IELTS Writing Samples Band 7

The bar chart compares annual electricity usage and operating cost of sixteen household appliances. Overall, the spa pump and heater not only was the most costly device but also consumed the most electricity among sixteen household items, whereas the electric blanket and microwave oven consumed relatively little electricity. One striking feature is the considerable gap between the spa pump and heater and the remaining devices. Regarding appliances whose energy usage exceeds 1000 kWh per year, the spa pump and heater ranked first by a significant margin at roughly 2300 kWh, followed by the pool pump and the refrigerators at nearly 1500 kWh and 1100 kWh, respectively. A similar pattern can be seen in operating costs, with the spa pump and heater recording the highest annual expense at approximately $180 per year, whereas all other devices cost less than $125 per year. As for devices using less than 1000 kWh annually, most household devices showed considerably lower levels of electricity usage and operating costs. Washing machines and clothes dryers recorded the highest consumption within this group, at nearly 900 kWh and 800 kWh, respectively. By contrast, appliances such as televisions, microwave ovens, and electric blankets used considerably smaller amounts of electricity, all remaining below 400 kWh per year. Coinciding with operating costs, lesser energy usage generally resulted in lower annual spending.

The maps illustrate an existing university’s sports hub and its proposed renovation in the future. Overall, the sports building is set to experience major redevelopment, with better facilities, additional amenities, and services such as the sports store and cafe. The 25-metre pool will remain the central feature, with the surrounding area largely preserved in its current form, despite the enlargement of the gym room which will be extended to the east side. The positions of changing room, seating and reception remain unchanged, while on the left side, the leisure pool will replace the previous outdoor courts. In the future plan, there will be a changing room and sports shop, both of which are accessible from the main gate. Turning to the east part of the 25-metre pool, the current outdoor court will be converted into a sports hall situated next to the seating area. In addition, on the eastern side, there will be two dancing studios that offer students more possibilities for training. On the eastern south edge of the centre, there will be a changing room that serves students more effectively than at present.

The maps illustrate a current university’s sport hub and its proposed renovation in the future. Overall, the sports building is set to experience major redevelopment, with better facilities, additional amenities, and services such as a sports store and cafe. Notable changes include the improvement of internal access from the entrance to all facilities and the addition of several new public amenities, namely leisure pool, sports hall and dance studio. The 25-metre pool will remain the central feature, with the surrounding area largely preserved in its current form, despite the enlargement of the gym room which will be extended to the east side. The positions of changing room, seating and reception remain unchanged, while on the left side, the leisure pool will replace the previous outdoor courts. In the future plan, there will be a changing room and a sports shop, both of which are accessible from the main gate. Turning to the east part of the 25-metre pool, the current outdoor court will be converted into a sports hall situated next to the seating area. In addition, on the eastern side, there will be two dancing studios that offer students more possibilities for training. On the eastern south edge of the centre, there will be a changing room that serves students more effectively than at present.

The maps illustrate the current layout of Islip town centre and the proposed development plan. Overall, the town centre is expected to undergo a substantial transformation to offer residents a wider range of amenities than they used to have, with the inclusion of new transport infrastructure, the expansion of urban facilities and the introduction of pedestrian-only areas. Regarding the current layout, Islip town has a simple infrastructure, with only one main road running through the centre towards the north side, which is clustered with two rows of adjacent shops on both sides. The main road extends along both sides of southern Islip town; however, it is not continuous as it is interrupted by two sparse housing areas. At the southwestern end of the main road, there is a school, while a parking area is situated on the opposite side of the road. On the northern side of the main road, there is a suburban area. Under the proposed plan, the most significant alteration to Islip town is the improvement of transport infrastructure, with a dual carriageway running around the entire town from north to south. The main road will be converted into a pedestrian-only street. The former adjacent shops will be demolished to create more usable space, which will be replaced by numerous facilities such as a bus station, a shopping centre, and a car park on the northwestern side. Only adjacent shops on the south side of a pedestrian street remain unmodified. The park on the eastern side of the town centre is expected to be reduced in size to make way for new housing. The latter design will provide two additional housing areas. One will be located to the north of the pedestrian-only street and connected to a branch road of the dual carriageway, while the other will be situated to the south, outside the highway ring.

The proliferation of residents who prefer searching the previous information of the tower where they reside indicates their concern about the safety and awareness of legal issues. This essay will examine the reason behind this trend and the methods people can use to conduct such research. One primary reason why many dwellers investigate the history of the building is concerns over safety. The former damage events such as fire accidents, natural disasters and their subsequent renovations may reflect the actual quality of the tower, allowing people to assess potential risks and prepare the precautionary measures if any accident occurs again. This can be seen when a building that was once affected by flooding still endure hidden structural errors despite external repairs, thereby enabling potential residents to make an informed decision before moving in. Furthermore, some developed countries have witnessed a rise in unnatural deaths occurring in private residents, often linked to depression and legal crime, as such events can severely affect psychological comfort and property values alike. In addition, legal issues are major concerns for buyers, particularly whether the transaction of purchasing, owning a property is transparent and legally valid. Buyers often need to clarify that the property has no ownership disputes, or unclear legal documents before making a purchase. As a result, the historical search of a building plays a vital role on the level of safety for buyers or tenants. There are some practical approaches for people who seek the background of building, particularly by consulting local residents and using internet sources. While asking the neighbors about their living experience may provide first-hand information of the building, such as safety conditions, management quality, or previous incidents, the search on Internet for its background can offer broader access to official documents, news reports, and transaction records. A clear example of this is that government websites in many countries publish ownership history and legal records, allowing individuals to verify whether a property has been involved in disputes or irregular transactions. Consequently, consulting local residents and using online sources are practical ways to obtain reliable information before making housing decisions. In conclusion, the growing tendency to investigate a building’s background mainly stems from concerns about safety and legal matters. An approach to get information from local residents with online sources is an effective way to obtain reliable details before making housing decisions.

Some people argue that increasing the price of fuel for cars and other private vehicles is one of the most effective ways to tackle environmental issues. While this measure can discourage unnecessary travel to some extent, I totally disagree with this view because it can lead to serious economic consequences and has little impact on reducing pollution. On the one hand, increasing fuel prices may create severe economic consequences rather than effectively addressing environmental problems, as fuel is a fundamental energy source for a variety of transportations, such as trucks, ships, and aeroplanes, which are responsible for global freight and passenger movements. When fuel costs rise, transport companies often face a corresponding increase in the expenses of operation, resulting in the passage of these additional fees to customers. Hence, basic commodities such as food and other household products may become more expensive because of increased delivery charges. As a result, this measure can contribute to inflation, weaken consumers’ purchasing habits, and put pressure on the national economy. On the other hand, a rise in fuel costs is not equally effective for everyone, because many people have no practical alternative to transport. In many regions, especially in rural areas or suburbs, public transports is limited, so workers and students still rely on private cars or motorbikes for daily travel regardless of rising fuel costs. Even if petrol becomes more expensive, individuals who commute long distances to work may continue to drive because buses or trains are unavailable or inaccessible. Therefore, this measure can create financial pressure on households without significantly lowering emissions in the environment. To conclude, although raising the fuel costs can help limit unnecessary travel in some cases, I believe that it is not an ideal solution for a more sustainable environment because it may harms the economy and places financial strain on individuals without guaranteeing a meaningful reduction in pollution.