School uniforms.

(s99)
Wearing a uniform helps us to identify with our school friends.
Uniforms are dull. We dont think that we look good wearing them.
Uniforms can be expensive and some families may not be able to afford them.
A uniform is the most practical kind of clothing to wear at school.
Wearing the uniform encourages students to take a pride in their school.
Young people are different from one another. Why should they all have to dress alike?

Your town has received a large sum of money to improve facilities for young
people. (w99)
A new sports centre is needed definitely!
We need a study centre for homework and to research our projects.
A club to meet our friends after school would be great.
Wed like a place to go to get help and careers advice about our future education and
training prospects.
This town needs more culture an arts centre would be nice.
We have no theatre in town. Lets form a drama club.

Smoking (s00)
Children need to be taught about the dangers of cigarettes as early as possible.
Smoking looks grown-up and sophisticated.
People who smoke in public are harming others.
I smoke because all my friends do.

Is advertising on television and in magazines a good or a bad thing? (w00)

Advertisements are bad, because they encourage people to want things they cant
really afford.
How would we know what to buy if it wasnt advertised?
Advertising makes newspapers and magazines colourful and interesting!
You are a fool if you believe what an advertisement says!

Some argument in your local community about tourists and tourism. (s01)
If it wasnt for tourists, everyone here would be much poorer.
I dont mind the tourists being here, but I wish they were here ALL the year, not just the
holiday season. When they arent here I lose my job in the hotel.
Tourists may bring lots of money into the area, but this leads to more crime and a less
safe community.
It used to be lovely here before the tourists came. Now its just tall buildings and
expensive shops everywhere.
I love living in this tourist area there are always lots of things going on, and interesting
new people to meet.
How people sent to prison should be treated. (w01)
We must try and teach people who commit crimes that what they have done is wrong.
When they leave prison they will then try to do good for society.
Whatever crime has been committed, the same punishment should be given to the
criminal. If a man steals a car, then he should lose his own car.
Prisons are very expensive to run and its a waste of money. Criminals should spend
most of their time outside, cleaning the streets or something not watching TV or
reading books in their cells.
Im sure that many people in prison are only there because they are poor and unlucky.
They turn to crime because its their only way of getting any money.

Research in some countries has suggested that educating boys and girls in
separate schools produces better results. Not everyone agrees. (s02)
I think it is very important for the future to have mixed classes.
I find I concentrate better on my studies.
I enjoy the debate between boys AND girls.
Boys are disruptive, and as a girl I dont get distracted in a single-sex class.

Your school/college is planning to introduce compulsory sport/PE for all

students, every day. (w02)
I cant stand doing sport, especially team games.
Its great well all become much healthier because of this.
A bad idea we will lose vital time to prepare for exams!
I dont mind just as long as we have a good choice of things to do.

Persuading young people to take care of their environment and offering ideas and
advice on how to do this. (s03)
People should share cars on their way to work -often I see queues of cars in the
morning with only one person in each!
We need a car each in our family - we all work and study in different directions.
It is easy to recycle glass, plastic, paper and batteries, and it helps!
I have no time to recycle - it is much quicker just to throw everything away.
We can use alternative energy sources nowadays - solar panels on our roof, for
example.

Explaining what you think about spending money on space exploration. (w03)
It is wrong to spend all this money on space exploration when people are struggling
here on earth for food and water.
It is vital to make plans for the future not only for ourselves and our grandchildren but
the countless generations to come.
It wont affect me because by the time the sun is beginning to overheat the earth Ill be
long gone.
Well I can see the benefits of the research that space travel has given us already but it
is much too expensive.
There have been, and will be, wonderful findings to bring back from space that might
help us to contact others out there.

Advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones. (s04)

If I have my mobile with me, I can phone home and say if I am going to be late.
If someones phone rings during a film, I get very angry!
I just use my phone in emergencies, so my bills are not too high.
Mobile phones are a proven health hazard.

The better your education, the better your future career prospects are likely to
be.' (w04)
"I believe it is important to work hard and get good grades so my earnings will be
greater."
"I have a successful technology business and I left school early."
"My parents have always encouraged me to aim for the career I want."
"Its always possible to study later on in life if you need to."

Advantages and disadvantages of a gap year. (s05)

"It is good to see the world before beginning more intensive studying."
"I need to earn some money to help me through my time at university."
"A gap year means that you forget how to study and lose your enthusiasm to return to
full-time education."
"A gap year is just an excuse to have a good time."

Scientists have made the production of food easier and cheaper, by using
chemicals and other artificial procedures. (w05)
"This is the answer to feeding the world. No one will be hungry ever again."
"If you use chemicals, then who knows what will happen to our health?"
"It means that people who work on the land will have no work."
"It's a really cheap way to grow good-quality food."

Plans to build a very large factory near your neighbourhood. (s06)

"It will bring many new jobs to our area."
"We dont want to lose our lovely open spaces."
"What about the increase in pollution?"
"We cant stop progress."
Plans to hold a major sporting event in your country. (w06)
"This event is going to make our country really famous throughout the world."
"Im worried about the huge security problems."
"Its great because more of our young people will be encouraged to take up sport."
"The money we spend on this could be better spent on providing new schools and
hospitals for the people."

Your school/college is preparing a project about keeping animals in zoos. (s07)

Most people have the chance to see endangered species in our zoos.
Animals were born to be free and live naturally.
We can study their behaviour better in captivity.
No animals are happy in a cage.

The way animals should be treated. (w07)

In the twenty-first century, more and more people rely on new technology and
computers. (s08_21)
People forget how to talk to each other if they use computers all the time.
I prefer being active and doing sport to sitting and staring at a computer screen.
Its really helpful with my homework being able to research on the Internet.
Most jobs nowadays need you to know how to use a computer.

Your school is proposing that each pupil spends some of his/her free time
helping in the community. (s08_22)
This will give me great experience when I start looking for jobs.
I need every spare moment to relax and have fun with my friends.
If we are helping the community then we should get paid.
Great! I get so bored at home with nothing to do.

The use of mobile/cell phones and their advantages and disadvantages. (w08_21)
I feel safer having my phone with me when I am out.
Mobile/cell phones are noisy and annoying in public places.
I can get in touch with my friends at any time.
We still arent sure about the health risks connected with these phones.

People nowadays are always looking for new challenges. Your local newspaper
has been doing research into dangerous or risky sports and activities. (w08_22)
Sailing alone on the sea gives me such a feeling of peace and tranquillity.
People should think about their friends and relatives who are left behind worrying when
they do these crazy things.
Dangerous sports and activities can cause serious physical injury to people.
When I jump out of the aeroplane I get such a buzz of excitement and I know the
parachute is safe.
Many people believe that young people spend too much time playing computer
games. Others view computer games as just another form of relaxation or hobby.
(s09_21)
"Computer games are more exciting than anything else I know."
Im not keen on computer games at all. I prefer to go out and spend time with my
friends doing different things like basketball, youth club and visiting the cinema.
"I don't have much money. I can get hours of entertainment from a computer game
without spending too much."
"I think it's much healthier to go outside and do some exercise than stay in the house
playing on the computer."

The manager of your favourite cinema wants to make a big increase in the price
of an entry ticket. (s09_22)
"I like to go to the cinema regularly, but I wont be able to afford it now."
I'm happy to pay the extra because they have made the cinema much more
comfortable recently.
"The cinema management should try to raise money in other ways, for example, by
selling refreshments or posters."
"Both the quality of the sound and the picture are so much better at the cinema than on
TV."

The part that music plays in our lives. (w09_21)

Music is an international language which brings people together.
Our country's music speaks about our history and heritage.
Music doesn't mean much to me; it's just noise in the background.
Music causes arguments; no-one in my house wants to listen to the same kind of
music.

Your local council wants to promote a publicity campaign to attract more tourists
to your area. (w09_22)
More tourists will bring extra income for many local businesses.
The area doesnt have the facilities to welcome more visitors.
People from different regions and countries create a good atmosphere in the town.
It will be even more difficult to travel around the town with more tourist cars and buses.