduce, making solutions to
these problems then become readily available.
To begin with,
there are three main reasons why adolescents fall prey to eating disorders. The
first is the pressure put on their time which forces them to grab a quick bite
instead of allowing them to sit down to a home-made, healthier meal.
Extra-curricular activities, mounds of assignments and text book pages to
cover, pressure from their parents to achieve high grades in school all
contribute to less time available for nourishing meals. Add to this the fact
that parents are also chained to jobs which allow them little time to prepare
nutritious lunches and dinners, and you end up with the perfect formula for
obesity.
Another related cause of unhealthy eating has to do with
the availability of fast food. This extremely tasty kind of food is present in
almost every supermarket and diners selling it are found in practically all
major cities and towns. How can anyone resist the delicious burgers, hotdogs,
tacos and pizzas that are effortlessly obtainable, speedily delivered and in
most cases reasonably priced? With so many additives and taste enhancers, teens
are sure to get hooked and are bound to become overweight leading some to
become anorexic in order to combat the extra pounds this type of food entails.
The final reason deals with anorexia and the images the
media presents viewers with. Thin models prancing about in adverts or on
catwalks and magazine covers promoting extremely lean, almost skeletal bodies
push teens to compel themselves to look like the unattainable ideal image the
media endorses, regardless if that body is dangerously thin.
To counterbalance all this, it is the job of teachers and
parents to show youngsters the way. First off, parents should budget their time
and have meals prepared beforehand so that their children can take healthy,
balanced lunches with them to school or, if they expect not to be home by
dinner, have home-cooked, ready-to-heat meals waiting in the fridge. This will
ensure that children have no excuse to complain about having to spend time
cooking for themselves on the one hand, while on the other a wholesome meal is
guaranteed. Both parents and teachers should also talk freely about body image,
advertising gimmicks, the dangers of obesity, binge eating and purging by
sitting down with their children or students and watching documentaries on the
topic or striking up heart-to-heart conversations. Schools should even
incorporate cooking lessons to demonstrate how just a few minutes of fun and
creativity can give you the nutrients you need to stay healthy, monitor your
weight and give you energy. Last but not least, teachers and parents ought to
set a good example and eat healthily themselves, as no teen is likely to take
an adult seriously when they see that adult doing the precise opposite of what
they preach.
Taking everything into account, once the causes of obesity, anorexia and
other eating disorders become clear, the ways to combat them also become
evident. Teenagers must become aware of the dangers of eating unhealthy food or
purging to stay thin or else will have to face severe health issues in later
life.