TEST1,WRITINGTASK2MODELANSWERTEST1：Someexpertsbelievethatitisbetterforchildrentobeginlearningaforeignlanguageatprimaryschoolratherthansecondaryschool.Dotheadvantagesofthisoutweighthedisadvantages?Traditionally,childrenhavebegunstudyingforeignlanguagesatsecondaryschool,butintroducingthemearlierisrecommendedbysomeeducationalists.Thispolicyhasbeenadoptedbysomeeducationalauthoritiesorindividualschools,withbothpositiveandnegativeoutcomes.Theobviousargumentinitsfavouristhatyoungchildrenpickuplanguagesmuchmoreeasilythanteenagers.Theirbrainsarestillprogrammedtoacquiretheirmothertongue,whichfacilitateslearninganotherlanguage,andunlikeadolescents,theyarenotinhibitedbyself-consciousness.Thegreaterflexibilityoftheprimarytimetableallowsformorefrequent,shortersessionsandforaplay-centredapproach,thusmaintaininglearners’enthusiasmandprogress.Theircommandofthelanguageinlaterlifewillbenefitfromthisearlyexposure,whilelearningotherlanguagessubsequentlywillbeeasierforthem.Theymayalsogainabetterunderstandingofothercultures.Thereare,however,somedisadvantages.Primaryschoolteachersaregeneralists,andmaynothavethenecessarylanguageskillsthemselves.Ifspecialistshavetobebroughtintodeliverthesesessions,theflexibilityreferredtoaboveisdiminished.Ifprimarylanguageteachingisnotstandardised,secondaryschoolscouldbefacedwithagreatvarietyoflevelsindifferentlanguageswithintheirintake,resultinginaclassroomexperiencewhichundoestheearliergains.Thereisnoadvantageifenthusiasticprimarypupilsbecomedemotivatedassoonastheychangeschools.However,theseissuescanbeaddressedstrategicallywithinthepolicyadopted.Anythingwhichencourageslanguagelearningbenefitssocietyculturallyandeconomically,andearlyexposuretolanguagelearningcontributestothis.Youngchildren’sinnateabilitiesshouldbeharnessedtomakethesebenefitsmoreachievable.TEST3,WRITINGTASK2MODELANSWERTEST3:Somepeoplesaythatthebestwaytoimprovepublichealthisbyincreasingthenumberofsportsfacilities.Others,however,saythatthiswouldhavlittleeffectonpublichealthandthatothermeasuresarerequired.Discussboththeseviewsandgiveyourownopinion.Aproblemofmodernsocietiesisthedeclininglevelofhealthinthegeneralpopulation,withconflictingviewsonhowtotacklethisworryingtrend.Onepossiblesolutionistoprovidemoresportsfacilitiestoencourageamoreactivelifestyle.Advocatesofthisbelievethattoday’ssedentarylifestyleandstressfulworkingconditionsmeanthatphysicalactivityisnolongerpartofeitherourworkorourleisuretime.Iftherewereeasy-to-reachlocalsportscentres,wewouldbemorelikelytomakeexercisearegularpartofourlives,ratherthanjustcollapsinginfrontofascreeneveryevening.Thevarietyofsportsthatcouldbeofferedwouldcaterforallages,levelsoffitnessandinterests:thosewithpainfulmemoriesofPEatschoolmightbehappierintheswimmingpoolthanonthefootballpitch.However,theremaybebetterwaysoftacklingthisproblem.Interestinsportisnotuniversal,andadditionalfacilitiesmightsimplyattractthealreadyfit,notthosewhomostneedthem.Physicalactivitycouldbeencouragedrelativelycheaply,forexamplebyinstallingexerciseequipmentinparks,asmylocalcouncilhasdone.Thishastheaddedbenefitthatparentsandchildrenoftenusethemtogetherjustforfun,whichdevelopsapositiveattitudetoexerciseatanearlyage.Aswellasphysicalactivity,hightaxpenaltiescouldbeimposedonhigh-fatfoodproducts,tobaccoandalcohol,asexcessiveconsumptionofanyofthesecontributestopoorhealth.Evenimprovingpublictransportwouldhelp:ittakeslongertowalktothebusstopthantothecar.Inmyopinion,focusingonsportsfacilitiesistoonarrowanapproachandwouldnothavethedesiredresults.Peopleshouldbeencouragednotonlytobemorephysicallyactivebutalsotoadoptahealthierlifestyleingeneral.
