CPE Letter by Alex

Dear Sir/Madam, (leave gaps/ empty lines between paragraphs to facilitate the reader's eye)

I was very interested in your article about friendship that you have published in a recent issue of your magazine. In response to your inquiry for readers' opinions and views,  I would like to contribute to this subject. 

As we all know,  friendship plays an important role in everybody's life - both private and public - in many ways. But the definition of this word can greatly vary from case to case. Real friendship does not happen just by clicking the "Add to Friends" button in Facebook.  Real friendship is a long and complicated procedure that lasts for years and has to be reevaluated from time to time. Of course, before someone can speak about such a relationship he has to have experienced it. 

For example, I have such a close friend named Costas. We have known each other from school. Although we had quite different personalities, we shared a common sense of humor, many common (do not repeat words/ better omit them) interests and we lived in the same neighbourhood. But that was just back then. Since then we have shared many moments, either funny or sad. For the last ten years we have lived over a thousand miles apart and we see each other only once a year. We don't even talk more often that once in 2 months. But every time we see each other it's like we haven't met just for a few days.

The truth is that's is not easy to have a time-tested friendship. Many things may happen that can affect the relationship with a good friend. Many friendships have fallen apart due to a minor misunderstanding or a girl that got between two friends. Moreover, one of the two sides may happen to move to another town and, (comma) as it well known, it is easier to forget about someone that you don't see regularly. 

Another important factor that can influence a relationship between two friends is a change in the social status. This change can make someone change habits, the way that he thinks, the people that he is surrounded with and many other things (instead of saying he, use they that includes both sexes or generalize by using people/ individuals/ etc). Inevitably, what comes as a result is the reconsideration of some friendships in order to keep the ones that are most suited to your new status and social environment. 

In conclusion,  I can say that from my point of view a strong friendship is something that should not be undervalued. The odds are most of the times stacked against such a friendship and that's what makes it both rare and precious. it's like an investment with a long-term profit.

Yours (no comma) faithfully,

Alexandros Gougousis

CPE Formal Letter by Alex

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have recently read your survey on young people's television viewing haBits and I was glad THAT such a social issue is given the proper attention by your programme. I am writing in response to your request for people's opinion on the subject.

Viewing habbits can be attributed to many factors but not all of them WEIGH equal. As strange as it may sound, i think that the main cause of this habbit is related TO the modern way of life in big cities. For example, leaving in a big city restricts the variety of activities available to young people. Walking around in a big city is not as safe as in a small town or a village. Therefore, most parents tend to keep their children inside the house for MOST hours of the day. Moreover, most activities include a significant cost for participation that some families cannot afford. 

It is extremely alarming that most of the parents are not concerned with this problem or they don't even recognize this habbit as a problem. Spending hours and hours in front of a screen makeS children develop an anti-social behaviour. What is more, they don't exercise their imagination (like when reading a book) or their critical thought/ THINKING SKILLS  (like when playing, discussing and socializing in general). Last but not least, this behaviour can cause health problems. Their eyes, back and wrists are the USUAL victims, not to mention that many children that spend so many hours sitting on a chair or lounging on a sofa tend to be A little or more overwEight.

There are many steps than can be taken in the direction of addressing such a social phenomenon. Parents should play the main role. First of all, they can control the number of hours and the parts of the day that children have access to the TV or to the computer. Secondly, they provide (NO TO) their children WITH the appropriate stimulations for alternative hobbies and activities. Another important factor in young people's behaviour is school influence. Well educated teachers can sometimes affect strongly the way that their pupils think. 

All in all, what i can say for sure is that the viewing habbits of young people are, at least partly, caused by a significant lack of guidance in their life. Parents, school and maybe even the government should be motivated and take actions before it's too late. Young people should realize that real life is out there and waiting for them.

Yours faithfully,

Alexandros Gougousis