Some people consider that history is of little or no use to us. Others believe that studying history helps us to know the present. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

It is believed by some people that history serves little or no purpose, while others opine that studying history aids in knowing the present. Although the former belief may hold some merit, I agree with the latter viewpoint as understanding of the present stems from knowing the past that resulted in the current scenario.

serve little or no purpose : 没有什么用，无用

serve这个看似简单的词，实际上用法非常多，做及物动词，不及物动词，在不同的语境当中，表达的意思可以完全不一样，建议大家在看英文解析时，也多看看例句。

former & latter ：前者， 和后者。注意这两词在使用时，一定是刚刚提到2样东西，或者观点等等，在紧接着的表述中，为了避免重复，用former指代先提到的，latter指代后提到的。

stem from  起源于

On the one hand, history is merely about the events of the past and studying it does not build any skills for future prospects. History can provide very limited career opportunities and may be completely useless for people in various careers. For example, mathematicians, scientists, doctors and many other professionals require substantial skills in mathematics and science, and there is no need for historical knowledge for them. Similarly, historical knowledge will not aid in any career growth for accountants, policemen or social workers, and in essence, knowledge about the past will not make these people acquire any essential professional skills. 

in essence 

本质上，大体上

However, studying history allows individuals to learn about their past that defines the present. History symbolizes traditional values, cultural heritage and historical events that define current scenario and national identity. In other words, studying history is a means to understanding the present situation of a country and its people. For example, many developing countries, such as India, face several hardships in terms of food, social and economic security which can be understood and solved by learning from their colonial past. 

means（n. 手段，方法）是一个可数名词，它的单数形式就是means，所以文章里是…. is a means to ….

means做复数形式时，意思就改变了，a person of means 指一个富有的人。

In conclusion, although history can be of mere use to many people in terms of their careers, I agree with the view that some historical knowledge is essential for a holistic understanding of the present circumstances of any country and its people.  

opine

v.  以为；想

e.g.: He opined that they navy would have to start again from the beginning.

colonial

adj. 殖民的

e.g.: The writers among them recorded their experiences in letters, journals, poems and books, from early colonial days to the present.

mere

adj. 仅仅的

e.g.: But the container itself is a mere container.

holistic

adj. 整体的；全盘的

e.g.: From the holistic perspective, you see yourself as an integral part of the universe as a whole.