ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: Xuân Phi, 25/4/2022
Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 25/4/2022
Question: Young people learn good behavior more from movies and books than real-life experiences. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
(IELTS Academic – 26/4/2022)
ANSWER (8.0):
It is argued that films and books are a better approach for the young to shape their behaviors than learning them on their own. I completely disagree with this idea since movies and books often focus on extreme characters and learning through hands-on experiences is more impactful.
To begin with, films and books are not a superior way for young people to learn good behaviors as there are many negative role models in most of them. To be more specific, characters in such forms are usually idealized or exaggerated to appeal to audiences; therefore, they often possess a set of behaviors that are regarded as immoral and violent in reality. For example, the image of the Joker in the movie with the same name is cruel and aggressive but admired by numerous young people in the world since he is considered to be a hero in some ways. As a result, many tend to imitate his actions in real life without realizing that these are wrong and have dire consequences.
Another reason why I disagree is that people have a stronger emotional reaction to real experiences which means they learn more from them. First, they can remember what they gained more vividly. In fact, if they behave badly and are criticized by others, they could realize that their actions are totally wrong and annoy others to a significant extent; thus, they are more likely to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. It is also scientifically proven that knowledge is stored for a longer period of time if people experience it on their own due to a combination of senses. Furthermore, first-hand experiences enable young people to decide which behaviors suit them the most. This is because they will be learning behavior in areas that they need whereas books and movies might be showing behavior in contexts that are not relevant to them.
In conclusion, I completely disagree with the idea that movies and books instill good behaviors in young people since characters are often presented with violent behaviors, and learning through experience is more effective to control behavior and attitudes as they can be better stored and are more suitable for each individual. Therefore, parents should try to optimize the experiences that their children have so that they can develop into moral citizens.
(Word count: 385)
WORD LIST:
| ENGLISH | TIẾNG VIỆT |
| shape behaviors | định hình hành vi |
| hands-on experiences | những trải nghiệm thực tế |
| idealized or exaggerated | lý tưởng hóa hoặc phóng đại |
| possess a set of behaviors | sở hữu một tập hợp các hành vi |
| have dire consequences | có hậu quả nghiêm trọng |
| a combination of senses | sự kết hợp của các giác quan |
| first-hand experiences | những trải nghiệm đầu tiên, trực tiếp trải nghiệm |
| learning through experience | học hỏi thông qua trải nghiệm |
| control behavior and attitudes | kiểm soát hành vi và thái độ |
| optimize the experiences | tối ưu hóa trải nghiệm |
