CPE Writing

Подготовка и впечатления от сдачи экзамена. Помощь в разборе письменных работ. выбор и обсуждение необходимых материалов. Cambridge English (CPE, CAE, FCE ect.), IELTS, TOEFL и другие.

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paveltashkinov
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#426

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Many students choose to attend schools or universities outside their home countries. Why do some students study abroad? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

The world seems to have been becoming a global village. Never before have people enjoyed the level of mobility inherent to our age. This open world offers a wealth of opportunities, not least of them being studying abroad. Why do so many students opt to pursue their academic aspirations outside their home countries?
One of the most important objectives that will-be students have in mind when emigrating is a better quality of education. Not infrequently, students find themselves dissatisfied with the low educational standards in their countries. To advance their scientific career, they have no alternative but to move elsewhere.
The benefits of studying abroad do not exhaust themselves at this juncture. This experience offers students an excellent opportunity to explore the world. After all, if not at this age, when else will they be able to immerse themselves into another culture for a considerably long stretch of time? The experience of living abroad helps students gain a different outlook on life, thereby contributing to their personal growth.
Were we not to mention the opportunity to acquire a foreign language, the list of benefits brought forth by studying abroad would be incomplete. Living among native speakers of a target language is conducive to the well-round development of students’ linguistic skills and sense of the language.
Concluding, studying abroad can be enriching. Not only can students learn a new language and deepen their understanding of a different culture, but they can also gain a new perspective of themselves. At the same time, they get an education in the formal sense. Studying abroad is a comprehensive, all-encompassing experience worth going through.
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#427

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)? Use specific details and examples to explain why these qualities are important.

What are the qualities that a leader should have in order to be recognized and respected amongst his subordinates?
Above all, a good leader should be knowledgeable. Whenever a person assumes a supervising or managerial position, it is crucial that he always know whereof he speaks. It is impossible to propel your organisation forward and have its objectives met without knowing the tools of the trade and the realities of the industry. Be that as it may, that kind of pure knowledge is not enough. Having a clear vision of what is ahead is equally important. Consequently, if the enterprise is to thrive and prosper, the leader should harness his business acumen and perspicacity and make use of them.
Furthermore, managerial positions require that a person assuming them be good at soft skills. To be looked upon as trustworthy and promote harmony amongst his subordinates, the leader should be approachable. If the boss is arrogant, he is bound to alienate some of his colleagues. This haughtiness may cause unnecessary rifts and rivalries within the framework of the organization and thereby jeopardize the efficiency of the workflow.
To inspire his followers, a good boss should exemplify the common cause. Likewise, the leader may consider the affiliative strategy of empowering his subordinates rather than watching their every step. He should be able to strike the balance between giving people autonomy and letting them do the things their way and constant interference. If something seems to be going haywire, the boss must step in and help his subordinates make things right. That said, wherever the workflow seems to be going smoothly, the leader should step aside and let his employees work autonomously.
To conclude, managerial positions require a vast array of soft and hard skills. Therefore, it is important that a person in charge develop both and let them shine through. In so doing, he can gain the respect of his subordinates and elevate the performance of his organization.
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#428

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Изображение

The diagram above shows how potato chips are made. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. (IELTS Simulation Tests, Writing Task 1)

The process of potato chips manufacturing includes multiple steps. First, the quality of raw material is manually checked. Then, potatoes are washed in the washer. After that, they are transported into the peeler by means of gravity. The peeler removes the skin of the potatoes. This stage yields peels and starch as byproducts. Once peeled, the potatoes are loaded onto the bucket conveyor belt, which transports them to the slicer. The slicer slices the potatoes in smaller pieces. During the next step, the potato slices are dried while being transported into the deep fryer via the flat bed conveyor. Having been fried, the potato slices are discharged onto another conveyor. At this stage, the salter distributes salt over the slices. The last stage of the process is packing. The chips are either packed into cans or individual bags. If the product is packed into individual bags, the bulk can filler is used.
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#429

Сообщение tourist »

- washed in the washer
- slicer slices
- salter distributes salt

wow, Hi-Tech shit ,innit ? )
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#430

Сообщение Easy-Breezy English »

paveltashkinov пишет: 21 май 2019, 08:37 transported into the peeler by means of gravity
This is my personal favorite. :-) Pavel, in the language of mere mortals this is called falling.

Now you went to the other extreme with your sentences - they are too short and choppy.
paveltashkinov пишет: 21 май 2019, 08:37 Then, potatoes are washed in the washer. After that, they are transported into the peeler by means of gravity. The peeler removes the skin of the potatoes. This stage yields peels and starch as byproducts.
Then, the potatoes are washed and transported into a peeler, where their skins and excess starch are removed.
paveltashkinov пишет: 21 май 2019, 08:37 Having been fried, the potato slices are discharged onto another conveyor. At this stage, the salter distributes salt over the slices. The last stage of the process is packing. The chips are either packed into cans or individual bags. If the product is packed into individual bags, the bulk can filler is used.
Fried potato slices are salted and transported by a flat belt conveyor to either a bag packer or bulk can filler, where they are packaged for use.
Последний раз редактировалось Easy-Breezy English 21 май 2019, 17:31, всего редактировалось 3 раза.
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#431

Сообщение acapnotic »

paveltashkinov пишет: 21 май 2019, 08:37 The slicer slices the potatoes in smaller pieces.
Smaller than what? If the potatoes themselves, then does that imply they could be sliced into pieces larger than themselves as well? How so? :) Also, what else, if not pieces, can you slice a potato into? Can you slice it into a conglomerate of potatoes?
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#432

Сообщение Easy-Breezy English »

But in all honesty, Pavel, this is very good for a non-native speaker. Quite excellent, in fact.
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#433

Сообщение Yety »

paveltashkinov пишет: 21 май 2019, 08:37 The diagram above shows how potato chips are made
How It's Made_Potato Chips, one might wanna compare)Показать
Video Activity How it’s made: Chips Discovery Chl _ TRANSCRIPTПоказать
ppt, click to download
1. Chips have to be made with fresh potatoes in order to avoid black spots.
2. The brushing machine removes the dirt from the potatoes.
3. After the brushing machine, potatoes go to the peeler.
4. The peeler can peel 12 thousand pounds of potatoes per hour.
5. After being peeled, the potatoes are classified by size.
6. The slicer blades can be adjusted to different thicknesses or shape.
7. A regular potato gives about 36 chips.
8. The slices are washed in cold, fresh water for about 1 minute.
9. The oil to fry the slices has a temperature of 375ºF.
10. The slices are fried for 3 minutes.
11. After being fried the potatoes receive a shower of salt.
12. Chips with defects are detected by an electronic camera.
13. The chips are later sprayed with powder seasonings of different flavours.
14. Finally a machine weighs and separates the chips to be packaged.
15. The whole process from raw potato to chip takes 15 minutes.
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#434

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Easy-Breezy English,
Speaking about 'by means of gravity', this expression seems to be quite common in technical English.
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#435

Сообщение Easy-Breezy English »

paveltashkinov пишет: 22 май 2019, 12:04 Easy-Breezy English,
Speaking about 'by means of gravity', this expression seems to be quite common in technical English.
Absolutely. But this usually means that an object is on an incline, being pulled down by gravity. Kind of like this:
Изображение

While in your diagram those potatoes seem to be just falling straight down from the washer to the peeler. But then again, I'm not well-versed in technical lingo. Maybe you are right.
At any rate, this phrase strikes me as overkill for so simple a task.
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#436

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

1 Cities are the ideal places for people with great ambitions and high expectations from life. Only cities can provide the endless opportunities for professional development that are a key factor for success in every field, be that business, sport, entertainment, or education. For this reason, they attract the cream of the crop. This creates competition which provides the drive people need to achieve their goals. Being around other fast-paced aspirational individuals does not only allow people to pit themselves against the best, but also to learn from them.

2 In cities, the streets aren’t always paved with gold. Life in a metropolis can be brutal for many people whose dreams remain elusive. The bitter disappointment of failure is magnified in a place where others not only get ahead, but often make great displays of their success. The harsh reality of unfulfilled dreams can lead some to depression and a loss of any drive they had. Others misguidedly turn to crime in an attempt to get what they feel they deserve, or simply just to survive.

The two texts analyze the perception of city life from the diametrically opposite ends of the social hierarchy.
Text 1 claims that cities concentrate the most ambitious individuals aiming at the top of the social hierarchy. These people seek opportunities for their self-development and leisure activities alike. Since those are likely to be found in cities, successful people tend to reside there. This city medium, so saturated with aspiring individuals, enables them to compete with and to learn from each other, and thereby perpetuates this cycle of success.
However, is city life always interwoven with success? While it is true that some urban dwellers can accumulate wealth and rise to success, there are also their less fortunate counterparts who cannot make it. It is the lives of those unhappy people that Text 2 sheds light on. To eke out a living, these destitute individuals have no alternative but to take to begging or resort to violence, so dire are their circumstances. Their embitterment is only magnified against the backdrop of the vibrant city life and the ostentatiousness of the rich. The net result of it is that the poor sink into the vortex of despair, often with no way out.
In my view, cities represent a cross-section of a society. They are the places where dizzying successes and bitter disappointments are bizarrely intertwined. That said, the opportunities they have to offer seem to outweigh the disadvantages inherent to city life. After all, would it be right to blame the medium for some people’s failures? Perhaps, but only insofar as the medium has nothing to offer. Is it the case with modern cities? I do not think so. I believe that the onus is entirely on the individual to make the best of those opportunities offered by the better infrastructure and concentration of human capital associated with cities.
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#437

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Money makes us happy
For many people, happiness is measured in terms of material wealth. Expensive homes, luxury cards and frequent foreign holidays bring them great joy. And why shouldn’t they? If they have worked hard to amass their fortunes, they deserve their rewards. Unfortunately, others judge them harshly because they envy them. This is small-minded and mean. If people desire wealth to be happy, they should work hard to achieve that and not resent those who already have.
There’s nothing like a good friend
We need to redefine our concepts of what makes us happy. Increasingly, people are striving to become rich because they believe money will bring with it a life of ease and pleasure. What they should be doing is focusing on the things of value that brings true happiness. Foremost amongst these are good friends. They are priceless and can be trusted to help in times of difficulty. Wealthy people, on the other hand, never really know who their true friends are.


Does material wealth make people happy? Could money alone be a prerequisite for a life full of contentment?
A widely held belief claims that money is a key to happiness. Indeed, wealth gives people access to a better quality of life in every imaginable aspect. Ranging from better healthcare and educational opportunities to foreign trips and luxury items, the attributes of material wealth make people’s lives easier and happier.
It may be said that some of those attributes may be seen as ostentatious. This opulence may irritate and provoke the less affluent people. While the reasons for this reaction can be intuitively understood, is it always justified? What these poor and covetous people fail to realize is that material wealth is a mere indicator of one’s social usefulness and as such is often well-deserved.
Be that as it may, could money alone make us happy? People embark upon a chase for wealth in a vain hope that money alone will magically solve all their problems. However, an enriching life is impossible without the social framework that people should strive to build around themselves.
People are social creatures; as such, they cannot be happy without meaningful relationships with other people who can be trusted. However, many wealthy people tend to be wary of others’ motives and never let anyone else too close to themselves. In so doing, they miss out on genuine social interactions that are part and parcel of happiness. Eventually, when they are old and looking back on their lives, those rich yet miserable people will have come to regret their vain pursuit of wealth.
Concluding, money make our lives simpler and comfortable. However, the correlation between material wealth and happiness seems to be quite loose. On the other hand, the impact of our social interactions on our sense of contentment is much more tangible. Happiness, therefore, is impossible without a meaningful social life.
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#438

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

1 Tourism: a threat to the environment
The quality of the environment is essential to tourism. People travel far and wide to see beautiful environments, both natural and man-made. However, tourism’s relationship with the environment is complex. It involves many activities that can have adverse environmental effects. Many of these impacts are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and of tourism facilities, including resorts, hotels, restaurants and shops. The negative impacts of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends.
2 Not everyone benefits from tourism
Multinational companies are found in many areas of tourism. For local businesses, their chances to earn income from tourism are severely reduced by the presence of these multinationals. For example, tour companies can offer all-inclusive holiday resort packages with flights, accommodation and meals provided. When tourists remain for their entire stay at the same hotel or resort, not much opportunity is left for local people and their economies to profit from tourism. It is entirely unfair and the development of foreign-owned resorts should be strictly regulated by governments and local authorities.


The two texts explore some threats posed by tourism. Text 1 addresses the issue from the environmental viewpoint. Text 2 analyzes the impact of tourism on local communities.
How does the tourism industry affect the local environments it is dependent upon? Above all, turning a place of attraction into a popular holiday destination is impossible without the creation of infrastructure objects, e.g. airports and hotels. However, these developments may gradually erode and eventually exhaust local resources and bring about long-lasting repercussions for the entire regions.
This adverse effect may have been mitigated if local tourism businesses were to play a more prominent role in the industry. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case nowadays, when the local companies are being squeezed out of the market by the major international players. Not only does the prominence of multinational companies undermine the local environments, but it also erases the mainstay of the local economies. It is therefore important that this imbalance be rectified and any further encroachment from multinational companies be regulated.
It is about time the tourism industry became more responsible. To bring about this shift, the focus of the industry should be widened to also include the local communities and environments. That is what the emerging trend of responsible tourism is trying to accomplish. Hopefully, it will lead to a win-win situation. First, it will ensure that the benefits will trickle down to the local communities, and the local business will have their fair share. Consequently, local authorities will be interested in the influx of tourists and further development of the industry. In their turn, tourists will relish an opportunity to behold some of the most pristine places and gain an insight into a variety of cultures.
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#439

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Tigers are an important part of the planet's rich diversity of life. As top predators in their food chain, they feed on a variety of prey species and help maintain the structure and functioning of the ecosystems they inhabit. Tigers, therefore, are considered a keystone species. If tigers disappear, there will be far-reaching and negative consequences for other parts of the ecosystem. Protecting tigers, therefore, helps many other species as well. For example, protecting tiger habitats in India and Bangladesh has helped to protect human habitats by reducing land erosion, stabilising ecosystems and encouraging wise land use. It has also led to an increase in g lobal awareness of climate change and the problem of rising sea levels.


A majority of professional conservationists believe it is time to consider shifting efforts away from some of the world's most famous species, such as the polar bear, to concentrate on others which have a greater chance of survival. The scientists b elieve a serious loss of biological diversity is 'likely, very likely or virtually certain'. Some experts have rejected the idea on the grounds that it is impossible to make judgments about one species at the expense of another, given the complexity of the ecological interactions in the natural world. However, others are starting to question the value of spending millions of pounds on one celebrated species, such as the panda, or a big predator such as the tiger, where loss of habitat is almost inevitable.


The two texts present diametrically opposite viewpoints on nature conservation.
Text 1 showcases the importance of conservationist efforts by citing an example of protecting tigers. As a predatory species residing at the top of the food chain, tigers play a vital regulatory role in their habitats. Therefore, should these apex consumers become extinct, the ecosystems that they inhabit will be unbalanced.
These protective policies have already yielded conclusive results reaching far beyond their primary objective. Thus, not only did they help to protect tiger habitats, but they also brought forth more tangible benefits, e.g. reduced land erosion, as well as framed an eco-friendlier mindset of the general public.
Text 2 calls into question the feasibility of the now-prevalent conservation policies whereby some ‘celebrated’ species are singled out without due consideration of their chances of survival.
Of course, it may be acknowledged that we cannot prioritize survival of one species over another. Be that as it may, why should money, time and effort be funneled into the protection of species if those are likely to die off? Wouldn’t these resources be better used if the conservationist efforts were concentrated on other species with a greater chance of survival?
In my view, conservationists seem to be in two minds about the best course of action. Since experts are yet to reach the unanimity on the issue, they perhaps should spread their efforts more evenly and protect all the species irrespective of their chances of survival. Should this more even-handed strategy be adopted, a lion’s share of the possible risks might be mitigated.
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#440

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

An international magazine has asked readers to send in articles giving their views on advertising. You decide to write an article in which you discuss how advertising manipulates people. Make comments on these points, giving your own point of view:
Creating a desire for status symbols
Playing on insecurities

Advertising: profits for them and self-loathing for us
Advertising seems to have been around us for quite a while and become something we got used to. Nowadays, with every company forking out a sizeable portion of their budget to product promotion, it is as prevalent as it has ever been. All enterprises and businesses, from small no-name shoe-repairs to global industry leaders, are striving to maximise their profits, and advertising seems to be a surefire way to do so. But is it as good for us, consumers, as for enterprises? Couldn’t it be that advertising exploits our insecurities?
How many times have you ended up buying something that you didn’t really need on a momentary impulse as soon as the frames of some advertising had flicked before your mind’s eye, seemingly out of nowhere? How many times have you found yourself unable to rationally explain the reason for this purchase? I must admit that I more than once have found myself at a loss to explain this kind of spontaneous purchases. I am still surprised at how easily I could be swayed into splashing my money on something seemingly fashionable and bespeaking my status (and, of course, purely unnecessary from both the practical and the financial viewpoints)…only to ask myself why on Earth I couldn’t have resisted that temporary temptation (albeit a pleasant one) as soon as the transaction took place.
I am old enough to remember the days when advertisements were imaginative and innovative. What is more, they had some educational function. Back then, I would not have learnt about certain products without ads; nor would I have been prompted to learn more about their value and properties. Unfortunately, contemporary advertisements seem to have completely failed at piquing our curiosity. Now, it is all about exploiting our insecurities.
Nowadays, we are too busy pretending to be better than who we really are, what with the social media perpetuating this vicious cycle of self-loathing, covetousness, and endless comparisons with other, seemingly better off, people. We are obsessed with our status, or, rather, a perception thereof. We are living on a vanity fair, and advertisers wouldn’t have it any other way.
The advertising industry thrives on our lack of self-confidence, our desire to keep up with the Joneses, and on the high we get after buying some goods. The advertisers know that if we do not feel good enough about our self-image, we will stop at nothing to improve it. In our materialistic and hedonistic era, when every token of status and success is highly sought-after, advertising only fuels our desire to possess. By peddling those status symbols, advertisers help us quench our dopamine thirst. They know that the items they promote will come out of vogue, our high will fade away, and we will come back for more. And they will be waiting.
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#441

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

I've made some revisions.

Advertising: profits for them and self-loathing for us
Advertising seems to have been around us for quite a while and become something we got used to. Nowadays, with every company forking out a sizeable portion of their budget to product promotion, it is pervasive more than ever. Ranging from small no-name shoe-repairs to global industry leaders, all enterprises and businesses are striving to maximise their profits, and advertising seems to be a surefire way to do so. But is it as good for us, consumers, as for the business realm? Couldn’t it be that advertising deftly exploits our insecurities?

How many times have you ended up buying something that you didn’t really need on a momentary impulse as soon as the frames of some advertising had flicked before your mind’s eye, seemingly out of nowhere? How many times have you found yourself unable to rationally explain the reason for this purchase? I must admit that I more than once have found myself at a loss to explain this kind of spontaneous purchases. I am still surprised at how easily I could be swayed into splashing my money on something seemingly fashionable and bespeaking my status (and, of course, purely unnecessary from both the practical and the financial viewpoints)…only to ask myself why on Earth I couldn’t have resisted that temporary temptation (albeit a pleasant one) as soon as the transaction took place.

I am old enough to remember the days when advertisements were imaginative and innovative. What is more, they had some educational function. Back then, I would not have learnt about certain products without ads; nor would I have been prompted to learn more about their value and properties. Unfortunately, contemporary advertisements seem to have completely failed at piquing our curiosity. Now, it is all about exploiting our insecurities and luring us into questionable consumer choices.

Nowadays, we seem to be obsessed with our status, or, rather, public perception thereof. We are too busy pretending to be better than we really are. The social media and advertisements perpetuate this vicious cycle of self-loathing, covetousness, and endless comparisons with other, seemingly better off, people. We have found ourselves living on a vanity fair, and advertisers wouldn't have it any other way.
In our materialistic and hedonistic era, when every token of status and success is highly sought-after, when people are chronically insecure and will stop at nothing to gain a boost of self-confidence and a momentary high that we get after buying some goods, the advertising industry is thriving. It adds fuel to the fire of our desire to possess. Peddling those trinkets and status symbols, advertisers help us quench our dopamine thirst. They know that the items they promote will come out of vogue, our high will fade away, and we will come back for more. And they will be waiting.
The bait is cast. Let the fish nibble at it.
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#442

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Advertising is a ubiquitous media, and has become something that we have gotten used to. Nowadays, with every company forking out a sizable portion of their budget to product promotion, it is more pervasive than ever. Ranging from small no-name shoe-repairs to global industry leaders, all enterprises and businesses are striving to maximise their profits, and advertising seems to be a surefire way to do so. But is it as good for us, the consumers, as it is for the business realm? Couldn’t it be that advertising deftly exploits our insecurities?

How many times have you ended up purchasing something that you did not really need, based solely off of a recollection of an ad? How many times have you found yourself unable to rationally explain the reason for this purchase? I must admit that I more than once have found myself at a loss to explain this these kind of spontaneous purchases. I am still surprised at how easily I could be swayed into spending my money on something seemingly fashionable and showing off my status (and, of course, purely unnecessary from both the practical and the financial viewpoints)…only to ask myself why on Earth I couldn’t have resisted that temporary temptation (albeit a pleasant one) as soon as the transaction took place.I am old enough to remember the days when advertisements were imaginative and innovative. What is more, they had some educational function. Back then, I would not have learnt about certain products without ads; nor would I have been prompted to learn more about their value and properties.

Unfortunately, contemporary advertisements seem to have completely failed at piquing our curiosity. Now, it is all about exploiting our insecurities and luring us into questionable consumer choices. We seem to be obsessed with our status, or, rather, public perception thereof. We are too busy pretending to be better than we really are. The social media and advertisements perpetuate this vicious cycle of self-loathing, covetousness, and endless comparisons with other, seemingly better off, people. We have found ourselves living on a vanity fair, and advertisers wouldn't have it any other way.

In our materialistic and hedonistic era, when every token of status and success is highly sought-after, when people are chronically insecure and will stop at nothing to gain a boost of self-confidence and a momentary high that we get after buying some goods, the advertising industry is thriving. It adds fuel to the fire of our desire to possess. Peddling those trinkets and status symbols, advertisers help us quench our dopamine thirst. They know that the items they promote will come out of vogue, our high will fade away, and we will come back for more. And they will be waiting.

The bait is cast. Let the fish nibble at it.
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#443

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Advertising: Profits for them and self-loathing for us

With the advent of modern media, advertising has become a common and expected experience in today's society. Seemingly every company spends a significant amount of their budgets on product promotion. This trend is visible from small no-name shoe repair companies to global industry leaders. As these firms look to maximize their profits, they turn again and again to advertising to get the job done. But the question is this: Is it as good for us, the consumers, as it is for the businesses? Or could it be that advertising exploits our own insecurities?
How frequently have you ended up purchasing something that you didn't really need, based on an impulse you couldn't quite place, or the recollection of an advertisement? Even I admit that I have found myself unable to explain some spontaneous purchases from time to time. I was able to convince myself that buying this thing would help me be cooler, more fashionable, get me the latest gadgets, or help make me popular. Later, I'd wonder why I had even bothered buying it, or, even worse, find it six months later after having completely forgotten I'd wasted my own hard-earned money on something I only used for a short time.
I can recall a time when advertisements provided both entertainment and an 'education.' Before the advent of the internet, it was difficult to even understand what products were out there, let alone focus in on some of the best ones, so advertising had a critical role in defining a target demographic, and educating that group why their specific product was the best. Nowadays, ads are all about exploiting our insecurities and luring us into questionable consumer choices. These ads prey on our obsession with status and public perception. We have become too busy pretending to be better than we actually are, and social media has amplified this mentality. Too often we compare our daily lives to other people's "highlight reels" that they present on social media and become caught up in a perpetual cycle of trying to 'keep up with the Joneses' through additional purchases and experiences.
In our materialistic and hedonistic era, when every token of status and success is highly sought-after, when people are chronically insecure and will stop at nothing to gain a boost of self-confidence and a momentary high that we get after buying some goods, the advertising industry is thriving. It adds fuel to the fire of our desire to possess. Peddling those trinkets and status symbols, advertisers help us quench our dopamine thirst. They know that the items they promote will come out of vogue, our high will fade away, and we will come back for more. And they will be waiting.
paveltashkinov
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#444

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

The increase in the use of e-book readers is likely to have a significant impact on the environment. Some people say that it is bound to be beneficial as fewer paper books will be produces. Do you agree that the advent of e-readers is good for the environment? What disadvantages are associated with e-book readers?

E-book readers have revolutionised our reading experience and become ubiquitous in no time. However, does the convenience they offer come at the expense of the environment?
It is often said that if e-books were to become more popular, their printed counterparts would be gradually phased out. Logically, as there would be less demand for printed books, less paper would be used for their production. Consequently, more trees would be saved. As a net result, our environmental footprint would be considerably reduced.
Admittedly, this train of thought is easy to follow. However, this rather idyllic picture becomes gloomy as soon as we consider the environmental impact of the manufacturing of the E-reader device. Although it is true that doing away with paper books alleviates the problem of deforestation, the advent of e-books comes at its own price.
To begin with, the production of the microelectronics used in E-devices is impossible without rare metals. These, in turn, are chemically extracted from corresponding ores. Therein lies the problem. Not only does the extraction process lead to resource depletion, but it also generates huge amounts of toxic by-products that will be slowly yet irreversibly polluting the environment for years. The extraction process is known to have already caused environmental catastrophes in countries with the biggest deposits of such ores, such as China and India. Should the production of E-devices scale up, a global ecological disaster may be unavoidable.
As is the case with any other invention, the impact of E-books on the environment seems to be two-fold. Although they may help us tackle the problem of deforestation, their manufacturing technology is still far from being environmentally benign. Only after we devise a more ecologically friendly way to produce E-books will they be both sustainable and convenient.
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#445

Сообщение Nomadetta »

You are a prolific writer, Pavel. Respect.
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#446

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Nomadetta,
If only it made my writing attempts a good read.
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#447

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Writing Paper Part 2. Task Type: Letter of Complaint
Question
You recently took a self-catering holiday in a luxury apartment, but the standard of the accommodation was very poor. The holiday company that you booked with have offered you some vouchers as compensation, but you have decided you would prefer a cash refund instead. Write a letter to the company outlining the problems you experienced with the accommodation and the action you want them to take.
Write the letter to the company. (around 280 - 320 words)


To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to you regarding my recent experience of staying in the apartment offered by your company. Unfortunately, the quality of the service I have received does not seem to have matched my expectations and the description furnished by your company.
According to your brochure, the flat was supposed to be rather spacious, and there were not any guests to be expected (apart from me). However, not only did the flat turn out to be crammed with someone’s else belongings, but it was also rented out not only for me, but for two more people! At no time had this circumstance been mentioned in your brochure. Luckily, my neighbors were leaving in a couple of days after my arrival, so I could put up with their temporary presence. Be that as it may, I think I had every right to be notified about this inconvenience in advance.
Furthermore, the flat seemed to lack some amenities, conveniences, and utensils mentioned in your brochure. Upon reading it, I got the impression that there would be a stove or at least a MW oven in the kitchen. To my dismay, neither of these was to be found there. Although I could have put up with something less irritating and important, for instance, a leaking faucet, the lack of these devices is too significant to simply overlook it.
Attached to this letter you may find some photographs that I took for evidence.
Please be advised that I demand a 30% refund on the account of the details described above. Should my demand not be met forthwith, I may consider taking legal action.
I am sure that you are willing to reach a satisfactory compromise.
Looking forward to your reply,
Pavel T.
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#448

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

A magazine has asked for reviews of the best film the readers have seen in the last six months. You decide to send in a review, in which you describe a film you’ve seen recently and liked a lot. You should write about the film without giving away too much of the plot or the ending of the film. You should also give your opinion of the acting, and of the directing of the film. Finally, say what you liked about it and explain why you think other readers should go and see it. Write your review in 280–320 words.

Chernobyl by HBO: Lest we forget
I have always had a lively interest in the not-so-glorious past of the Soviet Union. I seem to have read and watched whatever books, films, and documentaries were available on the subject. With that in mind, I couldn’t have possibly missed the release of Chernobyl.
This short TV series narrates the sequence of the dramatic events unfolding at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant since April 25, 1986 onwards. Set against the backdrop of the moribund Soviet empire, Chernobyl brilliantly reflects one of the most catastrophic nuclear accidents that could have wiped half of Europe and Russia off the face of the Earth.

The directors and editors couldn’t have done a better job. Hats off. They seem to have accomplished what no one even dared to try before, and I can only applaud to their duly gigantic effort. They must have spent considerable amount of time doing their research. As a result, the whole series enthralls you after the very first minutes and keeps you on tenterhooks till the very end.

Every aspect of Chernobyl, be it actors, decorations, or the events themselves, is reflected with surgical precision. The interiors of the flats. The citizens of Chernobyl watching the explosion, getting exposed, and dying of acute radiation syndrome later. The pieces of radioactive graphite churned out of the exploded reactor. The heroism of the liquidators wearing makeshift and insufficient PPE. The vacillating and lying apparatchiks.

What is more important, however, is that Chernobyl exposes yet another angle of this story. It seems to be less about the disaster itself than about the inhumanity, cynicism, and mendacity of the Soviet system, and its utter neglect to the life of the individual. Chernobyl eviscerates all the malignancies of the Soviet society, where lie and flagrant negligence reigned supreme and permeated every realm of people’s lives on every possible level. It is still relevant, urgent, and devastating. This is what makes Chernobyl a must-watch for everyone.
За это сообщение автора paveltashkinov поблагодарил:
Eager Beaver
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#449

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

>>spent a considerable amount of time
>>lies and fragrant negligence
>>I can only applaud their
Easy-Breezy English
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#450

Сообщение Easy-Breezy English »

paveltashkinov, your writing is getting considerably easier to read, so applause for making progress.
There are a few small problems here and there, but nothing major.
My biggest complaint is you forgetting to italicize the title Chernobyl (or style it in any other way). Considering that you are using Chernobyl as a place name as well, it might get confusing to your readers.
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