Writing Feedback / DISCUSSION ESSAYS: Horizontal city vs vertical city [2]

Best way of designing cities

People have different opinions about how cities should be designed to accommodate an ever increasing population in the world. While some people argue that cities should be expanded horizontally, I personally believe that vertical cities can be far more beneficial.

There are two main reasons why some people prefer a horizontal city rather than a vertical one. Firstly, the structure of a horizontal city gives people a sense of security due to its safety. For instance, if an earthquake or a fire takes place, it will be less difficult to rescue and evacuate residents in a low-rise building than in a skycraper. Secondly, a horizontal city can offer plenty of room for outdoor spaces such as gardens or playgrounds. It also fosters social connectedness among dwellers and avoid the lack of community and social interaction that high-rise living often breeds.

On the other hand, I am of the opinion that the trend towards building upward instead of outward brings more significant benefits, especially from environmental perspective. Residing in a megatower enhances living and working space, meaning that demand for land can be minimized. The wildlife habitats, therefore, would be preserved and deforestation would be reduced considerably. Another key benefit is that the exploitation of fossil fuel can be replaced by the use of renewable energy, which certainly contributes to the decline in carbon footprint and better air quality. This is because a high-rise building has a multitude of surface where solar panels could be installed. Also, their height and size make them ideal for wind turbines.

In conclusion, the concept of the horizontal city can be fascinating and attractive to a number of people for some reasons. However, in my view, the advantages of life in a city with skyscrapers makes living in a vertical city the better choice.

Writing Feedback / Writing task 2: Academic knowledge vs Life skills [3]

The most important things to learn

Some people argue that schools should focus on academic performance of students rather than their practical skills like dressing or cooking. From my perspective, I completely disagree with this statement.

On the one hand, it is true to say that academic knowledge plays a pivotal role in schools. This is because academic performance directly influences the scores that students achieve in the exams which are an important factor when they apply for a job after graduation. Furthermore, without fundamental understandings, students can hardly succeed and progress in their domains in the future. However, I believe that placing excessive emphasis on academic learning can also be detrimental since not all students want or are able to pursue a career of a mathematician or a historian. Therefore, focusing attention on academic knowledge can be a waste of time and effort for those who desire to work in non-academic fields such as cooking or fashion.

On the other hand, there are several reasons why schools need to teach practical life skills. Firstly, those skills are indispensable for people who want to become independent and self-reliant. For example, when college students live far from their families, knowing how to cook enables them to prepare the meals by themselves without having to dine out. Secondly, students who have acquired practical skills and been able to complete self-care tasks are likely to become more confident and possess a sense of responsibility. Finally, attending skill building classes can also be seen as an hobby which helps students to unwind after spending many hours on theoretical subjects.

In conclusion, I hold the view that while test-taking expertise is important, students also need to learn practical life skills such as cooking, cleaning or dressing in order to be capable of taking care of themselves.