Speaking topics for the oral exams

B2 & C2
LRN
January 2021

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 Contents

Contents
LRN B2 Topics for the January 2021 Speaking Exam ...................................................................... 3
01 Lifestyle .................................................................................................................................. 3
02 Reading ................................................................................................................................... 5
03 Entertainment ........................................................................................................................ 9
04 Fashion ................................................................................................................................. 12
05 Holidays ................................................................................................................................ 14
06 Technology ........................................................................................................................... 17
07 The cinema ........................................................................................................................... 20
08 Free time .............................................................................................................................. 24
January 2020: Topics for the oral exam C2 ................................................................................... 27
01 Lifestyle ................................................................................................................................ 27
02 Travelling .............................................................................................................................. 30
03 Personality ............................................................................................................................ 33
04 Environment ......................................................................................................................... 36
05 Technology ........................................................................................................................... 38
06 Education.............................................................................................................................. 41
07 Education.............................................................................................................................. 45
08 Medicine ............................................................................................................................... 48
09 Crime I .................................................................................................................................. 52
10 crime II .................................................................................................................................. 55

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LRN B2 Topics for the January 2021 Speaking Exam

Topic numbers 1, 2, 3 are common for both the January and June LRN B2 Speaking Exams 2021.
01 Lifestyle

1.1 Which lifestyle choices can have a negative effect on our health?
1.1.1 Our lifestyle has completely changed in comparison to the lifestyle in the past. People
nowadays lead a sedentary life spending a lot of time sitting down, and not moving or
exercising very much. Then they follow an unhealthy diet, in the sense that they eat too
much or too little, and their food is composed of too much fat, sugar and salt, resulting
in obesity or malnutrition. They do not often get enough sleep or have erratic sleep
patterns, that is, their sleep does not follow any pattern or plan but happens in a way
that is not regular due to the electronic devices that surround them, or the media that
allow them to chat and communicate or otherwise play on them for hours on end.
Finally, the fact that smoking and drug taking are very common can put health at risk.

1.2 Why can good quality sleep be positive for our health?

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1.2.1 Actually, there is no telling how important sleep is. First of all, it is important for our
physical health. It is strongly linked to weight gain and obesity in both children and
adults. Furthermore, poor sleep affects hormones that regulate appetite. Those who get
adequate sleep eat less than those who sleep for fewer hours. Another advantage of
good sleep is the fact that it enables you to get the best results of problem-solving skills
and improves memory. On the other hand, poor sleep makes this ability not as good as
it should be. Needless to say, that longer sleep improves aspects of our athletic and
physical performance. Conversely, sleeping less than 7-8 hours may be linked to an
increased risk of heart disease and stroke. In conclusion, sleeping 7-8 hours a day is
good not only for our physical condition but our emotional one as well, helping us to
overcome depression at times. Sleep is an indispensable process for our body.

1.3 Why should we have a balanced diet?

1.3.1 When we talk about a balanced diet, it means choosing foods from different food
groups. This is important because natural unprocessed foods have nutrients that protect
us from disease, infection, fatigue and low performance. Children who don’t have a
balanced diet may face problems with their growth and development, which, in turn,
will reflect itself in inability to attend classes and lessons effectively and getting sick
frequently. A balanced diet helps children to overcome problems of depression,
reinforces their immune system and keeps them healthy and active.

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1.4 How can regular exercise improve our health?

1.4.1 Regular exercise is the key to good health. First of all, it helps you control your weight. If
you can’t go to the gym or work out outside in the open air, some activities might help
you to be more active: don’t use the lift but take the stairs or be more active with
household chores. It also helps you protect yourself against heart disease and a number
of other illnesses. Apart from the physical part, it helps with the emotional part. A brisk
walk can help blow off some steam after a stressful day. If you have difficulty breathing
or standing when shopping or doing household chores, regular physical activity can
improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. By the way, it also helps with
sleep. You fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. You can also
connect with people socially if you walk together with others. You talk about various
things and learn from each other.

02 Reading

2.1 Are teenagers interested in reading magazines? Why? Why not?

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2.1.1 In my opinion, teenagers nowadays are not interested in reading magazines, or to tell
the truth, reading any books or newspapers, in paper form. That is because they use
social media every day and they can find the information they want and give them
pleasure online, in the digital world. Compared with previous generations, teens in the
2020s spend more time online and less time with traditional media such as books,
magazines, or newspapers. This is a situation that has been encouraged through the
cruel reality of the pandemic, when all students, parents and teachers were forced to
accept it whether they wanted it or not, “mutatis mutandis”, making necessary
alterations while not affecting the main point at issue, which is the education of the new
generation. Thus, creating a mentality that drives children away from reading, it shows
them the modern way to virtual reality. We are all to blame for this new situation. Times
are changing and we cannot easily accept the new facts. But we have to condescend to
them.

2.2 Do magazines keep us updated about our interests? Why? Why not?
2.2.1 As research showed, magazine news is not dying out just yet and is in fact, seeing a bit
of a resurgence if anything. Therefore, it is the form that has changed and not the
content. Magazines keep readers updated online and profit by the ads they put. Paper
editions may be dying but digital ones thrive and offer a lot and their readership is
growing. A friend of mine had a success in his life, which was published in an online
magazine in Greece and to his surprise he got a lot of calls from friends and relatives,
which show that the public of the magazines is active and keeps informed every day. I
would say that magazines keep us updated in an unprecedented way.

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2.3 How can magazines help us forget our problems?

2.3.1 Magazines usually center on specific topics or address a specific age group. It sometimes
helps to distract our attention away from everyday stressful problems and impasses by
devoting time to topics interesting to us giving ourselves the chance to see things in a
different light. Sometimes, solutions come when we forget about our problems
temporarily and relax, giving us leeway to see things differently and examine things and
details we hadn’t considered before. So we don’t forget our problems because problems
don’t forget us. Problems are not to forget but to solve.

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2.4 Why do some people collect magazines?

2.4.1 Collecting things is an impulse. Many people assume that magazines related to
important news stories or events are valuable because the topic is or was so important.
First, these magazines cover a topic that shocked the world. It stands to reason that
many, many people saved them. They're not going to be extremely rare or valuable.
Secondly, as more and more people become aware of the value of collecting things
through television shows. Others collect magazines or newspapers to follow events that
concern a lot of people or to see how trends develop or how ideas evolve that may
affect our life and he future generation. This is true for many historical events and
applies to saving newspapers as well. When you read newspapers of the past you see
how things evolved. How and when, for example, the change into the modern calender
took place and many other events that resulted in catastrophe in the past, or events
that glorified the present.

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03 Entertainment

3.1 Why are puzzles good for children?

3.1.1 Puzzles encourage kids to develop their hand-eye coordination. The ability to coordinate
what the eye sees, the mind wants to do and what the hands can achieve requires a lot
of practice. Children learn to develop a relationship between their eyes, hands, and
brains. Children also visualize how the puzzle should look when it is complete and their
hands and eyes work together to achieve the final goal. Puzzles help kids enhance their
fine and gross motor skills. They develop strength in their finger muscles so they can
grasp things and hold onto them. They need to remember shapes and patterns, helps to
develop their memory retention. Solving problems requires creativity and patience.
They force a child to think critically to find the right pieces as with puzzles, there are no
shortcuts. If a piece does not fit, there is nothing they can do to cheat. Puzzles can be a
valuable tool for your child to learn new things. There are puzzles of numbers, letters,
maps, and more.

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3.2 How can solving puzzles keep an adult brain active?

3.2.1 Whether your puzzle of choice is a 1,000-piece jigsaw, a crossword puzzle and so on, it
doesn't really matter because all puzzles share one key element: they boost the power
of your brain. Puzzles exercise both sides of your brain. The left side of your brain
controls analytic and logical thinking and the right-side controls creativity. When you are
working on puzzles, you are engaging both sides and giving your brain a real mental
workout. They improve your memory. We use memory in the process of completing a
jigsaw puzzle when we remember shapes, sizes, and pieces and visualize where they fit
in. They improve your problem-solving skills. Since puzzles require us to take different
approaches to solve them, we learn how to work by trial and error, formulate and test
theories, and how to change tracks if not successful. They improve visual and spatial
reasoning. You need to be able to look at individual parts of a jigsaw puzzle, or available
spaces in a crossword puzzle and figure out how to fit the pieces or words into their
space.

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3.3 How do puzzles entertain and relax adults?

3.3.1 One of the brain benefits of puzzles is that they increase the production of dopamine, a
neurotransmitter that regulates mood, memory, and concentration. Dopamine is
released with every success as we solve the puzzle. No wonder puzzles are so much fun!
Puzzles invigorate our brains, but they are also very relaxing. While we are
concentrating on how to solve the puzzle, our minds are only on one task and that
encourages our brains to go into a meditative state. This leads to a better mindset and
better stress coping skills. Since puzzles can improve our memory, concentration,
vocabulary, and reasoning skills it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that they also
raise our IQs.

3.4 How do puzzles help adults connect with others?

3.4.1 Puzzles are a great family activity. Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to connect with family.
Starting a jigsaw puzzle, for example, and keeping it on a table in your living room or
kitchen is an invitation for the whole family to participate, whenever they have a few
minutes to sit down and focus. It gives the opportunity for the whole family to talk
about how parts fit in, the colors, the shape and other details that might appear useful.
Needless to say, the joy of completing a puzzle is shared by everyone in the family. This
brings the family closer. Furthermore, it's a tactic that parents of teens can use for
starting a conversation while working toward a shared goal.

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04 Fashion

4.1 Why do young people like to wear fashionable clothes?

4.1.1 To begin with, it comes from the low feeling of being satisfied with their abilities, the
feeling that they deserve to be liked and respected, which is usual in teens struggling to
find their place in the group. They feel they are not good enough, embarrassed when
they try to find ways to fit in with the young people of their own age. And what easiest
way but show what they wear. Moreover, the media help in making trends that are “in”
since they know better than anyone else how teenage minds tick. If you don't get
whatever clothing that is trending right now, then consider yourself "uncool". Of course,
in general, we as individuals make our own choices. If you don't feel like buying the
latest trends every season then don't. We should be happy and comfortable in yourself.

4.2 Why is it expensive to follow fashion?

4.2.1 First of all, it is a myth that it is the quality that you pay for. While that's true to a
degree, a well-made piece of clothing needn't cost a lot. For reasons of being smart and

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in order to be open, the customer should know that he can buy something good at
decent prices. One of the reasons designer clothes are so expensive is because when
you buy designer clothes, you’re not only paying for the item, but you’re paying for the
time and energy that goes into creating that item. Luxury designers spend months
working hard over the design of one dress, trying to perfect the design. The difference in
designer clothes is that these clothes are more than just clothes, they are art. When you
look at the price tag on a luxury brand item, you have to consider what went into this
piece from the start. If it’s just a designer t-shirt, you may be paying for the time and
energy spent on the brand as a whole.

4.3 Do fashionable clothes always look good on us? Why/Why not?

4.3.1 The clothes we wear most of the cases show the kind of person we are and sometimes,
the persons we come into contact with behave towards us accordingly. Sports clothes
show someone who is casual and is treated in a manner that suits people of that age. If
the clothes are elegant, then the behavior is different. So, fashionable clothes will make
you look trendy, fashion conscious and contemporary, if you have been dressing
differently before that. It is your image that will change, not the basic looks. Fashionable
clothes really change the way a person looks. So, I would say that clothes define the way
we look.

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4.4 Do young people spend too much time on their appearance?

4.4.1 First of all, modern society has too much advertisement from producers everywhere in
order to have more profits. Unfortunately, young people do not have a lot of experience
of life and it is clear that they are just victims of advertisement, which gives them the
information about clothes, make-up and lifestyle. It is possible to say that teenagers try
to copy movie stars, famous singers and even idols of fashion. In order to copy them,
they spend a lot of time hanging posters on the walls or even in front of their computer
screens to get an idea how they can be like the stars they admire. They scrutinize their
movements, their voice and their behavior and their whole energy goes to these things
and not to the real meaning of life.

05 Holidays

5.1. Why do some people prefer to visit less popular areas?

To begin with, in a crowded place the possibility of bumping into criminals or even some
viral diseases is higher than the places where there are fewer people. When a lot of people

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gather together in a crowded place it is probable that they will lose their money,
possessions, and even children. To be more specific, in such circumstances, people have less
control over their belongings. Moreover, when people come from a different country and
gather in a given place, they bring all viruses and harmful diseases with themselves. Take
the Covid-19, as an example. Another reason is that people who go to visit a certain tourist
place like it very much to meet all the aspects of the place, and want to hear the
explanation which the tour leader offers which would not be possible with so many people
around. When there are a lot of people around a tourist spot it is difficult to enjoy spending
time there and learning these places better. Moreover, people are talking and making noise
which prevents the ones who want to listen to the information that the tour leader
provides. When my friends and I went to a crowded museum, we all wanted to know about
the history of a kind of handy craft but none of us could find the information because of the
distraction that other tourists made.

5.2 How can climate influence tourism?

Climate change threatens all life on the planet as well as the very destinations that tourism
relies on. From tropical islands to snowy mountain peaks, to your favorite vacation spots
could be at risk. As the planet warms, rising sea levels, extreme weather and increasing
temperatures are impacting ecosystems and communities around the world. Beaches are
shrinking, coral reefs are bleaching and alpine resorts are left snowless and dry. While
climate change affects all destinations, certain environments and communities are more
vulnerable to its impacts. Tourism is just a victim of global warming.

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5.3 What makes people visit places which have landmarks and historic sites?
Recently, visiting historic places has increased a lot due to the remarkable development of
the communication sector. People of many countries, the western countries in particular,
have influenced enormously tourism over the past years. Personal, religious and
educational factors motivate these people to visit historic places. Firstly, a lot of people
from many parts of the world visit historic places for refreshing their bodies and minds.
Visiting these places helps these people release a vast amount of mental pressure from
once daily monotonous activities. Thus, some people like to visit the different historic
places for their personal satisfaction. It is a human trait to want to explore new things.
Many people wish to develop their basic knowledge by visiting the historic place and some
are fond of visiting them in order to perform religious activities.

5.4 Why are accommodation and entertainment facilities important for a tourist attraction?

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The accommodation is central to the travel and hospitality industry since people travelling
to different areas require somewhere to stay, rest, sleep and unwind. Some tourists travel
to new locations just for entertainment. In their travelling, accommodation provides the
base from which tourists can engage in any activities at a destination. Therefore, travelling
will be incomplete in absence of accommodation. Such travelers may be drawn to
entertainment that are not available in their home location or they may simply require
more general entertainment, which would be accessible almost anywhere in the world.
Whether through festivals, events, attractions or new virtual components, the tourism
industry relies on entertainment to complete packages and ensure guests increase their
spending and enjoyment.

06 Technology

6.1 How does technology help in transportation?

With the use of technology, people are able to get to more destinations, more efficiently
and quickly. Moving from one place to another has never been so easy and fun. The
meaning of journeys has totally been disrupted by the latest innovations. With the help of
new technologies connected to the 5G network, made of electronic components and
industrial devices anyone can reach the most remote places in the world. Scientists and
transportation industry professionals work side by side to ensure that these new
technologies get more people to their destinations faster, safer and with the least number
of resources possible.

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6.2 Why does modern transport cause air and noise pollution?
The environmental impact of transport is significant because transport is a major used of
energy and burns most of the world’s petroleum. Withing the transport sector, road
transport is the largest contributor to global warming. The transportation sector is the
greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions. By reducing transportation emissions
globally, it is predicted that there will be significant positive effects on earth’s air quality,
acid rain, smog and climate change. Noise pollution, which is transportation oriented,
creates direct and harmful effects on the environment. The impact of noise on the lives of
the inhabitants in a city is huge. The noise levels depending on road conditions have a great
impact on health. Damaged or overloaded vehicles not only cause vibration and
destruction of neighboring facilities but also destroy transport infrastructure.

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6.3 In order to build roads, we cut down trees. Why is this bad?
Deforestation is the cutting down of trees. The removal of trees has resulted in habitat loss,
biodiversity loss and finally extinction. Cutting down trees leads to global warming and
changes to climatic conditions. Deforestation is more extreme in emergent economies. In
deforested areas the land heats up faster and reaches a higher temperature. The absence
of trees affects wind flows, water vapor flows and absorption of solar energy and in the
way influencing local and global climate. The loss of trees for building roads can cause
climate change, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere and lots of problems for indigenous people.

6.4 Why is modern transport responsible for more accidents?

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Road accidents are the most unwanted things to happen to road users. Despite this, they
happen quite often. Transportation systems are designed to operate under defined
conditions. But surely modern transport is responsible for more accidents. The reasons are
many. First of all, increased mobility. The mobility of passengers for commuting, tourism,
business and migration has risen globally. That means more and more people are on the
move and exposed to various means of transport. Driving at excessive speed, while under
the influence of alcohol or drugs, while sleepy or tired, when visibility is compromised or
without protective things for all vehicle occupants are major factors in crashes, deaths and
serious injuries. They simply happen because motorists rely too much on their brand-new
vehicle.

07 The cinema

7. Why do space films scare some people?

For many people on earth the mysteries of outer space are very interesting because they are
strange or unexpected. But for some people it, it turns to a severe and irrational fear of stars
and space. For many, it is strongly connected to a fear of aliens. Films such as Alien play into
the fear that hostile intelligent life may exist outside of our own planet. Many of these films
involve a description of very bad and hopeless scenarios, in which life as we know it is
threatened by an extraterrestrial attack. The fear of the stars may also be connected to fears
of the dark, being alone, or being away from home. Movies such as Gravity address the cold
emptiness of outer space. This fear of the stars can also come from a fear of space
exploration, set off by real catastrophes as the explosions of Space Shuttles Challenger and

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Columbia. The film Apollo 13 exposed the real danger that is associated with the space
program.

Why are the stories about space so exciting?

First of all, the first American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first
humans to land on the moon and safely return back to Earth. Not only did they land on the
moon but they went outside of the spacecraft and walked around! It was 402,336-
kilometer trip — that's like travelling around the Earth's equator 10 times! Space is
interesting because its composed of us, it’s interesting because if other planet organisms
were to answer that question, they would unknowingly refer to us on Earth as part of their
answer. It’s interesting because it’s the next frontier, the new world, and we all know we're
coming for it. Apart from that, overcoming the challenges of working in space has led to
many technological and scientific advances that have provided benefits to society on Earth
in areas including health and medicine, transportation, public safety, consumer goods,
energy and environment, information technology, and industrial productivity.

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Why do the special effects in space films amaze audiences of all ages?
The fact that space is infinite and limitless and allows for things to function in a different
way to the way you are used to excites and attracts. In space, things float everywhere,
expand and explode in slow motion. And it's that dreamlike, otherworldly, heavenly,
uncanny feeling that makes us be attracted to space-themed screens, again and again.
Space fiction plotlines bounce back and forth between prose and movie scripts, sometimes
stealing outright from one another across decades in unexpected ways. We go to the
movies to escape — and you can't get any farther away than deep space. Our personal
disappointments, dramas and emotional dissonances suddenly seem far more distant and
diffused.

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Why do people of all ages enjoy films about life in other worlds?
The central and basic question that comes to people’s mind is: “Is there life on other
planets?” It’s the ultimate goal of NASA's exoplanet program to find unmistakable signs of
current life on a planet beyond Earth. The possibility that life could exist on other giant
planets is not out of the question. It may be unlikely but we cannot rule out the possibility
that life, whichever form it might have, could exist or evolve on other planets. Space is not
only vast but it seems limitless and makes our imagination think it likely that life could exist
somewhere on a planet. People of all ages enjoy these films because they are curious to
see what life is like on other planets, the behavior and habits of the creatures that inhabit
there, if they are dangerous and a threat to our planet and so on. The questions are
limitless and so is the answer of the films to them.

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08 Free time

8. What makes a person bored?

We all feel bored from time to time. What is boredom? It is when we are not satisfies with
or not interested in what we are doing. Probably because we feel energetic but we have
nowhere to apply this energy. At times we have a feeling or thought that makes us
uncomfortable because we cannot deal with it. Although the main characteristic of
boredom is an empty feeling, this emptiness is followed by frustration, a feeling of being
annoyed, upset, or impatient, because you cannot control or change a situation. When you
are bored you do not pay attention to what is happening around you. You may not be
interested in it, and not willing to make any effort to change things, feel extremely tired,
unable to relax or anxious. The reasons for this may be varied for children, or even adults.
They may have lost interest in an activity, get confused with instructions, or are afraid to
make a mistake if he tries a new approach to this.

How can meeting new people make our life more interesting?

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Making the right friends can make your life ten times more enjoyable. By right friends I
mean people that you share the same interests and feel comfortable when you are in their
company. With great friends, you can share your life stories and experiences, learn new
things, and have the fun of your life when you are near them. It’s way better than just
accepting that you’ll have to spend your time in a lonely and dull state, while you know you
deserve better than that. When you are with friends, you share the same interests, like
walking almost every day, and can get sensible advice on worries and things that annoy
you. You do not need to be of the same “academic” level, but to try and enjoy their
experiences and ideas of life. No matter how we feel about meeting new people, it is worth
the effort to get new experiences and get to know more people.

In what ways can a hobby change our life?

To begin with, you take up a hobby because you like it and do not necessarily expect to earn
from it. When you go fishing, or cultivate your backyard to grow, for instance, tomatoes, you do
it because you like it, excites you and want to take your mind off other everyday worries and
activities that you have to face in your working environment So, hobbies can add excitement,
diversity and enjoyment to daily life. You can meet new people who you share the same hobby
with, which is a sign that there is something common between you and them, discover things
about yourself, like skills you didn’t know you could have and develop yourself as a person. You
realize that “little or unimportant things” count more and give light to our life, that life is not

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only black and white. It has diversity and we should be able to accept whatever is different to
how we had imagined it.

If we try new things, how will it affect our life?

When I heard my father say that because you finished this school, it doesn’t mean you will
do this job throughout your life. Things and situations are changing and evolving all the
time, like the recent developments of the pandemic with covid19 showed, we have to be
alert and ready to do and accept new things. If we learn to try new things then we help
ourselves to overcome these fears and allow space in our mind to do more things, probably
in a better way. It is ourself and the mentality we have to beat and enjoy the thrill of a new
experience.

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01 Lifestyle
1.1 How can we encourage children to be creative?
1.1.1 First of all, finding a place where children can be creative is important. It doesn’t mean it
has to be something extraordinary but it may also be a cramped space. The key is for
the child to have the feeling that it has power over its space. We should try to keep
simple game and activities and let the children develop their imagination by building
what they want or what their imagination dictates. Let the children have free time
without any schedule, just sit around and play. We can take them to library, or a
museum or ask them to imagine travelling to a faraway place and narrate to you what
they see. Tell them to keep notes of whatever ideas they have in the most unrelated
circumstances. As they get older, ask them to try and approach problems and
circumstances in a different way.

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1.2 How do creative activities allow children to express themselves?

1.2.1 Creativity is the freest form of self-expression. There is nothing more fulfilling and
satisfying for children than to be able to express themselves openly and without
judgement. The ability to be creative, to create something from personal feelings and
experiences can reflect and nurture children’s emotional health. Creative experiences
can help children cope with their feelings. They can help acknowledge children’s
uniqueness and diversity and help teachers personalize their teaching and focus on each
child. Creativity also fosters mental growth in children by providing opportunities for
expressing themselves, for trying out new ideas and new ways of thinking and problem-
solving.

1.3 In what ways do creative activities help children boost their imagination?
1.3.1 Children learn and develop in a wide range of ways. They pick up information through
their senses and then make sense of it in their growing and developing brain.
Educationalists and child psychologists say the benefits of creative activities can help
children to express, process, understand their emotions und ultimately enhance their
imagination. When children are provided with opportunities to explore and discover
themselves through creative activities then they are led to new opportunities to
experience a greater range of sensory information, which in turn helps their imagination

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broaden and in general helps their long-term development. As Einstein said

“Imagination is more important than knowledge”. Imagination is truly the door to
possibilities. Creative activities and thing outside the box fosters children’s imagination.

1.4 Why do creative activities encourage children to try out new things?
1.4.1 Creative activities help to spark children’s natural curiosity and create their own journey
of exploration, discovery and development. Children make sense of their world by
taking in information from their many senses. Being involved in creative activities helps
children to develop their observation skills, their ability to listen to instructions, to
explore different textures, to gain an understanding of their world and mot important of
all to want to try new things. Creative activities help children to think, to make
connections and work thing out for themselves, to organize and analyze information
and of course to overcome challenges, which is part of life’s journey. Being creative
builds children’s confidence to try new experiences, builds their persistence and
patience and help them to face new challenges.

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02 Travelling

1.1 Why do some people like to try unusual kinds of food while travelling?
1.1.1 Some people enjoy trying unusual kinds of food while travelling because they want
to get in touch with other peoples; eating habits. People travelling around soon
realize that buying seasonal, locally grown food is much better. Local and unusual is
part of the culture. Trying unusual food is largely connected with that cultural
experience. Unusual foods are of a country’s heritage and are strongly rooted within
the memories of the local people. Unusual kinds of food while travelling are an
insight into culture. By trying new food experiences, tasting original dishes and
learning about the culture of the food, you will be more equipped to face day to day
challenges and may even be inspired to try other new tasty experiences.

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1.2 Why should we practise good hand-hygiene when we travel abroad?

1.2.1 No matter where we are, practicing good hand hygiene is important now more than
ever. We have to continue to stay hygienic at the airport, public transport and
sightseeing spots, since more countries around the world are easing on travel
restrictions. We have to ensure our palms, fingers and nails are thoroughly clean.
Hand hygiene is one of the most important steps to protect yourself and others from
illnesses which are caused by germs, bacteria and viruses spreading easily from
person to person due to ineffective hand washing.

1.3 Why should we only drink bottled water in a foreign country?

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1.3.1 When travelling it is common to find practices that differ across countries and
continents. The quality of drinking is no exception with regulations under different
levels of scrutiny in different nations. When being abroad you have to be very
careful when you decide to drink tap water. Sanitation levels and some of the
pathogens that may thrive in another country’s ecosystem can all make the water
unsafe to drink without prior treatment. You should always avoid the tap water. Use
bottled water when you are thirsty, when you take your medication and brush your
teeth. Avoid ice in your drink. Drinking tap water is surely discouraged in some
countries because you don’t know if it a safe source of drinking water. Although
some countries have launched campaigns to encourage the consumption of tap
water, don’t do it. The country may have poor quality water and poor sanitation.
Always buy bottled water because up to 80% of illnesses in the developing world are
linked to inadequate water and sanitation.

1.4 Why should we only have freshly prepared and well-cooked food when abroad?
1.4.1 The important factor about food is that it should be freshly prepared and cooked
because hygiene and taste are the two things that everyone should be aware of
before eating any food item when abroad. Good food hygiene means knowing how
to avoid the spread of bacteria when cooking preparing and storing food. Avoid
preserved food because food poisoning on processed foods. These are called high-
risk foods. You should always avoid preserved foods in countries where sanitation is
poor. When abroad, try to pick places to eat, that have a reputation for cooking and

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serving safe food. As a rule, only eat freshly prepare that is thoroughly cooked and
served steaming hot.

03 Personality

3.1 What are the advantages of being competitive?

3.1.1 Being competitive motivates you to work harder. Setting your goals higher than your
friends’ can help you do better since you have the strong desire to win. Even if your
friend still wins in the end, you won’t feel like a sore loser, since you know you’ve done
everything you can to achieve your best. Competition is exciting. Make the competition
like a game can be fun especially if there is a reward at stake. It makes working hard less
difficult and more enjoyable. You become more focused when you are competitive,
when you know someone else is out the spot you are vying for, you channel all your
energy into achieving that goal and make it a point to pay more attention, work harder
and become better in all aspects.

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3.2 Why can being competitive result in stress?

3.2.1 The pressure of being competitive can get to you. When you focus too much on the
competition and how your friend is doing, preparing for a simple exam or performance
can become too stressful for you that you end up not studying or practicing, which only
defeats the purpose of being competitive. You get consumed with bitterness working
doubly hard and putting all your efforts on something and you eventually end up losing
to an opponent is stressful. And while resorting to discounting your efforts or blaming
other people is quite convenient, it only proves that you didn’t deserve to win. Highly
competitive characters tend to be stressed if they don’t win and they always try doing,
being, studying, upping and doing everything they can to win. This is quite stressful and
can be full of anxiety to a person who doesn’t know how to channel his losses and use it
as a learning lesson instead of a defeat.

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3.3 How can competitiveness harm friendships?

3.3.1 Competitiveness can put a dent on relationships. Paying more attention to how you can
bring your competitor down instead of how to come out on top is a recipe for ruined
friendships. On the negative side, being competitive can be viewed as being self-
centered, aggressive, inflexible and self-absorbed. Competitive people wish to win at all
costs and they create more stress for both themselves and those they interact with.
Therefore, they destroy quality friendships.

3.4 What negative effects can competitiveness have on our self-esteem?

3.4.1 While competition can motivate people to work their hardest and bring out their best
performance, it can also have negative effects on individuals and teams.
Competitiveness can result in low self-esteem. Most recognition and incentive
programs, including competitions, only reward the high performers. But it is only 10
percent of the people around you. But what about the rest 90 percent? doesn’t it get
recognized? And if these people aren’t getting recognized, which is a positive motivator,
they could be experiencing fear and anxiety: Fear that they will disappoint their people
around because they feel they can’t measure up. Unfortunately, competition is
championed. We are told that it is good for, that it builds character and pushed us to
achieve excellence. But even winning doesn’t build character. It just lets a person shine
temporarily. Your value is not defined by what you’ve done. Try achieving your personal
best. It’s not about winning. It’s how you play the game.

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04 Environment

4.1 What environmental problems have better living standards caused?

4.1.1 The high development of science and technology have affected the living standards.
Nowadays people suffer from so many problems … For instance, air-pollution, the
explosive expansion of population and the deterioration of the environment. Population
growth and modern living standards have increased energy demands, driving
widespread environmental degradation as we still rely on fossil fuel to meet the vast
majority of energy needs. From pollution and deforestation to global warming and
habitat loss, our environments’ health is looking increasingly grim as our living standards
are getting better and better. All is not yet lost. We can still turn things around if we
make a serious commitment to changing our habits and investing in sustainability.

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4.2 How can we raise living standards if we reduce unemployment?

4.2.1 Everyone in our society should be able to have a decent standard of living. Living
standards, especially for people on low income, have rightly become a hot topic.
Boosting living standards through high rate of employment, through high payment or
through social security offers many more targeted ways for families on low income.
Unemployment, a lot of poor-quality work – not only low paid but insecure and with
little training - offer no opportunities to progress. There is a growing body of evidence
on how we can create more jobs, better jobs and open them up to people who need
them. Reducing unemployment creates sustainable roots out of poverty. It revitalizes
local areas and lets people feel hope and pride in their communities. Reducing the high
levels of unemployment is good for the economy overall and for the raising of the living
standards.

4.3 How does improved health care contribute to higher living standards?
4.3.1 It is widely recognized that improving health care can lead to higher living standards.
Health influences economic growth and living standards and this can be better
understood very simply if we consider the direct contribution of malnutrition and
sickness among children or decreased enrolments and increased absenteeism from
school. Governments need to prioritize policy measures and multi sectoral interventions
that contribute to improved health conditions. Health is not only highly influential for
learning but subsequently for enhanced productivity of workers and for great

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improvement of living standards. Improved health care leads to a high increase in the
living standards and to a high-quality life.

4.4 Can the elimination of inequality lead to better living standards?

4.4.1 The lack of social protection being associated with economic insecurity is seen as a
major obstacle to economic and social development. Social protection plays a critical
role in reducing poverty and inequality improving the standards of living and promoting
social cohesion. Due to its fundamental role social protection has become a key element
of national strategies to promote human development, political stability, inclusive
growth and better living standards. Inequalities may be based on income, sex, age,
disability, race, class, ethnicity or religion. Reducing these social and economic
inequalities within and among countries is not only the key to ensuring that no one is
left behind, but it is also a necessary condition for sustainable poverty reduction, social
cohesion and sustainable economic growth. Just bear in mind that economic inequality
also has negative impact on other types of inequality and health outcomes such as life
expectancy or nutrition status.

05 Technology

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5.1 How can we use technology to fight world hunger?

5.1.1 “Zero hunger and continuous access to nutritious food, particularly for the very por or
the most vulnerable is the main goal of the developed countries so as to achieve a
better and more sustainable future for everyone. Unfortunately, about one third of food
produced for human consumption every year is lost or wasted. The problem is huge and
requires creative approaches to help solve it. One approach involves using sensors to
monitor every point of the supply chain: from harvesting and processing to
transportation and storage. Unlike systems of the past, modern analytics systems can
blend external data such as weather traffic conditions and food-yield statistics with
internal data, such as machinery, availability, time and labour schedules. Another
interesting example of how technology can help combat food loss and waste and world
hunger is by using blockchain technology, which allows participants in the supply chain
to share and track information at every point.

5.2 Why is poverty considered to be one of the main causes of world hunger?
5.2.1 Millions of people continue to struggle with hunger every day. Many factors contribute
to the state of hunger. The reasons are complex and varied and often interconnected.
Poverty is the main cause of hunger in the world. This is true in both rich and poor
countries. It is true no matter where the people live, in urban or rural areas. Most
people who are hungry live in extreme poverty. The largest group of the poorest people

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in the world is smallholder farmers in developing. They do not have the land to grow
enough food to supply themselves with enough to eat year-round, and they earn so
little income from what they sell that they cannot afford to purchase food from other
sources once their own supply runs out. Hunger can be viewed as a dimension of
extreme poverty.

5.3 How does climate affect world hunger?

5.4 Climate is destroying crops, harvest and livelihoods have faltered as drought has taken hold
across some regions. Millions of people do not have enough to eat after drought has
devastated several cycles of crops. Even where food exists, extreme events can block main
roads, railway tracks, harbors and food cannot reach markets. Local climatic shocks have a
dramatic impact on local production, prices and ultimately on consumption. Due to climatic
changes water resources are drained. Increased water scarcity due to climate changes
reduces the capacity to produce food and its quality, which has serious implications for food
security, nutrition and health. The impact of global warming and extreme weather events
will be higher in the developing world causing huge world hunger. Poor countries are the
least able to adapt to the climate impact.

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5.5 How do war and conflict contribute to food shortages?

5.5.1 Many of the worst contemporary wars are accompanied by mass starvation. Wars are
inherently violent and harmful, but distraction of resources can sometimes create more
catastrophic harm than bombs and bullets. Warring parties may plunder an enemy’s
food supply, deliberately destroying farms, livestock and other civilian infrastructure.
Conflict can cause food shortages threatening the means of survival of entire
populations. Additionally, wars commonly trigger the displacement of huge number of
people, cutting them off from their food supplies and livelihood. Alternately if people
remain in their homes, surrounding armies can trap people inside a village, city or
neighborhood and deprive them of food and other vital resources until hey surrender.
The history of warfare is filled with examples of military tactics used with intent of
starving enemy armies or civilian populations.

06 Education

6.1 What challenges did you encounter as an English language learner?

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6.1.1 Learning a second language is never easy. Learning English as a second language is even
more difficult – particularly if you are learning English outside an English-speaking
country. There are usually limited learning environments. While learning English what
happens outside the classroom matters most. In most cases students only make an
effort to speak English in the classroom when they are under supervision. Moreover, we
don’t often hear people around us speaking English properly. As a result, it becomes
more difficult to learn correctly. We don’t take our studies seriously. We often think
that the same English we speak at home or in the street is the same English we will need
for our exams. However, because communication doesn’t have to be grammatically
correct, we don’t always abide by the grammatical rules and there fore do not get fully
educated. Sometimes the material is inadequate. Another challenge we face is the
overuse of the native language in the classroom. We frequently become too dependent
on the teacher instead of solving problems on our own. No matter how well students
are sorted, there will still be differences in how much students know and how quickly
they can learn. Sometimes strong students dominate the class leaving the weaker ones
behind.

6.2 In what way is knowing English the ticket to business success?

6.2.1 Good English skills are like a one-way ticket to business success. English can take you all
over the world. It can also help you do the job you want. It is a language of business and
communication worldwide. It is the language of the internet. English tops the internet in

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number of users. In addition, it is a top language in technology. It is the “lingua franca” 1,

of not only international business but also of all kinds of communication worldwide. This
means it is useful for understanding and being able to share common experiences and
references in your business environment. A good knowledge of English shows your
willingness to go beyond basic business standards. In order to thrive in a business, you
have to show that you are extremely fluent and competent in both speaking and writing
the language.

6.3 Why is English the dominant language in scientific research?

6.3.1 English is a universal language. With the help of a universal language, researchers know
what to expect and how to find information. They know what language to publish in and
how to search for other people’s articles that support heir own work. If English weren’t
the dominant language in science, then scientists would have to be multi-linguals
because otherwise they would miss out on others’ discoveries. Beyond published
research a universal language also helps make sure that everyone has access to
information in presentation, guideline and standards. English also gives millions of
researchers a challenge: if they are not native English speakers, they need to learn a
new language alongside with their scientific studies since journal editors and reviewers

1
common language

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look at scientific submissions critically and with tough acceptance criteria. So, the
language needs to be immaculate.

6.4 Is English the international language of the media?

6.4.1 Media play a big role in influencing people. In the world of the media there is especially
one language that stands out and that’s English. It is the native language for millions of
people giving newspapers and magazines, let alone articles on the internet, a broad
audience. It is, therefore, natural that most information will be found in English and that
the different media have more penetrating power than, for instance, Italian language
media. The focus in today’s society has shifted from using different languages, towards
having a common language, one can communicate with, namely English. That gives the
English-media the central role in transmitting information. To conclude, English-media
play a very central role in the international society as it is read on a global scale and
reach a bigger audience than most other languages. Consequently, it is most important
for the media to be aware of that power and not to misuse it.

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07 Education

7.1 What are the advantages of home schooling?

7.1.1 Home schooling provides flexibility to pursue your interests. The biggest benefit of
home schooling is the freedom it gives you and your family. Home schooling taught me
how to study. The nature of home schooling is that you learn how to be self-taught.
Parents don’t have to be experts at everything. They are just encouragers of good study
skills. Parents determine the curriculum and their children’s schooling schedule. They
demonstrate to their children that education is fun. They create strong bonds with them
and also a flexible schedule not possible for children enrolled in public schools. They
adapt teaching methods, best suiting their children’s way of learning and spend extra
time with their children on difficult concepts moving ahead only when children master a
subject. Home schooling provides children with the personal interaction that teachers in
large classrooms are not able to provide. It is the opportunity for parents to discuss
controversial topics at their discretion with their children.

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7.2 Why would home schooling cause conflicts between parents and children?
7.2.1 Parents have to be around their children all day long. This can be difficult when children
become restless and misbehave. Parents have to restrain anger and remain patient
when children struggle with learning. They have to constantly motivate their children
and effectively handle the difficulties of moving at a slower pace than public school
instruction. This always brings conflict between the two teams. Home schooling is a
two-way street. It is actually a partnership between a child and a parent. Home
schooling can sometimes cause parental conflict. Time is a great conflict parents have.
When home schooling, the children are home all the time. So, finding personal time is
more difficult. Home schooling requires a combined effort with both parents and kids on
how to make it succeed. The main conflict between a child and a home-schooling parent
is when child doesn’t want to study or willfully disobeys. Home-schooling is a lifestyle
and it is the parents’ duty to be the best teachers they can be.

7.3 How would home schooling affect children’s social skills?

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7.3.1 Home schooling, generally, has a positive impact on social skills. Home schooled kids are
subjected to peer pressure, violence, drugs and other negative influences found in
today’s school. Home schooled kids have a lot of freedom are generally content with
themselves and their educational path. They consistently outperform their school peers
both socially and academically. There is the other side, too, in which educational
psychologists believe that home schooled children do not receive adequate socialization
experiences. Another group of psychologists warned home schooling parents to realize
the serious harm they are doing to their children in the long run, educationally and
socially. These scientists support that home schooled children are isolated and may
experience difficulty entering main-stream life and ultimately may not grow up to be
“complete people” if taught at home. Some psychologists described the majority of
home-schooled children as “socially handicapped”. In contrast to this widespread
pessimism, home-schooling parents are not particularly worried about socialization.
They tend to be confident that their children are receiving adequate socialization
experiences and that their children social development is coming along quite nicely.

7.4 Why might home schooling be expensive?

7.4.1 Home schooling may attract extra costs: additional gap money for outings, field trips,
home-schooled group activities, classes and so on. For instance, if your child is dyslexic
to homeschool him, then you will have to factor in additional costs of the reading
program and even the services of a specialized instructor. This is where it gets tricky

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with homeschooling. Many parents are usually unaware of the many additional costs
that might incur along the way. Home schooling can truly impact our finances. Take into
account the cost of supplies for craft, science projects and several hand-on projects that
you and your child will be doing together while at home. There is also the funny side:
home schooling parents might be spending more on groceries! Spending more time at
home means more snacking.

08 Medicine

8.1 Why is alternative medicine growing in popularity?

8.1.1 Alternative medicine is popular because it is often helpful and cost-effective.
Treatments such as acupuncture, massage, osteopathy, yoga, meditation and nutritional
therapy can offer significant positive results quickly. In addition, alternative providers
often spend a fair amount of time with their patient, which is very important and has
therapeutic benefits. One reason alternative medicine is so popular is that we are
realizing it doesn’t have to be used exclusively. Many approaches of alternative
medicine are now used to complement rather tan replace conventional medical
treatment. Patients ae looking for more ways to support their health and seek less
invasive, non-drug low-cost approaches to strengthen their well-being. Alternative
medicine offers many choices and most visits to alternative medicine practitioners
include treatments that immediately improve how a person feels, as well as offering
long-range benefits. alternative medicine practitioners are more likely to take a highly

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individualized approach to their patients, customizing treatments to be effective for the

particular person experiencing symptoms rather than targeting the symptoms alone.
The main reason alternative medicine is so popular is that many alternative medicine
practices include simple things that people can do at home to improve their sense of
well-being and reduce stress.

8.2 As there is little scientific proof that alternative medicine is effective, are conventional
doctors right to reject it?
8.2.1 One of the most important developments in health care in recent years has been the
remarkable growth of alternative medicine. The majority of medical doctors are quite
dismissive of alternative medicine and many doctors are positively hostile towards it.
Doctors say publicly that this is because there is no scientific proof that alternative
medicine actually works. In fact, doctors are scared of alternative medicine. They feel
deeply threatened by it. Doctors have spent years of their lives studying and working
within the modern medical system. The feel entitled to reap the financial and other
rewards which go with being a medical doctor. It alarms doctors to think that, after all
their years of study, sacrifice and hard work, their patients are flocking to alternative
practitioners whose beliefs about health are very different from those of the medical
profession. Doctors say that alternative medicine remains scientifically unproven and
therefore cannot be trusted.

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8.3 Why are there doubts about how safe alternative medicine is?
8.3.1 Some of these alternative therapies promise wellness using a method that sounds
simple, wholesome and without side-effects. But this is not always true. Delaying
traditional treatment by using an alternative therapy can allow the disease to grow and
spread. The medical profession repeatedly raises doubts about the safety of alternative
medicine. Doctors preach that these alternative treatments are dubious and should not
be encouraged. The philosophy of complementary and alternative medicine includes
holistic care which focuses on treating a human being as a whole person. Alternative
medicine hasn’t been scientifically proven. It lacks scientific evidence. Alternative
therapies reside outside medical science. Much of the perceived effect of an alternative
practice arises from a belief that it will be effective. (The placebo effect)

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8.4 Why may alternative medicine not be useful in emergency situations?

8.4.1 Alternative therapies entail a longer and healing time as they heal a problem at its root.
In case of an emergency alternative won’t do much good. Traditional medicine is made
to work fast. Should you be in an emergency situation, turn to the traditional medical
profession. Alternative treatments are a one-side-fit-all. These alternative treatments
are not for immediate pain relief. They need time to make the body balance naturally
and promote healing and restoration. Take advantage of alternative medicine for
different kinds of pain when it seems appropriate but don’t expect fast results.
Complementary therapies are not for emergency situations.

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09 Crime I

9.1 What alternatives are there to imprisonment as a punishment?

9.1.1 Frequently, punishment other than prison time place serious demands on offenders and
provides them with intensive court and community supervision. That’s because a certain
punishment does not involve time in prison does not mean it is “soft” on crime or a “flap
on the wrist”. Alternative to imprisonment can repair harms suffered by victims provide
benefit to the community, treat the drug-addicted or mentally and rehabilitate
offenders. Alternatives to incarceration include probation, restitution, community
service and rehabilitative services. They are the most appropriate kinds of service for
non-violent and non-serious offenders. Generally speaking, the creation and use of
alternative imprisonment give courts more sentencing options and they strengthen
families and communities.

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9.2 Why do some people think that prison does not prevent people from committing crimes
again?
9.2.1 Locking people up when they have been convicted of a crime is an age-old form of
punishment. In the short term, it prevents the offender from committing more crimes.
But jailing people has been considered as a mean of teaching the offender a lesson.
Being locked up is supposed to make them think twice about committing future crimes
once they are released. Spending time in prison doesn’t serve as a deterrent for those
convicted of a crime. Imprisonment is an ineffective deterrent. Many prisoners, after
they have been released, are found to be as likely to engage in crime as those who have
been given probationary sentences. I always believe that punishment should reform
people so that they do not reoffend. A further reason not to put these people in prison
is that they mixed with more dangerous and violent criminals, potentially committing a
worse crime when they are released. By keeping them in the community helping others,
they not only learn new skills but they could also develop more empathy and care
towards others. If this occurs, society can only benefit.

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9.3 Why could prison make people more violent?

9.3.1 Prison violence is a daily occurrence due to the diverse inmates with varied criminal
background. The three different types of attacks of inmate on inmate, inmate on guards
and self-inflicted. These attacks can either be impulsive and spontaneous or well-
planned out. Prisons are trying to avoid, or at least better deal with these situations by
being proactive. They are taking steps, like placing violent convicts and gang leaders into
solitary confinement balancing the cells by critically examining each inmate to see
where they are likely to reside peacefully. They reduce blind posts and train and educate
the officers. Factors, such as gang rivalries, overcrowding, minor dispute and prison
design contribute to violent attacks.

9.4 Why does prison become a barrier to re-entry into society?

9.4.1 Once released, formerly incarcerated people face a myriad of barriers to successfully
reentering society. They are not allowed to vote, have little access to education, face
almost no job opportunities and are ineligible for public benefits such as public housing
and student loans. A criminal conviction limits social services and creates substantial
barriers. Men and women released from correctional facilities receive minimal
preparation and inadequate assistance and resources, which makes their re-entry into

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the community very hard. Prisoners, after being released, face an environment that is
challenging and actively deters them from becoming productive members of society.
Unfortunately, it is more difficult for them compared to the general populace to find
gainful employment, secure a consistent source of housing and generally function in
society. They are often viewed as sub citizens.

10 crime II

10. What are the causes of urban crime?

10.1 There are always reasons for crime. These reasons can change over time and the
punishment for these crimes can also change. As urban centers learn the reasons
behind different crimes, their governments purposely try to develop the means to
combat them. Rapid social changes and growing and expanding cities are the hotbeds
of crime. Crime in the city, and especially in particular sections of the city, was caused
by the influx of immigrants, and especially those from “crime-prone” ethnic groups.
Some criminologists claim with data that crime rates can be explained more
accurately by focusing on the ecology of areas in the city rather than on the ethnic
composition of the population inhabiting those areas. They mean that people moving
into poor, blighted neighborhood, committed crimes because of the poor living
conditions as these neighborhoods experience great levels of poverty, racial
heterogeneity and family disruption. Crime levels in transitory areas where people
come and go remains high.

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10.2 Why would storing valuables out of sight make our home safer?

10.2.1 Burglars have been breaking into houses for as long as people have been living in
them. And while there are new technologies that can make our homes safer, many of
the most effective deterrents involve simple common sense – e.g. keep valuables out
of view. People should keep their valuables out of sight in a safe location. This
includes jewelry, laptops, mobiles and other devices which are often left out on table
tops when not being used. There are many that you can do to keep your home safe
from intruders. Cash and jewelry are included in the most common items stolen in
burglaries. There are obvious risks associated with keeping large amounts of cash,
valuable jewelry, gems and expensive artwork in your home. You have to keep
everything valuable you own in a storage locker or safe. Lock your valuables away
and keep them out of sight. You rob yourself of their enjoyment and make your life a
little less fun but you save your fortune. There are cash and jewelry tips such as to
install security cameras, to stash cash and keep it safe from home burglary in creative
and unusual places.

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10.3 Can installing motion sensor lights inside and outside the house make homes safer?

10.3.1 Crime happens everywhere. It’s an unfortunate truth about the world we live in. But
creating a safe and secure home doesn’t require big scary guard dogs and barb wire
fences. The not-so-obvious home defence for detouring trespasser is security lighting.
Fix two bright lamps high up on a wall where it can flood large areas with light when a
motion sensor is activated. This type of security lighting can be effective. It’s a simple
way to throw a lot of light over an area and make everything visible. Every home is a
target for trespassing mischief particularly dark homes. This should be the mindset of
every home owner when they are looking to create security for their home. An
illuminated property creates a situation that trespassers don’t want: being seen.
When a home looks dark, when an intruder takes that first step onto a residence,
they’ve already entered the mindset that this is the home they want to target. More
lights equal less trespassing.

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2021 Speaking Exam
 January 2020: Topics for the oral exam C2

10.4 Why would getting to know our neighbours make us safer?

10.4.1 Getting to know your neighbours comes with a wide range of benefits including
enhanced safety. One of the most important benefits of getting to know your
neighbours is the extra home protection. Because your neighbours know your regular
comings and goings, they are more likely to notice if someone is lurking around. Many
neighbours have thwarted thieves because they were keeping an eye on their friend’s
property. Other cases include watching over your house while you are on vacation and
calling the police of something is amiss. Through neighborhood watch you get an extra
set of eyes for your home. Good neighbours watch out for each other and their
property. Living in a proactive neighborhood can increase your family’s safety as
multiple sets of eyes and ears can help thwart criminal activity and promote a safer
area. It’s really nice to be able to give the neighbours a heads-up that you are going to
be out of town and be able to say (Hey! Can you keep an eye on our place?) That’s an
added level of security to have real live eyes and ears looking out for you and your
property.

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2021 Speaking Exam