spending their free time. They also say that TV helps them to learn about the world. Although TV can be an excellent entertainer and educator, there are lots of active ways of entertainment such as playing games or doing sports, which are actually much healthier. Moreover, we should not forget about the educational value of reading a good book.
To sum up, I agree that television, in moderation, can be a good thing. However, if children watch TV all day long without choosing programmes, then it is really harmful. That is why I believe parents should set viewing limits to ensure their kids do not spend too much time watching TV.Task 38.
Over the last fifty years we have seen a huge rise in TV violence and a corresponding rise in the crime rate. Many people are sure this is not coincidence and blame television for the negative influence.
In my opinion, those who think that TV violence accounts for the rise of crime in society get the situation the wrong way round. Television just reflects the increase in violence and crime in society. Besides, crime programmes can actually stop people from breaking the law as they usually show that crime doesn’t pay. Moreover, programmes where real life crimes are re-enacted get people to ring in with information and eventually help to catch criminals.
It is supposed that violence on TV has a negative influence on children as they become more aggressive after watching violent shows. There is also an opinion that young people tend to imitate crime techniques watched on TV and therefore are likely to be arrested for criminal acts as adults. However, lots of people watch violent crimes on TV without wanting to commit similar crimes themselves. That is why I believe that the main reason for committing crimes is poverty and bad education, not television programmes.
To conclude, I do not think it is necessary to forbid all crime programmes because television should tell people the truth about the world they live in. I strongly believe we should concentrate on what people experience in their daily life before we worry about what is on TV.Task 39.
We live in the age of information technology and nowadays the Internet is nearly as common as the telephone. No doubt that it is a unique invention, which has influenced all areas of our lives. However, some people consider the Internet one of the greatest evils of our time.
On the one hand, the Internet is very useful, because it lets us access a world of facts, figures and knowledge. In addition, with the Internet, it is now possible to speak to friends and relatives anywhere in the world cheaply and quickly. Other services are also available through the Internet such as booking tickets or buying things. Moreover, the Internet allows a lot of talented people to show the world their achievements and makes it easier to find a job.
On the other hand, the Internet can become a disaster for our society, because people spend hours in front of their computers and neglect their everyday duties. Another worry is the activities of cybercriminals. For example, hackers can steal your money or even your property while cyberterrorists may ‘attack’ the world’s computers, causing chaos, and making planes and trains crash. What is more, leaders of different terrorist or oppositional organisations can use the Internet to find new followers.
In conclusion, I strongly believe that despite the criticisms by some and the fears of others, the Internet seems to have changed our world to the better and we must try to make the best use of it.Task 40.
There is no doubt that the invention of the car completely changed the way people thought about travelling causing the development of many other means of transport. However, the drawbacks of cars make people think that we should stop using them.
In my opinion, cars are necessary in today’s world. To begin with, they help us transport goods to places that cannot be reached by other means of transport. In addition, cars are the main way of transportation for people who live far from their workplaces, especially now when public transport is frequently lacking. It is even more difficult to use public transport if you have children with you or heavy goods to carry. Finally, cars are the best way of travelling because you need not buy tickets and you can stop wherever you like.
Nevertheless, cars are often criticised because they cause air pollution. Another argument against using cars is that people are turning into legless creatures and inactivity leads to serious diseases. I cannot agree with these views because nowadays all cars are to be equipped with special control systems to reduce their exhaust fumes and new environmentally friendly cars are being developed. Moreover, with cars, people have better opportunities to reach sports facilities and therefore spend more time doing sports.
To sum up, I would argue that although cars have certain disadvantages people would not be able to survive without them. However, I believe that we should improve cars to lower their harmful influence on people’s health.Task 41.
People have always been intrigued of what the future will look like. That is why there are a lot of futuristic books and films, both optimistic and pessimistic. But what does the real future holds for us? Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now?
As for me, I am optimistic about the future. We have already seen major technological advances over the last fifty years and the next fifty years are going to be equally exciting. For example, in fifty years’ time scientists will have created robots that will be doing all dangerous and difficult jobs. In addition, medicine technology will have conquered many diseases including AIDS and cancer. As for entertainment, I believe we will get it from the Internet and television will probably disappear.
However, some people feel pessimistic about our future. They worry about the activity of terrorists and the possibility of nuclear wars. Another problem is our environment, which is in a sorry state. I am sure that people will be able control their weapons because everybody understands what disastrous consequences nuclear wars may have. We will also take care of our environment and in the future people will drive petrol-free cars, drink purified water and recycle their rubbish.
To sum up, I believe that we will finally solve all our problems and will live happily. History shows that people can make the right choices. That’s a good reason to be optimistic about science and humanity.Task 42.
It goes without saying that tourism can bring economic gain to the development of all countries. Nevertheless, some people think that the price for this development is too high. So is tourism a blessing or a curse?
On the one hand, tourism is extremely beneficial as it provides people with jobs and brings substantial profit for the country’s economy. In addition, most of the money from tourism is spent on schools, roads, cultural development and maintenance of architectural sights, which otherwise would be in a sorry state. What is more, travelling is a part of people’s education and it is a good way to broaden our minds. We may say that tourism brings cultures and people closer.
On the other hand, we must admit that tourism does have some disadvantages. To begin with, most popular resorts are pol-110
luted and litter has become a major problem. Besides, many ancient monuments are being destroyed by unstoppable march of tourism. To make things still worse, the historic centres of many great European cities, such as London or Rome, are fast becoming occupied by tourists with clicking cameras and left by all local residents except for the souvenir sellers.In conclusion, I want to say that the problems caused by tourism are not something that cannot be solved or prevented. In my opinion, tourism should be given a humanistic direction. Personally, I am for tourism that minimises its own environmental impact, respects local cultures and human rights as well as promotes knowledge and understanding.
Task 43.
Modern life is impossible without travelling. People travel the globe to see modern cities and ancient towns, to enjoy picturesque places, or just for a change of scene. But does travelling really broaden our minds?
On the one hand, it does because when you travel you are exposed to things which you would probably never experience if you stayed at home. To begin with, travelling gives us an opportunity to explore the country and learn about its customs and traditions. In addition, it is a good chance to try national food and take part in national festivals. Moreover, travelling is the best way to practise foreign languages and to make new friends.
However, there are people who travel to ‘all inclusive clubs’. It does not really matter to them which country they are in as long as they have an opportunity to relax. They do not bother to practise a foreign language and even if they go on excursions, they only take pictures and do not get any useful information. In this case travelling does not broaden their mind. Besides, when people travel on business, they are usually too concerned about their problems and have little time to explore the place they travel to.
To sum up, travel can expand people’s outlook if they travel in order to gain new experiences. On the contrary, if tourists are too lazy, they will not benefit from their journeys. So we may say that travel broadens the minds which want to be broadened.Task 44.
Most teenagers today are given some pocket money by their parents. However, they often feel this is not enough for their needs. As a result, the question of whether they should have a part-time job often comes up.
In my opinion, young people should be allowed to work part-time if they want to. First of all, it will give them a useful introduction to the world of work. By earning money, teens can learn how a business works from the inside out as well as get some working experience. Besides, a part-time job will teach teenagers the value of things and make them more responsible and careful about money. They will understand that money does not grow on trees, it has to be earned. Finally, having extra money will make young people more independent of their parents.
Many parents say that teenagers are too young to work and that they should concentrate on their school work. Although this is true, I think that there are jobs for teenagers that will not take up too much time or can be done at weekends, for example, delivering newspapers or babysitting. In addition, young people can find a holiday job during the summer and earn money for something special.In conclusion, I want to stress that teenagers will
