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.

Модератор: mikka

paveltashkinov
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#201

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

A letter: A training course which was exceptionally good
You recently attended a training course which was exceptionally good. Now you have decided to write a letter directly to the course leader. Say why the course was exceptional, why it was particularly suitable for you and how you are benefiting from it now.

To Mr. Atkinson,
I am writing to you to thank you for the tremendous effort you have put into the recently held New Sales Engineer Conference as well as to shed light on how it has contributed to my professional development.
The two-week NSEC has considerably broadened my horizons and helped me to gain additional expertise in the fields of water treatment and sales alike. Although I had got some relevant practical experience insofar as the technical side of the matter is concerned, I have to admit that, prior to attending the conference, my sales skills left a lot to be desired. The NSEC gave me a comprehensive insight into a vast array of sales techniques, e.g. cold calls and elevator pitches, that would bode well for my further professional development and give my company a competitive edge.
Another aspect of the course that I have fond particularly useful is its detailed workshops dedicated to the technical side of water treatment and the chemistry thereof. Although I had been au fait with the chemical solutions used in the field prior to the conference, these workshops highlighted my areas in need of improvement and replenished some gaps in my knowledge of equipment.
By and large, the NSEC has given an impetus to my professional growth and been immensely beneficial to my day-to-day work thus far. Having attended the conference, I am now able to tailor highly efficiency water treatment programs when working with my customers, such as metallurgical and power plants. Furthermore, had it not been for the conference, I would have not been able to effectively communicate with my customers and participate in negotiations at high levels. The plethora of skills I have learnt during my time at the NSEC enabled me to give the company I am working for a competitive edge on the market and, I am sure, will bode well for my further professional growth as a sales representative.
I hope that my feedback will be helpful for you.
Best regards,
Pavel Tashkinov


The last two works were written under the exam-like conditions. I was tired af and barely managed to write them in time.
However shitty they may seem to be, I hope that even if I manage to jot down something even remotely resembling them during the exam, I will scrape through it. Much as I hope that I'll concentrate and do better, there is always the possibility, however small it may be, that my thoughts will wander and I'll end up writing something that...well. leave a lot to be desired. The closer the exam is, the more apprehensive I feel about the whole business. Anyway, whatever the outcome, I'll chalk it up to experience.
paveltashkinov
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#202

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

A review: A film which taught me about a period of history
A cultural magazine is running a series on the educational value of historical films. It has invited readers to send in reviews of films which taught them about a period of history. You decide to send in a review. Your review should briefly describe the film and explain in which ways it interested you in the historical period concerned.

Generation War
Few if any history-related themes come in spotlight as frequently as the Second World War. Although we are too used to Hollywood-produced ‘Saving the Private Ryan’, ‘The Schindler’s list’ and alike, not until very recently has the taboo on depicting the war as it might have been seen from the Axis side been lifted. Although not the first attempt to convey the havoc of war as seen by the Germans (‘Stalingrad’ filmed in 1992 is by and large the sole example thereof), ‘Generation War’, released and broadcast in 2013, is the most veracious, albeit inevitably controversial and polemical, film looking at the war from the German vantage point thus far.
The three-parts miniseries shows us a Remarque-like story of five young Germans not older than twenty, following their strikingly different paths throughout the last four years of the Third Reich. In the beginning of the narrative, shortly before the invasion of the Soviet Union, the five vivacious young people throw a party in Berlin. Two brothers Wilhelm and Friedrich are conscripted in the Wehrmacht. Viktor is a son of a Jewish tailor. Charlotte has just passed her examination to become a military nurse. A pulchritudinous Greta is an aspiring singer. The friends are hoping to meet the following Christmas…
Although the film provoked a public outrage upon its release, I think that those vociferous critics of the film must have grossly misunderstood (or, in their pursuit of their own political agenda, simply overlooked) the clear moral and humanistic message of the film and its verisimilitude. Nor would it be right to claim that the film is about the war per se. Rather, it is about people trying to find their way amidst the crucible of destruction and death ensnarling them and their friends. If those people happen to be German, does it make the film bad? Hardly. The film veraciously captures ordinary people as they are, with all their tragedies, happenstances and a palette of diametrically opposite feelings, which make them human and make us commiserate them. A must see for everyone wishing to experience the same drama and to take a different, cliché-free, view on the Second World War.
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#203

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Teach Us How To Work

In order to prepare young people for life today, the school curriculum needs to be changed. There must be less emphasis on traditional academic subjects and more on those which teach the skills needed to compete in the twenty-first century. After all, aren’t computer skills, for example, more valuable than a deep knowledge of history when we go out into the world in search of employment? Considering the fact that youth unemployment is at a record high all over Europe, perhaps it is time we viewed the arts as more of a hobby, and education as something we need purely in order to get a job.


Education Should Be An Eye-Opening Experience

Whenever I hear criticism of education, it is generally from the point of view of practicality, but education is more than just about jobs. School should make you fall in love with learning so that you want to spend the rest of your life doing it. It should also open up your eyes to the finer things in life, such as music and literature, which you may never get the chance to experience otherwise. After all, most jobs need skills that can be learned in the two years between sixteen and eighteen. The time leading up to that can be used for other things.

What should the focus of the modern school curriculum be placed upon? Should it put a greater emphasis on more practically-oriented subjects, e.g. computer literacy, or would it be better if schools broadened students' horizons and sowed the seed of eagerness for life-long learning?
Now and again, it is suggested that the school curriculum be reappraised and include the skills that would presumably give young people an advantage once they are out of school and trying to land a steady job. Therefore, if young people are to firmly secure their place on the job market, it is advisable that they be taught the subjects and skills that are more relevant and sought-after by prospective employers, e.g. computer literacy.
Be that as it may, would it be right to circumscribe the concept of education by the demands of sheer practicality? First and foremost, schools should instill in young people the unceasing desire to be life-long learners constantly expanding the boundaries of what is possible. Besides, given that most job-related skills can be easily acquired within a relatively short timeframe, why should young people be wasting their precious time in school for jobs?
Personally speaking, I hold a balanced view on the issue. In my view, the school curricula should be tailored in a way that would be most conducive for a well-round development of the individual. Indeed, however invaluable some purely practical skills may seem to be, if taken per se, they are nonetheless insufficient to proper education. Only when those practical skills overlap with a vast array of visual, aesthetical and cultural aspects of education will young people immensely benefit from the curriculum.
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#204

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

The over-arching theme of the two texts is the phenomenon of working mothers. Text 1 claims that mothers should dedicate their time and effort to their offspring whenever possible because it may have a positive effect on their children’s development. Text 2 suggests that children from dual-income families are more precocious and adapted to the vicissitudes of life than their pampered counterparts.
There seems to be a clear link between the amount of attention children have from their parents and how rapidly they develop. Therefore, it is advisable that mothers stay at home and allocate their effort to their children’s upbringing. Provided that the pecuniary matters in the family is dealt with by the father and the mother does not have to eke out an additional income, she should single-mindedly focus her attention on her kids’ upbringing.
Be that as it may, the collected body of evidence on the matter also renders the diametrically opposite hypothesis plausible. Thus, children whose parents hold full-time jobs may have a significant advantage over their looked-after counterparts. Not only do such children acquire a broader array of skills at a greater pace compared to those of their pampered peers, but they are also more likely to be more motivated and determined, which bodes well for their further success in life.
In my view, although these two points of view may contain a grain of truth, each of them fails to consider a plethora of factors that also contribute to child development. Does the fact that a mother stays at home per se imply that she will contribute to her child’s development? Invariably, we must look at this issue within a broader context, and at this juncture, a veritable panoply of other variables comes into play. Suppose a mother stays with her kids, but her contemptible behavior does anything but ingrain the proper set of values into her children. The opposite is also quite true: even if both parents have to spend a lion’s share of their time working, in no way does it imply that they neglect their parental duties. By and large, no matter what circumstances inside a family may be, provided that children are given the love and care they need, parents are free to opt for a model that suits them best.
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#205

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Review of Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Those who have a «why» in their lives can survive any «how».
F.W. Nietzsche

The problem of Holocaust is a centerpiece of the Western historiography, which is also believed to have given impetus to the then-nascent trend of existentialism in the 1950s. I have read many accounts of Holocaust survivors, and, frankly, was not really moved by them, however powerful those books may seem to be. However, no sooner had I read the first pages of ‘Man’s Search For Meaning’ than it had me enthralled in no time.
Having found himself in Auschwitz, the most notorious Nazi death camp, Viktor Frankl set about developing his theory of logotherapy. Frankl believed that people are driven by their striving to find a meaning in their life, and, in so doing, can overcome even the most excruciating experiences. No matter how cruel and absurd the external circumstances may be, people can always find a potential meaning in their lives. From this viewpoint, suffering becomes a mere external factor, albeit an unavoidable one. In this book, Frankl also made perspicacious observations of people around him, claiming that there are only two races of people: decent ones and unprincipled ones. Even under such dire circumstances, Frankl was able to alter this dehumanized reality around him, reaching out to fellow prisoners who were on the verge of losing their hope and contemplating suicide. Upon the liberation of Auschwitz, Frankl formulated his theory of logotherapy, which holds that the primary meaning of our life lies neither in pleasure, as Freud maintained, nor in power, as Adler had believed, but in the discovery and pursuit of what we deem meaningful.
It is by and large not an easy read; many is the time I had to stop and collect my thoughts. Be that as it may, it was definitely worth reading and made me reappraise my attitudes to certain things in my life and what I am aiming at.
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#206

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

You have been asked to write an article for Job Prospects magazine, a publication for 18-30 year olds, on the following topic:

How taking a gap year* can enhance your career prospects.

Write the article for the readers of the magazine. (around 280 - 320 words)

Enhance Your Chance With A Gap Year!
The idea of gap year seems to have been rapidly gaining momentum throughout the last few decades and is now enjoying tremendous popularity among vast swathes of young people. Not surprisingly, it has inevitably come in the spotlight of vociferous debates. So, what is it – a mere passing fad, a waste of time and a road to nowhere, or a brand-new start that may help young people land the careers of their dreams?
Although the very idea of taking a year off studying or working may sound like throwing caution to the wind to the older generation, the youth of today nonetheless actively opts for that option. And there seems to be no reason why they shouldn’t. Rather than being a whim, such a break enables young people to get away from the monotony of their existence confined to the narrow frame of schools, homes and parties, and embark upon a quest for self-exploration.
Moreover, since a lion’s share of young people taking a gap year chooses to participate in voluntary schemes and projects, this may have additional benefits both for the volunteers and the communities they help. In so doing, not only do young people pitch in to the communal effort, but they also acquire a vast array of practical skills as well as venture forth into the hitherto terra incognita, exploring the world in its variety and adding another piece to the jigsaw of their worldviews. Likewise, participation in voluntary schemes gives a tremendous boost to young people’s self-reliance and confidence. Having broadened their horizons during their venture, young people acquire the ability to think outside the box and become more culturally aware. Indisputably, such traits will bode well for yesterday’s volunteers’ further success, for instance, when they will find themselves looking for a job. Without a shade of doubt, those young people will become a valuable asset, highly sought-after by HRs for their desire to contribute, their vivacity and diligence. Concluding, plan ahead, be venturesome and take a gap year!

It seems to be quite muddled. The register I have opted for is quite formal for a rather light-hearted article.
I felt like I had dried up, I was running out of time, and, consequently, couldn't come up with anything better.
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#207

Сообщение mustang »

Павел, немного смущает ваш текст, если обращать внимание на его смысловую составляющую. Вот смотрите:
The problem of Holocaust is a centerpiece of the Western historiography, .
Не думаю, что это правда. Историография запада довольно обширна и ее истоки уходят, как минимум, в Древнюю Грецию (в плане исследований), холокост же - это один из фрагментов первой половины 20 ого столетия. А теперь посчитайте сколько войн и крови было пролито с тех времен, история западной цивилизации включает, пожалуй, в себя тысячи этнических чисток. Те вам надо было написать "Историографии 20 ог овека".
I have read many accounts of Holocaust survivors, and, frankly, was not really moved by them, however powerful those books may seem to be.
Я читал, что на этих экзаменах запрещается как в устной, так и в письменной формах высказывать резкие радикальные взгляды о религиозном исповедании, расовой принадлежности и тп.

В этом предложении вы, конечно, не пишете так, как написал бы человек, придерживающийся радикальных взглядов, но все же ваше
frankly, was not really moved by them
может вызвать у людей, оценивающих вашу работу, неоднозначную реакцию.
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paveltashkinov
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#208

Сообщение Роман Молти »

Может быть mustang и прав в своем первом замечании, но не думаю, что в тексте имеется какая-то явная неточность, нуждающаяся в корректировке. На мой взгляд, все нормально. Вопрос не столь очевиден, по крайней мере для обывателя. Я не удивлюсь, если узнаю, что проблема Холокоста действительно занимает одно из центральных мест во всей историографии, учитывая серьезность трагедии и память о ней по сей день.

Со вторым замечаниям согласен. Действительно, есть риск нарваться на недопонимание. Хотя я понял, что вы имели ввиду.

По поводу языка несколько вопросов.
1.
However, no sooner had I read the first pages of ‘Man’s Search For Meaning’ than it had me enthralled in no time.
Я думаю, что выделенная мною часть у вас является избыточной, учитывая то, что конструкция предложения подразумевает тоже самое.
2.
Frankl believed that people are driven by their striving to find a meaning in their life, and, in so doing, can overcome even the most excruciating experiences.
"In doing so" смотрелось бы ничуть не хуже. Вы итак достаточно продвинутых конструкций употребляете, нужно хотя бы в таких маленьких вещах делать паузу:). Ваш вариант я лишь в официальных документах видел, отдает какой-то юридичностью. Но это дело вкуса.
3.
Frankl was able to alter this dehumanized reality around him
Здесь, по-моему, явная ошибка. Нужно dehumanizing. Во всяком случае, смотрится лучше.

В целом, мне ваш текст понравился. Читается легко. Продвинутых конструкций хоть и много на погонный метр предложения, но о них не так спотыкаешься глазами, по сравнению с вашими недавними работами на старом форуме.

Это лишь мое мнение как обывателя.
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paveltashkinov
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#209

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Роман Молти, mustang,
да, Вы правы.
Касаемо реакций людей, которые будут оценивать работу....ну, я не буду освещать какие-то политические темы на экзамене.
Это было просто скорее ревью на недавно прочитанную книгу, вне контекста моей подготовки к экзамену.)

'In doing so', makes the verb (doing) the focus of the phrase. 'In so doing', is slightly reflexive, returning the emphasis back to what is being done. It is a finely nuanced distinction and the degree of formality in the latter phrase lends it to a negative connotation. "And in so doing the defendant caused....". Whereas the former phrase 'In doing so' is easier to link with a more positive action.

Dehumanized - бесчеловечечная (реальность)
Dehumanising - обесчеловечивающая, кмк, вполне правильно было использовать dehumanized, хотя и dehumanising тоже подойдет.
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#210

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

An autobiographical essay: A difficult decision
Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions in our lives. Some we live to regret, but at other times, we make a difficult decision which turns out to be the right one.

Write your autobiographical essay explaining why a difficult decision you made was the right one.

Life is anything but plain sailing. More often than not, we end up in some situations we have had no intention whatsoever to find ourselves in. At this juncture, our choice, no matter how tough it may be to make, determines what sort of people we actually are. When all formalities and social graces are cast aside, we involuntarily expose our inner, genuine personalities; only then does the notion of who we genuinely are crystallize.
I met that girl on verge of the New Year’s Eve in 2016. I used to be head over heels in love with her five years ago; not that it did matter anything at that time. The last vestige of those old flames seemed to have withered away a long time ago and, it seemed to me, for good. As the conversation was going, I found myself puzzled over what on Earth I could have possibly found in her back then. However, thirty minutes later, as I was washing my hands and looking at my reflection in a mirror, I couldn’t but feel tempted. Why not? It might work.
And it did work. At least, that’s how it appeared to have been during the first three months of our relationships. In hindsight, I simply fell into a thoroughly prepared trap of voluptuousness and lasciviousness. She had me enthralled in no time, just as it had been five years ago. Although some misgivings were initially gnawing at me from time to time, where-have-you-been-before being the most obvious and self-evident of them, over time I eased off and started to buy the torrent of lies she was spoon-feeding me with. Nevertheless, I was by and large on my guard, however soothing her talks were.
At some point, a gradual yet apparent change crept in. The girl was growing more and more morose, distant and self-centered, trying to make me believe that our relationships were revolving around her own wishes and desires. So devilishly devious was she that she was putting the finger on me whenever it suited her. Obviously unprepared to that torrent of gaslighting, I was duly taken aback. I tried to shower her with gifts and my attention, to no avail, of course. This abusive behavior was only gaining momentum. My logic and my manhood vehemently protested, but my heart (‘self-delusion’ would be perhaps a better word) kept drawing me even deeper into that vortex of abusive and toxic relationships.
Eventually, I mustered my courage and we broke up. I am glad to have not yielded to that vapid and vacuous woman. Had I stayed with her, I would have been pointlessly overstretching myself; she would have been sucking me dry, constantly emasculating me; needless to say, had we not broken up and our relationships assumed another proportion, she would have inevitably tossed me at some point, but the repercussions at this more distant juncture would have been duly catastrophic. In hindsight, I did the thing that any man with a tint of self-respect would do, and I have no qualms about it whatsoever.


Just an example of my writing on a subject that has no bearing to any kind of exam.
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#211

Сообщение Yety »

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/on+the+verge+of

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictio ... year-s-eve
paveltashkinov пишет: 05 июн 2018, 09:49 I used to be head over heels in love with her five years ago
used to обычно не используется с точным наименованием времени
ago(3) -> before?

what on Eearth

that’s how it appeared to have been - не лишнее ли предшествование в инф? или это какое-то усиление?

unprepared to
https://lingohelp.me/preposition-after- ... -in-at-on/
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#212

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Yety,
thank you for your pertinent suggestions.
Of course, that's on the verge of, I seem to have forgotten the definite article as I was hurriedly jotting down this task.

'used to be....ago' seems to be pretty common
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#213

Сообщение Yety »

paveltashkinov пишет: 05 июн 2018, 16:28 'used to be....ago' seems to be pretty common
Only with a more general time reference:
I used to smoke when I was young/in my childhood/20 years ago.
5 years ago does not sound ago enough.))

Swan, 604 used + infinitive, p. 595
4 when used to ... is not used
Used to refers to things that happened at an earlier stage of one's life and are now finished: there is an idea that circumstances have changed. It is not used simply to say what happened at a past time, or how long it took, or how many times it happened.
I worked very hard last month. (NOT I used to work very hard last month.)
I lived in Chester for three years. (NOT I used to live in Chester for three years.)
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#214

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Yety, oh, I see. Think I'll revise it.
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#215

Сообщение mustang »

she would have been sucking me dry
А элефанта-то в комнате и не заметили:)) Павел, а чего жалуемся?
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#216

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

mustang,
орнул. Всегда нравилась эта двусмысленность.
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#217

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Nature should be left alone

Nature, in its natural state, is a balanced system: larger animals prey on smaller animals, bigger fish eat up the smaller ones. Other animals feed on the vegetation which is allowed to grow thickly in the shade of the towering trees above. The laws of nature do not change but man’s activities can easily disturb the balance by destroying habitats and hunting wild animals for trade. It is fortunate that individuals, together with conservation organisations, campaign tirelessly on behalf of our natural surroundings and the creatures that live there. They have achieved great things but the struggle is ongoing. Nature needs our help and protection.


Nature is there to be exploited

There are many people in the world who believe that nature is there to be exploited fully so that business can flourish and people’s desire for good can be met. They see rare species as a source of highly expensive restaurant delicacies, the seas as a source of indiscriminate fishing so as to catch as much as possible, the forests as a source of wood for cheap furniture. In many areas of the world, people who have no other option but to work in industries they may or may not like; they simply work in order to survive. The luxury of choice is fast disappearing.



The two texts examine two different viewpoints on our relationships with nature. Text 1 suggests that insofar as man’s activities can detrimentally affect the fragile equilibrium between different species in nature, it is also down to us to protect the environment. Text 2 sheds light on the common fallacy claiming that humanity can indiscriminately tap into natural resources, either because people can thus satisfy their demand or because they may simply have no alternative but to exploit nature to eke out a meager income.
However immutable the laws of nature may seem to be, man’s activities now and again irrevocably damage animals, plants, and their habitats. To counter this negative influence, many individuals and conservation organizations alike pitch in to the communal endeavour to preserve pristine or endangered natural surroundings and the endemic flora and fauna.
Although more and more people become increasingly cognizant of the influence their activities may have on nature, a lion’s share of people still holds a view that natural resources can be exploited to satiate the ever-growing demands of business and vast swathes of population alike. Inherent to that viewpoint is a flagrantly utilitarian approach to nature, whereby any natural resource, be it the forests or some extinct species, is perceived as a means to meet human demands. Furthermore, a lot of people unwillingly contribute to that unwelcome influence, often simply because they have no option but to work in the industries damaging environment in order to eke out their meager income.
In my view, we should treat nature with due respect rather than thoughtlessly squander its wealth of gifts. It is about time we went back to the drawing board and re-evaluated our purely exploitative attitudes to nature, both on the personal and governmental levels. Only by the joined effort of individuals, enterprises and governments can we restore this precarious equilibrium of nature and pass it to the generations that follow.
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#218

Сообщение Yety »

paveltashkinov пишет: 05 июн 2018, 09:49 the torrent of lies she was spoon-feeding
a torrent fed with a spoon - the literal imagery seems a bit self-contradictory, would you say?
paveltashkinov пишет: 05 июн 2018, 09:49 I am glad to have not yielded
Perhaps, not before the infinitive rather than inside it?
I am glad not to have yielded
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#219

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Yety,
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads ... r.2037939/
You seem to be right. Never actually thought about the place of 'not' in such structures.
However, the logic is apparent. 'Should not have done', 'can't have done', 'would not have done' etc.
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#220

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

A more light-hearted version of an article about the benefits of taking a gap year. Although I don't seem to have fully answered the question in respect of how it may enhance one's career prospects, I had no intention of doing so. Just dabbled with the style the article is written on, trying to make it more entertaining.

Enhance Your Chance With A Gap Year!
You may have just graduated from your school or college. The future that has once seemed to be so bright and promising turns out to be bleak and rather disappointing, if not hostile. Uncertain what to do next, you are questioning yourself in disbelief: “How on Earth could I have chosen this field I am about to start working in?” Or, even worse, you may admit that you have no idea whatsoever what to do next. However looming the prospect of being on the dole may seem to be, there is at least one alternative that may revolutionise your perception of the world, explore yourself, and- who knows?- eventually land a career of your dream.
A gap year may offer you this opportunity to take a fresh look at your life and a career you would like to pursue. Although many conservative minds would frown upon the very idea of taking a gap year, deeming it to be a mere whim and a waste of time, the ever-growing popularity of the trend speaks volumes about its usefulness. A gap year allows you to embark upon the quest for self-exploration and to venture forth to discover what the world has in store for you. Find like-minded people, travel solo, join a volunteer project, hitchhike – do what you deem necessary and live your life to the full when you are young. When you turn 30, you won’t have this luxury. Foster friendships. Make connections. Overcome and transcend language and cultural barriers, no matter how frustrating it may seem to be. If you volunteer, you may as well acquire a plethora of useful practical skills that may give you an advantage when you will find yourself on the job market later on and single you out amidst the welter of other candidates. Great things never come from the comfort zone, so – pack up and broaden your horizons! Be daring and be genuine. Let your best qualities shine through. No matter how sinuous your path may be, be confident in your success. One day, your desire to contribute, your ingenuity, your ability to think outside the box, your vivacity and assiduity are bound to pave the way for your landing the job of your dream. So, plan ahead, pluck up your courage, and take a gap year, knowing that you will have emerged as a better version of yourself one year later.
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#221

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

You have read the extract below as part of a textbook on environmental politics which you are using on a college course. Your tutor has asked you to write an essay, responding to the points raised and expressing your own ideas. (300-350 words, from pre-revised CPE)

The West has done a great deal to reduce the environmental damage that it causes. Its culture has embraced recycling, pollution controls and environmentally-friendly fuels. Meanwhile, the developing world continues to exploit its natural resources without a thought for the future. The time has now come to stop blaming the West and to put more pressure on developing countries to stop damaging the global environment.


Now and again, the problem of environmental damage comes in the spotlight and becomes a subject of vociferous debates. One of the viewpoints gaining momentum nowadays claims that while the West does its best to reduce its environmental footprint, less developed countries are still reluctant to abandon their pernicious practice of indiscriminate tapping into natural resources. So, would it be right to blame them for the ever-exacerbating environmental situation?
The Western civilization seems to have woven the holy trinity of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ into its fabric a long time ago. The ongoing technological revolution keeps furnishing us with a wealth of sustainably solutions that will not only make our lives more convenient but will also not affect ecosystems. Solar batteries, methanol fuel, tidal energy – these are just a few from a veritable welter of technologies that have paved their way into our lives and reduced our detrimental impact on the environment.
Be that as it may, does the technological advantage per se give the Western countries a right to blame their less developed counterparts across the globe for their ostensibly short-sighted environmental policies? Would imposing Draconian sanction and regulation make any sense? In my view, doing so is tantamount to pure hypocrisy. Whether we want it or not, we live in a highly globalized world, and thus are all dependent on each other. Consider this. Solar batteries are often held up as a paragon of human ingenuity that may hold the key to the solutions to many ecological problems plaguing our world. At first glance, they may be viewed as a totally eco-friendly source of cheap electricity. However, this common fallacy will be ridden with lacunae if we look at the bigger picture. Solar cell manufacturing requires enormous amounts of rare earth metals which have to be processed from their ores. The mining and purification of these metals are usually done in China; these processes are highly dangerous, generating huge amounts of toxic waste that accumulates and turns the industrial heartland of China into a huge no-go zone. Is the game worth the candle?
In my view, it is about time the Western countries stopped relying on the abundant cheap labour and resources of the East. This is not going to be an easy solution, for it would require a global re-tailoring of the division of labour on a hitherto unprecedented scale. Therein lies the key to more feasible and duly global environmental policies that will bear fruit.
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#222

Сообщение Харбин Хэйлунцзян »

paveltashkinov пишет: 02 май 2018, 12:35 Both tea and yoga would do little to assuage chronic stress and fatigue, and therefore should not be considered as some sort of a panacea.

За использование артикля в этом выражении могут дебетовать балл. Лично я придерживаюсь достаточно демократических правил в этом отношении но даже мне кажется что конкретно в Вашем примере использование не идиоматично.

Я просмотрел Ваши тексты и это не единственный пример. Обратите на это внимание если не хотите потерять очки ни за что.
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#223

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Харбин Хэйлунцзян,
Все время пинаю себя за это и все еще делаю ту же самую ошибку.
Хотя ошибку ли?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learn ... v310.shtml
Sort of / kind of / type of are usually followed by an uncountable noun or a singular countable noun with no article, but a / an is sometimes retained in an informal style:
What sort of (a) / kind of (a) / type of (a) dance is that?
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#224

Сообщение Харбин Хэйлунцзян »

paveltashkinov пишет: 08 июн 2018, 07:50 Хотя ошибку ли?

Заметьте я не назвал это ошибкой. Я написал не идиоматично. Тут вопрос очень хитрый и если Вы хотите это обсудить, то стоит это делать в разделе Грамматика.
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#225

Сообщение paveltashkinov »

Looking back
Memories are undoubtedly precious to all of us. We can get a huge amount of pleasure and reassurance from the simple act of sitting down with relatives and friends and reminiscing about the past events, whether they are amusing incidents from our childhood, teenage adventures or turning points in our lives. Given this, it has to be said that we should be suspicious of any tendency in ourselves or others to fall into the trap of constantly comparing the present with the past. Surely it is better to be focused entirely on the here and now?
Remembering how it was
Memories are more than merely a source of delight; on a more profound level they contribute to our sense of identity. All the experiences we have had make us the people we are today, and without our unique set of memories we would be utterly different. It should not be overlooked that our memories can also be unreliable and inconsistent. After all, as the police are well aware, two or three witnesses will often remember the same events in ways that flatly contradict one another. Even close relatives such as siblings will usually have strikingly different memories of a shared family holiday.

The over-arching theme of the two texts is memory and the importance thereof. Text 1 suggests that although memories can be a source of delight, we should not fall into the trap of reminiscences and draw useless comparisons between the present and the past. Text 2 claims that memories, however tainted with bias and inconsistency they may be, shape our identity.
Our memories are inextricably woven into the fabric of our lives. It is always reassuring to cast your mind back to the dim and distant past with your friends and relatives. However indulging it may be, it is nonetheless important that we exercise our sense of proportion and invariably give priority to here and now rather than uselessly think about how good it was back then.
Be that as it may, couldn’t it be that our memories also have another dimension? Rather than being a mere source of contentment we can indiscriminately tap into, our memories have a profound effect on our personalities. Indeed, had it not been for the experiences we have been through, our traits and views would have been entirely different. That said, memories are not infallible and are always tainted with our biases, perceptual differences and other factors warping our self-perception. Therefore, they are never totally objective, and this accounts for the fact that some people, however close their relationships may be, may have strikingly different memories of the same event.
In my view, our memories are an inherent part of who we are that inevitably affect our emotional well-being. Thus, while we may derive the sense of satisfaction from the past events, we should nonetheless draw the line at pointless ruminations and what might have gone wrong. Not only are they useless, but they will also trigger a vicious cycle of self-doubt that will ultimately undermine our self-esteem. Rather, we should focus on the bright side. Besides, we are prone to forget our failures and aggrandize our triumphs. In my view, this is an essential coping mechanism that helps us deal with negative emotions and move on in life. Therein lies the power of memories.
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