Computers and video games are very popular these days

1) Computers and video games are very popular these days. But could games like these be harming the young people who play them? There are compelling arguments on both sides.

 People worry about these games for a number of reasons. One concern is that young people may have trouble distinguishing what is real from what is fantasy. They may act out what they do in the games in real life. Another worry is that children may become desensitized to suffering and think that violence is acceptable. A lot of games are extremely violent. They are also interactive. This is why they may be more harmful than violent films or television programmes. Children might identify with the aggressive characters on screen. They may try to solve their own problems in a violent way too. Finally, critics worry about the addictive nature of the games. The games sometimes take over children’s lives. Children often suffer psychologically. They can become hyperactive, or even become isolated from their friends and family.

There is another side to the debate, however. Children have always enjoyed having gunfights or swordfights with ‘pretend’ weapons. They know it’s not real life. Playing violent games allows children to ‘let off steam’ and express feelings they must control in real life. There is a great deal of violence in fairy tales. It never caused our parents or grandparents to behave violently in real life. It is part of growing up. Ultra-violent video games are unhealthy. But there is no proof that they turn normal children into killers. As for the time kids spend playing games,  this is only dangerous if gaming becomes an obsession. Gaming can actually be very social. Most people play with their friends. People fight each other on the screen but they have fun and become better friends in the process.

Having considered all these arguments, I believe that the risks to young people of playing modern computer and video games are exaggerated. If played sensibly, I feel they can benefit young people rather than harming them.

2) PROBLEMS OF LIVING IN BIG CITIES AND SOLUTIONS

Nowadays it seems that more and more people have tendency of moving to big cities for their better life. However, there are some problems facing life in big cities such as pollution, criminals and accommodation.

Air pollution is the first problem to face everyone. People appear to feel stuff when they are outside, especially on the streets with a big mount of vehicles. The more cars and motorbikes they have, the more carbon dioxide they inhale. As a result, city dwellers are easier to suffer from breathing. Another concern of people living in big cities is traffic. Due to the huge amount of vehicles on the streets as well as the young road participants who underestimate the traffic law, traffic accidents are always taken for granted. Moreover, city dwellers find it difficult to travel at rush hours, for everyone rushes to their destinations at the same time, which makes the traffic system worse and worse. One more problem most people in big cities always feel insecure is that criminals. Pickpockets seem to be everywhere, especially at the places full of people such as markets or supermarkets, bus stations, parks, and other places of entertainment. Additionally, thieves usually appear when property owners are rather careless. Violence at the age of juvenile also gives a contribution to the increase in criminals in big cities. Last but not least, accommodation is a serious problem of low-income city dwellers. Hoping to have a better life in promising cities, more and more people move there, which makes accommodation more serious.

To solve these problems, the governments should give more effective and practical measures. Firstly, people are educated to raise the awareness of the air pollution by giving many propagandizing slogans. City dwellers should be encouraged to use public transportation in place of using their own vehicles. Secondly, criminals should be dealt with seriously by giving more relevant laws to criminals of various levels. Finally, the government should pay more attention to low-income people by building many blocks of flats for the poor as well as controlling the price of hostels.

In conclusion, in spite of a variety of benefits of living in big cities, there are so many problems of living here. In order for air pollution, criminals, and accommodation not to occur, there needs to be a co-operation between the authorities and city dwellers.

3) Every large city in the world has to face the problem of increasing traffic jams and the air pollution that they cause. Our health and government are in danger from the growing numbers of cars and other private motor vehicles. Why is traffic such a problem today? How can this problem be educated?

Never has traffic become such a mess before as it is today. Not only big cities but also rural areas have to face the problem of heavy traffic and the air pollution that they cause. This problem may result from the growing numbers of cars and other private motor vehicles, the downgraded road system and the bad attitude of drivers. Therefore, upgrading and expanding high roads and educating people’s attitude are considered useful ways to improve this problem.

Traffic-an alarming problem nowadays in big cities can be caused by a combination of factors: the fast increase in numbers of private transport means such as cars and motorbikes, the downgrading in road system and the bad attitude of drivers as well. Firstly, along with the fast development of the market economy, living conditions are more and more improved; therefore, the need of owning own motorbikes or cars is not a luxurious thing at all. Never in the past did we find too many cars and motors everywhere as it is nowadays. As a result, traffic jams happen every hour in big cities around the world. Secondly, the downgraded road system is one of the main reasons of the traffic issues. The vehicles number is rising everyday but the roads are slowly built. Moreover, many old narrow high ways with too many pot-holes are not upgraded and expanded. Finally, bad attitude of drivers is also an alarming issue explaining for the increase in traffic accidents and traffic jams. Because of convenience and quickness, most people prefer driving their own cars and motors to using public transport means. In addition, careless driving causes traffic accidents everyday. It seems that people today have low awareness of protecting the traffic environment. In sum, an outbreak in private transport means, bad road system and bad attitude are main causes of current traffic problems.

Hence, the traffic problem can be only solved once both people and government take actions. The government should plan to finance to build new roads, upgrade old damaged ones and expand narrow ones. Also, people should be educated to be aware of the importance of minimizing to use their own transport means. Instead, they should take public ones for their safety and for good traffic conditions of our society. The authorities need to propagandize widely by means of posters, banners and brochures as well as by the media such as televisions, radios, newspapers, etc… Besides, schools, universities, companies and enterprises should organize many activities and programs to propagandize and educate people’s attitude towards this serious problem. In conclusion, the traffic issue can be solved only when both the society and government unite efforts to improve it.

To summarize, every large city in the world has to face the problem of traffic jams and the air pollution that they cause. This generates from the growing numbers of private vehicles, the downgraded road system and the bad attitude of drivers. Hence, it can be only solved by building, upgrading and expanding the road system and educating people’s attitude.

4) Schools and parents often require their pupils to wear school uniforms. The pupils, however, usually dislike this. There are acceptable arguments both for and against the wearing of school uniforms.
Explain some of the arguments both for and against the wearing of school uniforms and state what is your opinion on the subject.

In most schools, students need to wear clothes which are provided by each school as a rule. The advantages of this could be speculated by looking at community and students’ equality. There are some advantages and disadvantages of wearing uniforms.
There are a number of reasons for wearing uniforms. It makes students feel a member of the community. It helps them to co-operate with each other and participate more in the activities which they do at school. Furthermore, if students wear their school uniforms, they are readily identified as a student when they are outside of school. For example, if they don’t attend the class and muck around in the city, they will be reported to the school. In addition, wearing uniform doesn’t reveal the poverty. Some students might not have money to own enough cloths to put on everyday. If anyone wears the same cloths many times frequently, they would show their poorness to everyone. So there are practical reasons for having uniforms.
However, there are some disadvantages of wearing uniforms. Firstly, students are not able to show their identity because everyone wears the same cloths. This could result in not developing their creativity. Secondly, uniforms are not always comfortable for everyone. For instance, girls have to wear skirts even if it is a cold day. People who are over weight could show their shapes poorly with the uniform. Finally, most of young people don’t wear the uniforms because they think they are ugly. Teenagers are sensitive to the recent fashion and eager to wear something they like. As a result, they go to school with jeans and T-shirts even though they know it is against the school rule.
We can see both positive and negative aspects, however, in my opinion, students should wear school uniforms because they can be a part community, be safe and be able to have equal rights. They can wear fashionable clothes after they graduate from school. 323

5) Many governments are now trying to prevent global warming and the effect it has on our environment. They are trying to reduce the things which contribute to global warming such as pollution from cars and destruction of the rain forests.
Describe what you think the problem is and the actions you think your government should take to solve it.
Nowadays governmental authorities of many countries are preoccupied with the problem of global worming and its possible effects on the planet. The measures against it that have been taken so far are as follows: reducing emissions into atmosphere, preventing destructions of the rain forests and so on. In my essay I shall list several aspects of the problem as well as some steps that should be taken and their expected consequences.
One way to deal with the situation is to limit the amount of industrial gases emission into the atmosphere. It would make a greenhouse effect less harmful and would help to avoid ice sheet melting. As a result, it would prevent any changes in ocean currents and consequently won’t lead to any dramatic climate changes.
Another way to overcome the problem is to combine the efforts and resources of all industrial countries in developing of modern technologies that could provide new, cost-effective solutions enabling to reduce power and natural resources consumption. By creating, developing and implementing of eco-friendly technologies, we can reduce the harmful effect of contemporary industries while still being able to enjoy their products.
Steps also should be taken to inform people about the problem of global worming. We should be aware of its causes as well as of possible consequences. This would help us to evaluate the situation better, estimate the risks and take adequate measures in advance, before it will be too late.
To sum up, there are several measures which could be taken to prevent global warming and its destructive effect on the environment. If the governments of all the countries and individuals were to put enough efforts and invest enough funds, it would help to avoid possible ecological catastrophe and would save our planet from perish.

6) We are becoming increasingly dependent on Computers. They are used in businesses, hospitals, crime detection and even to fly planes. What things will they be used for in the future? Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more auspicious of their benefits?

Computers are a relatively new invention. The first computers were fabricated fifty years ago and it is only in the last thirty or so years that their influence has affected out everyday life. Personal computers were introduced as recently as the early eighties. In this short time they have made a tremendous impact on our lives. We are now so dependent on computers that it is hard to imagine what things would be like today without them. You have only got to go into a bank when their main computer is broken to appreciate the  chaos that would occur if computers were abruptly aloof world-wide.

Computers will be used to make bigger and even more sophisticated computers in the future. The scenarios for this are quite alarming. They will be so intricate that no individual could hope to understand how they work. They will bring a lot of benefits but they will also raise the probable for unthinkable chaos. They will, for example, be able to fly planes and they will be able to co-ordinate the movements of more than a few planes in the locality of an airport. Providing all the computers are working correctly nothing can go wrong, if  one small program fails disaster.

There is a certain inevitability that technology will progress and become increasingly complex. We should, however, ensure that we are still in a position where we are able to control technology. It will be all too easy to suddenly discover that technology is organizing us. By then it might be too late I believe that it is very significant to be suspicious of the benefits that computers will bring and to make sure that we never become totally dependent on a completely technological world. 

7) The idea of having a single career is becoming an old fashioned one. The new fashion will be to have several careers or ways of earning money and further education will be something that continues throughout life.

In the past it was common to hear of people working in the same company all their lives and being occupied in the same career. This demonstrated stability and loyalty which were qualities that were highly valued. Times have changed as have attitudes towards work and an individual’s needs.

Today employers are happy to hire staff that have had varied careers as this shows extensive experience and personal growth. The market has become flexible and it is now possible for people to have more than one job and to change their career choice. Opportunities such as flexi time, part-time work, unpaid leave etc now exist which make it possible for people to work and study at the same time.

It is no longer frowned upon for people to return to the classroom at any age. As resources are becoming scarce and competition fierce, workers need to keep up with any changes in their field. Therefore seminars, courses, further qualifications etc are always necessary.

Our society demands that we adapt to the working environment. This means we need more than one way to earn a living, in a world that has become expensive and difficult to live in. It is more of a necessity than a fashion to have several careers. Students obtain degrees young and are able to change their choice if they aren’t able to find work in their selected field. Learning is life-long and ensures a person keeps up with the times.

8) There are many different types of music in the world today. Why do we need music? Is the traditional music of a country more important than the International music that is heard everywhere nowadays?

Nowadays, we are busy with our jobs all day long. We usually get tired or stress after working hard  . What should we do to release these problems. The answer is very simple: let listen to music. And the best kind of music that I require is traditional music. To me, traditional music is more important  than international music because traditional music helps us to develop our  brain, be useful people and known by people in the world

First, when we are still in our mother's body, our moms let us listen to traditional music. They believe that this good for our brain. Traditional music is very soul, It helps us to increase our abilities of listening as well as thinking. Scientists found out that if children listen to traditional music when they was young ,they will be smarter than those who do not listen to music at all.

Second, traditional music never loses because  It always in our heart. Traditional songs that we used to hear from our parents when we was born is always in our mind, even we get old or live far away from our country. When we are adult, we do the same as our parents did - use these traditional songs to help our babies sleep well. Furthermore, these song also help children become good people in future because most of songs contain such good contents. those are about family, country, relationship, etc. They make children love their families, their countries much more

Lastly, because of traditional music, people all over the world will know who we are. when we study or work abroad. It easy for foreigners to recognize where we come from by listening to traditional music that we perform at the party or the celebration.

In conclusion, Traditional music does not only help us to relax  as international music does but also help us to be smatter, good people in society and known by all people in the world. We should conserve  our traditional music.

9) Millions of people every year move to English-speaking countries such as Australia, Britain or America, in order to study at school, college or university. Why do so many people want to study in English?
Why is English such an important international language?

The story of English in 20th century has been closely linked to the rise of US as a superpower. That has spread the language alongside its economic, technological and cultural influence. The reason now days language become a major factor that effect the personal success. Idea of learning is vary between the people. Some people think language skills can be improve by regular leaning than the other people say the skills can be improve by regular use.

Firstly, language is must for better communication. And English is universal language that widely spoken in the world. So either a person wants to study overseas or want to open a big business around the world, English will be a great benefit. It can open better opportunities for a person. For example Google is a big company that has branches in 27 different countries, but all of their employees are able to communicate with each other because of English.

Secondly, It is a important language of commerce, IT and science. To get degree in these subjects a person need upper-intermidate English skills. These subjects can build a better future for a person. Also many companies in these field only employ the persons who knows English. Because this area required better communication with foreigner.

To sum up, English is a language that is fairly easy to learn compared to other languages. Even someone going for a world trip, they donot have to learn thousand languages, Just English will work.

IELTS WRITING TASK 2

1. Some people think that it is important to use leisure time for activities that improve the mind, such as reading and doing word puzzles. Other people feel that it is important to rest the mind during leisure time.

You should write at least 250 words.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Model answer:

It is generally accepted that we all need leisure time to recover from the stresses of work and everyday life. Personally, I prefer to be active during this time, as I think this suit me better. However, what we do with our leisure time is up to us and no one can say that any particular activity is the best. Some people relax by watching movies, reading or surfing the internet. People who have physically demanding jobs may choose these types of activities. If you are a nurse or builder, you may feel that you don't want to do a five-kilometer run after work, because you are already physically tired. Other people do very sedentary jobs. Computer analysts, for example, may spend all day sitting in front of a computer screen. At the end of the working day, they may be keen to stretch their limbs and improve their health by swimming or going to the gym. Another factor that influences our choice of leisure pursuit is where we work. People who work indoors often prefer outdoor hobbies, whereas for people who work outdoors, the reverse may be true. I am a student myself and this involves a lot of sitting in lectures, so I need to get out into the fresh air afterwards. In any situation, the important thing is that people need to stay healthy by choosing what is best for them. The only wrong way to spend free time, in my view, is to have a sedentary job and then go home and watch television.

2.We have been living in the nuclear age now for over half a century. Since the first atomic bombs were developed, nuclear technology has provided governments with the ability to totally destroy the planet. Yet the technology has been put to positive use as an energy source and in certain areas of medicine. To what extent is nuclear technology a danger to life on Earth? What are the benefits and risks associated with its use?

These days, many people are afraid of nuclear technology because of the dangers associated with its use. In my opinion, although it is true that nuclear weapons pose the greatest threat to life, the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes also carries some serious risks. Nuclear power stations provide an important source of cheap power for many industrialized nations and some developing countries.

However, there is always the danger of radiation leaking from these plants. Even though safety precautions are taken, there have been numerous disasters such as the explosion of a nuclear plant in Russia not long ago. Nuclear technology is even used to help cure some diseases such as cancer. Radiation can be applied to the body to burn away cancerous cells. This is, however, a dangerous procedure, and the application of radiation is almost always painful and not always successful. The most worrying aspect of nuclear technology, though, is its use for military purposes. Enough atomic bombs have already been built to completely destroy the planet, and the real danger is that one day some country will start a war with these weapons. Too many countries now have the technology required to make such bombs, and there is currently much debate about how to control the situation. In conclusion, nuclear technology certainly has positive uses, but is, nonetheless, dangerous. However, it would have been better if it had never been used to create nuclear weapons. Life on Earth is to continue.

3. People in all modern societies use drugs, but today's youth are experimenting with both legaland illegal drugs, and at an increasingly early age. Some sociologists claim that parents andother members of society often set a bad example.Discuss the causes and some effects of widespread drug use by young people in modern daysociety. Make any recommendations you feel are necessary to help fight youth drug abuse.Youth drug abuse is a serious problem nowadays in many cultures. Not only is illegal drug use on therise, but children as young as 10 years old are experimenting with alcohol and tobacco. The reasonsfor this behavior are unclear, but certain sociologists blame the examples set by their elders.Parents who drink and smoke to excess are, in effect, telling their children that it is acceptable to abusetheir bodies with drugs. Consequently, children may have a similar view towards illegal drugs, even if their parents are against their use. In addition, drug use shown on television and in films can onlyconfuse children who are also taught at school that drug abuse is wrong.The pressure on young people to perform well at school in order to compete for jobs is a possiblecause of the problem. Many believe they cannot live up to their parents' expectations, and feel a senseof hopelessness. Also, the widespread availability of drugs means teenagers are faced with thetemptation to experiment. Drugs are used as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the pressuresthey face in society.The effects of drug abuse are well known. Many young people's talents are wasted, and addiction tohard drugs can cost a user his or her life. Furthermore, those who drink and drive may be involved infatal road accidents. The cost to society is great, and enormous amounts of money are spent onconvicting drug dealers and on education programmers.To conclude, I recommend that the only sensible way to solve this problem is to educate young peopleabout the dangers of drug use, and to take steps to reduce the pressure of competition placed uponthem.  4. The world is experiencing a dramatic increase in population, This is causing problems not onlyfor poor, undeveloped countries, but also for industrialized and developing nations.Describe some of the problems that overpopulation causes, and suggest at least one possiblesolution.In most countries of the world the population is increasing alarmingly. This is especially true in poor,undeveloped countries. Overpopulation causes a considerable number of problems.In poor countries it is difficult to provide enough food to feed even the present number of people. Inaddition, education to limit the number of children per family is not always successful. Poorer countries usually have a lot of unemployment too, and an increase in population simply makes thesituation worse. The environment also suffers when there are too many people living on the land.In rich, industrialized and developing countries it is very difficult for governments to provide effective public services in overcrowded cities. Moreover, there is usually a great deal more crime, which isoften due to high rates of unemployment. Further large increases in population only cause moreovercrowding, unemployment and crime.There are two main solutions to the overpopulation problem. Firstly, every woman who is pregnant, but who does not want to give birth, should be allowed by law to have an abortion. Secondly,governments must educate people to limit the size of the family. In China, couples are penalizedfinancially if they have more than one child. This may seem cruel, but the "one-child policy" is beginning to have an effect in the world's most populous nation. Eventually, similar policies mightalso be necessary in other crowded nations such as India, for example.To sum up, if the population explosion continues, many more people will die of starvation in poor countries, and life in the cities, even in affluent nations, will become increasingly difficult.5. Studying the English language in an English-speaking country is the best but not the only way tolearn language.Do you agree or disagree with this statement?Studying a language in a country where it is widely spoken has many advantages. It is, therefore, agood idea to study English in a country such as Britain. However, I believe it is not the only way tolearn the language.In the first place, most students in non-English-speaking countries learn English at secondary school,and sometimes at university nowadays. Although their spoken English is not usually of a very highstandard, their knowledge of grammar is often quite advanced. This is certainly useful when studentscome to an English-speaking country to perfect the language.Secondly, studying the basics of English at secondary school is less stressful than learning thelanguage while overseas. This is because students living at home do not have to worry about problemssuch as finding accommodation, paying for their study and living costs, and trying to survive in aforeign country where day to day living causes much stress. 

3. People in all modern societies use drugs, but today's youth are experimenting with both legal and illegal drugs, and at an increasingly early age. Some sociologists claim that parents and other members of society often set a bad example. Discuss the causes and some effects of widespread drug use by young people in modern day society. Make any recommendations you feel are necessary to help fight youth drug abuse.

Youth drug abuse is a serious problem nowadays in many cultures. Not only is illegal drug use on the rise, but children as young as 10 years old are experimenting with alcohol and tobacco. The reasons for this behavior are unclear, but certain sociologists blame the examples set by their elders. Parents who drink and smoke to excess are, in effect, telling their children that it is acceptable to abuse their bodies with drugs. Consequently, children may have a similar view towards illegal drugs, even if their parents are against their use. In addition, drug use shown on television and in films can only confuse children who are also taught at school that drug abuse is wrong. The pressure on young people to perform well at school in order to compete for jobs is a possible cause of the problem. Many believe they cannot live up to their parents' expectations, and feel a sense of hopelessness. Also, the widespread availability of drugs means teenagers are faced with the temptation to experiment. Drugs are used as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the pressures they face in society. The effects of drug abuse are well known. Many young people's talents are wasted, and addiction to hard drugs can cost a user his or her life. Furthermore, those who drink and drive may be involved in fatal road accidents. The cost to society is great, and enormous amounts of money are spent on convicting drug dealers and on education programmers. To conclude, I recommend that the only sensible way to solve this problem is to educate young people about the dangers of drug use, and to take steps to reduce the pressure of competition placed upon them.

4.

The world is experiencing a dramatic increase in population, This is causing problems not only for poor, undeveloped countries, but also for industrialized and developing nations. Describe some of the problems that overpopulation causes, and suggest at least one possible solution.

In most countries of the world the population is increasing alarmingly. This is especially true in poor, undeveloped countries. Overpopulation causes a considerable number of problems. In poor countries it is difficult to provide enough food to feed even the present number of people. In addition, education to limit the number of children per family is not always successful. Poorer countries usually have a lot of unemployment too, and an increase in population simply makes the situation worse. The environment also suffers when there are too many people living on the land. In rich, industrialized and developing countries it is very difficult for governments to provide effective public services in overcrowded cities. Moreover, there is usually a great deal more crime, which is often due to high rates of unemployment. Further large increases in population only cause more overcrowding, unemployment and crime. There are two main solutions to the overpopulation problem. Firstly, every woman who is pregnant, but who does not want to give birth, should be allowed by law to have an abortion. Secondly, governments must educate people to limit the size of the family. In China, couples are penalized financially if they have more than one child. This may seem cruel, but the "one-child policy" is beginning to have an effect in the world's most populous nation. Eventually, similar policies might also be necessary in other crowded nations such as India, for example.

To sum up, if the population explosion continues, many more people will die of starvation in poor countries, and life in the cities, even in affluent nations, will become increasingly difficult.

5. 

Studying the English language in an English-speaking country is the best but not the only way to learn language. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Studying a language in a country where it is widely spoken has many advantages. It is, therefore, a good idea to study English in a country such as Britain. However, I believe it is not the only way to learn the language. In the first place, most students in non-English-speaking countries learn English at secondary school, and sometimes at university nowadays. Although their spoken English is not usually of a very high standard, their knowledge of grammar is often quite advanced. This is certainly useful when students come to an English-speaking country to perfect the language. Secondly, studying the basics of English at secondary school is less stressful than learning the language while overseas. This is because students living at home do not have to worry about problems such as finding accommodation, paying for their study and living costs, and trying to survive in a foreign country where day to day living causes much stress.

However, there are obvious advantages of learning English in Britain. Every day there are opportunities to practice listening to and speaking with British people. Also, students can experience the culture firsthand, which is a great help when trying to understand the language. This is especially true if they choose to live with a British family, as exchange students for example. Furthermore, if students attend a language school full-time, the teachers will be native speakers. In this case, not only will students' speaking and listening skills improve, but attention can be given to developing reading and writing skills as well.

In general, even though it is preferable to study English in an English-speaking country, a reasonable level of English can be achieved in one's own country, if a student is gifted and dedicated to study.

6."Although abuses of the system are inevitable, social welfare payments are essential to protect the rights citizens have to a guaranteed minimum income in a democratic society" Discuss.

Social welfare is an essential element of an advanced society. Good systems are always abused, but that does not mean they are faulty. In my opinion, the two main reasons why welfare payments are necessary are as follows. First of all, critics forget that there are many forms of welfare besides payments to the unemployed. Their negative opinions harm those who are not capable of earning a wage, such as single-parent mothers, the disabled, and the sick. Moreover, the unemployed have the right to an income, too. They are not always at fault for not having a job, and in most cases the tax they have paid in the past entitles them to assistance. The second reason is that crime increases when people have no means of support. The desperately poor inevitably turn to crime, which is not only dangerous but costly. Policing the streets is more expensive than providing welfare. A policeman's wage is four or five times higher than a "dole" payment. Certain members of society believe that people should look after themselves. They point out that welfare increases dependency on others and destroy dignity. This may be true, but in the case of the unemployed, the relief payments are usually temporary. It is surely the fault of the government if there are long-term unemployed. Welfare critics also believe that it is the responsibility of a victim's family to provide financial assistance. However, it is too expensive to provide complete help for a severely disabled person. To conclude, it is vital to understand the need for welfare in a modern democratic society. Without welfare payments the poor are destined to become poorer. The first duty of a government is to provide a financial safety net for all disadvantaged persons, and that includes those without work.

7. 

Disruptive school students have a negative influence on others. Students who are noisy and disobedient should be grouped together and taught separately. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.

There is no doubt that some students in schools behave badly and their behavior causes difficulty for others either because it has a negative effect on the group or because ordinary students find it difficult to study with them. One solution is to take these students away and teach them on their own. However, if we simply have them removed after one or two warnings, we are limiting their educational opportunities because it seems to me that a school which caters for difficult students is a sort of "prison" whatever name you give it and the people who go there may never recover from the experience. This can then cause problems for the wider society. Perhaps we need to look at why the disruptive students behave badly before we separate them. Disruptive students may be very intelligent and find the classes boring because the work is too easy. Perhaps these students need extra lessons rather than separate lessons. Or perhaps the teachers are uninspiring and this results in behavioral problems so we need better teachers. On the other hand, most students put up with this situation rather than cause trouble, and some people argue that we have to learn to suffer bad teachers and boring situations and that students who can't learn this lesson need to be taught separately. So before we condemn the students to a special school, we should look at factors such as the teaching, because once the children have been separated, it is very unlikely that they will be brought back.

8. 

Should parents be obliged to immunize their children against childhood diseases? Or do individuals have the right to choose not to immunize their children?

Some people argue that the state does not have the right to make parents immunize their children. However, I feel the question is not whether they should immunize but whether, as members of society, they have the right not to. Preventative medicine has proved to be the most effective way of reducing the incidence of fatal childhood diseases. As a result of the widespread practice of immunizing young children in our society, many lives have been saved and the diseases have been reduced to almost zero. In previous centuries children died from ordinary illnesses such as influenza and tuberculosis and because few people had immunity, the diseases spread easily. Diseases such as dysentery were the result of poor hygiene but these have long been eradicated since the arrival of good sanitation and clean water. Nobody would suggest that we should reverse this good practice now because dysentery has been wiped out. Serious diseases such as polio and smallpox have also been eradicated through national immunization programmers. In consequence, children not immunized are far less at risk in this disease-free society than they would otherwise be. Parents choosing not to immunize are relying on the fact that the diseases have already been eradicated. If the number of parents choosing not to immunize increased, there would be a similar increase in the risk of the diseases returning. Immunization is not an issue like seatbelts which affects only the individual. A decision not to immunize will have widespread repercussions for the whole of society and for this reason. I do not believe that individuals have the right to stand aside. In my opinion immunization should be obligatory.

9. 

Should parents be obliged to immunize their children against common Band 9 answer childhood diseases? Or do individuals have the right to choose not to immunize their children?

The issue of whether we should force parents to immunize their children against common diseases is, in my opinion, a social rather than a medical question. Since we are free to choose what we expose our  bodies to in the way of food, drink, or religion for that matter, why should the question of medical 'treatment' be any different? Medical researchers and governments are primarily interested in overall statistics and trends and in money-saving schemes which fail to take into consideration the individual's concerns and rights. While immunization against diseases such as tetanus and whooping cough may be effective, little information is released about the harmful effects of vaccinations which can sometimes result in stunted growth or even death. The body is designed to resist disease and to create its own natural immunity through contact with that disease. So when children are given artificial immunity, we create a vulnerable society which is entirely dependent on immunization. In the event that mass immunization programmers were to cease, the society as a whole would be more at risk than ever before. In addition there is the issue of the rights of the individual. As members of a society, why should we be obliged to subject our children to this potentially harmful practice? Some people may also be against immunization on religious grounds and their needs must also be considered. For these reasons I feel strongly that immunization programmers should not be obligatory and that the individual should have the right to choose whether or not to participate.

10. 

We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers. They are used in businesses, hospitals, crime detection and even to fly planes. What things will they be used for in the future? Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more auspicious of their benefits?

Computers are a relatively new invention. The first computers were built fifty years ago and it is only in the last thirty or so years that their influence has affected our everyday life. Personal computers were introduced as recently as the early eighties. In this short time they have made a tremendous impact on our lives. We are now so dependent on computers that it is hard to imagine what things would be like today without them. You have only got to go into a bank when their main computer is broken to appreciate the chaos that would occur if computers were suddenly removed world-wide. In the future computers will be used to create bigger and even more sophisticated computers. The prospects for this are quite alarming. They will be so complex that no individual could hope to understand how they work. They will bring a lot of benefits but they will also increase the potential for unimaginable chaos. They will, for example, be able to fly planes and they will be able to co ordinate the movements of several planes in the vicinity of an airport. Providing all the computers are working correctly nothing can go wrong. If one small program is fail to predict disaster. There is a certain inevitability that technology will progress and become increasingly complex. We should, however, ensure that we are still in a position where we are able to control technology. It will be all too easy to suddenly discover that technology is controlling us. By then it might be too late I believe that it is very important to be suspicious of the benefits that computers will bring and to make sure that we never become totally dependent on a completely technological world.

11. 

Smokers can cause themselves serious health problems. The choice to smoke is made freely and with knowledge of dangers. Smokers should therefore expect to pay more for medical treatment than non- smokers. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Everyone has the choice of being a smoker or not. The people who choose to smoke do so knowing there is a risk of causing harmful damage to them. However, I do not entirely agree that these people should have to pay more to receive all the medical treatment they need. I think there are many situations in which a medical problem has nothing to do with whether a person smokes or not. In these cases, where an illness has no relation to smoking, then I believe that smokers should not be required to pay more than other people for their medical treatment. Most car accidents, for example, have no connection with smoking, and the people who are injured ought to have the same medical help, regardless of the cost. And what about the common flu - it does not seem justifiable tome that a smoker should have to pay more to see a doctor for an illness we can all contract. On the other hand, I agree that a smoker should pay more than a non-smoker for the necessary treatment of any condition which has been caused by smoking. The principle that people should take responsibility for their own actions is a good one. Consequently, if a person chooses to smoke knowing that this habit can cause serious health problems, then there is no reason why the community or an insurance company should have to pay for medical treatment for an illness which could have been avoided. In many countries, cigarette packets have a clear warning that smoking can cause health problems and so no smoker can claim not to know the danger. Lung cancer is sometimes a fatal disease and the treatment is both lengthy and expensive, and it is unfair for the smoker to expect the hospital or the community to carry the cost. In fact, it could also be argued that those who smoke in public should be asked to pay extra because of the illness caused to passive smokers. In conclusion, I feel that smokers should pay more in cases related to smoking, but for any other illness they should pay the same as anyone else.