ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: Xuân Phi, 21/11/2022
Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 22/11/2022
Question: Some people think history has nothing or little to tell us, but others think that studying the past history can help us better understand the present.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(IELTS Academic – 19/11/2022)
ANSWER (8.0+):
Some believe that history fails to facilitate people’s understanding, while opponents argue that acquiring historical knowledge can aid in informing individuals about contemporary times. This essay will elaborate on both sides and the reasons why I am in favour of the former.
On the one hand, gaining insight into past events can be beneficial for individuals to have a better understanding of the contemporary world because they can explore the roots of current problems. As a result, severe consequences and potential damage can be prevented from happening. To illustrate, by studying their country’s history, Vietnamese people can understand that the main reason behind the high deformity rate in some central provinces in Vietnam is the dumping of Agent Orange used by Americans in the Vietnam War (1954-1975). Thus, those suffering from this dioxin are discouraged from having children to avoid the spread of health problems and the number of disabled people induced by it.
On the other hand, the notion that learning history is pointless is sound for two reasons. The first is that it can be irrelevant to modern life. More specifically, historical events often bring no practical value to people’s present life. In other words, people may find it hard to apply what they obtain from history lessons into practice because society today bears little resemblance to the past. Another justification is that students prefer learning subjects that benefit their job prospects instead of allocating a large amount of time to researching history and remembering historical dates and facts. For instance, most Vietnamese high school students confess that they are reluctant to opt for history in the school curriculum because they cannot utilize knowledge about historical events and figures in their personal lives and future careers.
In conclusion, both perspectives have their own justifications. However, I advocate the view that knowing more about the past fails to inform people about the present life since history mostly bears little relevance to modern life and brings no value to enhancing their career path. It is advisable that schools should prioritize other subjects that facilitate students’ future jobs.
WORD LIST:
ENGLISH | TIẾNG VIỆT |
Facilitate people’s understanding | Nâng cao hiểu biết của mọi người |
Contemporary times | Thời đương đại, hiện tại |
Explore the roots of current problems | Khám phá gốc rễ của các vấn đề hiện tại |
Deformity rate | Tỷ lệ biến dạng |
The dumping of Agent Orange | Sự rải chất độc màu da cam |
Dioxin | Độc tố |
Bring no practical value | Không mang lại giá trị thực tiễn |
Bears little resemblance to | Ít liên quan tới |
Benefit their job prospects | Có lợi cho triển vọng công việc của họ |
Enhance their career path | Nâng cao con đường sự nghiệp của họ |