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State Exam Essay Practice Tasks – Set 2: Opposing Opinion and Counterarguments

1. Below you have phrases where people express their opinion (the task statement is given at the beginning in brackets). In the spaces provided write TWO different opposing opinions to the given ones.

Remember to start the opposing opinion with such phrases as:

However, some people think…

On the other hand, there is a different point of view that …

Nevertheless, some people disagree with this and claim that…

Despite the popularity of this viewpoint, some people believe that… etc.

1. (Sewing and knitting are not the best hobbies for young people)

In my opinion, such pastimes as sewing and knitting are very beneficial even for teenagers.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. (Having a sibling is better than being an only child)

Personally, I think that having a brother or a sister is extremely enjoyable.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. (The lives of the disabled are much easier these days)

From my point of view, modern life still causes a lot of problems for disabled people.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. (Online shopping is an excellent alternative to traditional shopping)

I suppose that we cannot ignore the advantages of online shopping as compared to the traditional way of getting things. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. (A virtual visit to a museum is better than the real thing)

In my opinion, visiting a museum in person overrides any online experience of it.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. (Some parents think that teenagers should not be given too much independence)

Personally, I do not agree that too much freedom can spoil a teenager. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. (Keeping exotic animals as pets is immoral)

From my point of view, if people choose exotic creatures to be held as pets, their behaviour is irresponsible and anti-social.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Choose ONE opposing opinion from the ones you wrote in exercise 1 and write one developed argument (but no more than 2 arguments!) to explain this opposing opinion.

Remember to give 2 supporting sentences to illustrate and explain this opinion, but do NOT write more that 3-4 sentences altogether.

Example:

Task statement: Having one child is better than having many children.

Author’s opinion: Personally, I believe that having a big family is far better than bringing up only one child.

Opposing opinion and argument:

However, nowadays some people prefer to raise only one child. They claim that having several children is financially unbearable for the majority of the population. Besides, raising a child is a great responsibility, so you can afford to have more children only if you succeed in bringing out the best in your first-born.

3. For each of the arguments you provided to support the opposing opinions in exercise 2 write a developed counterargument. Remember to write at least 3 sentences to outweigh the opposing opinion. Your counterarguments must explain why the arguments supporting the opposing opinion are wrong. DO NOT provide any irrelevant extra arguments to support your point of view.

Remember  to begin your counterarguments like this:

Still, I do not agree that…

Nevertheless, I am a strong believer in…

Nonetheless, I strongly object to the idea that…

Although there may be some truth in that, I do not think that…

Though this opinion may be popular with some people, I personally disagree that … etc.

Example (continuation of the example from exercise 2):

Still, I cannot agree that the number of children in a family is a purely financial matter. I know a lot of families who have chosen to have a second or even a third child despite a rather average income. This somehow did not affect their financial situation dramatically. Moreover, if you want your child to really achieve something in life, he or she should have siblings. Having a brother or a sister makes us less selfish and more compassionate and more socially responsible.