文盲一直被认为是第三世界国家的问题。然而，可以看到的是现在美国，澳大利亚的文盲数量也在增加。你能分析一下这其中的原因，以及对社会产生的影响吗？这是一篇关于这个论题的雅思范文，供大家参考。认真研读一定的雅思范文及作文模板可以帮助我们检验自己的写作水平，并能很好地吸收和应用优秀范文里的优秀内容。

　　Write about the following topic:

　　Illiteracy has traditionally been viewed as largely a third world problem. However it is becoming apparent that in countries such as the USA and Australia, illiteracy is on the increase.

　　Discuss possible causes for this and its effect on society.

　　Model Answer:

　　It is true that illiteracy is becoming a serious problem in industrialised nations. This is surprising as most people think that this is a problem only in under-developed nations such as in parts of Africa and India. Illiteracy is related to many other problems such as poverty, over-population and governmental corruption. Let us take a more detailed look at the causes of this growing problem in many Western nations.

　　One of the most obvious reasons for the increase in illiteracy is the advent of television. Children no longer have to read to obtain information. Neither do they have to read to relax. Today children get home from school and go straight to “the box” to watch their favorite program. Watching television is much easier and more exciting than reading.

　　Another reason for the increase in illiteracy is the fact that so many women work. This means that children are often alone at home and so they are unsupervised. When parents get home they are often too tired to spend quality time whit their children.

　　It is also true that many people blame schools for the decline in illiteracy. In many countries there has been a move away from teaching basic skills such as reading and writing.

　　There are many effects of this growing illiteracy rate. The most obvious is unemployment. This may in turn lead to alcohol and drug abuse. Ultimately the economy of the country begins to suffer and there is a drop in living standards.

　　To address this problem, parents need to become more aware of their responsibilities and schools need to consider a change in their teaching methods. If this worsening trend is not reversed, the problem of illiteracy will become very serious.