By Sonia A. Sanjay (printsbysonia)
Cambridge AS-Level English General Paper Sample Essays
Q1. In most countries, age restrictions on certain activities, products, and services are
imposed on young people. Evaluate whether these are always necessary.
Cambridge AS-Level English General Paper (8021) Specimen Paper 1 2019 (784 words)
In our modern-day society, there are clear distinctions made between what youths can't do
and what adults can do. These distinctions are primarily made by means of age restrictions
on certain activities such as drinking alcohol, smoking, watching certain films, etc. However,
these restrictions aren't always fully effective, thereby prompting an evaluation of the need
for minimum ages in the first place. Ultimately, age restrictions are always necessary.
To begin with, age restrictions act as a guide for young people. The large majority of youths
aren't mature enough to handle certain activities and products. For instance, underage
drinking could cause irreversible damage to their bodies, especially when consumed without
moderation. This tends to be the case as young people experiment with alcohol and, under
the guise of "finding their limit," tend to drink copious amounts of it, pushing thousands of
youths into liver and kidney failure. Sadly, some even die from it. Thus, it may be argued that
by setting age restrictions, youths are being protected from the dangers of abusing such
substances.
However, it can be said that the age restrictions are useless (and thereby unnecessary)
because youths will ignore them. Youths have many ways of faking their age to purchase
such products. Fake identification cards are easily accessible to youths and can be used to
purchase alcohol and spirits. The legal age in the UK to purchase alcohol is 18. With the help
of fake identification cards, the barrier posed by age restrictions is overcome. The same can
be said for X-rated films. With everything now available on streaming platforms such as
Netflix and Hulu, it is even easier for teenagers to lie about their age because no proof is
required. Just typing in a suitable year of birth to bypass the programmed minimum age will
lead youths to content that they are too young and immature for. Hence, because the
barrier posed by age restrictions can be easily overcome, it may be argued that there is no
need for it.
Furthermore, age restrictions have many loopholes. For instance, in the UK, the legal
minimum age to purchase alcohol is 18. This means that it is legal for someone over the age
of 18 to purchase alcohol and give it to someone who is underage. However, by increasing
the age restriction from 18 to New York’s minimum of 21, an additional 4 (or more) years of
separation will increase the difficulty level for a 14 to 17-year-old to get their hands on
alcohol. If the drinking age is 18, it would be even more likely that a 14 to 17-year-old would
have someone in their immediate network purchase liquor for them. Thus, a higher age
restriction can improve its effectiveness, thereby making age restrictions necessary.
On the other hand, age restrictions make things like possession of alcohol and the use of
fake IDs illegal, consequently allowing law-breaking youths to be punished by the state.
Punishments range from a fine to serving time in a detention centre or jail. This has serious
consequences because youth will miss school, and their employment prospects upon
release will be limited due to the stigma associated with convicts. This may discourage such
youths and make them turn to a life of crime. As a result, this demonstrates the severe
consequences for violators of age restriction laws, as well as the drastic impact on their lives.
By Sonia A. Sanjay (printsbysonia)
Cambridge AS-Level English General Paper Sample Essays
Q1. In most countries, age restrictions on certain activities, products, and services are
imposed on young people. Evaluate whether these are always necessary.
Cambridge AS-Level English General Paper (8021) Specimen Paper 1 2019 (784 words)
In our modern-day society, there are clear distinctions made between what youths can't do
and what adults can do. These distinctions are primarily made by means of age restrictions
on certain activities such as drinking alcohol, smoking, watching certain films, etc. However,
these restrictions aren't always fully effective, thereby prompting an evaluation of the need
for minimum ages in the first place. Ultimately, age restrictions are always necessary.
To begin with, age restrictions act as a guide for young people. The large majority of youths
aren't mature enough to handle certain activities and products. For instance, underage
drinking could cause irreversible damage to their bodies, especially when consumed without
moderation. This tends to be the case as young people experiment with alcohol and, under
the guise of "finding their limit," tend to drink copious amounts of it, pushing thousands of
youths into liver and kidney failure. Sadly, some even die from it. Thus, it may be argued that
by setting age restrictions, youths are being protected from the dangers of abusing such
substances.
However, it can be said that the age restrictions are useless (and thereby unnecessary)
because youths will ignore them. Youths have many ways of faking their age to purchase
such products. Fake identification cards are easily accessible to youths and can be used to
purchase alcohol and spirits. The legal age in the UK to purchase alcohol is 18. With the help
of fake identification cards, the barrier posed by age restrictions is overcome. The same can
be said for X-rated films. With everything now available on streaming platforms such as
Netflix and Hulu, it is even easier for teenagers to lie about their age because no proof is
required. Just typing in a suitable year of birth to bypass the programmed minimum age will
lead youths to content that they are too young and immature for. Hence, because the
barrier posed by age restrictions can be easily overcome, it may be argued that there is no
need for it.
Furthermore, age restrictions have many loopholes. For instance, in the UK, the legal
minimum age to purchase alcohol is 18. This means that it is legal for someone over the age
of 18 to purchase alcohol and give it to someone who is underage. However, by increasing
the age restriction from 18 to New York’s minimum of 21, an additional 4 (or more) years of
separation will increase the difficulty level for a 14 to 17-year-old to get their hands on
alcohol. If the drinking age is 18, it would be even more likely that a 14 to 17-year-old would
have someone in their immediate network purchase liquor for them. Thus, a higher age
restriction can improve its effectiveness, thereby making age restrictions necessary.
On the other hand, age restrictions make things like possession of alcohol and the use of
fake IDs illegal, consequently allowing law-breaking youths to be punished by the state.
Punishments range from a fine to serving time in a detention centre or jail. This has serious
consequences because youth will miss school, and their employment prospects upon
release will be limited due to the stigma associated with convicts. This may discourage such
youths and make them turn to a life of crime. As a result, this demonstrates the severe
consequences for violators of age restriction laws, as well as the drastic impact on their lives.
By Sonia A. Sanjay (printsbysonia)
