Task 2

1 In most countries, fast food is becoming cheaper and more available Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? Sample: It is widely witnessed that fast food is becoming more and more popular in many countries I hold the belief that the drawbacks of this development are far more significant than the benefits involved The fact that the prices of fast food are reducing and its availability is increasing Having more affordable fast food options available bring many benefits to both individuals as well as the society Delicious foods are offered at low prices and delivered in a short amount of time Some chains, like McDonald's, have opened several drive-through restaurants selling foods less than one dollar, so people no longer need to leave their car This can allow people to save money and time, which is suitable for working people with a busy schedule On the societal level, when more people go to fast-food outlets for their regular meals, fast food businesses can quickly expand and thus increase the sales volumes This expansion of fast food chains might create more job opportunities for local people and result in higher employment rates Despite the aforementioned benefits, this trend can have several major downsides Chief of these is that traditional dinners that serve as a bonding activity among family members in the past are now less common as a result of the growth of fast food Long-term negative effects on family dietary patterns may result from this trend Another reason worth mentioning is that eating too much fast food may actually increase one’s chance of developing a wide range of chronic conditions, such as diabetes or obesity Additionally, chemical components included in convenience food, such as saturated fat and food coloring, can hasten this process In conclusion, the fact that fast food is becoming much more affordable and popular can bring certain benefits for some individuals and the economy However, I believe that this development is more disadvantageous due to the negative effects on familial bonds and health 2 International travel is becoming cheaper, and countries are opening their doors to more and more tourists Do the advantages of increased tourism outweigh the disadvantages? These days, traveling oversea is becoming more affordable Meanwhile, many countries are conducting new approaches to prompt more visitors Even though there are still disadvantages to this trend, I think its values are more remarkable On the one hand, the drawbacks of opening for foreigners are varied To begin with, it is that the local environment can be affected due to the fast development of facilities and infrastructures For instance, in Vietnam, many travel companies are permitted to cut down a great area of forests to build modern commodities such as hotels and golf courses, causing extremely bad problems for natural habitats In addition, the increase in costs of living may press on local people as well as domestic travel This is because the growth in the number of visitors would push the costs of vacancies and other traveling services However, there are some benefits of international travel that can overshadow those analysed disadvantages Firstly, the regional economy can gain some benefits from the growth of the tourism industry because more positions will be created to accommodate the needs of tourists As a result, the locals can have more job opportunities in the traveling field and earn more money to improve their living standards Secondly, the increased number of foreign people visiting another country would enhance tourism industries, contributing significantly to the wealth of that country If those enjoy their trips, that destination can be recommended worldwide in the future In conclusion, from all the reasons mentioned above, it seems that the merits of international tourism are more significant than its drawbacks 3 Accommodation and transport problems are increasing in many large cities Businesses are encouraged to move to rural areas Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Các vấn đề về chỗ ở và giao thông đang gia tăng ở nhiều thành phố lớn Các doanh nghiệp được khuyến khích di chuyển về khu vực nông thôn Ưu điểm có nhiều hơn nhược điểm không? With increasing population and urbanization, accommodation and transport problems have become major issues in many large cities To overcome these issues, many governments are encouraging businesses to move to rural areas While this may have some advantages, it can also have some disadvantages which I believe outweigh the advantages On the one hand, moving businesses to rural areas can have several advantages Firstly, it can reduce the pressure on the existing infrastructure of large cities This can lead to better accommodation and transport facilities for residents With fewer businesses and workers in the city, there will be fewer cars on the road, reducing the time and stress associated with commuting Secondly, moving businesses to rural areas can create employment opportunities for the local people These companies can create jobs in transportation, logistics, and other supporting industries As a result, this can help to reduce unemployment and poverty in rural areas On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to moving businesses to rural areas First and foremost, businesses may face difficulties in finding skilled labor Rural areas typically have smaller populations, and therefore, a smaller pool of skilled workers This can make it difficult for businesses to find workers with the necessary skills and qualifications, leading to a shortage of qualified workers, thereby reducing the efficiency of the business Adding to this, moving businesses to rural areas can increase the cost of transportation and logistics Rural areas are further away from major transportation hubs, and the roads may not be as well-maintained compared to urban areas This can make it more challenging and costly to transport products In conclusion, while there are some advantages of moving businesses to rural areas, ultimately, I believe that the disadvantages outweigh these as reducing costs is the most important thing for businesses, and a thriving economy is more important than less congested cities 4 “In some countries, more and more adults are continuing to live with their parents even after they have completed education and found jobs Do the advantages 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 5 In many cities, there is little control on the design and construction of new houses Some people think that people can choose to build houses in their own styles instead of building them with the same style as the old house style in local areas Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Bài viết tham khảo: Some people are of the opinion that they should have freedom of choice when it comes to designing their own houses, and that they should not be restricted to any former local styles Although freedom in architecture can be beneficial in fostering diversity, too much leeway in building houses would greatly spoil the overall landscape of the local area and therefore I believe this is more likely to be a negative development Free house design is, to a certain extent, a good way of promoting diversity City skylines, for example, would be more interesting to look at if there are buildings and houses with different shapes and sizes Furthermore, people from different societal backgrounds see houses as manifestations of personalities, wealth, and societal positions Mansions of the rich, exotic houses of those who are artistic all combine with other normal-looking ones to form a melting pot of creativity However, I would not consider an area whose houses are built without any regard to the nature of the surroundings beautiful Having different styles of houses co-existing in one place can be an architectural disaster rather than a welcome innovation Ho Chi Minh City is a case in point; ugly buildings not aligned in style with other structures in the city have been erected for years, leaving the historic parts of the city messily mingled with the concrete jungle of brick houses and skyscrapers Architectural homogeneity, on the other hand, often brings aesthetic appeals to the local landscape The beauty of ancient towns, for example, comes from the uniformity and harmony in terms of architectural design In conclusion, my firm conviction is that new houses should be better built in a similar fashion to the other buildings in the area 6 Đề bài: In many countries, plastic containers have become more common than ever and are used by many food and drink companies Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Bài viết tham khảo: Plastic containers and cutleries are becoming a ubiquitous part of the eating- out experience However, I do think that the disadvantages of using plastic in the food and drink industries outweigh the advantages of doing so On the one hand, using plastic is convenient for both street vendors and consumers Most plastic containers can be discarded after a single-use, eliminating the need to wash them Moreover, plastic does not break easily in contrast to glass containers, making them easier to carry around Another reason is that plastic containers and cutleries are dirt cheap to produce Because the materials needed to synthesize plastics are readily available, most plastic containers are at a lower price than their alternatives, especially in bulk On the other hand, however, using plastics to store food can pose both a health and an environmental risk Firstly, most plastic containers end up in the ocean, which will damage marine life Fish can swallow these plastic cutleries, cannot digest them, and thus die Plastic is also detrimental to landfills as they decompose relatively slowly, leading to landfill overloads Secondly, consuming food and drinks using plastic can be harmful Plastics are known to melt and release toxic compounds when heated, so they should not be used to store hot foods Another concern is that some plastics contain carcinogens This means that consumers are at a higher risk of developing cancer In conclusion, convenience and low prices are reasons why people use plastics to store food and drinks However, I think that the disadvantages of plastic to the environment and consumers’ health far overweigh the advantages of plastics 7 Đề bài: Nowadays, a lot of offices have open-space designs instead of separate rooms Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Bài viết tham khảo: Many modern offices are now adopting open spaces in lieu of separate working areas for employees While some would say that such a setting can heighten the level of distraction as well as pose risks to employees’ health, I contend that the fostering of closer collaboration among colleagues and reducing costs outweigh the disadvantages Open-space offices can result in more distractions which consequently affect productivity and health Owing to a lack of private space, employees often have to contend with distractions, such as nearby conversations and co- workers congregating These diversions may cause them to lose focus and engagement in their work Furthermore, employees can potentially suffer from poorer health in an open-space office As they are situated closer together, it gives various pathogens ample opportunity to spread and maximise the potential rate of infection This can lead to increased absences from work, which in turn may negatively affect overall productivity However, open-space offices engender better social relations and cost less Having an open office can reduce construction and utility expenses as well as the need for office equipment All employees can share equipment and resources such as printers and stationery Open-space offices can also engender closer communication and teamwork between workers Such an environment makes it easier for them to exchange ideas and fosters greater inclusion Since most businesses thrive on innovation, having all employees in a single space can help those ideas to flow faster and get everyone involved in the process In conclusion, despite the disadvantages related to loss of concentration and adverse risks to health, I would assert these are outweighed by how such a setup can stimulate closer collaboration between employees and reduce costs In the near future, it is likely offices with separate rooms will be completely phased out in favour of open offices 8 Đề bài: Some people say patriotism causes problems and is negative overall Others feel that it is beneficial for society at large Do the advantages of patriotism outweigh its disadvantages? Certain individuals are of the opinion that issues may occur once people become patriotic, especially in extreme cases, which is regarded as an adverse tendency However, another school of thought opines that it is worthy and advantageous to show national loyalty I think that the demerits of this tendency are eclipsed by its benefits To begin with, patriotism at its most extreme could be regarded as problematic due to its detrimental impacts on economic and social aspects With regard to the former, the loyalty that one may express towards their country is attached to a feeling of superiority over other countries This causes an obstruction in international trade as people regard others from different nations as inferiors; thus, there is no attempt to be made in commercing and exchanging goods worldwide Turning to the second idea, it is true that in the modern-day, while every nation enjoys equal standing on a global scale, any country putting itself on a pedestal is detrimental to mutual connectivity and often leads to conflict as well as social exclusion of other minorities Such practice, in extreme cases, maybe the primary cause of terrorism around the globe However, despite the aforementioned drawbacks, I think that patriotism can be favorable in terms of promoting solidarity and enhancing national independence Firstly, patriotism plays a crucial role in uniting people living in the same country The majority of citizens, undeniably, would value communal senses, and eventually, national unity could be obtained In this case, patriotism can be supposed as a means of protection which safeguards the country from outside terrorists Furthermore, without national unity, one country may have to accept unfavorable trading conditions that can be dictated by another country Thus, it is of paramount importance for a nation to stay independent to avoid adverse effects For instance, authorities should be aware of the number of goods produced within the country to minimize imported products and consequently be under no control In conclusion, although I acknowledge that patriotism, on extreme levels, may be detrimental to a global economy and society, I think that its benefits including enhancing unity and national independence are more considerable 9 Đề bài: In some countries, schools are teaching foreign languages for primary school children Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? Bài viết tham khảo: Many educational institutions at the elementary level in certain nations include non-native languages as a compulsory subject in their curriculum Despite the disadvantages involved, I am of the opinion that this development is generally more favorable One of the main disadvantages is that implementing non-native languages in elementary education programs may create considerable pressure on young learners The reason for this is that many students nowadays already have a burdensome volume of schoolwork and a hectic curriculum to follow, they would find it challenging to have spare time if one more subject is added to their already tight schedule For example, when a primary state school in Japan introduced a new scheme of forcing students to learn foreign languages, it raised a number of objections from parents as they voiced their concern over the paramount amount of stress their children have to suffer from Nevertheless, I would argue that teaching foreign languages to primary school students is more beneficial in terms of developing their intellectual faculties and improving their future employability It is true that the acquisition of a new language at the beginning level promotes frequent exposure to diverse and unique cultures Such experience allows children to gain an enormous wealth of knowledge about others' customs and lifestyles as well as develop an acute awareness of other exotic people Furthermore, foreign languages are undoubtedly a crucial tool to open more job opportunities Employers in certain sectors have a tendency to recruit applicants who demonstrate exceptional linguistic competence, which suggests that students possessing expert language skills are more inclined to have chances to work in various fields such as interpretation, diplomacy, aviation, etc In conclusion, although children have to face pressure from studying more lingual subjects in their very early years of life, the integration of foreign languages in primary school's curriculum has paved the way for enhancing students' capability and career prospects Therefore, I hold the belief that the advantages of this development clearly overshadow the drawbacks involved 10 People are surrounded by advertising, which has an increasing effect on our lives Do you think the positive effects of this outweigh the negative effects? Sample Speaking: These days, the extensive reach of advertising is hardly escapable, to the point that people may find themselves surrounded by commercial promotions every waking moment This situation does produce certain positive effects, but from my point of view, they would be overshadowed by undesirable impacts The productive points are largely related to business and commerce The pervasiveness of commercials makes delivering personalized advertisements to potential customers possible, hence expediting their shopping experience When a person texts their friends about planning a picnic, they might later see their social media feed filled with offers for camping supplies The campers would, therefore, have an easier time obtaining items needed for their trip Moreover, the ubiquity of advertisements even informs people of products that they have yet to realize are necessary While many office workers complain about spine and neck problems from the sedentary lifestyle, some do find a relief for their predicament, after coming across ads about ergonomic chairs or neck pillows, and buying these products In a way, this is a more significant advantage than the first, for it allows businesses to tap into new customer bases However, the fact that advertising is allowed to become widespread does not happen without disadvantages to people’s lives Informational overload from oversaturation of commercial promotions is a rather understandable result, one which opens the door to negative impacts When a person browses the Internet for research, the appearance of advertisements could potentially disrupt their flow, or worse, distract them from the information they originally need Students would be able to attest to this, for many a studying session has been derailed by midway seeing ads and wanting to make purchases This, in my opinion, hampers productivity greatly, and offsets the possible benefits offered by the ubiquity of advertisements The current situation where advertising is pervasive in people’s lives, while not necessarily having as many drawbacks as it does advantages, is hardly desirable, seeing how the benefits are significantly outweighed by the negative impacts If such a circumstance cannot be effectively alleviated, it would be necessary to come up with measures to lessen the detrimental effects 11 Some people think that young people should be required to do unpaid work helping people in the community Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? It is not uncommon to see adolescents and young adults working to provide help to their communities Perhaps due to this, some people have proposed policy where youths are obliged to perform this service to society without being paid This arrangement, despite seemingly advantageous in certain aspects, actually possesses drawbacks that, in my opinion, would overshadow the benefits A typical conclusion that may be cited by proponents of compulsory unpaid community work is that young people, by devoting their effort to aiding others, could enlighten themselves on the significance of helping the community Hence, when neighborhood service becomes a widely- propagated movement among the young population thanks to legal mandate, a generation's worth of people of age could be instilled with humanitarian values such as selflessness and altruism, paving the way to forging compassionate society It should, moreover, not be forgotten that when the youth's labor is guaranteed to be channeled into helping people in the populace, the lives of the less fortunate will undoubtedly be uplifted Social welfare and happiness will rise, as a result Because of these advantages, a plan to require unsalaried youth community service by law could seem like an enticing proposal to some However, there are drawbacks if such as cheme comes to fruition It should be understood that the time of certain young people will be wasted; to the ones with entrepreneurial spirit, for example, being compelled to perform unpaid community service would subject them to a loss of income Disaffected youths might even cheat to avoid having to do this sort of work, diminishing any positive effects Man dating, additionally, would require legislation to create additional public offices responsible for community service Expanding governmental authority this way is likely to bloat the executive branch, while diverting taxpayer money away from more pressing concerns, such as improving public education quality or protecting strategic interests, in the process The aforementioned pitfalls belong to a higher order of issues, and hence, could very much outweigh any advantage produced In conclusion, I stand by my belief that the benefits of obligating the young to serve others in the community without pay are eclipsed by its drawbacks This sort of service should remain voluntary and never be made mandatory 12 In today's world, private companies rather than the government pay for and conduct most scientific research Do you think the advantages outweigh disadvantages? In recent years, it has been a common practice for private organizations, rather than the state, to invest in and carry out most scientific research One may contend that this development overall has numerous benefits, as long as the authority can keep check on the moral and ethical codes of all involved parties The most overwhelming advantage that private companies have over the government in handling researches is efficiency While state- sponsored projects are often bogged down by bureaucracy and red tapes, private activities are executed with utmost urgency and precision because any delay would severely affect the expected financial returns As a result, scientific breakthroughs and innovations can happen at a much greater pace under the management of the private sector A perfect example is the finding of the vaccine for viral diseases such as the COVID-19 pandemic Large corporates like Johnson and Johnson or Pfizer have made leaps and bounds in preliminary trials to cut down the expected development time from five years to just above one year By comparison, the U.S government's plan for a SARS vaccine has been around for over a decade, yet nothing significant has materialized In addition, the private sector can raise and provide funding for researches far beyond the capability of any nation.In most countries around the world, the government's budget is currently stretched to their limits with massive spendings on education, healthcare, pension, and defense Without money from private companies, not many scientific initiatives can be carried out, and the technological advancement of humankind will come to a standstill This effect can clearly be seen in humanity's quest for conquering Mars as a second home No major progress was made until the appearance of SpaceX, a startup of genius billionaire Elon Musk, and it's one of a kind reusable rocket propellers Now, humans are expected to colonize Mars by 2040 However, all said advantages are conditional upon the strict surveillance of the authority of private actions As companies are primarily profit-driven, there are certain moral hazards when it comes to carrying out research and experiments Any cost-cutting measure can potentially create exponential risks to the communities Revisiting the example of vaccine development, if companies neglect investments on safety procedures and the contained viruses escape, the world will face grimmer consequences than the current outbreak In conclusion, it is strongly advisable that the private sector takes charge of paying and conducting scientific research due to the superiority in productivity and funding The government, nevertheless, must be vigilant and take an active role in overseeing all such actions to ensure no foul play 13 It is suggested that primary school children should learn how to grow vegetables and keep animals Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? In the age of technological dominance, some people, quite interestingly, propose a retro teaching style for primary children: instructing them on vegetable and animal caring From my perspective, albeit some obvious advantages, they will be eclipsed by this educational method's considerable disadvantages On the bright side, lessons on vegetable and animal caring can bring certain benefits to primary students The first rationale is that this educational approach effectively teaches them about essential life skills for self-sufficiency Growing vegetables and raising animals are practical skills that can accompany students throughout their life Therefore, should they learn these skills at a young age, self-sufficiency will become a simpler task for primary students upon adulthood Furthermore, learning these skills instils a sense of responsibility among primary pupils Taking care of vegetables and animals requires tremendous agriculture-related knowledge and efforts, which can be done by a genuine sense of responsibility from the grower Therefore, upon the learning process, schoolchildren will be moulded in conscientious citizens for the society who readily take accountability for their works On the flip side, however, these merits will be significantly outweighed by the demerits, one of which is the hurdle in facility method provisions for this teaching Agriculture-related skills call for actual live animals and fertile land areas in order for students to truly understand what is entailed in the process of vegetable and animal caring This poses an arduous predicament to most primary schools, especially in urban areas because the above facilities are difficult to establish in city settings What is an even more glaring drawback is the dubious application of these farming skills in real life As the world progresses towards the technology-driven era, most students will adopt a more technology-related career orientation, which makes these skills appear to little avail for their future Also, vegetables and livestock products are easily available; therefore, primary students will consider learning to grow vegetables and keeping animals are dundant task or even a distractor to their study In conclusion, although learning to grow vegetables and keep animals may seem a novel idea with certain benefits, its drawbacks are so considerable that it is worth a second thought Therefore, these skills should only be optional at primary schools since students' long-term personal development is still given precedence 14 It is suggested that primary-level children should learn how to grow vegetables and keep animals Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? (Có ý kiến cho rằng học sinh tiểu học nên được dạy về cách trồng cây và nuôi động vật Bạn có nghĩ rằng việc này mang lại nhiều ích lợi hơn bất lợi không?) There is a debate on whether school children, especially those in the primary years, should be encouraged to plant trees and vegetables as well as raise animals Although I see potential negative effects from this, the benefits still outweigh the disadvantages There are two worth-concerning issues when vegetables and animals are cared after by young citizens, including health risks and the need for sufficient facilities Firstly, children’s safety might not be guaranteed when coming into contact with certain types of animals and vegetables because some of which naturally contain lethal pathogens Some kids may be allergic to animals’ fur or feathers, leading to a threat of respiratory distresses when physical contacts take place Secondly, a range of wherewithal is required to nurture those plants and feed those animals well The irrigation and captive systems have to be put into work effectively to maximize productivity Understandably, the complexity of those facilities may pose a big challenge to manage for children Regardless, the difficulties discussed above should not be seen as significant obstacles to restrict children from flora and fauna caring, due to the advantages related to awareness of a readily available source of food at home, a heightened sense of responsibility, and a stronger set of life skills Children learning to grow vegetables and care for animals may see these experiences useful for their well-being, leading to better health guaranteed foremost, compared to a consumption of food grown commercially that is chemically fertilized Other greater benefits can also come from the cultivation of valuable virtues Specifically, children in the primary school ages may hone their sense of duty and patience, both of which are certainly useful in later life regardless of their occupation or lifestyle To conclude, the potential risks to let children raise plants and animals must not be underestimated but the positive effects are very clear through encouraging our youngsters to have experience with nature 15 Nowadays, more people move away from their friends and families for work Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Living away from kins is the sole choice of certain people who long for working to make ends meet This essay argues that the drawbacks are eclipsed by the benefits involved because despite potential emotional breakdown, this practice ensures stable income and developed intellectual faculties The idea of looking for employment in an unfamiliar place can be disadvantageous in terms of the mental distress that individuals may suffer Obviously, tremendous pressure from work and a lack of support from all relatives resulted in the tendency of hiding one's inner feelings, whose long- term effect would do more harm than good to his or her mental health An extreme example of this is the alarming rate of Japanese young adults committing suicide since they are usually overwhelmed by heavy workloads but have no companion to confide in Notwithstanding the aforementioned arguments, I would argue that the benefits of being job-seekers to living far away from their homeland are of greater importance partly because of decent earnings and partly because of chances to grow With regard to the former, this relocation provides more opportunities for workers to be employed in their favorable fields and suitable positions Thus, they would probably be offered competitive salaries and good benefits Concerning the second advantage, changing temporary residence according to workplace offers frequent exposure to local unique culture and customs There is a high possibility that this practice would likely enhance one's mentality and broaden his or her horizons as well To recapitulate, although some people may withstand mental suffering when not living in close proximity to families and friends for the sake of searching for a source of livelihood, this practice provides individuals with wage stability, and ample opportunities to be advanced Therefore, I hold the belief that the advantages of this development clearly overshadow the drawbacks involved 16 Some teachers think that international student exchange would be beneficial for all teenage school students Do you think its advantages will outweigh the disadvantages? It is believed by some teachers that all teenage school students would benefit a great deal from foreign exchange programmes Despite some drawbacks of this idea, I think that the benefits are more significant On the one hand, there are a number of major disadvantages when teenage students decide to engage in international exchange projects The first drawback is culture shock Exchange students might be faced with unfamiliar customs and different beliefs, which could easily lead to misunderstanding, tension and conflicts It may be difficult for them to concentrate entirely on their studies when they are struggling to adapt to the new culture Another disadvantage is that many students are unable to followtheir international learning programmes, leading to undesirable academic outcomes Some of my friends, for example, have to re-sit the exams or have difficulties catching up with their lectures due to poor language skills In my opinion, however, the benefits that such programmes bring to students are far more significant than the drawbacks Firstly, exchange students are given the opportunity to meet different people from all over the world and learn a range of skills that they might not have a chance to learn if studying in their home country For instance, they can develop their social skills by sharing their experiences with other exchange students and get a deeper insight into the culture by immersing themselves in the local community Another benefit is that living in a different country helps exchange students become more independent This is because without daily support from their parents, these students have to learn to cook, clean, manage their budgets and make their own decisions In conclusion, althought exchange students might have difficulties in adapting to the new culture and following international school curriculums, I believe that the benefits of international exchange programmes do outweigh those drawbacks 17 It is common practice for some students to take a gap year after graduating high school to work and/or travel Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Taking a gap year has become a popular option for many students after graduating high school In my opinion, while taking a gap year has its own set of disadvantages, the advantages outweigh them In this essay, both advantages and disadvantages will be discussed, and I will explain my opinion further On the one hand, taking a gap year can provide many benefits for students First of all, it can help them to gain valuable work experience and develop important life skills, such as communication, time management, and problem-solving Secondly, travel can broaden their horizons and expose them to new cultures and ways of life, helping them to become more open-minded and adaptable Finally, taking a gap year can also provide students with a much-needed break from the academic pressures of high school, allowing them to recharge and return to their studies with renewed energy and motivation On the other hand, taking a gap year also has its own set of disadvantages For example, it can be expensive, particularly if students are traveling to foreign countries or pursuing internships that do not provide financial compensation Besides, taking a gap year can lead to a loss of academic momentum and make it more difficult for students to return to their studies In the end, taking a gap year may also delay students' entry into the workforce, which could impact their future career prospects In conclusion, while taking a gap year may not be the right choice for everyone, I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages It provides students with a unique opportunity to gain life experience, work experience, and travel to new places, which can help them to become more well-rounded individuals 18 The use of social media is replacing face-to-face interaction among many people in society Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? These days, face-to-face communication is being replaced with online conversations using social media apps, such as Facebook, WhatsApp or Tumblr It seems to me that the benefits these technologies have brought to our lives are overshadowed by their drawbacks In terms of the advantages, social networking sites have made it much easier for us to keep in contact with our loved ones, regardless of geographic location Students studying abroad, for example, can keep in touch with their families and friends on a daily basis using the video call features of Skype, Facebook or various other apps Social media is also a powerful tool in marketing and business In this digital age, companies can keep their clients updated regarding newly-released products or promotions by posting their campaigns on Facebook or Instagram, which helps save a great deal of time and expense compared to the traditional methods of advertising in newspapers or magazines Despite the above benefits, I personally believe that when it comes to communication, social media does more harm than good The overuse of social media reduces the quality of interpersonal communication Many people are so addicted to social networking sites that they constantly stare at their screens during dinners with their families without actually paying attention to the people around them The frequent use of social media also affects the style of speaking and writing, especially among young people These days, many teenagers have a habit of using abbreviated words, which are frequently used in text messages or in posts on social media, in their academic essays or formal emails In conclusion, for the reasons mentioned above, I am of the opinion that the positive effects that social media has on our communication are outweighed by the disadvantages 19 Some people think that good health is very important to every person, so medical service should not be run by profit-making companies Do the advantages of private health care outweigh the disadvantages? Some argue that since good health is significant to all individuals, the provision of medical care would be better handles by entities not primarily driven by financial returns In my opinion, profit-seeking private entities can help push advancements in healthcare, and concerns with regards to economic motives would cease to be an issue in the long run One key advantage of private sector involvement in healthcare is the potential for greater medical innovation, which would result in improved patient outcomes With profit motives and pressures of competition, private companies are incentivized to invest heavily in cutting-edge research and clinical trials This translates to improved quality of medication such as new drugs and better therapies for diseases In contrast, government-run healthcare systems lack such commercial pressures and therefore may not feel as compelled to rush treatments to the market Some critics might say that the emphasis on economic returns risks marginalizing poor patients As the demands for prevalent healthcare conditions are ongoing in nature and therefore price-insensitive, companies may opt to impose predatory pricing to extract more earnings from patients However, this concern does not take into account competitive market forces When a company sets arbitrarily high prices, competitors would have an incentive to develop less costly or even better solutions This dynamic would discourage companies from applying such a short-sighted strategy, as there is a risk of losing significant business As a result, treatment costs can be driven down gradually, hence increasing affordability for all consumers In conclusion, while private companies can promote medical advancements through innovation incentives, there are still concerns about prioritizing profits over medical needs However, competitive market forces can discourage high prices and increase affordability over time 20 Some believe that we should invent a new language for international communication Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? There have recently been proposals to have an international language as a means of communication In my opinion, such an endeavour is both impractical and undesirable, and in this essay I hope to explain why the potential drawbacks overshadow the advantages There are those who believe that an international language would help to foster cross national interactions and remove barriers to economic development By developing a common system of communication, people from different countries can better explain the culture and history of where they came from Furthermore, by having a common language, immigration would also be easier, since there would be less difficulty in trying to integrate into a new culture As a result, economic output might increase, as immigrants bring new talent to areas that require them Overall, this argument suggests that a global language will mean a more unified humanity On the other hand, I argue that an international language is impractical since languages develop organically in interaction with a country’s culture and history Thus, some words that are exclusive to certain languages would not make sense when translated into a universal system As such, if an international language were to form, it would likely be the case that it would sooner or later fragment into dialects specific to specific regions of the world, and in the end evolve into new languages anyway Lastly, since language is a cultural artefact, attempts at replacing all the languages in the world with one common one results in people’s past stories being erased Instead of unification, I believe that a global language would lead to less cultural diversity Overall, I argue that while an international language might be attractive in theory, in practice, it is not practical due to the cultural specific characteristics of language, as well as the importance of language to the history of nations 21 In today’s world, private companies rather than the government pay for and conduct most scientific research Do you think the advantages outweigh disadvantages? 1-Nowadays, most scientific studies are financed and carried out by private enterprises instead of governments In my opinion, the benefits of this are greater than its drawbacks On the one hand, having research paid for and conducted by private companies can be greatly beneficial In fact, unlike government organizations, most companies’ primary objective is making profits, so their motivation to minimize the costs arising upon research activities is much more considerable Therefore, they tend to prevent their scientists and other workers from wasting any resources, including time and money As a result, the research goals can be reached quicker, more efficiently, and more cost effectively In addition, when governments leave scientific research for businesses, the financial pressure on the national budget can be partly relieved Instead, it can be allocated for investing in other important sectors such as education or transportation On the other hand, I believe that letting private businesses sponsor or undertake such studies will bring about more significant disadvantages First, there are very few private companies that are willing to do unpaid work while shouldering a huge financial burden at the same time Consequently, they may require the public to pay to access or share their research results, so that they can afford to cover their expenses as well as to ensure their personal income Second, when allowing companies to do scientific research, the authorities can not make sure the entire research process is supervised It is possible that companies with a priority for maximizing profits will sell their research to other organizations, such as terrorists or criminals, who take advantage of such research to harm society In conclusion, I claim that private investment in and conduct of scientific research may result in several advantages which are, however, outweighed by the undesirable consequences 2-Nowadays, most scientific studies are financed and carried out by private enterprises instead of the governing bodies In my opinion, the benefits of this are greater than its drawbacks On the one hand, that research is paid and conducted by private companies can be greatly beneficial In fact, unlike governmental organizations, most companies’ primary objectives are profits, so their motivation to minimize the costs arising upon research activities is much more considerable Therefore, they tend to prevent their scientists and other workers more strictly from wasting any resources, including time and money; as a result, their outcomes can be quicker and more money-efficient In addition, when the government leaves scientific research for businesses, the financial pressure on the national budget can be partly relieved Instead, it can be allocated for investing in other important sectors such as education or transportation On the other hand, I believe that letting private businesses sponsor or undertake such studies will bring about more significant disadvantages First, there are very few private companies that are willing to do unpaid work while shouldering a huge financial burden at the same time Consequently, they may require the public to pay to access or share their research results, so that they can afford to cover their expenses as well as to ensure their personal incomes Second, when allowing companies to do scientific research, the authorities can hardly make sure the entire research process is under supervision It is possible that companies with the top priority being maximizing profits will sell their research to other organizations, such as terrorists or criminals, who take advantage of such research to harm society In conclusion, I claim that private investment in and conduct of scientific research may result in several advantages which are, however, outweighed by the undesirable consequences 22 In some countries, small town-centre shops are going out of business because people tend to drive to large out-of-town stores As a result, people without cars have limited access to out-of-town stores, and it may result in an increase in the use of cars Do you think the disadvantages of this change outweigh its advantages? ANSWER (8.0+): 1 In various parts of the world, a number of small stores in the high streets of towns have gone bankrupt due to the dominance of large stores located on the outskirts This has led to difficulty in accessibility for non-car owners and an increase in car usage While there might be a positive influence to this change, I believe the negative impacts are by far more significant On the one hand, large-scale shopping centers may create more employment opportunities for local communities where they operate These opportunities can vary, ranging from entry-level jobs to management positions A good example in this case is Walmart Each of the brand’s supermarkets is estimated to hire up to two thousand people working as customer assistants, goods couriers, or other back-office positions with competitive benefit packages As many of these employees are from nearby areas, Walmart has been praised by some town councils for helping to curb unemployment, sustaining local development However, one of many drawbacks is that the prevalence of suburban shops causes great inconvenience to customers Many shoppers now are unable to make a quick purchase at nearby convenience stores which used to be omnipresent in town centers, and instead they have to spend time traveling to shop instead of on other profitable endeavours such as studying, working and resting Another disadvantage is that the use of personal motorised vehicles is on a rise As stores become more unreachable on foot, many urban denizens would switch to owning and driving cars, leading to a significant increase in the number of vehicles on the road This inevitably gives rise to the quantity of exhaust fumes from car engines which exacerbate environmental pollution, as well as congestion and increased damage to road infrastructure In conclusion, I agree that the demerits such as inconvenience of shopping to local people and adverse impacts on the environment and traffic issues outweigh the merit of providing a certain number of jobs Therefore, I maintain that authorities should provide financial and management support to encourage the development of small stores in the downtown 2 In many countries the world over, small shops in city centers cannot compete with large stores that are based on the outskirts; therefore, many of those small businesses are threatened with closure This leads to a number of consequences, including a rise in car usage in these countries and access to large out-of-town stores becoming limited for those without cars In my view, this change does more harm than good Increasing bankruptcies among small town-center shops are an unfortunate situation that puts local people to great inconvenience, with those who are not in possession of a car standing most affected, because they now have to travel to a distant place to shop The time used for such journeys could be better spent on other activities that are of greater importance, be it work or entertainment The situation’s impacts are also far beyond individual levels It causes a significant loss for the economy of any city where large numbers of such businesses are forced to shut down This may inflict unexpected damage on the national economy as a whole The rise in car usage caused by people’s demand for long distance travel is also problematic Traffic congestion will become worse due to the higher number of vehicles on streets Furthermore, the quantity of pollutants emitted from car engines will rise, which heightens pollution levels in those places and adversely affects human health However, this change in people’s shopping preference may encourage them to move to out-of-town areas to live Given the fact that modern cities are faced with overpopulation and consequently ever-growing pressure on housing supply systems, this could be considered a start of relieving such pressure In conclusion, the trend towards shopping in large stores located away from city centers is having many negative impacts Although it could encourage some people to move to places where these stores are established and help solving some population problems in modern cities, I doubt that the trend could promise any significant outcome 23 There are more workers working from home and more students studying from home This is because computer technology is more and more easily accessible and cheaper Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? The increasing affordability of modern technologies such as computers and smartphones has facilitated teleworking and virtual learning As such, there has been a progressive increase in the number of remote workers and learners in many parts of the world While the shift towards working and studying from home may cause some problems, the overall impact has been tremendously positive Admittedly, the drawbacks of remote working and learning are evident As for the former, teleworkers are more susceptible to psychological problems such as boredom and depression due to the lack of face-to-face interaction with their colleagues In addition, adults who opt for working from home for childcare reasons tend to find it hard to concentrate on their work, hence lower productivity Similar challenges are found in internet- based learning Online lessons lack the element of competition that traditional classes offer, and there is inevitably less direct interaction between students and teachers These factors may negatively affect students' motivation to study, leading to lower academic results Despite the negatives mentioned above, the benefits of the trend towards learning and working remotely are more significant On an individual level, while distant leamers can study whenever and wherever is convenient, teleworkers can still take care of their children or elderly members and earn money at the same time They also have complete freedom to design their learning and working environment to best suit their personal preferences and needs, enhancing their productivity and creativity On a business level, institutions and companies allowing distant learning and remote working can reduce operation costs in the form of fewer classrooms and offices, and lower electricity bills In conclusion, I believe that the advantages of the decision to study or work from home outstrip the disadvantages This is provided that virtual learners and teleworkers eliminate possible distractions at home and socialize with their neighbors and friends so that their productivity and mental health are not affected 24 Some people prefer to live alone Others enjoy sharing a house with family or friends Do the advantages of living with others outweigh the disadvantages? • It is widely acknowledged that we are living in an increasingly isolated world Although some individuals claim to enjoy their somewhat solitary lifestyle, the vast majority of us would rather share our homes and our lives with others The drawbacks of living with others are indeed in plain sight Firstly, one's room-mates may behave in ways one finds annoying: they might play loud music, leave a mess in the kitchen or spend hours in the bathroom However, with some tact and diplomacy, these issues can usually be overcome Another apparent disadvantage of sharing is that one has to take other residents' wishes and opinions into account Nevertheless, saving to consider the needs of those one shares the apartment with, one probably becomes more sensitive, caring and a generally kinder and more likeable person Besides this, living with loved-ones or flatmates is healthier because it is essential that we have warm human contact and that we interact and share our experiences with fellow-humans From a practical viewpoint, those who live with friends or family can save money by splitting utility bills, rent and food costs They can also save time by dividing household chores such as cooking, dusting, washing up and ironing Obviously, a house with more inhabitants is likely to be occupied more of the time and is therefore at reduced risk of burglary or break-in • In conclusion, while there are some drawbacks to living with others, for example in the form of frustration and having to make compromises, these are outstripped by the positives including better mental health, savings in money and time, and increased personal security 25 In some countries, some criminal trials in law courts are shown on television so that the general public can watch Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? • It is true that people in some countries can watch some criminal trials live on TV While I acknowledge the benefits of this decision, they are outweighed by its problems The advantages of televising trials on a casual basis are indeed in plain sight Firstly, court shows, theoretically, were started with a view to informing adults, and children alike, of how the judicial system works Obviously, the more knowledgeable one is about the criminal justice system, the less likely he or she is to commit an unlawful act Reports have suggested that court shows are cost-effective ways the authorities use to enforce the law and deal with the escalating crime rate, as the information provided in the show can deter would-be offenders Secondly, since most citizens have doubts about the effectiveness of their countries' justice system, televised trials are perhaps a way to allow more transparency into the judicial branch of the government