You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic:
Art classes like painting and drawing are important to students’ development and should be made compulsory in high school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
本题是2017年雅思的开山之“作”，原题曾出现在2014年12月20日。正如昨天Vera老师所说，如果是习惯背机经的考生，那么一定要珍惜2018年的1月份和2月份。因为出现旧题的可能性很大，而且...早考早过年呀！
本题是问艺术课程（比如绘画）是否应成为高中必修课。这是一道谈论性话题，我们可以选取折中的方式。艺术课程应该成为高中必修课，但应该限制课时数，同时大力发展艺术方面的俱乐部，让那些对艺术真正感兴趣的学生能够得到发展，同时又不过多浪费那些的确没有艺术天分学生的时间和精力。
7分范文
When the news came that art classes such as music, painting and drawing would be made mandatory in my high school, it was met with both approvals and objections. This mixed responses reflect the different attitudes towards the role of art in the education of high school students.
Those who stand up for art classes argue that art is so important to the students’ development that it should be made compulsory. By taking art classes, students may come out of their shell socially and make friends with those with similar interests. Furthermore, rather than a waste of time, taking art classes can actually help students with other subjects such as maths and physics. The theory is that art can help exercise our mental power (imagination, for example) and make us smarter. More importantly, art calls for persistent practice and unyielding stamina, which are also important qualities that we expect our students to possess.
Objections of art classes as required mainly come from those who think art classes are a waste of time because they are not useful to students. Except for the very few who may take art as their lifelong career, the great majority of students will not get a job in relation to art when they finish their high school. Besides, what is the point of compelling a student who has no interest in art to spend many hours restlessly in the art classes?
To my mind, art classes should become compulsory in high school. The objective of education is not just to let students acquire the basic practical survival skills, but to prepare them for the future life, both physically and mentally. With this in mind, we can safely conclude that the time spent on art will be rewarding in the long run. Of course, the schools should be very careful when deciding on the required hours that should be spent on art classes.