Technology

Nowadays people have free access to online movies and music. Is this a positive
development or negative one?
Some people think that the range of technology currently available is increasing
the gap between rich people and poor people. Others think that it is causing the
opposite effect. Discuss both the views and give your opinion.
Solar energy is becoming more and more popular as a source of household energy
in many countries around the world. Why is this? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of solar energy?
Many people believe that mobile phones cause more harms than the benefits and
that’s why mobile phones should be restricted? To what extent do you agree or
disagree? Give reasons to support.
Nowadays technology is increasingly being used to monitor what people are
saying and doing (for example, through cell phone tracking and security cameras).
In many cases, the people being monitored are unaware that this is happening.
Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
People no longer use newspapers and television because the internet plays the
same role. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Some people think that new technology is improving the lives of workers, other
say it has more disadvantages. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Friends
Some people think it’s better to choose friends who always have the same
opinions as them. Others believe that it’s good to have friends who sometimes
disagree with them. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Education
Some students work while studying. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
this trend and give your opinion?
Everybody should be allowed admission to university study programs regardless
of their academic ability. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this?
Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like.
Others believe that they should be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in
the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both these
views and give your own opinion.
Some people say that in all levels of education, from primary school to
universities, too much time is spent on learning facts and not enough learning
practical skills. Do you agree or disagree.
Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like.
Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be
useful in the future such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both
these views and give your opinion.
Large businesses have big budgets for marketing and promotion and as a result,
people gravitate towards buying their products. What problems does this cause?
What could be done to encourage them to buy local products?
Completing university education is thought by some to be the best way to get a
good job. On the other hand, other people think that getting experience and
developing soft skills is more important. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Many people choose to study at university in another country. What kind of
problems do you think they would encounter and what are the positive aspects of
a decision like this?
Disruptive school students have a negative influence on others. Students who are
noisy and disobedient should be grouped together and taught separately. Do you
agree or disagree with this view?
Some People think that children should learn to paint or draw at school. Others
believe it is just a waste of time. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Child education
Some people think that older school children should learn a wide range of
subjects to acquire more knowledge, while other people believe they should learn
a small number of subjects in detail. Discuss both views and give your opinions.
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign
language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of
this outweigh the disadvantages?
Some people think that children should go to kindergarten before attending
primary school, while other believe that it is better for children to stay all day with
their families. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Nowadays many people have access to computers on a wide basis and a large
number of children play computer games. What are the negative impacts of
playing computer games and what can be done to minimize the bad effects?
Children are facing more pressure nowadays from academic, social, and
commercial perspectives. What are the causes of these pressures and what
measures should be taken to reduce these pressures?
Some people think that young children benefit from going to the nursery school
before starting primary school. Others think it is better for the young children to
stay all day with the families. Discuss both views and give your opinions.

Population
The growth in population in cities means that parks should now be used for
residential and business purposes. To what extent you agree or disagree?
Language

Every year several languages die out. Some people think that it is not important
because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what
extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Food
It seems clear that obesity in today’s society is to some extent due to the
availability of fast food. Should governments place a tax on fast food to reduce
the amount of fast food consumed?
Eating a balanced diet is the most important factor for a healthy life. To what
extent do you agree?
With the fast pace of modern life, more and more people are turning towards fast
food for their main meals. Do you think the advantages outweigh the
disadvantages?

Languages
Every year several languages die out. Some people think that this is not important
because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what
extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Media
Violence in media promotes violence in society. To what extent do you agree?
Some of the methods used in advertising are unethical and unacceptable in
today’s society. To what extent do you agree with this view?

Traffic
In order to solve traffic problems government should tax private cars owners
heavily and use the money to improve public transport. What are the advantages
and disadvantages of such a solution?

The best way for governments to solve the problem of traffic

Work

Some employers want to be able to contact their staff at all times, even on
holidays. Does this development has more advantages than disadvantages?
Some believe that people should not continue work once they reach age of
retirement. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answers and include
relevant examples from you experience.
More and more qualified people are moving from poor to rich countries to fill
vacancies in specialist areas like engineering, computing and medicine. Some
people believe that by encouraging the movement of such people, rich countries
are stealing from poor countries. Others feel that this is only part of the natural
movement of workers around the world. Do you agree or disagree?
Many working people get little or no exercise either during the working day or in
their free time and have health problems as a result. Why do so many working
people not get enough exercise? What can be done about this problem?
Some people argue that job satisfaction is more important than job security,
while others believe that they cannot always expect job satisfaction and a
permanent job is more important. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Some people think it is better to be self-employed. Other people say it is better to
work for a company or institution. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Crime
Some people think that the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prisoner
sentence. Others think that there are better alternative ways to reduce crime.
Discuss both views and give your opinion your opinion.
Many offenders commit more crimes after serving the first punishment. Why is
this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

Government
In some countries, a few people earn extremely high salaries. Some people think
that this is good for a country, while others believe that the government should
control salaries and limit the amount people can earn. Discuss both views and
give your opinion?
Nowadays we are producing more and more rubbish. Why do you think this is
happening? What can government do to reduce the amount of rubbish
produced? Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Some people think that public art should be funded by governments, while others
believe that it should be funded by other sources. Discuss both these views and
give your own opinion.

Agriculture
In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still
go hungry. Why is this the case? What can be done about this problem?

Health
The prevention of health problems and illness is more important than treatment
and medicine. Government funding should reflect this. To what extent so you
agree?
 Some people think basic healthcare should be free for everyone. Others believe
people should pay their own medical costs. Discuss both sides and give your own
opinion.
Medical professionals such as doctors and nurses from poorer countries often
migrate to richer countries to work. What problems arise from this situation?
What measures can be taken to deal with it? Give reasons for your answer and
include and relevant examples.
More children in developed countries are becoming overweight. This is a serious
problem for wealthy countries. Discuss some causes and effects of this problem.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.

Transportation

Of all public transportation options, a metro is the most convenient

Celebrities/ Artists
Artists need a certain amount of freedom to develop their creativity. Some people
think that artists should have total freedom to express any thoughts and ideas. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
Nowadays celebrities are more known for their glamour and wealth than for their
achievement, and this sets a bad example to young people. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?
Nowadays celebrities are more famous for their glamour and wealth than for
their achievements, and this sets a bad example to young people. To what extent
do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Some people believe that people often make assessments on celebrities based on
their clothes, hair styles and other appearance-enhancing products. Do you agree
or disagree？

Child laborer
In many countries, children are engaged in some kind of labor. Some people
regard this completely wrong while others consider it valuable and important for
learning and enabling them to be responsible. What are your opinions on this? Do
you agree or disagree?

Social media
Many people believe that social networking sites such as Facebook have had a
negative impact on both individuals and society. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?

Sports
Nowadays many young people are attracted to dangerous sports. What makes
these activities so attractive? What measures should be taken to regulate such
sports and minimize their risks?
Some people think that hosting an international sports event is good for the
country, while some people think it is bad. Discuss both views and state your
opinion.

Import/export
Today many countries import food from different parts of the world. Discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of this trend.

Historical attraction
Foreign visitors should pay more than local visitors for cultural and historical
attraction. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Traditional Reading is better than the digital reading. Do you agree or disagree?
Many museums across the world charge an entry fee from all visitors. Some
people argue that entry to the museums should be free. How far do you agree or
disagree with this argument.
Some people think that studying history is a waste of time while others think that
it is essential to learn. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Schools are spending more time teaching traditional subjects such as history.
Some people think they should rather spend more time in teaching skills that can
help students find a job. To what extend do you agree or disagree?

Culture
Different cultures are mixing today and the world is becoming a global village. Is it
a positive or a negative development? Give your own opinion and examples.
Some people believe that people should not stay in hotels, since living in such
places enables them not to get access to local culture. Do you agree or disagree?

Tax
Some people think that they should not have to pay any tax and should be able to
keep all the money that they earn. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Space exploration costs tax payers’ an exorbitant amount of money each year.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of spending money on space
exploration?

Traveling
Some people think traveling abroad is a valuable experience for young people.
Other think it wastes too much time and expense, discuss both views and give
your own opinion.

Other
A person’s worth nowadays seems to be judged according to social status and
material possessions. Old fashioned values, such as honor, kindness and trust, no
longer seem important. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
opinion?
Most people agree that money cannot be happiness. Why is happiness difficult to
define? How can people achieve happiness?
Special gifts are as precious as treasures. Often times it is not the value of the gift
that makes it special – rather it is the kindness and thoughtfulness of the person
who gives it.
Some people consider price as the most important thing to consider when buying
a product (such as a cell phone) or a service (eg. medical treatment). Do you
agree or disagree?
All over the world, the rich are becoming richer and the poor are becoming
poorer. What problems does this cause? How can we overcome the problems of
poverty?
Success is often measured by wealth and material belongings. Do you think
wealth is the best measure of success? What makes a successful person?
The three pie charts below show the changes in annual spending by local
authorities in homeland in 1980, 1990 and 2000. Summaries the information by
selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Do you believe that experimentation on animals for scientific purposes is
justified? Are there any alternatives to animal experimentation?
Some people think that new houses should be built in the same style as the older
houses in the local area. Others disagree and say local authorities should allow
people to build houses in the style of their own choice. Discuss both views and
give your opinion.
Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to
the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of
learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of
these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable?
Use specific examples to support your preference.

Some people think that it is better for a country’s economy for people to spend
money while others believe that it would be better for people to save money
Discuss both sides and give your opinion.