The Philosophy of Happiness (Task 2 Writing)

The following Task 2 Writing question came up on a recent IELTS exam:

Happiness is considered very important in life. Why is it difficult to define?

What factors are important in achieving happiness?

In the following video, you will find some interesting information that could help you to better understand this topic. It's also a great opportunity to practice your listening! 

(Additionally, a sample essay for this topic is included below.)

1.Who was Epicurus? 

2. Why are people drawn to material things? What is the effect of accumulating a lot of possessions?

3. Is Steven Perry a happy person? How do you know?

4. What are the three things that we truly need for happiness according to Epicurus?

5. How do advertisers appeal to our needs when selling us products?

6. Do you agree with Epicurus' requirements for happiness?

Happiness is considered very important in life. Why is it difficult to define?

What factors are important in achieving happiness?

Happiness is an elusive concept, which can be as difficult to define as it is to achieve. This is largely due to the fact that happiness has a variety of meanings which depend on a person’s culture, ambitions, and stage of life. Even so, the desire to be happy is a universal one, and there are some basic necessities that underpin our long-term happiness. I will discuss these ideas in the following essay.

What provides contentment in life can vary from person to person. An ambitious individual may find happiness in working hard and achieving goals, while a more laid back person may prefer to relax and spend time smelling the roses. Young people tend to need adventure and stimulation to be happy, while older people feel content when they have stability. It is up to each individual person to decide for him or herself what happiness means, and to spend time nurturing this need.

These considerations aside, it is clear that certain requirements are necessary for a happy life. Obviously, it is important that basic needs such as health and safety are met. People cannot spend time improving their emotional state if they lack food or shelter, or if they live in fear. Secondly, it’s essential that we surround ourselves with family and friends who care about us. These people act as a support group which can guide us through difficulties and share in our moments of joy. Lastly, we should pursue satisfaction in contributing to society in some way, either by helping others or expressing ourselves creatively.

To conclude, while there are many different perspectives on happiness, most people can agree that certain aspects of life should not be ignored. If we pay more attention to these, we are likely to live happier and more meaningful lives.

(Words: 281)

The Psychopath Test (Listening)

What is a psychopath?

Some people use the word "psychopath" to describe any person who behaves in a crazy or unbalanced way. In actuality, being a psychopath is much more serious. People with "clinical psychopathy" are human beings who lack important human emotions. They do not experience empathy, love, or meaningful connections with other people. 

In the following radio programme, you can hear three stories related to psychopaths. In the first section, the programme host describes what a psychopath is, tells about the radio staff's experience while taking "The Psychopath Test," and tells the story of a criminal who was evaluated with this test.

The second section discusses a successful business man who has scored highly on the Psychopath Test, and the third part gives the results of the staff members' test results. There is no reason to listen past minute 50:30.

It's quite long, but very interesting! Could you be a psychopath??

Before listening, make sure that you understand all of the following vocabulary:

rebellious      defendant      parole      delinquent

threaten        incident      mentor       reform

impulsive       ambivalent     ferocious    manipulative

amygdala        inaudible     formulate     parasitic

1. Generally speaking, what is the Psychopath Test used for?

2. What crimes did Robert Dixon commit? What crime was he imprisoned for at the time of the story?

3. Who invented the Psychopath Test? How does he feel when he talks about Psychopaths?

4. What are some problems with the Psychopath Test? (There are at least 5!)

5. Do you believe that Robert Dixon has been reformed? Do you think prison is a good place to reform criminals?

6. What is the connection between psychopaths and predatory animals?

7. Which typical characteristics of psychopaths does Al Dunlap have? Do you believe they have made him successful?

8. Do you think it's a good idea to categorize people's mental health? What are some advantages and drawbacks of this?

Successful Introductions (Task 2 Writing)

Some advice for writing an introduction for an argument topic.

A successful introduction has two main purposes. The first is to give a clear idea of what your essay will be about. The second (in argument-style topics) is to present which side of the issue you will take and/or indicate that you will give arguments on both sides.

The first sentence of your essay should always describe the topic. It’s ok to copy from the question a little bit, but make sure to use your own words and expressions.

Consider the following topic:

Creative artists should always be given the freedom to express their own ideas, whether in words, pictures, music or film, and should not be restricted by the government. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

• The first sentence should restate the topic clearly. DO NOT assume that you can skip this step. Obviously, the examiner knows what the topic is, but you should still include this basic information so that your essay is clear and cohesive.

All of the following sentences would be excellent FIRST sentences for an essay on this topic:

Many people believe that creative artists such as writers, musicians and filmmakers should be able to express themselves in any way they see fit, while others may believe that some government restriction is required.

There has been some debate in recent years about whether creative artists should be given complete freedom to express their ideas in pictures, music and film.

There is no doubt that creative artists such as writers, musicians and filmmakers make valuable contributions to society. However, there is some debate about the degree to which these individuals should be limited by the government.

• After clearly stating the topic, you should then present a clear opinion regarding which side you would like to take, whatever it may be. For instance:

It is my opinion that the work of creative artists should not be limited in any significant way by the government.

I completely disagree with the assertion that artists should have complete freedom to express themselves in any manner that they choose. There are many instances when this behavior can be harmful to children or wider society.

• If you plan to write an argument-led essay, (an essay which discusses both sides) you can indicate this mixed view in your introduction. You might do so as follows.

Although there are some circumstances in which artists must be limited, I believe that for the most part, we should guarantee all people’s freedom of expression.

In most instances, artists can feel free to express themselves in any manner they choose. However, there must be limitations.

• Remember! Even if you do not have strong opinions on a given topic, it’s still a good idea to pick one side over the other to ensure the clarity of your essay. If you feel absolutely neutral, you can still introduce your essay with a sentence such as this:

I believe that both sides of this argument are equally valid, and will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

There are arguments to be made in favour of each of these viewpoints.

• Next, close out your introduction paragraph with a sentence indicating your main arguments. Try to avoid personal pronouns such as “I,” “You” or “Me” by using the passive voice. Be careful not to sound too casual/conversational. Do not use the verb “talk” or “speak about.” (You aren’t talking!) Some examples might be:

The reasons for this argument will be presented as follows.

The reasons for this viewpoint will be outlined below.

Both sides of this argument will be detailed in the following essay.

• A few things to avoid in your introduction paragraph:

·         Don’t include extremely detailed information or personal stories. Use them as examples after you have already stated your main points.

·         Be careful to accurately use the phrases “In recent years,” “for many years,” and “nowadays” because they are not always appropriate! Use these for technological issues or for issues related to recent development. For instance, it’s not appropriate to say “Nowadays, people are concerned about the best way to raise and educate children.” This is a very old problem, not a recent one!

·         When you make comparisons, be sure that they match each other. It is especially important to watch out for words such as “problem,” “concern,” “issue,” and “debate.” Make sure you use them accurately. Remember your parallel structures!

WARNING: Although the above advice is meant to guide you and help you to write introductions to a variety of topics, you should never stick too closely to a formula or try to use one sentence for every situation. Read your topic closely and stay flexible so that you can write the best possible essay.

 Think about what introduction you'd write for each of the following common IELTS topics:

Some people believe that schools should focus on teaching core subjects such as maths, science and language, while other subjects such as art and music are less important and should be taught outside of school. What is your opinion on this issue?

While many important works of art have contributed to society in the past, the quality and relevance of artistic works has been decreasing in recent history. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Technological advances have made sophisticated design technology available to everyone. This decreases the importance of artistic ability since anyone can use computers to create art. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

The Cobra Effect (Listening)

The audio recording below is a segment from an economics podcast (radio programme) called "Freakanomics." Their goal is to present financial and statistical concepts in an interesting way.

This particular programme is focused on the unintended consequences of trying to control human behaviour. We can apply this information to governmental policies on city planning, drug use, and the environment.

Before listening, make sure that you understand the following vocabulary:

rationing          implement          scheme          regulation

incentive          go awry            backfire        rescind

sewer              unintended         undermine       prestige

bounty             pitch in           drought         bait

I recommend using an ENGLISH dictionary to find out the meaning and pronunciation of each word. You can find an excellent online dictionary HERE.

The section is 30 minutes with a brief break for advertisement at the beginning and in the middle. This may seem long, but remember that the IELTS listening section lasts 40 minutes, so the ability to listen for long periods is truly invaluable!

After listening, consider the following questions and think about what you could say to answer them. Remember to form your answers in a complete sentence!

1. Briefly describe why the concept is called "The Cobra Effect." Why is it called "The Cobra Effect"?


2. What other animal pests underwent similar situations as cobras? Where did these problems take place?


3. Why did the population of pigs at Fort Benning actually increase rather than decrease?


4. What incentive scheme did the UN offer in an attempt to decrease greenhouse gases?


5. How does the Endangered Species Act negatively affect animals?


6. What can we learn about economics and incentives by learning about these unsuccessful situations?

Describe A Plant and Expect the Unexpected! (Speaking Part 2)

“Expect the unexpected.”

This annoying English expression is nonetheless important to remember when studying for the IELTS exam. It means you should prepare for every possibility. The topic of your reading, speaking, writing, and listening could be absolutely anything – from family relationships to severe weather or the manufacturing of toys.

Students can sometimes be fooled into preparing only for topics that they believe are common on IELTS, when in reality they should be improving ALL of their English so that they are ready for any question they may encounter.

Recently, several of my students were shocked and unhappy about receiving this question as their Speaking Long Turn:

Describe a plant grown in your country. You should say
- what the plant is
- where it is grown
- why you like or dislike it
- and explain why it is important to your country.

A plant? What?

Remember that, “I have never thought about that before” and “I have no idea” are not acceptable answers. Because it is difficult to speak for nearly two minutes about a plant, it’s a good idea to pick a plant, tree, or flower that is special to you in some way and therefore has a story related to it. Do you often give roses to your girlfriend? Is there a crop that’s important to your country's economy? Expanding the scope of the question will help you improve your fluency. Below you will find some ideal answers to this question. Note the academic vocabulary and the slow, fluent manner of speaking.

A plant? Well, there’s a tree that’s native to New Zealand called the pohutukawa tree, and some might consider it to be iconic of my country’s flora or even summer in general. Most of these trees are medium height although I’ve heard that they can grow to be around 30 metres tall. The pohutukawa is known to grow in unusual places like rocky cliffs or sandy soil where other plants generally can’t grow. They even grow on Rangitoto Island which is made mostly of volcanic rock. The most remarkable characteristic of this tree is its bright red blossoms. These come out and bloom between November and January, which is summertime in the southern hemisphere. Because of the green and red colour, and also the timing of the blossoms, people sometimes call pohutukawas the “New Zealand Christmas tree.” I guess that’s also because typical pine trees aren’t endemic to New Zealand. Of course, I like these trees because they’re unique and eye-catching. The colours are really vibrant, almost unnaturally so. New Zealand has a lot of plants that can’t be found elsewhere, but I think pohutukawa trees are the most recognizable, and that’s why lots of people like them. You can even find their image on lots of bags and souvenirs in gift shops. They make a pretty good symbol of my country.

One plant that’s very popular in my region is the orange tree. Everything about orange trees is wonderful - their fresh smell, their colourful appearance, and of course the fruit they produce. When you drive down the highway in some parts of the U.S.A., you can see the bright green and orange trees on both sides of the road all around you. It’s beautiful, really. Orange groves can usually be found in the Southern part of the U.S., especially Florida and California, because they need a warm climate to thrive. The plants are very sensitive and they’ll die pretty quickly if they’re exposed to cold weather. And that would definitely be terrible because oranges are delicious! As most people know, they’re used in a lot of different ways. They are eaten fresh or squeezed to make juice. I think orange juice must be one of the most popular beverages in America. Everybody drinks it when they get sick in the hopes that Vitamin C will cure them! Oranges can also be turned into marmalade or jam, and I’m fairly certain that they’re used in some fragrances as well. I would love to smell like an orange. All in all, oranges are a valuable product and as you can probably tell, I like them a lot. Holding an orange is like having a little ball of sunshine in your hand!

OK, I’ll talk about an important plant in my country, which is actually a widely grown crop. India is known for a lot of different crops, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, spices, and cotton. But the most important plant that’s grown in my country is probably rice. People tend to think rice mainly comes from China but actually it’s an incredibly important food in India as well.  Rice is usually grown in the southern and coastal regions because a lot of moisture is required to grow it. The plants themselves are low to the ground and they are cultivated in large irrigated fields. When you look out over a rice field, it seems to be completely green as far as you can see. The rice that we eat is actually the seed of the plant, so this is harvested in the autumn. In India, we produce so much rice that much of it is exported to other countries in Africa and The Middle East. It’s hard to say whether I like rice because it’s simply an essential part of daily life in India as well as many other countries. It’s used in many traditional Indian dishes and it’s very important for our economy. Of course, I do enjoy eating rice so I suppose you could say that I like it. But it would be better to say that I can’t live without it.