WRITING TASK 2 TOPICS

I. HEALTH & HEALTHCARE

1. Some people believe that education and healthcare should be
free of charge and funded by the government. Others think that it
should be the responsibility of the people to pay for these
services. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
2. Many doctors are concerned about the high use of computer
games by children and young people. What mental and physical
problems may arise from excessive use of these games? How
could these problems be reduced?
3. Some people think that in order to prevent illness and disease,
governments should make efforts in reducing pollution and
housing problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree with
this statement?
4. Many manufactured food and drink contain high levels of sugar,
which causes many health problems. Sugary products should be
made more expensive to encourage people to consume less
sugar. Do you agree or disagree?
5. Some people believe that it is the responsibility of individuals to
take care of their own health and diet. Others however believe
that governments should make sure that their citizens have a
healthy diet. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
II. ENVIRONMENT
6. The increase in the production of consumer goods results in
damage to the natural environment. What can be done to solve
this problem?
7. Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed.
Others believe that zoos are useful in protecting wild animals.
Discuss both points of views and give your opinion.
8. There are many animal species going extinct over the world.
Some people think we should protect animals from dying out,
while others believe we should spend more time on problems of
human beings. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
9. The preventing and reducing global environmental damage lies
with politicians, as there are very little the individuals can do
about this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
10. Fresh water has always been a limited resource in some
parts of the world. Today, however, growing worldwide demand
has made this a global problem. What are the causes of the
increased demand and what measure could governments and
individuals take to respond to this problem?
11. The increase in the production of consumer goods results in
damage to the natural environment. What is the cause of this?
What can be done to solve this problem?
III. EDUCATION
12. Rising university fees and scarce employment prospects for
graduates have led some people to say that universities should
not teach arts subjects, like philosophy and history, and only offer
practical degree courses that maximize chances of employment.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
13. Some say that young people should take a break between
school and university to go travelling and learn more about the
world. Others say that it is better for them to go straight to
university from school, and then go travelling when they have
finished their studies. Discuss both these views and give your
opinion.
14. Some people believe that the best way of learning about
life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other
people believe that the best way of learning about life is through
personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two
different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is
preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.
15. Some people believe that allowing children to make their
own choices on everyday matters is likely to result in a society of
individuals who only think about their own wishes. Other people
believe that it is important for children to make decisions about
matters that affect them. Discuss both views and give your
opinion.
IV. TECHNOLOGY
16. Many people think modern communication technology is
having some negative effects on social relationships. Do you
agree or disagree?
17. New technologies present children with new possibilities
and potential danger. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages
of technology on children in today's society.
18. In many countries, there is a growing gap between the
technical skills of younger people and those over the age of fifty.
What problems does this cause, and what solutions could be done
to minimize the problems?
19. Maintaining public libraries is a waste of money since
computer technology can replace their functions. Do you agree or
disagree?
V. TRAVEL & TOURISM
20. International travel has become more affordable and many
countries are opening their doors to increase the number of
tourists. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
21. International tourism has brought enormous benefits to
many places. At the same time, there is concern about its impact
on local inhabitants and the environment. Do the disadvantages
of international tourism outweigh the advantages?
22. Children should be encouraged to travel without parental
supervision. Would you agree with this notion?
23. It is now possible for scientists and tourists to travel to
remote natural environments, such as the South Pole. Do the
advantages outweigh disadvantages?
VI. FAMILY
24. Parents nowadays delay childbirth. Do the advantages
outweigh the disadvantages?
25. Many parents encourage young people to leave home when
they become older, while others think they should stay at home
with the family. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
26. These days people are living into their 90’s and beyond. As
a result, there is increasing concern about care for the elderly. Do
you think it is the responsibility of the family to care for their
elderly members or should the government be held responsible?
27. Nowadays, families are not as close as in the past and a lot
of people have become used to this. Why is this happening? Do
the advantages of this trend outweigh the drawbacks?
VII. SPORTS
28. Some people think that it is more beneficial to take part in
sports which are played in teams, like football, while other people
think that taking part in individual sports, like tennis or
swimming, is better. Discuss both views and give your own
opinion.
29. Nowadays, sport is a big business with high earnings for
professional sports people and companies involved both
financially and other ways. Is this a positive or negative
development for sports?
30. Some people think mental strength is important for success
in sports, while others believe that is it more important to have
strong and fit people in sports. Discuss both views and give
opinion.
31. Many countries want to host international sports events
while others think that hosting sports events has more problems
than benefits. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
32. Some people believe that sport has an important role in
society. Others, however, feel that it is nothing more than a
leisure activity for some people. Discuss both these views and
give your own opinion.
VIII. GLOBALIZATION
33. Some people think the increasing business and cultural
contact between countries brings many positive effects. Others
say it causes the loss of national identities. Discuss both view and
give your opinion.
34. Many people are optimistic of the 21st century and see it
as an opportunity to make positive changes to the world. To what
extent do you share their optimism? What changes would you like
to see in the new century?
35. As mass communication continues to grow, the world is
becoming more globalized. Some people believe that this will
inevitably lead to the total loss of cultural identity. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?
IX. GOVERNMENT & SOCIETY
36. Some people believe that only the government can bring
about significant changes in society, while others think that even
 an individual can have a lot of influence on society. What is your
opinion on the above statement?
37. Many people say the gap between rich and poor people is
wider, as rich people become richer and poor people grow poorer.
What problems could this situation cause and what measures can
be done to address those problems?
38. The money spent by governments on space programmers
would be better spent on vital public services such as schools and
hospitals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
X. CRIME & PUNISHMENT
39. In many places, prisons are overcrowded and expensive for
governments to maintain. Yet, when offenders are released, they
end up back in prison a short while later. Do prisons work? Should
law-breakers be rehabilitated or punished?
40. Crime is a big problem in the world, and nothing can be
done to prevent it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give
your own opinion.
41. Young people who commit crimes should be treated the
same way as adults. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
42. In some cases people who break the law should be warned
instead of receiving punishment. Do you agree or disagree?
XI. MONEY & BUSINESS
43. In some countries more and more local shops are being
closed because so many people now shop online. What problems
might this cause? What is the best way to deal with this problem?
44. Large businesses have big budgets for marketing and
promotion and as a result, people gravitate towards buying their
products. What problems does this cause? What could be done to
encourage people to buy local products?
XII. LANGUAGE
45. Many people believe that learning a foreign language is a
very difficult task. What are the most difficult things about
learning a foreign language? What is the best way to overcome
them?
46. Some believe that we should invent a new language for
international communication. Do the advantages of this outweigh
the disadvantages?
XIII. MEDIA & ADVERTISING
47. Advertising has become an unavoidable part of everyone’s
life. Some say that advertising is a positive part of our lives while
others say it is a negative one. Discuss both views and include
your own opinion.
48. Some people believe censorship is the killing of
entertainment productions. To what extent do you agree with this
notion?
49. Being a celebrity - such as a famous film star or sport
personality - brings problems as well as benefits. Do you think
that being a celebrity brings more benefits or more problems?
50. People in the limelight have a responsibility to set an
example for others by their good behavior. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
XIV. TRANSPORTATION
51. In a number of countries, some people think it is necessary
to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines
for very fast trains between cities. Others believe the money
should be spent on improving older railway lines. Discuss both
views and give your opinion.
52. Many people prefer to use public transportation while
others say that personal cars are the best mode of
transportation. Excessive use of private cars is considered to be
the main reason for the traffic jam in many cities and that’s why
the use of public transportation is encouraged. In your opinion,
what are the pros and cons of using public transport?
53. Cyclists and car drivers sharing the same road might cause
some problems. What are the problems? What could be done to
solve those problems?
XV. JOBS & CAREER
54. Some people think one should stay all their life in the same
job, whereas others advocate changing jobs from time to time.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
55. Some people say that teenagers should work part-time and
earn money. This way they will learn basic lessons about work
and become more disciplined. Others argue that teenagers
 shouldn't sacrifice their rest and after-school activities to work.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
56. Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather
than to work for a company or organization. Why might this be
the case? What could be the disadvantages of being self-
employed?
57. Some people believe that it is a good idea that older people
continue to work if it is possible for them to do. Do you agree or
disagree?
XVI. HISTORY & CULTURE
58. Some people believe that people today have no interest in
maintaining the traditional culture of their country or region.
Others believe that it is still important to people that we preserve
a traditional way of life. Discuss both these views and give your
own opinion.
59. When a country develops its technology, the traditional
skills and ways of life die out. It is pointless to try and keep them
alive. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
60. It is more important for school children to learn about local
history than world history. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
61. Some people think studying from the past offers no
benefits to today’s life, while others believe that history is a
valuable source of information for us. Discuss both views and
give your own opinion.
62. Some people think that living in a country is essential to
learn that country’s language and culture. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
XVII. EQUALITY
63. In spite of many advances women have made in education
and employment, they continue to be at a disadvantage when it
comes to pay and promotion. In your view, what should be done
to promote equality of opportunity for men and women in the
workplace?
64. Others believe that a women’s role should be limited to
taking care of the house and children. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
65. Gender imbalance has long been a general phenomenon
not only in the labor market but also in formal education. Some
analysists argue that it is impossible to eliminate the
underrepresentation of women in some subjects in the university.
Do you agree or disagree?
XVIII. LIFE & PERSONALITY
66. Many people think that the most important things in our life
cannot be bought. Do you agree or disagree?
67. Success is often measured by wealth and other material
belongings. Do you think wealth is the best measure of success?
What makes a successful person?
68. Some people say that the characteristics we are born
with have much more influence on our personality and
development than any experiences we may have in life. To what
extent do you agree with this?
XIX. LIFESTYLES
69. The cost of living is higher in many countries. What are the
effects of higher prices to individuals and society? What is the
best way for people to deal with this problem?
70. Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to new
experiences. Others like their lives to stay the same, and they do
not change their usual habits. Compare these two approaches to
life. Which approach do you prefer?
71. Fashion trends are difficult to follow these days and it’s
widely believed that they primarily exist just to sell clothes. Some
people believe that we should not follow them and that we should
dress in what we like and feel comfortable in. To what extent do
you agree or disagree with this opinion?
72. The older generations tend to have very traditional ideas
about how people should live, think, and behave. However, some
people believe that these ideas are not helpful in preparing
younger generations for modern life. To what extent do you
agree or disagree with this view?
XX. HOUSING & ARCHITECTURE
73. In many cities, there is little control on the design and
construction of new houses, so people can build houses in their
own styles rather than building them with the same style as the
 old houses in the local area. Do the advantages outweigh the
disadvantages?
74. Many old buildings protected by law are part of a nation’s
history. Some people think they should be knocked down and
replaced by news ones. How important is it to maintain old
buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress?
75. The increasing housing problem in big cities has social
consequences. Some people say that only the government can
solve this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
XXI. ART
76. Many people believe that film is a less important art than
other forms such as literature and painting. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?
77. Some people think that the government is wasting money
on the arts and that this money could be better spent elsewhere.
To what extent do you agree with this view?
XXII. ECONOMY
78. Many governments think that economic progress is their
most important goal. Some people, however, think that other
types of progress are equally important for a country.
79. Developing the economy will always damage the
environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
80. Economic progress is one way to measure a country's
success. Some people believe that there are other factors that
should be considered when measuring the success of a country.
What are the other factors? Do you think there is a factor that is
more important than the others?
XXIII. COMMUNICATION
81. Spoken communication is more powerful than written
communication. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
82. With the development of online communication, people will
never be alone and will always be able to make new friends. To
what extent do you agree?
83. Communication through text messaging and other instant
forms of online communication are short and basic. Some people
think this will be the death of grammar and spelling. Do you
agree or disagree?
XXIV. FOOD
84. People think that countries should produce foods their
population eats and import less food as much as possible. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
85. With a growing world population, one of the most pressing
issues is that of feeding such a large number of people. Some
people think that GM foods offer a viable solution to this problem.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
86. Many people say that cooking and eating at home is better
for the individual and the family than eating out in restaurants or
canteens. Do you agree or disagree?
87. In many countries, more and more people choose to buy
imported food rather than food produced locally. Why people buy
imported food? What could be done to encourage people to buy
local food?
[Link]
88. People say that reading for pleasure helps people to
develop imagination and better language skills than watch TV. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
89. Some people think parents should read or tell stories to
children. Others think parents needn’t do that as children can
read books or watch TV, movies by themselves. Discuss both
views and give your opinion.
90. Children who start reading earlier in life, perform better
later on in their school studies. How important are early reading
skills in a child’s academic performance? What other preschool
factors influence a child’s later academic achievements?
XXVI. GUNS & WEAPONS
91. In some countries the number of shootings increase
because many people have guns at home. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
92. Individuals should not be allowed to carry guns as it
increases the crime and violence in the society. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?
XXVII. SPACE EXPLORATION
93. A new generation of entrepreneurs believe that privately
funded space tourism will be the next exciting development in
 space exploration. How true do you think this is? How would
space tourism affect space exploration as we know it today?
94. Space travel has been possible for some time and some
people believe that space tourism could be developed in the
future. Do you think it is a positive or negative development?
95. The government is spending a lot of money discovering
other planets. Some people think that the government is wasting
money and should spend more money addressing the problems
of the public. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
XXVIII. POPULATION
96. The continued rise in the world’s population is the greatest
problem faced by humanity at the present time. What are the
causes of this continued rise? Do you agree that it is the greatest
problem faced by humanity?
97. In the future, it is expected that there will be a higher
proportion of older people in some countries. Is this positive or
negative development?
XXIX. GENETIC ENGINEERING
98. Genetic engineering is an important issue in modern
society. Some people think that it will improve people's lives in
many ways. Others feel that it may be a threat to life on earth.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
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99. In the past, most people lived in small villages where
everyone knew everyone else. Nowadays, most people live in
large cities where they only know a few people in their area.
What do you think were the advantages and disadvantages of
living in a small community?
100. People living in large cities today face many problems in
their everyday life. What are these problems? Should
governments encourage people to move to smaller regional
towns?