Past Essay topics 2008

1. 10-1-2008

Some people think children’s spending time on TV, video and PC games is good, while others think it is bad. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

2. 12-1-2008

Some people think that criminals should be given longer terms in prison, so as to reduce the crime rate. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

3. 19-1-2008

Old generations often hold some traditional ideas on the correct way of life, thinking and behavior. However, some people think that it is not helpful for the young generations to prepare for modern life in the future. What’s your opinion?

4. 26-1-2008

Unemployment is getting increasingly serious in many countries. Some people think students only need to get primary education, while others think secondary education is necessary. What’s your opinion

5. 2-2-2008

Some people think people can exploit animals for any purpose they need, while others do not think so. What is your opinion?

6. 14-2-2008

An increasing number of people choose to live in big cities. What problems will this bring about? Should the government encourage people to live in small towns?

7. 16-2-2008

An American film actor once said,“Tomorrow is important and precious.”Some people think individuals and society should pay more attention to the future than to the present. Do you agree or disagree?

8. 23-2-2008

Some people think imported food exerts positive impacts on our lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

9. 1-3-2008

Schools offer a wide range of courses such as physical education, music, economics, philosophy, math, English，geography, physics and history. Among all these subjects, which one do you think is the most important and which one is the least important?

10. 8-3-2008

The number of cars keeps increasing, so road systems should be expanded. Some people think the government should pay for it, while others think the car owners should pay for it. What’s your opinion?

11. 13-3-2008

People should look after their health as a duty to the society they live in rather than personal benefits. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

12. 29-3-2008

Some people think government should ensure the healthy lifestyle. of people, but others argue that it should be decided by individuals. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

13. 5-4-2008

Aircraft uses more fuel than cars and produces more pollution. Some people suggest the non-essential use of aircraft like international travel should be discouraged. Do you agree or disagree?

14. 12-4-2008

More working people are busy with work and have no enough time to spend with their family and friends. Why does this happen? What are the effects on family life and society as a whole?

15. 19-4-2008

Figures show that some countries have an ever-increasing proportion of the population who are aged 15 or younger. What do you think are the current and future effects of this trend for those countries?

16. 24-4-2008

Teachers used to convey information, but now with wide resources of information, there is no role for teachers to play in modern education. Do you agree or disagree

17. 10-5-2008

Some children can learn efficiently by watching TV. Therefore, they should be encouraged to watch TV both at home and at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

18. 22-5-2008

Some people think that schools should concentrate on academic classes, because they are helpful for future career. But they think music and sports classes are not useful. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

19. 31-5-2008

Some people argue that the fittest and strongest individuals and teams can achieve the greatest success in sports. But other people think the success is much related to the mental attitude. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

20. 5-6-2008

Some people think that university students should specialize in one subject, while others think universities should encourage students to learn a rang of subjects. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

21. 14-6-2008

Some people think the cheap air flight gives ordinary people more freedom. However, others think the cheap air flight should be banned because it pollutes the air and brings many other problems. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

22. 21-6-2008

Some people think that children should obey rules or do what their parents and teachers want them to do, but others think that children controlled too much cannot deal with problems well by themselves. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

23. 28-6-2008

With technology speeding up, more and more young people begin to use mobile phones and the Internet, but old people have little chance to be exposed to them.What ways could mobile phone and the Internet be useful to old people? How do old people be encouraged to use this new technology?

24. 5-7-2008

Some people think students should learn more practical courses like computer, but others think they should learn more about theoretical courses like geography and mathematics. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

25. 12-7-2008

Some people support development of agriculture, like factory farming and scientific creation of fruits and vegetables, while others oppose. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

26. 24-7-2008

Some people think that in the modern society individuals are becoming more dependent on each other，while others say that individuals are becoming more independent of each other. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

27. 26-7-2008

Some people think the main benefit of international cooperation is in protection of the environment, while others think that the main benefit is in the world business. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

28. 9-8-2008

The government should encourage industries and business to move out of big cities and into regional areas. To what extent do you think the advantages outweigh disadvantages?

29. 16-8-2008 Some people think that media should not report detail of crimes to the public. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

30. 21-8-2008

International travel makes people prejudiced rather than broad-minded. What are its causes and what measures can be taken to solve this problem?

31. 30-8-2008

Some people think that students should be organized into groups to study, while others argue that students should be made to study alone. What are the benefits of each study method and which one do you think is more effective?

32. 6-9-2008

Once children start school, teachers have more influences on their intellectual and social development than parents. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

33. 13-9-2008

Many people think it is important to protect the environment, but they make no effort on it themselves. Why is it and what your opinion?

34. 13-9-2008

Some people think that criminals should not be imprisoned. Instead, education and job training should replace the former to deal with criminals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

35. 27-9-2008

Poor students or students who come from rural areas often find it is difficult to get access to the university education, so some people think universities should make it easier for them to study at . To what extent do you agree or disagree?

36. 11-10-2008

Society is based on rules and laws. If individuals were free to do whatever they want to do, it could not function. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

37. 23-10-2008

Many people use distance-learning programs to study at home，but some people think that it cannot bring the benefit as much as attending college or university. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

38. 25-10-2008

Some people think that economic progress is the only way to measure a country’s success, while others think that there are other factors which can be used to measure a country’s success. What are these factors? And among them, which one is more important than others?

39. 8-11-2008

More and more people now choose to wear the fashionable clothes. Why is it? What are the positive and negative effects does this trend impose on the society?

40. 15-11-2008

More and more people work at home and study at home with the development of computer technology. Do you think it is positive or negative development?

41. 20-11-2008

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?

42. 29-11-2008

Some people think modern games can help children to develop wide range of skills, but other people argue that traditional games can be much better for developing such skills. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

43. 4-12-2008

Because of the global economy, many goods including what we use as daily basic produced by other counties have to be transported for a long distance. To what extent do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

44. 6-12-2008

Memorization of information by frequent repetition, namely rote learning, plays a role in many education systems. To what extent do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

45. 13-12-2008

Some people believe that a country can benefit a lot from university education, while others believe that sending a large percentage of young students to go to university is the way leading to unemployment. Discuss both views and give your opinion.