Topics

Health/ 1. In the modern world, it is no longer necessary for people to use food or
Fitness/ Food products from animals such as medicine and clothing. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?
2. A wide variety of food that can be grown in other areas. As a result,
people eat more food produced in other regions than local food. Do you
think the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
3. More and more people are becoming seriously overweight. Some people
think a solution can be to increase the price of fattening foods. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
4. Many types of food are delivered from far away. Some people think that
eating local food is more environmentally and economically beneficial.
Do you think the advantages of eating local food outweigh its
disadvantages?
5. Countries should try to produce all the food for the population and import
as little food as possible. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Entertainment 1. More and more people want to buy clothes, cars and other items with
/ Social life/ famous brands. What are the reasons? Do you think it is a positive or
Lifestyle negative development?
2. People are living in a ‘throwaway society’, using things for a short time
and then throwing them away. What are the causes of this? What
problems does it lead to?
3. In many countries today, people in cities either live alone or in small
family units, rather than in large family groups. Is this a positive or
negative trend?
4. Today many children spend a lot of time playing computer games and
little time on sports. Why is it? Is it a positive or negative development?
5. The increase in the production of consumer goods results in damage to
the natural environment. What are the causes of this? What can be done
to solve this problem?
Social 1. In most successful organizations, some people believe that
problems/ communication between managers and workers is important, while other
Workplace people say that other factors are more important. Discuss and give your
opinion.
2. The world of work is rapidly changing, and employees cannot depend on
having the same work or the same work conditions for life. Discuss the
possible causes and suggest ways to prepare people for work in the
future.
3. It is expected that there will be a higher proportion of older people than
that of young people in many countries in the future. Do you think it is a
positive or negative development?
4. Some businesses find that their new employees lack basic interpersonal
skills such as cooperation. What are the causes and suggest possible
solutions?
5. In many cities, there is little control on the design and construction of
new houses. Some people think that people can choose to build houses in
their own styles instead of building them with the same as the old house
style in local areas. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
6. An increased number of people today change their career and living
places several times in their lives. Is it a positive or negative
development?
7. Some people think that sending criminals to prison is not an effective
 way to deal with them, and that education and training are better. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
8. The cost of living is higher in many countries. What are the effects of
higher prices on individuals and society? What is the best way for people
to deal with this problem?
9. When a new town is planned, it is more important to develop public
parks and sports facilities than shopping centres for people to spend their
free time in. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
10. Fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) are the main sources of energy in
many countries. However, in some countries, the use of alternative
sources (wind and solar energy) are encouraged. Do you think it is a
positive or negative development?
11. People often think about creating an ideal society, but most of the time
fail in making this happen. What is your opinion about an ideal society?
How can we create an ideal society?
12. In many countries, imprisonment is the most common solution to crimes.
However, some people believe that better education will be a more
effective solution. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Technology/ 1. People say that reading for pleasure helps people to develop imagination
Internet/ and better language skills than watching TV. To what extent do you
Science agree or disagree?
Environment/ 1. Environmental protection is the responsibility of politicians, not
Tourism/ individuals as individuals can do too little. To what extent do you agree
Animals or disagree?
2. People have little understanding of the importance of the natural world.
What are the reasons and how can people learn more about the natural
world?
3. Many developing countries are currently expanding their tourist
industries. Why is this the case? Is it a positive development?
4. International travel is becoming cheaper than before, so more and more
countries open their doors to tourists. Do the advantages of the increased
tourism outweigh the disadvantages?
5. Some people think that zoos are all cruel and should be closed down.
Others however believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild
animals. Discuss both opinions and give your own opinion.
6. Some people think that cultural traditions may be destroyed when they
are used as money-making attractions aimed at tourists. Others believe it
is the only way to save these traditions. Discuss on both sides and give
your opinion.
7. Nowadays animal experiments are widely used to develop new
medicines and to test the safety of other products. Some people argue
that these experiments should be banned because it is morally wrong to
cause animals to suffer, while others are in favour of them because of
their benefits to humanity. Discuss and give your opinion.
Traffic/ 1. Some people think that the best way to improve road safety is to increase
Economics/ the minimum legal age for driving a car or motorbike. To what extent do
Business you agree or disagree?
2. In some countries, small town-centre shops are going out of business
because people tend to drive to large out-of-town stores. As a result,
people without cars have limited access to out-of-town stores, which may
result in an increase in the use of cars. Do you think the disadvantages of
this change outweigh its advantages?
 3. Many people are now spending more and more time travelling to work or
school. Some people believe that this has negative development while
others think there are some benefits. Discuss both views and give your
opinion.
Education/ 1. Some people believe that the only purpose of films is to entertain. Others
Arts & Music say films should have educational value. Discuss both views and give
your opinion.
2. Governments should invest in teaching science subjects rather than in
other subjects for their countries to develop. To what extent do you agree
or disagree?
3. Students should be taught academic knowledge so that they can pass
exams, while skills such as cooking, or dressing should not be taught. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
4. Governmental investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a
waste of money. Governments must invest this money in public services
instead. To what extent do you agree?
5. Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a
very early age. Some think they should begin at least seven years old.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Language/ 1. Some people think that newspapers are the best way to learn news.
Media & However, others believe that they can learn news better through other
Advertising forms of media. Discuss both views and give your opinion?
2. Advertising is all around us. Some people say that it is a positive part of
our lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. Nowadays, there is a trend that reports of media focus on problems and
emergencies rather than on positive developments. Some people think it
is harmful to individuals and society. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
4. Although more and more people read the news on the Internet,
newspapers will remain the main source of news for most people. Do you
agree or disagree with the statement?
5. Some people think that advertising aimed at children should be banned.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
6. A few languages are increasingly spoken in different countries, while the
usage of others is rapidly declining. Is this a positive or a negative
development?
Sports/ 1. Some people claim that public museums and art galleries will not be
History/ needed because people can see historical objects and works of art by
Gender using a computer. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
2. Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists but not
local people. Why is this the case and what can be done to attract more
local people to visit these places?
3. Some people argue that we should do research on our family history.
Others agree with the view that we should focus on the present and future
generations. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
4. Some people believe that young people know about
international pop and movie stars but know very less about famous
people from the history in their own country. Why is this? How can more
interest be created in young people to gain more knowledge about their
own famous people from history?

VOCABULARY
dissimilar personalities and priorities
seamless and effective interactions
mutual understanding
breaking apart in dire straits
establishing rapport and a friendly working
environment
a sense of belonging and connection
employee retention strategies
constant conversations and feedback across
different managerial levels
the overriding factor to any success
a sound employee reward and recognition
system
to change and evolve to meet the demands of
modern society
the developments in hi-tech machines and
artificial intelligence
be replaced by automated processes
ever-increasing desire to cut expenses and
increase profits
incorporate technology into their process
job hopping
globalization pressures / Pressures of
globalization
aggressive competition
scramble to reach for managerial positions
higher competition for the dwindling number
of jobs
have enough money to buy basic necessities
put a strain on sth
serious and often costly ailments
securing their country’s economic growth
impede economic growth = lead to economic
stagnation
damage the national workforce
halt meaningful strides towards better
standards of living
provide free education for poverty-hit
children
uphold moral values to pass on young
generation
live on their children or social welfare under
the form of pension
unsustainable population structure
work in small separate spaces or cubicles
opportunities to share experience or exchange
work-related subjects
teamwork-orientated
place excessive emphasis on academic
subjects rather than fundamental soft skills
excessive use of technological devices
be overprotected compared to their
predecessors 10-20 years ago
safeguarding and permissiveness may result
in either an inhibited worker or a self-centered
one
demonstrate a consistent style
give the city a more cosmopolitan atmosphere
reflect a variety of architectural designs
preserve traditional and cultural values
mirror past architectural standards
raise the city’s aesthetic and economic
chances
show local area’s cultural and historic values
ruin the overall outlay of the area
design with bizarre exteriors
cause discomfort to locals and visitors
alter their professions or living arrangements
improve global cultural awareness
hostility between people of different
backgrounds
more intermingling as a result of national job
markets shifting to be more international
envision a more culturally understanding
world
have a strong bond with a friend group
lead to an overwhelming feeling of isolation
spreading amongst the workforce
increase anxiety and stress
be equipped with a diverse skill set
acquire a wide-ranging variety of professional
skills
prospective employees to devote themselves
to a company in the long run
serve as one of the embodiments of justice
and fairness in society
heinous crimes
serious offenders are behind bars
provide prisoners with skills and
qualifications to find work
face large difficulties reentering the
workforce as a result of punitive entry barriers
individual’s mental illness
huge societal rifts between rich and poor
political fallout and instability
distribute the income of the rich to help those
at the lower echelons of society