General Training - Model Answer (Task 2)

Some people think that young people should be ambitious. Others believe that it is fine if young people do not have big aims in life. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

When we think of young people, we imagine them to be full of energy, to have grand dreams and wishes to be successful in their lives. These ambitions are what often drive them in their work or personal lives to achieve their desired goals.

Ambition may be thought of as being positive as it provides the motivation to move forward and is a necessary ingredient to reaching one’s aims. It is a good idea for young people to be ambitious as the older generation tends to lose this aspect of their personality as they become older because what they once valued as being important changes. Creativity and new products and services often result from ambitions that youngsters may have. As people want to reach a certain standard they need to find alternative ways to do this in a competitive environment leading to creativity and drive.

On the other hand, many young people go through life without any ambition. This depends on a person’s character and what they want from their lives, or perhaps their aims are personal and too small to benefit society as a whole. In addition, being over-ambitious often makes a person malicious or selfish because to get ahead in a cut-throat world these characteristics are required.

In my opinion, youngsters, particularly in their 20s should be ambitious. They should have hopes and dreams, whether big or small, professional or social and work towards them. Life without any ambition would be monotonous.

Question taken from Exam Essentials IELTS Practice Tests p.198

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