You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
People who live in large cities face a range of problems in their daily life.
What are the main problems people in cities face, and how can these problems be tackled?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model answer
These days, more and more of us are living in big cities, and urban conurbations are expanding all the time. Although cities are very attractive places to live, and they provide a wide range of work and leisure opportunities, there are also a host of significant social problems affecting cities.
One of the biggest problems facing people who live in cities is the high property prices. In many cities, buying a house near the centre is out of reach for people on the average salary, and they are forced to live outside the city and to commute into work. In downtown Vancouver, for instance, the cost of even a one-bedroom flat is prohibitive for many people. To solve this problem, the government could put more resources into building affordable housing, which would allow more people to buy their own home.
Another issue is the quality and cost of public transport. That is to say, in most capitals, public transport is inefficient and the infrastructure is old and inadequate. At the same time, ticket prices are often too high, which puts people off using public transport. The way forward must be to invest more money in trains and buses, and to slash ticket prices. This would encourage more people to use public transport.
To sum up, although it is clear that cities face a range of problems, it is undoubtedly possible to start to tackle these issues, and improve the quality of life in cities. Governments and local councils must take the lead in dealing with these problems, otherwise city life will only get worse in the future.
(267 words)