Essay 343 – People who read for pleasure have a better imagination

Last Updated: 3rd March 2023

GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 343

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people believe that people who read for pleasure in their free time have a better imagination than those who prefer to watch TV.

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.

Model Answer:

It is often argued that reading for pleasure in leisure time enhances our imagination more than it could be achieved by watching television. I completely agree with this statement because reading develops the ability to engage and immerse the readers into the narrative, relate to characters, visualize meaning and, our brains get more workout than watching television.

Leisure reading is a great way to ignite one’s imagination. It, in fact, helps readers actively engage in the narrative, thereby sparking our skill of imagination. That is to say, readers, through reading, can imagine that they are part of the narrative and, can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel the objects around them as the narrative progresses. A case in point is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. In the novel, when Lockwood tells the story, readers can get a sense of the cold and bitter atmosphere of Wuthering Heights.

Scientists also conclusively prove this opinion with the help of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans that the right hemisphere of the brain is activated when readers are reading. Since the imaginative power of the human race is centred on the right side of the brain, the exercise the side of the brain takes when one is reading by sparks his imagination. Conversely, watching TV triggers imagination very little, as it is passive. When one watches a story on television, there requires very little effort to imagine the scenarios. They are visually provided for the viewers. As they do not need to create pictures in their mind, their brain does not receive the same exercise as with reading.

To conclude, pleasure reading excites more imagination than watching TV. This is because the brain gets more exercise than watching motion pictures on television.