ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: Xuân Phi, 16/03/2025
Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 17/03/2025
Question: Many young people are leaving their homes in rural areas to study or work in the cities. What are the reasons? Do the advantages of this development outweigh its disadvantages?
(IELTS Academic – 15/03/2025)
ANSWER (8.0+):
In many countries, a number of youth are moving to cities for educational and professional purposes. This trend is driven by better job prospects and cultural exposure in urban areas. However, it should be seen as a negative development, as it leads to consequences such as labor shortages in rural regions and overcrowding in cities.
There are two major explanations for the migration of young individuals to cities. The foremost one is the better opportunities in work. Cities offer higher-paying jobs and career growth that small towns lack. For example, many young professionals from rural Vietnam move to Ho Chi Minh City to work for international companies, as the city has a thriving economy and better career prospects. Another reason is the access to diverse educational experiences. Cities bring together people from different backgrounds, offering students opportunities to learn from various cultures. For instance, a student moving to New York can attend internationally renowned universities, and engage in diverse learning environments, all of which broaden their perspective and enhance their education.
Despite its benefits, I believe that urban migration is detrimental due to some serious drawbacks. First, it harms rural areas by causing labor shortages and slowing economic growth. When young people leave, farms and small businesses struggle to find workers, leading to lower productivity. To illustrate, in rural provinces like Ha Giang in Vietnam, many villages are left with aging populations, making farming and local industries unsustainable. Furthermore, cities become overcrowded, leading to housing shortages, traffic congestion, and pollution. In cities like Mumbai, slums expand as housing demand rises, worsening living conditions. Crime and unemployment also increase as job competition intensifies, creating further social problems.
In conclusion, young people move to cities for better career and education opportunities, as well as exposure to educational diversity. However, this trend is rather negative as it creates challenges, including labor shortages in rural areas and overcrowding in urban centers. While cities offer many benefits, governments must find ways to support rural communities and improve urban planning to balance development.
(Word count: 337)
WORD LIST
| ENGLISH | TIẾNG VIỆT |
| Educational and professional purposes | Mục đích giáo dục và nghề nghiệp |
| Cultural exposure | Tiếp xúc với nền văn hóa |
| Labor shortages | Thiếu hụt lao động |
| Major explanations | Những lý giải chính |
| Thriving economy | Nền kinh tế phát triển thịnh vượng |
| Internationally renowned | Nổi tiếng toàn cầu |
| Diverse learning environments | Môi trường học tập đa dạng |
| Housing shortages | Thiếu hụt nhà ở |
| Intensifies | Trở nên nghiêm trọng hơn |
| Urban planning | Quy hoạch đô thị |
