GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 137
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
“Today a lot of different cultures and ethnic groups live together in one country. Why is this so and do you think this is a positive or negative development?”
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model Answer: [ View – it is a negative development]
Nowadays, it has become prevalent that people with different ethnic identities and backgrounds live together in a country. Globalization has paved the way for this interaction of people. In my opinion, this is a negative phenomenon.
Globalization contributes enormously to the multicultural society. In simple words, it creates a conducive environment that promotes global trade and commerce, which in turn open up the possibility of much greater co-operation and stimulate employment and education as well. In consequence, people become strongly motivated to leave their motherland and migrate to a foreign country, resulting in a multicultural society. A research work recently published by ILO forecasts that in the years ahead, hundreds of thousands of workers looking for high-powered, technical jobs could migrate overseas due to globalization. The phenomenon reaps some benefits. One key benefit is that multicultural society fosters the mentality that rejects racial, cultural and traditional stereotypes as well as results in co-operation and harmony.
However, there have been several opinions against living in a multicultural society or supporting it. One of the major drawbacks of such a society is the disappearance of important culture. In simple words, when multiple cultures function together the chances of the predominance of one culture over the others substantially increase, which in turn can erase an entire culture. A case in point is the Khmer culture of Cambodia. The culture is dominated by Theravada Buddhism over the years jeopardizing the existence of Khmer. Another distinct disadvantage is misunderstandings among different cultures. To illustrate, there is a good chance of offending someone if the cultures an individual lives in is poorly understood. For instance, in many cultures, females should not be touched by a man apart from their husband while this is accepted in other cultures which can create confusion and conflicts.
In conclusion, we are living in a society which consists of various cultures and ethnicities. The phenomenon stems from globalization. However, everything has merits and demerits and so does the multicultural environment. Weighing up both positive and negative effects, I am inclined to the view that it is a negative development.