1. People attend college or university for many different
reasons (for example, new experiences, career preparation, increased
knowledge). Why do you think people attend college or university? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the
best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
4. It has been said, "Not everything that is learned is contained in
books." Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge
gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?
8. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television has
destroyed communication among friends and family. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.
9. Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a
big city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasons and
details to support your answer.
12. Many people visit museums when they travel to new places. Why do you
think people visit museums? Use specific reasons and examples to support
your answer.
14. Some people believe that university students should be required to
attend classes. Others believe that going to classes should be optional for
students. Which point of view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and
details to explain your answer.
16. It has recently been announced that a new restaurant may be built in
your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific
reasons and details to support your answer.
18. What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)? Use
specific details and examples to explain why these qualities are important.
19. Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways,
or should governments spend more money on improving public transportation
(buses, trains, subways)? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop
your essay.
20. It is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big
city. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to develop
your essay.
21. In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this
phenomenon. Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
22. We all work or will work in our jobs with many different kinds of
people. In your opinion, what are some important characteristics of a co-
worker (someone you work closely with)? Use reasons and specific examples to
explain why these characteristics are important.
23. In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students.
Do you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific
reasons and details.
24. A person you know is planning to move to your town or city. What do
you think this person would like and dislike about living in your town or
city? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
26. It has recently been announced that a new movie theater may be built
in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific
reasons and details to support your answer.
27. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should
sometimes do things that they do not enjoy doing. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
28. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television,
newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the
personal lives of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use
specific reasons and details to explain your opinion.
29. Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human
activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to
live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support
your answer.
30. It has recently been announced that a new high school may be built in
your community. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific
reasons and details in your answer.
31. Some people spend their entire lives in one place. Others move a
number of times throughout their lives, looking for a better job, house,
community, or even climate. Which do you prefer: staying in one place or
moving in search of another place? Use reasons and specific examples to
support your opinion.
32. Is it better to enjoy your money when you earn it or is it better to
save your money for some time in the future? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.
33. You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a
piece of jewelry you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which
would you buy? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
34. Businesses should hire employees for their entire lives. Do you agree
or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
35. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Attending a
live performance (for example, a play, concert, or sporting event) is more
enjoyable than watching the same event on television. Use specific reasons
and examples to support your opinion. 36. Choose one of the following
transportation vehicles and explain why you think it has changed people's
lives. O automobiles O bicycles O airplanes Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
37. Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.
38. Learning about the past has no value for those of us living in the
present. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
39. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? With the help
of technology, students nowadays can learn more information and learn it
more quickly. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
40. The expression "Never, never give up" means to keep trying and never
stop working for your goals. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
41. Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry
are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or
disagree with this point of view? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
42. What is a very important skill a person should learn in-groups
to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use
specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
43. Why do you think some people are attracted to dangerous sports or
other dangerous activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support
your answer.
44. Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to
travel alone. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your choice.
45. Some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day's
work. Others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night.
Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
choice.
46. What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have these
qualities changed or remained the same over time in your culture? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
47. Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work
for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and
details to support your choice.
48. People work because they need money to live. What are some other
reasons that people work? Discuss one or more of these reasons. Use specific
examples and details to support your answer.
49. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face
communication is better than other types of communication, such as letters,
email, or telephone calls. Use specific reasons and details to support your
answer.
50. Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people
prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do you prefer? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your choice.
51. Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or
chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning. In your
opinion, what does success come from? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
52. What change would make your hometown more appealing to people your
age? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
53. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The most
important aspect of a job is the money a person earns. Use specific reasons
and examples to support your answer.
54. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? One should
never judge a person by external appearances. Use specific reasons and
details to support your answer.
55. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person should
never make an important decision alone. Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
56. A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or to
protect the environment. Which do you think the company should choose? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
57. Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other
movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do
you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
58. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Businesses
should do anything they can to make a profit. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your position.
59. Some people are always in a hurry to go places and get things done.
Other people prefer to take their time and live life at a slower pace. Which
do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
60. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are as
important for adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
61. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents or
other adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to
18 year-old) teenage children. Use specific reasons and examples to support
your opinion.
62. What do you want most in a friend - someone who is intelligent, or
someone who has a sense of humor, or someone who is reliable? Which one of
these characteristics is most important to you? Use reasons and specific
examples to explain your choice.
63. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Most
experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable
lessons for the future. Use reasons and specific examples to support our
answer.
64. Some people prefer to work for themselves or own a business. Others
prefer to work for an employer. Would you rather be self-employed, work for
someone else, or own a business? Use specific reasons to explain your
choice.
65. Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy
them and replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.
66. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Classmates are
a more important influence than parents on a child's success in school. Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
67. If you were an employer, which kind of worker would you prefer to
hire: an inexperienced worker at a lower salary or an experienced worker at
a higher salary? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
68. Many teachers assign homework to students every day. Do you think that
daily homework is necessary for students? Use specific reasons and details
to support your answer.
69. If you could study a subject that you have never had the opportunity
to study, what would you choose? Explain your choice, using specific reasons
and details.
70. Some people think that the automobile has improved modern life. Others
think that the automobile has caused serious problems. What is your opinion?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
71. Which would you choose: a high-paying job with long hours that would
give you little time with family and friends or a lower-paying job with
shorter hours that would give you more time with family and friends? Explain
your choice, using specific reasons and details.
72. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Grades (marks)
encourage students to learn. Use specific reasons and examples to support
your opinion.
73. Some people say that computers have made life easier and more
convenient. Other people say that computers have made life more complex and
stressful. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
74. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The best way to
travel is in asgroupsled by a tour guide. Use specific reasons and examples
to support your answer.
75. Some universities require students to take classes in many subjects.
Other universities require students to specialize in one subject. Which is
better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
76. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should
begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school. Use specific
reasons and examples to support your position.
77. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Boys and girls
should attend separate schools. Use specific reasons and examples to support
your answer.
78. Is it more important to be able to work with as
groups of people on a team or to work
independently? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
79. Your city has decided to build a statue or monument to honor a famous
person in your country. Who would you choose? Use reasons and specific
examples to support your choice.
80. Describe a custom from your country that you would like people from
other countries to adopt. Explain your choice, using specific reasons and
examples.
81. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Technology has
made the world a better place to live. Use specific reasons and examples to
support your opinion.
82. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Advertising can
tell you a lot about a country. Use specific reasons and examples to support
your answer.
83. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Modern
technology is creating a single world culture. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.
84. Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of
valuable information. Others think access to so much information creates
problems. Which view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your opinion.
85. A foreign visitor has only one day to spend in your country.
where should this visitor go on that day?
Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
86. If you could go back to some time and place in the past, when and
where would you go? Why? Use specific
reasons and details to support your choice.
87. What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for
people in your country? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
choice.
88. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Telephones and
email have made communication between people less personal. Use specific
reasons and examples to support your opinion.
89. If you could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history,
what person would you like to meet? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your choice.
90. If you could meet a famous entertainer or athlete, who would that be,
and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
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