Studies show that criminals get a low level of education.

Some people
believe that the best way to reduce crime is educating people in the prison
so they can get a job after leaving prison. To what extent do you agree or
disagree.
Educating offenders during imprisonment as a method of reducing the future crime
rates is a major topic of concern in today’s society. While such a solution is effective
in reducing crime, it is far from being the best method and there are many better
ways of reducing crime.
Education for prisoners may contribute to the reduction of crime. The primary
reason is that such a form of education could provide offenders with the working
skills that are essential when they return to the community. With improved job
prospects, prisoners may therefore earn a living after leaving prison and are less
likely to commit a crime again. Another significant reason is that education could
instil a sense of value and self-worth in offenders. As a consequence, they may
demonstrate more empathy towards others in the wider community, and become
better citizens after their prison years. This may even have ripple effects on others
around them to live without crime.
Educating offenders, however, is not the best solution to reduce crime. This form of
education is offered only to those who have committed a crime, and therefore has
far less preventive value, compared to other stronger solutions. For example,
severe punishments such as longer imprisonment for criminals could deter criminal
acts by other members of the public who have the intention of carrying out a crime.
There are also other educational methods that may have a stronger and more long-
lasting impact on the reduction of crime. An excellent example of this is crime
education at school, which helps equip students with the necessary knowledge
about crime and crime prevention. This measure is undeniably a more sustainable
crime-fighting solution than education for criminals.
In conclusion, although educating prisoners is an effective way to reduce crime, it is
not the best solution, as there are more preventive and sustainable measures such
as education about at school and stricter punishments for criminals. It is
recommended that all of these solutions should be taken simultaneously to
maximise the reduction of crime.
Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some
people think that having these people to give a talk to school students is
the best way to tell them about the dangers of committing a crime. Do you
agree or disagree?
Educating school students on the consequences of carrying out a crime has long
been a contentious issue. There is a common belief that talks by ex-prisoners
should be held at school to inform students of the threat to society when a crime is
committed. While this practice is beneficial in a few ways, there are many better
methods to educate students about the dangers of crimes.
There are certain benefits of having reformed criminals talking to students about
the hazards that are associated with crime. The most obvious benefit is that
students may learn from those who truly understand about crime. Those who
committed a crime have likely gathered knowledge about the dangers of crime for
the victims, not only from their own offenses but also from communication with
other criminals. In addition, this method may also educate students about the threat
to the offenders themselves when they commit a crime. To explain, ex-prisoners are
those who have undergone a long process of imprisonment and rehabilitation, so
their life-stories are often a great source of real-life experience of not only what
prisoners are deprived of but also how remorseful they feel.
However, there are better solutions to teach students about the negative effects of
partaking in criminal activity. The most viable measure may be to introduce
criminology as a subject at school. While the life-stories of ex-prisoners are often
biased, criminology knowledge is based on empirical data and research and as such,
tends to be more reliable than anecdotal evidence. With this method, students can
learn all the necessary knowledge about crime, including the dangers of it, through
the lens of science and therefore have a holistic view on crime and the associated
dangers. Another useful measure could be to film the harsh daily lives of prisoners
and show it to school students. Notwithstanding the benefits of giving talks, films
with vivid imagery can be much more visually attractive and thus more effective in
informing students of the harsh reality of life in incarceration.
In conclusion, talks by ex-prisoners may keep students informed of the dangers of
carrying out a crime. The government, however, should adopt stronger measures
such as introducing criminology as a school subject and showing students
documentaries about the lives of prisoners.
It is more important for schoolchildren to learn about local history than
world history. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Teaching history to schoolchildren has been a heated topic over the years. There is
a common belief that local history is more important to children than world history.
There are, however, compelling reasons why such a belief is flawed.
The notion that local history is more valuable than world history should be rejected.
Some people may claim that insights into local historical values are completely
sufficient for one to know. Their claim could have been true a few decades ago
when most interpersonal communications were between people of the same race
and origin. This view, nevertheless, is now outdated as the world has become
globalised and international business and migrant workers have made any
community a global village. In this context, an understanding of a foreign country’s
history would enable future local workers to reinforce the relationship between
them and the expatriates from that country.
In addition to this, children would benefit the most only when the learning of local
history is placed parallel to that of world history. To understand a local historical
event, children should put the regional and sometimes even world context in that
historical era into consideration. For example, children should acknowledge that the
event in which Vietnam regained its independence after defeating the Japanese
troops in Indochina in 1945 only happened after a series of relevant events in World
War II, one of which is the surrender of Japan to the Allies. With this perspective,
children would understand history more deeply and thoroughly.
In summary, the study of local history should always be parallel to that of world
history. This practice would guarantee that children learn history more
comprehensively and be able to tighten the bond with migrant workers in their
country.
It is better for college students to live in schools than live at home with
their parents. Do you agree or disagree?
Many students are faced with the dilemma of whether to live in a university
dormitory or at home with their parents. Despite the fact that those who choose to
be at home may get more family support, a dormitory is evidently better for
students because it not only provides access to learning resources and exposure to
a multicultural environment but also facilitates their personal development.
There is a common belief that living with their parents is better for students’
personal development. Many people argue that students living at home may fully
concentrate on their academic studies because their parents are likely to support
them in various ways, such as by doing household tasks. However, some students
may become over-reliant on their parents as a result, and thus do not develop the
ability to live independently in the future. By contrast, students who live in
dormitories must assume responsibility in all aspects of life. Therefore, they may
acquire the skills necessary for self-reliance, ranging from financial management
and problem-solving to meal planning and home management, all of which are
essential to foster the all-round personal development of this group of students.
In addition, there are several distinct advantages of choosing on-campus
residences. The most evident advantage is that students who choose this type of
accommodation would have easy access to libraries and various learning resources
that are readily available at university. Another clear benefit is that those living in
student accommodation are exposed to a diverse environment with people from
various social and cultural backgrounds. As a result, students are better prepared to
live in today's multicultural world.
From the issues outlined above, one can conclude that living on a university
campus is a better choice for students than living at home with their parents,
because it allows students to get easier access to libraries and other learning
facilities and to experience a environment with cultural diversity. It is predicted that
the number of students choosing to live in university accommodation will remain
high in the future.
Whether or not someone achieves their aims is mostly by a question of
luck. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
The debate whether luck is the primary determinant of success in achieving targets
has been heated constantly. Evidence has suggested that hard work and
determination are far more important than luck, while luck must not be considered
as the main precursor of the attainment of one’s goals.
There is compelling evidence that the role of being industrious and determined is
more significant than luck. Thomas Edison, one of the greatest inventors in the 20
th century, is an excellent example of this. He conducted numerous experiments
with the filament until the finest light bulb was produced. His hard work in this
series of events, rather than luck, was acknowledged by all mankind. Another
example of this is the case of Nguyen Ngoc Ky, a disabled teacher in Vietnam.
Although not being able to use both of his hands, he was determined enough to
teach himself to write by foot. The fact that he would then become arguably one of
the greatest teachers in the history of education in Vietnam provides a solid
argument that even with bad luck, determination could result in goal achievement.
By contrast, the belief that fortune has a major part to play in success is just a
fallacy. One clear reason is that although there may have been a number of people
reaching their goals with good luck, such good luck in most cases only comes to
people who have worked hard. Take Mendeleev as an example. As a research
chemist, he worked tirelessly for a few decades, until one day in his dream, the
complete arrangement of the elements appeared. The appearance of this
arrangement could be ascribed to luck, but no one could deny the extreme effort
that Mendeleev had exerted. In addition to this, luck could only lead people to
short-term achievements, and there is nothing to ascertain that it would continue to
exist in the long run. The over-reliance on good fortune, as a result, would prevent
people from achieving their long-term or life-long ambitions.
In conclusion, the importance of luck in determining goal achievement is
overstated, while there are much more significant factors to consider, namely hard
work and determination. It is recommended that anyone who wants to pursue their
dream should develop a strong will and perseverance.
Modern technology has made it easier for individuals to download
copyrighted music and books from the internet for no charge. To what
extent is this a positive or a negative development?
Copyrights have evolved into a major topic of concern in the era of the Internet and
modern technology, as copyrighted music and books can now be downloaded for
free with a few simple mouse-clicks. While some believe that there are certain
advantages to this development, it may lead to drastic consequences that far
outweigh any benefit it brings.
There is a common belief that free downloading of copyrighted contents should be
encouraged. People may argue that the public can benefit from having free access
to invaluable sources of knowledge. Those who are financially disadvantaged would
then have equal rights to develop academically, which may have been previously
unfeasible. Some also claim that once music contents are free, they can enrich the
musical soul of millions. As a greater diversity of music becomes more accessible to
a larger audience, their understanding of it may improve, and new musical talents
can surface as a result.
There are severe consequences when copyrighted contents are distributed freely
for everyone. This trend may well put the career of many authors, artists and
creative workers in danger, as they receive a significantly lower income from selling
their books and songs. Yet this is not only a problem of finance, but also an issue of
morality. The proclivity of taking others’ work without permission is a form of
disregarding their rights and stealing their work. From a broader perspective, when
authors’ intellectual property is not respected, they may be less likely to positively
contribute to society.
In summary, despite the belief that the public can reap the benefits of free access
to intellectual content, disrespecting copyrights is undoubtedly a negative
development that poses an alarming threat to society. It is recommended that all
forms of copyright infringements are prohibited so that copyright holders earn what
they deserve and are motivated to continue their work.
With many problems of transport and accommodation in cities, some
governments are encouraging businesses to move to rural areas. Do you
think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
In recent decades, the increasingly serious problems of accommodation and
transport in many cities have caused some governors to consider a new policy in
which companies are encouraged to relocate to countryside regions. While this
policy has a number of drawbacks, the benefits of it are far more significant.
There are a few disadvantages arising from the policy of encouraging enterprises to
move out of urban areas. The wave of urban-rural business relocation may leave a
number of city-based employees on the verge of unemployment unless these
people accept to travel long distances to work. Even in the scenario that they do
accept, there is still another drawback to consider. As the number of urban-rural
commuters increases, the city public transport network will be placed under
pressure.
However, the advantages of such a policy far outweigh the disadvantages. The most
outstanding benefit is that once businesses are relocated to the countryside, their
employees will not have to seek accommodation in the city centre, and the scarcity
of housing in downtown areas can be mitigated. In addition to this, such relocation
has a substantial advantage of creating more job opportunities and thus economic
benefits to the local community in rural regions.
Despite some potential drawbacks such as the difficulty for city-based workers in
commuting to and from their workplaces, the urban-rural business relocation policy
should be adopted. That is because it can solve even greater problems including
accommodation shortage in the city, and may result in job creation and economic
development in rural areas.
Scientists say that in the future humanity will speak the same language.
Do you think this is a positive or negative social development?
On the matter of language learning, many linguists argue that one language will be
used as an international language in the future. Although this development is
sometimes believed to be a threat to global language diversity, there are
reasonable grounds that it is of greater benefits to humanity, including the ease of
international communication and the chance for each country to develop a strong
intellectual labour force.
There is a common belief that the use of one language as a lingua franca may bring
minority languages to the verge of extinction. There is, however, clear evidence
why such a claim is an exaggeration. In reality, despite the role of English as a
common language across most countries in the world, less common languages are
being preserved well at present. This can be seen in the case of the Irish language,
which was spoken by as little as 5% of the population of Ireland in the latter half of
the 20 th century. This language is now increasingly popular in Ireland as a result of
the efforts of the Irish government to promote its use in recent years. Another
important point is that the popularity of one international language does not
necessarily mean the waning usage of other languages. An excellent example of
this is that English is being spoken as the second language in many countries where
the mother tongues are still dominant in everyday communication.
On the other hand, the universality of one language is of great benefit to the
development of the world. The primary reason is that in today’s context of
globalisation and international integration, the use of one common language
promotes mutual understanding between those who come from different
geographical and cultural backgrounds. As a result, international trade may grow,
which would benefit all nations that choose to engage in this process. Another
significant reason is that when language barriers are removed, all learners may
have access to a wealth of knowledge written exclusively in other languages, and
they have the opportunity to become experts in a variety of areas. This may help
every country to build a stronger intellectual workforce, which could act as the
catalyst for long-term global development.
In summary, the use of one international language is not necessarily
disadvantageous. There are clear advantages of having a universal language, such
as the growth of international trade and the development of a stronger intellectual
workforce in every country.
Nowadays, more and more people decide to have children later in their
life. What are the reasons? Is this a negative or positive trend?
In modern society, there has been a growing concern that many couples have
delayed parenthood. This social trend could be ascribed to a number of factors,
including the tendency for young couples to prioritise their work over having
children and the belief that it is better for children to be brought up by older
parents. Overall, it is more of a negative rather than a positive trend.
A few reasons can be given to justify the trend of giving birth at later stages of life.
The primary reason is that the labour market is increasingly competitive, and it is a
norm that young couples defer having children to devote more of their time to lay a
sound foundation for their future career. Another significant reason is that it is
believed that children are raised better by older parents. This seems valid due to
the fact that older fathers and mothers are generally wealthier, more experienced,
and more willing to take the responsibility of bringing up a child.
There is compelling evidence that the negative aspects of this trend outweigh its
positive ones. From a positive perspective, children born to more prosperous and
experienced parents are likely to receive more comprehensive education, and thus
contribute more to society when they reach adulthood. In each household, the
parents may also reap the benefits of this trend, as their first working years are not
interrupted by pregnancy and childcare. From a negative standpoint, however,
delayed parenthood is associated with a number of health risks that are far more
significant than the aforementioned advantages. When an aged couple decides to
give birth, there are serious health risks for the woman in the prenatal and
postnatal period, such as excessive bleeding after childbirth. If any complicated
maternal health problem arises, the life of the whole family would be irreparably
damaged.
In summary, the tendency to have children at a later age is caused by a number of
factors, such as the competitiveness of the job market for young adults. Although
there are a few benefits of this trend such as the prospect of children getting better
education and young parents having more working time, the drawbacks including
the health risks of the mother are far more significant for couples to consider.
Some students prefer to take a gap year between high school and
university, to work or to travel. Do the advantages of this outweigh the
disadvantages?
In today’s world, there has been an accelerating trend of students taking a break
from studying before pursuing tertiary education. While this trend is beneficial in
some respects, its shortcomings are more significant for the followers of this trend.
A gap year may enable students to enrich themselves with real-life experiences
that are beneficial to their future. These may include having a paid job, from which
those who have just entered adulthood may learn many working skills, such as
communication, teamwork and following orders. The youngsters taking a gap year,
as a result, are better prepared for their future jobs. Some gap-year-takers may also
travel the world and absorb knowledge of diverse cultural settings and from
different geographical contexts. In this globalised world, such knowledge is
essential for developing a successful career.
Nevertheless, the disadvantages of taking a gap year for recent high-school
graduates are serious, far outweighing the advantages. The primary reason is that
the young can be overwhelmed by the unwanted difficulties of life outside of school
campus. A physically demanding job, for example, can be exhausting for most high-
school-leavers. Another significant reason is that to some youngsters without firm
academic goals, earning money and living without the discipline of formal schooling
could be more appealing than returning to school after the gap year. If they choose
not to go back to school, they may lose the chance of obtaining academic
knowledge and university degrees, which may help them earn even more money in
the future.
In summary, despite potential gains, there are more serious drawbacks associated
with a gap year such as the overwhelming difficulties when starting to work too
soon and the prospect of not acquiring any university knowledge and degrees. It is
recommended that students should take a university course right after they finish
their high school.
Many people believe that international tourism is a bad thing for their
country. What are the reasons? Solutions to change negative attitudes?
A hostile attitude towards the trend of international tourism has emerged amongst
local people. This happens because this trend often disturbs the social balance and
causes cultural misunderstandings in the local area. To change these negative
attitudes, the authorities should impose a tax on tourist services and organise
cultural-exchange events.
There are two significant reasons as to why hostility is felt by local residents against
international tourism. One significant factor could be the threat that this industry
poses to social cohesion in the local community. In other words, a group of people
may benefit from providing services for foreign tourists, and become more
prosperous than the rest, who are mostly fishermen and farmers. As such an
income gap is created, people of lower levels of earnings may feel disadvantaged,
and a negative attitude towards foreign travellers may prevail. In addition, foreign
visitors may unintentionally antagonise the locals because of the cultural
differences between these two groups of people. An example of this is that a
Japanese waiter in a local restaurant may feel dishonoured if an American tourist
leaves him a tip, a very common and well-appreciated practice in the US and other
countries.
Some measures can be implemented to change the antagonistic attitude of locals
towards international tourism. The first important solution is that the authorities
may introduce new taxation schemes on tourism-related services, and use this tax
money to invest in other industries. In this way, all residents can equally benefit
from the rise of international tourism, and social balance in the area is maintained.
Besides, there should be free-of-charge cultural-exchange programmes for all
people. If such programmes were held, mutual cultural understanding between the
locals and the visitors would be fortified, and the problem of cultural differences
could be mitigated.
In conclusion, the fact that local citizens may perceive international travel as an
adverse trend could be ascribed to cultural misunderstandings and the loss of social
cohesion in the area. This negative perception can be properly addressed by a new
tax on services for tourists and cultural-exchange activities.
Studies have suggested that children watch much more television than
they did in the past and spend less time on active or creative things. What
are the reasons and what measures should be taken to encourage children
to spend more time on active or creative things?
It is now a norm that children watch an excessive amount of television and do not
engage much in active or creative activities. This trend can be ascribed to a number
of factors such as the addictive nature of television and the lack of attention from
parents. Parents can address this by taking definite actions including setting a strict
limit on children’s television time and spending more time with their children on
active and creative activities.
Reasons for the trend vary. The primary reason is that children’s television
programmes are being broadcast all day with addictive content, such as vivid and
colourful animation. Cartoon Network and Disney Channel with their day-long series
of animation shows are evident examples of this. Another clear reason is that
parents nowadays are busy with their work, so they want children to focus on an
activity that does not require much of their attention, such as watching television.
These two reasons tend to make children spend more time in front of the television
screen instead of participating in active or creative activities.
A number of strong measures should be implemented to tackle the issue. The first
solution is limiting the amount of time that a child can watch television. This could
be done by activating the parental control mode and setting a fixed operating time
limit on their television set. Another feasible solution is that parents could spend
more time with their children engaging in outdoor or creative activities. They could,
for example, form a family sport team that practices on a regular basis, which may
appeal to children more than television.
In conclusion, children tend to watch too much television because of the appealing
content on various channels and the lack of playing time with their parents. They
may start to join more active and creative activities once their parents spend more
time with them and the parental control mode on television sets is activated.
The world's natural resources are consumed at an ever-increased rate.
What are the causes of this situation? What are the solutions?
The overconsumption of natural resources is emerging as a major topic of concern
today. This alarming trend is caused by a few factors such as the substantial
demands for energy and the overdependence on natural resources in developing
nations. It should be addressed by a number of definite actions, such as
manufacturing more environmentally friendly products and utilising alternative
energy sources.
The increasingly high level of exploitation of natural resources could be ascribed to
a number of causes. The most obvious reason is the tremendous demands for
resources in developing countries, such as China and Brazil. The citizens of these
countries are becoming increasingly wealthy, and they may now afford a living
standard that is associated with a higher level of resource consumption. A clear
example of this is the widespread use of cars among tens of millions of middle-
income Chinese nationals, which may have contributed substantially to the burning
of oil on a global scale. In less-developed countries, the over-dependence on natural
resources, such as fossil fuels, is another significant reason to consider. In Vietnam,
for example, the majority of electricity is generated in thermal power stations, in
which a vast amount of coal is burnt on a daily basis.
Some measures can be taken to mitigate the problem of over-7 consuming Earth’s
resources. The most practical measure at the moment is to reduce the demand for
resources in developing countries. This can be done by mass-producing energy-
efficient products, such as hybrid cars, and selling these items at a low price to
citizens of these nations. If such a measure is implemented, these people may still
benefit from better living standards without over-consuming natural resources.
Besides, a more sustainable solution is to lower the reliance on natural resources by
taking advantage of alternative sources. For instance, wind and tidal power in the
Netherlands, nuclear power in Japan and solar power in the United States have all
proven their efficiency in energy production. These forms of energy should be used
in other parts of the world as well, to minimise the global dependence on fossil
fuels.
In conclusion, the overexploitation of natural resources derives from the strong
demand in developing countries and the over-reliance on these types of resources.
Strong measures, such as reducing the aforementioned demand and making use of
alternative energy sources, should be implemented to tackle this situation.
There is a general increase in anti-social behaviours and lack of respect
for others. What are the causes and solutions?
The widespread presence of anti-social behaviour and disrespectful attitudes
towards others has long been a prevalent issue in society today. This often derives
from the indifference of parents towards their children’s moral development, and
sometimes from social problems such as violence and discrimination which exist in
many parts of the world. This situation should be addressed by strong remedies,
including better parental education and stricter law enforcement against violent
and discriminatory activities in society.
Reasons for this alarming situation vary. In some places, people may hold an anti-
social attitude or disrespect others because they live in an environment where
violence and discrimination are the norm. Children of sexist parents in rural families
in Vietnam, for example, show a worrying tendency of disrespecting women. In
some other cases, it is the lack of parental guidance that is to blame. As modern
parents are becoming increasingly busy with their jobs, they may have the
proclivity to be indifferent to their children’s moral education. When there is no one
to help young children distinguish between right and wrong, ill-mannered attitudes
may emerge and develop among them without being controlled.
A number of strong measures could be adopted by the government and families to
mitigate the problem. On the national level, the government should take definite
actions against violence and discrimination. This could be done by ensuring strict
enforcement of the laws on violent and discriminatory acts to deter them from
happening. In addition, on the nuclear-family level, parents need to reaffirm their
role in morally guiding their children. If they notice any signs of antisocial or
insolent behaviour in children, the children should be reprimanded accordingly.
Parents, at the same time, could also educate their children about social manners
by instilling a moral code in them. These actions, albeit small, could have a strong
influence on children when they grow up.
In conclusion, it is clear that violence, discrimination and the indifference of parents
to children’s education are the major catalysts for the increase in anti-social
behaviour and disrespect towards others. Strong measures such as stringent law
enforcement on violent and discriminatory acts should be taken to alleviate this
distressing situation.
The major cities in the world are growing fast, as well as their problem.
What are the problems that young people living in cities are facing? What
are the solutions to these problems?
Urbanization has been a major trend in the world for the past few decades, with
cities expanding in both scale and complexity. This has led to a variety of problems
for young people living in these areas; fortunately, potential solutions to these
issues exist.
Young city dwellers are under pressure from multiple fronts. One of the major
problems they encounter is economic insecurity, as the cost of living in cities can be
staggering. Modern metropolitan cities, such as Tokyo, Singapore, and London, for
example, are frequently among the world’s most expensive places. Any young
person not well-off would likely struggle to make ends meet there; should they stay,
they might have to settle for inadequate living conditions. Another possible issue is
stress, as cities are known for being hyper-competitive environments. Being
economic hubs, urban areas attract a significant number of people who seek
employment and opportunities, creating a contest not for the faint-hearted.
There are certain measures for young people to either overcome or at least
sidestep these difficulties. While economic uncertainty is undoubtedly severe, it can
be dealt with by frugality in order to increase savings. Financial benefits can accrue
thanks to thriftiness over time; in fact, moving to typically inexpensive areas like
the city outskirts is also a form of frugal living, as it can reduce housing expenses
significantly. Meanwhile, in order to address stress in life and at work, it is
sometimes necessary for the youth to manage their expectations. If the pressure of
city life keeps mounting, re-evaluating one’s priorities and ambitions, or switching
to a less stressful occupation can help. Being rid of stress is the precursor to clarity
of thought and the ability to solve other problems. These solutions, in my opinion,
can be more sustainable and beneficial for oneself than relying on external help.
In conclusion, while young urban residents encounter various issues from their
place of living, there is actually no shortage of measures to make their life less of a
headache. Solid financial management and realistic expectations, for instance, are
the key to resolving their hardship.
Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things that we
really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new
products that may improve our lives. Discuss both views and give your
own opinion
Recently, commercial advertisements have bombarded a variety of television
channels, newspapers, magazines and websites. While some claim that this trend
helps popularise new goods that enhance people’s living standards, there are
stronger reasons why the main result is the unnecessary consumption of goods by
the public.
There is a common fallacy that advertising is an important means to introduce new
and useful products to the public. People may argue that in the past, a number of
world-changing products gained popularity thanks to advertising, such as the
success story of electronic cigarette advertisements in the early 2000s, which were
believed to have saved millions from tuberculosis and lung cancer. However, in
more recent years, the market has become saturated, leaving very little chance
that one can invent a revolutionary product that changes people’s lives. Even when
there are such life-changing inventions, it is still very unlikely that they can reach
their potential customers through advertising channels, because these channels
tend to be owned, controlled or dominated by conglomerates, who have no top
priority other than promoting their own merchandise.
The main purpose of most advertisements, however, is to persuade customers to
make a purchase regardless of their true needs. To meet sales targets, large
companies often exaggerate the usefulness of a small feature of their products
when advertising. For example, the latest Samsung mobile phone seems no
different from its predecessor, except for a slightly faster processor, but Samsung
marketers are skilful enough to convince customers that their older phones are
obsolete, and that these devices must be upgraded to the latest version. Some
other companies, including Unilever, have hired celebrities to endorse their
products, so as to appeal to customers who are fans of these famous people. All
these advertising techniques may promote sales, but are far less likely to
encourage customers to purchase the goods they truly need.
In conclusion, advertising used to be a means of getting the market to know about
new and useful products, but now it is primarily used as a selling tool for many
businesses whose primary goal is profit. It is recommended that companies should
think about customers’ needs before launching advertising campaigns for any of
their products.
Nowadays, many families have both parents working. Some working
parents believe other family members like grandparents can take care of
their children, while others think childcare centres provide the best care.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
It is a social norm that both parents pursue their career paths outside of the home,
and their children are taken care of either by teachers at nurseries or by
grandparents. While asking grandparents for help is advantageous in some
respects, there are compelling reasons why nursery schools provide the best
preparation for children.
There are reasons why some parents are in favour of having their children being
looked after by grandparents. The first reason to consider is that unlike childcare
centres, grandparents do not usually demand a payment for their service. To some
financially disadvantaged families, this can be the most economical choice. Another
significant reason is that with grandparents’ support, the children-caretaker ratio
can be just a fraction of that at a nursery. This means there will be more eyes to
monitor every step the child takes, to assure an environment free of any detriment.
On the other hand, sending children to preschools is a more beneficial solution for a
more comprehensive development. With standardised educational methods, these
schools may foster both the physical and intellectual growth of children. Children,
for instance, can be exposed to a diversity of opinions and backgrounds, thus
developing their social skills by negotiating with other kids. In addition to this,
healthy and balanced meals for children at these places can be provided according
to menus that are tailored to fit the nutrient needs of different ages. Preschool
children, as a result, may progress faster than those who are home-schooled, both
psychologically and physically.
In conclusion, even though childcare by grandparents may guarantee more
attention for the children and help the parents save money, kindergarten is the
right place for a greater all-rounded progress of a child. It is recommended that all
young children are sent to a proper childcare centre.
Many people argue that in order to improve educational quality, high
school students are encouraged to make comments or even criticism on
their teachers. Others think it will lead to loss of respect and discipline in
the classroom. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
In recent decades, whether high school students should be free to evaluate and
criticise their educators has evolved into a major topic of concern. While some
people think that disrespect and indiscipline are an unavoidable outcome of this
approach, there are stronger reasons why it would result in increased educational
quality.
On the one hand, there is a common belief that enabling students to judge teachers
may undermine students’ sense of respect and discipline. This is primarily because
some high school students are generally immature and inexperienced. Therefore,
some of them tend to lose their temper and overreact each time they are
disciplined by teachers. The problem can be further exacerbated when all the
students see their peers criticising the teachers. They may think of such action as
the right way to behave and start to imitate it. The respect for teachers may
therefore be lost, which means the classroom learning environment may be
detrimentally affected.
On the other hand, there is strong evidence that giving students the total freedom
in expressing their thoughts and feelings towards teachers may enhance
educational quality. To explain, many countries are promoting student-centred
teaching with two-way communication where open discussions between teachers
and students are encouraged on any topic, including teaching methodology and the
effectiveness of the teaching programmes. This approach has a substantial
advantage of making students become proactive in studying and providing teachers
with a chance to better their pedagogical skills by receiving feedback from
students. In this way, both the learners and the educators can achieve higher
academically.
In conclusion, the educational method of encouraging high school students to judge
their teachers is likely to lead to enhanced academic achievements, despite the
possibility that some classes may experience some initial instability in the form of
disrespect or lack of discipline. It is recommended that schools should adopt this
approach so that education quality can be improved.
Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a
very early age. Some think they should begin at least 7 years old. Discuss
both views give opinions.
In recent years, early-education specialists have been arguing whether it is better
for children to commence formal education earlier than the normal age of seven.
Although some claim that this is beneficial in a sense that they can learn new
knowledge quickly, the traditional age of seven seems to be the best choice for
children to start to go to school because it guarantees better running of classes and
provides children with enough time in playgroups and preschools.
Some educationists advocate the idea that as a result of starting earlier and
consequently having more time to absorb academic knowledge, children are more
likely to be successful in the future. This is because learners of younger ages tend
to have better cognitive performance. A child under the age of three, for example,
can learn new words twice as fast as those above this age. This means that they
are able to gain knowledge faster than older children, which makes education more
time efficient.
There are, however, more significant reasons why children should start their formal
school-years when they are seven. The primary reason is that children at this age
are more independent, which means they need less attention from their teachers.
These teachers can therefore focus on the learning progress of the whole class
instead of the individual needs of each child. Starting formal schooling at this age,
in addition to this, guarantees that children of lower ages can spend more time
playing and learning in informal environments such as playgroups or kindergartens.
This contributes to the development of their creativity and imagination, which are
more difficult to develop when these young ones grow up.
In conclusion, educating children under the age of seven in a formal school is
associated with certain benefits such as the extra time for learning academic
knowledge. These benefits are, however, not as clear and significant as the
advantages of sending children to a formal school when they are seven. It is
therefore recommended that very young children spend time playing games or
joining informal classes in order to cultivate their ability to imagine and think
creatively.
 Developments in technology have brought various environmental
problems. Some believe that people need to live simpler lives to solve
environmental problems. Others, however, believe technology is the way
to solve these problems. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Some immense environmental problems such as global warming and ozone
depletion in the Earth’s stratosphere can be ascribed to technological
developments. While some people believe that living a simple life can mitigate
these problems, there is stronger evidence why the best measure is green
technology.
There is a common fallacy that a simple lifestyle can adequately address
environmental issues. People may argue that by cutting household and transport
energy use, they are making a substantial contribution to environmental protection.
This method, however, does not stop the massive energy consumption at industrial
sites. Some may also claim that not using electricity at home is the right choice,
and events such as Earth Hour are an appropriate measure to cut carbon dioxide
production. The aforementioned event, nevertheless, is more symbolic than
practical, as most people start to light candles to replace electric light, an act that
produces even more carbon-dioxide than light bulbs do.
There is stronger evidence that environmentally-friendly technology is the best
answer to these problems. The first common use of this technology is in electric or
hybrid transport vehicles, which can reduce the amount of traffic fumes that have
been damaging both the biosphere and the atmosphere of Earth. Thick layers of
smog in Beijing, for example, gradually diminished after most petrol and diesel cars
were replaced by electric ones. The second use is in harnessing alternative energy
sources such as solar and wind power. This practice can stop the over-exploitation
of fossil fuels, thus reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, the main
culprit of global warming. The final use is in improving household appliances that
once threatened the environment have become greener. An excellent example of
this is that modern refrigerators and air-conditioners do not produce CFCs, a type of
gas proven to be a major catalyst of ozone destruction.
In conclusion, advances in technology such as hybrid vehicles and renewable
energy can tackle environmental problems, while simple ways of life are an
ineffective and sometimes counterproductive solution for these problems. It is
recommended that governments and societies adopt the latest technology in the
fields of green vehicles and energy.
Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements from
competing companies. To what extent do you think are consumers
influenced by advertisements? What measures can be taken to protect
them?
Recently, commercial advertisements have proliferated in a variety of television
channels, newspapers, magazines and websites, as a result of fierce competition in
the market. These advertisements may have a negative impact on their audience
as people start to purchase unnecessary products. To prevent this from happening,
the authorities should take some definite actions, such as exercising stricter
censorship on all forms of advertising.
It is highly likely that customers fall victim to companies' advertising campaigns.
This is primarily because large companies often exaggerate the usefulness of a few
small features of their products when advertising. This advertising technique can be
seen in the case of the Apple iPhone Plus smartphone in 2017, which was nearly
identical to its predecessor, except for a slightly faster processor. In an attempt to
gain a competitive advantage over their rival Samsung’s Galaxy S7, Apple’s
marketers used exaggeration to encourage impulsive rather than rational spending.
Censorship is the key to addressing the problem. This can be done by establishing
an authority specialising in vetting all new advertisements. The censorship process
should be stringent enough so that all the extracts that contain any form of
exaggeration are taken out before these advertisements are published. This
exclusion of exaggerated content ensures that no companies can use advertising to
manipulate their customers, and consumers may stop buying the goods they do not
truly need.
In summary, many businesses use advertising to gain an edge over their
competitors rather than to fulfil customers’ needs, which results in people buying
unnecessary goods. The best remedy for this issue is censoring all new
advertisements before airing them in order to safeguard consumers against
overstated information.
The main visitors to museums and historical sites are tourists, not local
people. Why is it the case? What can be done to attract local people to
these places?
Tourists are often drawn to museums and historical locations when visiting new
countries, while local residents are not. This issue is mainly due to the fact that
these places are uninteresting to locals. To make museums and historical sites more
attractive to this group of visitors, the authorities should organise public-oriented
events in these places, and the media should report more about the cultural and
historical values of them.
There are several reasons as to why there are more international tourists than local
people visiting museums and historical places. The first reason is that these
locations can provide visitors with a comprehensive overview of the traditions in the
area they are situated. As a result, such destinations are generally more appealing
to newcomers than to locals, those without the need to familiarise themselves with
the traditional values of the region. Another significant reason is the layout of
museums and historical houses, which is likely to be the same over time and thus
visually unattractive to the local inhabitants, who may have been to these sites at
least once in their younger years.
Several measures can be implemented to raise the attendance rate of locals at
museums and historical sites. An effective solution is to use such places as the
locations for more public-oriented activities, which may change the public’s
perception that these places are only for monotonous activities. The Imperial
Citadel in Hue City, for example, has organised role-playing games about the
history of Vietnam for visitors and attracted thousands of local residents and
international tourists. In addition to this, historians and preservationists should be
featured more frequently in the media to talk about the tremendous worth of
museums and historical remains. An excellent example of this solution is the
frequent appearance of Doctor Le Van Lan, a famous historian, in many educational
television programmes in Vietnam.
In summary, there are a few reasons why historical sites and museums are
uninteresting to local citizens, including the fact that locals might be too familiar
with these places. There are some solutions to encourage more locals to visit such
destinations, such as providing more media coverage on them.
Parents often give children everything they ask for and do what they like.
Is it good for children? What are the consequences when they grow up?
Indulging children has become a common parenting problem in many modern
families. From a short-term perspective, this practice may slow down the process of
children developing essential life skills. From a long-term standpoint, this may
cause a sense of overdependence among children.
In the short term, it is possible that over-indulgence causes some delay to the
process in which children learn important life skills. This can be seen in a variety of
age groups, ranging from toddlers to teenagers. In Vietnam, for example, many
over-caring parents spoon-feed their children until they are five or six, the
developmental stage in which they should have already been able to eat
independently. There is a common practice that parents assist their preadolescent
children in taking a bath or a shower. These children, as a result, may fail to acquire
basic personal hygiene skills at the right time.
In the long run, the consequences are even more dire as over-indulged children
grow up. If parents satisfy all the needs of their children unconditionally, they may
inadvertently make the children become over-reliant on them. When these children
enter adulthood, the inability to live independently can cause some difficulties for
them to maintain their overall well-being, such as not knowing what to do when
they catch a fever. It is also a problem that over-indulgent parents are often lenient
and do not require children to face the consequences of their misbehaviour. This
deprives children of the opportunities to learn from mistakes, which may cause
their problem-solving skills to be severely lacking in the future.
From the issues outlined above, one can conclude that overindulgence may
produce a number of unfavourable effects on children, including the delay in
gaining crucial life skills such as self-feeding and the long-term consequence of
lacking the ability to cope with problems as adults in the future. It is recommended
that no parents should overindulge their offspring.
Nowadays people use bicycles less as a form of transport. Why is that?
What can we do to encourage people to use bicycles more?
Cycling has long been considered an effective way of improving physical health and
reducing the risk of obesity. However, in recent decades, there has been a prevalent
trend for people to use bicycles less to commute. This trend could be ascribed to
the overdependence on motorised vehicles and the shortage of dedicated paths for
bicycles. To address this problem, the government should impose a tax on cars and
motorcycles, and use this money to construct more bicycle lanes.
There are several reasons as to why people hesitate to choose bicycles as a form of
transport. The most prominent reason is the overreliance on modern means of
transport, such as cars and motorbikes, which are faster and thus perceived to be
more suitable for long journeys than bicycles. Another convincing reason is that in
many countries in the world, including Vietnam, there are no dedicated cycling
paths for bicycles. This means that cyclists in these places would have to ride in the
same lane as motor vehicles, which is without doubt a dangerous practice.
To promote the use of bicycles as a means of transport, the government should
adopt both of the following measures. The authorities should first impose a heavy
tax on motor vehicles. This tax would discourage people from using cars and
motorbikes, and encourage them to switch to bicycles, a human-powered land
vehicle. The government should then allocate this tax money to the construction of
cycling paths for citizens. If a system of cycling paths was well-developed, people
would use bicycles more because they may then consider these vehicles a safe and
convenient mode of transport.
In conclusion, the unpopularity of bicycles could be attributed to the
overdependence on modern means of transport and the shortage of designated
cycling paths. To motivate people to cycle more, the authorities should therefore
introduce a tax on cars and motorbikes and expend the money collected from this
tax on constructing dedicated paths for cyclists.
Nowadays celebrities earn more money than politicians. What are the
reasons for this? Is it a positive or negative development?
Lately, some people have noticed a disparity between the income of celebrities and
politicians, with the former group earning more. Several reasons can explain this
situation, and on the whole, I believe that it is a negative development.
The discrepancy between the celebrities and politicians’ earning ability can be said
to stem from the difference in public perception. These days, many celebrities, such
as those working in sports and music, possess great marketability. Not only are they
able to generate income from displaying talent, but they also can leverage their
fame for business revenue from a variety of sources, such as product endorsement
and public appearances. Politicians, in contrast, have to serve their term, and the
ones who display wealth prominently are rarely positively-received, due to the
expectation of them being honest public servants. Both these factors contribute to
a politician’s being limited in the ability to generate income. Consequently,
celebrities can be said to have better earnings than politicians do.
In my opinion, this development is largely negative, despite some optimism. One of
the supposed benefits is that celebrities, with their income and accompanying
status, can be relied on to inspire society. Michael Jordan is the world’s highest paid
athlete of all time, thanks to his success in basketball and commercial earnings, but
after the 9/11 attack, he decided to donate his entire salary from playing basketball
to support those who suffered. Yet, this situation may cause a lack of motivation for
serving the public. If the youths perceive the people’s representatives to be
inadequately compensated, they may shy away from this line of work. This would
deprive the government of a source of energetic workers, and reduce the quality of
public services altogether. Therefore, celebrities having vastly higher incomes than
politicians’ does more harm than good overall.
In conclusion, the public’s different attitudes toward politicians and celebrities has
resulted in such a negative situation. It may give rise to a perception of inequality in
society, which would end up hurting the community. A transparent salary frame
among politicians, in my opinion, should be established, to attract capable
individuals to consider a career in public service.