Band 9 model answer
With vast digital archives available at the tap of a screen, many question whether public libraries still serve any purpose. I strongly disagree with the claim that they are obsolete, because libraries fulfil social and civic roles that the internet cannot replicate.
The case against libraries is superficially convincing. Search engines and e-book platforms offer instant access to more information than any building could ever hold, and they do so without the inconvenience of opening hours or due dates. For users who own a device and a connection, it can seem that the physical library has been entirely superseded by the screen in their pocket.
This argument, however, assumes that everyone enjoys equal access to technology, which is far from true. Many people, especially the elderly, the poor and those in rural areas, lack reliable internet or the skills to use it, and for them the library remains a vital, free gateway to knowledge. Beyond mere access, libraries provide trained staff who can guide readers through unreliable information, a service all the more precious in an age awash with misinformation.
Equally important is the role of the library as a shared public space. It offers a quiet place to study, a venue for community events and a refuge open to all regardless of wealth, functions no website can perform. In conclusion, while the internet has transformed how we find information, it has not eliminated the need for libraries. Far from being relics, they have evolved into inclusive community hubs, and societies that close them in the name of progress will lose something genuinely irreplaceable.
Examiner’s notes
- Task Response: a firm 'strongly disagree' is advanced, the digital counter-argument is acknowledged ('superficially convincing'), and the rebuttal supplies distinct reasons (access, guidance, public space).
- Coherence and Cohesion: discourse is steered by 'however', 'Beyond mere access' and 'Equally important', and the conclusion's 'Far from being relics' loops back to the 'obsolete' framing for closure.
- Lexical Resource: confident, precise expressions like 'superseded by the screen', 'awash with misinformation' and 'inclusive community hubs' show natural and sophisticated word choice.