CPE stands for Certificate of Proficiency in English. The exam is also called C2 Proficiency or Cambridge English: Proficiency. Anyone who is going to take it or is just thinking about it knows how challenging the exam questions are and how much effort one should make in order to pass. One of the real challenges of the exam is definitely the writing part. But let’s consider it an exciting challenge and get down to work right now. We hope this post will help you prepare by providing 2 questions which can be found in the test and the answers to these questions. Although there are a few different types of writing CPE focuses on, this post is going to be on article writing only. The vocabulary you may find especially useful is in bold.

# 1

Admission, Graduation and Things in Between

Many people think that student years are the best. But I beg to differ. It is just much more comforting to hope that the future holds exciting challenges and amazing discoveries, not worse than those we have made. Moreover, it is important to remember not only highs but also lows. I can say with certainty that I do.

One of the worst school memories I have is performing in a concert organized by first year students. I had to utilize my rather mediocre singing skills to perform a song which was just as mediocre.  Apparently, the organizers did not share my low opinion as they kept praising my voice and technique. Anyway, I ended up on the stage hardly remembering the lyrics. Fortunately, I managed to overcome the stage fright and sing the song the way I was supposed to. However, I can still feel butterflies recollecting that experience.

But, as I have said, there are bad times and there are happy times. Personally, I was and still am grateful for the opportunity to have met many different people. I consider my ex-classmates bright personalities and I cherish warm memories of our get-togethers. One of my best school memories is a party one of my friends was throwing. It was a cold January night but the atmosphere we all managed to create in the small but cozy room was so homely and warm that no one really cared. There was guitar music, singing (and yes, I genuinely like it at that moment) and a whole lot of talking and laughing. I will never forget that wonderful evening.

Dear alumni, do not be afraid to relive your school memories but look to the future with hope. I am certain that you, too, have something to share. I look forward to reading about your experiences in future newsletters. For now, thank you for reading about mine.

(320 words)

# 2

Modern Couch Potatoes

Look at the young people around. Chances are you will see them reading, their eyes glued to smartphones. But do not be confused by the word “reading.” It does not necessarily mean enjoying literature or catching up on the latest news. It is not always related to a course of study either. What this kind of reading is likely to have a connection with is social media use. Instagram, Twitter, etc. have been around for just some time, but, apparently, long enough to have had an impact on many people’s lifestyle. And most of those people seem to be the youth.

I come from Ukraine, and in my country the root cause of the change is extensive Internet involvement. Some even use the term “Internet addiction,” though I prefer to think of it as Internet abuse. It all started with the first video games in the 1990s, and before we knew it outdoor activities got replaced by computers. I still remember the fun of playing outside with my friends but for many modern children there is nothing more enjoyable than a day spent with an Xbox controller. When they get older, they discover the pleasures of the social media use and some get really hooked. This often results in a sedentary lifestyle, excessive weight gain and communication problems.

From my point of view, it is important for parents to teach their children to use the Internet properly and safely. It would be great if they led by example, remembering that healthy lifestyle habits are more effective when developed at a young age. Teachers could pay more attention to the issue too. For example, schools could organize more sport days, art weeks and outings. The point is to show children how many interesting things there are in the “real” world. Then, hopefully, fewer children would grow into modern couch potatoes, too fond of social media rather than television.

(320 words)

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