△　Writing　Task　2

　　You　should　spend　no　more　than　40　minutes　on　this　task. <

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　　As　part　of　a　class　assignment　you　have　to　write　about　the　following　topic.

　　In　Britain,　when　someone　gets　old　they　often　go　to　live　in　a　home　 with　other　old　people　where　there　are　nurses　to　look　after　them.　 Sometimes　the　government　has　to　pay　for　this　　care.

　　Who　should　be　responsible　for　our　old　people?

　　Give　reasons　for　your　answer.

　　You　should　write　at　least　250　words.



　　Many　old　people　in　Britain,　after　a　lifetime　of　hard　work　and　the　 toil　of　bringing　up　children,　are　put　into　homes　for　the　elderly　by　 their　families.　There,　they　are　looked　after　by　professional　nurses,　and 　this　is　sometimes　at　the　expense　of　the　government.　However,　this　 situation　has　raised　controversy　about　whether　we　extend　to　our　elders　 the　care　and　respect　they　deserve.

　　The　critics　of　this　system　say　that　it　is　the　duty　of　the　family　 to　look　after　its　senior　members　in　the　years　when　they　are　no　longer　 able　to　work.　They　point　out　that　in　retirement　homes　old　people　tend　to 　feel　useless　and　unwanted　by　their　family　members,　who　seldom　come　to　 see　them.　In　addition,　there　is　evidence　that　younger　people　benefit　 from　the　experience　and　wisdom　of　older　people　who　live　with　them　on　a　 daily　basis.

　　On　the　other　had,　those　who　support　the　system　say　that　retired　 parents　can　be　a　burden　to　young　families.　Not　only　is　it　expensive　to　 support　old　people　who　have　little　or　no　income,　but　the　fact　that　old　 people　are　often　ill　and　need　a　great　deal　of　looking　after　can　be　too　 much　for　their　busy　children.

　　In　my　opinion,　neither　side　is　completely　right.　Old　people　in　 good　health　and　with　enough　finances　to　support　themselves　can　be　a　 great　help　to　their　children.　For　instance,　they　can　look　after　their　 grandchildren　while　children　are　out　at　work.　On　the　other　had,　sick　and 　pen

niless　old　people　are　better　off　being　looked　after　in　retirement　homes　at　government　expense