如何使用本书 ESSAY 1 In the past, people spent their entire lives doing one job. But nowadays, they change their jobs frequently. Please give the reasons and your suggestions. ESSAY 2 What are the main tasks of universities: to offer students knowledge and skills essential for their future career, or to provide students with access to knowledge itself? What do you think university education should contain? ESSAY 3 Should government pay for medical care and education? Why? ESSAY 4 What is it in the mass media that has negative effects on teenagers and what measures should governments take to solve this problem? ESSAY 5 Nowadays computers are widely used in education. As a result, some people think teachers no longer play important roles in classrooms. To what extend do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 6 Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 7 Some people think that children should learn to compete, but others think that children should be taught to co-operate so that they could become more useful adults. State some reasons for both views and give your opinion. ESSAY 8 The culture of different countries are becoming increasingly similar, so there is no point for people to go traveling abroad for they could have the same experience at home. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 9 Some people think that people will forget their own tradition and history because they no longer wear their traditional costumes. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 10 Traditional food is undergoing great changes and being replaced by new diets. What do you think are the reasons and what do you think about this phenomenon? ESSAY 11 Some people think the Olympic Games will no longer play an important role in the 21st century, and the 2004 game should be the last one. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 12 In most parts of the world, the volume of traffic is growing at an alarming rate. Discuss the main traffic problems in your country, their causes and possible solutions. ESSAY 13 The world of work is changing rapidly. People today no longer take one job for life. Discuss the causes of these changes. What suggestions would you make for young people to prepare themselves for the work in future? ESSAY 14 As science and technology contribute most to the development of society, science students should get more financial support from government than students in other fields (eg. business, language, etc.). To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? ESSAY 15 Nowadays people can use computers to talk, learn and communicate without leaving home. There is a danger that it will cause more isolation and a lack of communication among people. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? ESSAY 16 Some people think that machine translation is highly developed in today’s society. Therefore it is not necessary for children to learn a foreign language. What’s your opinion? ESSAY 17 Some people say that the age of books has passed; information can be accessed via videos, computers, television, films and so forth. Other people think books and written words will still be essential for information dissemination and education. Discuss both sides and give your opinion. ESSAY 18 Television is dangerous because it destroys the family tie and community spirit. It is said by some that television absorbs so much of people’s time that they have no time to talk to each other. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion. ESSAY 19 People who do not know how to use computer will become more and more disadvantaged. State the disadvantages and what action governments should take.
ESSAY 20 Scientific and technological advances bring benefits to our daily life. However, most scientists are no longer able to find the solutions to the problems they have created. To what extent do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 21 Intelligent robots will be more widely used in the future. Is this a blessing or a curse? What is your opinion? ESSAY 22 The reason why some families don’t buy television set is that the parents want their children to spend more time on creative thinking or even inventions. Agree or disagree? ESSAY 23 Newspaper, radio, television and computer each has its merits and drawbacks. What is the most efficient means of acquiring information? Give your reasons. ESSAY 24 Some people think science contributes more to the society; others believe subjects such as language or business make a bigger contribution. What’s your opinion? ESSAY 25 Modern technology has greatly influenced people’s ways of entertainment, making people less creative. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 26 Some parents maintain that co-education is better for their children while others believe it is better if boys and girls go to single-sex school. Discuss. ESSAY 27 Many schools are troubled by students’ behavioral problems. What are the causes? What solutions do you recommend? ESSAY 28 Should the teacher in physical education class encourage the students to be more competitive or urge them to cooperate with one another? What is your opinion? ESSAY 29 Which is a better place for the aged, home or nursing home? ESSAY 30 It is said that life is becoming increasingly stressful for most people. What is the reason of this phenomenon and how could this problem be solved? ESSAY 31 Happiness is considered important by all people. Why is it hard to define happiness? What are the factors that are necessary to achieve happiness? ESSAY 32 Advertising adversely affects young people, so it should be strictly limited. Do you agree or not? ESSAY 33 More and more women go out to work. Hence, it is the governments’ responsibility to provide daycare service for the children of working mother, free of charge. To what extent do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 34 Is it fair that sports professionals earn much more money than people in other important professions? Give reasons for both sides of the argument and your opinion. ESSAY 35 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of people traveling abroad to work for a certain period of time. ESSAY 36 Waste disposal presents increasing problems, especially in urban areas. What do you think are the causes? Give some suggestion to the government and individuals on how to reduce the amount of rubbish. ESSAY 37 Statistics show that cities are increasing in size. What do you think are the causes and possible consequences? ESSAY 38 There are more and more cars in cities. Hence, pedestrians and cyclists are endangered by heavy traffic. Gardens and streets give way to car parks and highways. How can city planners satisfy all people’s needs? ESSAY 39 Many people think that countries have a moral obligation to help each other, while others argue that the aid money is misspent by the governments that receive it, so international aid should not be given to the poor countries. Discuss. ESSAY 40 Creative artists should be given the freedom to express their ideas (through words, pictures, music or films). However, some people think government should impose certain restrictions on them. To what extent do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 41 Most countries spend large amount of money on weapons to defend themselves though they are not at war. Some believe those countries should spend the money to help poor countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? ESSAY 42 How to measure a country’s success? Some say it depends on the quality of citizens’ life, but others say it means a prosperous economy. What’s your opinion? ESSAY 43 Education is of vital importance to individual development and social progress. What should education consist of in order to fulfill both ends? ESSAY 44 It is right that college graduates earn higher salaries than the less well-educated in the community. But they should also pay the full cost of their study. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? ESSAY 45 Some people say that the positive effects of advertising outweigh its negative effects. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 46 Many people are afraid of leaving their house because of crime. Some think more actions should be taken to prevent crime, but others think little can be done. What is your view? ESSAY 47 Many people believe that subjects such as music or sports are not useful. Thus school should concentrate on subjects that offer better career prospect. What is your opinion? ESSAY 48 Each year some languages die out. Some say this is good because fewer languages would make communication easier and relieve people of the burden of learning foreign languages. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 49 Is distant learning as effective as school education? ESSAY 50 Some say that children should obey their parents and teachers, while others believe that too much control will not help to prepare children for their adult life. Discuss both sides of the views. ESSAY 51 Some think we can acquire knowledge from news reports. Others believe we cannot trust journalists. What do you think? What important qualities should a journalist have? ESSAY 52 Each year, crime committed by young people is on the rise. What are the reasons? Suggest some solutions. ESSAY 53 Some people think that traditional culture is being damaged as it is used as a tool to make money in the tourism industry. Others think it is the only way to preserve and protect culture and tradition. Discuss and state your opinion. ESSAY 54 Some think students can learn more effectively in groups, while others think they should study alone. What are the benefits of each method? Which one do you think is more effective? ESSAY 55 People are now able to perform everyday tasks such as shopping, banking and business transactions without meeting others face to face. What are the effects on both the individual and the society? ESSAY 56 The government should control the amount of violence in films and on television in order to reduce the amount of violent crimes in the society. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 57 Children are currently having extra classes after normal lessons. What are the positive and negative effects? What is your opinion? ESSAY 58 Young children should stay in kindergartens or nursery schools so that their mothers can return to work earlier. Do you agree? ESSAY 59 People now spend much time and money on their appearance and pay more attention to their dressing. Give reasons and your opinion on this. ESSAY 60 Many people believe that we have developed into a ‘throw-away society’ which is filled with plastic bags and rubbish. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 61 Some people agree that all kinds of jobs should be equally open to men and women. Others think that some jobs should only be suitable for men and women respectively. Discuss and give your opinion. ESSAY 62 Nowadays college students or even high school students start to work at a younger age. Do you think that it is a positive or negative development? ESSAY 63 Some people think that bicycle is the best way to travel from place to place. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the bicycle. ESSAY 64 Modern technology gives people more free time, but actually they are busier than before. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 65 Many people think that education is losing its value. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 66 Shopping has become a favorite pastime for some young people. Do we need to encourage the young to do something more useful in their free time? What is your opinion? ESSAY 67 Is it necessary to forbid smoking? State your opinion and reasons. ESSAY 68 Education used to be a period of schooling. But now people regard it as a lifelong process. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 69 People have different hobbies such as collecting stamps or wood carving. Why are hobbies important to us? How can we benefit from having hobbies? ESSAY 70 What are the advantages of marrying at an early and old age respectively? ESSAY 71 Should people doing different jobs have holidays at different time of the year? What is your opinion? ESSAY 72 Some people like to risk their lives in some dangerous sports such as mountain climbing. Some say rescuers need not risk their own lives to save those trapped on mountain peaks and that people should be responsible for their own lives. What is your opinion? ESSAY 73 Radio will be replaced by other forms of mass media such as TV or the Internet. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 74 What are the problems for people living and working in the countryside? What should the government do to solve them? ESSAY 75 Some people say that we should not encourage sports games among schools because they lead to competition rather than cooperation. To what extent do you agree with it? ESSAY 76 Some people regard animals as pets while others see them as a source of food and clothing. What is your opinion? ESSAY 77 Some people believe that damage to the environment is an inevitable consequence of the improvement of living standards. What is your opinion? ESSAY 78 The spread of English and growth of international tourism have some negative effects on countries’ languages and traditional culture. To what extent do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 79 Traditional art is a sign of civilization. Do you think government should subsidize musicians, painters, actors or opera companies? What should the government do? ESSAY 80 Many people think that painting and music do not directly improve the quality of people. Therefore, government should not spend too much money on artistic projects. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 81 Today, many students take the course International News in secondary school. Some say it is a waste of time. Discuss and state your opinion. ESSAY 82 If you have enough money, will you use it to buy a house or to start a business? ESSAY 83 It is better to be a member of a group than to be the leader of a group. Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Give your reasons. ESSAY 84 Some people say that children should spend their leisure time on educational activities. Some people believe it is dangerous to put too much pressure on children. What is your opinion? ESSAY 85 Some people think that in order to improve the quality of education, high school students should be encouraged to evaluate and criticize their teachers, but other people maintain that such evaluation and criticism may cause loss of respect for teachers and discipline. What do you think? ESSAY 86 Choosing a suitable career is a problem that faces many young people. What are the reasons? What suggestion would you give to them to help them make the right decision? ESSAY 87 Many parents use punishment to teach their kids the differences between right and wrong. They think punishment is necessary in helping them learn the distinction. To what extent do you agree or disagree with these parents? What kind of punishments would you recommend? ESSAY 88 Some people say that telling the truth is not always essential, and that it is necessary to tell lies sometimes. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give specific reasons to support your ideas. ESSAY 89 Some say that students with similar academic abilities should be put in one class. Others believe a class should include students with different academic performances. Discuss. ESSAY 90 Some say it is impossible for a woman to work full-time and remain a good mother. So they should be paid by the government to stay at home to raise the children. What is your opinion? ESSAY 91 Your character is strongly influenced by the place where you grew up. In what ways can growing up in a city or in the countryside influence one’s character? Please give your view. ESSAY 92 Many people believe that women make better parents than men and that is why they have greater role in raising children in most societies. Others claim that men are just as good as women at parenting. State your point of view. ESSAY 93 There are lots of difficulties for the new students on the first day in a high school or college because they feel lonely. What are the difficulties they may face on the first day? What can the school or college do to solve these problems? ESSAY 94 Some people think that their children’s life will be different from their own. What is your opinion? ESSAY 95 Today some people have to work away from their family. What are the advantages and disadvantages? ESSAY 96 Foods are produced more cheaply today by using improved fertilizers and machinery. However, some of the methods used in agriculture are dangerous to human health and local communities. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view? ESSAY 97 Many old buildings are protected by law because they are part of a nation’s history. However, some people think they should be knocked down to make way for new ones because people need houses and offices. How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress? ESSAY 98 The mass media, including television, radio and newspapers, have great influence in shaping people’s ideas. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer. ESSAY 99 Surveillance cameras are now installed in many shops and supermarkets to prevent shoplifting. But many people are against this because they think it is a disregard of privacy. What are your views about this? ESSAY 100 It is sometimes said that borrowing money from a friend can harm or damage the friendship. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use specific reasons to explain your view. ESSAY 101 If a five-year old commits a crime, should his/her parents take the responsibility and how should the parents be punished? What should be the age of a child when parents no longer take the responsibility for his or her behavior? ESSAY 102 Participating in a sport is as important for psychological health and social development as it is for physical conditions. What is your opinion? ESSAY 103 The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages. Give reasons for your answer. ESSAY 104 Are famous people treated unfairly by the media? Should they be given more privacy, or is the price of their fame an invasion into their private lives? ESSAY 105 Some countries allow women to join the armed forces, while some others think that armed forces such as navy or army don’t suit women. Do you agree or disagree? ESSAY 106 Many people think it’s wrong to lock animals up in zoos because it is cruel and serves little purpose. But others think that the animals in zoos can bring happiness to people, especially the kids. What is your opinion? ESSAY 107 Nowadays doctors can become very rich. Maybe they should not focus on profitable activities such as plastic surgery or looking after rich patients but concentrate more on all patients’ health, no matter how rich they are. Give your view. ESSAY 108 Should criminals be punished with lengthy jail terms or re-educated and rehabilitated, using community service programs for instance, before being reintroduced to society? ESSAY 109 Many schools demand that the students should wear uniform. Some people think that such a practice undermines students’ personality and individuality. What do you think? ESSAY 110 Thanks to modern technology, people are living a longer life. Is it a good thing or a bad one? State your opinion. ESSAY 111 What are the advantages and disadvantages of getting married with a foreigner? ESSAY 112 Are women suitable to become police officers? Give your reasons and examples. ESSAY 113 Some people think that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that people in the country have healthy lifestyles. Other people believe that individuals should be free to decide their own lifestyles. Please give your own opinion.
