Topic 101: The children who grow up
in a family short of money are more capable of dealing with problems in adult
life than children who are brought up by wealthy parents. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
Of those elements that bear a considerable influence on
children's personal development, one of the most influential is family
background. There is a perception that the children who grow up in an impoverished family are
more capable of solving problems than those from an affluent family. In my opinion, it might not always
be the case.
One's problem-solving abilities are mainly derived from
the knowledge and experience obtained during his or her adolescence. Not surprisingly, children from poor
families are less likely to maximise their education. First of all, their
parents are unwilling to select a reputable school for them, as tuition fees
can take up a large proportion of family income. Another reason is that
education, in general, requires devoted time and energy, but many children have
to work from an early age in order to supplement their parents' income. Because
of their poor educational background, they do not have specialised knowledge in
solving problems as required in a specific area of work. They are thus at a severe disadvantage in
problem-solving in a working environment.
Another problem that plagues the children from less advantaged backgrounds
is their limited access to financial support and expert guidance. Children with
highly-educated and rich parents are more likely to be better off economically,
not only because they have sufficient financial backup but also because they
can easily seek the support from others, for example, the friends of their
parents, professionals in different occupations. It is true that compared with
disadvantaged children, children from medium or high class families have many
more opportunities to attend social functions
like balls, banquets, and
so forth, where they improve social skills, learn professional etiquettes and
consolidate their social network.
With a larger social network, they are at
an advantage in problem-solving.
As discussed above, while children from a poor
background are normally socially inept
and less knowledgeable, those from middle or upper class families have easy
access to resources. These distinctions corroborate
the assertion that family background has undisputed impacts on children's problem solving
abilities.
1. impoverished
= poor = indigent = destitute = disadvantaged
2. affluent
= wealthy = well-off = financially comfortable
3. adolescence
= teens = teenage years = youth
4. at
a disadvantage-in a weak position = vulnerable = disadvantaged
5. plague
= afflict = trouble = bother = beleaguer = harass
6. function
= gathering = social occasion
7. banquet
= feast = formal meal
8. social
network = social circle
9. at
an advantage = in a strong position = get the upper hand
10. inept
= incompetent = unskilled
11. corroborate
= support = substantiate = back up = uphold
12. undisputed
= undeniable = unquestionable
Topic 102: One's character traits
are strongly influenced by the place where he or she grew up. Discuss the
impacts of an urban environment and those of a rural environment on a child's
character development
It is well acknowledged that healthy growth conditions
in early life are the prerequisite of a child's positive growth patterns. For
this reason, some people are concerned about the impacts of living in rural or
urban areas on a child's character development. Below is an outline of the
potential impacts of a rural or urban environment on a child's personality and
behaviour.
Poverty is one of the main problems in the countryside,
either entrenched or escalating,
leading directly to poor living standards. Because of parents' limited disposable
income, children in rural areas are less likely to receive adequate
child care or comfortable housing than their urban counterparts. These
conditions are crucial to children's physical health and emotional well-being.
Likewise, the soaring abuse and neglect rates in rural families negatively
influence children's character building. Children in rural areas are ready
outlets for their parents, who feel frustrated and depressed in maintaining a
standard of living. Raised in an environment where violence is normal and
consequences of violence are ignored, children might grow up to be individuals
who are less conscious of the rights of others (including family members and
friends) and more likely to use violence.
Another problem is literacy. Low standards of education,
which seem to be a defining characteristic of rural areas, are attributed to a
mixture of factors—lack of public schools, children's early involvement in
income-generating activities and inadequate awareness of education. It is quite
clear that income disparity
between urban and rural families leads to the difference in the access to
education, which has a bearing
on children's characters. While a well-educated child is confident, broad-minded, creative
and cultivated, a poorly-educated child is inhibited, narrow-minded or even boorish.
In spite of the fact that urban children are able to
receive an excellent education, it does not automatically mean that they will
grow up without character flaws. In fact, it seems that they are more
susceptible to bad habits and social evils. Illegal substances are more common
among urban juveniles than among rural adolescents. Uniformity and lifelessness
of outdoor environments is another problem. Garden settings, which are
believed to have a healing
power for people living under great pressure, are rare in a metropolitan area. By
comparison, children living in the country are more likely to access outdoor
play, a recreation activity that can improve moods and prevent feelings of
isolation.
Based on the points outlined above, I believe that
environment has a direct bearing on children's character development. Poverty
and illiteracy are two common features of rural areas and can contribute to
children's negative characters. By contrast, children from urban areas are more
likely to feel pressured and isolated, which can trigger erratic behaviour.
1. entrenched
= well-established = ingrained = deep-rooted
2. escalating
= rising = swelling = getting bigger
3. disposable
= used at will
4. disparity
= difference - discrepancy
5. bearing
= influence = effect = impact = relevance
6. broad-minded
= tolerant = open-minded
7. narrow-minded
= bigoted = prejudiced
8. boorish
= ill-mannered = impolite = loutish = coarse = crude = vulgar
9. uniformity
= sameness
10. lifelessness
= dullness = insipidness = dreariness
11. healing
= curative = remedial therapeutic
12. metropolitan
= urban = municipal
Topic 103: Do you think it is good
to push students to study hard in their youth?
High expectations for children are nothing new in
today's society. It leads to the tendency to push children to study harder and
harder. In my opinion, the connection
between effort and achievement is quite obvious and should not be denied.
As children grow older, they are more capable of learning
more and the amount of time they spend in studying should increase
correspondingly. Hard work can raise the odds
of success by increasing their knowledge (both general and specialised), improving
their abilities and expanding their skill set. All are essential to their
success later in life. Without the full commitment
to schoolwork, students might end up with struggling with Jailing school
performance and even dropping out of the school.
Full engagement in schooling also matches the trends of
a modern society. To succeed in today's challenging economy, young people need
advanced skills in core subjects like English, math and science, as well as the
ability to use computers, solve problems effectively, think critically and work
in teams. It appears that most students lack motivation to study and their
attention can be diverted easily by such distractions
as video games. Without an unmistakable
message delivered to them that academic achievement is what makes them
survive in this competitive world, they will not learn as much as their ability
and effort permits.
Despite the great value of hardworking, one should bear
in mind the fact that students of all ages need time to play and relax. They
should be given freedom to develop their hobbies and encouraged to dabble in
different activities, so they can learn in depth about the world, explore ideas
and soothe themselves.
Children's tolerance for
stress is another noteworthy issue. Failing to cope with stress might disable
students from maintaining their interest in studying. A prolonged period of
learning is disruptive to children's learning outcomes, distancing students
from critical thinking and turning them into rote learners.
From what has been discussed, studying hard is critical
to a student's success, helping him or her acquire more knowledge in his or her
youth and leading him or her to focus on schoolwork. However, the balance
between work and relaxation should be considered in equal measure. Parents and
teachers are advised to help children design their timetables scientifically in
case that they are fed up with
studying.
1. connection
= correlation = relationship = link
2. odds
= chance = probability = likelihood
3. specialised
= particular = specific = focused
4. commitment
= dedication = devotion
5. distraction
= diversion
6. unmistakable
= clear = unambiguous = clear-cut
7. soothe
= comfort = appease = pacify
8. tolerance
= forbearance = acceptance
9. rote
learner = learner who learns things by repeating them
10. fed
up with = tired of = bored with
Topic 104: Some people argue that
it is good for children to stay away from their families and go to a boarding
school. Others suggest that children live with their families and attend a day
school. What is your opinion?
Many
parents expect their children to live at home until college. However, there are
occasions on which parents have to send their children to a boarding school, an
educational institution not only giving educational instruction but also
providing food and lodging.
A boarding school, as an alternative to a day school, has its advantages
and disadvantages, as outlined below.
The
boarding school option means early separation from parents. For this reason, a
student's self-reliance and independence are both bolstered. Living away from home, students have to
make most of daily decisions by themselves. They have to adjust to another set
of new circumstances and surroundings, which is a good opportunity for them to
exercise a variety of skills, such as social skills. Rather than depending on
their parents, students have to do the laundry themselves, manage their diets,
and keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. They are more self-disciplined than those who attend day schools.
In
addition, there is no denying that to many parents, a boarding school provides
a choice that merits particular
attention, and sometimes, the sole option. Geographic relocation, for example, presents a problem of
educational continuity. Because
of their career, parents might have to resettle in a neighbourhood where
schooling facilities are inadequate. A boarding school is the best option to
them, as it protects children from the influence of frequent relocations. It
also suits those families where parents are so devoted to their work that they
fail to bear care responsibilities.
Although
boarding schools succeed in satisfying the needs of some families, opponents
are concerned about their mixed impacts on children's development. For example,
their intervention on children's academic years appears to be excessive. Extracurricular
programmes occupy children's free time and children are required to obey a
large number of rules, most of which are stringent
and redundant. Any minor mistake can engender
punishment or even expulsion.
Without permission, students
cannot go outside defined school bounds It is no exaggeration to say that
children are virtually living in an isolated world.
From what has been discussed, one
can observe that a boarding school has its position in a fast-paced society,
assisting children to enhance their independence and undertaking care
responsibilities as a replacement of parents, although students might
have to face limited contact with their families, communities and the loss of
freedom.
1. lodging
= accommodation = temporary housing
2. bolster
= boost
3. self-disciplined
= temperate = moderate
4. merit
= deserve
5. relocation
= repositioning = moving = resettlement
6. continuity
= stability
7. stringent
= strict = rigorous = rigid = inflexible
8. engender
= provoke = cause = bring out
9. expulsion
= exclusion = discharge = kicking out
10. without
permission = without authorisation
Topic 105: People tend to believe
that all young adults should undertake a period of unpaid work for the good of
the community. Do you agree or disagree?
In recent years, it has become more and more common for
societies to encourage and organise young people to work as volunteers for
non-profit organisations and the community. Community service has even been
proposed as a requirement for graduation in some middle schools. There is a lot
of opposition to "mandatory" volunteer work, a term which seems to be
self-contradictory. I agree that the voluntary participation of youths is
required, but volunteerism is a preferred option to most youngsters in today's
world.
A fact to support volunteerism is that it allows young
people to gain experience and exercise skills, which are beneficial for their
performance in the future workplace. Most of the young workers that are
volunteering have little social experience, as they spend much of their time at
school. Working with others and interacting with people from all social
backgrounds, they can enhance their abilities of problem solving, communication
and teamwork. They are thus better prepared for the public life in the future.
Another benefit of volunteerism is the development of a
young worker's motivation to help others and serve the interest of others without reward, a
spirited fightback against individualism and egoism. A worrying trend in
today's society is that a young adult's motivation is sourced more from individual
interest than from the interest of others. Organising volunteer service on a
large scale, especially among youngsters, can counteract the corrosive effect of this trend.
Youngsters are directed to look after the good
of others and help others without asking for payment or reward. In the long
term, it upholds a sense of community, rebuilds the cohesion among members of community, and reduces distrust that is escalating between
people.
Despite those merits of organised volunteer work,
participants' entire willingness should be guaranteed. Otherwise, they would be
less willing or likely to commit to their work. Instead of enforcing a policy
without consulting young
people in advance, schools can take another approach, showing youngsters the meaningfulness of their
commitment to the local community. If possible, young adults can be given a
range of options so they can choose one that is most helpful for their skill enhancement.
It seems from the above discussion that youngsters
should be encouraged to participate in volunteer work, increasing both skills
and their awareness of the long-run interest of the community in which they
live. If administered well, volunteer work has benefits to both individual
workers and the society as a whole.
1. without
reward = without payment = free of charge = voluntarily
2. counteract
= counter = offset = neutralise
3. good
= interest = benefit
4. cohesion
= unity = solidarity
5. distrust
= disbelief = suspicion
6. escalate
= worsen = intensify
7. consult
= discuss with = seek advice from
8. meaningfulness
= significance
9. enhancement
= improvement
Topic 106: Some people think that
students benefit greatly from going to private secondary schools, but others
assert that private secondary schools have a negative impact on the young
generation and the society alike. Discuss both views.
Parents seem to have ongoing preference for a private
secondary school, although they have to pay extremely high tuitions for their
children. Despite the fact that a private school is very often associated with
quality service, professional teaching staff, competitive courses, and
excellent facilities, critics are concerned about the harmful effects of
private schools on society. The merits and demerits of this
argument will be explored below.
Unarguably, private schools outperform public schools based on their more
flexible and advanced academic and extracurricular programmes. With this distinguishing
advantage, private schools are capable of adjusting their programmes
for students of different levels and assisting them to attain their objectives
individually. Another remarkable quality of a private school is its proficiency
in formulating and
promoting different non-academic programmes, such as group sports and outings
to foster students' physical, emotional and social well-being.
Private schools are also acclaimed as experts in
addressing students' discipline problems. Keen to consolidate its image as an excellent quality
provider, a private school focuses not only on a student's academic performance
but also on their demeanour. For this reason, physical fights, drug use,
bullying and other behaviour problems are less likely to be seen in private
schools. On the other hand, private schools have high entrance requirements and
tuition standards, resulting in relative homogeneity
of students' family background. Students are mainly from medium or high
income families. Upbringing and strict school discipline jointly contribute to
better behaviour of students. It is no wonder that most of private school
students are good-mannered
and have a positive self-image.
Although the position of a private school as a
well-qualified education provider is prominent, it benefits some sections of
school-age populations only. Because of tuition fees, a private school is
accessible only to those who are able to pay, rather than those who are able to
learn. It has denied most
students' access to quality education, potentially causing the gap between rich
and poor to widen.
The arguments presented above have created a dilemma when people
evaluate the effects of a private school on society. On the one hand, the
private school is better than the public school in many aspects, such as
teaching staff, learning environment and facilities. On the other, it tends to
discriminate against students from low income families by maintaining high
tuition fees. While teenagers from high income families continue to benefit
from their social status, those of a lower class suffer enormously from lack of
educational opportunities.
1. demerit
= bad quality
2. outperform
= perform better than = surpass
3. distinguishing
= distinctive = unique
4. formulate
= devise = invent
5. consolidate
= strengthen = secure
6. homogeneity
= sameness
7. good-mannered
= courteous = polite = cultivated = refined = educated
8. deny
= reject = decline = turn down
9. dilemma
= quandary = predicament = impasse
Topic 107: Some people believe that
students who graduate from high school should have one year's time to obtain
work experience before going to university. Do you agree or disagree?
Schooling
plays
an integral part in individual's life. At the end of high school,
students who wish to continue with their education face two probable choices — either
suspend their study for a year to obtain work experience, or go
straight into university. The second choice appears to be more sensible.
Coming fresh out of high school, students do not have a
clear understanding of the harsh
realities of the world. Either in academic background or in work
experience, they are not in a strong position to undertake early employment.
Exposure to an unpredictable and daunting
world will easily cause a sense of frustration and shake their confidence,
both having a devastating effect on their development later in life.
Another problem of early employment is that most young
people are not able to make a correct career decision. Choosing a career
requires sufficient knowledge of one's own strengths, aptitudes and the trends
in the job market. Most young adults, unfortunately, lack such knowledge. Their
initial experience in a job might lead them to jump on a conclusion and devote
themselves to a career without careful consideration. So fast is their fondness for this job
that their affinity to
the job is mostly ephemeral.
It can ruin their entire working lives.
Another noteworthy problem of working is that it might
divert a young adult's attention from his or her previous academic objectives.
If students give up the opportunity of being educated and pursue other ventures,
they will lose their abilities and willpower to learn something carefully
and patiently. The side effect of disengagement from schooling
might not be significant in the first several years, but with age, it will
surely disadvantage them a lot. Before long, disillusioned with early employment, young people
might resolve to resume study
but soon discover that they are not suitable for a learning environment any
more.
It is therefore clear that students should not attempt a
career life once they finish high school's study. Instead they should go to
college directly, and ensure that their future is built on solid foundations,
before exploring what else life has to offer.
1. schooling
= education
2. integral
= vital = central = fundamental
3. suspend
= defer = postpone
4. sensible
= rational = reasonable
5. harsh
= cruel = ruthless
6. daunting
= intimidating = demoralising = discouraging
7. fondness
= affection
8. affinity
= liking
9. ephemeral
= short-lived = transient = fleeting = brief
10. pursue
= practice = engage in
11. venture
= undertaking
12. disengagement
= disconnection = severance
13. disillusioned
= disenchanted = disappointed = disheartened
14. resolve
to = decide to = be determined to
15. resume
= recommence-restart
Topic 108: In order to improve the
quality of education, high school students should be encouraged to evaluate and
criticise their teachers, but others think it will result in loss of respect
and discipline in classroom. What is your opinion?
Teacher appraisal is not a new instrument in improving
teaching performance or developing teacher training. However, when it comes to
inviting the input of students and seeking their comments on teachers'
performance, there is disagreement. Some people object to this practice, saying that it leads to the
loss of respect and discipline. In my opinion, students' participation in
teacher appraisal is definitely helpful, but it should be administrated
properly.
A strong argument
for using student ratings to evaluate teachers is that students' judgement
is reliable and impartial.
Because of their ongoing interaction with teachers throughout the semester,
students have the authority to measure the performance and competence of a
teacher, with the knowledge they have obtained from learning and the stance they have adopted
toward the subject taught A critical analysis of students' feedback enables
teachers to enhance their competence and adjust teaching aims and methods for
better attainment of students' learning objectives.
Students are also concerned about whether the teacher is
fully committed to his
or her job. The value of a teacher is determined as much by competence as by commitment. The school
can therefore assess the performance of a teacher by collecting students'
feedback on some observable
facts, such as a teacher's punctuality
and the legibility of
his or her writing on the board. Teachers who perform poorly are advised to reflect deeply on their teaching
practice, the drawbacks in particular, which is the key to the improvement of
their performance.
Despite those overt advantages of encouraging students'
input, analysis of their input is important and should be handled carefully.
Misinterpretation of students' opinions might leave teachers an inaccurate picture of
their strengths and weaknesses and lead them into a poor judgement about what
they can do to satisfy the needs of their students. It is also important to
guide teachers to perceive the feedback sensibly;
otherwise, they might have feelings powerlessness.
What has been discussed is to support a notion that
students' input provides an important source of data for evaluating teachers,
helping teachers not only to discover their disadvantages but also to make an
improvement.
1. object
to = disapprove of
2. argument
= reason justification
3. impartial
= objective = unbiased = unprejudiced
4. stance
= attitude = position
5. committed
= devoted
6. commitment
= dedication = devotion
7. observable
= apparent
8. punctuality-timekeeping
9. legibility
= readability
10. reflect
on = meditate on = think over
11. inaccurate
= imprecise = erroneous = incorrect
12. sensibly
= wisely = prudently
13. powerlessness
= lack of authority
Topic 109: Schools should teach
children the academic subjects which have a close relationship with their
future careers, so other subjects like music and sports are not important. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
There are many indications that schools have become
increasingly vocation-oriented in recent years, with integrating many
work-based courses in curriculum. Some academics advocate that sport and music
classes should be cancelled in exchange for more academic classes, in an effort
to help students beat other jobseekers. This argument has several strong
elements that deserve attention.
The first is that few employers are interested in a job
applicant's performance as music lover or sports fan. Instead, they are keen to
assess candidates' academic records and professional skills. At a time when
business grows complex and skill-based, the evidence that candidates have
sufficient knowledge relating to their job profession is more capable to
attract the eye of recruiters. A student excelling
in a subject is far more marketable in the job market than one
playing a music instrument adeptly,
or displaying talents in a sport.
Another reason is that students, in most cases, engage
themselves in sports or music spontaneously.
There is no need to formalise their pastimes, when the amount of time they spend
in academic activities is desperately
inadequate. Teenagers and young adults have plenty of energy to expend daily. Even when
heavily loaded with
learning tasks, they exert themselves
for outdoors and group activities. They gather for sport activities and
concerts, but seldom review their textbooks after school. Given these elements,
the top priority for educators is to maximise students' contact with academic
classes at school and to recommend sports and music as extracurricular
activities only.
The above discussion favours a conclusion that sport and
music classes should be cancelled so students are more likely to commit
themselves to academic courses, which are more important to their future
employability.
1. excel
in = do well in = be skilful in
2. adeptly
= adroitly = dexterously = skilfully
3. spontaneously
= impulsively = instinctly
4. desperately
= extremely
5. expend
= release = consume = use = use up
6. loaded
= laden = burdened
7. exert
oneself = work very hard
Topic 110: Today, more school
leavers are unable to find jobs. Discuss the causes of rising unemployment
among young adults and suggest any solutions.
Unemployment is one of the greatest social problems of
our time. The young adults' unemployment is, in particular, a troubling issue preoccupying many governments
across the world. Economic recession or volatility is very often presumed to be the main
reason, but there are some other forces that foster the consistency of young
adults' unemployment, which can be analysed and tackled separately. This essay
will present an overall view of these causes and potential solutions.
The biggest single cause of rising unemployment among
young people is their lack of work experience and qualifications. Fresh from
high school or college, young jobseekers
generally have little, if any, practical experience. Besides, most of the
knowledge they have acquired is from text, which is not satisfactorily
consistent with the general practice in the workplace. This weakness can be fatal at a time when the
market has a strong preference on skilled
and experienced applicants, who are ready to fill vacancies without
requiring any job training. It is also the reason why employers tend to believe
that young candidates possess less value than do those already in the
workforce.
Another cause of high unemployment is placed at the feet
of the youth themselves. Before they reach the working age, young people have
little interaction with the world outside the classroom, and, as a consequence,
they know little of the situation of the labour market. By the time they
graduate, they have an inaccurate picture of the world. It leads to their
exceedingly high occupational and wage aspiration. In addition to remuneration
and financial incentives, young applicants might have other requirements, such
as working environment. It causes them to lose many opportunities to join the
workforce immediately.
Tackling youth unemployment requires the commitment of
both society and youngsters themselves. The government can provide employers
with taxation incentives for recruiting young workers. Low-cost courses,
especially job training courses, should be made available for the young
unemployed. Consultancy services can be provided free of charge, giving youngsters instruction on
job-seeking and helping them make proper adjustment
from school to work.
As suggested above, lack of work experience and
inappropriate attitudes toward employment are two main reasons that account for
youngsters' unemployment. For young people, possibly nothing can be more abrupt than the transition
from school to work. In reducing unemployment, the government should play an
active role and take a number of measures, with the emphasis placed on
improving young people's skills and adjusting their job attitudes.
1. troubling
= worrying = disturbing
2. preoccupy
= obsess = possess = fixate
3. presume
= assume = believe
4. jobseeker
= job applicant = job candidate
5. fatal
= deadly = lethal
6. skilled
= skilful = experienced = competent = :proficient = well-trained
7. free
of charge = at no cost = without charge
8. adjustment
= alteration
9. abrupt
= sudden = unexpected
