Task 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The chart shows the number of people in a house in London in three different years.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
The chart illustrates the variation in occupancy numbers, ranging from one person to five or above, in a single house in an area in North London over three different years.
Throughout the graph, accommodation for two people was clearly the most common and had an increasing trend, rising from just over 40% in 1991 to over half of all household types by 2003.
People living alone was the second most favoured form of accommodation; in 1991, over 30% of houses had only one occupant, and by 1996 this accounted for almost a third of all accommodation types . However, by 2003, this trend had declined, falling below 30%.
Over the three periods given, there were minor changes in the remaining three types of accommodation; houses with three or four people tended to decline, where the number of households with five or more people fluctuated between approximately 12% to 15%.
Overall, it is clear that households with only one or two occupants vastly outweigh the other values given.
(167 words)
Task 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Figures show that some countries have an increasing proportion of the population who are aged 60 or older.
What do you think the effects of this may be?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
In many countries, improvements in health care and a better awareness of healthy living now means that people are living longer, leading to a rise in the number of people aged 60 or beyond. There are a number of effects that this will have both immediate and in the near future, as will now be explained.
The primary issue that this trend is likely to have is the higher percentage of people that have retired and may require pensions or other financial support which will need to be covered by the taxpayer. In the UK, for example, it is estimated that the number of people due to retire or currently retired will cost the country 40% of tax revenue, leaving less for other sectors such as education.
Another concern relating to the increasing number of people over 60 is the potential limitation this may impose on the younger generation looking to get started in their career. Finding work will become more difficult as there will be increased pressure for jobs. This may mean that companies do not recruit younger staff, which in turn may lead to a loss of new ideas and fresher ways of thinking.
However, this is not to say that an increasing percentage of the population over 60 is an entirely negative aspect. Many people reaching their sixties have had many years working in a variety of different occupations, and may bring with them a pool of experience that the younger generation alone cannot offer. This has the potential to allow companies to develop their business with the wider range of knowledge and skills available among their staff.
In summary, a rising elderly population is likely to have significant financial effects in the future, demographic changes that may require a reconsideration of the age of retirement.
(259 words)