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101
| Some people think that students benefit from going to private secondary schools. Others, however, feel that private secondary schools can have a negative effect on society as a whole. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. |
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102
| In many countries today there is insufficient respect to old people. What are the reasons? What problems might it bring to the society? |
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103
| It is better for students at university to live far away from home than to live at home with their parents. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? |
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104
| Earlier technological developments brought more benefits and changed the lives of ordinary people more than recent technological developments. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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105
| Some people think museums should be enjoyable places to attract and entertain young people, while others think the purpose of museums should be to educate, not entertain. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion. |
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106
| In order to learn a language well, we should also learn about the country as well as the cultures and lifestyles of the people who speak this language. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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107
| Multi-cultural societies, in which there is a mixture of different ethnic peoples, bring more benefits than drawbacks to a country. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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108
| There is an increasing amount of advertising directed at children which encourages them to buy goods such as toys and snacks. Many parents are worried that these advertisements put too much pressure on children, while some advertisers claim that they provide useful information to children. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
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109
| Some people think that the government should decide which subjects students should study at the university, while others think that students should be allowed to apply for the subject they prefer. Discuss the two views and give your opinion. |
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110
| It is suggested that all the young adults should undertake a period of unpaid work helping people in the community. Does it bring more benefits or drawbacks to the community and the young people? |
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111
| Some people think the main purpose of schools is to turn the children into good citizens and workers, rather than to benefit them as individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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112
| A country becomes more interesting and develops more quickly when its population includes a mixture of nationalities and cultures. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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113
| As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an important element of individual well- being. What are the factors that contribute to job satisfaction? How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers? |
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114
| Some people think that good health is a basic human need, so the medical service should not be run by profit-making companies. Do you think the disadvantages of the private health care outweigh the advantages? |
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115
| Some people think secondary school students should study international news as one of their subjects. Other people say this is a waste of valuable school time. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
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116
| Exposure to international media such as films, TV and magazines has a significant impact on local cultures. What do you think has been the impact? Do you think its advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
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117
| Throughout the history, male leaders always lead us to violence and conflict. If a society is governed by female leaders it will be more peaceful. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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118
| Modern buildings change the character and appearance of towns and cities. The government should insist that new buildings be built in traditional styles to protect cultural identity. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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119
| Some people think that personal happiness is directly related to economic success. Others argue that happiness depends on different factors. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
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120
| The world of work is changing rapidly. Working conditions today are not the same as before and people no longer rely on taking one job for life. Discuss the possible causes for these changes and give your suggestions on how people should prepare for work in the future. |
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121
| Individuals can do nothing to improve the environment. Only governments and large companies can make a difference. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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122
| Maintaining public libraries is a waste of money since computer technology can replace their functions. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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123
| Some people think that schools should select pupils according to their academic abilities, while others believe that it is better to have pupils with different abilities study together. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
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124
| With the increase in the use of mobile phones and computers, fewer people are writing letters. Some people think that the traditional skill of writing letters will disappear completely. To what extent do you agree or disagree? How important do you think is letter-writing? |
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125
| Some people think that the government should provide assistance to all kinds of artists including painters, musicians and poets, etc. However, other people think that is a waste of money. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
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126
| The society would benefit from a ban on all forms of advertising because it serves no useful purpose, and can even be damaging. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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127
| Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements from competing companies. To what extent do you think are consumers influenced by advertisements? What measures can be taken to protect them? |
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128
| Air transport is increasingly used to export types of fruits and vegetables to countries where they cannot be grown or are out of season. Some people say it is a good thing, but other people think it can’t be justified. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
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129
| Some people believe that some unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (e.g. working in a charity, improving the relationship of neighbourhood or teaching sports to children) To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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130
| Computers are increasingly used in education. In which areas do you think are computers more important and in which areas are teachers more important? |
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131
| Many developing countries are currently expanding their tourist industries. Why is this case? Is it a positive development? |
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132
| Some people claim that public museums and art galleries will not be needed because people can see historical objects and works of art by using a computer. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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133
| In many countries traditional foods are being replaced by international fast foods. This is having a negative effect on both families and societies. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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134
| The natural resources such as oil, forests and fresh water are being consumed at an alarming rate. What problems does it cause? How can we solve these problems? |
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135
| In some countries, secondary schools aim to provide a general education across a range of subjects. In others, children focus on a narrow range of subjects related to a particular career. For today’s world, which system is appropriate? |
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136
| In the past, lectures were used as a way of teaching large numbers of students, but now with the development of technology for education, many people think there is no justification for attending lectures. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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137
| As we are facing more and more problems which affect the whole planet, good relationships between different countries are becoming more important than ever before. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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138
| Team activities can teach more skills for life than those activities which are played alone. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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139
| It is known to all that the technological and scientific advances have made great changes to the range and quality of our food. Some people regard it as an improvement while others believe that the change is harmful. Discuss both views and give your own opinion |
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140
| Some people think that we should invent a new language for international communication. Do the benefits of this outweigh the problems? |
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141
| Some people say that it is the responsibility of individual to save money for their own care after they retire. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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142
| Some people think that studying in a college or university is the best way for students to prepare for their future career. But others think they should leave school as soon as possible to develop their career through work experience. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. |
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143
| The unlimited use of cars may cause many problems. What are those problems? In order to reduce the problems, should we discourage people to use cars? |
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144
| Many countries spend a lot of money in art. Some people think investment in art is necessary, but others say money is better spent on improving health and education. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. |
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145
| Higher education can be funded in several ways including the following three: 1. all costs are paid by the government. 2. All costs are paid by the students. 3. All costs are paid by the student using loans form the government that must be repaid after graduation. Discuss the benefits of each option. Which is the best one? |
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146
| Today’s children are living under more pressure from the society than children in the past. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
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147
| Some people think it is better for children to begin to learn a foreign language at primary school than at secondary school. What’s your opinion? Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
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148
| The government should pay for the course fees for everyone who wants to study at the university. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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149
| Nowadays, a lot of advertisements are aimed at children. Some people think there are lots of negative effects for children and should ban the advertisements. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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150
| Some people believe that giving aid to poorer countries has more negative effects than the positive effects. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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151
| Nowadays, we are living in a throw-away society. What are its causes and what are its problems? |
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152
| Today, it is common that TV news programmes show the images of disasters and violence to the public. Discuss the reasons and the effects on the individual and the society. |
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153
| Some people think children’s spending time on TV, video and PC games is good, while others think it is bad. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
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154
| Some people think that criminals should be given longer terms in prison, so as to reduce the crime rate. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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155
| Old generations often hold some traditional ideas on the correct way of life, thinking and behavior. However, some people think that it is not helpful for the young generations to prepare for modern life in the future. What’s your opinion? |
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156
| Unemployment is getting increasingly serious in many countries. Some people think students only need to get primary education, while others think secondary education is necessary. What’s your opinion |
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157
| Some people think people can exploit animals for any purpose they need, while others do not think so. What is your opinion? |
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158
| An increasing number of people choose to live in big cities. What problems will this bring about? Should the government encourage people to live in small towns? |
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159
| An American film actor once said, “Tomorrow is important and precious.” Some people think individuals and society should pay more attention to the future than to the present. Do you agree or disagree? |
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160
| Some people think imported food exerts positive impacts on our lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
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161
| Schools offer a wide range of courses such as physical education, music, economics, philosophy, math, English, geography, physics and history. Among all these subjects, which one do you think is the most important and which one is the least important? |
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162
| The number of cars keeps increasing, so road systems should be expanded. Some people think the government should pay for it, while others think the car owners should pay for it. What’s your opinion? |
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163
| People should look after their health as a duty to the society they live in rather than personal benefits. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
164
| Some people think government should ensure the healthy lifestyle. Of people, but others argue that it should be decided by individuals. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
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165
| Aircraft uses more fuel than cars and produces more pollution. Some people suggest the non-essential use of aircraft like international travel should be discouraged. Do you agree or disagree? |
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166
| Figures show that some countries have an ever-increasing proportion of the population who are aged 15 or younger. What do you think are the current and future effects of this trend for those countries? |
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167
| Teachers used to convey information, but now with wide resources of information, there is no role for teachers to play in modern education. Do you agree or disagree. |
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168
| Some children can learn efficiently by watching TV. Therefore, they should be encouraged to watch TV both at home and at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
169
| Some people think that schools should concentrate on academic classes, because they are helpful for future career. But they think music and sports classes are not useful. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
170
| Some people think that university students should specialize in one subject, while others think universities should encourage students to learn a range of subjects. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
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171
| Some people think the cheap air flight gives ordinary people more freedom. However, others think the cheap air flight should be banned because it pollutes the air and brings many other problems. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
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172
| Some people think that children should obey rules or do what their parents and teachers want them to do, but others think that children controlled too much cannot deal with problems well by themselves. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
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173
| With technology speeding up, more and more young people begin to use mobile phones and the Internet, but old people have little chance to be exposed to them. What ways could mobile phone and the Internet be useful to old people? How can old people be encouraged to use this new technology? |
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174
| Some people think students should learn more practical courses like computer, but others think they should learn more about theoretical courses like geography and mathematics. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
|
175
| Some people support development of agriculture, like factory farming and scientific creation of fruits and vegetables, while others oppose. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
|
176
| Some people think that in the modern society individuals are becoming more dependent on each other while others say that individuals are becoming more independent of each other. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
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177
| Some people think the main benefit of international cooperation is in protection of the environment, while others think that the main benefit is in the world business. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
|
178
| The government should encourage industries and business to move out of big cities and into regional areas. To what extent do you think the advantages outweigh disadvantages? |
|
179
| Some people think that media should not report detail of crimes to the public. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
180
| International travel makes people prejudiced rather than broad-minded. What are its causes and what measures can be taken to solve this problem? |
|
181
| Once children start school, teachers have more influence on their intellectual and social development than parents. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
182
| Many people think it is important to protect the environment, but they make no effort on it themselves. Why is it and what your opinion? |
|
183
| Some people think that criminals should not be imprisoned. Instead, education and job training should replace the former to deal with criminals. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
184
| Poor students or students who come from rural areas often find it is difficult to get access to the university education, so some people think universities should make it easier for them to study at . To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
185
| Society is based on rules and laws. If individuals were free to do whatever they want to do, it could not function. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
186
| Many people use distance-learning programs to study at home but some people think that it cannot bring the benefit as much as attending college or university. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
187
| Some people think that economic progress is the only way to measure a country’s success, while others think that there are other factors which can be used to measure a country’s success. What are these factors? And among them, which one is more important than others? |
|
188
| More and more people work at home and study at home with the development of computer technology. Do you think it is positive or negative development? |
|
189
| International travel is becoming cheaper than before, so more and more countries open their doors to tourists. Do the advantages of the increased tourism outweigh the disadvantages? |
|
190
| Because of the global economy, many goods including what we use as daily basic produced by other counties have to be transported for a long distance. To what extent do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
|
191
| Memorization of information by frequent repetition, namely rote learning, plays a role in many education systems. To what extent do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
|
192
| Now, a lot of charities and organisations have to publicize their activities by setting up a number of days to name the special day like National Children’s day and National nonsmoking day. Why do they do so? What are the effects? |
|
193
| Rich countries often give financial aid to poor countries, but it does not solve the poverty, so rich countries should give other types of help to the poor countries rather than the financial aid. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
|
194
| Some people think music plays an important role in society. Others think it is it is simply a form of entertainment. Discuss both sides of this argument and give your own opinion. |
|
195
| Development in technology causes environmental problems. Some people believe the solution in these problems is everyone accepts a simpler way of life, while others say that technology can solve these problems. Discuss both view and give your own opinion. |
|
196
| Rich countries should not employ skilled labour from poor countries, as poor countries need the workers more. Do you agree or disagree? |
|
197
| Some think that these environmental problems are too big for individuals to be solved, while others think that individuals cannot solve these environmental problems unless governments make some action. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
|
198
| Some people believe that improve public health should increase the number of sports facilities; others believe that it has little effects and need other measures to improve it. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
|
199
| Newspapers have an enormous influence in people’s opinions and ideas. Why and do you think it is positive or negative situation? |
|
200
| More and more students choose to go to another country for their higher education. Do you think the benefits outweigh the problems associated with it? |
