Nhiều bạn vẫn hay hỏi cô tìm đâu ra idea cho speaking hay writing. Well, hôm nay cô sẽ chia sẻ trước cho các bạn một số chủ đề nha, kèm theo là câu hỏi để các em tự tìm hiểu và phát triển thêm ý tưởng cho mình, các từ gạch dưới là những cụm từ hay collocation khá hay của chủ đề.
Accidents: KEY IDEAS
Causes:
There are many contributors to traffic accidents including bad driving habits, drunk driving, overconfidence of the drivers, violation of essential rules, (e.g. speeding and driving recklessly), distraction, carelessness, tiredness, navigational errors, poor road conditions, defective equipment and deficiencies in the vehicle, poor visibility, poor weather conditions, relaxation of driving and safety laws, lack of law enforcement and inadequate public education on this issue
Suggestions to reduce car accidents:
The most effective way to reduce the number of accidents is to promote public education, (e.g. workshops and free booklets). A measure to reduce the number of accidents is to redesign and reshape poor roads. Equipping roads and streets with necessary facilities, (e.g. putting up more road signs, installing speed control devices and providing more speed bumps and humps).
Some preventive programmes include reducing car insurance. Toughening driving laws and treating law-breakers more harshly, e.g. revoking the delinquents’ driving license.
Discussion Questions:
Additional police enforcement is the most effective alternative to reduce the number of car accidents. How far do you agree?
Do you think car accidents can be avoided by technological devices?
‘The best way to reduce the number of traffic accidents is to make all young drivers a complete safe driving education course before being licensed to drive.’ How effective is this?
‘Hit and run drivers should be treated the same way as anyone who attacks a person with any other deadly weapon.’ Do you agree or disagree?
Acid rain: KEY IDEAS
Effects:
Acid rain causes extensive damage to vegetation, water resources, natural ecosystem and living organisms, e.g. aquatic ecosystems are seriously threatened by acidic water. Acid rain can cause many health problems, e.g. skin disorders. Acid rain endangers the wildlife, it can even make animal species extinct. Acid rain damages agricultural products and often makes heavy losses.
Acid rain is highly corrosive, it can damage the stonework of buildings and statues.
Some measures to prevent acid rain:
Since sulfur dioxide which is released to the atmosphere known as a pollutant and a major contributor to acid rain mode by burning fossil fuels and wood, therefore, the most effective alternative to prevent acid rain is to use an environmentally-friendly and renewable source of energy.
Other suggestions to address air pollution are as follows; imposing vehicle emission standards to control pollutants, introducing more effective laws to deal with this environmental issue, encouraging industries to move to suburbs by providing enough incentives and other financial assistance.
Discussion Questions:
What course of action should be taken to prevent acid rain?
‘The best way to deal with air pollution is enacting stricter laws.’ Do you agree?
Who is more to blame for the environmental crisis called ‘Acid rain’; people or governments?
Addiction: KEY IDEAS
Causes and contributing factors:
Weak will power, personality deficiencies, family breakdown, poor family environments, regular use of tobacco products, recreational drug use, peer pressure, joblessness, and relaxation of laws.
Suggestions to help the addicts:
Addiction rehabilitation programmes include occupational therapy; vocational training, job placement, life skills training, community education, family support, behavior therapy, medical treatment, counseling sessions to build up the addict’s character, providing ongoing training for educators and treatment providers, and preventive programmes. (Prevention is better than cure.)
Measures to address drug addiction:
To promote public education, to take action against drug trafficking by applying punishment-oriented approaches, to limit the availability of addictive drugs by tightening up the laws on drug possession.
Effects:
Drug addiction causes a number of psychological problems, such as anxiety, loneliness, self-pity, self-blame, hopelessness, concentration disorders and learning disabilities. Addiction can cause many physiological and physical problems, such as lung cancer and respiratory diseases. Drug dependence destroys human spirit and mental capabilities. Drug addiction destroys family relationships and is known as a major cause of family breakdown. Drug abuse is the root of many crimes.
Discussion Questions:
In your opinion, how can drug addiction be addressed or treated?
Do you think addiction should be considered as an illness?
Adoption: KEY IDEAS
Role:
The primary aim of adoption is to promote the welfare of disadvantaged children.
One of the major benefits for the child is that he or she is provided with adoptive parents who are emotionally and financially ready to be parents.
Adoption gives adoptive parents the ability to fulfill their dreams of having a child.
Adopted children receive a two-parent home and sometimes even a brother or sister.
Statistics show that adopted children are provided with a greater chance of a good education.
The goal of adoption is to provide a permanent, secure and nurturing environment for the child.
Adoption promotes the well-being of children, birth parents and adoptive families.
Discussion Questions:
‘Adoption is a lifelong commitment.’ How do you understand this?
Can you mention some reasons why people choose to adopt?
Should adoption be encouraged?
Who should be considered as the real parent, foster parents, or biological parents?
What qualities do you think adoptive parents need to be allowed to adopt children?
In your opinion, what are the social effects of adoption?
In what ways do you think adoption promotes the spiritual values in a society?
Do you think that adoptive parents should maintain the adopted child’s cultural identity?
Where possible, should the adoptive parents maintain contact with the natural parents?
Should biological parents be allowed to reclaim their adopted children?
Do you think adopting children from other countries is good?
Should parents tell the adopted children that they were adopted? Why/not? If so, at what age?
Advertising: KEY IDEAS
Pros:
Advertising plays a key role in heightening competition, lowering prices, introducing new products and services, helping people to find their latent needs, raising people’s awareness. Advertising provides people with a Jot of useful information. It enables consumers to make intelligent choices
Cons:
Most advertisers use tricks and catchy slogans to persuade people to buy things that they don’t need. In other words, most advertisements are intended to create unreal needs. Most products which are advertised are flashy and poor in quality, but they are heavily hyped. Most advertisements are tempting and misleading: they work through suggestion and give people unrealistic expectations, and usually affect people’s shopping habits. Advertisers only think about sales promotion to capture more market share. Information is often misinformation. Some methods used in advertising are unethical and unacceptable, e.g. using gimmicks to target people to buy new products.
Role of consumers’ association:
Most consumers associations are formed to protect consumers from unsafe products, help consumers to file formal complaints and deal with profiteering and overcharging.
Discussion Questions:
To what extent and how does advertising affect people’s purchasing decisions?
What factors influence your choice of products to buy? Think of advertising, quality and durability, peer pressure, competitive price, special offers, style, brand, loyalty, etc.
Do you think ‘consumerism’ should be considered as an opportunity or a threat?
Why modern society is often called ‘materialistic’?
