The following types of topics will require you to include your personal opinion in the article. You can choose to give an absolute opinion in favor/against a certain aspect, or you can also choose to be neutral. Either way, you must clarify your personal opinion in the article.

Example #1:

It is inevitably that as technology develops so traditional culture must be lost. Technology and tradition are incompatible – you cannot have both together.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? And give your own reasons.

Ideas for:

● Having less socialcontact

● Lack of warmth and affection eg SMS,email

● The growth of mass media

● Transferring various cultures and customs on a globalscale

eg fashion, clothing, eating habits

Ideas against:

● Technology and traditions arecompatible

● In many countries people live side by side egJapan

● Through history technology incorporated into traditional cultures egtractors

● Technology can preserve traditional cultures eg ancient manuscripts

Note: The example above gives a neutral view.

Example #2:

Some businesses now say that no one can smoke cigarettes in any of their offices. Some governments have banned smoking in all public places. This is a good idea but it also takes away some of our freedom.

Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for youranswer.

Reasons for (only):

● Health dangers to smokers andnon-smokers

Financialloss

● Smokers can still smoke in special areas (smokingareas)

● Banning smoking is good for publichealth

Note: The example above gives an opinion on one side of the argument

Example #3:

School uniforms should be abolished in allschools.

Discuss to what extent you agree or disagree with this statement.

For

1. Uniforms are expensive so not having to buy them savesmoney

2. Children can be moreindividual

Against

1. Uniforms reduce inequality, feeling ofjealousy

2. Uniforms teachdiscipline

Example #4:

The internet will bring about a new freedom of information and so narrow the technology gap between developed and developing countries.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

For

● World-wide communicationpossible

● Greater access to information

● Makes copyright laws harder to enforce, so harder to keep new technologysecret

● Difficult tocensor

Against

● Only the rich can afford to access the internet

● Computing skills are necessary to operate the internet, so a new technology gapdevelops

Example #5:

As public safety is of the highest importance, it is often necessary to test new products on animals. It is better for a few animals to suffer than for human life to be placed at risk by untestedproducts.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

For

● Realistic tests arena

● Better than animals suffer thanhumans

● Tests are necessary to find cure, medical breakthroughs

Against

● Not all animal tests are important

● Animals haverights

● Often computer simulations arepossible

Example #6:

The quality of health care a person receives should not depend on the size of their bank balance. The government is responsible for providing a high level of health care for all its citizens.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

For

Health is a fundamentalright

Good hospitals are governmentresponsibility

A healthy population is vital to national interest

Against

Health is the responsibility of the individual

Ageing population makes health careimpractical