Приблизительный перечень сочинений по тематике, рекомендуемой на письменном международном экзамене

Education

1. People attend college or university for many different reasons (for
example, new experiences, career preparation, increased knowledge). Why do you
think people attend college or university? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.

2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Universities
should give the same amount of money to their students' sports activities as they give
to their university libraries. Use specific reasons and examples to support your
opinion.

3. Some people believe that university students should be required to attend
classes. Others believe that going to classes should be optional for students. Which
point of view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to explain your
answer.

4. Some people think that they can learn better by themselves than with a
teacher. Others think that it is always better to have a teacher. Which do you prefer?
Use specific reasons to develop your essay.

5. In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do
you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific reasons and
details.

6. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? All students
should be required to study art and music in secondary school. Use specific reasons to
support your answer.

7. Some people say that physical exercise should be a required part of
every school day. Other people believe that students should spend the whole school
day on academic studies. Which opinion do you agree with? Use specific reasons and
details to support your answer.

8. Some high schools require all students to wear school uniform. Other
high schools permit students to decide what to wear to school. Which of these two
school policies do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support
your opinion.

9. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? High school
should allow students to study the courses that students want to study. Use specific
reasons and examples to support your opinion.

10. If you could make one important change in a school that you attended,
what change would you make? Use reasons and specific examples to support your
answer.

11. Some people believe that students should be given one long vacation
each year. Others believe that students should have several short vacations
throughout the year. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your choice.

12. Your school has received a gift of money. What do you think is the best
way for your school to spend this money? Use specific reasons and details to support
your choice.

13. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should
be paid according to how much their students learn. Give specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.

14. School should ask students to evaluate their teachers. Do you agree or
disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

15. Students at universities often have a choice of places to live. They may
choose to live in university dormitories, or they may choose to live in apartments in
the community. Compare the advantages of living in university housing with the
advantages of living in an apartment in the community. Where would you prefer to
live? Give reasons for your preference.

16. Some people believe that a college or university education should be
available to all students. Others believe that higher education should be available only
to good students. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.

17. Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a
very early age and should spend most of their time on school studies. Others believe
that young children should spend most of their time playing. Compare these two
views. Which view do you agree with? Why?

18. The government has announced that it plans to build a new university.
Some people think that your community would he a good place to locate the
university. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a new
university in your community. Use specific details in your discussion.

19. People learn in different ways. Some people learn by doing things; other
people learn by reading about things; others learn to how listening to people talk
about things. Which of these methods of learning is best for you? Use specific
examples to support your choice.

20. In the future, students may have the choice of studying at home by using
technology such as computers or television or of studying at traditional schools.
Which would you prefer? Use reasons and specific details to explain your choice.

21. Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past?
Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

22. Many students choose to attend schools or universities outside their
home countries. Why do some students study abroad? Use specific reasons and
details to explain your answer.

23. When students move to a new school, they sometimes face problems.
How can schools help these students with their problems? Use specific reasons and
examples to explain your answer.

24. Some students like classes where teachers lecture (do all of the talking)
in class. Other students prefer classes where the students do some of the talking.
Which type of class do you prefer? Give specific reasons and details to support your
choice.

25. Some students prefer to study alone. Others prefer to study with a group
of students. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.

Life experience

1. It has been said, "Not everything that is learned is contained in books".
Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained
from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? One should
never judge a person by external appearances. Use specific reasons and details to
support your answer.

3. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? There is nothing
that young people can teach older people. Use specific reasons and examples to
support position.

4. Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by
listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of
learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these
two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use
specific examples to support your preference.

Mass Media

1. How do movies or television influence people's behavior? Use reasons
and specific examples to support your answer.

2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television has
destroyed communication among friends and family. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.

3. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television,
newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal lives
of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use specific reasons and
details to explain your opinion.

4. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face
communication is better than other types of communication, such as letters, e-mail, or
telephone calls. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

5. Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other
movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you
prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

6. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should
read only those books that are about real events, real people, and established facts.
Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion.

7. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Reading fiction
(such as novels and short stories) is more enjoyable than watching movies. Use
specific reasons and examples to explain your position.

8. Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things we really
need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our
lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.

9. Movies are popular all over the world. Explain why movies are so
popular. Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

10. Films can tell us a lot about the country where they were made. What
have you learned about a country from watching its movies? Use specific examples
and details to support your response.

Native place (cities and countryside)

1. If you could change one important thing about your hometown, what
would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

2. Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big
city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasons and details to
support your answer.

3. It is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big city.
Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to develop your essay.

4. A person you know is planning to move to your town or city. What do
you think this person would like and dislike about living in your town or city? Why?
Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

Ecology

1. Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human
activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What
is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

2. Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry
are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or
disagree with this point of view? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.

3. A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or to
protect the environment. Which do you think the company should choose? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

4. Many parts of the world are losing important natural resources, such as
forests, animals, or clean water. Choose one resource that is disappearing and explain
why it needs to be saved. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

5. In some countries, people are no longer allowed to smoke in many public
places and office buildings. Do you think this is a good rule or a bad rule? Use
specific reasons and details to support your position.

6. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Businesses
should do anything they can to make a profit. Use specific reasons and examples to
support your position.

Progress

1. Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.

2. Some people think governments should spend as much money as
possible exploring outer space (for example, travelling to the Moon and to other
planets). Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money on
our basic needs on the Earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with? Use
specific reasons and details to support your answer.

3. Some people think that governments should spend as much money as
possible on developing or buying computer technology. Other people disagree and
think that this money should be spent on more basic needs. Which one of these
opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

4. It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of its members.
Compare the contributions of artists to society with the contributions of scientists to
society. Which type of contribution do you think is valued more by your society?
Give specific reasons to support your answer.

Person's character

1. What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have these
qualities changed or remained the same over time in your culture? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.

2. Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work
for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to
support your choice.

3. Some people trust their first impressions about a person's character
because they believe these judgments are generally correct. Other people do not judge
a person's character quickly because they believe first impressions are often wrong.
Compare these two attitudes. Which attitude do you agree with? Support your choice
with specific examples.

4. Some people prefer to spend most of their time alone. Others like to be
with friends most of the time. Do you prefer to spend your time alone or with friends?
Use specific reasons to support your answer.

5. Some people prefer to spend time with one or two close friends. Others
choose to spend time with a large number of friends. Compare the advantages of each
choice. Which of these two ways of spending time do you prefer? Use specific
reasons to support your answer.

6. Some people choose friends who are different from themselves. Others
choose friends who are similar to themselves. Compare the advantages of having
friends who are different from you with the advantages of having friends who are
similar to you. Which kind of friend do you prefer for yourself? Why?

7. Decisions can be made quickly, or they can be made after careful
thought. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The decisions that
people make quickly are always wrong. Use reasons and specific examples to support
your opinion.

8. When people need to complain about a product or poor service, some
prefer to complain in writing and others prefer to complain in person. Which way do
you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

9. People remember special gifts or presents that they have received. Why?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

10. It is sometimes said that borrowing money from a friend can harm or
damage the friendship. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use reasons and specific
examples to explain your answer.

11. Your friend has asked you for advice. Compare your friend's two
choices and explain which one you think your friend should choose. Use specific
reasons and details to support your choice.

Social relations

1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is better to be
a member of a group than to be the leader of a group. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.

2. Some people think that the family is the most important influence on
young adults. Other people think that friends are the most important influence on
young adults. Which view do you agree with? Use examples to support your position.

3. When famous people such as actors, athletes and rock stars give their
opinions, many people listen. Do you think we should pay attention to these
opinions? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

4. Groups or organizations are an important part of some people's lives.
Why are groups or organizations important to people? Use specific reasons and
examples to explain your answer.

5. What are some of the qualities of a good parent? Use specific details and
examples to explain your answer.

Travelling, transport

1. Choose one of the following transportation vehicles and explain why you think it has changed people's lives.

• Automobiles

• Bicycles

• Airplanes. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

2. Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to
travel alone. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support
your choice.

3. You need to travel from your home to a place 40 miles (64 kilometers)
away. Compare the different kinds of transportation you could use. Tell which
method of travel you would choose. Give specific reasons for your choice.

4. You have the opportunity to visit a foreign country for two weeks.
Which country would you like to visit? Use specific reasons and details to explain
your choice.

5. Imagine that you are preparing for a trip. You plan to be away from your
home for a year. In addition to clothing and personal care items, you can take one
additional thing. What would you take and why? Use specific reasons and details to
support your choice.

6. A friend of yours has received some money and plans to use all of it
either

• To go on vacation

• To buy a car

Sports

Part 2