Plan this problem and solution essay about culture with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
In many countries, traditional customs and festivals are becoming less important to young people.
What are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
In many countries, young people show less interest in traditional customs and festivals than their grandparents did. This essay will look at the reasons for this change and suggest ways of encouraging young people to value their heritage.
Several factors explain the decline. Modern life is busy, and students and young workers often have little time to take part in long ceremonies that involve days of preparation. Global entertainment is also influential; teenagers who spend their evenings watching international series or following overseas trends may find local festivals old-fashioned by comparison. In addition, large numbers of young people migrate from villages to cities to study or work. Away from their families and communities, which usually pass on customs, they lose the daily contact that keeps traditions alive.
To reverse this trend, schools should play a bigger role. Lessons that explain the history and meaning of local customs, together with visits to museums and festivals, would help children to see them as part of their identity rather than as old rituals. Governments can also provide financial support for festivals, for example by paying for venues, musicians and publicity, so that communities are able to hold them on a larger scale. Finally, traditions need to be made attractive to the young. Organisers could use social media to advertise events, include modern music alongside traditional performances or invite young people to design costumes and decorations. Nowruz celebrations in Central Asia, which now feature concerts and online campaigns, are a good illustration of how a custom can be refreshed without losing its meaning.
In conclusion, traditions are fading because of busy lifestyles, global culture and migration, but education, public funding and creative presentation can make them appealing to a new generation.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cultural heritage | traditions and monuments inherited from the past |
| customs | traditional ways of behaving |
| preserve | keep from loss |
| festive season | time of celebrations |
| handed down | passed to the next generation |
| modernisation | change to more modern ways |
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