Essay

Most developed countries spend a large proportion of their health budgets on expensive medical technology and procedures. This money should be spent instead on health education to keep people well. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

The idea of diverting the money assigned for expensive medical technology and procedures towards health education will not ensure the health of the people.

Firstly, health education has only a limited role in dealing with a large number health related problems.For example, in order to treat patients who meet with serious accidents huge expenses are required to diagnose and perform medical procedures. Many diseases like cancers and strokes cannot be avoided just by educating people about preventive measures. Furthermore, there are many diseases that are hereditary, like heart ailments and psychiatric problem which require expensive treatment.

Secondly, in spite of continuous awareness programmes through the media or education, many people do not have the discipline to keep away from unhealthy practices. An ideal example would be the increasing popularity of fast foods, which can cause many life style diseases like blood pressure, cardiac problems and diabetes, especially among the young. Educating people about taking precautions against diseases is definitely an important aspect of ensuring the health of the people, but greater importance should be given to treatment of people who are affected by diseases. 

On the other hand, health awareness programmes have made great contributions in reducing spread of many epidemics like small pox, bird flu and other viral infections. People have realised the importance of living in a hygienic environments in order to keep away from many common ailments. The prevention of AIDS has been made possible through the world wide awareness programme undertaken by WHO and similar organisations. Greater allocation of funds is required in this area of healthcare but it should not be at the expense of reducing the expenses involved in expensive medical technology and procedures.

In conclusion, the present system of giving greater budgetary allocation to expensive medical care is reasonable.

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In many countries, schools have severe problems with student behaviour. 

What do you think are the causes of this?What solutions can you suggest?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Poor student behaviour is a major problem faced by schools across the globe especially in the western world. This can be attributed tocertain sociological and psychological problems that are encountered,while bringing up children. Both parents and teachers should play a responsible role in (handling, solving, dealing with) this problem effectively.

Parents today have too many responsibilities, apart fromlooking after the affairs of their families, which has resulted in children getting less attention and care. Parents need to instil good values in young children and discipline them at an early age, if not it would result in unrulybehaviour at home and in school. In many instances, children are left alone in the company of television sets, computer screens and toys, and as a result they fail to lackinterpersonal skills and human values, which they learn by interacting with their parents and siblings. Furthermore, parents provide them with many material comforts, whichmay make them selfish and greedy. Children who come from such family backgrounds would often create many problems for teachers and their schoolmates. Parents should never shirk their responsibility of spending quality time with their children on a regular basis, which would help them to monitor their children’s behaviour and give suitable advice whenever there is a need.

Another reason for problematic behaviour among children is that teachers lack effective training in dealing with children who have various behavioural and psychological problems. Children, who come from broken or problematic families, in order to ventilate their frustration, often create problems in schools, which can only be tackled by trained teachers or counsellors. Many teachers become defensive and show little tact when children show such behavioural abnormalities. Erratic handling of such problems canlead toaggravating the issue. I believe that this problem can be effectively addressed if parents and teachers are trained in scientific ways of dealing with children. Schools should appoint specially trained counsellors, who can assist teachers in dealing with problematic children.

As mentioned above, both parents and teachers have a crucial role to play in normalising the behaviour of children in schools. Scientific ways of handling children with troublesome behaviour can go a long way in dealing with them efficiently.

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As populations grow and cities become more crowded, there is pressure throughout the world to construct ever-taller building to provide accommodation and offices. Many people object to such developments, citing the social as well as the physical dangers.

Do you agree with objections to skyscrapers?

The objections to skyscrapers are unfounded as they are found to be the only remedy for the ever increasing demand for space for housing and other purposes. Although certain social as well as physical dangers are attributed to such buildings, they remain the most beneficial invention of man concerning the organisation of space within the geographical limitations of a particular area, especially cities.

The most important benefit of skyscrapers is that maximum space can be made available within a limited geographical area. As price for land is skyrocketing especially in big cities and its availability is does not increase, this seems to be the only solutions for people to own space at moderate expenses. If one takes the example of a city like Bangalore in India, where the land prices are very high, huge buildings are erected within the city limits for residential as well as commercial purposes. This saves huge amount of money and land for individuals and organisations, which can used for other purposes. Large areas are not available in big cities and hence people can operate businesses and live within the city limits.

Another important benefit of skyscrapers is that it gives an outstanding look to the skyline of big cities, which means that most of these buildings are constructed in an aesthetic fashion. Such high rise structures usually give a magnificent look to the city compared to smaller buildings. If you would examine the landmarks of most of the cities, they are certainly these high rise buildings. For instance, the Opera House in Sydney and the destroyed World Trade Centre in New York are examples of such architectural wonders. Many architects believe that taller buildings have greater scope for architectural liberties.

There are people who believe that such buildings are always at a greater risk

of crumbling down, which can cause enormous damage to life and property. Moreover, living within the limited space make life congested with more people and cars making the city congested. These are minor distractions in the face of the enormous benefits that such multi-storey buildings can bring.

In conclusion, sky scrapers are here to stay and people are constructing more and more such buildings and enjoy their benefits

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Some people feel that young people face more pressure today than the equivalent age groups did in previous generations. Others think they have a much easier life than their parents did. What is your opinion?

The youth of the previous generations, I believe, did experience greater pressure compared to the present generation of young people, owing to several economic, social and professional issues they encountered.

In the past, the economic condition in many families, especially in developing countries like India, was not as stable as it is today. Hence, the physical, educational, professional and recreational needs of young people were not sufficiently met. For instance, if a young person wanted to pursue higher studies, it was often not possible as it was not affordable to many families. On the other hand, it is much easier for today’s children to get higher education because of the better economic situation in modern families. Therefore, the level of stress experienced by today’s young generation is comparatively less.

Secondly, even in professional fields, today’s youth have greater opportunities, in securing a job or moving from one to another. For example, if you would take a country like India, in the last few years the economic progress achieved by the nation has created enormous job opportunities for the educated youth. In contrast, many young people a few decades ago experienced a great deal of stress because of the lack of job opportunities, in spite of their educational qualifications. The economic freedom enjoyed by the young generation of the present age has helped them to lead a more comfortable and relaxed life.

However, one should not ignore the fact that young professionals today experience enormous stress at work due to stiff targets, demanding deadlines and long working hours. The challenges are intense even in

competitive examinations to get into professional courses. 

Nonetheless, compared to the past, the present young generation experience lower levels of stress and lead an easier life. 

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Governments make many rules to protect people from danger, for example, by making people wear seat belts in cars or not allowing smoking in public buildings. However, many people believe that there are too many rules nowadays.

Governments have the responsibility of ensuring the safety of their citizens by imposing certain restrictions that might seem unnecessary. Although it may restrict their freedom to a certain extent, experiences have proved that many dangers have been averted by imposing these safety measures.

Rules and regulations cause minor inconveniences to people but it should be weighed against the safety aspects of individual and social living. It is a reality that hundreds of accidents are caused due to drunken driving. Since there are many rules against driving under the influence of alcohol, many accidents that could cause great damage to human life and property are avoided. Those who believe that such rules interfere with their freedom pay with their own lives and that of others. The conclusion one can draw from these experiences is that people should tolerate certain inconveniences, in order to protect their lives from possible dangers.

Littering and spitting in public places is considered a serious offence in Singapore, which is dealt with serious fines. People in countries like India, that do not have such strict rules on public hygiene may not realise the value of such a regulation but this has made Singapore one of the most beautiful and cleanest countries in the world. When people learn the benefits of certain restrictions, they would begin to appreciate such constrains on their freedom.

However, in certain case, we may find that some rules are unnecessary and ineffective. These are only rare instances and citizens have the right to raise objections against them. Any sensible government would revoke such rules and regulations if it finds them unproductive. 

In general, the rules that we have are not too many but essential for the smooth functioning of any civil society. The absence of such controls would lead to chaos and confusion in public life.

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Some people feel that manufacturers and supermarkets have the responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging of goods. While others argue that customers should avoid buying goods with a lot of packaging.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

There is a growing tendency among manufacturers to present their products in excess packaging and supermarkets exhibit them to attract customers, who are often lured by such products. In order to reduce the amount of packaging, all the parties involved in creating such a trend should make a joint effort in this direction.

Since many people today equate quality with superior packaging, companies would not often take the risk of reducing it for fear of losing their market share. However, branded companies that are already established in the market can experiment with simple covering, without the fear of losing the popularity of their products. But it has to be done with wide publicity through the media and the financial benefits should be passed on to customers, or else, it could sometime become counterproductive. For example, multinational companies like ‘Colgate’ can successfully give up expensive packaging of their toothpastes with economical alternatives.

Similarly, customers also have a role to play, by showing greater interest towards items in simple packing. This would motivate increasing number of producers to pack their products using inexpensive materials. Super markets would also be encouraged to showcase such products with greater visibility.

On the other hand, the amount of packaging also indicates the need to ensure the durability, safety and freshness of products. For instance, most instant foods are packed in several layers using expensive materials like aluminium foil and superior plastic, with the purpose of longer shelf life. Hence, lighter packaging of products should be introduced only after taking these aspects into consideration.

In conclusion, manufacturers, supermarkets and customers have a collective role in reducing the amount of packaging of products.

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Because of the pressure of new subjects such as business studies, many schools have dropped sport or physical education (PE) from the curriculum. How important is sport or PE in a young person’s education.

Excluding sport or physical education from school curriculum, I would consider, is an unwise step, even if it is to accommodate professionally relevant subjects like business studies.

The active participation of students in physical education can help them to develop a healthy body which is immune to many common diseases. Child obesity, which is a common phenomenon, especially in western countries is often associated with lack of physical exercise. This can eventually lead to many lifestyle diseases, like diabetes and high blood pressure even at an early age. School is the best place where a young person can be motivated and initiated into sports. Although there may be other facilities like clubs and gymnasium where children can participate in sports, there are many practical difficulties. If schools avoid sports from its curriculum, many students would not participate in any kind of physical activity, leading to an unhealthy future generation.

Participating in sports can help students to develop sportsman spirit, skills of socialisation and a spirit of competition. It is also an opportunity for them to ease their stress created by spending long hours in classrooms. It is often seen that children who actively participate in group sports have greater ability to handle anxiety and tension-filled situations associated with their studies. Moreover, the concept of developing the comprehensive personality of a student will definitely receive a setback, if physical education is removed from school curriculum. Again, extraordinary sports talents are usually spotted and nurtured in schools that give importance to physical education along with academic studies.

In the final analysis, although it may sometimes seem that physical education is unnecessary in today’s education system because of the importance given to career oriented subjects, it will definitely hamper the physical and emotional development of children.

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More and more people claim that modern work patterns are a source of stress. What do you think are the causes of this? Can you suggest some possible solutions?

Modern work patterns have definitely led to a stress filled work environment. This could be attributed to several professional and personal issues guiding quality and productivity in modern work places. Effective management practices to deal with such situations can play a significant role in reducing the severity of this problem considerably. 

Firstly, capitalist free economies have encouraged increasing levels of competition in the market, which has led to a situation where companies compete with each other in order to establish the superiority of their products and services and increase profit. The major responsibility of achieving these goals would obviously be transferred to workers at various levels, who are forced to improve their skills at work. When people work in target oriented and quality conscious work places, it would naturally increase their levels or stress. Again, companies often need to deliver their services within a stipulated time frame with the required quality. To meet these deadlines, employees have to work for long hours and this can definitely lead to a stressful work environment. Strict supervisory policy of managerial staff is another prime reason for this situation. Software companies and travel agencies are ideal examples of such work practices. 

Scientific human resource management policies can tackle this situation quiet effectively. I believe, the most obvious solution is to create relaxed environments at work, where employees can work effectively in a comfortable manner. For example, most software companies today provide gym facilities and other sports activities for employees, which they can use during their break times. A further step would be, to reduce the hours of work, so that it may not exceed the physical and psychological capacity of workers. Another possibility is to encourage workers to use their weekends and holidays more effectively by spending with their families or for picnics. 

In conclusion, a certain level of stress is inevitable in today’s workplaces but effective human resources policies can reduce it considerably.

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People nowadays work hard to buy more things. This has generally made our lives more comfortable, but many traditional values and customs have been lost and this s a pity.

In pursuit of material comforts, modern man strives to achieve better financial status. This may be, sometimes at the cost of ignoring traditional value systems and customs. However, I believe, although a minority falls into this category, the major portion of the society still upholds traditional values in the midst of material prosperity.

It is sometimes said that respect for elderly parents, which was a traditional value does not find any place in today’s families. This is purely a based on the wrong assumption that old parents should be allowed to interfere into the affairs of their children and make decisions for them. In fact, today’s parents respect the freedom of their children and in turn, children are more independent and stand on their feet earlier than before. Today’s children maintain a friendly relationship with their parents but that does not mean that they do not respect them. Today, respect for parents is borne out of children’s freedom and not a result of fear, which in many instances used to be the case in the past. Such attitude of today’s generation is sometimes misinterpreted as lack of respect for their parents. What one can derive from this example is that traditional values remain unchanged, although their expressions may take different forms in the passage of time.

Visiting neighbourhood houses used to be a favourite custom for people in the past, which helped them in fostering friendly relationship with one’s neighbours. However, this is not possible today, since people are too busy as they work for long hours outside their homes to meet the ever-increasing demands of modern life. But this has been effectively compensated by the formation of neighbourhood clubs and similar groups where people meet during weekends and engage in many entertainment and social activities. This provides them greater opportunities to develop a friendly relationship with their neighbours.

Man’s quest for material prosperity does not always lead to the loss of traditional values, which can be clearly proved by our own experiences to that effect. Although the circumstances change, man remains the same old ethical being.

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Some people believe that professional sportspeople are paid too much money nowadays in relation to their usefulness to society. 

Do you agree?

Acknowledging the great contributions made by sports people to the society, the remuneration that they receive, cannot be considered excessive.

The usefulness of sports people can hardly be matched by any other professionals including scientists, doctors or teachers. Successful players possess extraordinary talent which is nurtured through hard work, determination and perseverance. Only a handful sports people reach great heights and earn huge remuneration, as a reward for their economic and entertainment value. For example, multinationals cash on the popularity of sports icons, like the footballer Christiano Ronaldo, and they endorse major brands. This obviously would result in the bulk sale of these products and these companies reward their brand ambassadors with huge remuneration. 

Successful sports professionals are role models of the society, especially to the young generation, as they motivate them through their hard work and dedication. Furthermore, they enhance the prestige of the nation by winning international competitions and entertain millions of sports viewers even beyond their national boundaries. Hence they deserve a huge remuneration for the contribution they make to the society, which is unequalled by any other professionals. Countries like Brazil and Argentina take great pride in their teams winning the Football World Cup and reward their players with fitting financial assistance. Moreover, many sports people contribute a major share of their finances to charitable and philanthropic activities. Even after retirement, some sports stars work as goodwill ambassadors or sports trainers.

On the other hand, there are certain professionals who make great contributions to society like, teachers, nurses and soldiers but are not paid in accordance with their role in the welfare of the society. Government has the responsibility of increasing their remuneration in order to reward their services to the community.

While considering the usefulness of sports professionals to the society, I would favour the huge amount of money that they receive.

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Euthanasia, or mercy killing, has been a controversial issue for many years. Although many people are strongly against such a practice, there is a growing demand to have it legalised. How far do you agree with euthanasia being made legal?

Although certain human right groups and religious organisations may raise objections to the legalisation of mercy killing, from a practical point of view it

has enormous benefits for the critically ill patients who have no hope of coming back to normal life.

In the first place, legalisation of euthanasia can save the expenditure involved in sustaining lives of many terminally ill patients, who just live with the help of sophisticated medical equipments like ventilators. It is unreasonable to spend huge amounts of money on medicines, medical personnel and equipments, since such people are unlikely to recover. Governments in many orthodox Muslim countries spend millions of dinars for sustaining the lives of patients in vegetative state, because their religious law prohibits euthanasia. In fact, the money wasted for this purpose can be used for treating other patients who can be brought back to a healthy life.

Again, in certain extreme cases, it can also be end the hardships and excruciating physical and mental agony of patients who are in the last stages of certain critical illnesses like cancer. Since the law does not allow mercy killing, the last few days are often a trying time for both the patients and their close relatives and friends. Legalisation of this practice can definitely give these patients a peaceful end through a clinically assisted death.

On the other hand, there are arguments that there could be incidents of illegal elements misusing this law for their personal advantage. Strict laws and proper surveillance can definitely prevent the occurrence of crimes related to this issue. Religious people who object to the legalisation of mercy killing or moral grounds should consider the practical difficulties involved in preserving a life in vegetative state.

If proper guidelines are put forward by the authorities, to determine the validity of a legal euthanasia, it will prove to be a great blessing for many patients who survive just because of life-sustaining equipment attached to their body.

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Only formal examinations, written or practical, can give a clear picture of students’ true knowledge and ability at university level. Continuous assessment like course work and projects are poor measures of student ability.

How far do agree with this latter statement?

The assessment methods of students’ ability at the university level are now undergoing many conceptual changes in the recent times. Traditionalist would argue that formal examination is the best approach in analysing the

academic performance of a student, but researches, of late, have continuously proved the superiority of course work and projects in judging the comprehensive ability of a student.

In the first place, formal examinations can, sometimes, generate exam phobia among students, as they are usually conducted at the end of the term, which certainly means that students are forced to study an extensive syllabus. This would generate a great amount of stress and fear among many students. In such circumstances, students may not be able to perform to the best of their potential, which is a drawback of this type of assessment. On the other hand, continuous assessment and course work help students to approach examinations in a relaxed manner. Such examinations take place throughout the year, which means students do not have to study the whole syllabus at the end of the term.

Secondly, formal examinations mainly test the rote memory of students, whereas continuous assessments and project work help students do a great deal of research and discover information by themselves. The second method, certainly tests the creative ability of students in a more efficient way as compared to formal examinations.

In conclusion, course work and project works have proved to be much more effective in assessing the comprehensive ability of students. Such methods have benefited students in approaching examinations in a very relaxed manner.

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High technology is now being harnessed to help the elderly by providing monitoring, tracking and, perhaps one day robots as companions. Whilst there are obvious benefits for the elderly in these developments, some people are uneasy about the social consequences.

The social consequences of using high technology in the care of the elderly, if any, are inconsequential, compared to the enormous benefits it has brought about in the lives of the aged as well as those who take care of them.

The devices that provide monitoring, tracking and many other facilities have enabled old people to have greater self-reliance. Today, they need not depend on other individuals to perform many functions, like moving about or checking their vital signs. This would give them greater independence and self confidence and definitely

lead to their better emotional and physical wellbeing. For example, there are tracking devices that can help the elderly to move around without the help of a caregiver or other individuals. All these benefits that the elderly receive with the help of technology can reduce many social issues associated with old age.

Again, many elderly people would need the help of a nurse of a caregiver, if they are bed-ridden or immobile. Although, taking care them is a very demanding job both physically and psychologically, modern equipments have reduced the workload of careers. For example, helping old people to take a bath or to move around is a physically demanding task, but devices like automated beds and modern wheelchairs have eased the tediousness of these activities. As a result, people who care for them can spend more time to interact with them and give psychological support. This can definitely have a great impact on the emotional health of old people and bring down their loneliness to a great extent. Hence, instead of leading to any social problems, the use of modern equipments can help the elderly to lead a more meaningful life.

However, there could be instances of the aged being left to the company of machines in the evening of their life, which means that they lose the proximity of their close relatives and other human beings. As human interaction is an important ingredient of the emotional health of the elderly, such a situation could make them more irritated and temperamental. Therefore, although the increasing use of the high technology is greatly beneficial for our senior citizens, the society should make sure that they are not denied of the closeness of other human beings.

When we consider the many aspects of the above discussed issue, one can certainly come to a conclusion that the use of modern devices in elderly care is unlikely to lead to any social consequences.

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The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. 

The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.

Do you agree or disagree?

In spite of the fact that nuclear energy has the image of a villain in human

history in the last 100 years,the inevitable fact remains that it is one of the major sources of cheap energy and a great contributing fear factor among major nations, that prevents them from attacking each other. Although it may have the destructive power of eliminating human race itself from the face of the earth in the worst case, there are very convincing evidences to prove nuclear energy has greatly contributed to maintaining world peace and providing inexpensive power which is important for the progress of the world.

If one would argue that nuclear bombs caused great holocausts in the twin Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I would raise a counter argument stating that there was not a major war in the world subsequent to the Second World War. Furthermore, one should not forget that, during the cold war period, world was divided into two opposing blocks both possessing destructive nuclear war heads pointed towards each other. None dared to attack each other for fear that it would trigger a major war and the ultimate use of nuclear power, which would cause major destruction to countries on both sides. On the other hand, if one would scan the history prior to Second World War, it was a procession of battles and strife among the major nations of the world. What we derive from these historical facts is that the presence of nuclear power has maintained world peace and is still performing its role perfectly.

All the traditional sources of energy like oil, gas and coal are fast drying up and are expensive and cause a lot of pollution, whereas, nuclear energy is a very important source of alternative energy, which is both clean and inexpensive. This should be weighed against the stark reality that other alternative power sources like windmill or solar energy are more expensive, unreliable and limited in quantity and hydro-electric projects result in environmental hazards as huge dams cause destruction to forests and displacement of inhabitants. Although we need to admit that there have been a couple of instances of nuclear leakages and subsequent disasters in the past, today the safety measures are fool proof and one should not a raise false alarm about safely and ignore the great advantages of nuclear power.

However, one should not ignorethe safety aspects of nuclear energy and the danger, if it goes into the hands of criminal elements and terrorists. There should be stronger international nuclear monitoring agencies that should enforce and ensure the safety and non-proliferation of nuclear energy. If so, we can reap the rich benefits of nuclear energy without being disadvantaged by its drawbacks.

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One-day the world’s oil and gas reserves will run out. The search for alternative energy sources like wind power, solar power, burning waste, and water power are causing as much environmental damage as the oil and nuclear power sources they are intended to replace.

•How far do agree with this latter statement?

•What possible benefits do the alternative energy sources bring? Or what damage do they cause?

The depleting petroleum resources with its huge environmental hazards have forced scientists to search for a perfect alternative energy that can replace this conventional power source. Although alternative fuels like wind power, solar energy have certain disadvantages, they will emerge as a force to reckon with in meeting the world’s energy shortage and replacing oil and gas.

In the first place, alternative energy sources, like solar power, is clean and environment friendly. This should be seen against the fact that traditional sources of energy like gas and petrol cause enormous damage to the environment. However, the problem with this is that the cost of power generation is much higher as compared to mining and processing petroleum. This problem will soon be overcome as a great deal of research is now going on in order to reduce the cost of photovoltaic technology. If this is achieved in the near future, which definitely is a possibility, the energy needs of the world will easily be met. Energy from wind and water is also equally environment friendly, although it is sometimes said to be unreliable. Burning waste may have the disadvantage of polluting the environment by emitting smoke, but we need to take into consideration the amount of waste that is removed through this process.

Secondly, alternative energy is never ending and renewable because sources like sun and water will never be exhausted and do not use up natural resources. A perfect example of this would be solar energy, which is generated from the heat of the sun. In contrast, traditional way to sourcing energy eats up precious natural resources and is not renewable.

Overall, one can clearly come to a conclusion that alternative sources of energy are environment friendly and a perfect replacement for oil, gas and even nuclear energy. With the right research and use of modern technology,

we can foresee a pollution free world of energy.

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The wealth of a nation is said to depend on the health of its citizens. Yet, in the modern knowledge-based economies of the world, education is more and more being seen as the main force in the development of all countries.

Do you share this view?

A nation with a healthy population that could actively participate in the development the state was traditionally considered wealthy. However, today there are several other factors and among them education is the major force that can lead to the comprehensive development of a country.

In most developed countries we find that most people lead a healthy life in terms of availability of essential nutrients and healthcare facilities whereas in many developing and underdeveloped countries often the situation is the opposite. Yet, countries like China and India are trying to equip their citizens with higher levels of education, which they think is the easiest way to achieve the status of a developed country. In the modern knowledge based world economy, rich countries like the United States are now giving greater importance to churning out educated graduates in all areas, which is crucial for research and development and effective implementation of developmental projects. This definitely would mean that educated professionals do play a significant role in today’s concept of progress.

In addition, although health can be considered as one of the benchmarks of development, for further development in modern economic scenario, a sound education system is a mandatory requirement. Or else, countries would lag behind in the modern race for supremacy in the information technology driven world. This could even lead to a situation where the so called developed countries would not be able to match the fast pace of development in this area. This could easily be seen in the superior figures of economic growth in countries like India and China, whereas the growth rate in developed countries, where policy planners have not given proper consideration to have highly educated professional force, is comparatively less.

Overall, in the modern technologically driven economies of the world, an educated and highly skilled workforce is key to progress and prosperity.

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Governments often spend large sums of money on spectacular displays to celebrate national events of significance. This money could be better spent on improving social conditions in the country.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Government should not divert the money meant for the celebration of national events of significance, as it has many benefits, in terms of reminding the citizens about the rich cultural heritage of the nation and inspiring a sense of patriotism and nationalism among various sections of population. Hence spending large sums of money for this purpose can be justified and government should allocate separate funds for improving the social conditions of the country.

Firstly, the occasion of national events is the time to remind people of the history and culture of the nation. For instance, during the republic day celebration, in India, traditional art forms are staged and ceremonial processions are organised throughout the country. Although these celebrations would incur large expenditure for the state as well as people, they would make the citizens proud of the rich traditions of the country. Such feelings would also help people to develop sense of patriotism and a spirit of national integration, that are important aspects of the nation building process. Therefore, spending a large amount of money for this purpose is worthwhile.

Secondly, although a substantial sum is spent on spectacular displays during national holidays, a large number of international tourists visit the country during this time and such events are telecast throughout the world. This would definitely benefit the country economically and it is a great opportunity to showcase one’s culture and traditions before the world. Hence it is quite reasonable to celebrate national events with pomp and fanfare.

In conclusion, the money spent for the rich celebrations of national events of significance, should not be diverted for improving the social conditions of the country as it has a number of cultural and economic benefits for the nation.

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Today the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold.  

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Although the lure of advertisements helps to sell products to some extent, the reason for the large sale of consumer goods cannot be attributed to it.  The increasing needs of people for convenience and luxury, and the rising purchasing power of the society, have contributed considerably to this phenomenon.

Firstly, modern inventions have helped people to have products that would reduce their physical labour, wastage of time and increase convenience.  Hence people would buy things that would make their life easy and comfortable.  For instance, modern devices like washing machines, dishwashers, blenders and microwave ovens have saved a great deal of time for housewives and reduced their physical effort.  This would prompt them to buy more and more such products with newer features and discard the older ones.  Moreover, people also buy tinned and instant foods in large amounts to save the time for cooking.  This would mean that it is the real needs of people that automatically lead to the bulk sale of these products.

Secondly, the rising economic status has enabled people to buy many products that would help them to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle.  People today buy several cars, latest electronic gadgets, expensive dresses and rare cosmetics to flaunt their wealth.  The trend of giving gifts on every important occasion, also has greatly contributed to the sale of consumer goods in large quantities.  Much more than just advertisements, the requirements of people for a rich lifestyle have definitely helped companies to sell their products in bulk.

Advertisements have a big role in informing people about various products in the markets and their important features, but they cannot influence the buying habits of people beyond a certain level.  It also familiarise them with popular brands and help them to choose a product over others.  People may buy a product, attracted by a commercial campaign, but if it is not useful to them they would never buy it again.    

Overall, advertisements have some influence in the buying habits of people but the huge sale of consumer goods cannot be attributed to its power.

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Some parents believe that extra private lessons outside school hours, where students work alone with a teacher, can help them do better at school.  Others disagree.

Discuss both the views and give your own opinion.

Many parents believe that the crowded environment in regular classrooms can have a negative impact on the academic performance of students.  Hence they send them to private tuitions where the teacher can individually help them to study their lessons more effectively and perform better at school.  However, others believe that private lessons outside school hours are burdensome to children and it can have a negative influence on their academic development.

Because of the constrains of time, the size of the syllabus and the number of students, school teachers may not be able to cater to the individual needs of all children who have different intellectual capacities.  For instance, in regular classrooms, weaker students find it hard to grasp the formulas of mathematics and science, which makes these subjects difficult for them.  Whereas, the teacher at a private tuition follows the pace of the student and makes sure that he is thorough with the lessons.  This means that the teacher has sufficient time to repeat the lessons in case the student does not understand it, the first time.   This gives greater confidence to such students and helps them to get superior grades in examinations. 

On the other hand, private lessons outside school hours are considered, by many parents, as an intrusion into the time that children should engage in sports or other extracurricular activities.  They believe that students are already stressed out after regular school hours and should be given time to relax, instead of taxing them again with more lessons.  If they are forced into private tuitions they may develop a negative attitude toward studies, which

would have detrimental effect on their academic performance.  Moreover, private lessons outside school hours are very expensive and many parents would not be able to afford it.

After considering the positive and negative aspects of private tuitions, I suggest that intellectually weak students should get assistance form a private teacher, who would help them to perform better in school. But, on regular school days students should not be burdened with extra private lessons and the best way to do it is, to find a few hours during weekends.  Although it may be financially burdensome for many parents, intellectually weak students would greatly benefit from private tuitions.  

In conclusion, despite certain drawbacks, private tuition has enormous benefits for students, to perform well in their academics.

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In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

It is greatly advantageous for young people to travel or work for a year after high school and before joining university.  However, encouraging them to do it, can also have a certain detrimental effect on their life and future.

Firstly, travelling to cultures and people other than their own, or taking up a job can give young people a broader outlook about life, which is not possible through university education alone.  It can also give them greater emotional and intellectual maturity to plan their career goals and even deal with problems of life in a better way.  Engaging in practical work will help young people to have a direct experience of the harsh realities of life, rather than just bookish knowledge.  For example, an employment can give them prior knowledge about the professional skills that he needs to acquire in his

university education.  Being exposed to the moral and cultural practices of people in other regions, can teach him qualities of life that he may not learn at home and such knowledge can make them more tolerant.  Above all, it can give them greater confidence and self-reliance.  

Nonetheless, it can break the continuity of education, which can end up in increasing number of school drop outs.  For example, if a young man finds a job with a decent salary, he would sometimes continue in his job even after the end of the gap year.  Although it gives him a temporary financial fulfilment, denies him the opportunity for further education and a much better job.  Being away from a formal educational environment fir such a long time can affect their discipline, study habits, which can lead to poor academic performance in the university.  

Taking a gap year has enormous benefits for young people, but they should also be aware of the dangers they are exposed to.

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