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Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Grades (marks) encourage students to learn. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

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Whether grades could encourage students to learn has been argued for a while. There are variety of arguments among students and teachers. It is a important topic because it concerns with the method how we educate effectively our students. From my experience, I agree with the idea that grades encourage students to learn. It has been argued that marks could make some students stressful, especially for the students with poor grades. However, as research on the education indicated that grades could let students clearly understand their performance and let them know their advantage and disadvantage. For example, without grades, how could students know what talent they really have? Grades is the indicator of students' ability to master the knowledge. Moreover, the teacher can clearly master the status of each student study through grades. Everyone had talent, but no one had all the talent. By grades, the teacher can understand each student's talent. For instance, some students may be good at logic thinking, such as mathematics, physics; the others may like athletic, such as baseball, tennis. By grades, the teacher can give different advice to different student. Furthermore, only through grades can parents understand how their child's performance in the study. For example, when I had a poor performance in some courses, my parents always helped me figure out the reason and help me go through it. Each time I went through this difficulty, I had more confidence on my study. In conclusion, grades can encourage students to learn. It can help students realize their talents and find out their disadvantages. Without grades, how could a student clearly understand themselves? Speak about the importance of friendship in ones life. You may give yourself as an example. Friendship is a human characteristic, fact visible even by Aristotle (even before Epicurus), who presumed that nobody can live without friends, even if he/she has all the fortunes in the whole world. Friendship is also a manifestation form of self knowledge, a capacity of the human being to refer himself on others. Of course, the human kind must look at themselves, inside and outside, like in a mirror, not in one deceptive kind of way, but who reflects correctly his personality, without misrepresenting it, one way or another, underneath one appearance or another... True friendship is based on mutual confidence and spirit of sacrifice. Its distinguished by devotion and by respecting the given word. Those are the most common tips of how to be a true friend: treat your friends the way you want to be treated... keep secrets that are told to you... pay attention when your friend is talking with you... keep your promises... share things with your friend, dont be a selfish person... always tell your friend the true... and stick up for your friend. Friendship helps to bring peace and positivism to the globe. Friends come in many shapes, size and guises: school friends, work colleagues, siblings, partners, neighbors. Pull out all the stops and let your friend know they are truly appreciated. Strong friendships may be the most important stress-fighter you have. Socializing has proven health benefits, so spend time with your friends. Speak about a person or personality you admire most. Give reasons for your choice. I have always considered that ones role models can only be members of ones family, because they are closer to one and one can get to know them better. I think that the person I admire most is my mother. First of all, she is a very nice person, not only with me, but with other people as well. She treats people with respect and never looks down on them, even if they make mistakes or disappoint her. She is a very patient person, very determined and hardworking. She has had the same job since she graduated high school, nonetheless shes never got bored with it and shes never stopped improving her abilities and knowledge. From an early age, she has taught me the most important qualities of ones personality, qualities that will guide me through my life: respect

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for other people and things, kindness, politeness, tolerance, patience and authority. I hope that, when I grow up, I will remember all the things she has taught me and put them into practice. I hope I will have a great family, a job that Ill like and friends who will love me and respect me for what I am and what I do. I can achieve all that, I know that she will be proud of me and I will feel fulfilled, because I would have managed to become at least as good as my person I admire most. Speak about the negative aspects of using the Internet. Give arguments and examples to support your ideas.

When using the Internet, we may be facing a great danger as our personal information such as the name, address; the credit card number can be accessed by other people who can use them to harm us. Thats why, in many countries, new law enforcement forces had been created, to fight against this type of crime. Last, but not least, pornography is, perhaps, the biggest threat to our childrens education and social life. This is a very serious issue concerning the Internet. There are thousands of pornographic sites on the Internet that can be easily accessed by anyone, and this is a serious question as to letting children use the Internet. However, the advantages of the Internet outweigh the disadvantages by far, and millions of people benefit everyday from using the Internet for work and pleasure.
5. Speak about your favourite means of transport. Give arguments and examples to sustain your opinion.

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Nowadays we can choose one means of transportation from many kinds of tools, such as buses, trains, ships and planes. However, my favorite one is just by train. Whenever I want to go outside for a travel, my beloved choice is going by train. Therere two main reasons why I choose the train. First, traveling by train offers me a valuable chance to encounter new friends. During the long way to the destination, I have enough time to talk with strangers sitting beside me. It will add a piece of joyful memory to my trip. Second, traveling by train is also a cheaper choice when compared with other means of transportation. As a student, it is especially proper for me to travel by train because I can buy a ticket suitable for students, only half price of a normal ticket. In this way, traveling by train can help me save much money. In conclusion, traveling by train may not only make me have a happy chat with other people but also help me save a lot of money. Therefore, Id like to travel by train instead of other means of transportation. Speak about the importance of being good mannered in ones life. Human society has always been based on rules that every member has to respect. Without rules, there would be chaos and conflicts among people. Some of the basic rules are called good manners. Good manners are taught in family and at school and they are an essential part of ones education. No community without showing knowledge of these social rules. They are little things, such as helping older people carry their heavy bags, offering your seat in the bus to a woman or an elder person, saying hello when you meet someone you know, answering when you are asked a question, opening the door for a lady or letting others pass before you. I remember that my parents and then my teachers presented me these social rules in small stories that always compared the good and the bad behavior and made me make a choice. Thats how I got to recognize good manners and to appreciate their value. Even if we dont talk about them, good manners are still very important in our lives: we use them when we go out to the restaurant or to the movies, when we visit someone, or when we have guests. We dont always realize we are good mannered, because that is a part of our society and our education, and sometimes it is quite natural to have good manners. Speak about the way in which fashion influences ones personality. Give arguments and examples to sustain your ideas. Being well dressed gives you confidence in yourself. A person with confidence can work wonders. It helps you to cope with situations in a better manner. Here, we are not talking about exceptions to the rule. Observe around you. You will see it for yourself.

In fact if fashion influences a persons personality that I would think that person did not have much of a personality to begin with. Fashion would be a way to express one's personality and I could see a connection in which "personality influences fashion" but not the other way around. 8. Speak about your favourite actress. Motivate your choice. My favourite actress is Angelina Jolie because she is not only beautiful but also smart and talented. She started her career very young and she didn't rely on her father's help but on her own talent. She comes from a family of artist, her father is a famous actor and her mother was a Trench model. Her big break was the Bone Collector where she started along with Denzel Washington. She was also the star of the series based on a computer game The Tomb Raider. When she filmed Mr. and Mrs Smith she met Brad Pitt. Eventually they got married being probably the most famous couple in the world. I don't like her only because she's a good actress but also because she understands with the less fortunate people of the world. She's a U.M Ambassador in the third world. She adopted two children of another race but this doesn't stop her to love them like they are her own. 9. Speak about the advantages of being a famous person. Give arguments and examples to sustain your opinion. People who will be singers, actors or some kinds of public person like for exemple politicians are exposed to all the dangerous of fame.I think it's many more disadvantages than advantages being famous.Well-known people lose civil liberties and they don't have a free hand. Wherever they go, wherever they do, people turn out of greet them,this is nice but can be bothersome. Some crazy fans will do anything to have a picture with the known person. Often the magazine and newspaper write gossip and don't tell true about famous person,what can be very unfrotunalby for them. Enthusiast and fan mostly believing that nonsense. Fame brings them money which cannot be even calculated as it is so much.On the other hand they are no longer private individuals.Their life becomes public property. Although they are rich they are hard to satisfy. Well, money does not bring happiness. The next thing is problem with friends.They can't be friends with anybody,with anyone beacouse the media going to broadcast this information interfere to they privately life style.Next problem is stress. The more they get and succeed the more they are expected by their fans to achieve. This is an immense stress for them. The state of constant stress pushes many of them in alcoholism, drug-addiction and depression. In other words, the fame can destroy a man but also it can make him happy. There are also some people who are famous and lead normal, calm life without any serious problems. Well, I seem it depends on the person. Not everyone can be famous. 10. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: One has more opportunities for selfdevelopment abroad? Bring arguments and examples to sustain your opinion. Abroad you develop a sort of ability to survive. You are there, in another place, where people talk a foreing language and where you will not be the first choice for an employer. It is teachful. Pets are sort of children, you can take care of. In return, you get sort of childish love. It has a sort of natural positive impact on one's heart (considered that love and to be loved in return is what should make people happy!). I do not have friends, nor enemies. Describe yourself and this is one: a human being. (I consider we all are human beings. 11. Speak about the impact of music on your life. I have always considered music a very important part of my life, because it accompanies me when Im happy but also when Im sad. I listen music on the radio, on my stereo, on my computer, or on my MP3 player. Music makes me feel relaxed and it creates a positive atmosphere around me when I study, read or work. According to my various moods, I like to listen to various styles of music. For example, when Im on holiday and IM happy, I enjoy dance music; when I study or Im very tired, classical music makes me feel better; when Im sad or depressed, rock ballads or jazz express my feelings; when Im jogging or going to the gym, I like to take my MP3 player with me and listen to alert and dynamic rhythms. Music has no social or national borders everybody, from different social, educational or cultural backgrounds, feels equal and special, at the same time,

when listening to it. Listening to music makes people understand how many things they have in common, even if they are separated by culture, race or language. 12. Describe an object in your house which represents you. An object in my house which represents me is my room. It is a very special place: I spend almost half of my time in it. I sleep in it, study, invite friends over, listen music or watch TV. But in order to be able to do all those things, it had to be furnished and decorated according to my taste. Luckily, I am an only child and I have had the privilege of having a room of my own since I was ten. My room is quite spacious and bright. It has two large windows and white curtains. From my bedrooms window I can see the garden, but also my best friends house next door. On one side, I have a large comfortable extensible sofa, with big cosy cushions that invite to relaxation. On the other side, by the window, there are a couple of armchairs round a coffee table. Its the perfect place to have a hot tea or coffee and read a magazine. Next to the door, on the left side, there is a large bookcase, filled with titles from the Romanian and the international literature. My computer desk is on the other side of the room, opposite the sofa. Next to it, there are the stereo and the TV, placed in what I call my own entertaining centre. The floor is covered with a contemporary blue carpet, blue being my favorite color. It is the perfect place for me to spend my spare time and to relax. It is my home, sweet home, a place where I can be myself and do whatever I like. It is the place which represents me . 13. What does advertising mean to you: information or manipulation? Give arguments to support your ideas.

Since advertisers don't supply any of the adverse information of their products, it would have to be manipulation. Advertisers are one sided and there is no balance. Manipulation. All adverts are designed to make us buy their tat. They want your money! In order to persuade or deceive, a person deliberately breaks one of the four conversational maxims: * Quantity: Information given will be full (as per expected by the listener) and without omission. * Quality: information given will be truthful and correct. * Relation: information will be relevant to the subject matter of the conversation in hand. * Manner: things will be presented in a way that enables others to understand and with aligned non-verbal language. Example A student is late handing in an essay. They approach the lecture trembling and weeping, saying how they have just been dumped by their long-term partner and forgot to hand in the essay (they had done it in time, honestly!). So what? Using it Persuade by omitting information, telling untruths, going off the subject and confusing the other person. Use excuses. Be economical with the truth. Woffle. Defending Question what you are told, especially you find yourself changing your mind as a result. Probe for detail. Seek corroborating evidence. Watch the body language. 14. Comment on the following statement: Where there's a will there's a way. Bring arguments and examples to sustain your ideas.

I totally agree with this statement. If you want to do something, to realize a good thing for humanity, nobody can't stop you. For example: Robert Slavin wanted to do something for our children, he wanted to create schools in which all children, no matter what's their socioeconomic status or race, learn at high levels. Everybody doubt him, they didn't thought that this is possible. But Slavin did his best and proved his best and created these schools . So it's true...where there's a will there's a way...

This statement is about becoming someone in life, accomplishing your dream. I agree with this idea , because you should have a will all the time , to succeed, to find the right way. Firstly, if you want to resolve something, to do what you want with your life you need a will. That sustains you, your friends encourage you and you will find the path. Secondly, if you are an ambitious person you will fight in any situation for what you want, to fulfil your dreams; you only have to really want to do something and you'll accomplish it. Some people say that if you are a lucky person you will find your road anyway! you only should be an intelligent and lucky man or woman. In conclusion, you should know that it is necessary for you to have a will, you should have a goal in life and always try to reach it.
15. How do movies or television influence people's behaviour? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer. a). Television is a permanent part of our lives and sometimes it influences our decisions and opinions more than it should. Television offers a great variety of choices, such as news programs, cartoons, films, entertainment or sports channels. There are both positive and negative ways in which television can influence our lives. First of all, television, as all the mass media, keeps us informed on the political, economic and social changes in our society. We dedicate a lot of time and energy to watching images and characters that dont exist, because movies, cartoons and also the news are the expression of some artists or the reporters point of view, and it often has no connection with reality. Television can influence peoples lives in different ways, by keeping them informed about the politics or the economy, by offering them new scientific or historical information, helping them complete their education, and also by making them feel relaxed and happy after a hard day at school or at work. b). This is very serious question, whose answer often stays concealed. I think that the movies

and the television have many methods to influence peoples behaviour. This influence varies from positive to negative. However, In major case many televisions prefer to show movies and programs which are interesting for the public, but often they are dangerous for it. For example movies which contain violence, sexual scenes and drug using may influence peoples behaviour in one negative way. In the era of the market many people want to sell their products by all means. They are ready to trespass the basic moral principles for doing that. I think that the governments must take the control on the televisions. Itll protect children from dangerous programs. Many modern countries are incorporate in their legislations different law restrictions about dangerous programs and movies. The films in these countries must be marked with red dot, whose aim is to warn parents that the movie is not appropriate for their children. I think that its the right solution and all countries must follow this experience. Also, the films and the television have some positive effects. For instance, they are easy way to learn different languages. The films and the television have another positive effect - they improve general knowledge. I accept that the films are one kind of the art but I think that they may be dangerous kind of art. In conclusion, I think that the effects of the movies and the television programs must be profoundly consider. Itll decrease many social deviations like child aggression, drug using, smoking and drinking.