1. In town and cities, the large shopping mall should replace the small local shop.

Do
you agree or disagree?
In several past years, shopping malls popularity has grown rapidly and are
transforming urban lifestyle. They are everywhere and are replacing small shops. The
subject arouses two different opinions – are large shopping malls are good or bad. Many
people are of the opinion that these shopping malls are coming at the cost of small shops
while others think that large malls are the need of the hour. I will give my opinion after
analyzing both the sides.
The major reason that people are preferring malls is the convenience of getting our
daily needs including groceries, clothes, shoes, books etc. under one roof along with
cinemas and entertainment arcades making it a one-stop solution. The people backing the
idea of promoting mall culture supports it with the fact that it not only saves a lot of time
of shopping in-fact saves time from bargaining also as things are available at fixed prices.
Regardless of their endless advantages, they do have some disadvantages. The
malls are taking away local and small shops thus the decision to promote large shopping
malls taking the bread out of the mouths of many people. The shopkeepers are left with no
means of earning a living. Only a few customers buy products from small local shops and
the practice is greatly affecting the local economy. Moreover, in malls, people are tempted
to buy unnecessary things hence burning a hole in their pocket.
To conclude, the large shopping malls do have their advantages, but depletion of
small shops causing an imbalance in economy outweighs their advantages and therefore I
believe that large shopping malls should not replace small shops.

2. The university will deduct the student’s score for late assignments, opinions, and
solutions. / OR /. Universities should penalize students for late submission of their
work.
With the advancement of technology, there is a number of changes seen in the field
of education. Now, most of the universities started assignments based scoring for
improvement of skills. Universities set a fixed date for submission of assignments. In case
pupils failed to submit their tasks on time, teachers deduct their marks. Now it is a debatable
issue that whether university have to deduct marks or not. I strongly accord that universities
should penalize students for late submission of their work. I am going to share my
viewpoints in upcoming paragraphs.
Starting with, fixing a deadline for submission of any task will bring more
responsibility and punctuality among the students and this motivates them to complete the
all-important task of their life within time. Furthermore, if universities do not strictly bring
these rules than aspirants will be careless and they cannot succeed in their life as casual
approach cannot bring success in life.
Moving further, teachers must guide the aspirants for timely completion of their
respective job and may ask regularly before the due date. Furthermore, they may help the
weak students where they are lacking for completion of tasks. Last but not the least,
 universities may extend the time if anyone has a solid reason for no submission on time
only after proper satisfaction of their respective faculty.
In recapitulation, although universities should legally penalize students for late
submission of their files yet such rules should not be strict and proper guidance with faculty
support should be provided to aspirants for completion of their work on timely.

3. Whether experimental learning (learning by doing) can work well in formal

education, agree or disagree. / OR /. Experience is a more effective way to teach,
compared to books? Agree or disagree?

Learning is the lifelong process which starts from studies and ended with last day of a
human being. A person learns many things from their daily routines. The two Vital methods
of are either learning from books or through experience. It is the debatable issue that
whether learning through books is best one or experience is the more effective way. I
strongly believe that experience plays a very significant role in learning and I am sharing
my viewpoints in upcoming paragraphs.
To commence with, experience means the knowledge which earns by a common man while
performing their day to day activities. It means the experience is not limited up to any
extent or any field its varied from activities to activities. Moving further, each and every
situation of routine work in not mentioned in books. It can be learned only by practice.
Furthermore, books provide only basic knowledge of topic like books gives the basic
technique of selling of product like planning, marketing and distribution whereas these
techniques can be implemented only if u have the better experience in respective field. On
the flip side, without reading any books nobody directly applies for the job and he has to
pass various academic tests before getting the job. How can we think of getting valuable
experience without the involvement of books in the learning process?
In nutshell, although experience is the more effective way to teach yet involvement of
books cannot be marginalized.

4. Problems and benefits for high school students study plays and works of theaters written
centuries ago. Discuss and use your own experience.

5. How widely do you think the problem spreads that people spend too much time on
work than their personal life and experience time shortage? What problems will it
cause?
The importance of people spending too much time on work than their personal life
was always a debatable topic. Many people state that spending too much time in office is
creating a huge gap between personal life and professional life. I completely agree with
the statement. The following essay would further elaborate the reasons for this problem
with clear examples and thus lead to a plausible conclusion.
To begin with, organizations dump a lot of work and put pressure on the employees
to complete the work within the deadline. The pressure from the company and heavy load
of work leading to a gap in family bonds. For example, workers are asked to work on
 weekends to support the project and to meet the demands of the clients. This example
clearly exemplifies us allocating too much time on work are the main reasons for shortage
of time.
Moreover, working for long hours in office and sitting at the same place without
moving can cause so many diseases such as obesity, back pain and many more. Work
pressure creates no balance between personal life and professional life and in some cases
it lead to depression. And in few more cases it may impact relationships between wife and
husband and can end up with divorce between couples. For example, the elder family
member working for 16 to 18 hours per day will not be able to spend time with his wife and
children. This example clearly explains us professional work will impact our personal life
if we don't give enough time to families.
According to the arguments aforementioned, one can reach out to conclusion that
for a healthy lifestyle and family bonding one has to divide his/her time between
professional life and personal life.

Very rightly said – ‘Excess of everything is bad’. One such instance is excess active
professional life. One does not realize that in the race of being highly productive, the
personal life takes a back seat. In the quince to conquer that extra mile in professional front
i.e. complete that extra file, working overtime, we often compromise the most important
aspect of our lives.
Do you remember the last time you spent some quality time with your kids, your
wife or your parents? This is where our professional life fails despite offering us handsome
money. Without even realizing that this is something we will never get enough of, we keep
pace. Money can’t buy things that are most precious, one such thing is peace of mind, and
we find it in the simplest of things.
It’s not like that one should not work that extra hour to improve or grow but the
matter here is to strike a balance between the professional and personal life, as asking for
a fine line of separating/ demarcation will be highly justifying. There is always an
opportunity to make a choice and our natural habit makes us choose money over anything
else as the mind justifies the substance benefit. Let’s take out time for a surprise holiday or
just get home a bit early.
Let’s make our health and relationships – the priority, just sometimes and
experience the unobserved riches around us. This will not only help you rejuvenate but will
also help you perform better in the professional area as the limitation of office life
monotony will no longer obstruct your growth. The happiness is around her, within us. All
we need to do is, be observant.

6. Parents should be held legally responsible for children’s acts. What is your opinion?
Raising a child with good ethics and values is a tough task for every parent. Child’s
development is mainly affected by the education, he or she receives from parents. Although
some people argue that children should be responsible for their acts, in my opinion, I
believe parents should take responsibility for their child’s actions.
Some People argue that parent should not be held accountable for their child’s act
as every parent make their best effort to teach their child how to live and behave in society
 but how much he/she absorbs is not in anyone’s hands. Every parent tries to provide the
best environment, a good role model and more of attention and care to their children. But
regardless of all this, a child can involve in unethical behavior.
Many people are in favor that parents should be held legally responsible for their
children’s activities as a parent has full control over the child and if he/she does something
wrong, then parents should be charged. They are of the belief that a kid is the mirror image
of his/her parents and it is them who has given him life, so a child represents his parents
in the society.
If a child succeeds in some competition or does something acknowledgeable, then
it’s the parents that take the applause. Likewise, if their child steals something from the
neighborhood, it is the responsibility of the parents to teach him a lesson. They should
make him understand that stealing/taking things without permission is a crime. Thus,
parents should be legally liable for their children’s activities.
This analysis proves that its parents’ duty to exercise reasonable care, supervision,
protection, and control over minor children. So in the end, I believe that parents should be
held responsible for their child’s behavior.

7. In a cashless society, people use more credit cards. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of this phenomenon?
A cashless society is the one in which people use more Credit and Debit Cards instead of
carrying Cash in their wallets. I believe that a community which is cashless has lots of benefits to
offer. I will discuss both benefits and drawbacks of the cashless society in the upcoming
paragraphs.
To begin with the demerits, first of all, if the society goes cashless altogether, it can become
more spend-thrift. If people carry cards all the time and every shop and vendor has a swiping
machine available, people can become impulse buyers and end up purchasing things which they
do not even require. Next, as the cards are tiny, they can easily drop from the pockets, and people
can lose a lot of money if they do not notice it promptly.
On the contrary, there are plenty of benefits of going cashless. The most significant
advantage is that people need not carry bulky wallets all the time. These days, there are Smartphone
cases available, which have a card pocket made in them. People can keep all their cards in them
and save their pocket space. Furthermore, carrying cards is safer because even if people lose them,
they can promptly intimate their Bank to cancel their card on the spot. But, if they have cash in
their wallet, and they lose it, they can never get the money back.
Moreover, paying by card saves money in long run. For example, if we purchase an item
for $24.48 and we pay in cash, it gets rounded off, and we are supposed to pay $24.50. But if we
tap the card instead, we spend the exact amount. It might not appear to be a significant saving, but
when we always use the card to pay for everything, we can save a lot of money.
In conclusion, becoming cashless brings in just a few disadvantages, but if people stay
more conscious, they can avail a plethora of its advantages. Every country should go cashless and
lead a secure life.

8. Do you think cordless society is realistic and why? What are the advantages and
disadvantages?
9. Whether design of buildings will have a positive or negative impact on people’s life and
work?
10. Whether studying films at school is as important as studying literature?
11. It is important for children to study a film at school to learn literature. To what extent
you agree, use example.
The importance of studying plays and works of theaters written centuries ago was
always a debatable topic. Some people believe that study of the century old dramas and
plays by pupils in their student career is beneficial for understanding human development.
Others reject this notion and argue that its downsides cannot be ignored. The substantial
influence of studying drama for high school students has sparked the controversy over the
potential impact of this trend in recent years. In my opinion, latter proposition appears to
be more rational. The following essay would further elaborate both sides in detail with
example and thus lead to a plausible conclusion.
To begin with, the prime benefit of studying drama and other history arts makes
students aware of the traditions, cultures, customs, rituals and life style of people of bygone
centuries. This awareness about various communities assist pupils in understanding
human behaviors. For example, Shakespeare is not famous dramatist in the 16th century
but now he is famous playwright. Besides this, young generations will learn lessons from
dramas and will try to avoid those in present generation. Thus literature teaches younger
students to travel in right path and avoid wrong customs.
On the flip side, studying theaters during student career is considered as sheer
wastage of time energy. In the fast growing world, youngsters are required to pay attention
towards modern sciences and technologies which eventually help them in excel in
academic and professional fields. Furthermore, drama, tragic, romantic plays of old days
distract young generation minds.
To conclude, it is drawn that studying literature in schools and colleges is not
beneficial for student growth. In a nutshell, high school students should pay more attention
to modern developments and innovations instead of old play dramas.

12. Do you think the school should have curriculum asking students to play old drama and
work for theatre centuries ago?
13. The importance of cars and airplane in modern life. Give examples.
The importance of cars and Aeroplanes in modern life was always a debatable
topic. Many people believe that modern transports saves time and give privacy. It is
completely agreed that the effective way of modern transportation makes human life much
easier. The following essay would further elaborate the reasons why cars and aero planes
are very important in present world with examples and thus lead to a plausible conclusion.
To begin with, travelling in cars give us privacy and is the effective way of
transportation for majority of the citizens in the globe. With the development and
technology advancement in present era many features are added to cars that makes our
commute very easy and comfort. Moreover, if we have own car, we can travel anywhere
anytime instead of planning and waiting for public and private services such as bus, train
 and other vehicles. For example, people living in cities can travel to workplace easily and
can reach on time and for cities where the temperatures are extreme cold or hot, cars are
the best mode of travel. This example clearly exemplifies us that cars provide us individual
privacy and space.
Furthermore, aero planes are the other best opted way of travelling to long
distance. Travelling in aero planes has numerous benefits such as we can travel miles
within no time, saves time and importantly for any urgency aero plane is the best suited
mode of travel. For example, employees working in corporate offices can travel to other
branches within short time to attend Business meetings.
According to the arguments aforementioned, one can reach out to conclusion that
cars and aero planes are the great invention in modern world to make people travel longer
distance within less period and providing individual space to them.

14. Medical technology is responsible for the human’s life expectancy. To what extent do
you agree or disagree? / OR / As a result of advances in medical care. Average life
expectancy is increasing for men and women. Do you think most people will see this
as a positive development? What are the disadvantages of an ageing population for
individuals and society?
In today’s society, both men and women enjoy a great health and live past middle age.
Now deaths are highly concentrated at older ages and this could only be possible with advances
in medical care. This increase in average life expectancy can be regarded as one of the society’s
greatest achievements but some people don’t see it as a positive development.
Some reports suggest that average age of death has been increased from 46.7 in 1990 to
59.3 in 2016. Though the trend is encouraging as now our near and dear ones live longer. The data
shows that humans are making right health related decisions and this achievement can be
attributed to improvement in public health and medical care. This can be cited as a great
achievement for individuals and society but it also means many countries facing an aging
population.
With the improvement in life expectancy, there has been 10 fold increase in oldest people
that now constitute the fastest growing part of the total population. There are more people of
older age throughout the World. This also means the extra financial burden on families having
more older people. As human age grows we get more vulnerable to diseases and sickness. The
regular health checkups and constant observation of health care experts are usually expensive and
it can burn a hole in patient’s family. It’s good that one can stay for long years with his or her
family and enjoy happy moments but financial burden can cause conflict within the family.
Furthermore, longer longevity also means less young working force for a country. For a
country, lack of young working force could mean less prosperity and growth. We are living on a
planet with lesser resources and most of the resources humans are consuming are non-renewable.
What will we do with longevity with no resources? Longer longevity puts an extra burden on
individuals and society.
For the reasons discussed above I can conclude that an increase in average life expectancy
rate can put the burden on environment and society but it can be dealt jointly by individuals and
society. After all longer longevity is a symbol of growing civilization and the better life.
 The importance of life of expectancy of people is increasing due to the drastic
development in medical science was always a debatable topic. Many people are
considering this as the greatest achievement of technology. Others reject this notion and
don't see this as positive development. In my opinion, latter proposition appears to be more
rational. The following essay would further elaborate both sides with necessary evidence
and thus lead to a plausible conclusion.
To start with, there is no denying fact that due to development in medical field has
increased the life expectancy of people. A recent data shows that average death of person
has increased from 46.7 in 1990 to 59.4 in 2016. The above data shows that humans are
making health-related decisions and this achievement can be attributed to improvement in
public health and medical care. For example, new invention in medical field had found
solutions to many dreadful diseases such as cancer, HIV and many.
However, there are many pitfalls with the improvement in life expectancy, old
people are living more and more so due to that there is an increase in financial burden on
families like regular health checkups and daily visits to hospital regularly. It's good that
one can stay with family for long years but financial burden can cause conflict within the
family. In addition, living long life means a less working force for the country in terms of
prosperity and less growth. Further, it causes increasing in population and creates so many
problems like poverty in people, the lack of basic facilities and many more problems.
To conclude, advancements in medical technology creates disadvantages rather
than creating advantages for future life. In a nutshell, it can be concluded that an increase
in average life expectancy rate can put up the burden on environment and society.

15. In developing countries, tourism has disadvantages and advantages? Discuss and give
your views.
Many countries in the World rely majorly on the tourism industry as their primary
source of income and employment. Some people are of opinion that tourism can source
problem too like overpopulation and pollution but I strongly disagree with the point. In my
view, tourism is a great way to show off one’s heritage and above all, it brings in money
for the host country.
Whether a country is developing or developed, the income from tourism can make
up to 5% of GDP. Places like hotels, bars, pubs, restaurants, market, shops often generate
a number of employment opportunities for the locals. Tourism not only brings employment
for people but generates handsome revenue for these industries too. It also gives the much-
needed boost to the economy of the country. The tourist likes to purchase local products
which further promote local artists and work. Tourism also brings economic benefits for
the government leading to better country prospect.
Whenever a person visits any other country, he/she gets to know a different place
and whole together with a different culture. Interchanges between guest & host construct
a more fitting cultural understanding.
Though tourism affects region’s natural resources & also adds to the pollution
through vehicle emissions, but still I am of the view that the advantages of tourism outweigh
its negative points so all countries should put in an effort to attract more number of tourists.

16. Certain kinds of music promote learning in their life. Agree or disagree.
 One of the most conspicuous trends in today's world is the colossal upsurge in the
introduction of various types of music in schools. There is a widespread worry that it would
only lead to the myriad of concerns in the society. In my opinion, this apprehension is
warranted and merits serious considerations.
There is a deluge of arguments in favor of my stance. The most preponderant one
is that music is a form of creative art. Not only teaching music helps in broadening the
horizons of thinking, but also enable kids to express themselves. Needless to say, all these
benefits stand learners in good stead as far as learning music is concerned.
Another pivotal aspect of this argument is that teaching the variety of music can instill in
the range of soft skills including effective communication and tolerance. Take classical
music for instance, according to the report published in "Time Magazine's latest edition,"
students of classical music have more strong communication circle than other students
without any musical knowledge. Hence, it is apparent why many people, including myself,
are in favor of teaching music in schools.
In the view of arguments outlined above, one can conclude that the benefits of
teaching music in schools are indeed too great to ignore. (VERY SHORT)

17. More information available online so library’s book are useless. / OR /. As E-books are
available online these days, the value of printed books has diminished. Agree or disagree.
18. Should government build more roads to allow more vehicle owner or improve the
network of public transport?
One of the most conspicuous trends in today's world is the colossal upsurge in the number
of vehicles on the roads. There is widespread worry that it would only lead to the myriad
of concerns. Some believe that government should construct more roads to accommodate
more vehicles, I am of the opinion, and improving public transportation is the only way to
cope with this apprehension.
On the one hand, critics believe that possessing one's vehicle is the inherent right
of every citizen and government should take appropriate action to provide the space for
more cars on the roads. For example, in Sydney number of personal vehicle rise from 20
percent to 64 percent in last decade, and therefore, the number of roads increased
exponentially.
On the other hand, there is a deluge of arguments in favor of my stance. The most
preponderant one is that public transport is the only way to keep the traffic congestion in
control. Not only can the improved network of public transport reduce the traffic jams
during peak hours but can also decrease the environmental degradation caused by the
increased cars. Take newly extended train route on "Campbelltown Line," according to the
ABC News: it reduces the traffic congestion up to 10 percent in the area. Hence, it is
apparent that why many are in favor of developing public transport system rather than
investing money in constructing more roads.
In the view of arguments outlined above, one can conclude that the benefits of
strengthening transportation infrastructure are indeed too great to ignore.
19. Government should reduce their investment in arts, music and painting. Agree or
Disagree.
One of the most conspicuous trends in today's world is the colossal upsurge in
investing money by the government for the development of fine arts including painting and
music. There is a widespread worry that it would only lead to the myriad of concerns. In
my opinion, this apprehension is unwarranted and so should be rejected.
There is a deluge of arguments in favor of my stance. The most preponderant one
is that these various forms of art are vital for the growth of a nation, therefore, need
government support to survive and thrive in the country. Not only can music and painting
induce discipline in people but can also give them a chance to shine is these field nationally
as well as internationally. It hardly needs mention that these merits stand the country in
good stead as far as development is concerned.
Another pivotal aspect of the argument is that music and painting are the two varied
medium of expressing the emotions and this sector deserve the investment to acquire the
desired development. Besides, the government is responsible for providing citizens with
liberty to adopt any form of art to thrive. For example, Australian government invested 30
percent budget for supporting the art in the year 2017, and as a result, improvement in
people artistic sense increased 50 percent. Hence, it is apparent why many are in favor of
dedicating the hefty amount of budget for the art.
In the view of arguments stated above, one can conclude that the benefits of
investing in the field of art are indeed too great to ignore.

20. Effective learning requires time, comfort and peace so it is impossible to combine
study and employment. Study and employment distract one from another. To what
extent do you think the statements are realistic? Support your opinion with examples.
Comfort, time and internal peace are required to make learning efficient. Hence, it
is not possible to do job and study side by side. Occupation and education disturb one
another. I strongly oppose this statement because handling both these together is easily
possible with strong willpower. I will elaborate points to support my opinion in the further
paragraphs.
Firstly, there are a lot of people in western countries, who do a part-time study and
work full-time or vice-versa. It all depends on the preference of the individuals. If they want
to bear some hassle and become more productive in their life, they can manage both things
side by side. This not only makes them knowledgeable but increase their potential as well.
Secondly, there are a few parents who cannot bear the expenses of their child’s education.
Resultantly, they put their children into some labor so that they can earn money for the
family. But it does not mean that the child has to abandon his dream of acquiring education.
With firm determination, they can continue their education and work to feed their family
as well.
Finally, sometimes people think they have completed their education, but when they
get a full-time job, they realize that diploma or degree can increase their chances of
promotion. Moreover, some employers select the potential employee from colleges while
they are studying and pay for their Masters or Advanced Diplomas because they see their
 profit in that investment. Hence, studying and working side by side helps candidates to
grow professionally.
In conclusion, working and studying is very much possible. It just depends on the
dedication and determination of the person. People should do both study and work side by
side to make themselves more skilled and capable.

21. Personal development is the base for professional development and advancing in
one’s career. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
There is an ongoing debate about the role of personal development in the
professional growth and development of one's career. Although critics argue that personal
development has no significant impact on the professional prosperity, I strongly believe
that personal growth plays the vital role in career propagation. In this essay, I shall
support my point of view.
On the one hand, there is a deluge of arguments in favor of my stance. The most
preponderant one is that personal growth stands for the maturity of human personality.
The opportunity of growing, as a professional, increases as a person gets mature. This
maturity comes from personal growth. It hardly needs mention that personal growth stands
an employ in good stead as far as professional growth is concerned.
On the other hand, critics may point out that personal growth has nothing to do
with the professional growth. It only depends on the performance and how efficient you
are at your job. Hence, the professional and personal growths are two entirely different
domains and not interdependent.
In the view of arguments outlined above, one can conclude that the professional
growth is highly dependent on personal growth.

22. Law can change human behaviour. Do you agree or disagree. / OR /. Some people
think law changes our behaviour. Discuss. / OR /. Some people think law changes
human behaviour. Dou you agree or disagree. / OR /. Can legislation reform human
nature? Or can laws change person’s mind?

Some people say that law affects the behavior of a person. But some believe society
plays an important role to build a good behavior rather than the law. In this article I am
going to lay my opinion after analyzing the both sides.
Some people are of the view that there are many ways through which laws affect
economic, social and physical conditions that, in turn, affect the behavior of a person. In
our day to day life, we as a citizen of a country are supposed to follow its laws which are
meant for our betterment. Following the law in our daily life induces it in people’s habit
which in turn affect behavior of a person.
For example: Driving a car is accompanied by the rules that are defined in a state’s
law. To avoid punishment or fine, it becomes a person’s habit to fasten seat belt or follow
speed limit or stop when traffic light signal is red. The fear of punishment stop people from
going against the law.
However, some experts are of the opinion that society plays an important role in
shaping up a person’s behavior rather than the law. From media to peer, society can have
 both good and ill influence on a person. The unspoken social norms not only changes the
behavior but attitude of the follower. For example: the latest fashion or slang words spread
more readily in a peer or if a group decides what policies of the government to support
then every member follows.
Often the value or education we get as a teen from schools or colleges affects the
kind of person we are today and that shapes up our personality as a whole. It also
influences the society as a whole. There is no denial that every individual has its own
unique personality and thoughts, but we have seen that they are shaped by the society we
live in and culture we follow.
At the end I want to conclude that both law and society can have negative and
positive influence on a person. As we grow we become more aware of the legal issues and
society’s laws. As a person is well aware about the risk of getting into illegal activities so
he/she might think twice before engaging in such things like drug use. Society alone cannot
induce good behavior but the effect of both factors influences changes in attitudes or
behavior.

23. The ability to learn more than one language will be less important in future. Do you agree or
disagree.

24. Some people believe that it is better for children to learn foreign language at primary school.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this statement. Do the advantages of this outweigh
the disadvantages?

25. Many companies involve employees in decision making policy, some people think that it is
important for the progress of the company. Discuss. To what extent do you agree or disagree.
What are the advantages and disadvantages associated with this?

In today’s era, every company is facing cut throat competition among its peers. Due
to that reason some experts are of the opinion that in this highly competitive market,
management and employees should work together to make a successful and profitable
company. In order to achieve it, top level authorities should always take suggestions or
ideas from employees while others experts think that they should take decision on their
own. In this essay I will cover both sides of the contentions and after analyzing both sides
will give a reasonable conclusion.
The employees play a vital role in achieving company’s goals and objectives. It is
the employees who are in constant touch with clients so they can better understand the
needs and wants of clients. They can be of great use while forming better client friendly
policies and this way can improve business productivity.
The experience of a person should be considered a significant factor. A person
working in a particular area from a long time can provide a better insight to the
management. The engagement of employees also give positive vibes to the employees and
inspires them to work for the prosperous future of the company.
 The experts backing the other side see personal benefit as the major flaw. If
employees are considered while forming policies or taking important decision then they
might misuse the power for their personal benefit. This will not only hamper company’s
growth but also diminish the business profits. It is the duty of top level management to
come up with innovative and new ideas and take policies related decisions themselves. The
experts are of the opinion that giving the power to everyone would lead to chaos.
At the end I am of the view that top level management and employees should work
together as company success is not serendipitous incident. The contribution by both groups
is vital for success and profitability of company. Employees cannot be neglected while
taking any important decision so there should be some program to include them in the
decision-making and make them feel part of the company.

In today’s era, every company is facing cut throat competition among its peers. Due to that
reason some experts are of the opinion that in this highly competitive market, management and
employees should work together to make a successful and profitable company. In order to achieve
it, top level authorities should always take suggestions or ideas from employees while others
experts think that they should take decision on their own. In this essay I will cover both sides of the
contentions and after analyzing both sides will give a reasonable conclusion.
The employees play a vital role in achieving company’s goals and objectives. It is the
employees who are in constant touch with clients so they can better understand the needs and
wants of clients. They can be of great use while forming better client friendly policies and this
way can improve business productivity.
The experience of a person should be considered a significant factor. A person working
in a particular area from a long time can provide a better insight to the management. The
engagement of employees also give positive vibes to the employees and inspires them to work for
the prosperous future of the company.
The experts backing the other side see personal benefit as the major flaw. If employees
are considered while forming policies or taking important decision then they might misuse the
power for their personal benefit. This will not only hamper company’s growth but also diminish
the business profits. It is the duty of top level management to come up with innovative and new
ideas and take policies related decisions themselves. The experts are of the opinion that giving the
power to everyone would lead to chaos.
At the end I am of the view that top level management and employees should work
together as company success is not serendipitous incident. The contribution by both groups is
vital for success and profitability of company. Employees cannot be neglected while taking any
important decision so there should be some program to include them in the decision-making and
make them feel part of the company.

26. The importance of travel seems to be over rated. Brilliant scholars locked themselves at home.
Travel is important to education. To what extend to you agree or disagree. / OR / Travel to study
is over rated, we have brilliant scholars who studied locally. Is travel really required for higher
studies? / OR /. Value added by travel in education. Is travel a necessary component of education
or not? Will scholar sitting at home have more knowledge?
27. Modern innovations of antibiotics, computers and aeroplanes, which one is the most important
and why? / OR /. In the past 100 years, there have been many inventions such as antibiotics,
airplanes and computers. What do you think is the most important of them? Why? / OR /. What
are the greatest inventions of the 20th century among medicine, airplane and computers, why?
It is evident how life has changed since technology has been introduced in the
human life. When we think about technology mostly the first thing that comes to our mind
is the image of a computer. Technological advancements such as computers have been
designed and created with the only purpose to help humans and make their lives easier.
Computers have become indispensable in any workplace where they are basically
considered a compliment for people to help them on developing their activities. In fact,
computers are the greatest invention of all time because they have multi-tasking features
that can minimize your work, they can display and let you manipulate stored information,
and they are used in almost all fields for any purpose.
First of all computers have multi-tasking features that can minimize the work you
have to do. For example, computers avoid you having to calculate any result on doing
math, the only thing you must do is to type the information needed and your work is done.
Secondly, computers can display and let you manipulate stored information. In
other words, you don’t need to use paper in order to store any information on shelves. You
don’t even have to rewrite a whole paper because you did a mistake or you have to add
more information to the written form. You can have as many files as you can on your
computer and organize them the way you like it without having to use any extra material
or space.
Finally, computers are used in almost all fields for any purpose such as
entertainment, education, and any type of job. For example, you can use computers to play
video games, watch movies, listen to music or chat on the internet for entertainment. In
education or any job, you can use them for video conferences, PowerPoint presentations
or just using their basic features discussed in the first point.

28. Any recent invention that you think proved beneficial or detrimental to society. Discuss.

29. Talk about the pros/cons of this era as is full of daily invention?

30. Environmental pollution is too alarming to be managed by individuals, Real changes can be
made at the government level. To what extent do you agree or disagree? / OR /. The
environment we are living in is in danger due to various problems. So who do u think should be
responsible to solve it? Is it the governments, organization or each individuals? / OR / Discuss
the roles of governments, companies and individuals to combat climate change.

The earth has been witnessing a change in global climate for quite some time as a
result of which the average global temperature has increased by one degree Celsius in the
last two decades. While some environmental scientists think that the climate change is
happening naturally, the matter of the fact is that human activities have endangered the
 global climate. Concerted efforts by all individuals, Government, and organization, are
needed to save the sanctity of nature.
The government has a significant role to play in exercising control on factors
contributing to global warming, as it is a maker of legislation in a country. The transport
regulatory body should make stringent rules to control the emission of Carbon monoxide
and toxic gases from vehicles and factories alike. The government should organize
awareness programs to educate the masses about rising temperature and their role in
combating climate change problem.
Apart from the government’s interference, industries, too, should contribute to
protecting the environment; by developing sustainable solutions and products which run
on green energy. Individuals can do their part by using renewable sources of
energy, reusing non-decomposable material such as plastic bags and composting food
waste & opting for public transport instead of private vehicles.
In my opinion, the pace at which trees are being cut down for industrial use must
be reduced. Government, Corporation and NGO’s should encourage individuals to use
green energy such as solar energy, geothermal and wind energy. Furthermore, the use of
public transport, adapting to digital means to save paper and afforestation can help fight
climate change and reduce global warming to a high level.

31. If you want to study a particular a particular area of climate change, which subjects will you
choose?

32. It is foolish idea to get married before finishing the study and setting down. To what extend do
you agree or disagree?

33. Some people work for long hours and hard to achieve success and some give importance to free
time for themselves. Give your opinion and discuss your views. / OR /. Professional and economic
goals are more important or personal life. Discuss. / OR /. Nowadays, people spend too much time
at work to the extent that they hardly have time for their personal life. Discuss. / OR /. Many
people complaint that they don’t get personal time because of job. How widespread is this view
and what are the negative effects?

34. Is television a form of entertainment or information? Discuss.

35. Nowadays, the mass media including TV, Radio and Newspaper have become the essential part
of our lives. What is your opinion? / OR / Mass media like TV, newspaper and radio influences
people, particularly young generation. Do you think it works as a pivot to share the society?
What is your opinion?

Mass media plays an extremely important role in our day to day lives. From
education to news to business, mass media has played a positive role in influencing
different sectors. While the disadvantages of mass media have been debated, the
 advantages have been many. In this essay, I shall explain my point of view by analyzing
both sides of the argument.
The introduction of radio and newspapers for the first time had changed the
discourse of public opinion. It is through radio and print media could people make
informed choices and learn about the world, which they were deprived of
before. Communication has been made easier and effective due to mass media. Emails,
chat apps, telephones and mobile have connected people from different corners of the
world.
Not only has information sharing been made extremely easy, it has also facilitated
the growth of education sector as well. Online courses and web lectures have provided an
opportunity to students from diverse backgrounds to gain skills. Online marketing has
opened up opportunities for budding businesses to promote their product in a more
lucrative manner which can’t afford advertisements on radio or the television.
Nevertheless, mass media comes with its own set of disadvantages. It is common
for some people to spread malicious content and propaganda. Also, the world of mass
media has taken over healthy social interactions for many individuals in our society.
Moreover, the web is vast and hence, it is difficult to regulate content.
In conclusion, I believe mass media has revolutionized our day to day lives in a
positive way. The use of mass media should also be accompanied by healthy discussions
about its disadvantages.

36. For a successful company, selling products depends more on company’s reputation or it depends
more on if they provide discount and free offers. To what extent do you agree or disagree.

37. Do you think consumer should avoid over packed products or it is responsibility of producer to
avoid extra packaging of products? Give your views or any relevant example with your own
experience.

38. Successful sports stars and glamorous film stars are role model for youngsters. Do you support
them or not?

39. Imitating celebrities in sports and movies good or bad?

40. Large shopping malls are replacing small shops. What is your opinion about this? Discuss with
appropriate examples.

41. Dangerous activities like extreme skiing bungee jumping etc., and whether you support them or
not. / OR /. Pros and Cons of extreme adventure sports.

42. “The illiterate of the 21st century are not those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot
learn” – Alvin Toffler. Explain the statement and do you agree or disagree.
43. “Education is the biggest barrier in my learning” - Einstein. What do you mean by this? And do
you think Einstein was correct in saying that.

44. In recent years, the proportion of the crimes committed by youngsters is on the rise. Discuss
cases to this problem and suggest solutions.

45. Many people think that regions affect successful person. What is your opinion about native
region and accomplished person’s influence on the region he belongs to?

Many people are of opinion that region plays a prime factor in a person’s success.
In my opinion success not only depends on the environment or the native place to which
the person belongs but it is also dependent upon the effort one puts in to achieve the
success. In this article, I will further explain my view with valid examples.
Often one’s native place lacks basic facilities but a person acquires leadership
qualities and determination to become a successful person in one’s life from his native
place only. The behavior of family members, neighbors, friends, classmates, roommates or
teachers defines the overall personality and trait of a person. The people with which you
spend your entire childhood plays an important role in achieving your dreams but to learn
new things and acquire essential skills that are required to bag good opportunities one
needs to move out his native place.
However, it is not only native environment that plays the important role in
individual success. After an individual move out from his native place, he learns new things
& meets new people. Meeting new people expand one’s horizon and perspective that helps
the person to think beyond one’s abilities and work towards their dreams. For example –
Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States achieved all his success after leaving
his native place. New places helped him learn new skills and opened “an ocean of
opportunities”.
To conclude, the only native environment may not be behind an individual’s
success. There are a lot of other factors that take an individual towards success.

46. Information revolution has changed the way of mass communications and had some negative and
positive effects on individual lives as well as on society. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

47. Communication has changed significantly in the last 10 years. Discuss pros and cons impacts.

Communication is one of the essential traits of human existence. It is something

that defines the way of life for most people around the globe. There have been countless
modifications observed in the last decade or two in respect of communication. These
changes have both positive and negative impacts on humanity. I, however, believe that the
pros greatly outweigh the cons.
 To begin with, it is no surprise that communication plays a pivotal role in the
society today and is a source of immense happiness for many. It helps people convey
messages to their loved ones who live far away from them quickly and efficiently.
Communication has also improved several things like efficient medical aid, removal of
barriers between people and strengthening human relationships, etc.
On the other hand, the side effects of the technological advancements in the field of
communication cannot be ignored. It has allowed many hackers to target potential gullible
people. Moreover, the protection of personal information is also primarily at the risk of
being compromised with too much involvement in the digital world. In addition to that,
while the various mediums of digital or virtual communication have just intensified and
increased over the last few years, the need for physical meetings and “catching up” has
almost become redundant, which is a shame.
In my opinion, the advent of communication has brought with it a wide range of
excellent possibilities as well as some significant drawbacks. However, the positive
impacts outweigh the cons. I believe that if it is controlled and used for the greater good
of humanity, communication shall grow even more to become a large solution to many
problems around the world.

Technology has always changed the way we communicate with each other. Back
in the 50’s era, landline phones brought a revolution in the field of communication. Since
then there was a drastic change in our primary communication method. The introduction
of smartphones has made its user’s life much more comfortable but this change is not
entirely a good thing. There are both pros and cons of this change. I will elaborate my
views further in this article.
Earlier we need to visit someone’s home to convey a message, and now it is just a
matter of click, and the message is delivered to the person sitting in any corner of the world.
The Smartphones have not only changed the way we connect with other people but now
we can’t imagine life without these devices. For example, Personal safety apps use GPS
tracking system which helps us to get home safely even at midnight. Some people can’t
spend a single day without their smartphones.
From shutting down the alarm clock in our smartphone early morning till checking
emails before sleeping, in all smartphone is in our all activities. And as a result, it has made
us anti-social. In the effort to connect with other people who are far away from us, we are
ignoring those who are sitting right beside us. To avoid getting ignored they too get
themselves busy in the smartphone. For example: If you are in a room with your near and
dear ones, there are more chances that everyone is working with his/her smartphone rather
than conversing with each other.
A study suggests that the use of smartphones have negatively affected
conversations held between good friends. Though in the past ten years our communication
level has increased but just hitting the ‘send’ button does not mean a productive
conversation. As technology is advancing, we are getting more introvert.
Taking cues from my personal experience, I can say that smartphones are more of
a distraction. The face-to-face conversation will always remain the most effective method
 of communication, and it’s better to turn off the smartphones or at least resist the temptation
to reach for it immediately when talking to a friend or someone.

48. The space travel is fantastic these day and they are very fascinate towards its but there are many
environmental problems in our planet we should resolve the problems or travel space and sped a
lot of money.

49. In a war of ideas, it is people who get killed. Does a common man suffer from a group’s ideology?
Express your opinion, and support the same with reasons and examples.

50. Age discrimination occurs when a decision is made on the basis of a person’s age. In the
workplace, these are the most often decisions about being employed in the first place, wining
promotions or being unfairly dismissed. Should discrimination against older workers a=be made
illegal?

The law does not permit employers to hire or recruit employees based on their age
but it does exist in our society. It includes denying a job to a person due to their age or
making the older workers take early retirement. Many reports and survey suggest age
discrimination is widespread in recruitment. I personally oppose it and believe that
discrimination against older workers be made illegal.
For a particular profile in the workforce, all that matters is relevant experience
and not the age. Till the employee is performing his job in the best way, age should not act
as a restriction.
Many studies show that ageist attitude is actively prevalent in workforce
environment and furthermore employers and young workers think that older workers lack
the ability to adapt new technologies and platform so they are forced to take early
retirement. This negative perception about older workers denies them their right to learn
new technology or get training. There are very little opportunities available for older
workers.
There should be a law against age discrimination and prohibits discrimination in
hiring based on candidate’s age, promotions, wages, or termination of employment and
layoffs. The government should strictly implement such laws and made employer subject
to fine or punishment if they follow the trend.
Further, if any employee feels that he/she is subject to such discrimination then
he/she should complain to the higher authority. The Older Worker can also contact their
union and present their case. 1 in 3 Americans are 50 or older, and by the time we will
reach 2030, 1 in 5 will be 65 and above. If age discrimination is still practiced in work
environment then in some years America will face acute workforce shortage.
 At the end, I want to conclude that help should be made available to the older
workers to revalue their skills as their vast experience can help any company or
development to grow faster. Age discrimination should be banned legally.

51. The claim that animals have “rights” has been the subject of much debate since the 1970s. Are
zoos helping or hunting our animals? Should zoos be banned? Do you agree or disagree?

52. Parents should be held legally responsible for their children’s acts. What is your opinion? Support
it with personal examples.

53. Is it true that conformity almost always leads to a deadening of individual creativity and energy?
Is non-conformity almost always to be welcomed?

54. In some countries around the world, voting is compulsory. Do you agree with the notion of
compulsory voting? If voting is compulsory in democratic society, what conclusions can we draw
about ‘Nature of Democracy’?

55. Violence portrayed on TV and in the movies leads to an increase in crime in our society. People
who watch violent movies are more likely to become criminals. Do you agree or disagree?

Violence is one of the ways in which repressed emotions may emerge. Society at large, acts
as a form of social control against small instances of violent behaviour and at higher levels of
pathological violence. We have the law and the mental health authorities that can intervene to put
an end to this menace. I do not believe that watching movies, and crime related shows on television
can impact any individual so deeply that he or she starts resorting to violence.
While there can be several motives for violent acts including anger, vengeance, jealousy,
mental illness or bigoted religious beliefs, we can certainly ascribe some of these to the way society
functions rather than to the consumption of media.
The prime reason for the rise in violent crime, according to me, is the disintegration of the
family system, and the rise of small, independent households along with greater personal
autonomy. All this has been accompanied by a reduction in the amount of social control over our
actions. We are no longer as accountable to our friends, family or colleagues, as in the past. The
nature of our fast-paced personal lives is such that we may not be aware of what our next-door
neighbor is up to.
The economics behind the agenda of politically-motivated and religiously-motivated
violence is further testament to be fact that TV shows and movies cannot really instigate violence,
as strongly as the lure of money.
Another point to consider is the fact that we are constantly being bombarded with new
movies and shows, therefore, we are quite numb to the violence depicted on our screens as we are
accustomed to it now. Therefore, as global citizens of the 21st century we are less likely to engage
in violent behaviour.
Effective learning requires time, comfort and peace, so it is impossible to combine study and
employment. Study and employment distract one from another. To what extent do you think the
statements are realistic? Support your opinion with examples.
Comfort, time and internal peace are required to make learning efficient. Hence, it is not possible
to do job and study side by side. Occupation and education disturb one another. I strongly oppose this
statement because handling both these together is easily possible with strong willpower. I will elaborate
points to support my opinion in the further paragraphs.
Firstly, there are a lot of people in western countries, who do a part-time study and work full-time
or vice-versa. It all depends on the preference of the individuals. If they want to bear some hassle and
become more productive in their life, they can manage both things side by side. This not only makes them
knowledgeable but increase their potential as well.
Secondly, there are a few parents who cannot bear the expenses of their child’s education.
Resultantly, they put their children into some labor so that they can earn money for the family. But it does
not mean that the child has to abandon his dream of acquiring education. With firm determination, they
can continue their education and work to feed their family as well.
Finally, sometimes people think they have completed their education, but when they get a full-time
job, they realize that diploma or degree can increase their chances of promotion. Moreover, some
employers select the potential employee from colleges while they are studying and pay for their Masters or
Advanced Diplomas because they see their profit in that investment. Hence, studying and working side by
side helps candidates to grow professionally.
In conclusion, working and studying is very much possible. It just depends on the dedication and
determination of the person. People should do both study and work side by side to make themselves more
skilled and capable.

What are the benefits of living in big cities, as opposed to rural areas? What are the problems of rural
areas and how can they be solved?

Residing in urban or rural areas is entirely the decision of an individual. But, I believe that
living in cities is more beneficial. Life in villages is restricted as the people have a backward
thought process. However, this problem can be solved by educating the people. This essay will
discuss merits of city life, drawbacks of rural areas and the solutions for the same.
To begin with the advantages of living in urban areas, cities provide better life facilities to
the citizens. People can avail medical, education and leisure facilities within the same city and do
not need to travel to faraway places to purchase the things that they want. Furthermore, people
have better life opportunities in cities. They can get jobs ranging from labor to a Multinational
Company post within the same area.
On the other hand, there are lots of problems that emerge when we reside in a village area.
First of all, the thinking of rural citizens is very conservative. They not only restrict their lives but
also do not allow other people to live their life with full freedom. Next, there is a scarcity of
necessary facilities such as the hospital, schools, colleges, jobs in countryside areas.
Apparently, the problems of rural areas can be solved if younger generation educates the
elderly. They should tell them about the recent advancements, ways of living and thinking of
people. Slowly and gradually, it will change the mentality of the older generation. Other than this,
the government can introduce more advancement in the villages, so the people do not have to look
up to the cities for fulfilling their necessities.
In conclusion, rural as well as urban life comes up with its own set of benefits and
drawbacks; however, the problems can be curbed with a little bit of optimism. People should reside
in the area which they like the most.

Some people believe that academic subjects such as chemistry, physics, and history should be taught
in schools, while others believe that students will derive more benefit from studying practical
subjects, such as motor mechanics and cooking.

Some individuals are of the opinion that subjects such as physics and history should be
taught at secondary education level. However, others disagree and state that more emphasis
should be given to practical skills such as cooking and mechanical. I will analyze both these views,
before coming up with my opinion in the following paragraphs.
To begin with the first school of thoughts, which is to teach academic subjects in school.
Children should be taught these primary subjects so that they understand the basic science
principles applicable in their day to day life rather than becoming superstitious. For example, if
people will know that eyelid flickers due to tension in the vein, they will not consider it to be a sign
of good or bad luck. Next, it is pointless to teach practical skills in schools itself as not everybody
wants to do a job in the future. There are only a few students who acquire only secondary level
education.
Another school of thought thinks practical subjects are more beneficial for the individuals.
Firstly, by studying these subjects, students can become ready to acquire job just after completion
of their primary education. Apparently, they can then work simultaneously, to ease off the financial
stress of their parents, and gain tertiary education. Secondly, studying such subjects is
advantageous for children who study only until secondary school. Even if they are unable to study
afterward, they can still get a job and survive comfortably.
In conclusion, both academic and practical subjects have their benefits for the children,
but I believe that more emphasis should be given to the topics which will be truly worthwhile in
real life. Schools should not stuff children will only theoretical knowledge.

In some countries, the number of shooting massacres is on the rise because many people have
guns at home. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.
In recent decades, many statistics have revealed the increased number of fatal gun
shootings. Indeed, to my mind, this is now convincing evidence that these incidents occur because
of guns possession at home by individuals. In this essay, I shall examine how government laws and
people’s violent mind set encourages this action.
To begin with, laws allow easier possession of guns enforced by the governments pave the
way for the burgeoning number of murders happen due to shootings. This is because, in a
developed society, it is not uncommon to hold guns to ensure the security by the individuals. For
example, in the US, Federal government’s laws allow individuals to possess firearms and this
widely stimulates anti-social elements to involve in anti-social activities. Such laws clearly
encourage people to kill others with the help of guns and result in soaring gun shootings.
Secondly, increased violent mind sets of individuals enable them to react harmfully in the
society that causes detrimental effects. This is because violent related video games nowadays
enable teenagers as well as adults to react dangerously and commit crimes mainly with weapons
such as guns that cause mass destruction to humankind. For example, in Grand Theft Auto, a
popular video game in the US, have destroyed the mind set of people who addicted to it to commit
serious murders blindly with the absence of moral thinking ability. Therefore, it is certainly the
case that negative mind sets improve the number of shootings.
In conclusion, I strongly agree with the notion that holding guns at home increase fatal
gun shootings. In the future, we will certainly see the society with large number of shooting
incidents if laws and people mind sets are not modified for the welfare of the society.

Across the globe, laws exist to either enable or inhibit gun ownership. While the potential
buyer may want to own a gun for self-defense or ‘keepsake’, each country follows its own set of
regulations that would dictate how easy, or how difficult owning a gun would be. Studies have
linked the possession of guns with increased incidents of violence – a finding, which I fully
support.
A review of available statistics on many shooting incidents or reports of gun violence
would be able to explain why countries with relatively easier gun possession norms report the
highest statistics on gun-related incidents. As per figures available, Americans have more guns per
capita than any other resident in the world! A direct outcome of this is reflected in the reported
incidents of gun violence – despite accounting for merely 5% of the world population, 31% of
mass shootings happen in the USA. Also, gun-homicides are reported to be more than 25 times
higher in the US, than most of its counterparts.
While the above arguments may point out the strong link between gun possession and
increased likelihood of gun-related crime, more stringent laws, alone, may not bring down gun-
related violence. Countries like El Salvador and Venezuela, have the highest incidents of guns
related violence than anywhere in the world – despite having stringent laws in place. Therefore,
while ease in procuring and possessing guns may lead to increased gun-related violence, more
stringent laws, alone, may not bring these numbers down.
I believe, there need to be stringent checks in place so that number of gun ownership may
decrease. This, coupled with social awareness campaigns and right education, will limit the
number of lives lost to fire and arms.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in an era in which new things are
constantly being invented?
OR
Talk about the pros/cons of this era as is full of daily invention?
 Over the years, there have been a lot of advancements in every walk of life. Living in the
era where new inventions are made continuously, comes with both benefits and drawbacks. In the
further paragraphs, I will explore some of the merits and demerits of residing in a technological
age.
To begin with the advantages, first of all, the advancements in the workplace have reduced
the human effort. Earlier, the same work which required human workforce can now be done in a
fraction of seconds using machines. Undoubtedly, it requires investment, but with the fast rate of
productivity, the sales and profits can be increased rapidly. Next, medical advances have become
a boon for human life. For instance, earlier, people used to die because of diseases such as
Dengue, but now, the cure for even the biggest illnesses like Cancer is also available. Lastly, with
innovations, people can easily converse with their near and dear ones living in faraway countries.
Without advancements, human life could not have become easier.
On the contrary, if we have a look at the disadvantages of living in a technologically
advanced era, it can be said that the over-reliance on machinery has made people lethargic. Also,
as the employers can easily replace a hundred workers with a single machine, it has resulted in
unemployment among the youth. Apart from these, it has undoubtedly brought advancements in
the medical field, but the nuclear weapons have also been invented, which can eradicate the entire
human race in minutes. Finally, advances in technology have made people unhealthy and obese
as they prefer robots and appliances to do their home chores.
In conclusion, the advantages of residing in technologically sound era are many, but the
disadvantages cannot be ignored as well. It all depends on humankind that how they make use of
these progressions.

Some people believe that the sole aim of higher education is to make people ready for
employment. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Discuss.

Few individuals are of the view that the primary goal of tertiary education is to prepare
people for work. To a large extent, I agree with this statement because if the youth of the country
will be educated, only then they will be able to get better jobs. This essay will discuss points to
support my opinion.
On the one hand, many people believe that university studies give more extensive benefits
to their students besides the career purpose. Firstly education is required for character
development. Even if the person has a degree, it will not ensure him or her safe profession unless
he or she has developed their character. If a person is adequately groomed, only then they will be
able to place themselves in a professional setting. For instance, if a candidate appears in an
interview, the interviewees not only check their academic qualification but also check if the person
is capable enough to adapt himself to a new setting.
Furthermore, attaining university education provides a broad spectrum of selection for the
students. If they have only school qualification, they have fewer job opportunities. Whereas, if they
have a tertiary education, the possibilities for various professions open up and they can choose
the field in which they want to pursue their career.
In conclusion, although higher education provides added benefits to the graduates, its
major purpose is to make the youth ready for attaining job occupations. Students should acquire
education so that they can have an independent and well-settled life in their future.
A common marketing strategy for big companies is to introduce various offers and discounts.
However, these strategies may have an impact on their reputation. What are some of the
impacts?
Running a sale or offering discounts is great for companies who are looking for cash and
improvement in liquidity but some people believe that this marketing strategy can have a negative
impact on their reputation. I am of the opinion that offers, discounts, vouchers etc stimulates
product sales and impact reputation in both positive and negative ways.
As some people believe that offering discounts can cause people question the authenticity of the
product. Studies have shown that people often perceive that the products selling at discounted
prices are not of good quality and cutting its cost are just a way to influence the customer. For
example, the cost of original leather is much higher than the fake leather so if a leather boot is
selling at 40% discount than it makes the customer think that the product is not original or is of
sub-standard quality. So this marketing strategy can have a negative impact on company’s
reputation.
A company or business that offers discounts on special occasions or to certain groups like
defense personnel can even improve its reputation. These type of strategies shows that the company
is making effort to recognize their hard work which in turn improve their reputation. Furthermore
giving special offers on customer’s special days like birthday or marriage anniversary shows that
the brand is making an effort to build a stronger relationship with its clients which increases
people trust in the company. For example, I received a gift coupon for 20% discount from Gucci
on my birthday which made me shop more from the brand.
Many people regard businesses as money-hungry, so cost cutting for a limited period cause
people to buy the product who otherwise may not buy the same product and instead prefer the
competitor product because of variation in price. So to make new clients while retaining the faith
of old clients, this time bound strategy can do wonder. Any deviation from the ‘money-hungry’ for
the business can improve reputation.
At the end, I am of the view that this type of marketing strategy can boost sales and revenue
but it can also lower customer’s trust in the brand. Employing them strategically can prove hugely
beneficial for the company.

What roles should governments, companies & individuals play to combat climate change?
The earth has been witnessing a change in global climate for quite some time as a result
of which the average global temperature has increased by one degree Celsius in the last two
decades. While some environmental scientists think that the climate change is happening naturally,
the matter of the fact is that human activities have endangered the global climate. Concerted efforts
by all individuals, Government, and organization, are needed to save the sanctity of nature.
The government has a significant role to play in exercising control on factors contributing
to global warming, as it is a maker of legislation in a country. The transport regulatory body
should make stringent rules to control the emission of Carbon monoxide and toxic gases from
vehicles and factories alike. The government should organize awareness programs to educate the
masses about rising temperature and their role in combating climate change problem.
Apart from the government’s interference, industries, too, should contribute to protecting
the environment; by developing sustainable solutions and products which run on green energy.
Individuals can do their part by using renewable sources of energy, reusing non-decomposable
material such as plastic bags and composting food waste & opting for public transport instead of
private vehicles.
 In my opinion, the pace at which trees are being cut down for industrial use must be
reduced. Government, Corporation and NGO’s should encourage individuals to use green energy
such as Solar Energy, geothermal and wind energy. Furthermore, the use of public transport,
adapting to digital means to save paper and afforestation can help fight climate change and reduce
global warming to a high level.

Cultural Shock is a new worrying concern for few immigrants. What are the few possible
options to eradicate this?
Cultural shock happens when a person goes to a new country and experiences a different
culture. It is a big problem for immigrants when they move to a new country and witness stark
differences in the lifestyles of people in the new nation. It seems like a small problem at the onset,
but it can lead to broader psychological issues. Therefore, steps must be taken to eradicate it.
Firstly, efforts must be taken from both sides for complete immersion of the newly arrived
immigrant into the new culture. Some of the ways for immersion are to learn the local language
and learn about the local food, customs, and laws. Apart from that, the receiving country can also
take some efforts to be more patient while the newly arrived are still going through the immersion
process.
Secondly, it is essential to respect the new culture and diversity. Once a person accepts
that there is a difference and acknowledges it, then the process of integration becomes
easy. Therefore a mutual respect must be maintained among the immigrants and the natives.
To sum up, it can be said that the best way to overcome cultural shock is to start learning
about the new culture before moving there. By acknowledging the difference and respecting the
diversity, one can ease off the cultural shock to a great extent. Hence, small steps can be beneficial
in cultural integration and protect against cultural shock.

OR

Nowadays a lot of people migrate to countries with entirely different cultures of their
homelands. Some of the immigrants suffer from cultural shock in their new destinations due to
various reasons. This essay will discuss educating people about the country they arrived and
providing them legal protection as solutions.
Most of the immigrants do not have the proper understanding of the social, cultural,
climatic and economic situations of their new locations. Sometimes there are significant
differences between the two environments. Even if they can communicate with a global language
such as English, they may not be able to understand what natives speak correctly. Hence
government or any other organization shout conduct awareness programs for the new immigrants.
Secondly, new immigrants are despised by natives in certain occasions. People come from
foreign countries are not familiar with traditions and the customs of the new country. For instance,
natives are reluctant to provide accurate information for newly arrived people, and they are
harassed. Therefore, laws should be legislated to protect immigrants from harassments.
This essay discussed that awareness campaigns and legal legislation as solutions to
eradicate immigrants from cultural shock. In my opinion, I believe the importance of executing
these ideas as permanent solutions for this issue.
Technological innovations have affected our lives. Do you agree or disagree? / OR/. The mass
media including TV, Radio and Newspaper influence our society and shape our opinions and
characters. What is your opinion?
In today’s modern society mass media communication plays an essential role in shaping
up of individual’s opinions & characters. Mass media includes television, advertising, the Internet,
newspapers, magazines, and so forth. Some experts are of the view that media reflects and creates
the culture. I support this opinion. Mass media has a significant impact on our society. In this
essay, I will further discuss the influence of mass media on society and the general public.
Whatever we see or hear through mass media is thought to be correct. People believe what
they view on television or read in the newspaper without verifying the correctness of news. For
example: In 2008, an 8-year-old article of ‘financially moribund United Airlines filing for
bankruptcy’ in Bloomberg, a premier name in finance news left everyone in jitters. United
Airlines’s stock nosedived by 75 percent. The airline was doing very well before this old news
cropped up. The trading was halted for an hour to bring everything on track. It is a perfect example
of what unauthentic story can do.
The general public gets more influenced by mass media than they think. We often see
advertisements of products promising slim and fit body which gives unrealistic goals to young
women. They take the women in ads as their quixotic role models. It shows how mass media
influences the young generation. We just believe what is shown is advertisement is best for us and
thronged the stores to purchase without actually knowing the product.
In the end, I want to conclude that the statement given in the question seems to be correct
as it has been proven from many studies that people get easily influenced by the mass media.

OR

In our recent era, the mass media plays a very vital role in our lives through different ways.
Any communication media especially TV, radio and newspaper directly affect our whole
community and change our behaviour and way of thinking. Some schools of thoughts are in favor
of this statement while others do not agree with it. This essay will narrate that how mass media is
destroying our whole generation and in what ways it is affecting the lives of people.
Although, we remain update due to this media that what’s going on in all over the world
but this is only the one positive side. On the other hand, broadcasting of unethical things, every
time the news about the fight and different problems all over the world and inappropriate stream
of various programs which create differences between peoples like, political and religion
programs etc. are destroying our unity and love between the community.
Secondly, mass media are a critical tool to set the mind of people mind according to some
influential people of the community, and we consider them our heroes and try to follow them. For
example, the advertising is the best example of this scenario because we try to do that thing what
we see or listen to media.
This essay argued that in what ways mass media play a role in character building of any
society. In my opinion, the adverse effects are more than the good feature of mass communication
in our life.

Media has a strong impact on our day to day life. As the technology is getting more
advanced, media’s influence is growing exponentially. From the past several decades, television,
radio, internet, and newspapers have become a reliable tool in our modern day life. With the
information reaching masses in a blink of an eye, a life without media is near impossible. There is
no denial in the fact that it influences our society in both positive and negative ways.
The advantages of media are infinite. From creating awareness among masses to serving
as a source of inspiration, media act as a platform to present our ideas to the world. It connects
people from around the globe and owing to its reach, a better world of communication opens up
for the humankind.
While it has many positive effects on our society but it can lead to the blind following
which in turn affects our lives. The advertisements these days target teenagers, in turn, they are
becoming more brand conscious. Also, overexposure to sexual content in advertising, magazines,
television shows, and music videos make the children furious and vulnerable to unwanted
hormonal changes in their body.
Yes, media has a high influence on the way people think and behave in a society. But I
think media is affecting the minds of youngsters more in a negative way than its positive influence.
Violence and criminal activities have increased among youngsters. Thus not only does media
influence the thinking of a person but it also affects a person’s actions.

Many people believe that social networking sites (such as Facebook) have had a substantial
adverse impact on individuals & Society. To what extent do you agree?
The social networking websites such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, etc. have
changed the way of communication altogether. People have started spending hours and hours on
social media to meet new people across the world. These digital platforms have brought a
revolution, however, at the same time; we cannot ignore the negative impacts of these platforms
on individuals and society as a whole.
Social networking websites offer several various benefits such as faster mode of
communication, the trouble-free way of gaining information, instant entertainment, etc. For
Instance, these platforms provide a unique opportunity to let the people know about different
cultures. Another significant advantage of such site is that they make people raise their voices for
their rights, views, and opinions. People can certainly talk in global forums on the pertaining
problems & crimes such as terrorism, child marriage, human trafficking, etc.
If we take a look at the flip side of the coin, such easy access to these digital platforms on
the workplaces can hamper the productivity of the employees of the organizations. Such
distractions can interfere the dedication level of the employees towards the company. Also, people
may get engaged in the virtual world so much that this has caused people to become more
antisocial than ever before. According to renowned medical experts, such sites create stress attack
among people who tend to use such sites excessively. For example, the craze to upload selfies on
social media has created a lot of stress in today’s youth.
To conclude, one should be smart enough to maintain a balance between the virtual world
and actual world. If we don’t start taking actions now, there will be a society filled with socially
awkward individuals who can no longer hold a conversation in a social environment.

Some like to do the same routine daily, but some prefer to change”. Discuss your view?
 OR
Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others,
however, think that change is always a good thing. Discuss your view and give your own
opinion.

Many people like doing things a certain way day-in and day out. Any alterations by an
external party are met with disdain. There are also some people who cannot stand the mundane
and traditional routine. This essay will analyses both sides of the coin.
Most people are looking for a form of stability in their lives. A routine life guarantees
stability for them. Moreover, in some people, it is better to do something that they are already
competent and are able to deal with. While change sometimes comes with turbulence, with the
capability of uprooting what’s known? An example of this would be a senior citizen struggling to
keep pace with the advancements in technology today and sticking to their tried and trusted
newspapers.
On the other hand, the unknown often beckons a select few. Such people take life as it
comes and lives every single day as it was their last. From finding innovative ways of achieving
their career or relationship goals to going off the beaten track to happen upon a picturesque
village, there is nothing that such people cannot do.
Such people are always up for a new challenge and with every new hurdle, they evolve as
a person. A perfect example for this would be white collar employees who quit their jobs to travel
the world. With this, not only do they set out to quench their wanderlust, they also connect with
people all over the world as well as themselves on a more spiritual level.
As is evident, I strongly believe that people should always embrace and welcome change
in their lives. After all, change is the only constant and if you do not want to be washed away by
this omnipresent tide, you might as well join it.

Most high level jobs are done by men. Should governments encourage that a certain
percentage of these jobs be reserved for women? What is your opinion?
Generally most of the high level jobs are done by men and the topic has invited varied
arguments from experts. Some think that government must provide reservation in jobs for women
to encourage but I am not in support of this argument. I will make my stand clear supported with
valid facts further in this article.
In this modern era, everyone enjoys right to education and regardless of one’s sex equal
opportunity is provided to pursue their favorite career option or stream. I don’t think so
government should act biased in this case. This is 21st century and woman is no less than a man.
Since the known civilization, men have always dominated society and kept high level jobs to
himself. Education and right to vote were restricted to men only. There were many social and
political barriers to women. But now the things have changed. They can speak up their mind
clearly and loudly. Earlier most of the high level positions are held by men but slowly and steadily
women too are finding their feet on that front.
Women are not only competing with men in every sphere but also proving themselves
superior. For example: The role of women in the military, particularly in combat, is controversial.
Military high rank positions are held by men only and there exist a belief that women cannot meet
the physical and mental demands of the position. From past decade women have begun to be given
a more prominent role in contemporary armed forces and their participation is only increasing.
 If government will provide any kind of reservation to restrict certain percentage of jobs for
women then it will be unfair not only for man but for women too who have earned high level posts
based on their qualification. In the state of Bangladesh, most of the high level political positions
are held by women. They are not elected for being a woman but based on their ability and
qualification. Also woman like Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Hilary Clinton have set the perfect
example for everyone that woman are no less than a man.
What my point is that women have already been given much reservation and assistance
from government. Now they should compete based on their skills and talent. The most deserving
candidate whether a male or a female should get the opportunity for high profile jobs. There should
be no discrimination as both the genders are equal before the law.
After pondering over a great deal of thoughts I have come a conclusion that government
should not reserve jobs for women. Only knowledge should be treated superior and be given the
priority to hold high level job.

These days some people are involved in dangerous activities such as extreme skiing,
motorcycles jumping, Are you in favor? If yes then why?
Whenever I see a dangerous stunt in the movies, I get goosebumps. My first reaction is, “Is
this possible.” So the seeds of excitement have increased by curiosity to attempt the stunt. On the
contrary, another part of the mind tells me not to be foolish as the stunt may get me killed. So,
extreme sports are dangerous, and one has to be careful while performing it.
One should be aware of the limits, like beyond this it may be risky. Taking part in extreme
activities will help one in overcoming the adrenaline rush. Many tourists are booking extreme
skiing activities in one of the best ski resorts around the world. In the beginning, these games are
terrifying but as time passes one gets used to it. Moreover, this risk-taking factors helps in tackling
stressful situations in our routine life.
If we are afraid of death, then our life will become hell. One has to master own fears and
enjoy the gifted life. There are many sports like football and cricket, which has seen the death of
players on the field. But cricket and football are not extreme activities. Hence, there are
possibilities that you may survive even by playing extreme sports. Some are fortunate enough to
get popular by creating world records or by becoming experts in extreme sports.
Preventive measures are a must while indulging in these kinds of games. By following
safety precautions, the players can avoid minor or major injuries. Before going for skiing, the
participants must be aware of the dangerous slopes, how one might get injured and others.
Following the passion blindly can land you in trouble.
It is advisable to practice a lot before competing with others because practice makes one
perfect. To be on the safer side perform extreme sports along with experts or professionals.

Sports and games create disturbance in students’ life because students cannot fully
concentrate on their studies. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
In this modern world where education forms a part of every human being, games and sports
too are pivotal for overall growth of child but some experts are of view that sports and games
create disturbance in students’ life because students cannot fully concentrate on their studies. I do
not fully agree with the statement. I am of view that “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.
In this article, I will further elaborate my stand.
 In ancient Greece sports and games formed the principal part of education. They are
known to be important for success in every walks of our life. In this competitive world, every
student is studying hard to score good grades but he/she cannot neglect games and sports
completely as there are many benefits to it.
As the proverb “A sound mind is in a sound body” says that an active mind lives in a
healthy body and the same can be obtained with a good diet and good exercise. Involving in
reading and writing all the time can result in mental and physical strain. At that time sports and
games acts as food for mind and fuel for body. With regular participation in such activities a
student can keep the body fit and at the same time gives the much-needed relief to mind.
Seeing the positive impact of sports in student’s life, some countries have made it
mandatory to include outdoor activities in the schools and colleges curriculum. Their academic
learning is not confined to lectures only. With participation in games and sports, they make sure
to generate a healthy competitive spirit and interest in life among students.
At the end I just want to say that sports and games may affect education temporarily but
scheduling both in a proper way can prove boon in a student’s life. The outdoor activities
gradually build up a healthy body and make the mind energetic.

In the 18th century due to industrialization a lot of people migrated to developed countries.
This affected lifestyle and increased major problems in developed countries. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?
In the 18th Century, advancement in technology led to a dramatic boom in the number of
migrants to the industrialized parts of the world. This influenced the living style and elevated key
hindrances in the developed nations. To some extent, I agree that this trend brought in a lot of
problems in affluent countries. I will elaborate my view in the further paragraphs.
To begin with, migration results in the rapid economic growth of any nation. To elaborate,
if people move from their country to another, they spend a tremendous amount of money for the
entire prerequisites such as language tests, visas, embassy fees etcetera. Moreover, they work in
another nation and help in the progress of the state they immigrate. Secondly, by welcoming people
from other countries, any country can familiarize its natives with the cultures and traditions of
other parts of the world.
On the contrary, allowing too many immigrants can lead to some complications as well.
Firstly, it can drastically reduce the number of job opportunities for the local populace of the
nation, which allows uncontrolled migration. In the worst case scenario, there can be instances
where migrants take up employment at cheaper rates and the natives themselves can fall short of
job opportunities. Secondly, brain drain can affect the progress rate of the nation whose public
moves to other regions for better living opportunities.
To conclude, undoubtedly, moving to other countries has some advantages but as “excess
of everything is bad,” authorities should keep a check on allowing only legitimate people to their
countries. Else, it can result in unhappy natives.

“Euthanasia is no longer acceptable in the modern society.” Discuss the solutions to accept
this fact.
Euthanasia has been a topic of debate for decades. Euthanasia is the process of providing
a person or animal the painless death, if the patient is suffering from painful, incurable disease
since a long period such as Coma. It is also referred as “Mercy Killing” or “Physician Assisted
Suicide” in the modern terminologies.
Euthanasia hampers the religious, ethical as well as legal factors about any country or
geographical area. If we look at the dimension from the religious perspective, then taking away
someone’s life is seen as a sin. Even if done voluntary, the practice diminishes the human’s natural
instinct to survive. The mechanism to fight from any danger or diseases is something human body
does automatically to survive. On the ethical note, we have to accept that we do not have any right
to declare death for any person. Everyone has the right to fight for their survival which is deep
rooted in the psyche of every human.
Also, if the process of Euthanasia is not followed according to the proper terms and
regulatory forces, it has its consequences. The paralyzed, physically & mentally disabled or
dependent persons may suffer due to the corrupt practices carried on under Euthanasia. There
may be a vast possibility that due to less awareness or commercialization, many innocent people
have to sacrifice their lives. There is also a possibility that people face the higher discrimination
because of their physical and mental situation compared to the current situation.
Hence, as a society, it is necessary to put & treat all individuals on the equality platform
that can be done through non-acceptance of Euthanasia.

In a war of ideas, it is people who get killed”. Does a common man suffer from a group’s
ideology? Express your opinion.

It is a well-known saying and I personally support the statement. Time and again
humankind has faced mass destruction owing to the difference in ideas and beliefs. So it is rightly
said that group’s ideology can sometimes cause suffering to a common man.
A good example is this regard is September 11, 2001, attack in the US which killed over
2900 people & injured 6000+ people. It caused an infrastructural damage of over $3 trillion. The
impact of the attacks affected both society and culture in general. As a result, general public live
under constant fear.
The sufferings of common man in such incidences cannot be expressed in words. It has
been observed that in the clash of opposing ideas, ideologies, or concepts it is the common man
who suffers the most. There are many nations or groups who use ‘war of ideas’ as a tool to promote
their interests abroad.
The second example in this regard is of government who sometimes roll out policies which
are not in favor of the general public. Despite the negative response from people, such projects
find its place in government’s agenda. Such decisions are forced onto the public. Such cases form
the perfect example of a common man sufferings from a group’s ideology.
Usually, a group’s ideology is followed by the majority of the population, governments, or
other groups who find common concerns and interest as of group. Such groups tend to work
towards their member’s betterment and gain. For example, National Organization for Women
(NOW) mission is to advocate for equality and full societal participation for women.
Many people have lost their lives and will continue to do so owing to the differences in the
way of thinking. It is the common man who has always been suppressed and suffered. In future
also it will continue if ideas are carried out before knowing its aftermath.
Polygamy has increased widely in recent years. What solutions can you bring forward to
decrease this issue?
Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse at one time. Earlier polygamy
was limited to rulers and kings. Colonial education and laws put an end to this practice. But
polygamy is still widely prevalent in the society and increasing at an alarming rate. The study
reveals that this practice is not exclusive to Muslims but exists among all communities: tribals,
Buddhists, Jains etc.
There are various reasons and factors that led to Polygamy. One of the strongest pertaining
cause is the religious and cultural belief system, where the religion, itself promotes the polygamy
concept. Sometimes, due to religious beliefs, the legal system also accommodates the Polygamy
practice. For example, Islam supports the Polygamy concepts and thus it is legalized to have
multiple wives for the Muslims in the countries like India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia,
Philippines and many more.
In my opinion, the best solution is to introduce strict laws & regulatory practices to
abandon Polygamy. Not only the amendment, but the government must take the strict action for
the implementation of such laws. The women literacy rate should be encouraged as it helps women
to know their legal & fundamental rights and show them the path to fight against the illegal issues.
The women empowerment programs should be encouraged. The women should be made
independent & self- sufficient.
To sum up, the ensured equality in the society, awareness & practice of fair legal rights
can be helpful to decrease the Polygamy issue.

Value added by travel in Education. Is travel a necessary component of education or not?

Will scholar sitting at home have more knowledge? / OR / Travel to study is overrated; we
have brilliant scholars who studied locally. Is travel required for higher studies?
Education is one’s persona to complete his or her personal development. In a similar note,
traveling internationally to pursue higher studies is an excellent opportunity for many aspiring
individuals. However, some think this is just an exaggerated idea. This essay will examine the
points on both sides of the argument then draw a logical conclusion.
On the one hand, studying abroad as much is required for many students. It provides the
individual a lot of opportunities and experiences in life. One great example is those overseas
students who developed the sense of independence from their parents because of being far from
them. Moreover, the person is also exposed to various cultural diversities which enables him or
her to adapt sufficiently to a new environment. It also provides the individual to widen his or her
learning capabilities about life and chosen career. Furthermore, students who gained
international qualifications are more preferred by the various employers which means they are
prone to many job opportunities. Therefore, the international study provides more advantages to
the future of the individual who pursues this idea.
On the other hand, those who are against on traveling to study have different perspectives.
First, various universities abroad cost ten times the cost of the local college. Due to this, students
are required to do some part-time works to help their parents in supporting their chosen field. In
Australia, for instance, most of the international students have to work as well as a part-time
worker in some cases, so that they can support the expensive cost of living in the said country.
Therefore, studying abroad is too expensive for both parents and students.
 This essay discussed the views of traveling to study and those who are against with it. In
my opinion, I believed that the idea of pursuing international higher studies contributes to the
person’s individual growth in personal, social and economic terms. Moreover, it also adds to the
own experiences and practical skills of the various individuals.

In today’s ever-changing world, of advanced technologies, education forms a much-needed

base for overall development of a human being including his personal, social and economic
development. So traveling to another country for higher education is justified? I will analyze both
sides before concluding at the end.
The people against the idea of travel to study supports their view of the fact that
international studies are much more costlier than studying at home country. Also, students living
away from parents often develop homesickness. Some students opt for part-time jobs to bear the
burden of their parents and to meet their daily needs which in turn increases the load on them.
Rather than focusing on learning, they get to struggle hard for their expenses. Parents are not sure
if their children are studying or getting in some negative company which can change their mind.
On the other hand, some people are of the view that international studies widen the scope of
learning & enhance skills & abilities. Studying in the different country provide students the
opportunity to learn and adapt other’s culture. This way they adapt to different environment
readily, and it helps them in the later stage of life.
Further adding an international qualification adds weight-age to student’s resume which
opens up many job opportunities for them. For instance, a student’s resume with an MBA degree
from a recognized international institution gets priority among the peers. Employers too are
preferring graduates with international experience.
In the end, I am of the opinion that traveling for higher education is a must these days. It
surely has some disadvantage, but we can’t overlook the merits of foreign qualification.
International studies widen people’s perspective and help them with better career opportunities.
Travel is an essential element of higher studies which in turn is an outstanding combination to
succeed in this globalized planet.

People tend to use their vehicles instead of public transports like buses and trains. What
ways do you suggest to encourage the use of public transport among the people? / OR/. In
the wake of increasing level of air pollution and decreasing quality of life, we should
encourage people to use public transport like buses and trains rather than using their private
vehicles. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Opting public transportation over personal commuting can be your best pick, especially
when it comes to relaxing and attaining a collective travel experience. It’d be evident to say that
public means of transportation might not be as comfortable, but it has its own merits. Let’s dig
deeper and know how one must switch over to public commuting.
When we talk about covering more considerable distances in short span of time, opting for
a bus or train can be your out of the box pick. The fact here is that trains or buses have dedicated
paths for commuting; hence you can cut down the travel time to a greater extent. It’s obvious that
public commuting is cheap, but, it’s also the best bet for our environment. The carbon emission
that your car would release would be lesser than that of a bus for the same distance, but, a bus
would cover commute many people. Thus, greenhouse-gas emission per person is much less.
Increasing the cost of private commuting is also a good option. An array of countries have
raised the road tax and permit rates for private commuting. It would surely encourage people to
opt for public transportation. What comes as a fascinating fact is that, air pollution can be reduced
as well. Keeping the public modes of commuting clean and hygienic can also fetch more
commuters. Thus, the government has an important role to play.
For a sustainable future, shifting to public transportation is your key. Governments,
activists as well as experts can put in some efforts or even awareness campaigns to make people
rationalize the merits. In the era of globalization, we must leverage the technological potential &
must move towards electrification of public transportation, this would not only be beneficial for
our environment, but it’ll also attract a more substantial chunk of people.

In your opinion, what has been the most important invention of the past 10 years?
/ OR /. Which is the best invention of last 100 years: antibiotics, computers or airplanes? Explain
why?

I think, the best invention in the last decade is “Android”. It is one of the most significant
inventions of this modern era. Android is considered heaven for open source developers these
days. It was introduced by Google Inc in 2007 to lukewarm response from users but gained
popularity in a short span of time.
Since then this epic thing has been found in most of the smart devices. I am writing this
article depicting the revolution created by Android technology.
These days Android is a very popular technology and most of the smart devices are running
it. After iPhones, the other big name in the technology section is of Android. It literally ate up
Symbian, Java powered devices.
In 2007 when other mobile phone manufacturers than Apple were struggling for a new OS
to compete with iOS, Google introduced Android under the Apache License. It was launched as a
mobile OS in 2008 and various updates have been launched fixing bugs and constantly adding
new features since then.
Which was being develop as an advanced operating system for digital cameras is now the
primary OS for most of the smartphones and tablets including Samsung, Sony, LG, HTC and
others. With its feature to run multiple application programs, it dominates over 75% global
smartphone market as per a report published in 2012.
In developing countries like China and India, it has paved way to a new section of cheaper
smartphone companies, such as Xiaomi and Micromax. Not only Android is dominating
smartphones market but is widely used in tablets too.
Android has an active community of developers and enthusiasts that helps in extended the
functionality of the devices. Reviewers have highlighted the open-source nature of the operating
system as one of its defining strengths. In October 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported that
Android will serve as Google’s future main laptop operating system, with the plan to fold Chrome
OS into it by 2017.

Foreign Languages should be compulsory in the primary school. How far do you agree
with the above statement?
 In some countries, children learn a foreign language in addition to their mother tongue at
primary classes. Although there are some advantages of this practice, some people argue that it is
an additional burden on children. This essay will discuss the importance of learning a foreign
language from primary education itself.
Listening skills and memory capacities of bilinguals are higher than people who only got
familiar with their mother tongue. For instance, there are only slight differences between similar
sounds of different languages. Practicing to identify such minute voice changes improves memory
as well as listening capabilities.
A language has its culture bind to it, and foreign language learners get to know about its
culture as well. A Srilankan child who learns Japanese can gain the comprehensive understanding
of Japanese civilization in addition to the Japanese language. Hence bilinguals can adapt to
different environments quickly.
This essay discussed the positive implications of learning a foreign language at an early
stage of life including developments in memory as well as listening skills and easy adaptability to
diversified situations. Therefore, I agree with the mandatory teaching of foreign languages at
primary schools.

In this era of modernization, we are no longer limited to interacting with people from the
same culture. The internet and its many wonders have connected people throughout the world.
Knowledge of a foreign language can help enhance our social skills as well as pave the way for
building relationships with people with a different cultural heritage. In this essay, we will evaluate
if foreign languages should be made compulsory at all primary schools.
Primary schools constitute the building blocks of a child’s learning curve. What they learn
at this early age plays a pivotal role in shaping their future. There is an inherent belief of ‘the
younger the better’. Young children are often bound to be better language learners and retainers.
This allows them to become proficient in a particular language in a short duration of time. Today,
globalization has taken the world by storm and it is impossible to bury your head.
Besides, learning a new language at an early age arms children with a self- confidence to
conquer everything that the world has to offer. For instance, I had a colleague who was proficient
in 5 national languages besides her native: Russian. Having learned them at a young age, the list
of personal and professional opportunities that she encountered were endless.
Thus, this proves that learning a foreign language in primary school has several pros. Not
only is this a fun learning activity, in time, it will also reinforce strong social and corporate skills
and opportunities in the future. As such, it should be made compulsory.

Do you think that the English Language will continue to remain as the global language
despite globalization? Support your point of view with details from your own experiences,
observations or reading.
English is the most likely candidate for global language in the 21st century. Despite having
many languages around the world, it remains official language in almost 100 countries. A majority
of the people speak English; it will take centuries to replace it with some other power language.
So, in my opinion, the English language will remain as the global language despite globalization.

Ever since English has been adopted as the international language, it has become the language of
conversation between two people of different countries and culture. It has rapidly grown as the
world language, and over a billion of people speak it. For example: In any international summit
or conference, English acts as the means of communication.
To achieve international peace and coexistence, we need one standard world language,
and English has come very close to it. Globalization is bound to happen and if ever any country
like China became the global superpower in the future, will Mandarin (the language of China) get
the same status as of English? I doubt the idea.
The academic curriculum in schools and colleges across the world has made English as
their mandatory language. It has become the lingua franca of science. English is now the language
of business, pop culture and overall it is associated with globalization. The companies are marking
their products in the English language too to market them globally so it will be a very tedious
process to change it.
Three-quarters of the world’s overall population are English speakers. There are fewer
chances of any other language to enjoy the international status. In my opinion, the English
Language will continue to be the global language.

Smoking is harmful to health, and some governments have banned smoking in public. Do
you think it is justified on their part to ban smoking?
Many countries have banned smoking in public places including workplaces. The move
came after many studies and reports suggesting severe health problems to passive smokers. I am
of the view that the move is justified on the part of the government who are responsible for the
health of their people.
The hazardous effects of smoking are well known to our society, and since ages, the
governments are advertising its ill-effects. Along with the smoker, other people nearby smoker
also breathe in the smoke. The public visiting places such as healthcare, educational, government
facilities and on public transport had to face the wrath of smoking. However, the ban now prohibits
the people from smoking at such places.
The smokers though find the law against their freedom. To smoke or not to smoke is a
matter of choice and smoking is also not against the law. But playing with other’s life is definitely
against the law. The passive smokers too develop ‘CANCER’ of various types including that of
lungs, mouth, throat, and other parts of the body.
During pregnancy, inhaling the smoke can retard the fetus leading to the death. Effectively
there are so many dreadful holdings of smoking relevant to strength, communal and subjective
level which can mischief a person life. And in any case, the law does permit the establishment of
smoking areas so people wanting to smoke can use such places. Many bars and pubs already have
isolated sites especially for the smokers.
In the end, I am in favor of government’s decision to entirely ban smoking in public places.
The move will benefit a majority of people and would help in improving the overall health of
masses. It’s a positive development and will prove to be a significant step in the evolution of human
life.
As a result of advances in medical care. Average life expectancy is increasing for men and
women. Do you think most people will see this as a positive development? What are the
disadvantages of an ageing population for individuals and society?

In today’s society, both men and women enjoy a great health and live past middle age.
Now deaths are highly concentrated at older ages and this could only be possible with advances in
medical care. This increase in average life expectancy can be regarded as one of the society’s
greatest achievements but some people don’t see it as a positive development.
Some reports suggest that average age of death has been increased from 46.7 in 1990 to
59.3 in 2016. Though the trend is encouraging as now our near and dear ones live longer. The data
shows that humans are making right health related decisions and this achievement can be attributed
to improvement in public health and medical care. This can be cited as a great achievement for
individuals and society but it also means many countries facing an aging population.
With the improvement in life expectancy, there has been 10 fold increase in oldest people
that now constitute the fastest growing part of the total population. There are more people of older
age throughout the World. This also means the extra financial burden on families having older
people. As human age grows we get more vulnerable to diseases and sickness. The regular health
checkups and constant observation of health care experts are usually expensive and it can burn a
hole in patient’s family. It’s good that one can stay for long years with his or her family and enjoy
happy moments but financial burden can cause conflict within the family.
Furthermore, longer longevity also means less young working force for a country. For a
country, lack of young working force could mean less prosperity and growth. We are living on a
planet with lesser resources and most of the resources humans are consuming are non-renewable.
What will we do with longevity with no resources? Longer longevity puts an extra burden on
individuals and society.
For the reasons discussed above I can conclude that an increase in average life expectancy
rate can put the burden on environment and society but it can be dealt jointly by individuals and
society. After all longer longevity is a symbol of growing civilization and the better life.

Computers have become an integral part of our lives and our homes. This has given children
an easy access to video games and a lot of them play them all the time.
Discuss Advantages & disadvantages of playing video games and minimizing the bad effects?
In today’s era of technology and advancement, our entertainment means have also seen a
shift from outdoor games to video games. Electronics entertainment devices like video games is
widespread and is mainly popular among children. Its widespread usage has invited different
views from experts. Their views are divided on the positive and negative effect of playing video
games.
Some experts are of the opinion that playing video games increases children’s intelligence while
other experts are citing its negative impact on children’s health and psychology. Here I am
discussing both pros and cons with valid points along with suggestion on minimizing its bad effects
in the following paragraphs.
The researchers have found that playing video games could boost children’s intelligence
and increases brain power. Video games serves both purpose of entertainment and
educational. Certain types of video games are especially developed to enhance skills, abilities like
logical thinking and concentration of user. The virtual platform that the user are transported to
while playing games often inspire them to learn new things. Example: Flying a plane in the game
encourages child to learn the same in the real life and difficult situations present in the game
increases their problem solving ability.
However its cons can’t be overlooked. With cutthroat competition in gaming industry, the
developers are constantly adding new features like targets and rewards to make the game more
intriguing and engaging for the users. As a result of this children are spending hours playing them.
They have become highly addictive to children resulting in lack of sleep to compromising with
other works like doing homework, reading, sports etc. The studies suggest that spending long hours
on computer or gaming console give rise to obesity in children.
Most importantly the gaming users are subject to violence in video games which in turn
increases aggressive thoughts in children. Example: “Grand Theft Auto” allows its users to beat
people, play missions, crash cars and a whole host of other violent things.
To minimize the ill effects of gaming mainly health hazards, a distance should be
maintained between the child and gaming console. Ensuring limited time of entertainment and
under adult supervision, they can provide not only fun time to the child but also contain huge
educational potential. Many companies are also developing fun and learning programs like
‘Knowledge Adventure’ have developed excellent programs for baby and toddlers.

The ownership of cars should be restricted to one per family in order to reduce traffic
congestion and pollution. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

With the increase in private transportation on roads, there is a traffic chaos and congestion
around the globe. There is a strong need to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. To tackle
this problem, governments are thinking of restricting one car per family. In my opinion this is the
efficient way to improve the quality of the air and the commutation.
In this fast paced era, one car per head in a family is a common sight and there is no deny
that more the number of vehicles ply on roads more harmful gases gets in the air. The traffic chaos,
emission of harmful gases like CO and noise pollution are the foremost reasons why experts are
suggesting restricting ownership of cars to one per family.
This way we can ensure low carbon and other harmful gases emissions that are responsible
for global warming and serious health issues. For example: As per WHO, around two million
people die prematurely from the effects of polluted air every single year. And the numbers are
increasing every year. Air pollution is the fourth-highest risk factor for death globally.
If the government restricts the ownership of cars to one per family then there will be less
number of cars on the roads. There will be surge in the quality of air that we are breathing in and
thus going to prevent the health issues. The move might encourage people to restore to other eco-
friendly way of transportation like cycle which would not only improve their health but also benefit
them financially. As a complete ban is not a people friendly solution so allowing one car per family
can provide a good solution indeed.
At the end I want to conclude that one car usage per family is an efficient way to improve
the quality of the air and the commutation. With the systematic and step by step approach we can
bring down the number of cars plying on roads. It will prove to be a vital step in improving the
quality of people’s life. I favor the move if the government restricts the ownership of cars to one
per family.
Forests provide us the most vital element for our survival. Destruction of forests in the
world by human beings means self-destruction. Throw some light with example.
There is no deny in the fact that Forests are of utmost importance to whole of the human
kind. Other than maintaining right balance in the environment, they act as habitats and shelters
to millions of species. However they are depleting at a much faster rate as we are selflessly utilizing
tress for fuel, building houses, paper production and for our endless needs. And it does mean
destruction of forests in the world by human beings means self-destruction. We will try to support
the subject with valid points and examples where ever necessary.
Forests and tress are vital for every living being as it’s a great source of life and supports
future life. Food and shelter are not only vital for us but most of the terrestrial species of animals,
plants and insects depend on forest for their survival and rapid cutting of tress is taking away their
habitat and making the survival of this magnificent biodiversity difficult.
More than 80% of the world’s species remain in the Tropical Rain-forest and due to their
loss of habitat most of the species of animal and plants have already extinct or are in the category
of endangered species which potentially pose a greater loss to human kind.
Global warming is known to be a great threat to human kind and trees play a key role in
absorbing the greenhouse gases and in carbon storage. Plants utilize carbon-dioxide to make their
food and in return provides oxygen. As a result of deforestation carbon-dioxide will remain in the
atmosphere. Carbon Dioxide contributes much to the global warming and as a side effect we are
already facing extreme weather events including rising of sea level.
In addition, forests acts as vital source of fresh water supply. The researchers have found
that cutting down trees dramatically reduces the amount of rain that falls in that area, thus there
is decrease in the water supply.
In the 1930s, drought and dust storms greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the
US and Canadian prairies. The un-anchored soil turned to dust, and blew away with the prevailing
winds. During the period, tens of thousands of families were forced to abandon their farms and
migrate to other places.
The signals that our Mother Earth is giving is quite visible and is clearly giving us the
warning that, rapid depletion of forest is causing major changes in the environment which involves
our own self-destruction. If, we do not stop exploiting our ecosystem now, a stage may come where
it may become impossible to repair it.

A growing number of people feel that animals should not be exploited by people and that
they should have the same rights as humans, while others argue that humans must employ
animals to satisfy their various needs, including uses for food and research.
Few individuals are of the opinion that humans should not exploit animals and instead,
provide them equal rights, as people. However, others opine that animals must be used for various
purposes such as scientific experimentation and food. I will elaborate both these views, along with
my opinion in the subsequent paragraphs.
To begin with the first school of thought, that is, to not to use animals for human benefits.
Firstly, people think that animals are also living creatures. They also feel pain and undergo stress
when they are kept in cages and ill-treated. Secondly, vegans and vegetarians are strictly against
the killing and consumption of animal products. They support the fact that nowadays, there are a
plethora of healthier substitutes, which have various more nutrients than meat products.
Turning to the second view, which is also my opinion; animals should be used for the
benefit of the humankind. First of all, human beings are the finest creation of the Almighty.
Henceforth, our sole purpose is to safeguard the survival of humans on the planet. And for this,
animals are required to make and test the drugs to cure deadliest diseases because if the drugs
are tested directly on people, it can cause severe illnesses in case the medication needs
amendment. Next, if the animals are not slaughtered and consumed, their number will skyrocket,
and soon there will be more wild animals than people.
To conclude, undoubtedly animal feel pain yet, they have been made for the welfare of the
human beings. Hence, people should avoid rigidity and use the animals for every purpose
imaginable, to make their survival possible in this world.

How do you think the crime would reduce – with harsher punishments or moral teachings?
Discuss both the views and take a stand?

Since times immemorial we have had the debate – carrot v/s stick; which is the more
appropriate tool to curtail unwanted behavior. By ‘carrot,’ we mean a reward or a promise of it
if good behavior is followed; and moral teaching does precisely that. It creates a belief system that
every action has a rebound – good is met with good, and bad follow bad. Although supporting
evidence creates a strong case for either, I am of the view that for crime to reduce, harsher
punishments is the only recourse.
Behavioral insights into the most notorious criminals indicate that they seldom show any
remorse, even after the inappropriateness of their actions has been established. It suggests that
they do not believe their actions were unwanted. For moral teaching to work there needs to be an
intrinsic belief in goodness – which I think is missing for most of the hardened criminals. To such
individuals, instead, the fear of the law might work better than the ‘good values’ taught through
moral education.
At the same time, harsher punishments cannot be, and should not be universally applied to
all the cases. For mostly the young adolescent kids, there should be an attempt to draw them out
of the socially unwanted section of the society, by way of the likes of community services – which
act as a medium to teach humanitarian values to those involved.
Moral teaching should be included as a part of the educational system, in our early years.
The earlier these concepts are introduced, the greater is the likelihood that the young may abstain
from crime. At the same time, for most of the notorious elements of our society, it will be the fear
of the law – the punishment that may keep them from committing wrong.

What is your view on the idea that it takes failure to achieve success?
‘Failure is the path to success’ is an old saying but it holds true even in today’s modern
and fast-paced world. Some argue that failure is essential for gaining success in life, while others
believe that one can be highly successful without going through a failure phase. This essay will
discuss that failing is crucial to achieving success.
Success is the result of bad experiences in life. The path to success is filled with difficulties
and hurdles. Bad experiences in life teach many valuable lessons and to be successful, it is
imperative to learn from the mistakes and avoid them in the future. The most celebrated
personalities in the world have failed multiple times. For example, Jack Ma, the owner of the most
prominent online shopping website in the world failed many times. He was rejected for the job at
KFC, but he didn’t lose hope and learned from his mistakes. Today, he is one of the wealthiest
persons on this planet. Therefore, failure is an essential part of an individual’s life.
Some people believe that failure is not essential to achieve success. In this modern era of
social media, some people have become highly successful and gained popularity overnight by
performing some acts. Hence the belief that bad experience may not be essential to achieve great
heights in life.
Overall, the success of an individual comes from his mistakes in life. By learning from bad
experiences, human beings can achieve big things in life.

The burning desire to succeed leads to many failures. The most successful and popular
people known to World today are subject to failure before attaining final success.
Everyone is born with some natural talent and ability. When people recognize their actual
talent and work upon the same, their chances to succeed increases. For example: Being a little girl
I always wanted to become a medical doctor. I worked hard to pass the entrance exam and also I
continued working hard during the graduation. My underlying love for diagnosis and treating
patients helped me in achieving my dream. I know of many such students who tried hard to “failed”
attempts. My natural ability helped me to accomplish in comparison with them.
Persistence also happens to be another key factor in my success. We are what we repeatedly
do. Many people are of the view that it does not require a lot of effort to get success. No magic
wand can give you immediate success. I studied hard day and night to clear the entrance exam.
This persistence gave me the courage to move forward and achieve what I want.
I also find Luck to be an essential factor for success. Though I am a follower of hard work,
I seldom see luck to be an essential element. Sometimes the best opportunity knocks your door
when you least expect it. For example: Once I participated in a regional meet and I finished 4th,
but because the competitor at the 3rd position was disqualified I won the 3rd place. It was my sheer
luck that my competitor made an error and I won the prize instead.
In the end, I can sum up that failures are not the only factor necessary to achieve success.
Other vital elements like natural ability, persistence and luck also play an important part. Without
them, people certainly have great difficulties achieving what they want.

The right amount of motivation and practice can teach one better than the training given to
him in classrooms by teachers.
Motivation is the thing that has a significant effect between awakening and going again to
bed. At the same time, the right amount and right kind of motivation are essential to learning
because taking part in learning and engrossing information is a dynamic procedure requiring
student’s conscious effort. Even the classroom learning of the students expect motivation to focus
on what their instructors are instructing.
Furthermore, the present educational system and framework are principally centered on
academic knowledge rather than sports, creativity, and innovation. Subsequently, aside from
academic, there are enormous talents which require hard practice and frequent motivation to
reach the desired level. For instance Steve Jobs, previous CEO of Apple Inc. who didn’t finish his
graduation, but still he achieved massive success by his determination and by remaining positive
in each period of his life.
 Bechendari Pal (a first Indian mountaineer to climb Mount Everest), Sachin Tendulkar
(The god of cricket), Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein are a couple of cases which were never
frustrated by their failures. They kept on motivated themselves, learned and rectified their mistakes
and made a huge come back even more powerfully.
The thirst for knowledge is improved, when empowered with right inspiration and
abundant practice. Stephen Hawking is an ideal case to exhibit this, with all his paralyzed body
and just the brain working, he is continuously motivated to move towards his next innovation.
Finally, to conclude that any classroom preparation & training, if given with energy and
motivation will establish the framework of a solid base on which the student can pick his most
loved way and with an adequate measure of training he can outshine in any field.

In most of the education system, students are accessed by formal written examinations. Do you think
it is a good idea or not? Give your reasons.

We lose too many talented people by defining intelligence through exams that are wholly
inadequate and constricting, says headmaster Peter Tait
“Many highly intelligent people are poor thinkers. Many people of average intelligence are skilled
thinkers. The power of a car is separate from the way the car is driven.” - Edward de Bono
Each year at this time, the pressure cranks up in the race for school and university places,
as SATS and A-levels prepare to feed another raft of league tables. As these help determine our
standing on the world stage, through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA),
our obsession with measuring children takes centre stage.
Confident in our system of public examinations, that is broadly designed to separate those
more ‘intelligent’ from the less ‘intelligent’, we can feel content that we are filtering out our most
able for higher education and all the opportunities that entails. Sounds simple enough, if it was
really that easy.
The problem lies with the word intelligence. The common definition, that of possessing ‘a
quickness of understanding and an ability to apply knowledge and skills to a high level’ – should
give us pause to ask how well equipped our current examination system is to deliver?
Many ‘intelligent’ students, so identified by the data emanating from various intelligence
tests (which incidentally too often reinforce teacher expectations), are frustrated by papers that trot
out the same questions in a different garb. These allow for little or no original thought and even
actively discourage creative thinking and intelligent responses.
Simply stated, measuring intelligence through examination is, inevitably, as limited as the
examination itself. Whilst it might prove a reasonable sieve – perhaps even the best we can provide
– it will not identify many of those we instinctively know to be intelligent.

There are simple reasons for this, apart from the failure of examinations to measure
divergent thinking and creativity (due in part to the need to keep marking as objective and,
therefore, as inflexible as possible to remove any room for subjective judgment).
The problem of measuring intelligence per se is that it is an inadequate guide to human
capability, and that many of the ways we use to measure working intelligence are woefully
inadequate. Surely those we should be seeking to identify and nurture are students with the capacity
of effective or applied intelligence, those who can do something with what knowledge and skills
they acquire?
 Too many ‘intelligent’ children, often bored by conventional learning, slip through the net.
Others just think differently to the straitjacket dictated by ‘one size fits all’ exams. For instance,
the list of those luminaries with learning difficulties who found it difficult to express themselves
in conventional examinations makes for sober reading.
This poses the question as to just how many are badly served by traditional examinations,
despite all the assistance offered through extra time, reader-writers and the use of technology. We
only have to reflect on some of our leading public figures who dropped out of school and have
ended up in prominent positions in public life to know that the traditional system of assessment
was not capable of measuring their particular abilities, their sense of purpose, work ethic and
creativity.
There are also many ‘intelligent’ people, as measured by our schools, who have the historic
indicators of intelligence, viz. a quickness of understanding and the ability to perform cognitively
at a higher level but are painfully deficient in other aspects.
These people can lack initiative, the ability to ask difficult questions (and solve them), EQ,
cooperative and communication skills and the organisational discipline crucial to make
intelligence an active, rather than a passive, trait.
Because our perceived definition of intelligence is so closely linked in with an ability to be
measured by exams, many intelligent people are disfranchised.
Our measure of who is intelligent depends more on giving expected and appropriate
answers rather than showing any initiative or creative spark, this is probably the reason for the
clutch of third class degrees accumulated by such luminaries as Michael Morpurgo, W. H. Auden
and Carol Vorderman.
By measuring intelligence this way, we get some of the crop, but not all, and those that fall
by the wayside can be the most important of all. Hence while neurosurgeons, judges and
nanotechnologists emerge from the current system, one only has to look at the vast numbers of
highly successful – and intelligent – people who failed to shine at school to see how random our
measure is. As Winston Churchill aptly demonstrated, it is possible to win the Nobel Prize for
Literature despite a mediocre school career and no tertiary qualifications.
Part of the problem may be how we value and reward intelligence, as identified through
traditional testing. The word ’intelligent’ has a cache that other words, like ‘industrious’ do not.
For instance, we richly reward those whose appointments are based on their academic
qualifications; judges, diplomats, bankers and brokers, financiers, consultants, senior bureaucrats
and the like. However, those people who make create, who tinker and take intellectual risks, are
scantily rewarded in comparison.
We might well ask, are our schools guilty of promoting a passive form of intelligence,
asking ‘what do you know’ rather than ‘what can you do’ simply because of the limitations of
assessment? We might also pause to recognise that many ‘intelligent’ people may lack the very
qualities we need from our leaders, be it emotional intelligence, wisdom or even common sense.
Ability, talent, intelligence on their own are lumps of coal – they need setting alight to have any
value.
Of course we need our most able to fly; we need an intelligentsia to keep challenging us
and leading us forward. And they will probably still come from the traditional route until we widen
our criteria and improve our tools for identifying talent, although when I read that 7 per cent of
Oxford’s student population are receiving counselling along with 728 postgraduate students, I
wonder how too much focus on academia can stunt emotional and social development. As a
society, we benefit most from those with effective intelligence, who are able to channel their
intelligence and use it, rather than merely parade it in the safety of institutions and selected
professions.
We lose too many talented and intelligent people by defining intelligence through tests that
are wholly inadequate and constricting. We need to look wider and encourage the entrepreneur,
the inquisitive, the creative and the downright cussed in our schools to make the most of who we
are and to bring out the richness and diversity of thought and ideas in our society.