2009年10月24日雅思考试作文真题

题目

Some people believe that the aim of university education is to help graduates find better jobs while some others hold that there are wider benefits for the individual and society.  Discuss both viewpoints and give your own opinion.

In this knowledge-based society, academic qualifications are regarded as one of the top priorities for people seeking to pursue a better life. A considerable proportion of students attend college or university for the simple reason that a degree from an institution of higher learning may be to their advantage in job-hunting.

Undeniably, university education should prepare students for their future careers.  It needs to be understood that many students spend a great amount of money and time attending college simply because they want to enhance their competitiveness on the job market after graduation.  If higher education fails to meet this fundamental requirement that students expect, then university education will be viewed as both a money waster and time waster. This would be especially true in times of economic downturn when job opportunities shrink dramatically and the competition for jobs gets more intense. Therefore, higher education geared to employment should be encouraged.

Others, however, think otherwise, holding that university education is not, and should not be, restricted to this single goal. They argue that job-oriented education may not prove effective in helping the employees to excel in their careers. This is because the knowledge gained and skills mastered at school are bound to be obsolete given the fact that the world is constantly changing in terms of science and technology. To be truly exceptional and outstanding, one needs to possess a strong ability to think critically and generate really original and insightful ideas. Of crucial importance, therefore, is to educate students to be creative, flexible, and adaptive problem-solvers, capable of innovation. In addition, institutions of higher learning should assume the responsibility of shaping students’ values, such as their outlook on the world, judgments about right and wrong, and obligation to make contributions to social betterment. Obviously, this is not only conducive to the individuals involved but also to the welfare of society as a whole.

By way of conclusion, I would argue that university education should be encouraged to fulfill various functions in addition to preparing students for their future careers.  Universities and colleges are expected to foster, among other things, students’ critical and creative thinking as well as moral integrity so that graduates are more likely to achieve personal success and contribute to social betterment.（新航道 龚朝晖）