IELTS Academic writing task 2 : Sample 02
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
write about the following topic:
Q: Successful sports professionals can earn great deal more money than people in other important professions. Some people think this is fully justified while other think it is unfair.
Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
Write at least 250 words
Bands 7.5 Response Written by Sofia Butt: Published on 11-November 2019
Analytically speaking, the widening gap between people who trust and distrust the established narrative on the higher incomes of sports personnel has become so great that it can often be difficult to know what – or whom- to believe; however, keeping in mind both skeptics and advocates, my consent is inclined towards those who perceive the sophisticated earnings of sports celebrities entirely defensible.
Undoubtedly, sports icons are playing roles as significant as, if not more, the other professionals. Most importantly, these stars help to boost their country’s image worldwide because the name and fame of these icons is directly associated with their nation. Secondly, their certified life span is considerably short that leaving them with less time to attain lucrative stability. Moreover, these enthusiastic stars provide a humongous source of entertainment and amusement while they are deprived of safeguarding blissful time for themselves and their families by becoming a public property. Also, the risks regarding security and physical injuries increase. Honestly speaking, this is too much price to pay for getting augmented remunerations.
On the flip side, other significant professions: doctors, engineers and scientists, are making a great contribution to community, but they earn throughout their lives even at the age of 80 because their maturity adds value to their experience. In addition, despite working very hard, they work for fairly small time spans and earn handsomely in return without indulging their lives into any adversity. Keeping in mind all these factors, the package sports stars receive is acceptable.
In the culmination, after shedding light on both perspectives, it can be seen clearly that the exertions of sports personas are colossal and can hardly be neglected. They sacrifice a lot as compare to other professionals hence deserve to be paid well.
Book 6, Test 2, Writing Task 2 Examiner Response 9 bands
Answer:
Bands 9 Response
As a result of constant media attention, sports professionals in my country have become stars and celebrities, and those at the top are paid huge salaries. Just like movie stars, they live extravagant lifestyles with huge houses and care.
Many people find their rewards unfair, especially when comparing these super salaries with those of top surgeons or research scientists, or even leading politicians who have the responsibility of governing the country. However, sports salaries are not determined by considering the contribution to society a person makes, or the level of responsibility he or she holds. Instead, they reflect the public popularity of sport in general and the level of public support that successful stars can generate. So the notion of 'fairness' is not the issue.
Those who feel that sports stars' salaries are justified might argue that the number of professionals with real talent are very few, and the money is recognition of the skills and dedication a person needs to be successful. Competition is constant and a player is tested every time they perform in their relatively short career. The pressure from the media is intense and there is little privacy out of the spotlight. So, all of these factors may justify the huge earnings.
Personally, I think that the amount of money such sports stars make is more justified than the huge earnings of movie stars, but at the same time, it indicates that our society places more value on sport than on more essential professions and achievements.
Reference: Cambridge IELTS Book 6 Test 2
Response 2
In our minds, fame automatically equates fortune; why is that? What makes being known by more people somehow more valuable than being known by less? Famous sports professionals are paid a higher sum for their jobs than regular, hard-working employees. There are several factors to be considered before reaching a verdict as to why that is.
Famous sportsmen fulfill various roles other than simply playing a sport. They automatically become one of many representatives of their nation, one could even consider them as 'tourist attractions'. They attract trade, tourists, all kinds of attention and, ofttimes, support, by being the face of their nation. This phenomenon can be thought of as advertising, in a way. The sport in itself is a major factor, considering the public stress, the training that goes into it and the physical demands, among other things. Playing a certain sport in front of the entire world is tantamount to a complete surrender of privacy, playing it well is even more so; it makes the media want to delve into the personal lives of the players. International relations are improved based on the performance and decorum of sports players.Treating their sportsmen well, a country is looked at with a higher opinion by other countries.
Arguably, the less-famous counterparts of society deserve a lot of acknowledgement as well. They all form part of a well-oiled machine if functioning correctly. Society simply wouldn't be able to function if these people with less media-oriented occupations stopped their work. As opposed to sports, which are mainly for enjoyment purposes, other occupations are a necessity for survival; providing products and services that cannot be taken for granted. That being said, don't the people in less famous, but unquestionably important, professions deserve just as much, if not more, prestige than famous sportsmen?
I conclude that, although famous sportsmen have very demanding jobs in terms of publicity and physicality, among other things, people with other important professions in society deserve higher salaries and to live in just as much luxury as them, for they are the gears and cranks that help the well-oiled machine that is society to function properly.