1 People who often read for pleasure can develop better imagination and language skills than those

who often entertain themselves with television or the Interne t. Do you agree or disagree? 2 We have entered a throw-away society and filled the environment with rubbish t hat we cannot fully dispose of with current technology. What are the causes of t his situation and what are your solutions? 3 Nowadays, air transport is often used to take vegetables and fruits to countri es where they are out of season. Some people think that is a positive developmen t. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 4 Today, people can work and live almost anywhere they want to because of the pr ogress of communication technology and transport. Do you think that the advantag es of this trend outweigh the disadvantages? 5 Some employers think that academic qualifications are more important than life experience and personal qualities when they look for an employee. To what exten t do you agree or disagree? 6 Some people think that children should go to boarding schools instead of livin g with their parents. Do you agree or disagree? 7 Some people argue that students who are not talented in language learning shou ld not be required to learn a foreign language. Do you agree or disagree? 8 Students learn more from lessons taught by teachers than from other sources, s uch as the Internet and television. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 9 In many countries, school subjects and course contents are decided by the auth orities, such as the central government. Some people think that students should decide these for themselves. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this o pinion? 10 Some people believe that charities should concentrate on helping poor people in their own countries. Others, however, believe that charities should give inte rnational aid to those in greatest need. Discuss both these views and give your opinion. 11 Some people think that the only purpose of prison is to punish crime. Others, however, think that it has other purposes. Discuss both these views and give yo ur own opinion. 12 As the number of cars increases, more money has to be spent on the road syst ems. Some people think that the government should pay for this. Others, however, think that car users should pay for the costs. Discuss both these views and giv e your own opinion.

13 In many countries, traditional food is being replaced by international fast f ood. Some people think that has negative effects on both individuals and society as a whole. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 14 Some people think that public museums and art galleries are useless because w e can see historical objects and works of art on the Internet. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 15 The older generations have traditional ideas about the correct ways of life, thinking and behaviour. Some people think that these ideas are not helpful for t he young generation to prepare for modern life. To what extent do you agree or d isagree with this opinion? 16 Customers are faced with an increasing amount of advertising due to the compe tition among companies. To what extent do you think consumers are influenced by advertisements? What measures can be taken to protect them? 17 Human activities have negative effects on many plants and animals. Some peopl e think that it is too late to do anything about this situation, while others be lieve that effective actions can still be taken to improve this situation. Discu ss both these views and give your own opinion. 18 Many developing countries are expanding their tourism industry. Why is this t he case? Is it a positive or negative development? 19 News has no connection with most people's lives. It is a waste of time to rea d news in newspapers or watch news programmes on TV. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 20 Some people think that the government should help citizens adopt healthy life styles such as having healthy diets and participation in sports. Others, however , think that citizens should live in ways that they like. Discuss both these vie ws and give your own opinion.