With the proliferation of educational facilities around the world, there is an opinion that funds should be channeled into the young’s education. Disagreeing with this, others maintain that it is the older yet illiterate generation that should receive that funding to learn how to read and write. My firm conviction is that educating the young generation is a long-term investment that will benefit the nation as a whole.

One of the major arguments in favor of reducing illiteracy rates among the old is bridging socio-economic gaps. Once uneducated seniors, who often struggle to make ends meet because of substandard living conditions, have a raft of skills, largely the ability to read and write, to find a better-paid job, they might earn more, thus living a more fulfilling life. This is not to say they will climb the career ladder quickly or become the CEO of a corporation, but they will definitely land an age-appropriate yet more lucrative job, such as a librarian. Beyond career gains, having enough money to afford a gym ticket, expert-led tour or simply a better car or accommodation can also improve old people’s social life, making them less isolated and focused on paying the bills. From this perspective, it is a meaningful financial decision to funnel money into the education infrastructure for senior-aged people with a poor educational background.

However compelling this view may appear, I believe younger populations’ education bears greater weight. First and foremost, it is these pre-school and school-aged children that are the cornerstone of the future in economic terms, since they will contribute to the workforce and thus the economy of a country via their ideas, efforts and creativity. Without a strong educational background, however, their contribution might be negligible, a shortcoming which may cost the country its reputation in the international arena and, most importantly, its bright future. Had Chinese students not been as focused on gaining a high-quality education, the economy of the country would not have been regarded as one of the most powerful in the world. Therefore, meeting the educational needs of the younger generation is more justifiable because of the scope of the potential benefits.

In conclusion, although I acknowledge that investing into the education of old and illiterate people offer socio-economic gains, I contend that, unlike funding educational facilities for young students, such an initiative does not yield tangible benefits on a national scale in the long run. Only through the lens of future outcomes can we ensure the future generations will thrive.

The bar graph illustrates how the populations of 3 different cities changed, compared to the predicted figures, from 1990 to 2000.

Overall, although population numbers rose in Jakarta, which showed the smallest figures, and San Paolo, which recorded the greatest population size, they saw a downward trend in Shanghai. The anticipations, meanwhile, exceeded the actual statistics in all the cities, particularly Shanghai.

Jakarta came at the lower end of the spectrum, starting the period at around 7 million in 1990. While it was forecast that this number would reach its highest at about 12.5 million in 2000, the actual figure rose to only 11.5 million, marking a 1-million difference.

Next on the list, Shanghai was home to roughly 12 million people in 1990, with the estimates showing a sharp rise to 15 million by 2000. In stark contrast, the population size shrank to 11 million, the most prononced gap of 4 million.

San Paolo, having the largest population numbers, stood at a high of 17 million initially. The expectation for this pattern was to peak at just under 25 million, yet the actual number merely exceeded 20 million.

In today's educational landscape defined by drastic changes, many school graduates decide to go for a gap year, when they travel or work, before they enter a university. While this decision raises concerns over a lower academic aptitude and reduced chances of meeting admission requirements of universities, the upsides are higher cultural tolerance and better financial management.

It is undeniable that once students who have just completed their school curriculum visit foreign countries or land a job, they are less likely to retain their academic potential over a long time. This is simply due to the new distractions they are faced with, from visiting cultural landmarks and interacting with locals to adaptation to a professional setting and career promotion. Putting this into perspective, such graduates may face challenges in keeping the pace with their classmates or even catching them up when they become undergraduates. A further significant drawback is lower chances of becoming accepted into a university. Importantly, entry exams in universities might become struggling or even too demanding when school alumni shift their focus from studies to work or travel for a year. This is particularly common among students preparing to enter top 50 universities, ones that require a raft of well-developed academic skills and similar qualifications.

As deleterious as the trend appears, it also confers several benefits, one of which is a wider cultural understanding. While establishing relationships with people from a different culture, students develop their understanding of how certain cultures are structured, thus grasping the nuances and complexities of customs, traditions and norms they never knew existed. A European student travelling to a Middle Eastern country and learning basics of local ethiquette is more likely to treat Easterners with respect than the one who has never been there. From a financial standpoint, such travel is costly: hotel bookings, food, transport and expenses alike may become exorbitant if the young travelers have no financial stewardship. So, they not only widen their cultural boundaries, but they also become more conscious of poor financial decisions, which helps to learn how to save up for unforeseen future expenses, from medical to entertainment.

In conclusion, choosing a gap year instead of directly entering a university is associated with both lowered academic potential and poorer chances of addressing admission requirements. On the positive side, this choice also opens the door to expand school leavers' cultural understanding and enhance their money management skills.

The pie charts compare how much electricity was used in 8 different areas of the economy of Eastern europe in two years: 2007 and 2010.

Overall, although 4 out of the 8 categories witnessed a period of stability, the production of other metals and mining followed an upward trajectory, in contrast to manufacturing and aluminium, which decreased over the years. In both years, residential usage of electricity stood out as having the largest shares, whereas agriculture and transport recorded the lowest.

The breakdown of the bigger electricity consumers in 2007 showed that it was residents who used the most electricity, at a high of 28%, followed closely by commercial electricty use at 23%. Three years later, both figures remained unaltered, ranking first and second on the list, respectively.

Next came aluminium production, manufacturing and the category labelled as other metals, all of which accounted for roughly the same consumption of 13% in 2007. By the latter year, the gaps between them had widened significantly, with other metals growing most markedly to 18.3%. In stark contrast, the other two categories saw a decline to 8.5% for manufacturing and 11% for aluminium production.

At the lower end of the spectrum were mining, transport and agriculture. While mining saw a marginal increase to 9.4%, the remaining two sectors stood unchanged, at 1% for transport and a mere 0.8% for agriculture. Over the span, the latter two percentages saw no change, thus comprising the least consumption in general.

In today’s ever more interconnected world, some assume that precedence in school curricula should be given to national history rather than global. Although the latter can cultivate a wider understanding of the past and bolster cross-cultural relationships, I believe that it is learning local history that contributes to a stronger sense of civic attachment and national identity.

One principal argument for global history is that it forms a complete picture of past events, whether cultural or economic. Without considering how World War II or civil wars in Europe shaped today’s socio-economic landscape of not only European nations but also their neighbors, North Africa and Middle East, to name a few, one would misconstrue the reality, not knowing why political forces are structured as they are today. From this perspective, introducing one to only their historical inheritance resembles teaching someone studying international legislation nuances of the local judicious system, a misguided and counter-productive decision.

Another persuasive justification is that in this era of globalisation, intercultural boundaries are increasingly blurred. This, by extension, compels individuals to be exposed to the history of other nations, which fosters cultural tolerance. Gone are the days when a nation would prioritize its own cultural legacy to project a positive image of its own in the international arena; instead, a cornerstone of well-developed bonds between countries now is promoting each other’s history, especially in school curricula.

As compelling as these arguments are, they cannot be overstated. Indeed, rarely does the knowledge of world history make someone a competent diplomat, nor does lack of expertise in own history do so. On both national and individual levels, those who remain detached from their own history cannot make much of a difference in strengthening societal bonds. This is simply because having some expertise in national history is fundamental in navigating interactions with neighbors, relatives and countrymen alike.

Putting this into perspective, placing greater importance on local history is a key factor in forming a community where people have a sense of belonging and understand their identity. Should there be lessons, video materials and workshops dedicated to local history, school students will be more likely to reflect on how much their ancestors sacrificed for a bright future of their country. Over time, such focus on the past of local heroes bolsters national pride, traslating into patriotism and civic engagement.

In conclusion, I acknowledge that international history may be a fundamental pillar in understanding global events of the past and establishing close-knit relationships with other nations. This notwithstanding, I support the view that local history bears more weight as it improves the social fabric of a nation.

In this era of globalization, numerous countries offer identical shops and goods, a homogeneous trend that makes some contend it is beneficial. In contrast, critics regard such a development as deleterious. My firm conviction is that given today’s interconnectedness of the world, having the same outlets and products is meaningful, particularly in establishing close-knit international relationships and economic prosperity.

Detractors of identical shops and products may point to lack of range as the main argument behind their stance. With poor diversity in consumer goods, many countries that rely heavily on agriculture and textile industries are likely to experience an economic downturn, since foreign travellers, uninterested in tavelling for shopping, may opt to purchase the same goods in their own country. Had Italy offered items, food and clothing that people could find in their own country, it would undergo a period of economic instability. This is simply because a notable fraction of the state’s budget is made up of tourism revenues. From this perspective, the more the goods and outlets are widespread, and the less they are diverse, the lower the traveller numbers, thus posing economic challenges to a range of touristic destinations, from Dubai to Milan.

Despite this argument being compelling, I support the view that such homogeneity in consumer goods and outlets can be well-justified. First and foremost, today’s interdependent international landscape compels nations to strengthen bonds between each other to form well-developed relationships, and a cornerstone of such connections is economic opportunities the parties offer. If more shops and goods of a nation are accessible in numerous parts of the world, it serves as a fundamental pillar of this country having well-established connections. Pepsi, KFC, Zara, and Li-ning are a few examples of the brands that represent close relationships of their country of origin with others. North Korea, unlike others, has almost no foreign brand introduced in its territory, partly because of which political and economic status of this nation is negative.

In conclusion, the prevalence of the same goods and stores has been a contentious topic, with some asserting that this shift is a change for the worse because it undermines the tourist sector. This notwithstanding, I side with those who view the development positively, as it enhances the political and economic fabric of many countries.

The chart provides statistics for medical care in three nations in Europe from 1980 to 2000, at 10-year intervals.

Overall, trends varied across the apsects of medical care, with physician figures following a broadly upward trajectory in 2 out of 3 countries. Whereas the number of hospital beds experienced a growing pattern across the nations, there was no rise in average stay in hospitals. In all these aspects, Sweden stood out as having the largest figures.

Of the three countries, Sweden emerged as the leader in physician numbers, which stood at 3.6 initially and, after a decrease of 0.6, 3.8 finally, a marginal growth of 0.2. The growth was more consistent yet less marked in Austria, where the figure grew from 0.8 to 1 over the time-frame. This was a clear contrast to France, a country that witnessed an uninterrupted decline from 2.4 in 1980 to 1.3 in 2000.

The breakdown of hospital beds revealed broadly similar rankings. Ranking first again, Sweden recorded a slight rise in the provision of hospital beds, edging up from the initial 6.4 to the final 6.9. Austria, unlike in physician count, came second and saw its number climb notably from 1.4 in 1980 to 3.7 at the end. France came at the lower end of the spectrum, with its figure increasing eightfold from 0.2 during the timeline.

Generally similar patterns could be seen in average stay in hospitals, with Sweden at the top. It is also this country whose 1980 figure stood at a high of 23, a number that had fallen negligibly to 21 by 2000. While Austria dipped significantly and recovered to the original figure of 18, France closed the list and was the only one to have constantly decreased, from 9 to a low of 5.